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 ...
With a good set of bagpipes and lungs... a lot! *\;-)
Oh.
How are you today? How’s your leg doing?
LOL
My leg is doing almost excellent. My stomach is almost back to “normal” which means I’m back to the nausea again, but at least the pain is gone. :o]
It seems to be “remission” time, so for a while, I’ll be able to act almost human again. For a while!
Being rid of the pain is good... but nausea? Ugh. GLad to hear progress with the leg, though!
*whispers*
(You didn’t hear us, did you?)
Much better. I am not even worried that the dress is a week late.
Can we expect piccies of the bride and groom and entourage?
Entourage? That sounds nearly as uptown as "Flower consultant"!
Well, you know...some days, I have trouble with easy words, just like when I was a kid...
But “flower consultant” sounds ...erm... spendy! ;o]
We have set up an automatic routine to go through frequencies, start points, cycle rates, and so forth, trying to determine the natural frequency of the Flying Castle.
My theory is that cycling at the natural frequency will be most economical of the energy used. Its like having a tuned exhaust for an internal combustion engine. Reducing the back pressure increases the efficiency.
Some of these patterns are very strange in configuration, like mult-pole Lissajous patterns, but they are helping us determine how to tune this circuit.
Sorry Your Holiness but there was only room for 30 people!
A strange glow seems to emanate from the very surface of the craft. An unwordly glow.
The glow grows in intensity as if it were a runaway reactor.
Something is happening. Something .... building to a climax.
Almost as if it were about to enter a new di-
“You may hear some occasional strange noises within the corridors and lower levels, should you be foolish enough to go there, but it is only the metal adjusting to the magnetic forces ... most likely.”
We hope.
There are still some... experiments missing from the lab escape a couple months back.
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