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 ...
Are you doing upper and lower case letters?
A character in Heinlein's "The Moon is a Harsh Mistress", Wyoming Knott, did that as a paid service. ("Wye" Knott?)
It's happening nowadays, too.
I dunno...if I loved a guy, like he was my VBFF, I’d carry a baby for him...
Well, I would too, but if it gets wet, I’m handing it back.
Sometimes, the wetness is self-generating...
I’m off for the night!
A friend of mine in the foster parenting business was in K-Mart with a brand new baby whose skin color was different from hers. The cashier sized up the situation and said, “The baby must take after his daddy.” My friend came back straight-faced with, “I don’t know. I never saw him.” Her 14 yr. old son almost busted a gut laughing.
I know.
Not dead just sleeping.
Good Night.
The workbook we're using is teaching lower-case letters right now. Maybe he'll learn upper-case in the next volume!
He already knows them, anyway, because he got Greek alphabet blocks for Christmas, and we printed out some pages about the letters.
LOL! Early night around here. I was interacting with my real live family :-).
Good morning and good for you.
Tood Morning!
Tood Morning!
*shaking head*
*drinks more coffee*
Morning, kiddies!
I see we all (so far) passed Muster.
I don’t know about passing Muster....
I feel like I got mustard...
Needf smore corffee...
I've heard of others complaining of the same.
Who knows... maybe the government is putting something in the water to quiet us down... ;-)
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