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More Goods on the Pope

One of our readers and commentors runs this webstore - called Papal Images, on which you can find really high quality prints of...photos of John Paul II and Benedict XVI - not just portraits, but interesting and telling photos taken over the years. Go check it out.

Terri's Final Hours

From Fr. Frank Pavone

Curial Matters

Sodano named Dean of College of Cardinals

Cardinal Roger Etchegaray of France will serve as Sodano's deputy, the Vatican said. Sodano had been Ratzinger's deputy as vice-dean of the college

The Pope without a country

Interesting, sort of scattered piece by a German in the NYTimes

Pope Benedict XVI may be convinced that democratic institutions have as little right to interfere in the structure of the church as all the many emperors and kings who tried to do as much in past centuries. This stance has made him unpopular among his fellow German clergymen, who are intimidated by contemporary culture, but it also fascinates intellectuals who are far removed from the church, and who aren't swayed by any superficial rhetoric of reconciliation. In Benedict, they see the authentic representative of a religion that they don't know whether to view as still dangerous or possibly as the only remaining counter to a secular society.

Guilty Pleasures

(Inspired by the last few comments in the What It Means thread below.)

In which we share the titles of liturgical music we're not supposed to like....but do.

(And if Mark Shea comes on here and admits his fondness for Ashes....I'll be looking for the Second Coming, because it probably will be happening soon.)

(And it doesn't have to be contemporary, either. If some sappy sentimental Mary our Dear, Sweet, Flower-Draped Mama makes your heart beat faster...spill)

(Oh, and you're not allowed to condescendingly critique others' guilty pleasures. Unless yours is worse)

Me first:

My name is Amy and I like...Blest Be the Lord.

I think it's not a great song, and the peppiness is definitely forced, but I'll always associate it with my freshman year in college, the year I got involved in campus ministry, made great friends and got psyched about faith. (And kind of psycho, too, probably, but that's another story). I still dig the descant, and when I hear the song, I still hear the bass fiddle in our folk group, with fondness, too.

The Pope's Car

on Ebay

Via Zadok

Oh, and Boycott Ebay homepage. Not about this, but about that other matter. Which people are still working on and talking about - simply getting Ebay to put "Consecrated Hosts" on their "prohibited items" list. Which they are apparently not willing to do. I've been looking into alternatives to PayPal, with little luck, just because I can't make sense of what they offer. All I need is what PayPal offers - a way of taking credit cards over the internet that involves minimal effort from me, and which can help me in setting up a store as well, which PayPal does. Any suggestions? (The reason being that PayPal is owned by Ebay)

A brief statement

Before I go out and do some stuff. And then come back and spend the rest of the afternoon trying really, really hard not to blog.

This is related to the link to the Weigel column below which has exploded into some weird (although not unexpected) battle about progressivism, orthodoxy, etc.

Some statements from me, just so no one thinks anyone else is speaking for me in those comboxes:

Religious faith is a mysterious, rich and multilayered thing. We respond to the tug of God on our hearts as we are, where we are. Sometimes we want to throw ourselves into it full force, leaving everything behind. And sometimes, we look to the world, to our temptations, to our pleasure centers, and we think, "Uh...how far can I go?"

All of us do this. All  of us struggle with that essential temptation, which is to shut God out of certain, precious parts of our life, to hold back, to do the minimal. We do it in human relationships, we do it with God.

In a way, pre-V2 Catholicism was both realistic about this, but also seemed to sell out on the matter, at least as popularly received. It seemed to be this mix (coming from one who wasn't there, and only knows what she does From Books) of holding up heroic holiness and sacrifice as the ideal, but understanding that most of us aren't going to make it, and evolving structures of life and worship that took this into account, lest we all fall into despair at our failures, simply give up, and walk away. Hence the legalism, hence the very specific understanding of exactly how much of Mass you could attend and still have it "count."

Given human nature, it was a strength, I think, but it was also a weakness, as the rapid flux after the Council shows - we've often discussed this mystery - how everything went crazy so fast, in really just a matter of five years. There must have been something wrong and rotting and inadequate in the mix before - we can't blame it all on external forces of culture. I tend to think it was this minimalism. But that's a guess.

"How far can you go?" is the cry of the minimalist - all of us - when we want to hold something back from God. (It's also the original title of David Lodge's novel, known in the US as Souls and Bodies, which examines the period from the late 50's to the early 70's, with incision and wit). It doesn't matter what we call ourselves - progressive, liberal, conservative or orthodox. We would all do well to admit the tendencies of our own "side" in the debate to this qualification, this hedging, this idol-making.

Randomness

A few days ago, someone sent me the link to Anna Quidlen's latest Newsweek column in which she opines on Women in the Church, etc. She, as many others, observes the predominance of women in church ministries, both paid and volunteered, and wonders about ordination. The usual script.

What popped into my head was something else, this time, at least. When we speak of the predominance of women in church ministries, might we think about something else besides getting women ordained? Might we think about getting men more involved in the life of the Church on the parish and school level?

(Yes, it's an old problem. As old as Christianity in Europe.Been discussed here before, and it's one of my fields of interest, at least in terms of 19th century American religion - muscular Christianity, YMCA, and all that. )

The reality is: women aren't going to be ordained in the RC Church any time soon, to say the least. The reality is also that the religiosity of fathers is quite an important factor in predicting the religiosity of sons. You don't need studies to show that. Work with teens and young adults, and you'll see. The reality is that young men need to be engaged with their faith.  Perhaps that's something on which we can all agree...

Down's Syndrome and Abortion

From the WaPo, focusing on a recent study indicating that many physicians emphasize the negative in giving the news about a prenatally-diagnosed Downs' baby, as well as current legislation to encourage more information being given to parents.

Unfortunately, the conversation is hedged in by participants' fears about being seen as too closely aligned with pro-lifers, from the national Downs' advocacy groups, to individual parents:

The Allards attended the Kennedy-Brownback news conference in Washington last month and said they were surprised to see a large number of antiabortion activists.

Beth Allard said she is slightly uncomfortable with some of the conclusions drawn by abortion opponents from stories such as hers.

"I want this to be about these kids and what they can accomplish," she said. "I don't really have an opinion on what decision someone else should make."

God bless parents who choose life for their kids, no matter what their views. But I'm still praying for a greater understanding that "potential" isn't the issue (the critical point often being: "Doctors are underestimating the potential of these kids." The implication: Your right to live = your "potential"), as well as compassion for all kids...not just our own.

You know...

I pretty down with relics and stuff, but I do think that even I would freak out a bit at seeing St. Catherine of Siena's head in person... Who's been to Siena? Who's seen it?