From where I'm sitting, the most striking (because bonkers) part is that the 1978 norms were kept under the pontifical secret for over 30 years.
Meanwhile, the most exciting part for many of us will surely be the prospect of finally getting a definitive ruling on that famous Marian grilled cheese sandwich.
From where I'm sitting, the most striking (because bonkers) part is that the 1978 norms were kept under the pontifical secret for over 30 years.
Meanwhile, the most exciting part for many of us will surely be the prospect of finally getting a definitive ruling on that famous Marian grilled cheese sandwich.
I understand that the main reason the 1978 norms were "officially" published in 2011 was that they had been leaked and unofficially published for years before. There has never been any problem with the norms. If the Vatican hesitate to fully back the local bishops, who can directly speak to the "visionaries" in their own language, we are stuffed. Rome can keep moving the problem on indefinitely.
When I was in Medj in 1996, one of the "visionaries" recounted the latest message to us. She might as well have been giving us a recipe for weedkiller, as we were 100% dependent on the translator. One writer claimed that some bored translators just made up the shite on the spot for the benefit of anglophone customers, as the original messages were so banal and probably false.
This reminds me of a story about the horrid Ceaușescus of Romania.
Elena Ceaușescu was not terribly well educated but played the part of a groundbreaking research chemist. It was simple enough to force talented Romanian scientists to write papers that could be published in her name; but as she built up her reputation, made diplomatic visits with her husband, collected honorary degrees, that sort of thing...well, there were people who understandably wanted to meet and have a conversation with this renowned chemist, and that presented a bit more of a challenge.
Which was solved by having a top scientist, possessed of the necessary language skills and also deeply familiar with her work (if not one of the actual writers of her papers in the first place), act as her "translator". The foreign interlocutor would ask a question or offer comments; the "translator" would first turn to Elena and engage in a bit of superficial conversation, and then turn back to the foreigner and give a proper scientific response.
(I imagine they took pains to prevent any outsiders who actually knew a bit of Romanian from being party to these conversations.)
From where I'm sitting, the most striking (because bonkers) part is that the 1978 norms were kept under the pontifical secret for over 30 years.
Meanwhile, the most exciting part for many of us will surely be the prospect of finally getting a definitive ruling on that famous Marian grilled cheese sandwich.
Delicioso sed non supernaturalitate
^^^Underrated comment. lol
I understand that the main reason the 1978 norms were "officially" published in 2011 was that they had been leaked and unofficially published for years before. There has never been any problem with the norms. If the Vatican hesitate to fully back the local bishops, who can directly speak to the "visionaries" in their own language, we are stuffed. Rome can keep moving the problem on indefinitely.
When I was in Medj in 1996, one of the "visionaries" recounted the latest message to us. She might as well have been giving us a recipe for weedkiller, as we were 100% dependent on the translator. One writer claimed that some bored translators just made up the shite on the spot for the benefit of anglophone customers, as the original messages were so banal and probably false.
This reminds me of a story about the horrid Ceaușescus of Romania.
Elena Ceaușescu was not terribly well educated but played the part of a groundbreaking research chemist. It was simple enough to force talented Romanian scientists to write papers that could be published in her name; but as she built up her reputation, made diplomatic visits with her husband, collected honorary degrees, that sort of thing...well, there were people who understandably wanted to meet and have a conversation with this renowned chemist, and that presented a bit more of a challenge.
Which was solved by having a top scientist, possessed of the necessary language skills and also deeply familiar with her work (if not one of the actual writers of her papers in the first place), act as her "translator". The foreign interlocutor would ask a question or offer comments; the "translator" would first turn to Elena and engage in a bit of superficial conversation, and then turn back to the foreigner and give a proper scientific response.
(I imagine they took pains to prevent any outsiders who actually knew a bit of Romanian from being party to these conversations.)