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But the church is more than just a political institution, and a pope can’t be evaluated in political terms alone — left on economic issues, right on abortion, as if he were a candidate in a U.S. Senate race. A pope’s moral impact on the world, like the impact of the church itself, has a lot of moving parts, including the complexity of the religious experience, the material or psychological benefits each believer derives from that experience, and — last but hardly least — the impact of religious doctines or practices on nonbelievers.
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As the church moves through the ancient rituals of succession, I’ll be watching closely — to see whether the old graybacks in the College of Cardinals can transcend their own limitations and produce a pope like John XXIII, or whether the reactionaries will, as usual, have the upper hand and the kind of papacy that goes with it.The answer may not determine the fate of the church — for a 2,000-year-old institution, what’s another CEO, more or less? But it will go a long way towards telling me whether I should, on balance, regard that ancient institution as an ally or an enemy of the moral values I believe in.
Shoes of the Fisherman
I hardly can believe this.
Iraqi Soldier Convicted of Killing U.S. Contractor Walks Free
Bagdhad (RBN) – An Iraqi army company commander convicted of shooting dead a wounded U.S. contractor walked free from court on Friday, although he was dismissed from the Iraqi army for what he called a "mercy killing."
Ted Koppel’s Nightline live from Waco, Texas: Hostage Crisis
Rather than post too many energy threads, I’ll just put here the links to my most recent diaries on that topic (posted elsewhere):
West wins a big one against China in Caspian oil
‘Emergency oil plan’ required in view of coming shortages
Libya and Mexico opening up for US Big Oil
Feel free to discuss other stuff.
(Previous OT)
For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
April 1, 2005
President’s Statement on Catholic Church and Justin Rigali
President George W. Bush today announced that he has directed the head of the Catholic Church’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger to recommend that the Sacred College of Cardinals elect his Eminence Cardinal Justin Rigali as the next Pope.
President Bush, left, meets with his Eminence Justin Cardinal Rigali, right, Archbishop of Philadelphia, during their meeting at St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church Rectory on October 21, 2004 in Downingtown, Penn.
"Justin Rigali is a proven leader and experienced diplomat, who will guide the Catholic Church effectively and honorably during a critical time in history – both for the Church and the developing nations it supports. He has devoted his career to advancing the cause of freedom. He is a person of compassion who believes deeply that lifting people out of poverty is critical to achieving that goal. With his significant experience in government, including as a former Secretary of State of the Vatican, and as an academic, Justin has a deep understanding of developmental issues and ethic and political reform. He has the skills and the track record to build successfully on the leadership and substantial contributions of outgoing Pope Karol Wojtyla," stated President Bush.