The Advent Calendar

So, finally, we reach day 24 of Advent, and all the little windows on my spiritually nourishing Advent calendar have been opened.

We see here all that is best in contemporary Catholicism. None of that rigid stuff with Jesus and the Apostles, the Saints, the Martyrs, or the Doctors of the Church - although at least two of the people on the calendar humbly expect to become saints when they die, one is a martyr to flatulence, and two more think they will be doctors of the Church.

Who can these top Catholics be?

The pictures include two puppets (not counting you, Austen!) and one heathen idol; one pope and two future popes; an expert on human flourishing; the two fattest cardinals since Wolsey; at least two people who are certifiably insane; and a man with a lampshade on his head.

However, the makers of the calendar have excluded all dangerously rigid and merciless Catholics: so no Benedict XVI, no Sarah, no Schneider, no Burke, no Viganò, no Festing, etc. etc.

And a happy Christmas to all readers!

The Eccles crèche, with the unusually large king.