Since Pope Ben is going to retire this month I thought I would round up some interesting quotes from Popes recent and past and see how they illuminate things, both intentionally and un.

 The Halting Hand

Who’s hand is that keeping them from seeing each other?  Does the abused one hide or does the friend ignore?  Do they have an almost invisible fence of hurt that keep them from reaching out?  I have been accused in the past of probing too deep with people, asking too many personal questions, wondering about thing more intimate than I should wonder about out load.  I will take that criticism and live with it because I would rather be accused of asking too many questions than not enough.  I would rather be told I am being too pushy than to find out a friend of mine was abused or committed suicide and I hadn’t ask a question I really thought I should ask.

The Papal Irony

This quote is by Pope John Paul II, the Pope before the current and soon to resign Pope Benedict.  I think it is a true statement. I think it is also a very ironic one considering the trouble the Catholic Church has had for decades in excusing the most unchristian and immoral behavior one can imagine.  I am not suggesting Pope John Paul II knew anything about it but it is now obvious that child molestation and sexual assault has been going on a long, long time within the Catholic Church. It’s also obvious that many Priests and Bishops put their hands up and blinded themselves to the assaults.  They cared about the political fallout and the monetary implications if the secrets got out.  I am sure they were disturbed at some level about the actual assault as well.  But obviously that was down the list in importance, that is why the best solution for them was to send the offender off to another parish or area of service so the blood would be washed from their hands instead of actually turning the criminal offender into the police.

That is ironic. 

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Drawing and commentary by Marty Coleman, who is not Catholic

Quote by Karol Wojtyla, 1920-2005, Roman Catholic Pope (John Paul II) 1978-2005

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Trivia Question of the Day

What is the sedia stercoraria and what was it used to prove among Popes?

Come back tomorrow to get the answer

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