I never say this about anyone, but I have to say it here: What an asshat! Not only did Sen. Mel Martinez’ counsel admit to penning the shameful “Talking Points Memo” (I can no longer refer to it as a “Document of Dubious Origin,” -sigh) full of misspellings and cynical, opportunist ideas, but then he cowered and hid and allowed mistrust between people to foment, rather than admitting his actions. What a fool. Well…this time, it was not a Dem-orchestrated... Read more
Well, now, here is the big question of the day: Was the Schiavo Memo a fake?. It’s only taken how many weeks to find a MSM outlet that would even ask the question? All 55 Republican senators say they have never seen the Terri Schiavo political talking-points memo that Democrats say was circulated among Republicans during the floor debate over whether the federal government should intervene to prolong her life.The Times surveyed all 44 Democrats and the chamber’s one independent,... Read more
I think the best, most amusing part of this storyis the line by Archbishop Piero Marini In a departure from ancient ritual, the announcement of a new pope – traditionally signaled by white smoke – would be driven home by the ringing of bells. In the past, a muddled color of smoke had caused confusion. “This way even journalists will know,” said Archbishop Piero Marini, the master of papal liturgical ceremonies. Heh. Read more
I’d heard this story but never heard it told before by a member of Edith Zierer’s family. It is the very touching account of what happened when a young Jewish girl, released from Nazi prison and cold, hungry, too ill to walk, encountered a Polish Catholic named Karol Wojtyla, a year before his ordination. In January 1945, at 13, she emerged from a Nazi labor camp in Czestochowa, Poland, a waif on the verge of death. Separated from her family,... Read more
It’s funny, but Dr. Charles Krauthammer, a Democrat and secular Jewish fellow who says he is “not much of a believer” seems to “get” John Paul II so very well.We’ll be seeing and reading a lot about how “Catholic women are dissatisfied” with the church, and that JPII did not do enough. Please keep in mind that the folks making these claims are not speaking for all Catholic women. There is authentic and thoughtful teaching behind all of the issues... Read more
Trey at Jackson’s Junction caught a very good blip, and it’s really a keeper, from a compilation by MSNBC. After signing off, last night, I spent a lot of time thinking about the lessons of this pope, and where I fall short in them. Basically, I fall short all over the place. JPII managed to see people – first and foremost – as human beings, as imperfect created creatures, loved into being and called by their birth to vocations which... Read more
Are the media presenting this issue fairly or accurately?It’s a good question. Last night we heard CNN’s Christiane Amanpour, among others, say approximately 7,392 times that Pope John Paul II “deeply opposed President Bush’s Iraq war…” Sometimes we got the addendum, “…although he was supportive of Americas Just War in the Balkans, under President Clinton.” I don’t know about that second part – this article seems to suggest otherwise.Pope John Paul II, in the midst of a talk on the... Read more
A friend, Theresa, a Benedictine nun, had put together a prayer vigil service for her community which contained excerpts from some of JPII’s speeches. She writes this to me:One section John Paul wrote on Eucharist was so beautiful-it was to the young people at World Youth Day in 2000. JP writes: “The Eucharist is the presence of Christ who gives himself to us because he loves us. He loves each of us in a unique way in our practical daily... Read more
This is a keeper. It’s got everything and John Allen is probably the most reliable American reporter to write about the Vatican in an unstinting but fair manner. Thanks to my brother, Thom. Read more
“I have looked for you, now, you come to me.” (John Paul II, April 2, 2005 in extremis) I love that. It is rich, packed with meaning. I love this picture, too. Much of the coverage we are seeing on the cable networks has been wonderful, and much of it is very good, still. But we are seeing, now, little things, like Chris Matthews screaming at a young priest that celibacy is (basically) stupid (how come Buddhists never have to... Read more
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