There is an old saying: “if you want to know what is really going on in a city, ask the cabbies; ask the doormen.” Watch the main players in all of their theatrics, but talk to the people no one is noticing, because they notice everything. John Thavis, Catholic News Service’s recently-retired Rome bureau chief, spent a quarter of century watching the Vatican main players and seemingly talking to everyone, and all of that has translated into a thumping good... Read more
Perhaps not. But I can’t help wondering about it. On February 27, Joanne McPortland of Egregious Twaddle wondered whether a Pope Joseph I, inaugurated on the Feast Day of the Patron of the Universal Church might not be a wonderful thing for the church: . . .if I were to whisper my wish, which is all any of us could do, I would hope the Spirit and the College of Cardinals would be leaning toward someone who combines the best... Read more
Image courtesy of shutterstock.com A few days ago I received an invite from a major US newspaper (one I like and even count among its contributors a friend or two) asking if I would be interested in writing a 375 word rebuttal to an editorial; its publication next week will apparently identify the problems within the Catholic church, as this editorial board sees them, and would proceed (I presume) to make its recommendations as to what the church should do... Read more
One of my nun friends wrote to me yesterday that it felt strange and sad to remove Benedict’s picture from their walls at the moment of sede vacante, and I admit I hadn’t thought of it until she said it. All over the world, in churches, hospitals, colleges, food banks, monasteries, counselling offices, rectories and so forth, people were doing this: That’s the subprioress of the Monastery of Our Lady of the Rosary in Summit, New Jersey — where they... Read more
Here we see the Camerlengo, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, sealing the papal apartments, because we currently have no pope. I saw someone on twitter comment that the sealing — with the wax, as is traditional — was all part and parcel of our church’s “medieval” mindset, and it annoyed me, because it is a kneejerk (and false) bit of approved grousing, put on for show; or because the commenter is too lazy to actually think but wants to play to an... Read more
Earlier today the Guardian UK asked me if I could rustle up a quick piece on what sort of legacy America could claim from Benedict. I thought about that a bit — the American character, our cultural affinity for work and winning, and this is what I wrote: . . .not for nothing is the stereotypical American described as “optimistic, work-obsessed and materially prosperous”. We are accustomed to identifying ourselves not by who we are, but by what we do.... Read more
(AP Photo/Source) Tonight, no lightning strikes; mere hours away from the of Benedict’s pontificate, a bright beam shines from the heavens and the absence of gloom almost gives a shiver: a light shines in the darkness, a light ever-ancient, ever-new. Since the day and night have left us thoughtful and — the effect of our happy sadness — a little dreamy, I thought I’d give you a few particularly nice, or particularly interesting pieces about the Once and Future pope.... Read more
Elder Son sent this video to me with this note: Matt Shapiro, does a thing every year called Cinescape, where he compiles clips of films from all over that year and strings bits together. It’s fast-moving in a way that in any other context you might find jarring, but in this case it feels so seamless that I think you won’t mind it. You don’t watch it trying to figure out what’s happening in each clip, so much as to... Read more
Father Emil Kapaun is going to receive a posthumous Medal of Honor, and that’s a very good thing. His cause for sainthood has been opened, as well, and that’s a good thing, too, for all of us and for the Catholic priesthood, which being pelted and sometimes willfully misunderstood, by many, especially those who cannot see a priest without thinking, “that person is not having sex. How weird, and unhealthy.” There is great power in celibacy, which is why Taoists... Read more
You all know I am not a sentimentalist. I’m always suspicious of emotionalism and of course, tough-as-nails, right? But I am human! And this video which Kevin Knight put up at New Advent got me all verklempt! It’s just priests, saying thank you to Pope Benedict. But it’s very moving. And with this sort of thing, that so few of us even knew about, it’s like, “yeah…thank you for that, too!” UPDATE I: And a video of young people saying... Read more
The Anchoress
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In