Posted on 04/13/2007 6:54:57 AM PDT by Frank Sheed
Two years into his reign, Pope Benedict XVI is finally poised to make a major mark on American Catholicism with a string of key bishop appointments and important decisions about the future of U.S. seminaries and bishops' involvement in politics.
Benedict's election on April 19, 2005, shook liberals and comforted conservatives who expected a doctrinal hard-liner. So far, they have found an easier hand - and someone who has not made the United States much of a priority.
When Benedict has gained attention, it has mostly been on the world stage, focusing on the re-Christianization of Europe, Islam and mending relations with Orthodox Christians. He also has stressed universal themes of faith and reason.
``The last two years have been much quieter years as far as the papacy is concerned because you have a very different personality'' than John Paul II, said Monsignor Robert Wister, chairman of the church history department at Seton Hall University's School of Theology.
``Many Americans were surprised - some happily, some disappointed - that he did not turn into the pit bull of dogma. He is taking a very pastoral approach, and I think people resonate very positively with that.''
Yet America's turn may be coming. At the top of the list is a looming generational shift among the nation's bishops, whose decisions at the local level greatly affect Catholics in the pews and can carry national weight. For instance, church leaders recently closed parishes in Boston and New York, while the St. Louis archbishop has clashed with a heavily Polish parish over control of its assets.
Key appointments are expected in New York, Baltimore and Detroit, where cardinals have reached retirement age - 75. And retirements or appointments are likely in at least seven other archdioceses...
(Excerpt) Read more at guardian.co.uk ...
Why can’t the Pope send McHooney off to some far away island?
If he set that precedent, he’d run out of islands pronto, I think.
Aw, come on.....45 isn’t even middle age anymore....
Well, if I’d said 55, would that be better? I look at LEAST 10 years younger than I am, and for the most part, I act about 50...maybe.
Sweet! So you can retire at 25 when your car insurance rates change.
That’s it!
Within a couple of decades, middle age will probably be 60s-70s.....
So yer still a spring chicken!
I can’t imagine myself “old,” ever. I don’t want to think old, act old or speak old. I have a brother who will be 70 in August, and he says there must be some mistake! I have to agree!
I agree with that-—old is how you feel.
I don’t think I’m going to get old then. Maybe I’ll be lucky and die in the middle of ... something ... “exciting.”
;o]
“...And the Best that you can hope for is to die in your sleep”
-Kenny Rogers
BTW, that’s how my dad passed.
The LAST thing I want to do is die in my sleep!! LOL!
Oh wait....if I die in my sleep, it WILL be the last thing I do! *snort*
All joking aside, when people die, they always die in their sleep, no matter how fast they die. The mind lapses into unconsciousness before they die, so death is never “instantaneous,” even if they are “killed instantly.”
Both my parents died “in their sleep.” My dad died of liver cancer and my mother died because her kidneys shut down Both of them were “young,” at 71.
Actually, I think my dad died of a broken heart, but my mother just didn’t “want to get old.”
Well, just as long as you go to sleep first, and then just don’t wake up. Then at least you just don’t see it coming.
Yepper. But ya know...when I was in the car accident, my mind hid the incident from recall. I have no memory of the impact or the three days after, so I think something catastrophic would be difficult to recall, if it was something that really scared you.
Probably better for you that you don’t remember.
After seeing the photos, and the other people in the car, I don’t WANT to remember. But I’m a VERY nervous passenger.
Exactly!!!
I don’t even like riding a bus, as big as they are. There are a lot of times when I would walk, rather than accept a ride with someone.
Of course, now I have my ugly little truck with almost 280,000 miles on it, and I wouldn’t trade it!
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