A Tale of Two Pontiffs

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"A year has now passed since Pope Benedict XVI shocked the world by announcing his intention to abdicate the Throne of St. Peter, and what have we learned?

 

In concrete terms, perhaps very little as it relates to the real reasons behind his renouncement of the papacy, but circumstantially, we can infer quite a lot. With this in mind, please allow me to indulge in a bit of informed speculation.

 

Benedict’s announcement was met with two primary reactions from the cardinals to whom he was speaking, as well as from among various members of the sacred hierarchy and others across the globe.

 

On the one hand, pretty much everyone expressed shock, and I am certain that in most cases that reaction was entirely sincere.

 

That said, I do not doubt for even a moment that there were any number of clerics, particularly members of the Curia, who looked straight into the television cameras to express their surprise, when in truth they had played an active role in coercing Pope Benedict to take his leave.

 

The other most common reaction coming from Rome and elsewhere, especially in less-than-traditional quarters, was a near endless stream of blather (more properly, “spin”) touting the sheer humility of this pope who courageously decided to step aside for the good of the Church.

 

Sound familiar?

 

It should.

 

In hindsight, this was but the opening act for the Cirque du Humilité that burst onto the Roman stage with the elevation of Jorge Bergoglio.

 

Is it merely coincidental that the suddenly “humble” abdicator’s successor immediately undertook to implement an unprecedented program of papal humility-on-display, with everything from worn out shoes to shoddy vestments, to pedestrian living quarters and compact cars serving as props?

 

I doubt it.

 

Oddly enough...." Continue reading here

[Alan]

Thanks for this post.