The Boston Globe Shouts “Viva” … Sorta (Update)
Even the Boston Globe was impressed! After the requisite detour through Hitler youth and Panzer-Kardinal, today’s editorial ends rather (for the Globe) upbeat:
Many Americans weren’t quite sure what to make of this pope. In 2005, as Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, he arrived with heavy baggage, including a compulsory stint with the Hitler Youth more than six decades earlier. A critic of modernity, he was known as the “battle tank cardinal” who had little use for the soft stops on the church organ. But his visit to New York revealed a compassionate leader who prayed for an end to hatred at the site of the Sept. 11 attack; stressed unity while making the first papal visit to a Jewish house of worship in the United States; and made people happy while celebrating Mass at Yankee Stadium.
It’s not every visitor who stays less than a week and leaves his hosts thinking about a kingdom of justice and peace.
P.S. I have heard second-hand reports that during his trip the Pope quietly visited the ailing Cardinal Avery Dulles at Fordham. Can anyone confirm this?
Update:
Alan Mitchell’s comment below deserves to be featured in the post:
Fr. Imbelli:
I can confirm that Cardinal Dulles was taken by car from Fordham to Dunwoodie, where he had a private meeting with Pope Benedict. Here is a link to the Fordham web page with the information:
http://www.fordham.edu/Campus_Resources/Public_Affairs/topstories_1210.asp
Fr. Imbelli:
I can confirm that Cardinal Dulles was taken by car from Fordham to Dunwoodie, where he had a private meeting with Pope Benedict. Here is a link to the Fordham web page with the information:
http://www.fordham.edu/Campus_Resources/Public_Affairs/topstories_1210.asp
A Hong Kong paper this morning, headlining its story “Pope hits a home run” for the mass in Yankee stadium, referred to his homily as “the sermon on the mound.”
Back to the Globe for a minute. I suppose “battle tank cardinal” is the Boston paper’s rather clumsy version of Panzer Cardinal, which is the version used in the past; but no doubt the editor thought no one would know what Panzer meant. Sic transit etc.
“Sermon the Mound” is good, Nicholas, but technically he was located over second base during his homily, so perhaps the serious content of the homily could be described as a “profound rule double.” ;)