Love when a man of God is also wise, smart and a good sport! Paul Brian Campbell, SJ is certainly all that and more, especially considering the conditions under which he's writing this morning to answer my question: "What do you make of Pope Benedict's latest statement calling for the Church to do penance?" Meredith,
I write this under unusual circumstances as I have a three-year old crawling all over me and offering to help me type. I’m staying with friends in Southern California because last night I sponsored their eldest son at Confirmation.
My hostess is the quintessential “good Catholic mother.” (She claims her mother wouldn’t agree but she says that at least she tries.) She told me she nearly stood up and had a “Joe Wilson moment” during the homily on Good Friday when her Pastor preached on how attacks on the Pope were attacks on all of us. She was not impressed with the latest from the Holy Father. I think the Vatican has lost nearly all its credibility with people like my friend.
I think that Pope Benedict is saying the right things or at least better things but I’m concerned that it’s too little, too late. I am reminded of the British queen who initially failed to respond to Princess Diana’s death and only appeared on TV with a stilted appreciation of Diana because the British people were outraged and demanded that she do something. Queen Elizabeth did enough to appease the nation and is still on the throne. I imagine Pope Benedict will also survive this crisis.
This has not been my most cogent post, I’m afraid, but I’d rather write with my god-daughter hanging around my neck than do anything else on earth.
Thank you for the last week of dialogue. It has been wondrous. Bless you.
Paul
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You'll find my answer to Paul's poignant question (from a poem by Mary Oliver) over at People for Others.
