Last summer I was with a friend who loves to listen to Rush and his ilk. Thus I spent several hours in a car listening to this vitriol on the radio. It was all anger, hate, and bitterness. No joy or hope. No attempt to look for a silver lining amidst the darkening clouds. I find that sometimes reading some of the posts on this blog is a lot listening to Rush and the rest of hate radio. Sometimes, Bill, we need to have a little hope. And I actually think that despite all the problems of the Church, Benedict XVI can offer us some hope. I believe in the goodness of the human person. I even believe that there is some goodness in a pope. Can you agree with me on this?

A

Our path is through the crucified Lord, protecting the children. Not through lofty phrases neglecting children and appointing a cover-up Cardinal in charge of a Cathedral. In the Body of Christ, each part works together. The children are a huge part of that body and given great significance by Jesus. Fighting for children does not mean one lacks joy. It is the false joy we have to guard against.

Voice of the Faithful has worked constantly for integrity in the church. Their call is one all of us should hearken.

I am neither an adulator nor a detractor of the pope. I found Fr Imbelli’s post of the pope’s comments worthwhile. These reflections would have been worthwhile whether or not the pope had written them.

He’s the pope–whether you or I like it or not. And even if a person has not a shred of respect for him (as you seem to not have), he may still say something that is thoughtful or may even provide spiritual insight.

And remember one of the signs of Christian, is that she or he has a spirit of joy about them. I so infrequently find joy or hope in any of your posts. Maybe you just chill out a bit? just a thought

“Irish Catholics are increasingly asking these questions as are Catholics in the US, and throughout the world wherever the abuse scandal has been revealed. They are coming to an inescapable conclusion: their church’s system of government subverts its mission and makes a mockery of the rigid code of sexual morality to which it seeks to hold the laity and pretends to hold the clergy. It is a formula for endless scandal and disgrace.
If this papacy is to rise to this challenge it must stop behaving as though there were no systemic weakness paralyzing its mission everywhere. Unaccountable bishops misbehave precisely because they are unaccountable. Rome needs to demonstrate that it has finally gotten the message that the people of Boston sent it in 2002.

How? First, by sacking and secluding Bernard Law and then by undertaking a comprehensive overhaul of the present clerical governance structure of the Catholic Church.”

http://votf.org/vineyard/Jan28_2010/ireland.html

I’m currently offering a course for undergrad theology and philosophy majors on the theology of Joseph Ratzinger/Pope Benedict. I decided to begin with the Pope’s book on St. Paul (based on his weekly audiences during the Pauline year). I think it was an excellent choice: not only as an introduction to Paul, but because I think it contains in brief the Pope’s theological approach and vision.

It seems to me to be quite usable for high school seniors (of the sort Anthony teaches!) and parish adult education courses (that Richard does so well).

I noted with pleasure that Larry Cunningham had high praise for the book in a recent issue of Commonweal.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/03/weekinreview/03grist.html

Maybe they were better off in the Stone Age than we think. As early as 9,000 years ago, long before the wheel was invented, inhabitants of a Neolithic village in China were brewing a type of mead, or fermented honey and fruit, with an alcohol content of 10 percent, the archaeologist Patrick McGovern discovered recently. The finding by Dr. McGovern, a biomolecular archaeologist at the University of Pennsylvania Museum, fits in with his thesis that the development of agriculture was the result of an irrepressible impulse toward drinking and intoxication, Spiegel Online reports. “Consuming high energy sugar and alcohol was a fabulous solution for surviving in a hostile environment with few natural resources,” said Dr. McGovern, a leading expert on ancient brewing.

Do you know if there are any Sumerians offering honorary citizenship? If so, please forward the particulars. :)

I have no trouble with the sentiments expressed save the cathedral reference. What I addressed is what history shows us. As Casey Stengel said: “You can look it up.”

Bill–Sometimes you just have to check your guns at the (cathedral) door. Is it possible that too much anger regarding the plight of the poor is a sign of a deficient faith? After all, the Church teaches that the last shall be first and that it’s at least as easy for the poor man to enter heaven as the rich man. Maybe they are not to be so pitied, after all. They certainly don’t seem half as angry as many who are angry on their behalf.