Our work here is done.

Posted on 4 February 2010 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Not quite sure what to do with this, but…

clowns

In other news, I understand that some important ad limina visits have recently been concluded.

About Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Fr. Z is the guy who runs this blog. o{]:¬)
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43 Comments

  1. Fleeb says:
    4 February 2010 at 7:25 AM

    Seminarians from Linz?

  2. Allan S. says:
    4 February 2010 at 8:28 AM

    Oh man, are those DEVO hats! I used to have one of those.

    Right now I bet that Swiss guard is thinking “Whew! No one’s going to be looking at my silly hat right now….”

  3. medievalist says:
    4 February 2010 at 8:51 AM

    Perhaps the English and Welsh bishops forgot to pack them up?

  4. RichR says:
    4 February 2010 at 8:59 AM

    I saw the title of this post on my Google Reader and had a momentary panic attack……!!!

  5. Tim Ferguson says:
    4 February 2010 at 9:25 AM

    …and this, Your Holiness, concludes our presentation on why the Archbishop of Los Angeles should be given a coadjutor. Thank you. [ROFL!]

  6. eyeclinic says:
    4 February 2010 at 9:49 AM

    At least it’s not during Mass!

  7. manwithblackhat says:
    4 February 2010 at 10:38 AM

    If the juggler of Notre Dame were alive today, I’d be reading about him at Rorate Caeli as being some kind of a heretic.

  8. B.C.M. says:
    4 February 2010 at 10:39 AM

    So that I’m on the same page… That’s NOT the ad limina bishops from the U.K. right? Because I thought Cardinal Mahony still lived in the U.S…

  9. irishgirl says:
    4 February 2010 at 10:50 AM

    Whoa-I hope the guys on the top don’t come crashing to the floor!

    I know that John Paul II liked circus performers at the audiences…wonder what Papa Benedict thought of these?

  10. chironomo says:
    4 February 2010 at 10:54 AM

    Perhaps St. Patrick’s Day? They look like Leprachauns…

  11. Thom says:
    4 February 2010 at 10:59 AM

    Without speculating whether the Man with the Black Hat’s speculation is correct, I do point out that Le Jongleur de Notre Dame was a medieval legend that I doubt was ever taken as historical fact (as we now think of it). Anyways, interesting juxtaposition in that photograph.

  12. Gulielmus says:
    4 February 2010 at 11:00 AM

    manwithblackhat– My thoughts went to the same place.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Le_Jongleur_de_Notre_Dame

  13. Father Bartoloma says:
    4 February 2010 at 11:39 AM

    Has anyone else ever seen the old photograph of St. Pius X, outside with a big smile on his face while Chinese acrobats perform? It shows that these things are nothing new and that such entertainment, in the presence of the Pope, is fine outside of the Mass and other sacred times.

  14. Tominellay says:
    4 February 2010 at 1:43 PM

    It’s a great picture! And still in this cynical world, there’s something attractive enough about the Church and the Papacy that makes people want to do their best in the presence of popes…

  15. asperges says:
    4 February 2010 at 2:58 PM

    No, No. It’s the bishops of England and Wales showing the Pope what they have achieved!

  16. Dr. Eric says:
    4 February 2010 at 3:12 PM

    “May we pleeeease perform liturgical dance at your next Mass? Pleeeeease?”

  17. Coffee Catholic says:
    4 February 2010 at 3:14 PM

    I pity the Pope for the things he has to endure!!

  18. Fr. Marie-Paul says:
    4 February 2010 at 4:04 PM

    Hopefully it’s not the proposed changes for a children’s Mass by some Bishops Conference …

  19. wanda says:
    4 February 2010 at 4:34 PM

    Holy Father, to himself..’ooh, if only I had my industrial size bowling ball’..

  20. The Astronomer says:
    4 February 2010 at 7:32 PM

    Father Z…that’s just a visual of the ‘spirit’ of Vatican Two…(couldn’t resist).

  22. Supertradmom says:
    4 February 2010 at 9:43 PM

    what an interesting life our dear Pope lives….

  23. Norah says:
    5 February 2010 at 12:13 AM

    A quick look reminded me of Bill and Ben the Flowerpot Men (English readers may remember)

    They seem to have hats in their hands as well as on their heads; perhaps they juggled with the hats whilst in the gymnastic formation.

  24. Supertradmom says:
    5 February 2010 at 12:20 AM

    I loved Bill and Ben, although very silly, and had forgotten about them. Thanks for the happy reminder, Norah.

  25. Supertradmom says:
    5 February 2010 at 1:49 AM

    Inspired by Norah: here is the dance sequence not seen in the still above; and in black and white; secret Vatican files.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOv2cUv4gcU&feature=related

    Bill & Ben the Flowerpot Men Dance

  26. Kaneohe says:
    5 February 2010 at 2:46 PM

    Vatican official show how the new security detail for the Holy Father cannot be topped.

  27. RCOkie says:
    5 February 2010 at 7:30 PM

    I happened to be up the other morning and saw this live on TV. It was very strange. As I watched, I just kept thinking, “Why?”

  28. Fr. John Zuhlsdorf says:
    5 February 2010 at 7:36 PM

    People didn’t quite get what I posted. o{]:¬)

  29. John 6:54 says:
    5 February 2010 at 9:12 PM

    The Vatican could do better. Take the Pope to a circus don’t bring the circus to the Pope. At least my tax dollars weren’t spent.

  30. Jack007 says:
    5 February 2010 at 9:57 PM

    As Fr. Bartoloma alluded…nothing new her…
    Popes have had many interesting guests over the years.

    Years ago as an aspiring trumpet player, I was a guest of Mrs. Louis Armstrong at her home. She had a fascinating story about an audience she and her husband had with Pius XII in the early 50’s. Pius was fascinated by Louie’s gold Star of David, his Primitive Baptist upbringing, and his Catholic, former Cotton Club showgirl wife.
    He asked for an impromptu solo and Louie pulled out his trumpet and happily obliged.
    Pius also at one point inquired as to the childless nature of the marriage. Louie replied, “Well, Your Holiness, its not that we aren’t tryin’!” Pius roared with laughter, then leaned in closer to Louie and said, “By all means, Mr. Armstrong, do not be discouraged, and do not stop!” (So much for the critics who claim Pius was a cold man who had no sense of humor)

    Some people forget that the Pope is somewhat of a prisoner of his own devices. Its not like he can just say to his Chamberlains, “Let’s go take in a movie and some pasta at the Tivoli this evening.” The evening has to come to him.
    He is after all, human.

    May God bless our Holy Father!
    Ad multos anos!

    Jack in KC

  31. Maltese says:
    5 February 2010 at 11:19 PM

    Coffee Catholic: “I pity the Pope for the things he has to endure!!”

    In this particular instance the Pope could have chosen not to “endure” this nonsense at all, as he could have chosen not to take his shoes off in a Muslim (read: false religion) Mosque. (Btw: why are modern prelates so penchant on lighting candles to false hindu gods and otherwise honoring false religion? Does this bring them closer to Truth, or succor their false conceptions?)

    But still, I love this Pope–he is clearly reaching out to Traditionalists as no Pope since Pius XII has….

  32. Supertradmom says:
    5 February 2010 at 11:24 PM

    Cannot this be a big good-bye to all the liturgical novelties?

  33. Francisco Cojuanco says:
    5 February 2010 at 11:53 PM

    Maltese,

    Lighten up, this was a papal audience – the acrobats were entertainment, nothing more. As it has been said before, entertainers have performed before the Popes for the latter’s amusement for, well, centuries. Nothing new.

    As for the incident at the mosque: just because he thinks Islam is a false religion, doesn’t mean the Holy Father ought to act like a boor. Taking off one’s shoes at a mosque is not acknowledging the truth of anything; it is just being polite (and in fact has a long history as a polite custom in the countries of the Orient, stemming from before Islam – it was and is customary to remove one’s shoes before entering a private residence in much of the Orient, whatever religion one happened to be; remember the first mosques were essentially private residences of local leaders). It’s a cultural thing more than it is religious.

  34. Maltese says:
    6 February 2010 at 12:48 AM

    Francisco: now I must agree with you: I should lighten up! In fact, I agree that the Vatican should now be a concert-hall! Great performers can travel there throughout the world to conduct performances (as many Cathedrals perform such functions nowadays anyways, where they’re not sold and turned into night-clubs.) The Pope, of course, will have center-box seating at all such events. Really! It will provide great revenue for the Church; and, in fact, the Church could perhaps open some popcorn stands to garner extra revenue–for the poor, of cours (at least initially, or Peter’s Pence.)

    I mean, Pope John Paul II was wise in conducting Assisi I and II, acrobat-displays in the Paul VI hall, and masses with naked indigenous people! Benedict XVI should follow-suit! Right? Lest Catholics seem stuffy? Afterall, she is only shepherding 1,000,000,000 souls; might as well teach them some clown-appreciation!

    Afterall, the Church opened her “windows” after Vatican II to the world! Let’s let those wafts of sulfer in!

  35. Maltese says:
    6 February 2010 at 1:02 AM

    …I mean, since people are so pious and holy these days, in comparison to centuries past, you might as well have the vatican hosting acrobatic displays, since such displays do much to bring young people back into the Truth of Catholicism, and thus reverse the tidal-wave of relativism inundating the western world….

  36. Maltese says:
    6 February 2010 at 1:09 AM

    Actually, if this Pope (or a future Pope) wanted to really damn the spread of relativism in the Church, he would make the extraordinary ordinary, and obliterate the now-ordinary mass–a mass whose cauldron was a masonic-protestant-modernistic cabal concocted by fiat in a cold laboratory, whose boss was a sinister man. [Do you want to lose your ability to post here?]

    If you doubt me, answer this one question: why do only 25% of Catholics now believe in the True Presence of Christ in the Eucharist, a (perhaps THE) central teaching of the Catholic Church?

  37. Trevor says:
    6 February 2010 at 3:44 PM

    Some people need to chill. The Pope is allowed to have a good time once in a while. And I think its great the Vatican continues to promote the arts (including the performing arts).

    You don’t take a vow of “no amusement” when you become Pope. The job is surely stressful, so its good he takes some time for himself. Some posters seem to think that unless the Pope is working 24/7, then he’s not doing his job…

  38. Supertradmom says:
    6 February 2010 at 7:36 PM

    I want to sing, “goodbye, farewell, ,Auf wiedersehen, goodnight” to all the clown Masses in the world, as if Pope Benedict was getting a farewell a la The Sound of Music for exorcising the liturgical novelties…

  39. Jason Keener says:
    6 February 2010 at 8:01 PM

    Perhaps this was Cardinal Mahony and his delegation from the Archdiocese of Los Angeles on the occasion of Cardinal Mahony’s ad limina visit. I imagine this was a live demonstration for the Holy Father of the latest and greatest in liturgical praxis meant to impress upon the Holy Father the truly healthy and vigorous state of the Sacred Liturgy in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. ;-)

  41. mvhcpa says:
    7 February 2010 at 7:40 AM

    Supertradmom said:

    I want to sing, “goodbye, farewell, ,Auf wiedersehen, goodnight” to all the clown Masses in the world, as if Pope Benedict was getting a farewell a la The Sound of Music for exorcising the liturgical novelties…

    AHA! Bishop Williamson of the SSPX was right–“The Sound of Music” has rotted the soul of the Church!

    http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/damianthompson/3682301/The_Sound_of_Music_will_rot_your_soul/

    (humor filter off)

    Michael Val
    (who thinks that anyone who objects to the Pope receiving entertainers needs to remember that the Pope IS still a secular leader and this is part of the Holy Father’s functioning as such)

  42. Rachel says:
    8 February 2010 at 1:36 AM

    Tim Ferguson wins for the best caption I’ve read in months. :)

  43. Maltese says:
    8 February 2010 at 1:48 AM

    “[Do you want to lose your ability to post here?]”

    No, sorry Father-I get carried away at times, attributable to my irritable Scotch-blood. You have a great thing going on here, so I will try to be more careful not to impede you…

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