Thanks to everyone who visited my introduction page, and especially to my Catholic Metal brethren who not only approved of the overall look of things, but even critiqued the logo. Michael Brumley from Cradle Catholic is going to work on a Petrine cross that looks a little more ornate...and Metal, so thanks, Mike!
Second of all, Pope Francis. It's like, I felt a connection with Pope Benedict XVI, since I am of German extraction and I felt like the pope was chosen from my people. Blessed John Paul II I had a connection with, since there is a large Polish population in Chicago and northwest Indiana, where I grew up. I feel a different connection with Pope Francis, especially his work with the poor. Being poor myself, I feel a solidarity with this man that was different than I felt with the his previous two predecessors. I feel like he's poor with me, and when I have trouble dealing with being poor (because let's face it, it's difficult), I see a hope in him that suggests things are going to get better.
Of course, then we start hearing "Is Francis liberal? Is he conservative?" He's Catholic, folks. We can't put political labels on someone of ecclesiastical nature. Of course, people do it, and if they start to pigeon hole him into one label or another, they're going to be very disappointed. He's already got radical Traditionalists annoyed (He actually implemented Summorum Pontificum in his archdiocese 48 hours after Benedict released it, so this is a little perplexing to me), he's already got the progressives upset because he won't bend on Church moral teaching. I'm sure that in the political arena, he'll probably draw the ire of liberals and conservatives in some way, shape or form.
My kind of guy.
You get the feeling that Pope Francis speaks from the heart at every encounter, whether it be at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass or in a more public setting.
ReplyDeleteI like him, he feels a bit like a fellow Chestertonian (rumor has it, he may have been a member of the Chesterton society in Argentina). His liturgics to leave something to be disired, but being from where he's from that's not surprising, or a big deal. I like what I see so far and look forward to more.
ReplyDeleteI would disagree with him having suspect liturgical tendencies, since he did, as I wrote above, implement Summorum Pontificum so quickly, and he was also looking after the Eastern Catholics in Argentina, and Eastern liturgy has NO wiggle room whatsoever. None. I could see him TOLERATING it in the Argentine ordinary form, but not necessarily promoting it.
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