(lightbulb over head) I have now negotiated with my agnostic young-adult child that I will chaperone her at her con this weekend and she will road trip with me to my "con" in Indianapolis... (bold move Cotton let's see how this works out.)
Agnostic young-adult child has other plans that she thought were not a conflict (but that was because she got the date wrong on them when we discussed this the first time) so it looks like this bold move is not working out 🤔
It'll be a great irony if radical synodality happens simply because the Roman Curia goes broke. Nothing in the Divine Law or solid ecclesiology requires that it exist (though the lack would make some things quite messy, as least for a while). Bishops could be elected by cathedral canons. Metropolitans could erect courts of final appeal, with the Pope only accepting appeals in the case of disagreements between two bishops. The Pope could rely on local prelates to function as his "eyes and ears" on the ground throughout the world and not maintain a network of nunciatures. Church law and liturgical regulation could be governed by local synods. The Pope's role would inevitably become far more limited, but it would also require his interventions to be fewer, more succinct, and only when strictly necessary, all of which would be improvements. The Petrine charism does not require the Bishop of Rome to function as the global chairman of Catholic, Inc., anymore than it required him to be the sovereign prince of the Papal States. After 1870, the popes transformed their role from temporal ruler to that of the modern "global pastor". It may be that over the course of the next century, that role too will wither away and be replaced by a new paradigm.
The loss of the Papal States was probably looked at as a tragedy by Catholics at the time, but in retrospect may have been part of God's providence to get the Popes to stop being worldly leaders and focus more on being a spiritual leader. Similarly a bankrupt Roman Curia would likely be painful but could again be part of God's plan to take the Church in a better direction, whatever direction that may eventually be.
In other words, go back to how the Church was run in the late Middle Ages. Although there ended up being a fair amount of bribery involved in selecting bishops at the time.
Less interference from temporal rulers, but otherwise yes. Though as The Pillar has been commendably dogged in reporting, the Church in the modern day is far from immune to bribery, embezzlement, and financial corruption.
With this story and Chicagoan Bishop Thomas Paprocki dismantling the CCHD, I’m wondering if their is an Al Capone tenured chair in finance at Mundelein Seminary?… 🤔 🤷♂️
The real question is - if you're a couple coming to the congress as a family - which one goes to the live show and which one stays at the hotel with the kids?
Who cares who gave the money to the Church. The Church keeps it and it probably will be better used than if it went anywhere else, especially if it is wasted by going to the Illinois state government whose leaders with Governor Pritzker especially are so corrupt and evil they make Burke look like a saint.
We’re supposed to care about justice. If someone gives the Church stolen money, the morally correct response is almost certainly to be concerned about returning that money, not “who cares where it came from”.
You mention that Indianapolis will be the first of two Eucharistic Congresses the Pillar will be covering. The second wouldn't happen to be the England and Wales one in September, would it?
My "Pillar Reader – In a Good Way" shirt arrived in the mail last week. I am ready for JesusCon.
yes!
> JesusCon
(lightbulb over head) I have now negotiated with my agnostic young-adult child that I will chaperone her at her con this weekend and she will road trip with me to my "con" in Indianapolis... (bold move Cotton let's see how this works out.)
There will be speakers and presentations.
There will be merch.
There will be celebrities.
There's even an outside chance there could be cosplay (a wannabe Knight Templar, perhaps?)
It's a con!
There's a decent chance that I would pack a ἱμάτιον instead of a sweatshirt in case the air conditioning is too cold so yes there could be cosplay.
Agnostic young-adult child has other plans that she thought were not a conflict (but that was because she got the date wrong on them when we discussed this the first time) so it looks like this bold move is not working out 🤔
it was a very good effort though.
What a great week, the Pillar just goes from strength to strength!
The guys with the sparklers are seriously deranged.
It looked like the watermelon was still almost entirely edible afterwards. Probably needed more sparklers.
Thank you for reminding us of the Visitation Cantata!
It'll be a great irony if radical synodality happens simply because the Roman Curia goes broke. Nothing in the Divine Law or solid ecclesiology requires that it exist (though the lack would make some things quite messy, as least for a while). Bishops could be elected by cathedral canons. Metropolitans could erect courts of final appeal, with the Pope only accepting appeals in the case of disagreements between two bishops. The Pope could rely on local prelates to function as his "eyes and ears" on the ground throughout the world and not maintain a network of nunciatures. Church law and liturgical regulation could be governed by local synods. The Pope's role would inevitably become far more limited, but it would also require his interventions to be fewer, more succinct, and only when strictly necessary, all of which would be improvements. The Petrine charism does not require the Bishop of Rome to function as the global chairman of Catholic, Inc., anymore than it required him to be the sovereign prince of the Papal States. After 1870, the popes transformed their role from temporal ruler to that of the modern "global pastor". It may be that over the course of the next century, that role too will wither away and be replaced by a new paradigm.
The loss of the Papal States was probably looked at as a tragedy by Catholics at the time, but in retrospect may have been part of God's providence to get the Popes to stop being worldly leaders and focus more on being a spiritual leader. Similarly a bankrupt Roman Curia would likely be painful but could again be part of God's plan to take the Church in a better direction, whatever direction that may eventually be.
It would also stop the cash-gobbling nunciatures from usurping all authority out of the local/national bishops’ conferences.
In other words, go back to how the Church was run in the late Middle Ages. Although there ended up being a fair amount of bribery involved in selecting bishops at the time.
Less interference from temporal rulers, but otherwise yes. Though as The Pillar has been commendably dogged in reporting, the Church in the modern day is far from immune to bribery, embezzlement, and financial corruption.
With this story and Chicagoan Bishop Thomas Paprocki dismantling the CCHD, I’m wondering if their is an Al Capone tenured chair in finance at Mundelein Seminary?… 🤔 🤷♂️
The real question is - if you're a couple coming to the congress as a family - which one goes to the live show and which one stays at the hotel with the kids?
OR... how do you find a sitter so it can be a date?
There have got to be some IUPUI students who would babysit!
I'd love to meet you but I'm an old lady and being out late downtown is not something I'd care to do. But have fun!
Who cares who gave the money to the Church. The Church keeps it and it probably will be better used than if it went anywhere else, especially if it is wasted by going to the Illinois state government whose leaders with Governor Pritzker especially are so corrupt and evil they make Burke look like a saint.
We’re supposed to care about justice. If someone gives the Church stolen money, the morally correct response is almost certainly to be concerned about returning that money, not “who cares where it came from”.
You mention that Indianapolis will be the first of two Eucharistic Congresses the Pillar will be covering. The second wouldn't happen to be the England and Wales one in September, would it?
// It’s really great, and you should listen to it while you read the rest of this newsletter: //
Tried that. Impossibly distracting. Serious music makes bad background music. I recommend white noise or silence.
I pray that the USCCB is moved to vote pro life instead of just talking about it.