Mrs. Pelosi and the Pope.
Oh, and the church-lady gossips.
“Oh my! Did you see that? Nancy Pelosi actually kissed the ring of the Holy Father when she was presented to him.” “Not only that Mr. Aquinass, but she brazenly received Holy Communion at the Pope’s Mass!” “So did John Kerry, Sr. Mary Pius!” “I have never been so scandalized in my life.”
So might have gone the dougnuts and coffee conversations in the Latin Mass church down the proverbial block. The pew-sitter’s magisterium hasn’t come down as hard as I thought they would on this scandal - or maybe I haven’t been reading the right blogs? As it happened, I believe some people would rather have had a huge brou-ha-ha on live television - creating an international incident - and perhaps even a greater scandal - than let people get by with what they did. But was it such a scandal - or are many people just angry these folks exist?
Startling news.
Not every Catholic in the United States follows all the rules. It has been that way for a very long time. The errant politicians are not even the tip of the iceberg when it comes to dissident Catholics who perhaps revere the Holy Father but do not do as he says. This is how people have been taught since the Council. People do not change overnight. Nor does everyone love the Latin Mass, and you can be sure of this, some Catholics even like liturgical dance, accompanied by that sort of contemporary music that makes some priests weep. Sorry - no traditional triumphalism is possible yet.
I have to wonder if ”Save the Liturgy, Save the World” folks understand that many Catholics who live in rural areas or small towns are just fortunate to have a regular Novus Ordo Mass on weekends? Some of these people may have lived their entire lives without ever attending a Latin Mass; indeed, they may die before one is ever celebrated in their parish church. I think some people should tone down the rhetoric - at least give it a breather.
(Just something I’ve been wanting to mention.)
April 22nd, 2008 at 11:56 am
I can’t tell you how refreshing your post is…i’m seeing the same thing on many Catholic/American blogs over and over again about how she kissed the Pope’s ring….well i didn’t see the Holy Father kicking her out of the way, so what exactly do people have to keep moaning about…do they all live such sinless lives that they themselves no longer need confesison?
The small stuff really sweats some people up doesn’t it?
I must admit that bseeing this post here is refreshing for another reason …. if i’m honest, a while back it would have been you that i would have expected to write a Nancy Pelosi bashing post..i like the way your heading.
April 22nd, 2008 at 11:57 am
not that i think anyone needs ‘confesison’
hahahahahahaha!
April 22nd, 2008 at 12:06 pm
I wouldn’t say the MOST scandalizing thing I’ve ever seen but it is definitely scandal from a theological perspective. For public figures who advocate for the choice to kill children to receive Communion and such is a serious matter. How is a public incident of denying Communion to someone a greater scandal then publicly giving Communion to these people? The greater scandal is allowing many Catholics to continue to think that supporting abortion doesn’t matter in regard to their faith or receiving Holy Communion. I do understand your comments about rural areas but we still need to work vigorously for serious reform regardless of locale.
April 22nd, 2008 at 12:11 pm
Blessings!! He is Risen!!
I blog to you on behalf of Fr. Frank Pavone and Priests for Life. Fr. Pavone recently posted two videos on You Tube in which he describes and demonstrates the two most common abortion techniques, using the actual instruments of abortion and the words found in medical textbooks and court testimony.
You can view these videos at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=us_y9GP_-DA (Dismemberment abortion) and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBOAPleF1t0 (Suction abortion).
These videos are part of a new project called, “Is This What You Mean?” It aims to educate the public about the nature of abortion and to challenge public officials and candidates who support the legality of abortion to admit what it is. A full description of the project is at http://www.priestsforlife.org/action/abortion-procedure-reve aled.htm.
We are asking blog moderators to post a link or set-up an area on their blog for easy access to view our two You Tube videos.
As Fr. Pavone has quoted in endless homilies and talks about public servants who are pro-choice, there is a difference between serving the public and killing the public. Abortion has lost its meaning and is just a word to some politicians. In fact, as long as it has been since Jan.22 1973, the public is still not aware of what an abortion is and what it looks like. Again, we urge you to view Fr. Pavone’s demonstrations and forward this to anybody unaware such as parents, pastors, teachers, government officials etc….
In Christ,
David–MEV
April 22nd, 2008 at 3:38 pm
I posted on Pelosi’s piety a few days ago. It looked like she was feeding on the Pontiff’s hand! Anyway, I don’t like her.
Everything else you said I do like.
April 22nd, 2008 at 4:14 pm
“… This is how people have been taught since the Council. People do not change overnight…”
agreed, however, the gross inconsistencies, or public display of dissent shouldn’t be tolerated as they have for so long. It has left many inside and outside the church extremely confused.
Cosmos-Liturgy-Sex has their take on this issue too.
April 22nd, 2008 at 4:30 pm
What you said about some folks being lucky to have a Mass at all on a weekend, is unfortunately true. The diocese where I grew up is down to 38 active priests, with an area of 40,000 square miles.
April 22nd, 2008 at 4:49 pm
Nancy Pelosi promotes the killing of babies in their mother’s wombs–and her conscience is okay with that. So, her ill-formed conscience thinking it’s okay to sacrilegiously consume our Lord–does not surprise me.
April 22nd, 2008 at 5:02 pm
People from California - especially the Los Angeles and San Francisco areas have different rules. LOL!
Seriously, I just have issues with the pewsitter/blogger magisterium types - and wanted to point that out. Everyone has their bad days.
April 22nd, 2008 at 6:12 pm
Dear Terry,
You wrote: Seriously, I just have issues with the pewsitter/blogger magisterium types - and wanted to point that out. Everyone has their bad days.
I write:Sometimes people just have bad hair days too.
Katie
April 22nd, 2008 at 6:14 pm
Kate - LOL! I have bad hair years!
April 23rd, 2008 at 8:19 am
I was surprised Ms. Pelosi didn’t burst into flames or have lightning strike. Would’ve been quite dramatic. At least people wouldn’t be talking about the bad music ;}
April 23rd, 2008 at 9:10 am
Monica - What if God did use such theatrics? Churches would be packed!
April 23rd, 2008 at 10:14 am
Terry - GREAT post!!! I think we have 19 priests in our diocese which covers 214,373 square miles!!!! I am damned lucky to even be able to go to a NO Mass on Sunday, never mind the TLM.
April 23rd, 2008 at 1:51 pm
It wasn’t just Pelosi and Kerry. Rudy Giuliani also received Communion at the Papal Mass in St. Patrick’s Cathedral. It’s a bipartisan thing.
April 23rd, 2008 at 6:14 pm
Jay - you are right! Now I’m thinking it may be an Italian privilege.