I have had over a dozen e-mail requests for my predictions for 2010. I’ll dash off a few just for fun! Animi caussa!
The TLM will continue to get traction as aging-hippies leave the scene and younger priests with less baggage take charge.
The three-year post Summorum Pontificum report will cause liberal enemies of the Pope to engage in a vicious campaign of disinformation.
The GOP will have big gains at the midterm elections in both House and Senate, but not quite take over both.
Israel will attack Iran.
WDTPRS will develop a premium content page.
The Chinese economy will start to crumble.
Archbishop Wuerl will not be made a Cardinal.
We will see another Supreme Court vacancy and dreadful nomination.
The U.S. dollar will collapse.
There will be a major cyber attack on a financial center.
The Magic Circle in England will crack further with a good appointment to Southwark.
Before the mid-term elections another attempt at subversion of Catholics will come from the White House.
Benedict of Rome and Kirill of Moscow will meet or announce they will meet somewhere.
Zapatero will lose his office in Spain.
The U.S. will continue to lose the war in Afghanistan.
Terrorist attacks on U.S. targets will rise sharply as U.S. resolve concerning a war on terror apparently slackens.
Unemployment will rise globally as economies shrink and people will become more interested in the Faith.
The Nobel Prize for Peace will be given to Archbishop Rowan Williams.
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“Pope Benedict will publicly celebrate the EF ad orientem.” is not on the list…
Geremia: That is because that won’t happen until after the three-year review of SP takes place.
Father, I liked that last one.
I think that you have many “predictions” which surely will happen but somehow “Archbishop Rowan Williams receiving the Nobel Peace Prize” is somewhat far fetched particularly after the raised eyebrows over last year’s nomination!
I’m not so sure about Israel attacking Iran. Certainly if Iran attacks Israel we will see nuclear weapons used.
“Archbishop Wuerl will not be made a Cardinal.”
We hope. Especially not after McCarrick.
It has been too long since Patrick Aloysius O’Boyle.
TomG: I based that, of course, on the fact that there are two living Emeritus Cardinals of Washington DC.
LOL, good list. I like the last one too.
Good point Geremia. Fr. Z, do you think the pope ever celebrates the TLM privately? I noticed you didn’t mention who you thought might be named a cardinal. Like perhaps a former bishop of La Crosse.
Archbishop Wuerl will not be made a Cardinal.
Why not?
Ok…missed the later comment. Makes sense.
I think Archbishop Wuerl will be made a Cardinal, but Archbishop Vigneron of Detroit will not.
“The Nobel Prize for Peace will be given to Archbishop Rowan Williams” — well, he certainly has more accomplishments to his credit than the most recent nominee… Why couldn’t Kanye West have crashed *that* award ceremony?
No, according to this video, he does a Novus Ordo mass in Italian, but maybe off-camera he does it in Latin and/or in the EF.
Woah!!! You kinda slipped No. 5 in there, didn’t you Father?
Well, the newspapers will be doing it to us, and there is no reason that blogs that provide information of great value (or entertainment) to us not should expect us to contribute a bit.
Having a blog myself, I know how hard it is to regularly come up with information of interest to my (few) readers. But I specialize and I would imagine that for some people even my blog is pretty important.
Fr Z.: Yeah, but that will be in July, right? He could still celebrate it after July.
Geremia: You think this will be done quickly? ROFL!
Think about it. Bishops will start sending reports after the three year mark of implementation… SEPTEMBER 2010. The reports will trickle in.
The Holy See will have to wait for the reports until “enough” have arrived.
Then everything will have to be studied and debated.
The results will eventually be presented to the Holy Father, at that time at least a year older.
I also believe that Israel will bomb Iran in the next year unless the Iranian government is somehow quickly toppled in the next couple of months by the Iranian people (a real long shot). I don’t think Israel has a choice but to bomb Iran, and I don’t think the free world should let the Iranian regime get nuclear weapons. If any country would pass nuclear weapons off to terrorists, it would be Iran. If any country is responsible for supporting terrorism around the world, it is Iran.
Where is Obama as Iran moves closer to obtaining nuclear weapons? Why has Obama still not made any real moves towards tougher sanctions on Iran? Why has Obama not come out and clearly supported the protests of the Iranian people against that regime?
All completely true except the Chinese economy. Once the US has finished collapsing they will take its place as the world power.
ljc: There is no Chinese economy without Americans with money to buy what they manufacture. Is there?
Unless they expand the wealth of the interior quickly, they will not make it if the US doesn’t make it.
But I am not an economist.
Speaking of Archbishop Wuerl…..
Like most others who post here, I strongly disagree with his position on Communion and abortionist politicians. Nevertheless, Wuerl does have pull in the Vatican.
Zubik, Di Nardo, Hebda, Tobin and Bradley are all bishops who are associated with Wuerl and the Diocese of Pittsburgh. Maybe he won’t become a Cardinal but he does have clout.
Penguins: I know it seems nearly impossible to imagine that the Archbishop of Washington wouldn’t immediately be made a Cardinal. But there may be reasons to wait. Having two Emeritus Cardinals of the same place still alive and kicking – even though they don’t vote in a conclave – is a reason. We’ll see.
“The U.S. dollar will collapse”
How will we know?
Or do you really mean “The Administration will finally ADMIT that the dollar has collapsed”
LOL
“There is no Chinese economy without Americans with money to buy what they manufacture. Is there?”
An assumption I think we will see toppled soon. “Money” is an abstraction. It is production that really matters, and China produces a lot, whereas the US produces very little in terms of tangible goods anymore. It relies instead on its hegemonic power in the world to enforce the tributary neoliberal financial structures of exploitation it has created. Keep a steady flow of goods into the US because the US controls the “capital” or the “money” parasitically. But that can’t last forever.
If the Chinese are producing all this stuff…then they have all this stuff. Period. The actual wealth (ie, the actual goods and services) could simply be traded amongst themselves. Facilitating that with a means of exchange…is as easy as printing enough money.
I would add:
A great reform of Women’s religious institutes will take place after the Vatican’s visitation.
Heads will roll at the LCWR as the Vatican concludes its investigation.
Heads will roll in the Legion of Christ as the Vatican concludes its investigation.
A great reform of the seminaries will begin as the Vatican releases a document on Priestly formation at the close of the Year for Priests
#5 is not funny. My bank account is already drained…:(
Re Benedict/Kirill meeting: We could hope. (I’m pessimistic and think any such meeting would be scratched by fools and foot-draggers on either side.) But where, might I ask, would they meet?
Moscow? Too soon. Rome? Same thing.
To my earlier prediction about Archbishop Vigneron, there are two living Emeritus Cardinals of Detroit as well.
Jackie: Good point. But also it seems to be, with due respect to the prelate and the see, that Detroit is not so significant a Catholic diocese as once it was. Am I wrong?
A Zenit article in December, http://www.zenit.org/article-26932?l=english stated
Papal-Patriarch encounter?
Cardinal Kasper said a Pope-Patriarch meeting was not on the immediate agenda, and would probably not take place in Moscow or Rome, but in some “neutral” place (Hungary, Austria and Belarus are possibilities).
Fr. Z: The TLM will continue to get traction as aging-hippies leave the scene and younger priests with less baggage take charge.
TNCath: I agree, and I also think the Ordinary Form ad orientem will also increase in interest and use for the same reasons. [Good one.]
Fr Z: The three-year post Summorum Pontificum report will cause liberal enemies of the Pope to engage in a vicious campaign of disinformation.
TNCath: This has already begun to take place.
Fr. Z: The GOP will have big gains at the midterm elections in both House and Senate, but not quite take over both.
TNCath: Obama-fatigue will continue to grow, but, don’t count the Clintons out of the equation. If people get tired enough of Obama and the Republicans don’t have anyone credible to run, it will be Hillary (and Bill in the background) in 2012.
Fr. Z: Israel will attack Iran.
TNCath: Leaving Obama with a huge dilemma about the U.S.’s support of Israel.
Fr. Z: The Chinese economy will start to crumble.
TNCath: If it hasn’t already started to decay.
Fr. Z: Archbishop Wuerl will not be made a Cardinal.
TNCath: Agreed, and, cardinal or not, I wouldn’t be surprised if he retired before age 75.
Fr. Z: We will see another Supreme Court vacancy and dreadful nomination.
TNCath: Semper idem.
Fr. Z: The U.S. dollar will collapse.
TNCath: Hasn’t it already? Back to the gold standard?
Fr. Z: The Magic Circle in England will crack further with a good appointment to Southwark.
TNCath: A LOT of episcopal “circles” will be cracking around the world.
Fr. Z: Before the mid-term elections another attempt at subversion of Catholics will come from the White House.
TNCath: I wonder how many conference calls take place among the White House, Miquel Diaz in Rome, and Doug Kmiec in Malta?
Fr. Z: Benedict of Rome and Kirill of Moscow will meet or announce they will meet somewhere.
TNCath: Where is there neutral ground? Antioch, maybe? [Good question. Perhaps London?]
Fr. Z: Zapatero will lose his office in Spain.
TNCath: The Spanish sure aren’t happy right now.
Fr. Z: The U.S. will continue to lose the war in Afghanistan.
TNCath: And Obama will be saying, “Deadline? What deadline?” [And no one wins there.]
Fr. Z: Terrorist attacks on U.S. targets will rise sharply as U.S. resolve concerning a war on terror apparently slackens.
TNCath: I’m afraid it has already slackened.
Fr. Z: Unemployment will rise globally as economies shrink and people will become more interested in the Faith.
TNCath: This is how things usually happen when the Faith makes a comeback.
Fr. Z: The Nobel Prize for Peace will be given to Archbishop Rowan Williams.
TNCath: Will this be the consolation prize for all those folks who have jumped the fence from Anglicanism to Rome?
I hope Archbishop Wuerl is made cardinal at some point–he’s my cousin!
Can we extend the predictions up to 2019, so that I might add: “a monastic community will be formed that will not only celebrate the liturgy in Latin, but also study, write, and speak exclusively in the Church’s maternal tongue”?
I will add a prediction I made elsewhere: at least one prominent pro-abortion “Catholic” politician in the U.S. will be publicly banned from receiving Communion by a bishop (most likely, but not necessarily, the bishop of the diocese in which said politician resides.)
bookworm: With regret, I must say I don’t think that will happen. There may be some “invitations” not to receive, but a formal act? I doubt it.
I’ll add people will find there’s no such thing as Radical Islam
I’d add:
The first ordinariates for Anglican converts will take shape, despite the efforts of the US and English-Welsh bishops conferences.
At least one group of women religious, in response to the investigation, will break communion with Rome, involving a legal dispute over property.
There will be significant fraud and abuse in the US Census, involving overcounting the population in traditionally heavily Democrat urban centers. This will be exposed on Fox News.
several dioceses will report that many of the newly ordained priests are offering their first Holy Masses in the Extraordinary Form. The NCR editorial page will be apoplectic. [Good one.]
A prominent American bishop will be seen wearing a maniple at an Ordinary Form Mass. The NCR editorial page will be apoplectic. [Even better!]
The Pope will conduct his first meeting with a bishops’ conference via internet conferencing.
The Detroit Lions will lose several football games.
There will be an episcopal ordination done using the Extraordinary Form. [Holy Cow!]
A forgettable Hollywood celebrity will die a tragic but avoidable death due to self-destructive behavior, will be held up as a model and “icon,” lamented for days in the press (even as faithful priests, religious and laypeople give their lives over in service of God’s people) and will by hyped as the “story of the year”
[Well done.]
Archbishop Wuerl will not be made a Cardinal.
Four words: Nationals Park; April, 2008.
Four words: Nationals Park; April, 2008.
That’s Rich. And Right.
A viable third party will emerge, winning House and Senate seats and state and local elections in 2010, and threatening to displace/replace the GOP in the 2012 elections. (One can dream, right?)
Nothing about Joan Kennedy?
The nobel prize is now a joke anyway–not worth the stamp it takes to mail it out..sounds about right for Williams.
Ljc, correct. Owner of a smaller pie is still owner of a pie. The chinese will come through this much better than we will in comparison. They are in ascendancy; we are not. The reasons have been brewing for many years and are now endemic in the American system.
If Iran goes much farther, Israel will indeed attack. That likelihood is only made greater by our growing weakness in support for Israel. They feel that their back is against the wall. They will strike in self-defense and it will be brutal.
Who’s Joan Kennedy? ;)
(The Kennedys have been passe for 20 years. Everywhere but Massachusetts anyway, but we all know about Massachusetts. They’re on another planet.)
WDTPRS will develop a premium content page.
Alternate solution to making money from the site because I would hate for WDTPRS go the way of Slate.com:
Collect your on-topic posts and create a book like Wil Wheaton did with his blog. I would LOVE to own something like this personally.
Pluto will finally seek revenge against Earth’s astronomers for its planetary demotion, but the li’l guy will get tuckered out somewhere around Uranus and go back to its orbit for a long nap in its feety-pajamas.
New cardinals will be named.
Archbishop Burke will be one of them.
Okay…anyone could predict that. But it’s still nice!
Tim Ferguson: At least one group of women religious, in response to the investigation, will break communion with Rome, involving a legal dispute over property.
TNCath: I think this is a very distinct possibility because the Sisters are already making plans for what they believe will be the worst case scenario. In fact, I would envision that when the Vatican completes its Apostolic Visitation of Women Religious and its investigation of the LCWR, many communities will go the way of the IHM’s in Los Angeles or simply leave the Church all together.
Tim Ferguson: The Pope will conduct his first meeting with a bishops’ conference via internet conferencing.
TNCath: What an excellent idea! Wouldn’t you have loved to have seen the Pope on a “jumbo-tron” sitting in on one of those translation votes? Would Bishop Trautman have been so vocal? Hmmmm.
Tim Ferguson: Several dioceses will report that many of the newly ordained priests are offering their first Holy Masses in the Extraordinary Form. The NCR editorial page will be apoplectic.
TNCath: This is assuming, of course, the NCR will still be around in the next few years. I hear they are hurting badly in the pocketbook, and if John Allen finally decides to abandon jump out of this “fishwrap,” it will be hard to sell papers with Father McBrien, Sister Joan Chittister, and those other elderly radicals.
Rich Leonardi: Four words: Nationals Park; April, 2008.
TNCath: Looking back, that was truly the low point of the entire papal visit. Contrast that day with the Mass at St. Patrick’s in New York and vespers at the National Shrine, and you realize just how embarrassing it was.
I agree with Luke. I’m not sure I’d pay for a premium site, but I’d shell out for a book in a minute.
Going on experience in other fields, there seems to be more mileage in the book route–in terms of number of people reached, longevity of success and amount of influence one can gain. I’ve seen a lot of “premium websites” fail, including many Catholic ones. The paying market isn’t big enough, and it’s a lot of work for that money, particularly if there’s a chat or other interactive element. Even Catholicity’s chat–best in the business to this day–only lasted for a while and was plagued with difficulties.
I knit, and I know of two blog owners who went very big on the basis of books derivative on their blogs. One (my favorite of the two) is Stephanie Pearl-McPhee who is a household name among knitters. She’s very funny and people listen to her and buy her books, all 5 of them. She’s also been interviewed many times in the media and has millions of followers. (And, yes, there are a lot of knitters, even if you don’t know any. 38 million at last count, in the US alone.)
Here’s one of her books: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Yarn-Harlot/Stephanie-Pearl-McPhee/e/9780740750373
In addition, at least 4 other blogs have given rise to best sellers in that genre, some of them repeat best sellers.
Fr. you could do a lot of good with a book. Or two.
SOME ADDENDA:
Sad but true, Detroit is not so significant a Catholic diocese as once it was…Detroit is not so significant many things that it once was. The other factor is that Cardinal DiNardo was named Cardinal Archbishop of Galveston-Houston, if the number of Cardinal Archbishops in the US is going to stay the same, the red hat will have to come from somewhere, my prediction is Detroit.
Some addenda:
-The Tea Party might make bigger gains than the GOP, which has completely abandoned its principles.
-The American economy will continue to crumble, not the Chinese economy. The dollar’s [near] collapse will be followed up by the introduction of the “Amero,” the New World Order’s counterpart to the Euro.
-China will attack the United States some time within the next 2-4 years, perhaps with their asymmetrical warfare (which includes cyberattacks).
-I don’t believe the Magicke Circle in England has cracked at all. Are you thinking +Nichols = the first crack? No way.
-Obama’s Kenyan birth certificate will be found, leading to his impeachment (OK, that’s on my wish list, not on my prediction list).
-States will begin to secede from the Union within the next 2-4 years, because the federal government now bears close resemblance to the Third Reich and the USSR.
(Sorry Father, don’t know how those cross-outs appeared. Should read 2 to 4 years in both cases).
What about the abolition of communion in the hand, and the restoration of altar rails everywhere as Bishop Schneider has called for in his book Dominus Est? Or is this being a litte bit too hopeful and naive? We know Cardinal Cazinares-Llovera has given some recommendations for the Holy Father to consider, particularly as we wait for his authorization of the new missal translations.
“I have had over a dozen e-mail requests…” How do people e-mail you? None of my emails are getting through to you – all I get is an automated response that my e-mail has been undeliverable for ________ days! I love this blog and have a question or two for you, but can’t see to get through!? Help!
PS, the other format that’s been very successful in that genre is Ravelry. It’s an open format in that members have to request membership and be signed up (to keep things nice) but it’s free. Once you get in, it’s basically a community, complete with all kinds of activities and all kinds of yarny enterprises which the man who coded it (and still runs it) gets a percentage of. Also very, very successful. Several hundred thousand members. Interviews in major magazines, newspapers & tv.
People photograph their works-in-progress, their yarn stashes and how finished things look on real people. We all compare notes and help each other improve our knitting. People set up charity events, meet-ups and pass on the knitting news. It’s a great utility and while you’re there….you shop, you meet people, and then you shop some more. =) It’s great clean fun.
This site has also spawned authors and best sellers (like the blogs above) because it uncovers good ideas and amazing skill and brings them to the attention of thousands of people at once.
(EWTN did something like this with all the authors it brought to the Catholic consciousness–Fr. Groeschel, Fr. Pavone, Marcus Grodi, etc etc etc, but I’m not sure they knew ahead of time this was going to happen.)
This kind of thing takes special software though. It’s not a blog, but more like a social networking forum. There are some simple innovations there too, which make communication funny and give it a signature brand. There are no competitors which compare at all.
So, FR Z, I’m not trying to get you to knit anything. =) Just throwing out ideas!
Quite frankly, after watching the Church for the last fifty years, I refrain from making any predictions. Pius XII wrote HUMANI GENERIS in 1950 as he saw the direction the Church was going. John Paul II endorsed many of those condemned ideas (See Assisi I and Assisi II, for example). Yet both popes were made Venerable just recently. What did they possibly have in common? Pius is despised by one group even today, and yet JP II is loved by them Why? He told them their Covenant still obtained and no conversion was necessary for their salvation. Abp. Ratzinger suggested the same thing until he became Pope and then he was bound by the necessity of Infallibility. He has since reiterated that all salvation comes only through Christ. Who will be made Cardinal? Think of Cdl. O’Malley and Cdl. McCarrick burying Ted Kennedy. I would rather clean latrines than have to go within five zip codes of that man, yet there they were, lavishing all that attention on him.
“Israel attacks Iran’s NUCLEAR SITES” as a prediction–take that to the bank, but don’t confuse that with an attack on Iran itself. Israel, in the ’80s, attacked Iraq’s nuclear sites. It’s like if Canada had a systemic hatred of us, threatened to drive us ‘into the sea” and was developing advanced technology to wipe us out or threaten us. Do you think we, as a much more advanced culture, would countenance such a threat? No…We would hop into our fighter jets and destroy a few nuclear sites to protect the masses. I guarantee Iran is on the verge of the same…
Thomas S: LOVE that. Especially the feety-pajamas!
William, we’re talking about making cardinals, not saints. There can be a world of difference.
Tim Ferguson
You reminded me to go over to NCR, first column I saw was “Tridentine liturgies being celebrated in Rome” its just copied from Catholic News Service, so nothing apoplectic, that is until they start posting readers comments.
I sure hope, in this new year, that Cardinal Shonborn will quite prancing around at the false apparition cite of Medjugorje. He is the Cardinal Majoney of Austria, and a false flag throughout the Catholic world. His kindly face and winning personality could lead many to hell. Christ warned again and again of false prophets. Think Cardinal Villot: one of the most sinister men to ever walk this planet. The Catholic Church is full of the very good and the very bad. Btw: Cardinal Shonborn is very, very liberal. He allowed a very homosexual art exhibit in church property, he takes part in balloon clown masses, and is otherwise a man after the heart of the masses, instead of a bishop who cares to render eternal hearts to God….
Maltese: I am perplexed by Card. Shoenborn’s actions, as well.
I had great respect for him. He was the mentor of the professor from which I learned the Catechism of the Catholic Church in graduate studies. I cannot figure this out. I’m not ready to judge him personally; his actions, though, give me great distress. I never thought of him as a ‘liberal’…but what all this means does not make any sense to me.
All very interesting “signs of the times”. Unfortunately, priests have about the same accuracy rate as psychics when it comes to reading the future! ;-)
How about the Vikings win the SuperBowl?
Tim Ferguson: are you like, a mystic? A prophet? Can you share your method with us?:<)!
Great comments, Tim. A blessed New Year to ya’; hope we can connect again (like at the Shrine of OL of Guadalupe!)
Will the clarifying document re SP come out this year? Ever? Once the 3 year review process starts in earnest, will Rome bother with the clarifying doc?
I’ll add:
I will attend my first TLM in 2010.
The Vikings *WILL* win the Superbowl.
Just one tiny toe in this discussion. I have to heartily agree with Fr. Z about China. Think about it…we are China’s biggest creditor and we are going down. If you are a bank and your biggest accounts cannot pay, well….you see where i am going.
Makemeaspar,
You beat me to it. I wish I could have been a fly on the wall during Obama’s recent visit. I think he got a stern lecture about the stealth devaluation of the dollar he has been trying to pull off. The Chinese are not stupid – if anything, I see them finding a way to fix the tiny problem of their currency being linked to the dollar. Then, we will really be in trouble.
Fr. Z, I know you know of China’s view of its place in the world – the Middle Kingdom, center of the world.
Regarding a premium website, I agree with the others that it is a Bad Thing, whereas a book is a Good Thing. And any publisher, I am sure, would be more than happy to have you narrate an audio version of the same. And I would be more than honored to contribute photography.
Could Fr Z please expand a little on the Magic Circle club in Britain re bishops – fascinated.
Mine:
Yes I agree the pope will meet with the Russian patriarch some time this year.
Malta will get its first cardinal, and about time too, as Ireland has two live cardinals.
No, Rowan Williams will never receive the Nobel Peace prize.
Dolan will be a made a cardinal but not sure about Nichols in London.
Some major changes in senior positions in the Roman curia finally.
The health of the Holy Father will go downhill as he cuts back on travel. Already he is starting to look a little wobbly on his feet.
There will be mounting speculation on his successor and the two Argentinian and Ghanian cardinals will be at the top of the list.
PM Brown will be thrown out of office and the conservatives take power in UK
Well, that’s about it for now…..all speculative but am sure the pope will meet with Russian Kirill in a neutral venue sometime, perhaps also in the presence of the Orthodox patriarch, Bartholomew. Could come in late November.
Only God knows………………
“The Chinese economy will start to crumble”
This is slightly OT, but when will the entire Chinese system start seriously to crumble? The Soviet Union and East Germany are no more, but it’s difficult to know what is going on underground in China.
boko: Will the clarifying document re SP come out this year? Ever? Once the 3 year review process starts in earnest, will Rome bother with the clarifying doc?
I’ve thought from the beginning that — with a 3-year review built into SP — such an interim clarification would make little sense, that surely the proper occasion for such a document would be to provide any fine-tuning suggested as a result the review process.
Also, it has begun within the last year to appear to me that EF progress on the ground is out-stripping the initial problems. The majority of seminarians and young priests are preparing to celebrate the TLM. In some areas there are more priests ready than justified by the congregations available to attend their Masses. A premature clarifying document that addresses largely non-existent problems could possibly do more harm than good.
Bishop Robert Vasa just wrote a column titled Excommunication is a declaration of acts that severs ties, http://www.sentinel.org/node/10596
…In the same way, bishops who recognize a serious spiritual malady and seek a prescription to remedy the error, after discussion and warning, may be required to simply state, “What you do and say is gravely wrong and puts you out of communion with the faith you claim to hold.” In serious cases, and the cases of misled Catholic public officials are often very serious, a declaration of the fact that the person is de facto out of communion may be the only responsible and charitable thing to do.
Failing to name error because of some kind of fear of offending the person in error is neither compassion nor charity. Confronting or challenging the error or evil of another is never easy yet it must be done.
The adage usually attributed to Edmund Burke was correct: All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.
The Lord has called bishops to be shepherds. That shepherding entails both leading and protecting. In an era when error runs rampant and false teachings abound, the voice of the Holy Father rings clear and true. The teachings of the Church are well documented and consistent. Bishops and the pastors who serve in their Dioceses have an obligation both to lead their people to the truth and protect them from error.
My .02 cent addition to all of this would be that as the aging hippie population dies off, many things will change. In the secular world, the pro-abortion ‘I am woman hear me roar’ crowd will die out and there will be greater respect for life from the younger generation. There is already evidence of this, I can’t cite the source, but there have been polls that show little or no support for abortion from the younger generation. Hope lives.
TNCath: “many communities will go the way of the IHM’s in Los Angeles” Which way did the IHMs of LA go?
Ferde Rombola: Rather than obey Cardinal McIntyre, the majority of IHM’s, under the leadership of Sister Anita Caspary (the former Mother Humiliata), left their religious community and formed a lay group called the Immaculate Heart Community.
Here’s what Time magazine had to say about it back in 1970. Needless to say, it is a little biased, but it does give you the particulars about what happened.
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,876640,00.html
B16generation: I believe the email problem is on your end. I would be happy to help you troubleshoot it if you send a copy of the bounce message (including all headers — it might be easier to forward it as an attachment) to postmaster (at) walkereng.com.
“In some areas there are more priests ready than justified by the congregations available to attend their Masses” Henry Edwards
Send them to the Duluth Diocese, we want and need them.
Wow, that is a very pessimistic political outlook. I have more faith in our country than that. I think the situation in Afghanistan will improve as the terrorists find other rat holes to hide in.
Moconnor: Leading to a problem!
Do we follow the terrorists, in which case we’re basically playing a global game of whack-a-mole?
I wonder if Fr. Z has anyone in mind for the See of Southwark…His surname wouldn’t be ‘Hermeneuticalness’, would it?
Tim Ferguson: “There will be significant fraud and abuse in the US Census, involving overcounting the population in traditionally heavily Democrat urban centers. This will be exposed on Fox News.”
Which in turn will be dismissed for not being a liberal tool. Alas, the circular logic of partisan politics, bane of actually fixing a gorram thing around here.
Just to throw this out at TNCath: Even if “Obama fatigue” does grow, the Dems are more likely to change their party symbol to a platypus than they are to nominate anyone–even Billary–to replace Obama as their candidate in 2012. I can’t even think of when it has been successfully done; all attempts I can think of ended up splitting the relevant party. Only once (since the memory of man runneth not to the contrary) has a candidate overcome the handicap of a split party: 1948, when Truman defeated Dewey despite the defection of the Dixiecrats. (Practicing my alliteration …!)No, I think Hillary’s shot at sitting in the Oval Office has gone bye-bye. (Benedicamus Domino!)
However, I can’t be as optimistic about the “die-off” of the Hippie Generation as others. Considering the fact that they took de facto control of many prominent universities (and colleges within those universities), not to mention did significant damage to primary and secondary education for the sake of their social vision, Gen-X and Gen-Y will have to try to get educated within systems that trade off critical thinking skills for politically-correct ideology. The damage to our public schools is done, and will take a couple of generations to undo. In the meantime, those “educated” under the current system–and encouraged by the liberal-dominated entertainment industry–will be tough to evangelize … they will have to be taught how to think first.
Anyway: In my own response to InsideCatholic, I’ve predicted that Christopher Hitchens’ personality will continue to deteriorate at a noticeable rate, and that His Holiness’ visit to England will be a smashing success. I also have predicted that, while SCOTUS will likely find a right to gay marriage in the equal-protection clause of the 14th Amendment, the National Republican Party won’t know what to do with such judicial outrageousness. As a result, the Republicans will make gains in Congress, but the GOP still won’t have a hook to hang the next Presidential election on; that may not come for another year and a half. Tiger Woods will win another major title; the first installment of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows will have the most disappointing opening weekend of the franchise, and no one will care very much about either fact.
Clarification: By “it” I meant dumping a sitting President as a candidate for a second term in favor of another person. It just doesn’t work–or, rather, it hasn’t ever worked. Nobody’s gonna try now. Obama will be the Democrat candidate in ’12, whether or not he looks like a winner.
Not too much discussion (if any) here about the ICEL translations.
That could mean that I’m way off-the-pace and everyone else knows not to even bother making predictions for 2010 concerning ICEL.
However, the last I checked was that, although it’s looking (very) slim that the new texts will be ready for implementation for Advent 2010, the Recognitio on the major elements is imminent and we could know this side of Easter that a start point of Advent 2011 is feasible.
Possibly those who have wilfully imposed a snail’s pace progress on the whole ICEL reform will soon discover that their procrastinations have backfired on them; for if we discover in the early part of 2010 that a start date of Advent 2011 is feasible then that opens up a huge window for local catechesis and preparation.
It’s probably better that way around, actually, to deny the feet-draggers their excuse that they were only given less than a liturgical year in timespan to implement the changes.
18 months (plus) warning = no room for the “we weren’t warned/ready” excuse at all.
Combine the whole aspect of the ICEL situation with the three-year review of SP (this can’t happen until at least September 15th, anyway – July 2007 was just the publication date for the moto proprio) and it could mean that the back end of 2010 and the early parts of 2011 will see a co-ordinated liturgical reform offensive.
Perhaps His Holiness will choose the opportunity of the impending ad-limina gatherings for western English speaking bishops (and a not so insignificant – and quite out-of-character – mini-visit to the UK) to re-assert a simple message: the reforms are happening, get used to it.
Here’s one:
OCP will actually publish good liturgical music for their 2011 Missalettes.
(I know, won’t happen…but we should be allowed to dream, shouldn’t we?)
TNCath, thanks for the link re: the LA IMH community. I asked because our daughters graduated from their middle/high school programs and we were very much involved in parent programs. Excellent education and wonderful people. ‘Religion’ was taught every semester, but more ‘Catholic-lite’ than orthodox, due n part to the many non-Catholic students enrolled. Spirituality in literature, etc. Not a good excuse for me, but that’s the way it is. There was a Mass at every Holy Day, mandatory attendance by all, and they are pro-life.
“Having two Emeritus Cardinals of the same place still alive and kicking – even though they don’t vote in a conclave – is a reason. We’ll see.”
But Father . . . Cardinal McCarrick was made Cardinal in 2000 while both Hickey and Baum were still alive.
The word on the ground in DC is that the objection is to having two Cardinals of voting age from or living in the same diocese. So, it is said, when +McCarrick turns 80, +Wuerl will get the red hat.
Or, so it is said.
Sorry, McCarrick was made Cardinal in 2001, not 2000.
http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bmccar.html
“Here’s one:
OCP will actually publish good liturgical music for their 2011 Missalettes.
(I know, won’t happen…but we should be allowed to dream, shouldn’t we?)
Comment by markomalley ”
Oww. Mark, I hurt myself laughing at that one. Though it is possible to find some good music in their Music Issue, but it’s rather like picking vegetables in a very weedy garden.
Oww. Mark, I hurt myself laughing at that one. Though it is possible to find some good music in their Music Issue, but it’s rather like picking vegetables in a very weedy garden.
Comment by Hans
Hans,
There is, of course, the Graduale Romanum.
But that would be too simple.
If I had to put money on an American contender for cardinal, I’d pick Charles Chaput.
I think that were I Pope, I would give serious consideration to detaching the red hat from a couple of the sees in the USA and, instead, let them “float”. Perhaps there is an excellent bishop in some good sized city, say, the fictional diocese of Black Duck, which hasn’t ever had a cardinal before. Give the man the honor and role without connecting it to the diocese or city. And if the bishop is in a smaller diocese, say, the fictional diocese of Black Duck, fine.. move him, as a cardinal, to a larger place, such as Gotham City or Metropolis, when necessary.
That would keep them on their toes.
“Floating cardinals?” What a novel idea!
Well, we have certainly seen some changes in the U.S. hierarchy regarding cardinalatial sees. St. Louis already got “demoted” from getting a cardinal, and I can see the same thing in the future for Detroit. For the future, however, I could envision Atlanta and Denver becoming cardinalatial sees. As for future American cardinals, I’d place my bets on Archbishops Dolan, Chaput, and O’Brien, and Bishops Finn and Olmsted. And let’s don’t forget Archbishop Burke!
“Hans,
There is, of course, the Graduale Romanum.
But that would be too simple.”
Comment by markomalley
I’d settle for the Adoremus hymnal, Mark, but we’re not even there yet.
Father,
If I want sound Catholic commentary on matters religious I visit your site (among others.)
If I want sound comment on economic matters I go to economists. (I need to as I teach Economics.)
As far as Chinese dependence on the USA is concerned, have a look at:
http://www.procurasia.com/?utm_source=pA&utm_medium=rss&sty=444
scotus: Fair enough!
I respond with this and the reminder that on my blog, I get to post what it pleaseth me to post.
Those are my predictions. What are yours?
o{]:¬)
Here are mine that I posted on a “rival blog”
I predict that the Colts will win the Superbowl, even though I’m rooting for the Cards (Kurt Warner used to be in St. Louis.)
Parents will continue to cease giving their children Christian names. Girls will be given stripper names and male names, like Crimson and McKenzie. Boys will be given onomatopoetic grunts for names, like Breck and Gurk.
The Anglican Ordinariate will work slowly at first but in the coming years it will become more of a presence in the Church.
There will be one bishop who will excommunicate a Catholic politician who flouts his/her Catholic status while supporting everything that the Church teaches is immoral. Then the rest of the bishops will follow suit, eventually. This will bring further problems for Catholics in this country even more so than the ephebophelia scandals about 8 years ago.