*pope John Paul II

Also, the man who praised the State of the Union as a "high liturgy of our democracy" seems to think that "those who have the responsibility for the common good," include only the president/his cabinet, but the pope and more pointedly the citizens of this *democracy* who share his concerns are not?

This manner of speaking sounds familiar...

Oh yeah! this is how 19 year old me justified the 2003 invasion of Iraq even as Pope Benedict was condemning it.

I was a young, naive, conservative who had only one or two philosohy courses under my belt. What is Bishop Barron's excuse?

I seriously doubt this will happen, but I've sat here for the last few minutes considering how I would feel if I lived to my nineties, with most of my contemporaries already dead.

Yeah this is part of how many Catholic priests (including myself) end up living pretty unhealthy lives

I don't recall any previous transformative technologies that had to be sold to the public so hard. No one in 1999 was going, "Guys. Cell phone? It's coming, whether we like it or not. I think it's important, FOR WOMEN ESPECIALLY, to learn about cell phone. So that we're not left behind!!"

The Italian 'cristianesimo' would like a word.

Or, well, it *is* a word.

Destruction

Pope Leo in Bamenda: “Woe to those who bend religions and the very name of God to their own military, economic, and political objectives, dragging what is holy into what is most filthy and dark.”

One major problem even among levelheaded people when it comes to public discourse on religion is that we as a society have decided this is an area of life where you can exercise gross epistemic irresponsibility and psychological immaturity in a way that would be completely unacceptable elsewhere

This ain't your dad's USCCB.

...Well, no, that's not recent enough:
This ain't your older brother's USCCB.

...Nah, more like:
This ain't your preceding Uber passenger's USCCB.

BREAKING: The U.S. bishops’ Committee on Doctrine just issued a formal statement defending Pope Leo XIV's teaching authority on just war doctrine — less than twelve hours after JD Vance told a Turning Point USA crowd the pope should “be careful” talking theology.

This is a serious escalation.

My god. Essential, horrifying reporting here.

(I know I'm a few days behind the news cycle, but this is not one we should rush past.)

"Has no one condemned you, woman? ... Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more."
- Jesus Christ (notoriously weak on crime)

Here's hoping that in his homily he casually makes some (to his mind) self-evident remark with regard to morality and politics in the Middle East that ticks off all the right people.

An unknowing/unintentional snipe is the best kind.

(I hope you feel better, etc.)

This is not the quality spamlet content I was promised.

This is what passes for criticism of Trump in Catholic anti-anti-Trump world:

Tweet from Twitter user EthanLevins2 that reads: Apple has removed Lebanese village names in Southern Lebanon. As Israel invades, they are already setting the state to justify occupation. I've never seen something like this.

I just checked this and it's real.

All lapsed Catholics are activating like sleeper agents

Twitter post from Bishop Robert Barron that reads: The statements made by President Trump on Truth Social regarding the Pope were entirely inappropriate and disrespectful. They don't contribute at all to a constructive conversation. It is the Pope's prerogative to articulate Catholic doctrine and the principles that govern the moral life. In regard to the concrete application of those principles, people of good will can and do disagree. I would warmly recommend that serious Catholics within the Trump administration-Secretary Rubio, Vice President Vance, Ambassador Brian Burch, and others-might meet with Vatican officials so that a real dialogue can take place. This is far preferable to the statements on social media. I am very grateful for the many ways that the Trump administration has reached out to Catholics and other people of faith. It has been a high honor to serve on the Religious Liberty Commission. No President in my lifetime has shown a greater dedication to defending our first liberty. All that said, think the President owes the Pope an apology.

ChatGPT prompt:
"Write me a statement critical of Trump's Truth Social post about the pope, but make it as amenable and conciliatory toward Trump as possible. I don't want this to burn any bridges."

Trump posting an image of himself as the Anti-Christ is unlikely to sway the minds of people who stood in line to get him to sign their bible.

Leo, speaking to reporters on a flight to Algeria ahead of a 10-day tour of several African nations, said: “I have no fear of the Trump administration, or speaking out loudly of the message of the Gospel, which is what I believe I am here to do.” Asked directly about Mr. Trump’s comments on Truth Social, Leo said: “It’s ironic — the name of the site itself. Say no more.”

bodied

I did not expect to see my soapbox issue on the timeline. Pleasant surprise. (Ahem: louder for the people in the back)

I want all of my Twitter/BlueSky friends to come to one (1) liturgy at my parish.

I dislike bad liturgy as much as any person with good taste but we Catholics of the left must liberate ourselves from the delusion that "trad aesthetics" are good; overwrought Baroque pastiche and tawdry pseudo-Tridentine liturgy are not in fact beautiful