Paul to Blair

St. Paul tells Timothy that, in appointing bishops and presbyters to teach, sanctify and govern the Church, he must, among other things take care that the guy is not a newbie to the Faith:

He must not be a recent convert, or he may be puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil; moreover he must be well thought of by outsiders, or he may fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. (1 Tim 3:6-7)

I think of that as I read of Tony Blair, with the chrism still damp on his forehead, instructing the Bishop of Rome on the perfect compatibility of gay pretend marriage with the sacrament of matrimony and his need to get hip to the wisdom of Swinging London.