What Happened To God's Rotweiller?
Has he become a yapping Yorkie?
With the exception of his recent screw-up at the Blue Mosque, I've been a cautious supporter of Pope Benedict. Just type his name on the blog search in the upper left hand corner of this blog, and you'll see that I speak the truth. The vast majority of posts that I've commented on the pope have been supportive of him.
But I swear... I'm getting the unmistakable impression that the one time PanzerKardinal has become the Yugo Pope.
Case in point - I see the latest news story from Zenit with the headline, Benedict XVI Offers an Answer to Church's Crisis, with the sub-headline Urges a Rediscovery of Greatness of God's Love.
Here's the first sentence (just to give you an idea what the entire news story's like);
VATICAN CITY, DEC. 7, 2006 - The answer to the crisis the Church is facing, especially in the West, consists proclaiming and rediscovering the grandeur of God's love, experienced in prayer, says Benedict XVI.
Ok, that's all well and fine. But in all fairness, a 9th Grader could have penned that.
Meanwhile ~
Seminaries and Chancery Offices are scandal ridden. Millions and millions of dollars are still being paid out.
Families and grade schools are not teaching or learning the Faith. Catholic schoolchildren know all about Hanukkah and Kwanzaa, but how many even know what an Ember Day is?
Churches are closing by the truck-load (to help pay for sexual predators, or because these are no Faithful in the pews... or both?).
Millions are losing the Faith, and the majority of those who do convert still haven't a clue to even the basics of Catholicism.
Entire Catholic countries have apostatized. And in many of those nations, their Catholic Bishops Conference have the consistent habit of telling the pope to go to hell. Or if they're in a particularly giving mood, they'll just ignore him.
To the pope, Faith is wonderful. But it's only half the equation. We need to see some Works coming out of Rome as well. When I start seeing heads roll... when I start seeing flat-out heretics in Roman Collars taken out of positions of authority... when I see Rome demand that Catholic politicians conduct themselves like Catholics or face excommunication, then I'll take Pope Benedict seriously.
In the meantime, I'm getting that sick feeling in the pit of my gut that this is just more of the same old, same old.
Has he become a yapping Yorkie?
With the exception of his recent screw-up at the Blue Mosque, I've been a cautious supporter of Pope Benedict. Just type his name on the blog search in the upper left hand corner of this blog, and you'll see that I speak the truth. The vast majority of posts that I've commented on the pope have been supportive of him.
But I swear... I'm getting the unmistakable impression that the one time PanzerKardinal has become the Yugo Pope.
Case in point - I see the latest news story from Zenit with the headline, Benedict XVI Offers an Answer to Church's Crisis, with the sub-headline Urges a Rediscovery of Greatness of God's Love.
Here's the first sentence (just to give you an idea what the entire news story's like);
VATICAN CITY, DEC. 7, 2006 - The answer to the crisis the Church is facing, especially in the West, consists proclaiming and rediscovering the grandeur of God's love, experienced in prayer, says Benedict XVI.
Ok, that's all well and fine. But in all fairness, a 9th Grader could have penned that.
Meanwhile ~
Seminaries and Chancery Offices are scandal ridden. Millions and millions of dollars are still being paid out.
Families and grade schools are not teaching or learning the Faith. Catholic schoolchildren know all about Hanukkah and Kwanzaa, but how many even know what an Ember Day is?
Churches are closing by the truck-load (to help pay for sexual predators, or because these are no Faithful in the pews... or both?).
Millions are losing the Faith, and the majority of those who do convert still haven't a clue to even the basics of Catholicism.
Entire Catholic countries have apostatized. And in many of those nations, their Catholic Bishops Conference have the consistent habit of telling the pope to go to hell. Or if they're in a particularly giving mood, they'll just ignore him.
To the pope, Faith is wonderful. But it's only half the equation. We need to see some Works coming out of Rome as well. When I start seeing heads roll... when I start seeing flat-out heretics in Roman Collars taken out of positions of authority... when I see Rome demand that Catholic politicians conduct themselves like Catholics or face excommunication, then I'll take Pope Benedict seriously.
In the meantime, I'm getting that sick feeling in the pit of my gut that this is just more of the same old, same old.
posted by Vir Speluncae Catholicus at
11:27 AM
10 Comments:
You're absolutely right but I want to give him a little more time before I hang my head in dissappointment.
Yeah, what is an ember day?
Dr. Eric
The liberation theology heretic Claudio Hummes' appointment to the Congregation of the Clergy was particularly disappointing.
Theophilus
Dymph, I'm not hanging my head.... YET!
Theo,
Yep, that was rather disconcerting.
Dr Eric,
It's the Wed, Fri and Sat following the first Sunday in Lent (and a handful of other Feast/Holy Days).
The rules of fasting apply on Ember Days.
and what about Levada as prefwct of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith? (The wishy washy, politically correct bishop who did nothing to clean up the Diocese of San Francisco while he was there.)
God's Rotweiler? Not so far. As shepeherd of the universal church, I'd be tickled if he was just a good sheep dog.
Oh ye of little faith! Papa Ratzi is working very thoughtfully and energetically, and we will see a restoration and renewal of the Church.
Oh, by the way, what about that "univeral indult"?
Yeah, right. Whatever.
Miss Kelly,
I have plenty of Faith... I'd just like to see some Works as well.
This is the pope the Holy Spirit has given us. He's not the pope I would have given us.
The Holy Spirit probably merits more confidence than I do.
I certainly understand and somewhat share your viewpoint, but I've decided that the failures of the hierarchy will not undermine my faith, as they were threatening to do.
Much as I might share your wish that the Holy Father would purge the clergy of heretics and homosexuals, I predicted he would not.
Nor, much as I might wish it, do I expect him to.
I wish I knew why.
Benedict is only six years younger than John Paul was, and will not serve for decades. Soon enough, there will be another pope.
All very good points you raise, Paul. With that said, would you agree that for every day of inaction, there are souls being led to perdition?
And is it not our Catholic duty to at least say something when there's something wrong?
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