tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8383701632927065467.post8105217000196276884..comments2023-08-21T03:51:17.425-06:00Comments on Enlightened Catholicism: Two Popes With Two Styles That Symbolize Real Differencescolkochhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03432916690101599393noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8383701632927065467.post-52777572166922039722013-03-25T10:58:36.974-06:002013-03-25T10:58:36.974-06:00In the same way B16 has shaken the Vatican by his ...In the same way B16 has shaken the Vatican by his retirement Francis can radically change the church by acting unilaterally to end this absolute monarchy. <br /><br />One of the few absolute monarchies left in the world is that of Saudi King Abdullah. It is a country few in the west hear about regularly. However, almost everyone in the West knows that in public Saudi women must wear the abaya, which covers a woman from head to toe exposing only the woman's eyes, and that Saudi women are forbidden to drive. It would come as no surprise that the country is ranked 130 of 134 countries for gender equality. <br /><br />Justice is measured by religious principles, indeed there is a religious police force for Promotion of<br />Virtue and the Prevention of Vice. There is no jury or lawyer to represent the accused. Punishment is often swift and severe. In addition to fines, jail, and other deterrents, one might be whipped, have a limb severed or subject to beheading by sword in the public square.<br /><br />Against that background a group of about 100 Saudi women began a protest called <b>My Right to Dignity</b> in 2011. They raised their voices to obtain the right to drive. <br /><br /><br />As any absolute monarch might do the King reconsidered his position, perhaps in light of the Arab Spring all about him. The women's protest was allowed to continue. The King appointed 30 women to his "Shura" or advisory council, something which had never happened before. The King made provisions to grant women the right to vote in the 2015 elections and has promised to re-consider the issue of laws banning women driving.<br /><br /><br />Francis would be wise to follow some of the King's lead. <br /><br /><br /><br />In other news, an Australian newspaper reports that Francis is considering the dissolution of the Vatican bank.<br /><br /><br />We'll see, my friends, we will see. Sometimes change comes as quickly as a lightning strike.p2pnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8383701632927065467.post-59939788839584931102013-03-24T21:07:31.439-06:002013-03-24T21:07:31.439-06:00Give me 500 words! Journalism today, with a few ra...Give me 500 words! Journalism today, with a few rare exceptions, is astoundingly awful. JP2 had been incapacitated for years and much of the last decade of his papacy was surely the first decade of Ratzinger's. How could there be anything but continuity? Remember there was a Ratzinger fan club, using the phrases "God's Rottweiler" and "smack-down on heresy since 1981" on T-shirts and mugs before there was a Pope Benedict. <br /><br />Fashion is so important to the traditionalists that there are many web pages, blogs and Tumblr accounts devoted to Cardinal Burke and his silk, err, make that ilk. If clothes make the man then these men were being made a caste apart. Nobody else cared, quite frankly, until Francis challenged the status quo ante. (Woo hoo looking me use my high school latin, take that you modern day scribes and Pharisees!) But what does it all mean?<br /><br />1. Silver = Argent: The names of Argentina and the Rio de la Plata are derived from the word for silver. It may be a nod to his homeland. Perhaps the choice of a less precious metal than gold says something about his frugality and solidarity with the poor. Although I love the idea of artists and artisans being employed to create new art the choice of an off the shelf ring definitely supports the latter. Use what you have. <br /><br />2. Rejection of the mozzetta and red shoes: Did the new pope say "I prefer not." or "The carnival is over."? It doesn't matter because the carnival is over for those symbols of absolute monarchy and those who promote that form of Catholicism. Francis has rejected many other monarchical traditions since. Elite is out, get over it toffee nosed gits, there's a new bishop of Rome in town.<br /><br />3. Ratzinger parsed the translation of the liturgy to emphasize those who would be excluded. Salvation became "for many" rather than "for all" such fear did he, and other traditionalists have that an unworthy person might get to heaven. Don't hold out false hope for the wretches. We'll see what happens with the wording but in the meantime Francis is with the hired help, the jailed, and the lame. <br /><br />4. Crackdowns, smack downs, excommunication and exclusion: Ratzinger gave it his best. The old ways don't work. The Bergoglio family fled Mussolini's fascist dictatorship. He was raised with a different world view from his predecessors. Bergoglio on unmarried mothers:<br /><br /><i><b>In our ecclesiastical region there are priests who don't baptise the <br />children of single mothers because they weren't conceived in the <br />sanctity of marriage.<br /> These are today's hypocrites. Those who clericalise the church. Those <br />who separate the people of God from salvation. And this poor girl who, <br />rather than returning the child to sender, had the courage to carry it <br />into the world, must wander from parish to parish so that it's <br />baptised!"</b></i><br /><br />5. Evangelization had better start with former Catholics and lapsed Catholics. What about the nones? What about the nuns? The new pope shows deep respect for others and "the other" by asking a blessing upon his introduction and by giving a non-denominational blessing at his first audience with the media. <br /><br />Who was Jesus? Christ the King? Or the Good Shepherd?p2pnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8383701632927065467.post-61799751907020030852013-03-24T12:15:43.866-06:002013-03-24T12:15:43.866-06:00The differences sure are amazing!! PBXVI with the...The differences sure are amazing!! PBXVI with the fancy table runner over his shoulders and seated upon a very large baroque looking golden monstrosity and the simply attired new Pope Francis I on his simple chair. And the vision and messages are very different. God Bless Pope Francis I. <br /><br />Maybe the RCC will get its act together with this new Pope, who really seems to be a new hope. <br /><br />What would really be wonderful is if this Pope Francis I reinstated Fr Roy Bourgeios and Australia's William Morris and whoever else the richly-dressed authoritarian Pope fired or got rid of, sent packing, excluded.Fran Schultzhttp://twitter.com/Fran_Schultznoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8383701632927065467.post-23616538856209072702013-03-24T12:03:49.693-06:002013-03-24T12:03:49.693-06:00These are great photographs. Yes, I doubt that re...These are great photographs. Yes, I doubt that red loafers would log the same miles that these shoes would.colkochnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8383701632927065467.post-29929154437065022222013-03-24T11:51:04.147-06:002013-03-24T11:51:04.147-06:00Here is a picture of Francis's shoes. These ...Here is a picture of Francis's shoes. These are the shoes of a man who has walked alot. Not only do I think Francis would eschew the red loafers as a matter of principle but I suspect that none of them would have fit such rough, wide and warn feet! That aspect in itself speaks substantially about where this man has been and where he may lead the Church...Jamez Murcknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8383701632927065467.post-2111571443151374462013-03-24T11:10:50.130-06:002013-03-24T11:10:50.130-06:00Wow. This really does make a statement.Wow. This really does make a statement.colkochnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8383701632927065467.post-47654311856119329722013-03-24T10:39:56.630-06:002013-03-24T10:39:56.630-06:00I don't know if you've seen this picture y...I don't know if you've seen <a href="http://www.praytellblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Popes-seated.jpg" rel="nofollow">this picture</a> yet, but it speaks volumes.PrickliestPearnoreply@blogger.com