Fr. Z’s Predictions for 2014
1. Israel will attack Iran (still waiting for this one)
2. SCOTUS will rule in favor of the Bishops on the HHS Mandate (still waiting on this too)
3. The “AFFORDABLE” Care Act will continue to flop and be unpopular.
4. The number of places in which Extraordinary Form (TLM) Masses are offered will continue to grow.
5. The Canonization of Popes John and John Paul will see the largest crowds in history gathered in Rome.
6. Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI will attend the canonization Mass.
7. Curial Reform will not make significant progress.
8. The Extraordinary Synod of Bishops on the family will leave people wondering why they bothered.
9. Former-Father Greg Reynolds will still be excommunicated.
10. Fr. Z will still not be a Monsignor.
“But Father! But Father!”, some are eagerly saying, “How did last year’s predictions go?”
Let’s find out.
1) Israel will attack Iran (this one’s running for the 3rd consecutive year) [-1]
2) SCOTUS will rule in favor of the bishops on the HHS Mandate [-1]
3) Pope Benedict will still be Pope [-1 WOW! Got that wrong.]
4) Bishop Finn (still there!) will formally condemn the Fishwrap [-1]
5) The Year of Faith will close; Pope Benedict will issue an encyclical on faith [-.5]
6) The Church of England will find a way to approve women bishops [+1]
7) More Anglicans will join the Ordinariate [+1]
8) Bp Morlino of Madison will be invited as keynote speaker to LCWR Annual Assembly [-1 Who knew?]
9) Italy will have another government (for a while) [+1]
10) Fr. Z will still not be a Monsignor [+1]
Loading ...
I’d say that went pretty well for this year, Father! :)
further to this year’s #3, Obamacare will still not be repealed, nor even replaced. (And I am not a fan of the latter; any honest study of the last 50 years of meddling in medicine by the Feds shows clearly that, if nothing else, they are not the people to “fix” what they have so purposely broken.)
and their still will be no initiative to have Obama impeached no matter how much he tramples on the Constitution and no matter how often he violates the will and the trust of the American people.
A difficulty with impeachment is the result it would deliver. Lather, rinse, repeat.
That is not to say that I would be unhappy to see Obama impeached, rather that delivering us into the hands of Biden replaces maleficence with utter incompetence. And impeaching Biden would bring Boehner, who is neither incompetent nor apparently maleficent, merely weak.
Sad to say, Fr. Z, I think you are safe on the matter of curial reform.
I pray you may be wrong about #10, however.
I pray for the SCOTUS ruling against HHS and for liberty, if for no other reason that it increasingly closes the option of peaceful resistance to the creeping tyranny of the extra-Constituional Federal government.
Nothing against Pope Francis or the media caricature, but I still cringe at the retirement of Pope Benedict. I wish he had been able to bear his burdens and remain in his Pontificate and pray that he’s at peace now.
I’d really rather see Holder impeached than Obama at this point, though appropriate digging needs to be done on both Fast & Furious, Benghazi, and the IRS as a political hit piece. One thing Holder has illustrated is how badly the DoJ needs to be out of the Executive Branch.
I’ve long wanted a repeal of the 12 Amendment to get rid of the awful primary system and return VPOTUS to an adversarial relationship with POTUS. Unlike the pre-12th Amendment VPOTUS, though, I would prefer the VPOTUS get a regular vote in the Senate instead of just a tie breaker and lead the opposition.
I think you’ve nailed it on nos 3-10, number 2 I don’t believe just because the Supreme Court has felt the winds blowing in our culture and decided not to get in their way (I hope and pray that I am completely and utterly wrong on that one), and as for #1 I hope that you are wrong because I am going to visit the Holy Land at the end of April…
Not going to be Mgr Z? C’mon, that’s a gimme!
3) Pope Benedict will still be Pope [-1 WOW! Got that wrong.]
I must contradict Hochwürden: he is “papa emeritus”. So still pope.
Let’s count a zero instead of -1.
[It seems to me clear that Benedict isn’t Pope any longer. Really clear.]
I disagree on (2). We will presently get a lesson in the quality of courage, quite possibly a disedifying one.
Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on our nation!
Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for our nation!
Why continue to predict #1?
Don’t forget #11 — The SSPX will still not be regularized! [Hey! This is my blog. And I am afraid that the SSPX are making themselves irrelevant. Do I want it to be that way? No. But this sink-hole is now CLOSED.]
addition:
The SSPX will not be declared schismatic, but with no regularization.
I disagree with some.
1. Israel will not attack Iran. It hoped the US would, and the US will not.
2. SCOTUS will reaffirm Hosanna-Tabor and shield ministers from some federal regulations, but Catholic insurance cooperatives and hospitals will be subject to federal regulations. The definition of minister will become more narrow. (Short answer – the SCOTUS will not rule in favor of the bishops.)
3. The ACA will continue. Its main reasons for unpopularity will be the narrow panels of providers which patients are restricted to (which is anger at the insurance industry, not at the government), a shortage of Medicaid providers, and fury at higher deductibles (again, anger directed toward the insurance industry).
4. The number of places in which Extraordinary Form (TLM) Masses are offered will continue to grow. (I agree with this 100%. The influence on Ordinary Form will continue to spread as well.)
5. The Canonization of Popes John and John Paul will see the largest crowds in history gathered in Rome. (Agree 100%. Poland will go completely bonkers, in a good way. Our Lady of Czestechowa will break into a huge smile.)
6. Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI will not attend the canonization Mass.
7. Curial Reform will not make significant progress. (I agree with ‘significant’, but it will make some progress. This summer will see many mild-level insiders assigned to parish work. More lay people will be hired to replace priests doing non-priestly jobs.)
8. The Extraordinary Synod of Bishops on the family will leave people wondering why they bothered. (Sadly, this is probably going to be true.)
9. Former-Father Greg Reynolds will still be excommunicated. (Agree.)
10. Fr. Z will be elevated to the rank of Monsignor and will be summoned to Rome to help Papa Francisco create a holy hell. The Pope needs a good inside man/strategist/Latin tutor. I am sure someone in Rome has been reading your wise reflections on reading Francis through Benedict, and your voice is needed more directly at a higher level. You will be Rome-bound this year. And not just on vacation.
My predictions include
11. There will be significant, bordering on earth-shattering, movement on reconciliation between the Roman Catholic Church and both Eastern Orthodoxy and Oriental Orthodoxy in 2014. It will be soon after the canonization of the 2 popes.
12. Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI will enter eternal rest. He will be proclaimed a Doctor of the Church.
Fr. Z., Can’t you skip being a monsignor and just be make a flying bishop?
[Could I have a Sopwith Camel? NO! Make that Flying Cardinal and a red triplane! Where’s Vincenzo when you need him?]
oops made-happy 2014!
I like #8. My prediction #8a is that the German Bishops will respond that it doesn’t end the conversation and will continue to “dialogue”.
Very nuanced analysis of prediction #5 for 2013.
Pope Emeritus Benedict will attend the canonization of Blessed John Paul II. only an act of God would keep him away
Israel will have to attack Iran.It’s at the point there is no choice.It’s their survival.
Can only hope Obama will be impeached.Biden is too stupid to be the evil criminal Obama is. We would only have to endure a weak VP for 2 yrs. Boehner would be better than both of them combined.
Curial Reform will take place. I think we will be surprised if not shocked
Hopeful Popes Benedict AND JPII both will be named Doctors of the Church
I have no faith in the SCOTUS.NONE
11. There will be significant, bordering on earth-shattering, movement on reconciliation between the Roman Catholic Church and both Eastern Orthodoxy and Oriental Orthodoxy in 2014. Agree but only that some will reconcile. There isn’t the autonomy in the Orthodox as in the Catholic Church but i believe some will reconcile-as did some of the Eastern Catholic churches did.Not sure i agree with the timing. That it will be that quickly but it’s not up to us,is it? When the enemy is knocking at the door ppl can’t afford to stand alone.The timing? Hard to say.Hope you’re right :)
Happy New Years Everyone. 2014 is just around the corner,know that :)
oops.The orthodox churches ARE autonomous.REWORD. *sorry about that.
anyway,Happy New Years.
Say a prayer for Barbara Bush 88,wife of first George HW Bush.She’s been hospitalized w/ pneumonia.
@boxerpaws1952, get ready for hope in SCOTUS, due to this headline:Justice [Sotomayor] delays health law’s birth control mandate
@boxerpaws1952 From your lips to God’s ears on the potential reunification efforts between Rome and the ancient churches of the East. It would do such good for the entire human race.
Israel might have problems in the future. The Jews in Israel suffer from a lot of the social decay that affects the rest of the Western world, and if they ever get themselves stuck in a long war that they can’t bring to a satisfactory conclusion inside of a couple of weeks and end up with a long period of substantial casualties then they will be in trouble.
People, stop with the predictions of the death of Benedict XVI!!
Besides, have you seen him lately? I honestly think he could outlive Pope Francis.
A blessed new year to all.
There will be significant, bordering on earth-shattering, movement on reconciliation between the Roman Catholic Church and both Eastern Orthodoxy and Oriental Orthodoxy in 2014. It will be soon after the canonization of the 2 popes.
If I had $100 for every time I’ve heard that reunion with the Orthodox is imminent, I would fly to Rome on my own private jet.
In addition to #3, the American people will be asked to bail out the insurance companies, and the administration will use it as leverage to achieve their true aims- a Universal, Single Payer System. This will come down in the form of an ultimatum to the American People. This blackmail will be lauded by leftist pundits and spun to be the Republicans fault, providing air cover for the administration. The only question left is whether or not there are enough American people left to throw the flag and call the administration’s bluff.
If I could be so bold as to suggest another:
11) Pope Francis will get sick of Eugenio Scalfari’s comments and tell him to “go to Hell.” Scalfari will respond by proclaiming that Francis has abolished Hell, showing it to be welcoming, human and merciful through his warm invitation.
As for the Orthodox (Giuseppe’s addition above), I’m also on the skeptical side. The Orthodox I know (and read) are not terribly excited about the idea. Many tend to see it as yet another vile attempt by the satanic Vatican to suppress them. The more optimistic ones are enthusiastic; all they would like to see is the elimination of the filioque, condemnation of St. Thomas Aquinas and other scholastics as heretics and a recognition that our Saints are the product of mental illness rather than true mysticism. Then they would eagerly urge their bishops to accept recent popes’ apologies for everything bad Catholics have done to them throughout the ages (which is the source of all their problems, of course.) They may even consider these advances to be a step towards possible talks of reconciliation (which would most certainly not be fruitful, but may show cordial friendliness, so long as the Catholic side doesn’t make any attempt to defend Western traditions.)
Yes, I’m exaggerating my pessimism; but to be very honest on this point, I’ve seen a good deal of optimism and enthusiasm among Catholics, but nothing but pessimism and suspicion on the Orthodox side.
By years end, either through increment (see below) or through a single seismic event (please God no), America, and by extention the western world, will have considerably less power and influence than at the moment.
Russia will flex its muscles where it wills. The bear will be tough on islamic terrorists, there will be some kind of Olympic based kerfuffle. Putin will, one way or another, make Obama look stupid and America look weak (fair enough, Fozzy bear could make Obama look stupid, but you see where I’m coming from).
Traditional American Allies will start making alternative arrangements, either by looking after their own interests (Japan, Israel) or by cosying up to the Chinese, Russians or Iranians.
Syria will not keep to any arms reduction timetable agreed with Russia, Putin wont care and Obama will do nothing. Fortunately, you wont hear so much about this in the media, because they will keep spinning that Obama is some kind of genuis who only pretended to want to go to war with Syria so that Americas oldest enemy could step in at the last minute to prevent a war.
High profile people will be persecuted if they dare speak against liberal orthodoxy over homosexuality. Low profile people will be prosecuted by the state for daring to act against liberal Orthodoxy over homosexuality. At some point this year, two people of the same sex will approach a Catholic priest and ask him to officiate a ‘wedding’. He will refuse and the hounds of hell will be let loose. At some point two people of the same sex will ask a Catholic parish to use their facilities for some gay ‘wedding’ event (photos/use of hall/etc). The Church will (please God) refuse. the honds of hell will be let loose. By the time the whole thing plays out public opinion (read – mainstream meadia outlets) will be firmly against the Church. ‘Liberal’ (read heterodox) ‘c’atholics will abound telling how the Church is in the wrong, and how if you open yourself up to the marketplace you must be forced to offer service to anyone.
Pope Francis will slowly find that the adualtion and the baubles from the world may start drying up, although he may get a Nobel Peace Prize first (however the devil in me would love to see Putin receive it). Pope Francis wont care particularly. He will, however, continue to annoy people who have decided that they dont like him. He may start to annoy people who love him for what they think he is, rather than what he truly is. He will continue to be misrepresented by the world. He doesnt strike me as someone whose slep will be unduely disturbed by any of this.
France will get worse, and there will be strikes & protests through the summer. There will be riots. the media will describe the rioters as ‘youths’. Your lyin eyes will determine that these ‘youthes’ will be of north african appearance. Mark Steyn will tell you what the media darlings wont.
Fr Z’s blog will still be the best place on the internet – bar none!!
“8. The Extraordinary Synod of Bishops on the family will leave people wondering why they bothered.”
Sadly, a self-evident prediction. Our revered bishops are overwhelmingly impotent when it comes to restoring the Family. And restoring the Family is key to restoring both church and nation. “Our Lady of All Nations, pray for us.”
Unfortunately, I do not think you will become a Monsignor in 2014 either. According to another blog, Pope Francis has decided that secular priests must be at least 65 years of age before they can be considered. Multos annos Fr. Z!
http://rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/2014/01/monsignor-moratorium-part-2.html
I just read the same thing:
http://vaticaninsider.lastampa.it/en/the-vatican/detail/articolo/31027/
Poor Father Z. They say that as Archbishop for 15 years, he never once requested it for any of the priests of his diocese. I’m interested in your thoughts on it, Father Z, probably in a separate article.