Does the Pope Read Ricochet?
The question may seem ridiculous, and I would certainly agree that the answer is almost certainly no. “Almost certainly,” I say – and then I stop. For something very interesting happened on Friday when Pope Benedict addressed a group of American bishops who had come to Rome to consult with him. In his remarks, according to The Wall Street Journal, he
denounced what he called the failure of priests and bishops to instruct Catholics in core church teachings on human sexuality, saying many Catholics seem unaware that living together outside of marriage was "gravely sinful, not to mention damaging to the stability of society."
The entire Christian community, he said, must recover an appreciation of the virtue of chastity.
"Young people need to encounter the church's teaching in all its integrity, challenging and countercultural as that teaching may be; more importantly they need to see it embodied by faithful married couples who bear convincing witness to truth," he said.
Pope Benedict said a weakened appreciation for traditional marriage and the widespread rejection of responsible sexuality had led to "grave social problems bearing an immense human and economic cost."
In all likelihood, the Pope was responding to the same events that caused me to write American Catholicism’s Pact with the Devil and American Catholicism: A Call to Arms a month ago. In all likelihood, the similarity between my concerns and his stem solely from the fact that his understanding of the dereliction of duty on the part of the bishops, priests, and nuns in the American Church overlaps considerably with my own.
It is nonetheless conceivable that these blogposts were drawn to his attention. On and after 13 February, when Rush Limbaugh devoted two hours of his radio show to reading out and commenting on the first of the two, it drew more than one hundred thousand readers, and in the weeks that have passed since that time I have been deluged with telephone calls, e-mails, and letters from seminarians, clergymen, and lay people – nearly all of them congratulatory. Many of those who wrote had stories of their own to tell that dovetailed with my experience. Most of them expressed gratitude that someone finally had spoken up.
I have no doubt that all over the United States parishioners have inflicted my ruminations on their parish priests and bishops. I clearly struck a nerve, and I would not be surprised to learn that someone in the Vatican took note. I think that I might even be able to put a name on that someone.
I am not especially well connected, but I know a handful of figures of some prominence – and almost a decade ago I had a leisurely lunch with an official high in the Vatican bureaucracy. The subject of our conversation was the state of the American Church, and you can imagine what I said. My interlocutor was in wholehearted agreement with my assessment of the situation, and he told me that help was on the way.
We have not had much contact since. But every once in a while I have heard from him – usually in response to something I wrote or was involved in (e.g., the History Channel series on ancient Sparta). If my post came to his attention, as it might well have done, I can easily imagine his seeing to it that it circulated within the Vatican. I am confident that, for a very long time, the Pope and his advisors have been thinking about the crisis of the American Church, the role played by the sexual revolution in engendering that crisis, and how and when that crisis might be addressed. It is not likely that my blogpost played any role in their deliberations, but it is by no means out of the question.
One thing is clear. The Pope and his advisors are thinking strategically. They regard Barack Obama’s HHS mandate rightly as a catastrophe; and, instead of wringing their hands, they asked themselves what good could be elicited from this catastrophe. And with that end in mind, they have decided to take the challenge posed to the Church as an opportunity to set the American Church on a new course. Though long overdue, this decision is most welcome.
This morning, for the first time since the early 1960s I heard a sermon from a Catholic pulpit on the subject of chastity. Our pastor here in Hillsdale, Michigan prefaced his remarks by observing that those who had issued the HHS mandate had done so on the presumption that, in the United States, the Catholic clergy and laity did not take seriously the teaching of the Church concerning chastity and that the time had come to prove them wrong. It was as moving a sermon as I have ever heard.
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Comments:
Feb '12
Re: Does the Pope Read Ricochet?
Doctrine is doctrine. You are either on the same page or you aren't..
Obama 2016 he has to go.. A journey into the dark heart of Obama.
Jan '11
Re: Does the Pope Read Ricochet?
I guess "Does the Pope read Ricochet?" will be my default rhetorical answer from now on . . .
Apr '11
Re: Does the Pope Read Ricochet?
Well - let us hope that they are indeed paying attention. The catholic church in this country seems to have given a 90 yard head start in a 100 yard dash to those who would destroy it. It's about time they got out of the blocks.
Oct '10
Re: Does the Pope Read Ricochet?
First Paul Ryan, then Rush Limbaugh, now possibly the Pope?
Re: Does the Pope Read Ricochet?
A remote possibility, but one never knows.
Re: Does the Pope Read Ricochet?
Peter? That would be your cue. What an epic edition of Uncommon Knowledge that would be!
Re: Does the Pope Read Ricochet?
Does the Pope read Ricochet? I couldn't say, Paul. But I'm pretty sure God does.
Feb '11
Re: Does the Pope Read Ricochet?
Here is a news account of the Pope's ad limina meeting with the American bishops that is not behind the Wall Street Journal's paywall.
I appreciate what you have said here at Ricochet, Paul Rahe, but Pope Benedict XVI did not need you to point out to him what he has been saying for years, namely, that the Church must continue to present to the world an authentic view of human sexuality embracing Church traditions and teachings and showing their positive good for humanity. He also has never been one to whitewash deficiencies of pastors in communicating truth.
Re: Does the Pope Read Ricochet?
First we'd want try him out on a Ricochet podcast. (A spot on Uncommon Knowledge isn't available to just anybody, you know, Dave.)
Feb '12
Re: Does the Pope Read Ricochet?
A Ricochet shot of St Peter's rock.. the interposition of providence perhaps, who knows..
Re: Does the Pope Read Ricochet?
Peter Robinson
First we'd want try him out on a Ricochet podcast. (A spot on Uncommon Knowledgeisn't available to just anybody, you know, Dave.) · 5 minutes ago
I've heard of high standards, but holy....ummm,... never mind.
May '10
Re: Does the Pope Read Ricochet?
The Roman Catholic church takes a long view of things. It's seen a few things come and go in 2000 years.
That said hopefully Cardinal Dolan and the American Catholic Bishops (and Protestant leadership which has been conspicuously missing) appreciate how critical the time between now and Nov 6 2012 is.
This is not the time for harrumphing, and petitions, and position papers.
If President Obama is reelected, it will be the start of a very long night for all of us, the Church particularly.
May '10
Re: Does the Pope Read Ricochet?
Maybe when Paul Rahe visits Rome he'll have an audience with the Pope, maybe even appear on the balcony overlooking St. Peter's Square.
The assembled crowd will ask "who is that fellow up there with Dr. Rahe?"
May '11
Re: Does the Pope Read Ricochet?
I don't believe I have said thank you Dr. Rahe.
"Thank you."
You gave words to a sadness I could not describe as I sat in the pews week after week. Hopefully, the church has cast-off its shroud of moral relativism.
Mar '11
Re: Does the Pope Read Ricochet?
So you say Prof. Rahe and we can only hope that it is so. But observing the Church now and contrasting with his holiness Ioannes Paulus PP. II defying the Communist threat of yesteryear one can only see a very large gap indeed between the courage that was shown and the timidity that is all too apparent this day.
Sep '10
Re: Does the Pope Read Ricochet?
Mama Toad: Here.
He also has never been one to whitewash deficiencies of pastors in communicating truth. · 19 minutes ago
True, but I'll share one anecdote: I was rummaging through some old electronic files during Lent to clean up my home/office network and stumbled upon an old email that I'd forgotten about which had been sent to the Pope's first internet email address, when he had invited people to send him emails (no doubt read by an assistant). In a short, terse note, I begged for the return of the Latin Mass as a convert and father of all boys.
I claim no credit for Summorum Pontificum (2007), but it did cause me to wonder if it was one of many straws that pushed the camel through the eye of the needle. One day I will know for sure, of course, face to face rather than through a glass, darkly.
Feb '11
Re: Does the Pope Read Ricochet?
Pseudodionysius
Mama Toad: Here.
He also has never been one to whitewash deficiencies of pastors in communicating truth. · 19 minutes ago
True, but I'll share one anecdote: I was rummaging through some old electronic files during Lent to clean up my home/office network and stumbled upon an old email that I'd forgotten about which had been sent to the Pope's first internet email address, when he had invited people to send him emails (no doubt read by an assistant). In a short, terse note, I begged for the return of the Latin Mass as a convert and father of all boys.
I claim no credit for Summorum Pontificum (2007), but it did cause me to wonder if it was one of many straws that pushed the camel through the eye of the needle. One day I will know for sure, of course, face to face rather than through a glass, darkly. · 2 minutes ago
The power of the Ricochetti... proof!
Re: Does the Pope Read Ricochet?
If so, your Holiness, I could really use a plenary indulgence any time that's convenient…
Sep '10
Re: Does the Pope Read Ricochet?
I have a twofer for you Bill.
Sep '10
Re: Does the Pope Read Ricochet?
Pseudodionysius
I claim no credit forSummorum Pontificum (2007), but it did cause me to wonder if it was one of many straws that pushed the camel through the eye of the needle. One day I will know for sure, of course, face to face rather than through a glass, darkly.
I don't see the familiar cat. Who are you, and what have you done with the real Pseudodionysius?