tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45083746804870308012024-03-18T21:52:30.474+00:00Eccles is savedThis is the spiritual journey of me, Eccles, my big brother Bosco, and my Grate-Anti Moly. Eccles is saved, but we've got real problems with Bosco and Anti.Eccleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00357168852208499013noreply@blogger.comBlogger1704125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4508374680487030801.post-38012453784159190712024-03-18T21:37:00.003+00:002024-03-18T21:37:52.308+00:00Pope Francis's autobiography 2 - our hero starts work<i>Our serialization of the book continues from <a href="https://ecclesandbosco.blogspot.com/2024/03/serialization-of-pope-franciss.html">Part 1</a>.</i>
<p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxMIk-9C6hOGxmwX9cr8kbyQZ7uad5ODyDThFCvS6H1TCxuRmoo_mJQc2P709zckaj3bcpJQ5EJdXuDJoVuY6XOBQ-xfY-eEzzLFjt-Ey8fb6426e_WrzL_ANMnEjziqpTBl2sGJnJSLy2EqryF5YwZttbJCJ1nrSTJvA-boI5Vsk40gzPL8vROoPHECIF/s400/francis-benedict-prayer1.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxMIk-9C6hOGxmwX9cr8kbyQZ7uad5ODyDThFCvS6H1TCxuRmoo_mJQc2P709zckaj3bcpJQ5EJdXuDJoVuY6XOBQ-xfY-eEzzLFjt-Ey8fb6426e_WrzL_ANMnEjziqpTBl2sGJnJSLy2EqryF5YwZttbJCJ1nrSTJvA-boI5Vsk40gzPL8vROoPHECIF/s400/francis-benedict-prayer1.jpg" alt="Francis and Benedict"/></a></div>
<p></p>
<i>Me with my troublesome predecessor!</i>
<p></p>
<b>The Year of Mercy</b>
<p></p>
Quite early in my reign I decided to institute a Jubilee Year of Mercy. As well as being very humble, I am also a particularly merciful man
- except to people I don't like -
so I initially proposed a slogan "Be merciful like the Holy Father!" However, owing to
a clerical error (the cleric in question has now been mercifully laicised), it came out as
"Merciful like the Father", which isn't at all the same thing!
<p></p>
My great friend Marko Rupnik was in Rome, and so I asked him
whether he could provide one of his artistic masterpieces as a logo. "The most appropriate thing would be
a two-headed skiing instructor with three eyes," he said, "just as soon as I finish
some work I have to do with my 'Nuns in Bondage'." The NIB wasn't an order I had ever come across, but
I was pleased to know that Marko was reaching out to these ladies.
<p></p>
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<p></p>
<i>An artistic masterpiece!</i>
<p></p>
<b>Amoris Laetitia.</b>
<p></p>
One of my early triumphs was the Apostolic Exhortation Amoris Laetitia, which followed two Synods
on the Family. In those days I hadn't yet got hold of the best way to run a synod, namely,
to invite trouble-makers to chatter to each other, flatter them by calling them experts,
and then ignore everything they say!
<p></p>
A few weeks before the report was due, I received a letter from Adolfo Nicolás, who was then
head of the Jesuits, saying "Holy Father, your recent documents have been too easy for
people to understand. Please insert some ambiguity, heresy and confusion into the next one,
or we may have to review your membership of the Jesuits."
<p></P>
I think I did rather well. The result was that four turbulent cardinals sent me five Dubia.
These were questions such as
"Are you off your head?" and "What do you think you are playing at?" and they were very difficult to answer!
So I ignored them completely, but made a note that a bit of Merciful Persecution would
be needed.
<p></p>
Luckily, two of the cardinals died quite quickly, and one was very old. This just left my ARCH-ENEMY,
Raymond Burke! I gradually took my revenge, so that now, at the time of writing, he is
penniless, homeless and under order to walk around ringing a bell and shouting "UNSAVED! UNSAVED!"
<p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMtQ438pjs-4-hXu_DfbKAPrH7MsxOLYbc31Qed8uG8OD6z-6jyvRtloFP4yQaKS51SvhrDxVLMu-TvFx1iCHGGu672Gv9Z3YL8SGcLobdZhHDRRlrO2g9Wpjtl3XoPZ2B3VwFrZRuyOFyOmJBn64H4Qm7SF0tFErRn0KLbbYoKrx1k5qKL9bL1bWIaMRd/s1000/pope-burke-torture.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMtQ438pjs-4-hXu_DfbKAPrH7MsxOLYbc31Qed8uG8OD6z-6jyvRtloFP4yQaKS51SvhrDxVLMu-TvFx1iCHGGu672Gv9Z3YL8SGcLobdZhHDRRlrO2g9Wpjtl3XoPZ2B3VwFrZRuyOFyOmJBn64H4Qm7SF0tFErRn0KLbbYoKrx1k5qKL9bL1bWIaMRd/s400/pope-burke-torture.jpg" alt="Pope Francis and Cardinal Burke"/></a></div>
<p></p>
<i>Here I have him in a painful grip known as the "Chinese Burn".</i>
<p></p>
<b>Pachamama</b>
<p></p>
One of my great triumphs as pope has been to welcome other religions into the "big tent".
Muslims, Hindus, Aztecs, Fire-worshippers, Pagans - even Anglicans - they're all just following slight variations on
Catholicism. So when the time came to welcome the Amazonian indigenous groups, we
bought a job lot of Pachamama idols and showed reverence to them.
<p></p>
My dear friend Austen Ivereigh, who has already written <s>six</s> seven books about
me, including "The Pope Francis keep-fit book" and "Pope Francis's insect-based recipes",
told me that Pachamama was actually just a name used by the Blessed Virgin Mary: this sounded
a bit TOO Catholic for me, but I let it pass.
<p></p>
Then what happened? Newspaper headlines worldwide!
<p></p>
<center>
<b> POPE'S IDOLS NOW IN SANTA MARIA CHURCH.<br></br>
FRANCIS IDOLS THROWN IN TIBER<br></br>
POPE APOLOGISES TO PACHAMAMA FOR EARLY BATH </b>
</center><p></p>
What nonsense! As if I would ever apologise to anyone, even an Amazonian fertility goddess!
<p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxyC2-R5T1n2C-nCQt58RJQNRPFqC-iR_Wi-zbjfUW6EgrtBp0tYV05WHhpiRzBg2JvsekjRguhPvubfYFXVmBAt2H2CSoGwNZY8vi1Z2NrV6kdwqEC9UYSipsa2L38L8tApe2kvOWUsgKur0XYzXpRae772vcQeXGpM2ykgwQ_fRzBJ_ISb_79RUj7hhv/s800/Pachamama%20party.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxyC2-R5T1n2C-nCQt58RJQNRPFqC-iR_Wi-zbjfUW6EgrtBp0tYV05WHhpiRzBg2JvsekjRguhPvubfYFXVmBAt2H2CSoGwNZY8vi1Z2NrV6kdwqEC9UYSipsa2L38L8tApe2kvOWUsgKur0XYzXpRae772vcQeXGpM2ykgwQ_fRzBJ_ISb_79RUj7hhv/s400/Pachamama%20party.jpg" alt="Pachamama party" /></a></div>
<p></p>
<i>Just a perfectly ordinary day in the Vatican.</i>
<p></p>
You may be wondering where the sex idols are now. Well, I passed them
onto my great friends Marko
and Tucho. They were delighted!
<p></p>
<i>There will be more... probably.</i>
Eccleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00357168852208499013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4508374680487030801.post-52857078997148333452024-03-17T15:14:00.003+00:002024-03-18T21:51:40.003+00:00Serialization of Pope Francis's autobiography 1We are deeply privileged to be able to print excerpts from the autobiography
of Pope Francis,
<b>Life: My Story Through History</b>, subtitled
<b>Why I was right and all other popes were wrong</b>, which is to be published
on St Joseph's Day, the 75th birthday of the great Cardinal Cupich.
<p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnWaD8pT7RaFoOkH2cYCpTga3y09YmVHNFMx7YqGTWsuJvUOLkxX4xiJgx_zOYyj6Sl5DXDZyKq7VasFzRdqZM182a56EVsDEPQFnDYCz9bzxrxgVHh7UVPPA2kYqEJxd01_5Pj0YLVKurxrG1HyeSAPHKYH_PBN2JTWk-VvXER9wS_tsLdziu9mWJjIrV/s746/pope%20francis%20autobiography.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" height="400" data-original-height="746" data-original-width="489" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnWaD8pT7RaFoOkH2cYCpTga3y09YmVHNFMx7YqGTWsuJvUOLkxX4xiJgx_zOYyj6Sl5DXDZyKq7VasFzRdqZM182a56EVsDEPQFnDYCz9bzxrxgVHh7UVPPA2kYqEJxd01_5Pj0YLVKurxrG1HyeSAPHKYH_PBN2JTWk-VvXER9wS_tsLdziu9mWJjIrV/s400/pope%20francis%20autobiography.jpg" alt="Pope's autobiography"/></a></div>
<p></p>
<i>All the stories that Austen Ivereigh never knew about!</i>
<p></p>
<b>My early career</b>.
<p></p>
Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, I worked for a time as a bouncer, throwing people out of clubs;
I came away from this job with a black belt in the
ancient martial art of <a href="https://ecclesandbosco.blogspot.com/2020/01/the-ancient-art-of-papa-slappa.html">Papa-Slappa</a>, which I use whenever
people annoy me.
<p></p>
I then trained as a chemist, but this was an unhappy time, as I rejected
all traditional teaching (e.g. "do not put arsenic in people's sandwiches" and "acid baths can harm people") in
favour of my own magisterium.
<p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGmc3bL8_FE2ER3Hz5l-Rra97JrSJJ-p0Zn7az7vDdBnkTgw65DZ1AGn0QAw6gCwTM0-jwzX5fgdV8jzG7uGLL_1Me7hGRX_JiZmStD1uEm8bLWlm0K-h4Fk8QrNvYBrNvKSZv1q-JoeqjwBIsxg_Ghrv9uMkhh9Y4iUygSm37pXM5VZmWUTXUCWyvHLKI/s548/bunsen%20honeydew.png" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" height="400" data-original-height="548" data-original-width="445" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGmc3bL8_FE2ER3Hz5l-Rra97JrSJJ-p0Zn7az7vDdBnkTgw65DZ1AGn0QAw6gCwTM0-jwzX5fgdV8jzG7uGLL_1Me7hGRX_JiZmStD1uEm8bLWlm0K-h4Fk8QrNvYBrNvKSZv1q-JoeqjwBIsxg_Ghrv9uMkhh9Y4iUygSm37pXM5VZmWUTXUCWyvHLKI/s400/bunsen%20honeydew.png" alt="Bunsen Honeydew and Beaker" /></a></div>
<p></p>
<i>I make coffee for my friend "Tucho" Fernández.</i>
<p></p>
<b>I train as a priest.</b>
<p></p>
After my unhappy experiences as a chemist, I was looking for another career, and my mentor, Fr Juan Perón SJ,
suggested that I was best suited to be either a priest or a confidence trickster. In the end
we compromised, and I became a Jesuit.
<p></p>
<i>A few pages omitted here, Let's get on to more recent history. Eccles.</i>
<p></p>
<b>I become pope!</b>
<p></p>
In 2005 I had already been a candidate for the papacy, but inexplicably the Holy Spirit, who
has the final say in these decisions, burst out laughing and gave the job to Cardinal Ratzinger
instead. What was I to do?
<p></p>
Little did I know, apart from the fact that they telephoned me about it every day,
that the Holy Spirit had appointed an organization called the St Gallen Mafia,
whose job it was to make sure that Ratzinger did not stay around too long, and
that I should take his place.
Apart from the Godfather, Ivo Fürer, there were other notorious people. I remember Martini,
who put a horse's head into Benedict's bed; Danneels, who once nailed a seminarian's head to the pew; and
Kasper, who made Benedict an
offer he couldn't refuse.
<p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfstpfBk-YbWakCzwuQcAeU6E277A4IohzC-jaVnZxDZB8PzPQb20H19Br7q_J__fvJgcox4JcfL1JShytThg5fgYjLXzeChJEwLC-rtnMtDxlP8Tg30SLocQDyzAlFtLewWxOpzS9IEp0lEXmGElI7criKkpNdX3HpcFs6fMK_0y91EAYhATuoAAyAc8j/s594/martini-baal.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="373" data-original-width="594" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfstpfBk-YbWakCzwuQcAeU6E277A4IohzC-jaVnZxDZB8PzPQb20H19Br7q_J__fvJgcox4JcfL1JShytThg5fgYjLXzeChJEwLC-rtnMtDxlP8Tg30SLocQDyzAlFtLewWxOpzS9IEp0lEXmGElI7criKkpNdX3HpcFs6fMK_0y91EAYhATuoAAyAc8j/s400/martini-baal.jpg" alt="Martini and Baal"/></a></div>
<p></p>
<i>Carlo Maria Martini and his Uncle Baal.</i>
<p></p>
Eventually, the Holy Spirit caused Benedict to resign suddenly, and persuaded the conclave
to elect me as Pope! As someone once said "Thus proves that God has a sense of humour!"
<p></p>
<b>To follow:
<p></p>
* How I corrected the errors of 2000 years of Catholicism!
<p></p>
* Amoris Laetitia! How adultery became cool!
<p></p>
* Pachamama! How I came to love idols!
<p></p>
* Traditionis Custodes! How I applied Fr Juan Perón's methods!
<p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6VrQAvq_RDTFHFJaMDPebuwXiPQl4x-4U8wbw8UgjbC0EKrrRxWOGyTIaY0aeeeIwLUO26caet8tuYvGFoKnyHZX_UmhsMNToJiNtauhWuRk6jFDY3g8gVmtfVie2DafDxinPKMF55w-O2YSHdn8tSIfJRw-a2X3fs0bj4FQUWQFROAazSfaGeiAF0LbP/s400/lemmings.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="241" data-original-width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6VrQAvq_RDTFHFJaMDPebuwXiPQl4x-4U8wbw8UgjbC0EKrrRxWOGyTIaY0aeeeIwLUO26caet8tuYvGFoKnyHZX_UmhsMNToJiNtauhWuRk6jFDY3g8gVmtfVie2DafDxinPKMF55w-O2YSHdn8tSIfJRw-a2X3fs0bj4FQUWQFROAazSfaGeiAF0LbP/s400/lemmings.jpg" alt="lemmings"/></a></div>
<p></p>
</b><i> No backwardism in MY Church!</i><b>
<p></p>
* Austen Ivereigh! How a garden-gnome became a theological expert!
<p></p>
* Synods! How to waste the time of your most irritating friends!</b>
<p></p>
<i>On to <a href="https://ecclesandbosco.blogspot.com/2024/03/pope-franciss-autobiography-2-our-hero.html">Part 2</a>!</i>
Eccleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00357168852208499013noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4508374680487030801.post-23739957808628722222024-03-16T11:03:00.000+00:002024-03-16T11:03:15.035+00:00How Catholics should celebrate RamadanAs we all know, "Ramadan" is just the Arabic word for "Lent",
and it should be celebrated in that spirit, as
several great Catholic leaders of our time have
pointed out. First came Cardinal Dolan.
<p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZq6sK5jJNUtDCEMSRSVHZH_HoimJEHTATyldtx2vGxY5AqbCGWQZVEjkr-X9f6XidNae4Tdh7hN_aIJLNiHGJgfeKnHwVjiYE5jgbimjKOFPVr98CyQ18gLwG3IB0KZU3VJLbA05rO9OoxJ2Ba5fanC30nl97U1UXIr65V0r4aSuJsr3APhFgItsFbrsB/s647/ramadan-dolan.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="490" data-original-width="647" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZq6sK5jJNUtDCEMSRSVHZH_HoimJEHTATyldtx2vGxY5AqbCGWQZVEjkr-X9f6XidNae4Tdh7hN_aIJLNiHGJgfeKnHwVjiYE5jgbimjKOFPVr98CyQ18gLwG3IB0KZU3VJLbA05rO9OoxJ2Ba5fanC30nl97U1UXIr65V0r4aSuJsr3APhFgItsFbrsB/s400/ramadan-dolan.jpg" alt="Dolan the Muslim"/></a></div>
<p></p>
<i>Ramadan is a holy season and Muslims set us a good example.</i>
<p></p>
Sounds uncontroversial, doesn't it? We simply need to celebrate as the Muslims do.
After all "Allahu Akbar" sounds very like "Alleluia" so we can sing either of these.
Or, better still, shout them at people we meet in the street.
<p></p>
Personally, I try not to eat during the daytime but have a big blow-out after
dusk. A huge plate of hot crescent buns, for example.
<p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtczP7g7z-Go1gaQwb-x-9Mq6DDc7n__hzDbsLKgeZPOdp91kwT8qAf_WRIlFbc_JpwYvn_UkvDaHxgMVYMD0CyRJK3_rYd-9LpgXlUjVhTBkjv60Zp7T_gBgJ1TtDSukGgQvD_1OJ1PcTJNo0UmWkXe-c_Z4GsJAkKwPc70_v9sUAVAXWfPJ0wB1TWWc3/s400/dolan-hospitality.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="283" data-original-width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtczP7g7z-Go1gaQwb-x-9Mq6DDc7n__hzDbsLKgeZPOdp91kwT8qAf_WRIlFbc_JpwYvn_UkvDaHxgMVYMD0CyRJK3_rYd-9LpgXlUjVhTBkjv60Zp7T_gBgJ1TtDSukGgQvD_1OJ1PcTJNo0UmWkXe-c_Z4GsJAkKwPc70_v9sUAVAXWfPJ0wB1TWWc3/s400/dolan-hospitality.jpg" alt="Dolan eating" /></a></div>
<p></p>
<i>Cardinal! Don't you realise it's Ramadan?</i>
<p></p>
Then we come to Cardinal Cupich, who would not be seen dead participating in a traditional Latin Mass,
but is as happy celebrating Ramadan as he is in one of Fr James Martin's LGBTSJ-friendly happenings.
<p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAmXurJ2b7JrXYLjYXYfvoBzOHVeQXD0tLxCABoAfbAJU52wMn0zTqzesFFw33ko3KMwA_yLMDF9BwCB_04S4AfGCnPO4WzJu3qnvlHSCiTPcriOpmj05RcIYLBkEvVkS1WNGvZJG-pvg0eNrcgWTkJyumaGGuv-smHQF3RBBK3gZCQZZttLJA_LfunCOV/s697/ramadan-cupich.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="120" data-original-width="697" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAmXurJ2b7JrXYLjYXYfvoBzOHVeQXD0tLxCABoAfbAJU52wMn0zTqzesFFw33ko3KMwA_yLMDF9BwCB_04S4AfGCnPO4WzJu3qnvlHSCiTPcriOpmj05RcIYLBkEvVkS1WNGvZJG-pvg0eNrcgWTkJyumaGGuv-smHQF3RBBK3gZCQZZttLJA_LfunCOV/s400/ramadan-cupich.jpg" alt="Cupich the Muslim"/></a></div>
<p></p>
<i>Let's all attend Novus Ordo Iftars!</i>
<p></p>
Finally, let's see what the relevant dicastery (the word means "circus" these days) has to say.
Unfortunately, their ecumenical efforts only merit 5/10, as they refer to "Muslims" as "Museums",
probably having Christianity's Sea of Gallery in mind.
<p></p>
Still, they have already received
a letter of thanks from Tristram Hunt, Director of the Victoria and Albert museum.
<p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPIivg0ST17Wr2maS_Yys2HLhNECVmKxoSWZReA5DOqeKjGEzvOtDw81CqTPpjDVTIdlfH5LxlCjLqe0w0U7Mc4kkrhtxXDvS6ai8A1aVa9Xhp4XuisaSoZtJgsSgS9bXTccjrnmbmbMVmCUNPMOM5GJkEl6XsHTatKbVN5ipUQHfMSgT-nvfRwEuuJLnt/s1427/ramadan-dicastery.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="1427" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPIivg0ST17Wr2maS_Yys2HLhNECVmKxoSWZReA5DOqeKjGEzvOtDw81CqTPpjDVTIdlfH5LxlCjLqe0w0U7Mc4kkrhtxXDvS6ai8A1aVa9Xhp4XuisaSoZtJgsSgS9bXTccjrnmbmbMVmCUNPMOM5GJkEl6XsHTatKbVN5ipUQHfMSgT-nvfRwEuuJLnt/s400/ramadan-dicastery.jpg"/ alt="Dicastery for Museums" ></a></div>
<p></p>
<i>Dialogue is always a good replacement for worship.</i>
<p></p>
So where does this feast of inter-religious dialogue leave us? I can see only one
way of dealing with this: ENCOURAGE THE MUSLIMS TO BE SYNODAL. All they need to do
is to get a bunch of self-styled experts to sit in a large room and bore each
other to death.
<p></p>
Meanwhile, our own Synod (theme: "a kenotic decentering as a new way of being Church")
is now destined to drag on until 2025, or even later.
<p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeiK6d48LszlE4xfvlZw5k3QEeF0x7yqvK309thyphenhyphenbT2n-gS1IrufedXcLl2zwNBRW4vWA5c6G11VVOGHfS7TCR9rpwbckGKOrGQPxoYM_Jzx_xeHQurow0qR7bC1TZH4phDG2ohSgUpAW-a_7kc4cxNy7AwA_xdPpH2rZPgVbjdGeR-9iLsYGbXBlTHHlG/s977/synod-endless.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="690" data-original-width="977" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeiK6d48LszlE4xfvlZw5k3QEeF0x7yqvK309thyphenhyphenbT2n-gS1IrufedXcLl2zwNBRW4vWA5c6G11VVOGHfS7TCR9rpwbckGKOrGQPxoYM_Jzx_xeHQurow0qR7bC1TZH4phDG2ohSgUpAW-a_7kc4cxNy7AwA_xdPpH2rZPgVbjdGeR-9iLsYGbXBlTHHlG/s400/synod-endless.jpg" alt="Endless Synod" /></a></div>
<p></p>
<i>Deo Gratias!</i>
Eccleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00357168852208499013noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4508374680487030801.post-89132640747598527832024-03-06T10:19:00.002+00:002024-03-06T11:55:25.749+00:00Anglican Church to pay 1 zillion pounds compensationJustin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury, announced today that the Anglican Church
would finally be compensating the Catholic Church to the extent of 1 zillion pounds
for the hardship, damage and looting that took place during the Reformation.
He also apologised for the Reformation's "deliberate actions to destroy diverse Catholic religious belief systems"
(yes, he really talks like that - I changed only one word).
<p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhibDvq_qc7-Qv0zQOxTwMy05484YZKdsZAmJSQEw4eSStWttQNYb6E5L7tx6JzSJRXUl9GwwlLroGGptbhKbbGi4ZUT5weVEt1flDXyu2ooZ16q1s8O5wmRplA-qLVCi6ucQLoirIC-iWJ-ONvk9Xb7B5IEwy7Sx9LRWYSimV3-wW5hh0cS0OkBumL_qKQ/s648/deal.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="648" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhibDvq_qc7-Qv0zQOxTwMy05484YZKdsZAmJSQEw4eSStWttQNYb6E5L7tx6JzSJRXUl9GwwlLroGGptbhKbbGi4ZUT5weVEt1flDXyu2ooZ16q1s8O5wmRplA-qLVCi6ucQLoirIC-iWJ-ONvk9Xb7B5IEwy7Sx9LRWYSimV3-wW5hh0cS0OkBumL_qKQ/s400/deal.jpg" alt="Welby and Nichols"/></a></div>
<p></P>
<i>It's a deal!</i>
<p></p>
It is thought that this money will be used in two ways:
<p></p>
1. To make all people whose ancestors were Catholics rich beyond the dreams of
avarice, even though they personally did nothing to deserve it.
<p></p>
2. To bail out the Catholic Church in England so that it can finally
build some half-decent churches.
<p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzZhmPDDQMarEGDgLqA8bbT18fW_PJNYNEVlW8lfJ7R0fcCmUE3tZ_bYVh5JZQDn21v11opHMRJ4e1PTvxuSLOYyDWmhmu8JaaKwOTYhbkzw96c5FwfKOHtSJKEdteOkd8sapd23CnjtyU0kbTqQmvOsBLRpbcbZ9i4vkK536hJ1aR805nZtjD0_iY1Lhd/s750/tuck.webp" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="750" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzZhmPDDQMarEGDgLqA8bbT18fW_PJNYNEVlW8lfJ7R0fcCmUE3tZ_bYVh5JZQDn21v11opHMRJ4e1PTvxuSLOYyDWmhmu8JaaKwOTYhbkzw96c5FwfKOHtSJKEdteOkd8sapd23CnjtyU0kbTqQmvOsBLRpbcbZ9i4vkK536hJ1aR805nZtjD0_iY1Lhd/s400/tuck.webp" alt="Friar Tuck"/></a></div>
<p></p>
<i>Arthur Roche tucks into a celebratory snack!</i>
<p></p>
Vincent Nichols, Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster, has welcomed the offer
but said "In fact we are holding out for 1 squillion pounds, so that
all descendants of Catholics can become quite disgustingly rich without
doing anything to deserve it. Also, we want decent churches, not half-decent churches."
<p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfkoLBTxX0hpkbekZSGOVCYvlHA1da1NDnbJAHiNBgh173_pXG_XBKOQbcMw8pHYk218SYDtpcOivapllc630uFkwcNz-9nH1Mhe8wYaD8DbeAe-IRcL3nPmXsKXi4iGXJH1WxjjIUg2BEl9G19tb2HmEcyzRnOC6KaWaQtprd9hcUf9GZRUr-Ihuoz2G3/s1200/clifton-cathedral-1200x800.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfkoLBTxX0hpkbekZSGOVCYvlHA1da1NDnbJAHiNBgh173_pXG_XBKOQbcMw8pHYk218SYDtpcOivapllc630uFkwcNz-9nH1Mhe8wYaD8DbeAe-IRcL3nPmXsKXi4iGXJH1WxjjIUg2BEl9G19tb2HmEcyzRnOC6KaWaQtprd9hcUf9GZRUr-Ihuoz2G3/s400/clifton-cathedral-1200x800.jpg" alt="Clifton cathedral"/></a></div>
<p></p>
<i>Not even a half-decent cathedral, unfortunately.</i>
<p></p>
There had been some suggestions that the Catholic Church could take over
some of the churches and cathedrals nationalized in the 16th century, but
it was pointed out that these are now used mainly for crazy golf, helter-skelters,
dinosaur exhibits and discos, and it would be difficult to return them to
religious worship.
<p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifDeu9uu2My8sxYjjixf7GrIwF3oRiJ0v2Vos8BCcajXtYp4QSEvY64piB-wvK9jvlvCIhHMSlN3QyYb1KbFJGwnFphQjREqZXpVWrLtpsRsunh-x0pDFWMNSp_8NjP7fpR1OGAKlmg9NlwPsqz17gCa0HA10a94GFMHROOgiGKwYLpwNapoBDXcE4ABAg/s976/peterborough.webp" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="549" data-original-width="976" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifDeu9uu2My8sxYjjixf7GrIwF3oRiJ0v2Vos8BCcajXtYp4QSEvY64piB-wvK9jvlvCIhHMSlN3QyYb1KbFJGwnFphQjREqZXpVWrLtpsRsunh-x0pDFWMNSp_8NjP7fpR1OGAKlmg9NlwPsqz17gCa0HA10a94GFMHROOgiGKwYLpwNapoBDXcE4ABAg/s400/peterborough.webp" alt="Peterborough cathedral with dinosaur"/></a></div>
<p></p>
<i>Peterborough Cathedral (with the tomb of Catherine of Aragon) is now a dinosaur museum.</i>
<p></p>
LATE NEWS: The Lutherans are very sorry about Martin Luther, and they wish they'd chosen to call themselves after someone else.
Eccleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00357168852208499013noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4508374680487030801.post-69613994412777587312024-03-03T14:10:00.003+00:002024-03-06T10:27:02.101+00:00The best and the worstNothing new here, just a list of the winners of all the world cups we have conducted.
<p></p>
<b><a href="https://ecclesandbosco.blogspot.com/2018/11/time-to-run-screaming-from-church.html">BAD HYMNS</a></b> November 2018<p></p>
Gold: Lord of the Dance<br>
Silver: Gather us in<br>
Bronze: Shine, Jesus, Shine<br>
Fourth Place: Kumbayah
<p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi97A1sNboOxs_HFD4iXQziLBXODzgcwSPuyo5mvxFfAnTwSSBfLqU6mUfSokROcVQMKFvmmIMdlFaIJfd2VhFdzdjywWadc0ChZBpLsziEUDZWZC2WDCSLZQZAyZyhhdgKSHe9cEOz3mT1X8vA5zA7q1ULBlMmtBllSenuJR8C8pxqQcSgYh-r6R23rx3N/s225/bad_hymns.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" height="400" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi97A1sNboOxs_HFD4iXQziLBXODzgcwSPuyo5mvxFfAnTwSSBfLqU6mUfSokROcVQMKFvmmIMdlFaIJfd2VhFdzdjywWadc0ChZBpLsziEUDZWZC2WDCSLZQZAyZyhhdgKSHe9cEOz3mT1X8vA5zA7q1ULBlMmtBllSenuJR8C8pxqQcSgYh-r6R23rx3N/s400/bad_hymns.jpg" alt="Bad hymns winners"/></a></div>
<p></p>
<i>Sydney Carter, Marty Haugen and Graham Kendrick.</i>
<p></p>
<B><a href="https://ecclesandbosco.blogspot.com/2019/02/the-magnificent-eight.html">BAD CARDINALS (I)</a></b>
February 2019<p></P>
Gold: Blase Cupich<br>
Silver: Reinhard Marx<br>
Bronze: Walter Kasper<br>
Fourth Place: Francesco Coccopalmerio
<p></p>
<B><a href="https://ecclesandbosco.blogspot.com/2020/06/the-eight-worst-liturgical-abuses.html">BAD CATHOLIC JOURNALISTS</a></b> October 2019<p></p>
Gold: James Martin<br>
Silver: Austen Ivereigh<br>
Bronze: Massimo Faggioli<br>
Fourth Place: Antonio Spadaro
<p></p>
<B><a href="https://ecclesandbosco.blogspot.com/2020/06/the-eight-worst-liturgical-abuses.html">LITURGICAL ABUSES</a></b> July 2020<p></p>
Gold: Idols<br>
Silver: Changing words in the liturgy<br>
Bronze: Communion in the hand <br>
Fourth Place: Consecrating ordinary bread
<p></p>
<B><a href="https://ecclesandbosco.blogspot.com/2020/10/eight-bad-churches-and-two-very-bad.html">UGLY CHURCHES</a></b> November 2020<p></p>
Gold: St Francis de Sales, Norton Shores, Michigan<br>
Silver: Eglise Sainte Bernadette du Banlay<br>
Bronze: Newman Hall, Holy Spirit, Berkeley <br>
Fourth Place: Parroquia Santa Monica, Rivas-Vaciamadrid
<p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpOVHpnwz9qknVbKNkKVmKGU4_4_shkq5tEn_b6HdpO_O06z6-eK1TvZAQJcKL3aoJ603KfXgln5o1SBmxx3jHg_58PsDnHyzL9tPiz6qIKp6eqNFkRsvE8g7Kzimk83Mn6Toa7v0rxseUPXBLAPkn9tGCd54LVa4lBt38Ss5apEk-n6xSW-HGqmLptW9h/s1249/ugly%20churches%20medals.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpOVHpnwz9qknVbKNkKVmKGU4_4_shkq5tEn_b6HdpO_O06z6-eK1TvZAQJcKL3aoJ603KfXgln5o1SBmxx3jHg_58PsDnHyzL9tPiz6qIKp6eqNFkRsvE8g7Kzimk83Mn6Toa7v0rxseUPXBLAPkn9tGCd54LVa4lBt38Ss5apEk-n6xSW-HGqmLptW9h/s400/ugly%20churches%20medals.jpg" alt="ugly church medals" /></a></div>
<p></p>
<B><a href="https://ecclesandbosco.blogspot.com/2021/08/the-popes-eight-wondrous-achievements.html">FRANCIS ACHIEVEMENTS</a></b> September 2021<p></p>
Gold: Pachamama worship<br>
Silver: Traditionis Custodes<br>
Bronze: Treatment of the church in China <br>
Fourth Place: Rehabilitating Uncle Ted McCarrick
<p></p>
<B><a href="https://ecclesandbosco.blogspot.com/2022/03/eight-torture-instruments.html">INSTRUMENTS IN HELL</a></b> March 2022<p></p>
Gold: Vuvuzela<br>
Silver: Bongo drums<br>
Bronze: Kazoo <br>
Fourth Place: Tambourine
<p></p>
<B><a href="https://ecclesandbosco.blogspot.com/2022/05/england-needs-new-patron-saint.html">PATRON SAINTS OF ENGLAND</a></b> May 2022<p></p>
Gold: Thomas More<br>
Silver: Thomas Becket<br>
Bronze: John Fisher <br>
Fourth Place: John Henry Newman
<P></p>
<B><a href="https://ecclesandbosco.blogspot.com/2022/09/the-eight-worst-cardinals.html">BAD CARDINALS (II)</a> </B> October 2022<p></p>
Gold: Blase Cupich<br>
Silver: Arthur Roche<br>
Bronze: Reinhard Marx <br>
Fourth Place: Francesco Coccopalmerio
<p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4gNxfY29RUjmv_X73TRPwDm5Uk6YLgYNzZGHrLgqI-q1ACxS8e0SuOz8v8FaKQv6s_BB5AS5MzSTkIDnoD9ydwNz8J_cm9HvAfGSkHmyG8ZYKtWGRtwdrt1xZcah3aEPkI_VrguE5-ke7wT8b9qg4URKa5pVETrjM8XG0_ZlyPJiDNH6EaCR_vZMvTYHR/s612/bad%20cardinals%202.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="408" data-original-width="612" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4gNxfY29RUjmv_X73TRPwDm5Uk6YLgYNzZGHrLgqI-q1ACxS8e0SuOz8v8FaKQv6s_BB5AS5MzSTkIDnoD9ydwNz8J_cm9HvAfGSkHmyG8ZYKtWGRtwdrt1xZcah3aEPkI_VrguE5-ke7wT8b9qg4URKa5pVETrjM8XG0_ZlyPJiDNH6EaCR_vZMvTYHR/s400/bad%20cardinals%202.jpg" alt="Bad cardinals" /></a></div>
<P></p>
<B><a href="https://ecclesandbosco.blogspot.com/2023/04/the-last-eight-saints.html">UNCROWNED SAINTS</a></B> April 2023<p></p>
Gold: Pope Leo XIII<br>
Silver: Thomas à Kempis<br>
Bronze: Pope Pius XII <br>
Fourth Place: G.K. Chesterton
<P></P>
<B><a href="https://ecclesandbosco.blogspot.com/2023/07/the-last-8-royal-saints.html">ROYAL SAINTS</a></b> July 2023 <p></p>
Gold: Jadwiga of Poland<br>
Silver: Elizabeth of Hungary<br>
Bronze: Stephen I of Hungary <br>
Fourth Place: Louis IX of France
<P></P>
<b><a href="https://ecclesandbosco.blogspot.com/2023/08/the-eight-worst-synodal-horrors.html">SYNODAL HORRORS</a></b> September 2023<p></p>
Gold: Abp Víctor Fernández<br>
Silver: Fr James Martin<br>
Bronze: Cdl Arthur Roche <br>
Fourth Place: Dr Austen Ivereigh
<p></p>
<B><a href="https://ecclesandbosco.blogspot.com/2023/11/the-worst-synod-jargon-last-stages.html">SYNOD JARGON</a></b> December 2023<p></p>
Gold: a new way of being Church<br>
Silver: a kenotic de-centering<br>
Bronze: a listening Church<br>
Fourth Place: respects the protagonism of the Spirit
<p></p>
<b><a href="https://ecclesandbosco.blogspot.com/2024/02/eight-bad-catholic-writers.html">BAD CATHOLIC WRITERS</a></b> March 2024<p></p>
Gold: Víctor Manuel Fernández<br>
Silver: Austen Ivereigh<br>
Bronze: James Martin <br>
Fourth Place: Massimo Faggioli
<p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtU0a0ArCPTIw2N5T61DGzIJOgZSY0DPADlqi7TTiqP566lmIe0PrOlSkcu8Va7_EvuAX6pQY6bT5Erq7TOrnpZH9f4b53Z1x5zLlJUaREy2vR6Wgo0tZhx_Q92EvZCHnHDE6uZR2DaEvMgKPntveRQAvQf4jFUocxVw3xWmLqB5EfypqFrZEAsiI37HZ-/s1598/bad%20writers.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="320" data-original-height="567" data-original-width="1598" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtU0a0ArCPTIw2N5T61DGzIJOgZSY0DPADlqi7TTiqP566lmIe0PrOlSkcu8Va7_EvuAX6pQY6bT5Erq7TOrnpZH9f4b53Z1x5zLlJUaREy2vR6Wgo0tZhx_Q92EvZCHnHDE6uZR2DaEvMgKPntveRQAvQf4jFUocxVw3xWmLqB5EfypqFrZEAsiI37HZ-/s320/bad%20writers.jpg" alt="Bad Catholic writers" /></a></div>
<p></p>
Next on my list is a World Cup of Catholic Leaders (living people who inspire you). Suggestions for further polls
are welcome.Eccleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00357168852208499013noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4508374680487030801.post-66582187560582288722024-03-02T12:38:00.001+00:002024-03-02T12:39:38.547+00:00Vincent Nichols cancels TriduumCatholics in the diocese of Westminster have been surprised to learn
from Cardinal Nichols that
this year the Triduum is completely cancelled, and they will move
immediately from Thursday afternoon (after Cardinal Nichols has completed
the ceremonial washing of the feet
of women, Muslims, dogs and cats) to the traditional Sunday evening
worship of rabbits and eggs, as performed by the Church since the
first century.
<p></p>
However, three new activities are to replace the triduum, as follows:
<p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOqcRi1BzcSu62diQZSBQ5vbZzoBd7sPhhpKYBsSnM4He1wBv10K0ZemLDnzt9Juk1ktJa_-w3HFiHOSr4MZjhY5i9tt7rqr7R9y-r9GzTg4gkOEyEgCwy9P6UJ0QSsuRR4pf0pxT7-_5_UJ0oMzVlVwGD8isW88pOE2oM8vdy_na4IprqREovzz04ltBo/s680/vin2.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="453" data-original-width="680" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOqcRi1BzcSu62diQZSBQ5vbZzoBd7sPhhpKYBsSnM4He1wBv10K0ZemLDnzt9Juk1ktJa_-w3HFiHOSr4MZjhY5i9tt7rqr7R9y-r9GzTg4gkOEyEgCwy9P6UJ0QSsuRR4pf0pxT7-_5_UJ0oMzVlVwGD8isW88pOE2oM8vdy_na4IprqREovzz04ltBo/s400/vin2.jpg" alt="Amal and Vin"/></a></div>
<p></p>
<i>1. All praise to Little Amal!</i>
<p></p>
Another opportunity to worship Little Amal, the symbol of migration (or was it climate change? I forget).
And if you don't, then she will send her mother, Big Amal, to beat you up!
<p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggaLSZZeoWJc6MdSLEIbYpdXnCkYYHgTpknu2uzxQj96UIwC-g0EwX9bBZR4PEvxxReN8rAozjfG2KOpbgt83DQ47lhqYLk5d7nX-Ga44MUYV0agfYGLmkpT4bbrWkWNNMhZGVjQ9XqPICMOzcbbrqGatF6OaygduC87j6LjljzfFbtuy8U-hR2q7_zBjs/s320/vin3.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" height="400" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggaLSZZeoWJc6MdSLEIbYpdXnCkYYHgTpknu2uzxQj96UIwC-g0EwX9bBZR4PEvxxReN8rAozjfG2KOpbgt83DQ47lhqYLk5d7nX-Ga44MUYV0agfYGLmkpT4bbrWkWNNMhZGVjQ9XqPICMOzcbbrqGatF6OaygduC87j6LjljzfFbtuy8U-hR2q7_zBjs/s400/vin3.jpg"
alt="Vin and football jersey" /></a></div>
<p></p>
<i>2. The religion of football.</i>
<p></p>
Football (soccer) is already one of the main obsessions of the UK, and it is time that
the Catholic Church forgot about all that passiontide stuff and celebrated a religion
said to have been founded by the disciples. It is no coincidence that there were
exactly 11 of them left after Judas Iscariot was, er, transferred.
<p></P>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcuN5XFUkAkjc2J4ngqhSod_vYGRW2aobio8zNn5FpCCr4ArrYtyaFhFu01maFeuINVJsd5tX6285Ouf0rIxaHI74crFMnaGGyTlMjtlwp34-Vf-iGWiV91oodCiLdTEz7nTjtBEN37dfoli4odbw8S6dn0ogQFssQt8BkVZ6XVk1I6hpmJwG4czSr3jlw/s1024/vin1.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" height="400" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="880" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcuN5XFUkAkjc2J4ngqhSod_vYGRW2aobio8zNn5FpCCr4ArrYtyaFhFu01maFeuINVJsd5tX6285Ouf0rIxaHI74crFMnaGGyTlMjtlwp34-Vf-iGWiV91oodCiLdTEz7nTjtBEN37dfoli4odbw8S6dn0ogQFssQt8BkVZ6XVk1I6hpmJwG4czSr3jlw/s400/vin1.jpg" alt="Vin and Sikh blessing"/></a></div>
<p></p>
<i>3. This would be an ecumenical matter.</i>
<p></p>
It is no coincidence that March is Black Transgender Sikh History Awareness Month, and
we must always be open to alternative forms of worship, provided that they are not
in Latin!
<p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyqr36HE-Mb7rEHK50wHZUtqmYQmL530DGWJCLy_abn1XXj5rQLfqsBF2lhpVw5AsEJnsKi4LCgMXu3T3CtB11JBnU_0Co08b3gajAxPkjIlubBqbbx_8aXXKWmxDX6FAyEcPBtadSmIR4I7IWl-97oCCEz2cA0cGPQDW_dvk9KJai1krnsMa-xD3YaKt_/s866/roche-vin-cancel.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="821" data-original-width="866" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyqr36HE-Mb7rEHK50wHZUtqmYQmL530DGWJCLy_abn1XXj5rQLfqsBF2lhpVw5AsEJnsKi4LCgMXu3T3CtB11JBnU_0Co08b3gajAxPkjIlubBqbbx_8aXXKWmxDX6FAyEcPBtadSmIR4I7IWl-97oCCEz2cA0cGPQDW_dvk9KJai1krnsMa-xD3YaKt_/s400/roche-vin-cancel.jpg" alt="Roche and Nichols"/></a></div>
<p></p>
<I>Definitely no TLM!</i>
<p></p>
On reaching the age of 75, Cardinal Nichols tendered his resignation to the Pope, as he was obliged to.
However, the Pope is not obliged to accept the resignations of yes-men: trouble-makers are
another matter, of course, and they are instantly cast into the outer darkness without a home,
a job, or a pension. We have all seen DO NOT FEED THE BURKE signs on the walls of the Vatican.
However, Vin is safe for the time being (and so are we, if they are really thinking of John Arnold
as a successor).
<p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXWQMe8TImbRyRn1NArGurgVZVEz2KQK2ZB45pXTCtC36nrYwlByQjMSabyK5TmRDchMTsPhGuo2xJhbhXsgy5l3Wi59F-c270GzGGuphOTkIeH8m64cb0vzRHSDBiI71BJfT55bhT9o3nr5IUSYA7TnrV06vi0DFDz_v7zPUmPyfudOKBxdJlnuCAYXsw/s622/lms-triduum.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="498" data-original-width="622" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXWQMe8TImbRyRn1NArGurgVZVEz2KQK2ZB45pXTCtC36nrYwlByQjMSabyK5TmRDchMTsPhGuo2xJhbhXsgy5l3Wi59F-c270GzGGuphOTkIeH8m64cb0vzRHSDBiI71BJfT55bhT9o3nr5IUSYA7TnrV06vi0DFDz_v7zPUmPyfudOKBxdJlnuCAYXsw/s400/lms-triduum.jpg"
alt="LMS triduum" /></a></div>
<p></p>
<i>"Ugh! Heresy! Take it away!"</i>
Eccleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00357168852208499013noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4508374680487030801.post-33837574940767594632024-02-24T12:35:00.006+00:002024-02-24T12:41:43.037+00:00The Screwball Letters<i>A letter from a senior demon to a junior one.
<p></p>
With apologies to C.S. Lewis, who else?</i>
<p></p>
Dear Slugknees,
<p></p>
I really must congratulate you on the success you are having
with the man in your charge. Allotting you the New York cardinal as a client has given you a relatively easy task, of course - you cannot expect him to write pornography, to embezzle money, to hold cocaine-fuelled orgies,
or to obsessively persecute those who worship the Enemy in traditional ways, as some of
the other cardinals do, but there are still plenty of
other opportunities for him to come into our power.
<p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1nFyN3XO4e-CIwiMcY7DJ2mvyRmvOzFkDsn-qZjMq0zbcDbrs1wGJPyO4vn-6qtPiunaDflF9_A8M0jgBZEA-YfFLx40JkGrJIaEPVqzpOVGzCttscMU3KTMb9KSHyG4MoBBV31yntSzNJDSqOgSvW0ZBJwALWt6hdOq3l1z7qsRL9Hhr_4Udv_jDX-GA/s300/dolan-bad-company.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1nFyN3XO4e-CIwiMcY7DJ2mvyRmvOzFkDsn-qZjMq0zbcDbrs1wGJPyO4vn-6qtPiunaDflF9_A8M0jgBZEA-YfFLx40JkGrJIaEPVqzpOVGzCttscMU3KTMb9KSHyG4MoBBV31yntSzNJDSqOgSvW0ZBJwALWt6hdOq3l1z7qsRL9Hhr_4Udv_jDX-GA/s400/dolan-bad-company.jpg"/></a></div>
<p></p>
<i>Your client falls into bad company.</i>
<p></p>
As you know, I am a recognised authority on leading people
away from the Enemy - I have led my own client, a Jesuit who lives in the same
city as your man, into an obsession with "LGBT rights" - as he calls them
- and he has gone so far away from the Enemy's teachings that he even refers to men in wigs and dresses as "she/her"!
So you will be delighted to receive this praise from your dear Uncle Spiderspleen!
<p></p>
Anyway, I see from the <i>Fallen Angel Herald</i> that your man's cathedral was recently desecrated
by the funeral of a "trans" person, which was riddled with sacrilege from start to finish.
Rather than apologise and make a public act of contrition, he is blustering and excusing himself. When we can persuade
sinners to brush aside their sins like that, our battle for their souls is nearly won!
<p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSrex31uxZg1f0C-ffZZnkqP6xsuRiKL4aYe9id06uCEnICPI5_nKB-3ODZPK-QiqASUf8KJ1fHgU4cp1yP2UVbZsgCko2EfPT-SjTObEawYd_W4tdzVKHJyPG7CHWg-zQfvkFQx7TTiQ-zT8Px6zNiUMJVqypwy52hQkCMHaypKcV1RRE9oEBLg5vKz0Y/s634/martin-blessing-again.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" height="400" data-original-height="634" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSrex31uxZg1f0C-ffZZnkqP6xsuRiKL4aYe9id06uCEnICPI5_nKB-3ODZPK-QiqASUf8KJ1fHgU4cp1yP2UVbZsgCko2EfPT-SjTObEawYd_W4tdzVKHJyPG7CHWg-zQfvkFQx7TTiQ-zT8Px6zNiUMJVqypwy52hQkCMHaypKcV1RRE9oEBLg5vKz0Y/s400/martin-blessing-again.jpg"/></a></div>
<p></p>
<I>My own man was invited to St Patrick's, but he was busy elsewhere.</i>
<p></p>
I particularly liked the way your protégé said <b>"People are sick of hearing about it, aren't they?"</b> when
questioned - we always encourage people to bypass the "Forgive us our sins" part of that grossly offensive
"Enemy's Prayer" and simply forgive their own trespasses!
<p></p>
Also his <b>"We didn't know the background, we don't do FBI checks on people who want to be buried"</b> was stunning.
I didn't realise that there were people who came to him saying "I want to be buried", but then I have
never fully understood the human race. It is probably no more eccentric than saying "I want to change sex", I guess.
(I'm sorry, they call it "gender" these days, don't they? Another of our successes!)
<p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE52fuSQ6cPDT2bYwzulqjvmzj8_MYTC7NjwSK9iCYNC-RK048LTRR3yvkTutC7m6D6t5qkNzVScoUGFQw-b3rtCpYb8jUzSEmWu8E9oIzkuI1MmEyqg4pOhjiAemxF2B6OQLFbd9F_m-KJZCSyL3-52EBNMeAH9yzUK5uflbCVdoS4DtzJEXfE5czUeqo/s600/dolan-rocks.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="472" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE52fuSQ6cPDT2bYwzulqjvmzj8_MYTC7NjwSK9iCYNC-RK048LTRR3yvkTutC7m6D6t5qkNzVScoUGFQw-b3rtCpYb8jUzSEmWu8E9oIzkuI1MmEyqg4pOhjiAemxF2B6OQLFbd9F_m-KJZCSyL3-52EBNMeAH9yzUK5uflbCVdoS4DtzJEXfE5czUeqo/s400/dolan-rocks.jpg"/></a></div>
<p></P>
<i>"I am the Lord of the Dance," said he.</i>
<p></p>
As you have no doubt realised, our man has an obsessive need to be popular. He may once have had principles
of his own, but you are keeping them suppressed by making him scared of offending any politicians,
LGBT activists, etc. in case he is no longer invited to their dinners.
<p></p>
I really liked the way he defended himself when asked to discipline Governor Cuomo,
who like that other "devout Catholic" Biden is
one of our greatest
triumphs in the campaign to lure Catholics into promoting abortion.
<a href="https://www.pillarcatholic.com/p/amid-funeral-controversy-will-dolan">Remember what he said</a>?
<p></p>
<b>"I say to the people, 'What are you all looking at Daddy here for?... I don't have much clout, some fat, Irish, balding bishop, talking about defending the Church?... people are going to say 'Ho Hum!'"</b>
<p></p>
Perfect, my dear Slugknees! I don't suppose you can help him to become Pope when our present chap
finally goes to his reward? If we can't give the job to Tucho, then maybe your man would be an acceptable
alternative. We do need our men in positions of power!
<p></p>
Yours infernally,
<p></p>
Uncle Spiderspleen.
Eccleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00357168852208499013noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4508374680487030801.post-91374130291622930002024-02-21T15:57:00.001+00:002024-02-21T16:01:00.834+00:00The FrozenYes, it's a new American Christian historical drama television series! You thought you knew
the New Testament Bible story, but the producers have now filled in some missing
details previously omitted by Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
<p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivY5aOG87JWM_aGau2-Bvtg7Au-diyBlc7VGlSXQ99Df2vC_5yWTw_4neRCx8c8hVHa6RF1IWGqZGV3JQAsPUUXpBYdkD0fEc-6vXmTnFC2PLIIxpCqxz0Z_xptGvtbYW_GQow3MI8ktEM9QBW56Tjy-qExfOrLeewOea4iri1dqUaAVz5KzzJh10JUNru/s550/chosen.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="366" data-original-width="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivY5aOG87JWM_aGau2-Bvtg7Au-diyBlc7VGlSXQ99Df2vC_5yWTw_4neRCx8c8hVHa6RF1IWGqZGV3JQAsPUUXpBYdkD0fEc-6vXmTnFC2PLIIxpCqxz0Z_xptGvtbYW_GQow3MI8ktEM9QBW56Tjy-qExfOrLeewOea4iri1dqUaAVz5KzzJh10JUNru/s400/chosen.jpg"/></a></div>
<p></p>
<i>The Blessed Virgin Mary (or possibly Nicodemus).</i>
<p></p>
A few liberties have been taken with the script:
<p></p>
* All the action has been moved to Antarctica.<br></br>
* All character wear beards (including the ladies), so are impossible to tell apart.<br></br>
* Exciting back-stories have been provided: Peter is a drug addict and gambler;
James and John are bank robbers; top Evangelist Matthew suffers from learning difficulties, and can neither
read nor write.<br></br>
* Jesus needs help writing His sermon on the mount.<br></br>
* The five thousand are fed on McDonald's' Jumbo Offalburgers (thanks to an arrangement with
the sponsors).
<p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV34cvMO0yFxBPxOVVwKzj-wBUCQmCoaCPgoVqpbEAU4Cz7LA-aRWuhERL5OU9k-JmEzdB2oxLC0yBCR-NXNpTivrhj1hlyGspeRbfpu4sWyFHB6RdtBHwKDpDVnhLHtLwAno-RiI9IlEWbsp-YjVjuIQOlgP0dPYe777Xj1ipvYs-pl9EUFWhbVxCg3LO/s460/five-members-of-scotts-ex-007.webp" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="276" data-original-width="460" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV34cvMO0yFxBPxOVVwKzj-wBUCQmCoaCPgoVqpbEAU4Cz7LA-aRWuhERL5OU9k-JmEzdB2oxLC0yBCR-NXNpTivrhj1hlyGspeRbfpu4sWyFHB6RdtBHwKDpDVnhLHtLwAno-RiI9IlEWbsp-YjVjuIQOlgP0dPYe777Xj1ipvYs-pl9EUFWhbVxCg3LO/s400/five-members-of-scotts-ex-007.webp"/></a></div>
<p></p>
<i>The Sermon on the Mount.</i>
<p></p>
Say the producers: "We Protestants are often accused of <i>Sola Scriptura</i> (if it ain't in the Bible
it didn't happen). We have turned this round to <i>Extra Scriptura</i> (if it's in the Bible we
can't use it)."
<p></p>
The whole Gospel message is packed into 948 handy 3-hour films, and tell such thrilling
stories as the
trouble John the Reformed Baptist has with the Eskimo Soldiers (<i>what do you mean, they're at the North Pole?</i>), the
episode of
the Gadarene seals charging over the cliff, Jonah and the Whale (<i>oh, was he Old Testament? Well, keep
him in anyway, the viewers won't know that</i>), and of course the Transfiguration at the South Pole.
<p></p>
Eccles verdict: not to be missed!
<p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirZMVOIGeB5hylF5fScwR-M83mR4Oodm4fhJkPG2HYTPGv2I12arR9TTFMicAQBjDGjtkyJeeVj9sOnDNWz_0mJ06nFR4rFFzIZC9hDPyXRA9GaDkk9E6m0HSyb9z2OkSdUUVHSyU1bvdJood58JKVwlgdGeinwGcGwGRaqemSFfAsRastCe82G04I8Jwz/s900/a-man-takes-a-picture-of-penguins-alasdair-turner.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="528" data-original-width="900" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirZMVOIGeB5hylF5fScwR-M83mR4Oodm4fhJkPG2HYTPGv2I12arR9TTFMicAQBjDGjtkyJeeVj9sOnDNWz_0mJ06nFR4rFFzIZC9hDPyXRA9GaDkk9E6m0HSyb9z2OkSdUUVHSyU1bvdJood58JKVwlgdGeinwGcGwGRaqemSFfAsRastCe82G04I8Jwz/s400/a-man-takes-a-picture-of-penguins-alasdair-turner.jpg"/></a></div>
<p></p>
<i>A shepherd watching over his flocks by night.</i>
Eccleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00357168852208499013noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4508374680487030801.post-3145506094998759932024-02-11T13:37:00.013+00:002024-03-03T13:35:43.009+00:00Eight bad Catholic writersIt's quarter-final stage in the <a href="https://ecclesandbosco.blogspot.com/2024/01/the-world-cup-of-bad-catholic-writers.html">World Cup of Bad Catholic Writers</a>.
In <a href="https://ecclesandbosco.blogspot.com/2019/09/eight-eminent-journalists-battle-it-out.html">the previous such competition</a>, in 2019, the dreadful eight
were Faggioli, Ivereigh, Lamb, Martin, Rosica, Shea, Spadaro and Winters.
<p></p>
Where are they now? Well, Lamb, Rosica and Spadaro have fallen by the wayside (you must try harder, lads!), but
the chamber of horrors has three promising replacements: Fernández, Lewis and Rohr.
<p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrAKoVsz_JvDEzOK2f-9jsd3kvwbxOldgfIKWvkxp-h4mP7jfj8fZX4WBDy0W7Q6k4L_9GSouf7rWkVS8DLfV_KL71OubNvyU0BZPw7yxdENKCQNQI1CPopwIXZOtp0fF_D-DC7APukyH8bCBw7c1xyVHqZx1XnrR1AV5o7RiS4yOMLpHI_sDaFyccSkNV/s400/lambchop.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" height="400" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="348" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrAKoVsz_JvDEzOK2f-9jsd3kvwbxOldgfIKWvkxp-h4mP7jfj8fZX4WBDy0W7Q6k4L_9GSouf7rWkVS8DLfV_KL71OubNvyU0BZPw7yxdENKCQNQI1CPopwIXZOtp0fF_D-DC7APukyH8bCBw7c1xyVHqZx1XnrR1AV5o7RiS4yOMLpHI_sDaFyccSkNV/s400/lambchop.jpg"/></a></div>
<p></p>
<i>So farewell then, Lamb Chop!</i>
<p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoWFV32qNaPfljwNbPP8fZpNAV17WZBIJ-RiE4QlmzxRnc0O5vXfOiP-THY7G-jrGlJ1Qh3iuspdYTuMrXsBlId0XHxS6RXxpZlC_sCRF7Hu1pstpevEBsxVEhvKACsGlxZfFR49vyxkBQCeGQY-xhvIGxeqFAqXO-pxi8hGD_MKEzmnwbPYUlXc8KSEOE/s400/spidero.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="250" data-original-width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoWFV32qNaPfljwNbPP8fZpNAV17WZBIJ-RiE4QlmzxRnc0O5vXfOiP-THY7G-jrGlJ1Qh3iuspdYTuMrXsBlId0XHxS6RXxpZlC_sCRF7Hu1pstpevEBsxVEhvKACsGlxZfFR49vyxkBQCeGQY-xhvIGxeqFAqXO-pxi8hGD_MKEzmnwbPYUlXc8KSEOE/s400/spidero.jpg"/></a></div>
<p></p>
<i>And goodbye, Spidero!</i>
<p></p>
Shea - who tells me he is a humble man - is really enjoying this world cup, and voted for himself.
But will he be able to go further?
The draw is a real killer:
<p></p>
Víctor Manuel Fernández v
Mark Shea.
<p></p>
Richard Rohr v
Massimo Faggioli.
<p></p>
James Martin v
Michael Sean Winters.
<p></p>
Mike Lewis v
Austen Ivereigh.
<p></p>
The last match is particularly juicy as I have in stock some new
photos of the contestants.
<p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQBC2ZPPF6UcnMZyCA09QZBI9_HtjmrnF2qrQ82lYOYKRudI-EtkyeC-cIhRHGua1H4wZB6P6jB1sA5iBzRkRtDVKnV417cAtoIk6-wqum7cKqST0G_i5CEQNvfuZeUC5JyL7uPzj76r3gUgfnMMUiT9oQdJA0xKXf3wRg5yT5Jn4_Bwi_cUbQZf38lLYa/s1024/potato.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" height="400" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="681" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQBC2ZPPF6UcnMZyCA09QZBI9_HtjmrnF2qrQ82lYOYKRudI-EtkyeC-cIhRHGua1H4wZB6P6jB1sA5iBzRkRtDVKnV417cAtoIk6-wqum7cKqST0G_i5CEQNvfuZeUC5JyL7uPzj76r3gUgfnMMUiT9oQdJA0xKXf3wRg5yT5Jn4_Bwi_cUbQZf38lLYa/s400/potato.jpg"/></a></div>
<p></p>
<i>Mike, from the "Where Potato Is" blog.</i>
<p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaoeRqT4wwiHQvN6mb6YYoailyH-WtE_K8TlSmuyMG5wkThbJnP4GGXtlbfNGY-it_yWV4onMKZVIkZ3PjjlIU3LSqylMV-BEcGriEhh0CFFj8j_7n6BPxJi8_jUUtg66BG_BySFBHbsK0xD1na5kH7koWYABQxHqk5aTasoOVg5-Mn-rl6m3MJupCK002/s408/ivereigh-lumberjack2.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="375" data-original-width="408" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaoeRqT4wwiHQvN6mb6YYoailyH-WtE_K8TlSmuyMG5wkThbJnP4GGXtlbfNGY-it_yWV4onMKZVIkZ3PjjlIU3LSqylMV-BEcGriEhh0CFFj8j_7n6BPxJi8_jUUtg66BG_BySFBHbsK0xD1na5kH7koWYABQxHqk5aTasoOVg5-Mn-rl6m3MJupCK002/s400/ivereigh-lumberjack2.jpg"/></a></div>
<p></p>
<i>Austen's a lumberjack and he's OK.</i>
<p></p>
The quarter-finals begin on Monday 12th February.
<p></p>
<hr></hr>
<p></p>
<b>RESULTS AS THEY COME IN.</b>
<p></p>
<b>Víctor Manuel Fernández</b> 82.8 v Mark Shea 17.2.
<p></p>
<i>Tucho makes it into the semi-finals.
Not surprisingly, cheesy @chezami can't compete with the Pope's favourite pornographer.</i>
<p></p>
Richard Rohr 20.0 v
<b>Massimo Faggioli</b> 80.0.
<p></p>
<i>The Babble-on Bean makes his second semi-final. I don't think Rohr has been trying recently.</i>
<p></p>
<b>James Martin</b> 85.1 v Michael Sean Winters 14.9.
<p></p>
<i>Well, it had to be Jimbo, the man they naturally thought of as someone to invite to St Patrick's
for the sacrilegious funeral of a "trans woman". MSW can feel no shame at
losing to such a character.</i>
<p></p>
Mike Lewis 32.2 v <b>Austen Ivereigh</b> 67.8.
<p></p>
<i>Two very similar characters - rude and stupid. In the end, experience won over
youthful ambition. Mike would get the "most promising newcomer" award, except
that Tucho has gone further...</i>
<p></p>
<hr></hr>
<p></p>
<b>SEMI-FINALS</b>
<p></p>
<b>Víctor Manuel Fernández</b> 64.1 v
James Martin 35.9.
<p></p>
<i>Jimbo has been spending much time recently blessing sins, but this was
not enough to get him past the porn king.</i>
<p></p>
Massimo Faggioli 19.9 v
<b>Austen Ivereigh</b> 80.1.
<p></p>
<i>An easy win for the little man. Beans has been very quiet recently, while Austen is frightening us with
the prospect of yet another book
about Pope Francis.</i>
<p></p>
<hr></hr>
<p></p>
<b>THIRD PLACE PLAYOFF</b>
<p></p>
<b>James Martin</b> 73.4 v Massimo Faggioli 26.6
<p></p>
<i>As expected, Massimo Faggioli, who occasionally has his lucid moments,
could not compete with the Jesuit from Hell. Bronze medal for Jim.</i>
<p></p>
<hr></hr>
<p></p>
<b>FINAL</b>
<p></p>
<b>Víctor Manuel Fernández</b> 72 v Austen Ivereigh 28
<p></p>
<i>In the end, in this battle between Pope Francis's best friends, it was an easy win for Tucho,
and Austen has to settle for the prestigious silver medal.</i>
<p></p>
Eccleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00357168852208499013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4508374680487030801.post-54717877210354298232024-01-23T11:59:00.005+00:002024-02-13T11:25:54.510+00:00The World Cup of Bad Catholic Writers - nominations requestedIn 2019 we had the
<a href="https://ecclesandbosco.blogspot.com/2019/08/let-battle-commence.html">World Cup of Bad Catholic Journalists</a> (loosely
interpreted as including anyone who scribbled), so now it's time for
another. Last time the <a href="https://ecclesandbosco.blogspot.com/2019/09/four-little-journalists-and-then-there.html">winners</a> were: GOLD, Martin; SILVER, Ivereigh; BRONZE Faggioli; 4TH PLACE, Spadaro.
<p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPlqkYI6ggA3UIFKgPF_Yzw8QHHHhFYhDQjhKgBliaZxCjF19TxWm1yON8v5YwE38q1CK4ll4zAHNJaDgRAlRbGGG3Dk9VRobYbPS8-5RThfQyQk2hqTTCuxhf37BMKlddxzKExX5XU59Faidsqt7zCwfZtvBlZkeL_DdtCXV0J6H5pqqmfp9kGJ44_F6C/s948/martin-ivereigh-straight2.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="660" data-original-width="948" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPlqkYI6ggA3UIFKgPF_Yzw8QHHHhFYhDQjhKgBliaZxCjF19TxWm1yON8v5YwE38q1CK4ll4zAHNJaDgRAlRbGGG3Dk9VRobYbPS8-5RThfQyQk2hqTTCuxhf37BMKlddxzKExX5XU59Faidsqt7zCwfZtvBlZkeL_DdtCXV0J6H5pqqmfp9kGJ44_F6C/s400/martin-ivereigh-straight2.jpg" alt="Martin and Ivereigh"/></a></div>
<p></p>
<i>The winners last time.</i>
<p></p>
I've changed the title slightly, in the interests of Diversity - remember, as St Paul said:
<b>And now there remain equality, diversity and inclusion, these three: but the greatest of these is diversity.</b>
<p></p>
To qualify for this prestigious competition, you need to be (a) alive, (b) Catholic (or claiming to be),
and (c) a journalist, blogger, author, ... on Catholic subjects. The referee's decision (mine) is final.
<p></p>
So please let me have nominations. We'll give an automatic place to all those
who reached Round 2 last time, as well as a few of my own favourites,
and then see who else is nominated: to do this, either
reply here or on Twitter. We'll close nominations when I think we're ready to start.
<p></p>
<pre>
John Allen Jr
Tony Annett
Tina Beattie
Liz Bruenig
Dean Dettloff
Massimo Faggioli
Víctor Manuel Fernández
Dawn Eden Goldstein
Daniel Horan
Austen Ivereigh
Christopher Lamb
Mike Lewis
James Martin
Robert Mickens
Mike O'Loughlin
Catherine Pepinster
Thomas Reese
Thomas Rosica
Mark Shea
Antonio Spadaro
Stephen Walford
Michael Sean Winters
</pre>
Over to you!
<p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNUDwC7l4Eav3HdR4EPn6SOHWqA9pJK6geiB1LZcWB_Hl3US114wg2oQxC_Y13iT9RCR8Ef0lfu-u2EejDE9kMDn3rp9oXMSZc5mfTm_qiBUTob8wxmcY7kUxoDwl8wO6zxS41MmZ5p6q4Lj_Id7bfJhwFFsAzchDyBUdpMyuTLIa9RIZGzF8cWo6WuSqY/s850/fernandez.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="567" data-original-width="850" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNUDwC7l4Eav3HdR4EPn6SOHWqA9pJK6geiB1LZcWB_Hl3US114wg2oQxC_Y13iT9RCR8Ef0lfu-u2EejDE9kMDn3rp9oXMSZc5mfTm_qiBUTob8wxmcY7kUxoDwl8wO6zxS41MmZ5p6q4Lj_Id7bfJhwFFsAzchDyBUdpMyuTLIa9RIZGzF8cWo6WuSqY/s400/fernandez.jpg" alt="Cardinal Fernandez"/></a></div>
<p></p>
<i>Most promising newcomer?</i>
<p></p>
We'll exclude Pope Francis <s>to give everyone else a chance</s> in respect for the office he holds.
Eccleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00357168852208499013noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4508374680487030801.post-42849099517997462312024-01-08T16:03:00.002+00:002024-01-08T22:39:07.050+00:00Tucho embarks on a book-signing Cardinal "Tucho" Fernàndez, Head of the Vatican Dicastery for Naughty Things,
is now embarking on a tour of Rome's bookshops, signing copies of the reprinted version of
his hard-porn best-seller "Mystical Passion", which, he explains, he wrote as a "clarification"
of his previous soft-porn book, "Kiss me, Cheeky!"
<p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxksqYbwINdPhGU5IuHao8ny4iWLKr5gjog7A1ai4PXKbuIilPnFy5yQQJEpohtDbkLsMRBQYvsDMN8HR2imZfvqdbwjJaXbvfaHW2ldNXLzsZRaDWeSiiyka4ad7PfN1f1YNdE7Pd2-L_jkfWEb5dxYY3CkFYafreqbFyz9mWeOdK3brmZMmRqKBOpplR/s687/naughty%20book.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" height="400" data-original-height="687" data-original-width="347" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxksqYbwINdPhGU5IuHao8ny4iWLKr5gjog7A1ai4PXKbuIilPnFy5yQQJEpohtDbkLsMRBQYvsDMN8HR2imZfvqdbwjJaXbvfaHW2ldNXLzsZRaDWeSiiyka4ad7PfN1f1YNdE7Pd2-L_jkfWEb5dxYY3CkFYafreqbFyz9mWeOdK3brmZMmRqKBOpplR/s400/naughty%20book.jpg" alt="Porn book" /></a></div>
<p></p>
For those wishing to obtain signed copies of the learned treatise, described
by Mike Lewis of <i>Where Pacha Is</i> as "A little intellectual for me, but otherwise fine",
Tucho will be at "Dirty Books 'R' us" at 9 a.m., the "Porno Emporium" at
10, and the Vatican Library at 11.
<p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVezla5CjY7MlWEHRcvPTk9yJkMD9ODul5ZcitOC1y8dY1jbKgVlxamN3R8E3W8ReSvd6ScKBVqjYz44BLYzcFLg-yi5-mAjvUfSOOoEcH-PPWU_2TTTcmwShfwZXMsYyD78_Kh1aDw7BYsAVAPOhsJK8q9qbIL-mHNXUxeYr-bfhfAHALOL_tHIHRsOVE/s687/potatohead1.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" height="400" data-original-height="687" data-original-width="660" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVezla5CjY7MlWEHRcvPTk9yJkMD9ODul5ZcitOC1y8dY1jbKgVlxamN3R8E3W8ReSvd6ScKBVqjYz44BLYzcFLg-yi5-mAjvUfSOOoEcH-PPWU_2TTTcmwShfwZXMsYyD78_Kh1aDw7BYsAVAPOhsJK8q9qbIL-mHNXUxeYr-bfhfAHALOL_tHIHRsOVE/s400/potatohead1.jpg" alt="Mike Lewis" /></a></div>
<p></p>
<i>One satisfied customer (until the Pope changes his mind).</i>
<p></p>
Meanwhile, we have had no comments from Pope Teflon,
so it seems that he is still entirely happy to see Tucho directing the doctrine of the
Catholic Church. There are others equally qualified to take over Tucho's job, such as Pope Teflon's
good friends Marko Rupnik and Gustavo
Zanchetta, but it seems that they may miss out this time.
<p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtVhZeYqLwA5KfEJDwRtIW62ph0q5R2GhB48FB8ErYAKACOOZtYadg8yVIbtOiM8czJvYe4jXZDmAV9YkqV_BMMicvM0x_YJK1aJC42Rq5BtHuE2PZx3fZ0XcqCUumGA302QgSXEmr5NCMLOC4WNWTjfTBMmwmohk349c0z0fguGAsWpw8eLcm-04_6x23/s300/Francis-scowl-frown-glare-300x156.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="156" data-original-width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtVhZeYqLwA5KfEJDwRtIW62ph0q5R2GhB48FB8ErYAKACOOZtYadg8yVIbtOiM8czJvYe4jXZDmAV9YkqV_BMMicvM0x_YJK1aJC42Rq5BtHuE2PZx3fZ0XcqCUumGA302QgSXEmr5NCMLOC4WNWTjfTBMmwmohk349c0z0fguGAsWpw8eLcm-04_6x23/s400/Francis-scowl-frown-glare-300x156.jpg" alt="Pope Francis" /></a></div>
<p></p>
<i>"The buck never reached me, so how can it stop here?"</i>
<p></p>
Addendum: no comments yet from Lamb, Ivereigh, etc. as far as I know. But they probably need to read the book thoroughly
- say half-a-dozen times - before commenting.
Eccleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00357168852208499013noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4508374680487030801.post-71007935687076185162024-01-05T10:36:00.002+00:002024-01-08T16:26:24.974+00:00The twelve days of Christmas<i>I started this song 3 years ago, got up to verse 5, and then gave up. Now, being
totally lacking in shame, I have decided to complete it.</i>
<p></p>
On the first day of Christmas my true love sent to me...
<p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizvuoyQWHuZ5fZHcyiWbhS_zLzdKJKw6wTKb-8LhG4lRljbv61o0JhY66XAKUuqvFO_imxbulhZIWoXctDjGwdpAnKR_C28v5xcYe2fu26OoiEQeXtkk0lmGKzeMa_H9qp-Z4Ea0O1eLmML3awIqevX80jLrz6kzhxe38F1dL4vQV7R8XqTu6l2UWpSKsH/s680/day1.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" height="400" data-original-height="680" data-original-width="664" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizvuoyQWHuZ5fZHcyiWbhS_zLzdKJKw6wTKb-8LhG4lRljbv61o0JhY66XAKUuqvFO_imxbulhZIWoXctDjGwdpAnKR_C28v5xcYe2fu26OoiEQeXtkk0lmGKzeMa_H9qp-Z4Ea0O1eLmML3awIqevX80jLrz6kzhxe38F1dL4vQV7R8XqTu6l2UWpSKsH/s400/day1.jpg" alt="Bishop Barron"/></a></div>
<p></p>
...a bishop in a pear tree.
<p></p>
On the second day of Christmas my true love sent to me...
<p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoLhhno8CuXnPMqia_ZTrTmtvT0OI4-TImVkCEP7zuLfYU0dtwLJ6vEJjLFlofKKMJptM13LmM403UFgayDFeqvjn3PHpvWadTL-3OfdCIorjK7Vg2nfio6kVzqAchEiAF-rpNNgMYYevNimeKb1KOfvUwcp2craOMFruUVXUaal6ZzRRvO4lPMK2F6Ayw/s381/day2.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="293" data-original-width="381" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoLhhno8CuXnPMqia_ZTrTmtvT0OI4-TImVkCEP7zuLfYU0dtwLJ6vEJjLFlofKKMJptM13LmM403UFgayDFeqvjn3PHpvWadTL-3OfdCIorjK7Vg2nfio6kVzqAchEiAF-rpNNgMYYevNimeKb1KOfvUwcp2craOMFruUVXUaal6ZzRRvO4lPMK2F6Ayw/s400/day2.jpg" alt="Two rotten books"/></a></div>
<p></p>
...two turkeys' books, ...
<p></p>
On the third day of Christmas my true love sent to me...
<p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhDFl7lLaFKphwf7toA0G3qnKLlmVKdLVtaj-zacmnTTKdJwkmI-sLkxUczG62f-0bUuv_MG9z9ma979cudAAmPXq4jDAZfNBnV6SuqiC7IVcTaRasRTXwryTAyBuIvXhKz76W2CsbFmKnVELC0BZy-4oqp6FpZ10S8DKDDi2VDGNMmD2qWXdiM9aO3VAF/s849/day3.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" height="400" data-original-height="849" data-original-width="810" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhDFl7lLaFKphwf7toA0G3qnKLlmVKdLVtaj-zacmnTTKdJwkmI-sLkxUczG62f-0bUuv_MG9z9ma979cudAAmPXq4jDAZfNBnV6SuqiC7IVcTaRasRTXwryTAyBuIvXhKz76W2CsbFmKnVELC0BZy-4oqp6FpZ10S8DKDDi2VDGNMmD2qWXdiM9aO3VAF/s400/day3.jpg" alt="Nuns on the bus"/></a></div>
<p></p>
...three old hens, ...
<p></p>
On the fourth day of Christmas my true love sent to me...
<p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCN38kqmjAh1g8QKY4uQ6sQq_8PUS9btjBkrKfkVaq9b1Eq-DxcAnHRDQcXSX8gGLi7ynx4rq5qA9ao-dnOSRgL_Gz9gPXo4Kj0iM5Sh5pAmSAbbCP4NsfA_FaVEwVImkKkp8c3dBOlsWR6akAQQ3sEIr8xl9BYZXad3yF4HXrBjmeoX6ib8fk7htKEnEr/s1026/day4.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="538" data-original-width="1026" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCN38kqmjAh1g8QKY4uQ6sQq_8PUS9btjBkrKfkVaq9b1Eq-DxcAnHRDQcXSX8gGLi7ynx4rq5qA9ao-dnOSRgL_Gz9gPXo4Kj0iM5Sh5pAmSAbbCP4NsfA_FaVEwVImkKkp8c3dBOlsWR6akAQQ3sEIr8xl9BYZXad3yF4HXrBjmeoX6ib8fk7htKEnEr/s400/day4.jpg" alt="Four cardinals"/></a></div>
<p></p>
...four cardinals, ...
<p></p>
On the fifth day of Christmas my true love sent to me...
<p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy6q7p4cPk-i9LqaPwzmQZtaj4sEWYJ2HJLLdfScQqGT5l4NniM7AI3-8HDntZ3az7jNdxm_Y3LczlgWfsMaTTOrEWR9UgpXF6h8MuthvrlewdrZVhG1QScmyx5tLOEJGn1f5-dN0zup6sv9ue0AjmMEOtwbIzLmYI3Gcsoi3-xSx451pxfi0Npo0tDjnR/s536/day5.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="376" data-original-width="536" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy6q7p4cPk-i9LqaPwzmQZtaj4sEWYJ2HJLLdfScQqGT5l4NniM7AI3-8HDntZ3az7jNdxm_Y3LczlgWfsMaTTOrEWR9UgpXF6h8MuthvrlewdrZVhG1QScmyx5tLOEJGn1f5-dN0zup6sv9ue0AjmMEOtwbIzLmYI3Gcsoi3-xSx451pxfi0Npo0tDjnR/s400/day5.jpg" alt="Pope baffled" /></a></div>
<p></p>
...five Dubia, ...
<p></p>
On the sixth day of Christmas my true love sent to me...
<p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZFJEziuvBDQhpyyQl5VwZ2BjEt2hPXvZJp_mlPFLWv_iRY-mzSnuPprgBDafVVukbbj10s-V1ff1qSSpclTaPekOKrkK-CaLQ4AqxdQhabMJDv23pV3Ti7dnpfCKMVwIwN5NpftWZ8MSVNxoHNIhBWDIMSYk8-3FKDx7ScxFXBVSu9-DKXYyIiDUdbCDO/s1116/day6.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="527" data-original-width="1116" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZFJEziuvBDQhpyyQl5VwZ2BjEt2hPXvZJp_mlPFLWv_iRY-mzSnuPprgBDafVVukbbj10s-V1ff1qSSpclTaPekOKrkK-CaLQ4AqxdQhabMJDv23pV3Ti7dnpfCKMVwIwN5NpftWZ8MSVNxoHNIhBWDIMSYk8-3FKDx7ScxFXBVSu9-DKXYyIiDUdbCDO/s400/day6.jpg" alt="Six Jesuits" /></a></div>
<p></p>
...six priests a-preying, ...
<p></p>
On the seventh day of Christmas my true love sent to me...
<p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDgTbpP-5zA6NXD_dgnOvD7jbJvNgAYYHAXSqatCZ94eXFvVNkCT0OILEYLQodAjm3LtkXeD3lWmATs_P3-o18p3QLcVsi7ZeozHIwzTRieZYwkHOK3thjTb8O3XlR_RrHUY1up9ozvoH3kcWKb0y9xNxraI9oRhyZkocqgKUT2_DTD5UGhV8TBelBal-K/s653/day7.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="395" data-original-width="653" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDgTbpP-5zA6NXD_dgnOvD7jbJvNgAYYHAXSqatCZ94eXFvVNkCT0OILEYLQodAjm3LtkXeD3lWmATs_P3-o18p3QLcVsi7ZeozHIwzTRieZYwkHOK3thjTb8O3XlR_RrHUY1up9ozvoH3kcWKb0y9xNxraI9oRhyZkocqgKUT2_DTD5UGhV8TBelBal-K/s400/day7.jpg" alt="Synodal table" /></a></div>
<p></p>
...seven Synners Synning, ...
<p></p>
On the eighth day of Christmas my true love sent to me...
<p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifNEErT55nTFfwhljW0GgTpWDLPFX09tmbJ_7C9ygm8zVqNBDS0rhnNB4YmUujpmuyBo-fcIyQzN7jbShoqldrU1Q8jy2ves_SK_ekXaRxNqIGKuVYCZq67WXPUZBs1N9g61v2rDt0Fg5wz0wobMxz-9MYxC1DkJzwi31Y7kkJhWmmJkusecGXqdrMNwEZ/s578/day8.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="536" data-original-width="578" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifNEErT55nTFfwhljW0GgTpWDLPFX09tmbJ_7C9ygm8zVqNBDS0rhnNB4YmUujpmuyBo-fcIyQzN7jbShoqldrU1Q8jy2ves_SK_ekXaRxNqIGKuVYCZq67WXPUZBs1N9g61v2rDt0Fg5wz0wobMxz-9MYxC1DkJzwi31Y7kkJhWmmJkusecGXqdrMNwEZ/s400/day8.jpg" alt=" Friends of Austen Ivereigh" /></a></div>
<p></p>
...eight clowns a-circling, ...
<p></p>
On the ninth day of Christmas my true love sent to me...
<p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjttIK4Up1__XgGXLLRMTLm3E_GbdmImAaEAcnXIn_XkdbCHE7SedjVZ1gKibgcPDx_mzrRKj48kP3VscamqwLCh84ct5OAQ0ugQ8AexuVhMBHiW40ukCtSjt7nZo7445cqUDY3V_77lVwyRs1B-hOq0ZozS3PNyEwIjvJDeAYORhIQ3cnnxHrD-mYlW4UK/s618/day9.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="417" data-original-width="618" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjttIK4Up1__XgGXLLRMTLm3E_GbdmImAaEAcnXIn_XkdbCHE7SedjVZ1gKibgcPDx_mzrRKj48kP3VscamqwLCh84ct5OAQ0ugQ8AexuVhMBHiW40ukCtSjt7nZo7445cqUDY3V_77lVwyRs1B-hOq0ZozS3PNyEwIjvJDeAYORhIQ3cnnxHrD-mYlW4UK/s400/day9.jpg" alt="Arthur Roche a la Warhol" /></a></div>
<p></p>
...nine Roches raging, ...
<p></p>
On the tenth day of Christmas my true love sent to me...
<p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK6xreT68L-L8-KVDCkpQbEasiFRlZauzmX18_hPFl941LT_6cIji74xIvf9Pvu8KOYH_Lh0JwB1RTbLysgnbDUMS4b7D0Hb3MfVEbQC9ai5U6S5W_YFTn-EBDy8NCYE4olIzgBLI3AvkhRhm6cKTA_pVZJe-4EdRBbS7Upnlq1-Cyg6lrqsi_fGkqIYYV/s1055/day10.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="296" data-original-width="1055" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK6xreT68L-L8-KVDCkpQbEasiFRlZauzmX18_hPFl941LT_6cIji74xIvf9Pvu8KOYH_Lh0JwB1RTbLysgnbDUMS4b7D0Hb3MfVEbQC9ai5U6S5W_YFTn-EBDy8NCYE4olIzgBLI3AvkhRhm6cKTA_pVZJe-4EdRBbS7Upnlq1-Cyg6lrqsi_fGkqIYYV/s400/day10.jpg" alt="Pachamamas" /></a></div>
<p></p>
...ten Pachamamas, ...
<p></p>
On the eleventh day of Christmas my true love sent to me...
<p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGif4f4CRV9wIwahAfioIi0FOMtcboMPqual19I-OGfF1njXhPJ0hBP2dlWoTdL_d54wplP6oGFt6QGXiQ0pKEZLHGJGR2wO16cYTCSD7mgLveyVIleB6JgIPhN-nwIuu0NvLubvANmOjVsRtv483of3tYLLBLQtfn-osPMAinb4G-HYwZFJUIWFWAQ_sR/s970/day11.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="545" data-original-width="970" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGif4f4CRV9wIwahAfioIi0FOMtcboMPqual19I-OGfF1njXhPJ0hBP2dlWoTdL_d54wplP6oGFt6QGXiQ0pKEZLHGJGR2wO16cYTCSD7mgLveyVIleB6JgIPhN-nwIuu0NvLubvANmOjVsRtv483of3tYLLBLQtfn-osPMAinb4G-HYwZFJUIWFWAQ_sR/s400/day11.jpg" alt="Swiss guards" /></a></div>
<p></p>
...eleven guards a-guarding, ...
<p></p>
Finally, on the twelfth day of Christmas my true love sent to me...
<p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXx7BJla1PPyVcCQ7R6qRyJmcabelGC1Cgsrg5zlunnoJHRADu8EbWQqOyXy_3dmAZA4BzpLO1zpMSdq6_qAX3DuxVlkLlBsfWj2FsVIc3Il-vc8edtiFDuGvLp1AXOukIu8rzEo06xzSfIZTguPDdJCISLh2yQH-EJ5kd9g-J0VBBm0zpEWwYvtjFZMmm/s622/day12.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="406" data-original-width="622" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXx7BJla1PPyVcCQ7R6qRyJmcabelGC1Cgsrg5zlunnoJHRADu8EbWQqOyXy_3dmAZA4BzpLO1zpMSdq6_qAX3DuxVlkLlBsfWj2FsVIc3Il-vc8edtiFDuGvLp1AXOukIu8rzEo06xzSfIZTguPDdJCISLh2yQH-EJ5kd9g-J0VBBm0zpEWwYvtjFZMmm/s400/day12.jpg" alt="Twelve papal non-lookalikes" /></a></div>
<p></p>
...twelve popes a-poping, ...
Eccleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00357168852208499013noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4508374680487030801.post-68248981860775187802023-12-24T13:38:00.000+00:002023-12-24T13:38:16.990+00:00The 2023 Catholic Advent CalendarHere it is then, your handy cut-out-and-throw-away guide to this year's Advent Calendar.
<p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBFbpP1mQ5BXFazr5m1V1gxUEfViC1x4AFe6UtlXzjvsLYp0V9mc1fL_0scchIR7cU2d84LpGbalU8kSH-eu29pVHbEMxhwZDh-BLDZ1pIP4pATw39Ir-fH84Vhx2OTb6lSMp7vWDYGYgtRHSaRNr8_mWtsQ5Wsi1YU1r1dKRWAbJqVB461SrD9EvlY0_c/s1600/advent24_listen.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBFbpP1mQ5BXFazr5m1V1gxUEfViC1x4AFe6UtlXzjvsLYp0V9mc1fL_0scchIR7cU2d84LpGbalU8kSH-eu29pVHbEMxhwZDh-BLDZ1pIP4pATw39Ir-fH84Vhx2OTb6lSMp7vWDYGYgtRHSaRNr8_mWtsQ5Wsi1YU1r1dKRWAbJqVB461SrD9EvlY0_c/s400/advent24_listen.jpg"/></a></div>
<p></p>
Behind the windows we find:
<p></p>
1. Slightly early, we start this year's Catholic Advent Calendar in the only way possible - by being synodal.
<p></p>
2. It's a new boy on the block, Cardinal "Tucho" Fernández, whose job is to keep us on the straight and narrow. No sniggering at the back, please.
<p></p>
3. Behind today's window of the calendar we find a packet of Uncle Ted (McCarrick)'s rice. Delicious!
<p></p>
4. An old friend - the Mercy logo, designed by the merciful Pope's favourite artist, Marko Rupnik.
<p></p>
5. Who is that grumpy character hiding behind the next window of the calendar? Why it's Austen Ivereigh, official spin-doctor and synod "expert"!
<p></p>
6. Today's star of the calendar has chosen to offer Mass while dressed as Tarzan in leopard-skin vestments. This is what being Church is all about!
<p></p>
7. The Catholic Advent Calendar displays a Christmas stamp, based on some of the finest artwork
available in the Vatican collection.
<p></p>
8. Blushing modestly, Sister Natalie Becquart emerges from behind today's window. Natalie is a synod mother, but in her spare time she is interested in religion.
<p></p>
9. All the holy people we have seen so far on the Catholic Advent Calendar need sacred spaces for their worship, and the Bristol airport multi-faith bus shelter is one of the most sacred.
<p></p>
10. Behind today's door there's Father Brown, a Catholic priest who wears a maniple round his neck. Watch out - your priest may be doing the same!
<p></p>
11. Michael Voris comes out of the Vortex to appear on our calendar. In disgrace with Church Militant, but he should easily find a job in an institution without a morality clause, such as the Vatican.
<p></p>
12. A very popular cardinal, Wilton Gregory, pops his head out of today's window. Uncle Wilt is very fond of traditional worship - some of it dating as far back as the 1960s.
<p></p>
13. We see "the grammar of synodality on display" (to quote the Vatican) - lots of people with nothing better to do sitting round tables and chatting.
<p></p>
14. Oh look, we see Uncle Arthur Roche, cake-eater and TLM blocker extraordinaire, modelling one of those trendy blue "I'm really a layman" shirts.
<p></p>
15. You may have been expecting the traditional photo of Fr James Martin LGBTSJ, but instead it's his book "Come forth", all about how Lazarus was the disciple Jesus loved and a pioneer of homosexual rights. Top theology!
<p></p>
16. We open the next window to reveal Fr Guilherme, the DJ priest!
<p></p>
17. Now we see financial wizard Giovanni Becciu, who, we hear, is now moving to a new address!
<p></p>
18. We see the best of contemporary worship in today's picture, as a priest demonstrates the use of an inflatable altar.
<p></p>
19. Cardinal Marx enjoying an LGBT Mass. Big Rhino is expected to welcome the new Church teaching on blessings (whatever it is).
<p></p>
20. "BE SYNODAL" screams a synod expert.
We must, since of course a kenotic de-centering is a new way of being Church!
<p></p>
21. Time to relax with some beautiful architecture as today we see the famous "multi-storey car park" church in Madrid, which I visited a few weeks ago.
<p></p>
22. It's Cardinal Cupich taking part in a pagan ceremony involving a dragon. We don't know whether FFS permits him to bless the creature, but he does anyway.
<p></p>
23. That fat man whom nobody believes in has dropped in from the North Pole to do some popesplaining. Yes, it's Mike Lewis of "Where Potato Is"!
<p></p>
24. We end as we began - synodally. This is now a listening Church and Pope Francis is always willing to listen to what the faithful have to say. (Offer does not apply to Africa, Poland, and a few other rigid places.)
<p></p>
<i>And a merry and blessed Christmas to all readers!</i>
Eccleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00357168852208499013noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4508374680487030801.post-72772668774731830422023-12-21T12:52:00.004+00:002023-12-21T12:55:24.071+00:00Fr James Martin turned into pillar of saltWe regret that Fr James Martin LGBTSJ, the well-known activist and
alleged Jesuit priest, suffered an incident today in which he was
turned into a pillar of salt.
<p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD9RtYQ-B-TmI7KJGa2WCKJF7GRwsAGGIbSCAki-4ck7hlhHp1VPi2VXQeJ3NfJYU6CmB9dl4T9I3kGdYu0gByVdxM42-F023cOcVWn2MWesNzFgIFZsc2bfLC__gByn3EFo9d7liASk4BzvjTmfK2vdt8LsMufF0SLNpmQvSI7xb_2Eo8RuUoq7NGKDb5/s1136/martin-blessing.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="861" data-original-width="1136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD9RtYQ-B-TmI7KJGa2WCKJF7GRwsAGGIbSCAki-4ck7hlhHp1VPi2VXQeJ3NfJYU6CmB9dl4T9I3kGdYu0gByVdxM42-F023cOcVWn2MWesNzFgIFZsc2bfLC__gByn3EFo9d7liASk4BzvjTmfK2vdt8LsMufF0SLNpmQvSI7xb_2Eo8RuUoq7NGKDb5/s400/martin-blessing.jpg" alt="Martin blessing homosexuals"/></a></div>
<p></p>
<i>A photo taken just before the incident.</i>
<p></p>
Father Martin was going about his normal clerical business, blessing a "gay
couple" in accordance with his intepretation of the latest papal document
"Fiducia supplicans" (we don't use Latin much these days, but it apparently
means "Fiddled the accounts", and was written as an homage to Cardinal Becciu).
Eye-witnesses of what happened after that are a little confused, but we do have
a photo of the scene shortly afterwards.
<p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_KYolZu_-jQLvNtqW-ofgvxaIhOlkMEPw9rLyin9vBXG9m5R_ngJ6oGMvPPHuyHIERHeTEI2-UYEguYW5EVRoEE7iSpZJSXWwCSt06YLq0qyDo_387gvcgH1MIKIiPEimomDMbteBraX8eqGnSd6-YMh44HfYj0Er80VBzfXKOpUmD-Pu4pp8sszj2oKE/s1200/lotswife.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_KYolZu_-jQLvNtqW-ofgvxaIhOlkMEPw9rLyin9vBXG9m5R_ngJ6oGMvPPHuyHIERHeTEI2-UYEguYW5EVRoEE7iSpZJSXWwCSt06YLq0qyDo_387gvcgH1MIKIiPEimomDMbteBraX8eqGnSd6-YMh44HfYj0Er80VBzfXKOpUmD-Pu4pp8sszj2oKE/s400/lotswife.jpg" alt="Lot's wife" /></a></div>
<p></p>
<i>Spot the difference!</i>
<p></p>
At this point a witty pun, something like "That's your Lot, Jimmy," would be appropriate, but
it would be in bad taste at a time when we are mourning one of the great men of our age.
(Actually, Jimbo is said to be still alive, but his activities will henceforth be
very limited by his saline nature.)
Eccleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00357168852208499013noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4508374680487030801.post-88929774702538543312023-12-19T12:49:00.006+00:002023-12-19T13:47:43.904+00:00How to confuse the Catholic ChurchYes, another instalment of our long-running series on "How to be a good pope",
designed for those readers who, by kenotic de-centering, respecting the protagonism
of the Spirit, and finding a new way of being Church, have managed to make it to the top job
in the new listening Church!
<p></p>
<i>The story so far.</i> After ten years, you sense that your days of
Peronist dictatorship are coming to an end. All that remains is to
nominate your successor - Touchy-Feely, Fat Arthur, or perhaps Pa-Oh Lin, the
inscrutable Chinaman - and you can expire peacefully to cries of "Make him a saint!"
<p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOlYGK5qBS9HvAZWN3CzQ3SQNll2zPbz2qF6cuXDsubXI8NLDt1vNDbSclez2UaVs5CCKACIE0qKsGk4eLm-4Ymw7QEvO5MQeAl-PLMDMKqG37bwyQ49hPhJgbmEBSQWQzAq7XFSh2Dd6vJDzJ8UUdILNwXIqu9nXvH5QlX4KM5zTGRYUCMhIASlM8wN0E/s625/pope-francis-halo.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="416" data-original-width="625" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOlYGK5qBS9HvAZWN3CzQ3SQNll2zPbz2qF6cuXDsubXI8NLDt1vNDbSclez2UaVs5CCKACIE0qKsGk4eLm-4Ymw7QEvO5MQeAl-PLMDMKqG37bwyQ49hPhJgbmEBSQWQzAq7XFSh2Dd6vJDzJ8UUdILNwXIqu9nXvH5QlX4KM5zTGRYUCMhIASlM8wN0E/s400/pope-francis-halo.jpg" alt="Pope and halo"/></a></div>
<p></p>
<i>Santo Subito!</i>
<p></p>
But all is not well. Obviously little Ivory, C.N.N. Lambchop and "Where Potato Is" Mike
are too polite to mention it, but there is some unrest among the faithful.
What can you have done that could possibly upset Catholics? Was it
your naughty story <i>Amorous Letitia?</i> Could it be your devotion to
Pachamama? Surely not your treatment of the Church in China? Or was it
<i>Trads Cussed</i> (memo: get Arthur out of the cake shop and send him
off to close down more TLMs)? Or is it your protection of dirty old Rapenik?
Then again, surely nobody could object to your attempts to starve a certain American cardinal into
submission?
<p></p>
It's all a big mystery, but you know your conscience is clear. So how
can we confuse the Church today?
<p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidfa4Ia-vdhV82o9Ue5o6tVkwU6mTeAMYnH5tPzWuUINpVrUPJ9QaiBhJB8klLeLI7qnaWzlzKeHKftShNpOeYBr8eC72curraiQmF6mpMAoJOnnabB_9HfGC7pqOq2SOZ5xMi1a6eCMeFj8-3PV_TtO8gU0ru76VQxZbCa4QCzXyH5sZGawIPEv0Zn7Ox/s3046/TwitterFernandez.jpeg.jpeg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="2135" data-original-width="3046" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidfa4Ia-vdhV82o9Ue5o6tVkwU6mTeAMYnH5tPzWuUINpVrUPJ9QaiBhJB8klLeLI7qnaWzlzKeHKftShNpOeYBr8eC72curraiQmF6mpMAoJOnnabB_9HfGC7pqOq2SOZ5xMi1a6eCMeFj8-3PV_TtO8gU0ru76VQxZbCa4QCzXyH5sZGawIPEv0Zn7Ox/s400/TwitterFernandez.jpeg.jpeg" alt="Pope and Tucho" /></a></div>
<p></p>
<i>"I do wish he wouldn't stand so close."</i>
<p></p>
In walks Cardinal Touchy-Feely, blows you a kiss (this time you have taken care
to keep behind a solid table), and makes a suggestion. "Tell them
that priests can bless burglars," he suggests, "but only
if they leave their masks, striped pullovers and bags marked SWAG at the door
of the church. The burglars, I mean, not the priests."
<p></p>
"They already can," you reply, puzzled. "What difference will it make?"
<p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioZZNSE59BfhQUIF5S5w02vOQEG05GS4_hR_seT_SsVVwq9ru0gtayv1inW0ypak2DVtF0anGCSt2gCJOuxY9eStWrYptGgvPP3ZaJJXRJJHUklaCCru0Be4cpnWUmm4OIew-gbsi8m2J_r-YFFi9XjHexy57bY_QPalSdeoweeRr91jqrQA2P_SuhBtOL/s782/burglar.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" height="400" data-original-height="782" data-original-width="611" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioZZNSE59BfhQUIF5S5w02vOQEG05GS4_hR_seT_SsVVwq9ru0gtayv1inW0ypak2DVtF0anGCSt2gCJOuxY9eStWrYptGgvPP3ZaJJXRJJHUklaCCru0Be4cpnWUmm4OIew-gbsi8m2J_r-YFFi9XjHexy57bY_QPalSdeoweeRr91jqrQA2P_SuhBtOL/s400/burglar.jpg" alt="burglar"/></a></div>
<p></p>
<i>"I've come for a blessing, Father. Because I've got another job planned."</i>
<p></p>
"Can't you the the headlines in <i>America Rag</i>, the <i>National Catholic Fishwrap</i>
and the even more secular press? <b>"POPE FRED SAYS THAT BURGLARY IS OK", "NEW CATHOLIC
TEACHING ON THEFT", "TEN COMMANDMENTS? THROW THEM OUT!" "WHO IS THIS SAINT PAUL ANYWAY?"
"GERMAN BISHOPS VOTE TO ORDAIN BURGLARS", "FATHER MARTIN JAMES SJ SAYS 'COME INTO THE CLOSET
AND HELP YOURSELVES!'"</b>
<p></p>
Of course! Nobody is going to talk about anything else from now on.
As you draft your new letter "Fiddling the Supplies" (an homage to Cardinal Becciu), you reflect
that
Touchy-Feely will make a great Pope Fred II.
Eccleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00357168852208499013noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4508374680487030801.post-22215705237301068412023-12-01T22:21:00.000+00:002023-12-01T22:21:19.959+00:00Burkegate - What Pope Francis really said<i>A <u><a href="https://wherepeteris.com/what-pope-francis-said-about-cardinal-burke/">special article</a></u> by Austen "Spindoctor" Ivereigh for the
</i>Where Pachamama is<i> blog.</i>
<p></p>
The Pope is an astonishly patient man, and will sink his enemies even if it takes him ten years to do it.
Seeing all the bad publicity he was getting for
his merciful and patient attacks on Cardinal Burke, he summoned me to Rome as a matter
of urgency so that I could explain to the world what he was up to. Did I mention that I am an expert
on papal matters?
<p></p>
I flew to Rome from Bristol airport, stopping on the way at the Multifaith Bus Shelter for
a spot of Pachamama devotion, also in order to pin up a mural by my favourite artist
Marko Rupnik. The place was deserted apart from an Incan sacrifice taking place
at the same time.
<p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZP6z_H7hviy9TufoTjlMmSpbQhvkRp_IxSdZqPdhTXBLiqCEJ3qgj5Dig6oMHsPzaRm9YEs1CsmJY257EZB-Xci0f-bjo7nFRAHdtJaipfUBVri72BNlnSs5tgVYYD5xypmilD5dUQ6GHoIgDn7qe6jeNQLTxSmX7P8vatZTr-94uZkEJVqxHmd9s66x9/s4000/bristol%20multifaith.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" height="400" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="2252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZP6z_H7hviy9TufoTjlMmSpbQhvkRp_IxSdZqPdhTXBLiqCEJ3qgj5Dig6oMHsPzaRm9YEs1CsmJY257EZB-Xci0f-bjo7nFRAHdtJaipfUBVri72BNlnSs5tgVYYD5xypmilD5dUQ6GHoIgDn7qe6jeNQLTxSmX7P8vatZTr-94uZkEJVqxHmd9s66x9/s400/bristol%20multifaith.jpg" alt="multifaith centre" /></a></div>
<p></p>
<i>A sacred place!</i>
<p></p>
Patient merciful Pope Francis the Humble was not in good health - a sprained wrist through slapping too many Chinese girls -
but he explained to me that he loved Cardinal
Burke - after all, we are commanded to love our enemies, and Burke was one of
his worst enemies. With their Dubia, Burke and his fellow-conspirators had asked Pope Francis to explain some
aspects of <i>Amoris Laetitia</i>
several years ago, knowing perfectly well that clear and unambiguous
teaching is against the rules of the Jesuit order.
<p></p>
Burke had also dared to criticise the Synod on Synodal Synodality of Synodhood,
arguably the most important Catholic event since Pentecost, saying that it
was a complete waste of time. Having myself attended as an <b>expert</b>, I know
that getting barmy old ladies sitting round tables and moaning is the true future of the Church!
<p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwFZ997eDJE6_eaCj9fm41eAwJBF6nvTYWFu2n3TfF0xCLm3yMJS1_T0Qpig35SOJiebQzRRqPBT9GPqvd9IBTC6MjVT2U2gHp-d0dn18n3AlZTxxRmgUoByfsSOtFsJZJShBNanUj8jNiGQfB9NOGGljg9i7UqU4GI5Zg4bqymbW6AkdgOrncmGF3Ig1R/s680/synodal%20wimmin.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="453" data-original-width="680" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwFZ997eDJE6_eaCj9fm41eAwJBF6nvTYWFu2n3TfF0xCLm3yMJS1_T0Qpig35SOJiebQzRRqPBT9GPqvd9IBTC6MjVT2U2gHp-d0dn18n3AlZTxxRmgUoByfsSOtFsJZJShBNanUj8jNiGQfB9NOGGljg9i7UqU4GI5Zg4bqymbW6AkdgOrncmGF3Ig1R/s400/synodal%20wimmin.jpg"
alt="Synod wimmin" /></a></div>
<p></p>
<i>We must all be Synod!</i>
<p></P>
At this point in our discussion, Francis found his patience
tried beyond all limits, and he humbly kicked Rupnik, the Vatican cat, through the window.
"Don't worry," he said. "Pick up the body and give it to Mike Lewis. He'll eat anything."
<p></p>
Instead of living in a broom cupboard, as the humble Holy Father does, Cardinal
Burke has a much larger apartment, and this is now required by other cardinals
who wish to hold "get-togethers" there. I know that Cardinal Coccopalmerio
has already put in a bid.
<p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwXl2MYogsmqpVu9GNm5CmaH1x9rX6JmODpDJTfwYIugnygHOziLLtqygJG7JdXHmFsvDMdH6d5iMtgwjiLZ24yZP5wiSTx1M2Aj6Cc4BeF5-8xsWLU3bX7TGW1qpzdAEpPFilW2m5csb6CD3NWgxTBMjD6T7jCNVi9NvXXcdbf1EVpayVhZOb29dLPE-d/s268/cocco-shadow.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="188" data-original-width="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwXl2MYogsmqpVu9GNm5CmaH1x9rX6JmODpDJTfwYIugnygHOziLLtqygJG7JdXHmFsvDMdH6d5iMtgwjiLZ24yZP5wiSTx1M2Aj6Cc4BeF5-8xsWLU3bX7TGW1qpzdAEpPFilW2m5csb6CD3NWgxTBMjD6T7jCNVi9NvXXcdbf1EVpayVhZOb29dLPE-d/s400/cocco-shadow.jpg" alt="Cocco and his shadow" /></a></div>
<p></p>
<i>Who is this shadowy figure?</i>
<p></p>
Of course Burke is still a member of two dicasteries, and of the Apostolic Signatura,
but as Pope Francis explained, he should regard these positions as honours, and not expect to
be paid.
<p></p>
So what message am I to take away from my meeting with the Humble Father? First,
although in our conversation he described Burke as his enemy, he has now sent me
a note saying "I never used the word 'enemy' nor the pronoun 'my'." Obviously
we all misheard - it's easily done. Also he certainly never said "We hates him we hates him,
nasty Burkies, we hates him, my precious, and we is going to throw him
out on the streets!"
<p></p>
I hope I have made it clear, and let me repeat this: Pope Francis is patient, kind and
merciful, and Cardinal Burke is a meanie. Strickland has fallen! Burke has fallen!
Who will be next? Aha!
<p></p>
<i>Great stuff, Austen. And the cat pie was delicious! Mike.</i>
<p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4xQB-9xpKcoVLG1I8Hq9S0dlj6SrrovxCJUBmQKf6I8cX3VuRpd7zoiUhPWW2KiVNhwyhTakdDnbczbFctO83eCnmjnyfcWgYfLT8JO8MFKdSSlt8oMur123EYjgrPfesiaiu7nGl1UijIwKF_g86Q-noZKvwXNmem_Ik9Uf3lqoX6XzbTNZ4RPeFJ095/s229/potatohead.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" height="400" data-original-height="229" data-original-width="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4xQB-9xpKcoVLG1I8Hq9S0dlj6SrrovxCJUBmQKf6I8cX3VuRpd7zoiUhPWW2KiVNhwyhTakdDnbczbFctO83eCnmjnyfcWgYfLT8JO8MFKdSSlt8oMur123EYjgrPfesiaiu7nGl1UijIwKF_g86Q-noZKvwXNmem_Ik9Uf3lqoX6XzbTNZ4RPeFJ095/s400/potatohead.jpg" alt="potatohead" /></a></div>
<p></p>
<i>Mike Lewis!</i>
Eccleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00357168852208499013noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4508374680487030801.post-73694226556946651382023-11-28T10:53:00.009+00:002023-12-23T10:55:05.107+00:00The worst synod jargon - the last stagesI hope you will agree with me that:
<p></p><b>
In this time of profound encounter and dialogue we offer the invitation to journey together, creating spaces for everyone so that we may live unity-in-diversity.</b>
<p></p>
While:
<p></P><b>
Catholics must experience the synod, must do synod; conversation in the Spirit is a new way of being Church, so enlarge the space of your tent.</b>
<p></p>
Whereas:
<p></p><b>
The synod mothers ask for a kenotic de-centering since listening and dialogue inspire decision-making processes in an authentically synodal manner.</b>
<p></p>
Therefore:
<p></p><b>
The lived experience that has been shared through a listening Church respects the protagonism of the Spirit in God’s surprises.</b>
<p></P>
Well, those are the last sixteen entries for the World Cup of Synod Jargon, tastefully
arranged into four groups. We shall give the final results here (quarter-finals through to final)
when we have them.
<p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnYNT4PAAHTV8dawkbcsNgk5HjX8SILP57bicHgabaYVJ02veXKxF1JbV2IZKY1Fi0dywp20GvlNCnz0ddGeV8F7tNUHjrqNWoBs_p4z8kIm_fLjJ5QAHXMTyTGr1DzJmgChXFIVwShhdMHyGnpnbv1PgGykPWTa_TFJMeabJeBGqjBQOPr2F6WDB9BXLM/s750/SinodoTavoli.jpeg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="422" data-original-width="750" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnYNT4PAAHTV8dawkbcsNgk5HjX8SILP57bicHgabaYVJ02veXKxF1JbV2IZKY1Fi0dywp20GvlNCnz0ddGeV8F7tNUHjrqNWoBs_p4z8kIm_fLjJ5QAHXMTyTGr1DzJmgChXFIVwShhdMHyGnpnbv1PgGykPWTa_TFJMeabJeBGqjBQOPr2F6WDB9BXLM/s400/SinodoTavoli.jpeg"/></a></div>
<p></p>
<b>QUARTER-FINALS</b>
<p></p>
<b>a new way of being Church 71.9 </b> -v-
synod mothers 28.1
<p></p>
live unity-in-diversity 37.8 -v-
<b> a kenotic de-centering 62.2</b>
<p></p>
<b>respects the protagonism of the Spirit</b> 56.3 -v-
this time of profound encounter and dialogue 43.7
<p></p>
enlarge the space of your tent 49.3 -v-
<b>a listening Church 50.7</b>
<p></p>
<hr></hr>
<p></p>
<b>SEMI-FINALS</b>
<p></p>
<b>a new way of being Church</b> 74.9 -v- respects the protagonism of the Spirit 25.1
<p></p>
<b>a kenotic de-centering</b> 59.3 -v- a listening Church 40.7
<p></p>
<hr></hr>
<p></p>
<b>THIRD PLACE PLAYOFF</b>
<p></p>
respects the protagonism of the Spirit 49
-v-
<b>a listening Church</b> 51
<p></p>
<b>BRONZE medal for "a listening Church"</b>
<hr></hr>
<p></p>
<b>FINAL</b>
<p></p>
<b>a new way of being Church</b> 51.1 -v- a kenotic de-centering 48.9
<p></p>
<b>GOLD medal for "a new way of being Church" and SILVER for "a kenotic de-centering".</b>
Eccleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00357168852208499013noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4508374680487030801.post-30900038244567251752023-10-27T11:05:00.013+01:002023-11-11T10:13:23.242+00:00The World Cup of Synod JargonThe only way to understand the purpose of this Synod on Synodality is to see
how people have described it. Accordingly we shall hold a World Cup of Synod Jargon,
starting on Monday 30th October (using Twitter/X polls once more).
<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinYAQDxyX57fQlLuDwgLtRAwbuKNxZ5u4vw9dEnrI3vfY0IRXhfu0IP2K9g59K8xLAaQMb2lwAApDalIuzRghgWFl0C_F-zSmkCbq2iY9r0dWhjz9JJww6f_hocWaPl85CsEin3uT6edBZgeSwkZePBrd2yp2N4zWWPF6MM56KFwz5XUYHGQNfiZRxW3iX/s791/ivereigh-expert.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="477" data-original-width="791" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinYAQDxyX57fQlLuDwgLtRAwbuKNxZ5u4vw9dEnrI3vfY0IRXhfu0IP2K9g59K8xLAaQMb2lwAApDalIuzRghgWFl0C_F-zSmkCbq2iY9r0dWhjz9JJww6f_hocWaPl85CsEin3uT6edBZgeSwkZePBrd2yp2N4zWWPF6MM56KFwz5XUYHGQNfiZRxW3iX/s400/ivereigh-expert.jpg" alt="Ivereigh's experts"/></a></div>
<p></p>
<i>Synodal experts!</i>
<p></p>
So far the runners and riders are as follows. I will accept more authentic nominations
if they are genuine quotations from synodists, and I am adding new ones to the list as they are received.
<pre>
a concrete, theologically astute application
a constitutive dimension
a harmony of unity and plurality
a kenotic de-centering
a listening Church
a missionary synodal Church
a new way of being Church
a place of acceptance and discernment
a synod doesn't decide — it discerns
an invitation to step towards God's table
authentic listening
beyond fragmentation and polarization
Catholics must experience the synod, must do synod
conversation in the Spirit
creating spaces for everyone
decision-making processes in an authentically synodal manner
encounters in faith
enlarge the space of your tent
experts in the synod hall
God's surprises
healthy restlessness of incompleteness
help open the doors of the church
humanity tempted by the post-human
involving and energizing the entire community
listening and dialogue
live unity-in-diversity
manage tensions
moving outwards towards everyone in order to go together
</pre>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkAfUNsxifpccWW0UM6eV6UUwbRgyRupqBa6hGWgdDw3hprSrT4YM_nijnpUDZa5-r5k73amjSyGda9dvZdMhRbMyJenS3wN6uIGaz43x88Ah7ndXkHbH_9QDUb65GxCklh3CvZZX5Uay9SatIEs7iVNq1h3zvCjBsVQlsGWMVyqc3HHgEAVbICHZd4tpQ/s680/francis%20rupnik.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" height="400" data-original-height="680" data-original-width="573" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkAfUNsxifpccWW0UM6eV6UUwbRgyRupqBa6hGWgdDw3hprSrT4YM_nijnpUDZa5-r5k73amjSyGda9dvZdMhRbMyJenS3wN6uIGaz43x88Ah7ndXkHbH_9QDUb65GxCklh3CvZZX5Uay9SatIEs7iVNq1h3zvCjBsVQlsGWMVyqc3HHgEAVbICHZd4tpQ/s400/francis%20rupnik.jpg"/></a></div>
<p></p>
<b>WHO LET RUPNIK IN?</b>
<pre>
not Babel — Pentecost
not concerned with emotions so much as motions
nourished unceasingly
our identity and vocation
our pilgrim journey
outpouring of the Holy Spirit
participation, governance, and authority
put the synod's fruits into action
significance of the round tables
synod mothers
that respects the protagonism of the Spirit
the art of new narratives
the courage to encounter reality
the horizon of communion
the invitation to journey together
the lived experience that has been shared
the most exciting moment in the Catholic Church since Vatican II
the synod process is organic and ecological
the synodal Church as an integral experience
the truest, most vital dynamisms of the human
the vision of Vatican II
theological and ecclesial depth
this time of profound encounter and dialogue
useful for communal discernment
walking together
</pre>
<P></p>
And if you read all that lot without screaming,
then congratulations!
<p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvN0IjvIqt0FplUnrlvbFmroHD5SzjB8W1f8VWck0MWLlspR0C3tFmD96a2xH1GvXa_x_GXgO35Qcl5Tk8A6cjBLlP9M9m05QITaZGOmZK59SSVRSn8hMmY4uWKe3f8Mt9kJTpnkjq4VdA3lsQ8IiUfWxlrBuyYo0jOnmnCjnX8I5bAnVvDk2ZkZBqJNdx/s680/synodal%20wimmin.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="453" data-original-width="680" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvN0IjvIqt0FplUnrlvbFmroHD5SzjB8W1f8VWck0MWLlspR0C3tFmD96a2xH1GvXa_x_GXgO35Qcl5Tk8A6cjBLlP9M9m05QITaZGOmZK59SSVRSn8hMmY4uWKe3f8Mt9kJTpnkjq4VdA3lsQ8IiUfWxlrBuyYo0jOnmnCjnX8I5bAnVvDk2ZkZBqJNdx/s400/synodal%20wimmin.jpg" alt="Synodal wimmin" /></a></div>
<p></p>
<i>Synodal wimmin!</i>Eccleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00357168852208499013noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4508374680487030801.post-40640086447524835412023-10-23T17:36:00.002+01:002023-10-24T10:05:08.725+01:00Dead people awareness monthAre you tired of Black Non-binary History Month? Do you yawn when reminded that it's Transgender Lives Support Week? Can you really bear the excitement of LGBTSJQED James Martin Coming Out Day?
<p></p>
Well, that's too bad, as the Catholic Church, at least, has designated November as Dead People Awareness Month.
It's also
known as People Without Lives Matter, and Gone to Meet Their Maker History Month (although of course it's true that most of history was made
by people who are now pushing up the daisies).
<p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjPbGw4Uc62QU2KwR3O0NUnKk508Q6C7DoT8ce6b7NjgvYOp65pnGRmqf6dCoiDNbiBGsBUnQz_MmQQDWvQXZ6lVoMkLK2ocmiVCXlZSw_K7ctfnD80OF5PWJqSV30P-f3ezTONvulsRwyNjRefPgUopPCFnRhujH4VD4sLbjt0VZzDi3uj3HYJBTTAtAw/s1280/jolly%20roger.png" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjPbGw4Uc62QU2KwR3O0NUnKk508Q6C7DoT8ce6b7NjgvYOp65pnGRmqf6dCoiDNbiBGsBUnQz_MmQQDWvQXZ6lVoMkLK2ocmiVCXlZSw_K7ctfnD80OF5PWJqSV30P-f3ezTONvulsRwyNjRefPgUopPCFnRhujH4VD4sLbjt0VZzDi3uj3HYJBTTAtAw/s400/jolly%20roger.png" alt="Jolly Roger"/></a></div>
<p></p>
<i>People are sick of stripy flags, so we went for this very tasteful one.</i>
<p></p>
We are looking forward to a lot of Dead People Awareness in November, although we are not expecting many
dead people to celebrate in person. To kick off, November 1st is Saved Person History Day, and November 2nd is All The Other Dead People Day.
After that it goes a bit downhill, but we end the month on a high note with St Andrew, the Scottish disciple, who also happens
to be dead.
<p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy5C3w6MVcXS2q1uoVzzBGXH_0EFrNCap16Si_OY8GYX9ov3_2fAmxwtMVBg-AvjGRhGtFilCynPU03xS_zwyMnFOprVdckjL10kEoMtO9aeK8ofHkRyl0zbU9QrJkBjAc2y94ep75dpBALpfTk-RtdbHdLhiAPrraX4pkMF_bz0urUK4AEckf7oLlNtzu/s1600/andrew.webp" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" height="400" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1066" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy5C3w6MVcXS2q1uoVzzBGXH_0EFrNCap16Si_OY8GYX9ov3_2fAmxwtMVBg-AvjGRhGtFilCynPU03xS_zwyMnFOprVdckjL10kEoMtO9aeK8ofHkRyl0zbU9QrJkBjAc2y94ep75dpBALpfTk-RtdbHdLhiAPrraX4pkMF_bz0urUK4AEckf7oLlNtzu/s400/andrew.webp" alt="St Andrew"/></a></div>
<p></p>
<i>November 30th is also Saved Fishermen Awareness Day.</i>
<p></p>
Of course all events will be overshadowed by the Synod - you may have realised that October was Synodal
Bores Gobbledegook Month, in which all synodal participants were
asked to conceal their inmost thoughts by cloaking them in buzzwords.
<p></p>
Sr Maria Grazia Angelini has shown that women can do this just as well as men (so why can't they be ordained?)
with her classic "I pray that this synod receives the art of new narrations, the radical humility of knowing the likeness of the Reign of God in the most varied and human dynamisms."
<p></p>
However, Cardinal Joe "Nighty-night" Tobin is also doing well, with his
"Synodality is a constitutive dimension of the Church since its origin that is still being realized today. Indeed, it expresses a radical call to conversion, change, prayer and action for all."
<p></p>
Meanwhile, other synodal "experts" continue to exchange gobbledegook.
<p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggrJJ2d_wsds61QqueCIOUSFdjjnoBXTXJIfBx7bseHe2d25RCdf5M5Ae87dY-EdTf6FEyoTI7RIvxFALLWEWSqU1lMwBTyUhyphenhyphenvsOJFyYb192RJrlJIvifvtwV9KcMvXQ_YrjxEAz0j3dB8l4SUFlb2hvTn-a8nYdywfeG6dnGulWnonrpawqX_92ByiR0/s4096/ivereigh-martin-synod.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="2731" data-original-width="4096" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggrJJ2d_wsds61QqueCIOUSFdjjnoBXTXJIfBx7bseHe2d25RCdf5M5Ae87dY-EdTf6FEyoTI7RIvxFALLWEWSqU1lMwBTyUhyphenhyphenvsOJFyYb192RJrlJIvifvtwV9KcMvXQ_YrjxEAz0j3dB8l4SUFlb2hvTn-a8nYdywfeG6dnGulWnonrpawqX_92ByiR0/s400/ivereigh-martin-synod.jpg" alt="Ivereigh and Martin" /></a></div>
<p></p>
<i>Austen Ivereigh tells a horrified James Martin that he's just written yet another book about Pope Francis</i>
Eccleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00357168852208499013noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4508374680487030801.post-36504034140739227332023-10-05T20:14:00.003+01:002023-10-05T20:29:23.122+01:00We eavesdropped on the SynodNothing can keep down an ace reporter. I gatecrashed the 2013 conclave by
borrowing a cardinal's robes (without permission, in fact), and today
I was in the Synod of Synodiocy disguised as Sister Lesbia Nosebucket,
the feminist nun and professor of transgender hermeneutics.
<p></p>
All reporting was forbidden: Pope Francis doesn't want it to be known
what the views of the participants were, because he has already written the final report.
Still, here
are some of the snippets I managed to catch:
<p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgikbMQQmGoDHCS_0k6TBs40bB2URlpLPbVAqBR89oICTRlJepDe3tTSFPtG5m4isPKGy-11qpK7hywJEkFZJSBKySIx_umDcDRPA6dC7LYPEEBBDDMvbAEoY9LtEk7JiP11LrVrurBlFYu55DLN3EOAnxkaNSnmD00vm7yBN5oJ4_4z01KDeWYsXdsspFo/s239/synod24.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="211" data-original-width="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgikbMQQmGoDHCS_0k6TBs40bB2URlpLPbVAqBR89oICTRlJepDe3tTSFPtG5m4isPKGy-11qpK7hywJEkFZJSBKySIx_umDcDRPA6dC7LYPEEBBDDMvbAEoY9LtEk7JiP11LrVrurBlFYu55DLN3EOAnxkaNSnmD00vm7yBN5oJ4_4z01KDeWYsXdsspFo/s400/synod24.jpg" alt="Synod logo"/></a></div>
<p></p>
<i>"When's the big hairy giant going to turn up?"</i>
<p></p>
"Why don't we..."
<p></p>
"That's immoral! Let's do it."
<p></p>
"Austen, would you like some cushions so that you can reach the table?"
<p></p>
"Who's nicked my my Pachamama doll?"
<p></p>
"Haven't we met on Grindr?"
<p></p>
"These Team Rupnik tee-shirts really give us a sense of unity."
<p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7EmTHHp0n5catkAQn1mYiLY0WyxLT2ARETEZWXIV0xKRr6BfwlMbf879V4cGNNqlnbUotOgSxRq69qhB-6xBrtZVTD6S0bLbUfkSZKHfM2fadbCVqaQGxeFdSBtFQwbY2AY8c-JOjxlzBpJY7MT0b_LPKqAOVvlLS1G2Hn6M3SnJ0mEpaTUcD1cqLUBVO/s1600/synod%20game.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7EmTHHp0n5catkAQn1mYiLY0WyxLT2ARETEZWXIV0xKRr6BfwlMbf879V4cGNNqlnbUotOgSxRq69qhB-6xBrtZVTD6S0bLbUfkSZKHfM2fadbCVqaQGxeFdSBtFQwbY2AY8c-JOjxlzBpJY7MT0b_LPKqAOVvlLS1G2Hn6M3SnJ0mEpaTUcD1cqLUBVO/s400/synod%20game.jpg" alt="Synod crowd"/></a></div>
<p></p>
<i>"I see your 'ordain donkeys' and raise you to 'bless people who marry donkeys'."</i>
<p></p>
"Tucho just made an improper suggestion to me! Still, I'll think about it."
<p></p>
"Arthur, that food was for the whole table!"
<p></p>
"Give us a kiss."
<p></p>
"If you haven't read my book about Lazarus's LGBT orgies you've missed out."
<p></P>
"How did you do it with a melon?"
<p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4wBy3P6BZLSqHMFYLY1xL_8r-cuami3Im0l86tJrjp5Wcbz_BS_U6nha5Vc4yXGkn4iEfyQC-eyJ9EsFJ9vRvx69-F9uoeK_s_PWdekOUduBHwc0GVlnPs7D0bTYx8mF870W0D2i4RIJAc8plddYQRCg9ks8Bqq1BJc7L-lS9Id_A6yLmSp82BY1R5soH/s900/synod%20popetable.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="455" data-original-width="900" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4wBy3P6BZLSqHMFYLY1xL_8r-cuami3Im0l86tJrjp5Wcbz_BS_U6nha5Vc4yXGkn4iEfyQC-eyJ9EsFJ9vRvx69-F9uoeK_s_PWdekOUduBHwc0GVlnPs7D0bTYx8mF870W0D2i4RIJAc8plddYQRCg9ks8Bqq1BJc7L-lS9Id_A6yLmSp82BY1R5soH/s400/synod%20popetable.jpg" alt="Synod table"/></a></div>
<p></p>
<i>"I'm a deaconess. Do your own washing up."</i>
<p></p>
"You're a Jesuit? There's a coincidence - I'm a weirdo too."
<p></p>
"Austen, you've licked my boots enough now."
<p></p>
"You're trans? What does the diocese think?"
<p></p>
"There's only insect pie for dinner, Arthur. Read my new essay 'Loada Te-dium'."
<p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQA_dXiR4RbkGG3ekHzIsryuFEo5a3lUH4jx7x_QnGOKtcUQo6aldUwN8dt15AVn5S3NrYLoG143qLUCm9nRmj5D3Wb8lJ6KDnK1JD1RxGP-_160-3S8S2yYSuZqLJJ4feTXrjlQhsepH8XeqGIJSE4pwC7bqG8-1_m4p-CzLb-40gxtc8h70v4Q6WT22j/s666/cultist.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="372" data-original-width="666" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQA_dXiR4RbkGG3ekHzIsryuFEo5a3lUH4jx7x_QnGOKtcUQo6aldUwN8dt15AVn5S3NrYLoG143qLUCm9nRmj5D3Wb8lJ6KDnK1JD1RxGP-_160-3S8S2yYSuZqLJJ4feTXrjlQhsepH8XeqGIJSE4pwC7bqG8-1_m4p-CzLb-40gxtc8h70v4Q6WT22j/s400/cultist.jpg"/></a></div>
Eccleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00357168852208499013noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4508374680487030801.post-73406179824644852552023-09-26T19:11:00.006+01:002023-09-26T19:59:27.863+01:00Marko Rupnik to participate in the Great SynodIn an unusual exercise of papal authority, Pope Francis has appointed the distinguished artist
Fr Marko Rupnik (sometimes referred to as "Master of the Pope's Art", "The Artist Laureate", and
"My Pal Marko who does those weird paintings") to the <a href="https://www.synod.va/en.html">Secret Synod on Synodality</a>.
<p></P>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSkdJb83CF0NGOetC6rW23eowsQa5vh_spyY-sfRGfGZVvcPgfdvXtZZDJ9QUljVSQCL38CZh6-xWpZRPyke5fAVvcCZJKZiTwVstXG6SyYUwoA5c6TtSe9eQ0DctyEXgoH6hmehl5VJY_H9_YAd71A394eG_kAMc7JfVvZcsWn_Txhw6C9eARlJ7jCcmn/s477/rupnik-synod.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="477" data-original-width="477" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSkdJb83CF0NGOetC6rW23eowsQa5vh_spyY-sfRGfGZVvcPgfdvXtZZDJ9QUljVSQCL38CZh6-xWpZRPyke5fAVvcCZJKZiTwVstXG6SyYUwoA5c6TtSe9eQ0DctyEXgoH6hmehl5VJY_H9_YAd71A394eG_kAMc7JfVvZcsWn_Txhw6C9eARlJ7jCcmn/s400/rupnik-synod.jpg" alt="Rupnik picture"/></a></div>
<p></p>
<i>From the Synod web page. Unusually, for a Rupnik, every person here has exactly two eyes.</i>
<p></p>
Rupnik has of course been much in the news for his highly original activities, unsuitable
for listing on a family blog that is read by nuns, children and Cardinal "TouchMe" Fernández.
But since the Pope has also appointed Messrs. Zanchetta, Grassi, Barros and McCarrick to the distinguished
membership of the synod, there is no danger of Maestro Marko feeling lonely.
<p></p>
It has coincidentally also been decided that the synod will be held behind
closed doors, with just the occasional news bulletin to tell us what has
been decided. Will it be lesbian priests? Transgender bishops (in addition to the ones we have already)?
A banning of the Vernacular Mass to match the banning of the Latin Mass? Place your bets now.
<p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuQLOXFJ7_uiPBz8iukxRaKS2BnWQpI8_TplHEWuQdelR_42nvCGir--X5NitcNhnxIFxjv-pVKFxKa95n9a7wPSCrpzUBi2gzZb2cf2iJoh8n4ePvwko8GHavu2wFiprdxtSyXVDShP9pn5Wj6P4-ddSpKpirQSYnfcs9kkEEYmR5qqjn01TgaiqxHwrF/s632/synod-door.png" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="527" data-original-width="632" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuQLOXFJ7_uiPBz8iukxRaKS2BnWQpI8_TplHEWuQdelR_42nvCGir--X5NitcNhnxIFxjv-pVKFxKa95n9a7wPSCrpzUBi2gzZb2cf2iJoh8n4ePvwko8GHavu2wFiprdxtSyXVDShP9pn5Wj6P4-ddSpKpirQSYnfcs9kkEEYmR5qqjn01TgaiqxHwrF/s400/synod-door.png" alt="secret synod" /></a></div>
<p></p>
<i>We shall not see much of what is going on at the synod.</i>
<p></p>
Some critics are unhappy with the favour shown to Marko Rupnik, but the great man is sure to offer the Church many new insights on sexual relations. Anyway, in the words of the "Where Pacha Is" blog
- <b>Pope Francis is always right, even when he's wrong</b>.
<p></p>
In fact, it's thought that Pope Francis, having tormented the faithful with Amoris Laetitia, Traditionis Custodes,
and much else, is running out of ways to stamp his personality on the Catholic Church, and this was
the best he could do.
<p></p>
Well, the ground's in tip-top condition, and we can look forward to some first-rate
synodal sport in the next few weeks. Let's finish off with one of my favourite paintings
(from the Rupnik exhibition currently being held in the Ivereigh Gallery, Little-Scribbler-on-the-Moan).
<p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxxlR7ccZG-fvGV846qXRjwPD5k49Ssyu0UKMQ7LTzG8a4CJN6vuCNR3EBO8hmtDflbZrzOKa7yw-0u-_ZSsCa-LcR4uaRaJQnh9BFkPxe8nauMJcb1D7tZVvUNZtCPklqEOXnfDj33YunyGCHaWtwq14EXbIvOHjvmh1ZSxSVIT1rmeFuShYXpnMkWdEO/s400/rupnik%202.jpeg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxxlR7ccZG-fvGV846qXRjwPD5k49Ssyu0UKMQ7LTzG8a4CJN6vuCNR3EBO8hmtDflbZrzOKa7yw-0u-_ZSsCa-LcR4uaRaJQnh9BFkPxe8nauMJcb1D7tZVvUNZtCPklqEOXnfDj33YunyGCHaWtwq14EXbIvOHjvmh1ZSxSVIT1rmeFuShYXpnMkWdEO/s400/rupnik%202.jpeg" alt="Rupnik trash" /></a></div>
<p></p>
<i>The drunken custard-pie addict and his optically-challenged friends are back!</i>
Eccleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00357168852208499013noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4508374680487030801.post-65309725564348975382023-09-15T15:45:00.005+01:002023-09-16T13:20:44.551+01:00Fr Spadaro takes up educationOver now to St Bergoglio's Jesuit College, where the head teacher is just introducing a
VERY IMPORTANT PERSON to the primary class.
<p></p>
HT: Now class, I want you all to give a big welcome to Fr Antonio Spadaro
from the Dicastery for Culture and Education. He's going to give you all a lesson
so that we can see how modern education works.
<p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEQ67aCfKbkLVPQyTuhtAOMbD8hJUPrnvD9riTn2EKJA3GET7R7UM6LGjR0cFP1iaaEtASKhKQn7ePt2rg1-DWiCrLAwvNCC2CvlvIFpcbffU6hdFRyiyVGqqrvU1JEl5Ad5Xp-gKFVDdMlVUutDsYy958OMuFq8cIikYi21I55P7YDA0A1i-6nPMt3SBq/s900/spadaro%20and%20pope.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="690" data-original-width="900" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEQ67aCfKbkLVPQyTuhtAOMbD8hJUPrnvD9riTn2EKJA3GET7R7UM6LGjR0cFP1iaaEtASKhKQn7ePt2rg1-DWiCrLAwvNCC2CvlvIFpcbffU6hdFRyiyVGqqrvU1JEl5Ad5Xp-gKFVDdMlVUutDsYy958OMuFq8cIikYi21I55P7YDA0A1i-6nPMt3SBq/s400/spadaro%20and%20pope.jpg" alt="Pope and Spadaro"/></a></div>
<p></p>
<i>The Pope meets a cultured and educated man.</i>
<p></p>
AS: Hello, everyone. Let's see what you know. We'll start with some hard sums.
What is 2 plus 2, can anyone
tell me?
<p></p>
Child 1: Please, sir, I know. It's 4.
<p></p>
AS: You miserable backwardist MORON! [Child 1 bursts into tears.]
Someone else?
<p></p>
[Cries of "3", "but it is 4", "5", "a million zillion squillion", "ask the Synod".]
<p></p>
AS: Clearly you are no good at hard sums. As budding Jesuits you should
never give a clear answer, anyway. The answer is it MAY be 5. but it MAY not be.
Got that?
<p></p>
[Class looks puzzled, and the teacher continues.]
<p></p>
AS: Let's try Physics.
What is electric, and has fields of attraction and repulsion round it?
<p></p>
[Class: "a magnet", "a battery", "a wire", "a robot".]
<p></p>
AS: No, you're all wrong! You witless worms!
<p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIn1KHtFIduD8FvPZr6w--8a4PaHWpE5_DSrSBZ2w_pmc3m4rHJ5jN5ia_hx_5TFvjlEpvF8Gnv_ga0StTtgs2MesEs1Hu2H8FzYXXMqBwbkzj5SOmq0NhUkrwDCV9GL95ErZVYnpi7U6FUDsxahXjghH1-KXFDKAHIGVJXLkIvb4Dqw8oXbWjhyu3rrIZ/s400/spadaro-magnet.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" height="400" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="390" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIn1KHtFIduD8FvPZr6w--8a4PaHWpE5_DSrSBZ2w_pmc3m4rHJ5jN5ia_hx_5TFvjlEpvF8Gnv_ga0StTtgs2MesEs1Hu2H8FzYXXMqBwbkzj5SOmq0NhUkrwDCV9GL95ErZVYnpi7U6FUDsxahXjghH1-KXFDKAHIGVJXLkIvb4Dqw8oXbWjhyu3rrIZ/s400/spadaro-magnet.jpg" alt="Ivereigh's tweet"/></a></div>
<p></p>
<i>And now, the Janitor gives the correct answer!</i>
<p></p>
AS: We'll do some spiritual exercises later, when Professor James Martin comes over
in his rainbow leotard to teach you about Ignatian Yoga. Meanwhile, can anyone
answer this one? Who is worshipped by the Catholic Church?
<p></P>
Child 2: Jesus, sir!
<p></p>
AS: Wrong, WRONG, WRONG!!!
<a href="https://wdtprs.com/2023/08/blasphemous-sermon-about-the-lord-and-the-syrophoenician-woman-in-matthew-15-by-fr-spadaro-francis-close-aide-jesuit/">Jesus is
indifferent to suffering, peevish and insensitive, unbreakably harsh, an unmerciful theologian, rigid, and confused.</a>
What's more, He is definitely an indietrist, refusing to adapt to modern society.
Don't you realise that "Jesuit" is a short form of "Jesus Insult"? That should give you a clue what attitude to adopt.
<p></P>
[Child 2 runs out of the class. Other children
makes guesses such as "Mary", "Peter", "Arthur Roche" and "Tucho Fernández".]
<p></p>
AS: I despair of you, children! The answer is Pope Francis! Francis the humble! Francis, the man with
his own Magisterium. Francis the saintly! Francis the only pope who was ever infallible!
<p><p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzeXiy3xLo7VKwaPHS-4hncp7mxIpsqtZ3ArLYv7n2PLJniM4ieRrmTWdHgAiIbdbssNV_jH0hftKTGN-43_CmTfnGEoiwQCQHzXEHTJ8-L4tO-t6hncO_r625YNwVs1IHM5nVxgrF1Fs6_MXxZgV6-uCscWy7TJ8ucryEnHCrdEC8-AYWxxgDrytfITHQ/s800/spidero-rigid.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzeXiy3xLo7VKwaPHS-4hncp7mxIpsqtZ3ArLYv7n2PLJniM4ieRrmTWdHgAiIbdbssNV_jH0hftKTGN-43_CmTfnGEoiwQCQHzXEHTJ8-L4tO-t6hncO_r625YNwVs1IHM5nVxgrF1Fs6_MXxZgV6-uCscWy7TJ8ucryEnHCrdEC8-AYWxxgDrytfITHQ/s400/spidero-rigid.jpg"
alt="Spadaro rigid" /></a></div>
<p></p>
<i>Well, that's enough Education. We'll discuss Culture another day.</i>
<p></p>
[Head teacher runs screaming from the room.]
Eccleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00357168852208499013noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4508374680487030801.post-59758161977258492252023-09-09T15:45:00.003+01:002023-09-09T16:01:59.791+01:00More about "Come Forth"<i>Disclaimer: when I
<a href="https://ecclesandbosco.blogspot.com/2023/08/coming-out-new-book-from-martintrash-tm.html">last wrote about Fr James Martin LGBTSJ's new book</a>, I thought I was joking when I said that "Come Forth" meant "Come Out" in the
sense of "Stop suppressing your sexual urges, get your pants off, and come to the next Pride meeting!"
But it seems that he did indeed mean this (plus a lot of nonsense about Lazarus being the disciple that Jesus loved).
So I will try and do a better review.</i>
<p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwagUJ9Einc7VfL3ojTJ_hzmTB1pquY9qWvAgA5b76LoMT53uVXPIChotf4phqOHhkDQXoxoUgRRVm9JyZT-Myuu5l4XqFNEb1LJRV8LPw7Vz0HnhxVffLzXDOgtrZVG4pZXJMSHRubVz8VcRCTtsagQ0ed85BVHnftQ6dFeoARqlkCt7SRyxS5NI8xZMa/s400/jim-scream.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="223" data-original-width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwagUJ9Einc7VfL3ojTJ_hzmTB1pquY9qWvAgA5b76LoMT53uVXPIChotf4phqOHhkDQXoxoUgRRVm9JyZT-Myuu5l4XqFNEb1LJRV8LPw7Vz0HnhxVffLzXDOgtrZVG4pZXJMSHRubVz8VcRCTtsagQ0ed85BVHnftQ6dFeoARqlkCt7SRyxS5NI8xZMa/s400/jim-scream.jpg" alt="Jim and scream"/></a></div>
<p></p>
<i>My apologies to Fr Jim!</i>
<p></p>
Extensive research (oh, at least 10 minutes) has shown that many of Jesus's sayings have double meanings.
<p></p>
Thanks to <a href="https://edwardpentin.co.uk/papal-adviser-father-antonio-spadaro-accused-of-heretical-blasphemy/">Fr Antonio "2+2=5" Spadaro</a> we now know that Jesus was not always a cosy comfortable ice-cream eating Bidenite
Catholic, but that He started His ministry as a nasty callous climate-denying rigid neo-Trumpian orange-haired brute.
It was only after meeting the Canaanite woman (we don't have a name for her, but it was probably Nancy)
that He became aware that His mission was to
become a liberal
LGBTQ-supporting Jesuit.
<p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEpBQAGfOtiexzlvgSFJW5SK8c0mTaX_jTu6Mgxmg2pOwDPIvQKF3igLseIhjlnyF5wZiHjEjM6KsYiVvTDpb_AZ8LKPLmKzvq3ZAlL-4XA6ZqhIMD4MPxxL6Rz16O7IEZIn1Vmp3bBNDNwTHntkynmzwSAUaAgB-cgPSWS4Upn8F8LWM4IHxRym8-ke-m/s412/nancy%20freda.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" height="400" data-original-height="412" data-original-width="328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEpBQAGfOtiexzlvgSFJW5SK8c0mTaX_jTu6Mgxmg2pOwDPIvQKF3igLseIhjlnyF5wZiHjEjM6KsYiVvTDpb_AZ8LKPLmKzvq3ZAlL-4XA6ZqhIMD4MPxxL6Rz16O7IEZIn1Vmp3bBNDNwTHntkynmzwSAUaAgB-cgPSWS4Upn8F8LWM4IHxRym8-ke-m/s400/nancy%20freda.jpg" alt="Nancy"/></a></div>
<p></p>
<i>Could this be the Canaanite woman?</i>
<p></p>
Once Jesus had been put on the correct path, Fr Jim tells us that He
said many things which have been misinterpreted by theologians over the last 2000
years. Luckily Jimbo is here to put us straight! (Not the right word, but never mind.)
<p></p>
<b>He that is without sin among you: let him cast the first stone.</b> This is a great saying. It basically tells us that you can do what you like and nobody can criticise.
Of course some people
- such as the Pope, Jesuits, left-wing politicians, etc. ARE without sin, so if you find stones coming through your roof,
you can be sure that they know about you.
<p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDVq3wPBeX7vd5L9QdN9_7L5zLL25f91e4UjhMv1edZ0jwDq4v8TZjiOCFfqqOrfeOpG-F4RazxDpD7gCvfJ32CMszXyB2PQjhH37lHo1bYzkiaaJE7vHjZYk-0h5ZmaS1_7czPP8yrXVafANvWtbTh8Qv2iiA6Sd8L4yxbZzkaeT6bEVUydB1rstCb1fL/s679/ivereigh-dance.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" height="400" data-original-height="679" data-original-width="443" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDVq3wPBeX7vd5L9QdN9_7L5zLL25f91e4UjhMv1edZ0jwDq4v8TZjiOCFfqqOrfeOpG-F4RazxDpD7gCvfJ32CMszXyB2PQjhH37lHo1bYzkiaaJE7vHjZYk-0h5ZmaS1_7czPP8yrXVafANvWtbTh8Qv2iiA6Sd8L4yxbZzkaeT6bEVUydB1rstCb1fL/s400/ivereigh-dance.jpg"/></a></div>
<p></p>
<i>Synodists (without sin) get fit for some stone-throwing.</i>
<p></p>
<b>I am the Alpha and the Omega.</b> This quotation from the Book of Revelation shows that
Jesus was already encouraging us to indicate our sexual preferences by letters. Nowadays we would
say "I am the Lambda, the Gamma, the Beta, and the Tau" or "LGBT" for short.
Similarly, modern theologians no longer speak of a Trinitarian god, but a non-binary God.
<p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSvt9yxDM8UaDxmMcMz-FQAlnQzKGjuQnxLAOt3nMB2Z_TVVdysJeCAhUNOnaKVAgokgIAjXvbKs_1qjm8yaiOxhRgmpCuSwDFRP5n4u0PPI93c-WHQi9J1CC5EXWOUlX3kWOtxrphdsVMvqSipyfCUe36eFJN7dn-B2ZxWA8LlNISj6rdMR9nzxkv6AUR/s540/lambda.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="148" data-original-width="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSvt9yxDM8UaDxmMcMz-FQAlnQzKGjuQnxLAOt3nMB2Z_TVVdysJeCAhUNOnaKVAgokgIAjXvbKs_1qjm8yaiOxhRgmpCuSwDFRP5n4u0PPI93c-WHQi9J1CC5EXWOUlX3kWOtxrphdsVMvqSipyfCUe36eFJN7dn-B2ZxWA8LlNISj6rdMR9nzxkv6AUR/s400/lambda.jpg" alt="LGBT in Greek"/></a></div>
<p></p>
<i>Was this the real message of Revelation?</i>
<p></p>
<b>Get thee behind me, Satan!</b>
This an invitation to LGBT-obsessed priests to get lost. Oh, sorry, this one isn't in Fr Jim's book. My mistake.
Eccleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00357168852208499013noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4508374680487030801.post-21598390367958689292023-09-05T17:14:00.004+01:002023-09-05T19:52:36.487+01:00Mongolians shocked as Genghis Khan praises Pope FrancisA surprise message received from the afterlife, which has been attributed to the late Genghis Khan,
has shocked faithful Mongolians because it praises Pope Francis.
<p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6BTcyigW313Bo-xB88y2PRkia5t68Mt11OnUsKVNGZKawYlbWb3y_KcmH8OhODfNlbHbMIuOaCjuU8yRCJPRt1qzJQV7c9Joinuyf9iAmfiMZ0bu_5vTTYhWTtWmC8Uteb3q4EALlti-hBrCOv-EOqVzwI44sqjs6GOOYXgNQ1GH3VsjWMuB7Iq40FWTN/s419/Genghis%20K.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" height="400" data-original-height="419" data-original-width="330" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6BTcyigW313Bo-xB88y2PRkia5t68Mt11OnUsKVNGZKawYlbWb3y_KcmH8OhODfNlbHbMIuOaCjuU8yRCJPRt1qzJQV7c9Joinuyf9iAmfiMZ0bu_5vTTYhWTtWmC8Uteb3q4EALlti-hBrCOv-EOqVzwI44sqjs6GOOYXgNQ1GH3VsjWMuB7Iq40FWTN/s400/Genghis%20K.jpg" alt="Genghis Khan"/></a></div>
<p></p>
<i>"Now he's really put his foot in it!"</i>
<p></p>
"Some 'rigid' people have criticised the Holy Warlord for his policy of mass-murder and torture, but
we never thought he would stoop so low as to praise a man who
teaches heresy, gerrymanders synods, and persecutes people who want to follow traditional forms
of worship," says sumo-wrestler Mai Cluis, who runs the popular <i>Where Genghis Is</i> website.
<p></p>
His little friend Osten Iveree, author of the warlord biographies "Genghis Khan, the great Reformer", "Wounded Wolfman"
and "Let us massacre - the path to a better future", agrees. "Genghis should stick to what he knows best,
and not try to endorse controversial figures simply to curry favour with people."
<p></p>
Finally, even Chams Mahteen, another compulsive writer, responsible for "Destroying a bridge with people on it",
"Learning to Prey" and "Come forth and slaughter the Khwarezmid Empire", thinks Genghis Khan has gone too far.
"He should keep out of Catholic politics and concentrate on LGBT issues," he says.
<p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8ErlpgihyKYEumL7LvLodS15d5bN9qks6Ob3Rp-iwPsUjrnjeppAU4cBvM-qq9bYElorQ4rm0a7WKG8-4lFgEkP__gQxy1Mw-Q7eCrYdKzpTZJghFZSwyspII7ELBKKQpgqEBgi3hK6l0_qhfeb_024CaJRjUgWF-sY_P0-FUiWzmBdE6b4OFuDSzQO3y/s480/ivan%20terrible.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" height="400" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="330" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8ErlpgihyKYEumL7LvLodS15d5bN9qks6Ob3Rp-iwPsUjrnjeppAU4cBvM-qq9bYElorQ4rm0a7WKG8-4lFgEkP__gQxy1Mw-Q7eCrYdKzpTZJghFZSwyspII7ELBKKQpgqEBgi3hK6l0_qhfeb_024CaJRjUgWF-sY_P0-FUiWzmBdE6b4OFuDSzQO3y/s400/ivan%20terrible.jpg" alt="Ivan the terrible" /></a></div>
<p></p>
<i>Next week: "I think he's a terrible pope, too," admits Ivan.</i>
Eccleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00357168852208499013noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4508374680487030801.post-49416213257401033422023-08-21T10:44:00.007+01:002023-09-10T13:01:26.572+01:00The eight worst synodal horrorsSo the <a href="https://ecclesandbosco.blogspot.com/2023/07/world-cup-of-synod-horrors-nominations.html">World Cup of Synodal Horrors</a>, a little diversion to prepare you for
the heretical bedlam expected in October, has reached the quarter-final stage.
<p></P>
The knockouts start on August 22nd, and the results of the final stages of the
competition will be reported here.
<p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqTp3Mt5nsHAg1U_xL80TTEVTVckBJVKm6XZvTAfrxA5X7UcWdCOua1Ly-IjuIAwSX_DdqLmndpNNVUL7JSQA8PrzbhkLJPoG3N8YbVAeWbGTi8SNWN3yg8glruO-U3l3VSyWbw7_TI8zyfNxZihI3SHkKRi6mclzeTpeokFw5Tj4TnELaI5rSJcswdUZk/s438/synod%202124.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="366" data-original-width="438" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqTp3Mt5nsHAg1U_xL80TTEVTVckBJVKm6XZvTAfrxA5X7UcWdCOua1Ly-IjuIAwSX_DdqLmndpNNVUL7JSQA8PrzbhkLJPoG3N8YbVAeWbGTi8SNWN3yg8glruO-U3l3VSyWbw7_TI8zyfNxZihI3SHkKRi6mclzeTpeokFw5Tj4TnELaI5rSJcswdUZk/s400/synod%202124.jpg"/></a></div>
<p></p>
<i>Here we go... Treebeard the Ent is coming along too.</i>
<p></p>
<b>The draw is as follows:</b>
<p></p>
<b>Dr Austen Ivereigh 69.6</b> v
Sr Nathalie Becquart 30.4
<p></p>
<i>No congratulatory kiss for Sr Nathalie, as Austen's great experience
gives him an easy victory here.</i>
<p></p>
Bp Georg Bätzing 22.2 v
<b>Fr James Martin 77.8</b>
<p></p>
<i>Class tells, as Jimbo's long experience of undermining
Catholic doctrine easily brushes aside the promising newcomer.</i>
<p></p>
Cdl Blase Cupich 47.8 v
<b>Abp Víctor Fernández 52.2</b>
<p></p>
<i>The world's worst cardinal loses his first ever battle: sheer nastiness
is not enough to see him through against the kissing bishop.</i>
<p></p>
Cdl Jean-Claude Hollerich 37.1 v
<b>Cdl Arthur Roche 62.9</b>
<p></p>
<i>Uncle Arthur takes the cake here. The Hell Choir (anag.) cannot stop him.</i>
<p></p>
<hr></hr>
<p></p>
<b>SEMI-FINALS</b>
<p></p>
Dr Austen Ivereigh 31.7 v
<b>Abp Víctor Fernández 68.3</b>
<p></p>
<i>Ivereigh the veteran horror is swept away by the passionate newcomer.</i>
<p></p>
<b>Fr James Martin 69.1</b> v
Cdl Arthur Roche 30.9
<p></p>
<i>Two old friends of this blog slug it out, and England's last hope is eliminated.</i>
<p></p>
<hr></hr>
<b>THIRD PLACE PLAY-OFF</b>
<p></p>
Dr Austen Ivereigh 47.6 v <b>Cdl Arthur Roche 52.4</b>
<p></p>
<i>Bronze Medal for Uncle Arthur, as he brushes aside the poison Ivereigh to take 3rd place.</i>
<p></p>
<b> FINAL </b>
<p></p>
<b>Abp Víctor Fernández 54.1 </b> v Fr James Martin 45.9
<p></p>
Golden-calf "Tucho" pushes past silver-tongued Jimbo to win the competition.
Now, boys, no fighting - please kiss and make friends.
<p></p>
<hr></hr>
<p></p>
To finish off, a few horrid synod-related pictures, most of which have already appeared here.
<p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2bUs2DEanqqI5AvDvgo_a1WdiipTe-419pJ3HZYUE-VKrYO2OkC1Ny1CVsZ6RzdxPskVRDrbawGHY9XWHOq7dsY3U8sPW_lufTREQr4slqVyUTOEyqsYmkNm0MFN3CCLuNiN-3c2ekO_tl8mgpRkRxeYiyhMWF4nVWEXcthlX_VofV6YGF_1iHmSn1i6X/s648/synod-and-synodality2.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" height="400" data-original-height="648" data-original-width="444" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2bUs2DEanqqI5AvDvgo_a1WdiipTe-419pJ3HZYUE-VKrYO2OkC1Ny1CVsZ6RzdxPskVRDrbawGHY9XWHOq7dsY3U8sPW_lufTREQr4slqVyUTOEyqsYmkNm0MFN3CCLuNiN-3c2ekO_tl8mgpRkRxeYiyhMWF4nVWEXcthlX_VofV6YGF_1iHmSn1i6X/s400/synod-and-synodality2.jpg" alt="Synod and Synodality"/></a></div>
<p></p>
<i>A little-known novel by Jane Austen</i>
<p></P>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4lIIFqujfl60bIz8M8ILmXapl2h7ieDXA7BtEnAB7gD4oep74aZ7NxdfaLSRVrHIDhhZ_C-lBe0YDn-XNGGrBmNH6XnvmI8ZqfoSHUk7rayl2Dz5BTm-SmEuK3fW0TT9KdDbs_yS1Llp__a2jIvQuZ7HEdh7iMWoJ3k4nu0jdXqEVHOKEaVCufH8ur63b/s400/ivereigh-dance.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" height="400" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4lIIFqujfl60bIz8M8ILmXapl2h7ieDXA7BtEnAB7gD4oep74aZ7NxdfaLSRVrHIDhhZ_C-lBe0YDn-XNGGrBmNH6XnvmI8ZqfoSHUk7rayl2Dz5BTm-SmEuK3fW0TT9KdDbs_yS1Llp__a2jIvQuZ7HEdh7iMWoJ3k4nu0jdXqEVHOKEaVCufH8ur63b/s400/ivereigh-dance.jpg" alt="Ivereigh dance"/></a></div>
<p></p>
<i>Spiritual exercises.</i>
<p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcNFKoe3JIOjo42kDvhLsvk3RxcKBwfEv31gLaLn027ZOPAWvMmJzJms81uJs-pNP3dnlMma7_zao-Xi36oBOMDz_xIUwmJcHz1ruSAmVOsgg3Zj6I8Usp4QjSKzwnuzPcR7U6TdkeK33NJDnfd9cSiN3cHlIYcH2F4MGQwOIj3sRxM9EmHn_SO3le7GFJ/s511/synodal%20matter.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="287" data-original-width="511" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcNFKoe3JIOjo42kDvhLsvk3RxcKBwfEv31gLaLn027ZOPAWvMmJzJms81uJs-pNP3dnlMma7_zao-Xi36oBOMDz_xIUwmJcHz1ruSAmVOsgg3Zj6I8Usp4QjSKzwnuzPcR7U6TdkeK33NJDnfd9cSiN3cHlIYcH2F4MGQwOIj3sRxM9EmHn_SO3le7GFJ/s400/synodal%20matter.jpg" alt="Synodal matter"/></a></div>
<p></p>
<i>Our experts have been told how to respond to all enquiries.</i>
<p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyZtQn9Vo5Z4vF5kvjk7xERyynWn7ymBZ0Jntqwcy3E2O_9hnq-QF2bTOAC46fXS3Nwr0eoLynJBFwKsx1daa0uM-Nwu3XwY6nEdhmDqZ4xCDEQJsyWm0Tm-WIOmu6pnWUmz5kEG-R-HsjLj9WgouK7i54SGcCkNLM7sYbowqasLLlzGgj0ucanF3EJ5ad/s400/syn2.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyZtQn9Vo5Z4vF5kvjk7xERyynWn7ymBZ0Jntqwcy3E2O_9hnq-QF2bTOAC46fXS3Nwr0eoLynJBFwKsx1daa0uM-Nwu3XwY6nEdhmDqZ4xCDEQJsyWm0Tm-WIOmu6pnWUmz5kEG-R-HsjLj9WgouK7i54SGcCkNLM7sYbowqasLLlzGgj0ucanF3EJ5ad/s400/syn2.jpg" alt="Synod word diagram"/></a></div>
<p></p>
<i>No room for Father, Son, or Holy Spirit, but never mind.</i>
Eccleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00357168852208499013noreply@blogger.com3