Why They Ran (Peggy Noonan On Pope Benedict XVI Speaking To The "Inner Adult" In All Of Us Alert)

Wall Street Journal ^ | 04/21/05 | Peggy Noonan

[goldstategop]

Why They Ran

What to do to help? See his enemies for what they are, and see him for what he is. Read him--he is a writer, a natural communicator of and thinker upon challenging ideas. Listen to him. Consult your internal compass as you listen, and see if it isn't pointing true north.

Look at what he said at the beginning of the papal conclave: It is our special responsibility at this time to be mature, to believe as adults believe. "Being an 'adult' means having a faith which does not follow the waves of today's fashions or the latest novelties." Being an adult is loving what is true and standing with it.

This isn't radical, or archconservative. And the speaker isn't an enforcer, a cop or a rottweiler. He's a Catholic. Which one would think is a good thing to have as leader of the Catholic Church

[Don'tMessWithTexas]

There is a difference between the role of the President and the role of the Pope.

Really? So that means that the pope can talk about God and truth all he wants and not invoke the wrath of Noonan. But if GWB invokes God and truth too much, in Noonan's eyes, he is over the top and engaged in too much God talk.

Noonan is breathlessly inconsistent and is losing her grip. Adios.

[Slyfox]

Personally, I'd be pretty happy to be known as a Rottweiler.

They sure can't call Benedict a weiner dog.

[Thorin]

Thanks for posting this outstanding piece.

[AnAmericanMother]

You're right; he's not a Rottweiler. He just looks like one to those who expect teacup poodles and chinese crested hairless things.

Seriously, he's a Bavarian through and through. I lived there for a summer, in the country. The countryside is overwhelmingly Catholic, devout in the old-fashioned sense. The men remind me very much of Southerners in America -- you have some unsophisticated, somewhat noisy, but essentially good-hearted boys (my husband calls them "rednecks in Lederhosen") -- you have the traditional elite, perhaps a little TOO polished for some people's taste -- and then you have the backbone of Bavaria, the men of the small towns who have risen by their own talent and intellect but retained the courtesy, the steadfastness, and the essential goodness of a boy from what my great-aunt called a "good family".

I think we have received a jewel. Deo gratias!

[jbarkley]

That was beautiful.

[Don'tMessWithTexas]

Why were so many non-Catholics similarly moved?

I am pleased that the RCC chose a leader who ascribes to the claims of truth and appears to hold to traditional notions of morality. However, that does not move me. I am more directly affected by which President I have than which pope sits in Rome.

And why in America, where the church is torn in divisions, did people run to the TV and the radio when word spread?

I guess because we Americans have an insatiable appetite for celebrity and experience. This gal is so melodramatic it often hurts to read her column.

[madprof98]

Thanks for the Amazon link! I just ordered Salt of the Earth.

[Old Sarge]

Sixty Pesos. I call. Didn't take them very long before the flaming started right where it left off...

[netmilsmom]

I don't mean to sound like I have my head in the sand, but I don't want to read anything by our new Pope. I want to see his actions.
In the position he had before, he could be one way and another as our Holy Father. I don't want to read because I might be getting my hopes up for something that is not coming.
I love our Holy Mass. We kneel for communion, sing Latin and are loyal to the Pope. If his writings got me thinking that every Catholic is going to have the opportunity to get out of the Revival Tent and into the orthodox, if that's what he/she wants, then it didn't happen, I would be so sad.

That being said, (and putting a hopeful faith in the Holy Spirit), can I borrow your book in about three months? ;-).

[iconoclast]

Thanks for the beautiful article.

I needed that ... especially after remarks made by our young associate priest at yesterday's mass.

[Aristotle721]

Benedict's actions have spoken volumes thus far. With the papal funeral and his first Mass as Pope, it appears he's backing up his writings on the liturgy with concrete actions. Even with the music selection he highlights lost fruits of the Council.

It is very encouraging to this liturgical musician, to say the least.

[Graymatter]

Because the world watched the funeral, they noticed the man who celebrated the mass and gave the eulogy. John Paul II had picked him for that role...And the man who was speaking, who even 10 years ago was considered too old and controversial for the job, was suddenly seen by his fellow cardinals, one after the other, as the future pope.
It was impossible. But it happened. No one was really considering Cardinal Ratzinger until that mass.

This would have been a better passage if I hadn't been watching The Manchurian Candidate the night before. ;)

[tnlibertarian]

If your not Catholic, MYODB!

If your not Catholic, May Your Otter Die Bleeding? That's not very nice.

[iconoclast]

She's back.

Or, you're back?

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the ping!

[Valin]

"Being an 'adult' means having a faith which does not follow the waves of today's fashions or the latest novelties." Being an adult is loving what is true and standing with it.

This isn't radical, or archconservative.


It is for many/most on the left.
Example: Al Gore

[Valin]

It sur r

[AnAmericanMother]

During the papal funeral, the Gospel Acclamation was the same one our parish uses.

Encouraging. (We have a very orthodox music director. Lots of chant, polyphony, and very carefully selected modern music.)

[iconoclast]

Sorry. Peggy is not yet out of the sin bin just because she talks nice about the new Pope. Unless and until she apologizes for dissing the POTUS, our household will continue to turn our backs on the girl.

The adults to which Peggy refers do not elevate politics above faith, and you do it repeatedly.

[Romish_Papist]

Bump for later read!