While rejoicing with most (i.e. not liberal) other Catholics at the surprise news that the Holy Father has once again caught people off guard by doing something new to restore something old, it did occur to me that while Rowan Williams must be seething on the one hand that this has been done, a clear slap in the face to the modernist form of ecumenism in which we all water down our beliefs until they are all the same, on the other hand part of him must be thinking, "great, a chance to dump th...
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American Papist had this photograph on his funny photos section - he was concentrating on the rubbish art bit and how the Pope has to endure such stuff.  For me the funnier bit is the tiny little man who seems to have just emerged from the white box on the right.

Hat tip to Caroline.

I had similar thoughts when I saw the Pope examining piece of a meteorite recently.  I could his brain thinking "how long am I supposed to stare profoundly at this piece of crap?".  It was exactly the same look the...
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The Irish Catholic (Michael Kelly) has launced a campaign to have Monsignor Hugh O'Flaherty, the Scarlet Pimpernel of the Vatican, declared a Righteous Gentile.  

There's nothing much wrong with this, except maybe that I think he was already declared one - the Irish Examiner says the tree was planted in 2003.

But apart from that, I think in principle Catholics should have nothing to do with the whole procedure until at a minimum they stop attacking Pope Pius XII.  And really until they declare ...
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Obama silent on the rape and murder of two black children in Soweto.

Obama silent on the relegation of West Bromwich Albion.

Obama silent on the suspension of a teacher accused of abuse in Tallahassee public school.

Presumably we can conclude from this silence that Obama supports rape, murder, Liverpool FC and abuse in Tallahassee.  No, you say, that would be entirely illogical.

Try googling "Pope silent Obama invitation" and you will get some four thousand news articles, for example this one.  T...
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"Joseph Ratzinger depends a great deal upon other people for emotional support and he has a large "family" of friends that care about him and treat him as kin. The women in The Pope's life are particularly important to him, and his relationships with them powerfully influence his sense of security and happiness. Pope Benedict XVI may be overly dependent and unsure of himself without a close partner.

The Pope has intense desires and feelings and his personal relationships are deeply emotiona...

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I worry about the Jews and the smouldering anti-Semitism that is always ready to ignite and which we must guard against, even if we feel provoked.  This comment piece from Israel on the Pope's speech at the holocaust memorial was typical of many, begrudging, wanting the Pope to abase himself in some way and accept a personal or corporate responsibility for what happened which he could not, in truth, do.  He wrote:

However, you thought otherwise. You thought that visiting Yad Vashem is enough...

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What have the Pope's Mass in Jerusalem and tonight's semi-final of the Eurovision Song Contest in common.  Apart from the lurid costumes, the dreadful flat singing.  Did you see the beginning of the papal Mass?  There was a dreadful introduction, a long speech of welcome by the Latin Patriarch, full of ridiculous political propoganda.  I have checked my General Instruction on the Roman Missal thoroughly and there is no provision in the rubrics for someone welcoming the celebrant.

Meanwhile Lom...
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You know what, I wish the Pope could just tell people to naff off, grow up, calm down and anything else that ends in a preposition.  At Tel Aviv airport he refers to the six million Jews killed in Holocaust.  Later he says "millions" and they are down on him like a ton of bricks.  He says "killed" instead of "murdered".  He doesn't blame Christianity for the Nazis, though previously he has referred to the Church's role in anti-Semitism, as has John Paul the Great.  He doesn't mention his own ...
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The year is 2012, the newsreader has just announced the death of Nelson Mandela, tributes begin to flood in from around the world - man of peace, saviour of South Africa, uniter of black and white, friend of the poor.

The year is 2022, a small budget movie appears called The Prisoner - it's about a man arrested in an African country for terrorism.  It shows a man who breaks while in prison, he buys his release by agreeing to renounce violence.  He is a sort of Uncle Tom character.  He becomes ...
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I have been scanning the internet for two days trying to find a photo like this after my wife spotted him at the airport line-up in Jordan.

No I don't mean the Holy Father, but Monsignor Michael Crotty, Cloyne's finest, the number two of the Nunciature in Iraq.
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The Friday Competition - try and find a news service covering the Holy Father's trip to the Near East that doesn't mention his 2006 Regensberg speech which "outraged" Muslims or the recent lifting of the excommunication of Bishop Williamson which "outraged" some Jews just recovering from their "outrage" over the possible beatification of Pope Pius XII and the "outrage" at the restoration of the Mass in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite.

Here's one you can have for free.  It provides a d...

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A little more on the Pope's visit to the earth quake zone.  I really like this photo because, for those of us who drive on the left as God intended (started in Rome by the Pope for the Holy Year of 1300) before Napoleon made everyone drive on the right, it looks like the Pope is driving himself which is vaguely amusing for those who are easily amused I suppose.

Also wanted to post the prayer the Pope said for victims which I think is lovely and could be used by anyone who has experienced a dea...
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Did you see the Holy Father's visit to Abruzzo - Times and Sky News had some good coverage.

I was intrigued by his decision to leave his original papal pallium - the giant one - at the tomb of St Cellistine, as a mark of solidarity with the people affected by the quake.

Or perhaps St Vincent de Paul didn't want it - cos as the Pope discovered, it's far too big.  We need some fat archbishops again, well fat and tall, not Cardinal O Fiach style - who could carry it off.
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Found this interesting photography of Pope John Paul the Great from the 1950s.

Of course what's most interesting is that you can see clearly his brown scapular.
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Someone close to the Holy Father has forwarded this online declaration to me as a simple and practical way to show our support for the Pope, who continues to be attacked by his enemies, domesic and foreign so to speak.  Just click on the link above, fill in your details and your name will be forwarded in due course to the Holy Father.  I'm sure it will gladden his heart.  Do you remember that scene in Mr Smith Goes to Washington where James Stewart has been talking in the Senate chamber for t...
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You're probably all heartily sick of condoms at this stage - but do read Kevin Myers piece on Wednesday in the Irish Independent.  It is rather good.  Some favourite bits for those too lazy to follow links:

Who would bePope Benedict? The poor German has merely to say "good morning", and the liberal tabloids are shrieking: "Thousands dead in Sudan; famine across the world; ecological disaster everywhere -- and Hitler Youth Pontiff thinks it's A GOOD MORNING!"

There is no falsehood that you c...

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Funny how prescient I can be.  You will recall yesterday how I suggested the liberals would like to have advised the Pope over condoms - don't answer questions and if you do, evade.  Well tomorrow's Irish Catholic will have an editorial on the Pope.  Not alone will it use the standard secular prism of "Pope in crisis" but it will convey that dodgy, cowardly advice.  I quote:

"A good media adviser would have told him not to address this issue on th eflight to Africa, but to address it while in ...

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I see that Prof. Vincent Twomey has entered the fray in defence of the Pope.  I almost missed the story because of all the other articles and letters in defence from the bishops.

I exagerate a little.

Well, a lot.

Perhaps they're remembering him in their prayers.
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I happy feast day to you all.  We're having a "Big Mass" tonight in St Mary's Drogheda to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the first Mass in St Mary's.  And tea afterwards in the Wendy Parish Centre.  You know the way a T...
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The Holy Father, as always, rises over the (I was going to say "pymies" but perhaps not appropriate) low comments of those who attack him and continues delivering the message of hope, which is Jesus Christ (and not Obama as some would wish).

This, I thought, was a rather fine snippet to young people on commitment:

After encouraging his young audience not to be "afraid to make definitive decisions", the Pope added: "You do not lack generosity - that I know! But the idea of risking a lifelong com...
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You know it's time to do some laundry when you're wearing the free socks you got on an aeroplane five years ago.

Doubt the Pope had that problem on his flight to Africa.  He does seem to have caused some confusion by letting the cat out of the bag again and revealing his Catholic side.  One suspects that most journalists had their stories written some time ago and merely had to say, "well your Holiness, still against condoms then?"  It really is too pathetic for words.

Meanwhile in the parish o...
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It's funny the way news can pass you by.  I was rather surprised to discover the Pope is heading for Africa tomorrow, well today actually.  I can remember lots of talk about going to the Holy Land, but nothing at all about Africa.  Have I just missed it?  I don't think so - I think it speaks volumes about the way Africa is covered by all sections of the Press - and also about the way the Pope is covered.  This should be a major story, given that he rarely travels, but it's not.

He'll be in Cam...
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If you're looking for some light entertainment and a way to meet new people, here's a fun new game I've discovered.

You see someone wearing a Liverpool FC top (or scarf, hat, coat whatever);  you stop them and say "excuse me, do you know you're wearing a Liverpool top?".  They usually reply "what?" in some shape or form - depending on where you are - it may include an explitive.  You then reply "I thought perhaps it was a mistake". 

Usually best to move off quickly at this point, although many...
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A better translation is available from Chiesa and it is worth a read.

As always with Pope Benedict, you get something deeper and richer beyond the presenting issue, in this case the excommunications.  He looks at the openness of the Church as teacher (and remember, this is the Pope who had dinner with Hans Kung despite all the unpleasant things Kung has said about him), and you can see the pastoral concern he has for the faithful in the SSPX.

But of course, I enjoy also the bits where he doesn'...
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So the Holy Father is on a pastoral visitation to the Holy Land.  The first day he's at the Wailing Wall, kneeling.  A child asks him what he's doing.  "I'm praying for peace between the Jews and the Arabs".  "And who are you talking to?" asked the child.  "To God the Father" replied the Pope.

The next day the Pope is back at the Wailing Wall again.  "What are you doing?" asks another child.  "I'm praying for peace in Sudan".  "And who are you talking to?" asked the child.  "To God the Son" re...

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