Pat Oliphant for March 14, 2013

By my count, he will ignore five of the eight outright, may address two, and one I don’t know.

As someone who was educated by the Jesuits, I feel a certain sense of pride in the selection, but I was definitely hoping for someone about fifteen years younger. Even then whoever it ended up being would probably ignore most of the birds.

Old Pat is getting long-in-the-tooth and does not comprehend that most other nations don’t like the extreme liberalism of Western Catholics. In liberal places, like France, the churchs are empty. In Latin America the churches protect the poor and are strong. My guess is Francis I could give a fig about Women Priests and Gays. The church chose well. And most critics are America, degenerates and corrupt at heart.

Radish, I’m not a Catholic. I do remember the Pinochet regime, though only through tv and news magazines… a few movies. I recall last years “mother’s protest” where women who lost sons, brothers, and husbands to the abuses of the 60’s, 70’s, and ‘80s. Women still looking for answers to what happened to the “disappeared”.^I have heard of Catholic ’villains and heroes" from that time. I recall a priest gun downed by police in his chapel, but not when.That said, during WW2, priests in Italy and Germany walked a fine line between the Gestapo and the church’s ability to help people during the war. One man’s hypocrite was another man’s rescuer.^You obviously know more about this than I ever will, and my issue with the new pope is how he encourage catholic republicans to ‘protect the poor’.As I hear more about his time in Argentina, it is my hope he will use his platform to speak to the abuses in Argentina. Perhaps, in this way, he’ll be able to redeem himself in the eyes of people like yourself. I look forward to hearing your opinion on him over the next year.Sincerely,C.

Men in lace dresses, interior decorators, smoke and bells.

Bill: and in Africa an ultraconservative Episcopalian bishop, egged on by ultraconservative American evangelicals, is backing African governments who not only want to outlaw homosexuality, but also want the death penalty for it. Meanwhile, what did JESUS, not Leviticus, Not (un)Saint Paul, ACTUALLY say about homosexuality?

This was a hollow selection. Compare the Argentine’s handling of charity with the liberation theologists of Central America—people who gave their lives for the poor—and he comes up a little hollow and even ambitious.

Of course, allowing liberation theologists into the door of the Vatican would be heresy.

Respectful Troll: It took you awhile, but you finally blew it. Pinochet was the US supported dictator of Chile, not Argentina. The US supported dictatorship in Argentina was a junta mainly of admirals and self-destructed in the Falklands/Malvina War,

Geez what a whiner…

Who in their right mind would want to lead a dysfunctional, out of touch and frankly not very ethical organization?

Francisco was Franco’s name.The consistent points of his policies, termed as Francoism had at its core authoritarianism, nationalism, integralism, conservatism, and a frontal rejection of anticlericalism and leftist politics. “Wikipedia”Coincidence?

Those nice gangsters in the Godfather movies did a little bit of good for certain people in their communities, too, so they must really be moral exemplars for us all. Oh, sure, they maybe murder and steal a little, but who’s perfect?

Right. Meet the new boss…Just another old reprobate who’s going to be poisoning those pigeons in the park. (Spring is here! Bless you Tom Lehrer.)

Wait till he tells all those RICH cardinals to give up their perks for the poor.Here is what a Methodist minister told me one day when taking collection. I asked what is all this for. He replied for the church and its services to the community. Guess what he bought. A brand new Chevy Suburban for his use. I guess the church need a new car. I would have gone Mercedes but I guess he wants something more Christian. I have never trusted churches or their dogma. I have read the Bible and no where in there did I read to get to Heaven I have to go to church. Accept Christ as Lord and Savior, be repentant, and move in.