2020 Predictions
1. Pres. Trump will be reelected in an historic landslide.
2. Pres. Trump will get yet another SCOTUS pick.
3. The Pachamama idol worship will not die and the Holy See will promote even more earth/climate worship/panic.
4. Card. Pell will be exonerated.
5. Francis will again hint about resigning.
6. WHO condemns Rome and Mumbai as unsafe to walk in due to feces on the streets and UNESCO will withdraw recognition of the Vatican City State for the same reason.
7. McElroy and Paglia will get a red hat.
8. The truth of the Holy See’s betrayal of Chinese Catholics will emerge.
9. James Martin will be made a bishop, but not in these USA.
10. Fr. Z will still not be a Monsignor.
How did I do last year?
2019 Predictions [+1]
1. Pres. Trump will get yet another SCOTUS pick. [-1]
2. Francis and the meeting in Rome about protection of minors will miss the point of The Present Crisis and do nothing concrete. [+1 – I should get +2 for that]
3. The Diocese of Madison will remain vacant. [-1 – wow, was I wrong, but.. who knew?]
4. The blog will be wholly renovated. [+1- huge overhaul and move to a new server]
5. The number of places with Holy Mass ad orientem will grow quietly but significantly. [+1 – this was a major issue – and quiet has been the key]
6. Card. Dolan will be made head of the Holy Sepulcher. [-1 – nope, it’s Card. Filoni]
7. Card. Wuerl will still be Administrator in Washington DC. [-1 – nope]
8. Holy See media policies and statements will make Baghdad Bob proud. [+1 – again, I should get +2]
9. A large number of priests will begin to use the Usus Antiquior but seminaries will become more hostile. [-0 – just when I hear that some seminary is wobbling, I get a note that another is doing okay]
10. Fr. Z will still not be a Monsignor. [+1 – O the humanity!]
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Thank you for doing this every year. I really look forward to an honest insiders look into future possibilities of the Catholic Church.
I also believe Trump will have a landslide both with popular vote and the Electoral College.
Holy crap, James Martin a
bishop?!
Love these annual predictions.
Didn’t Pope Francis rule that there will be no monsignors before age 60?
I guess you qualify now .
Rome and Mumbai?
More likely San Francisco and Los Angeles.
McElroy and Paglia Cardinals…Martin a Bishop. Sigh!! So much for a Happy New Year.
I fear the day Pope Francis abdicates. I don’t think he’d abdicate without the fix being in for Francis 2.0.
Besides, we don’t need for Popes to get into the habit of abdicating. The papacy is not just another job.
I always enjoy your new year predictions! I’m hoping Martin as a Bishop was firmly tongue in cheek..
On a future abdication, like Anita I really hope Papal abdications don’t be one a ‘thing’ the papacy isn’t a job. My mind also boggles with the thought of three living popes.
i very much hope you are at least -2 wrong regarding each of Nos 3, 7, and 9 (maybe -1^1000000000 for that last one).
For Anita – abdication could be a valuable tactic in eroding the institutions of the visible Church. What could be more effective than eliminating the mystery and majesty of the papal office? Two popes emeriti would dilute papal authority and sow even more confusion among the laity.
“I also believe Trump will have a landslide both with popular vote and the Electoral College.”
I think that’s far from certain, and depends on whether the Democrats nominate a centrist or a far-left socialist. That also depends on the economy. And I question how much support Trump will get beyond the razor thin margin that elected him in 2016. He focuses on his base but has a poor record of reaching beyond that base.
I’d rather popes resign than go senile and leave it to the College of Cardinals to theoretically “depose” him for “insanity.” I don’t trust them to do so.
1. Pres. Trump will be reelected in an historic landslide.
Most definitely. There isn’t a Democrat that comes close.
2. Pres. Trump will get yet another SCOTUS pick.
And the battle for confirmation will be brutal.
3. The Pachamama idol worship will not die and the Holy See will promote even more earth/climate worship/panic.
This will only exacerbate their credibility.
4. Card. Pell will be exonerated.
And will be forced to flee to an undisclosed location in the U.S. He won’t be welcomed in Rome/Vatican City.
5. Francis will again hint about resigning.
He may hint, but I don’t see his resigning.
6. WHO condemns Rome and Mumbai as unsafe to walk in due to feces on the streets and UNESCO will withdraw recognition of the Vatican City State for the same reason.
Not as long as Francis is pope.
7. McElroy and Paglia will get a red hat.
This will only increase the probability that Francis’ successor will be if the heart and mind of Francis.
8. The truth of the Holy See’s betrayal of Chinese Catholics will emerge.
And the Church will never admit it.
9. James Martin will be made a bishop, but not in these USA.
He’ll get a job in Rome, and the U.S. Bishops will think it’s wonderful.
10. Fr. Z will still not be a Monsignor.
In these days, you don’t want to be.
There hasn’t been a Presidential landslide since 1988 when Bush the Elder received 426 Electoral Votes and 53.4% of the popular vote; 2020 will not see a landslide. MA, NY, NJ, IL, CA, WA, HI, and a few others, will vote for whatever fool the Demoncrats run. So there will be no EC landslide. A reelection victory, holding the Senate, and possibly retaking the ‘House of Ill Repute That Nancy Built’ will be enough.
I still have this worry that Michelle Obama will get into the race, most likely through a brokered convention which should be easy to engineer since none of the current crop is likely to sweep the primaries. Then they will position her as a moderate as they did Obama in 2008. Of course if and when she is elected it will be Obama’s 3rd term essentially. Pray that this does not happen.
The other scenario that worries me is the GOP loses the Senate. They are going after some of the Republicans big time, like Susan Collins in my home state of Maine. If they flip the Senate then they can impeach both Trump and Pence and then Pelosi becomes President and we essentially have a parliamentary system like Canada or Britain. That would be a disaster in so many ways.
The title “Monsignor” has, to me, become a title of obloquy, but only because the diocese in which I live. I’ve been told that a cabal of young liberal Priests opposed the awarding of the title Monsignor to anyone because it was anti-egalitarian. Their opposition lasted until they were in a position to obtain the title, and they and their hangers-on were awarded the title. These gentlemen were the enablers and enforcers for our corrupt former Bishop who mismanaged the diocese while living a free-spending, extravagant, and morally corrupt lifestyle. Those guys have retained the title Monsignor and at worst have been removed from Chancery positions and relegated to being pastors of a parish. I think I am not alone in my view since a local Monsignor who was only on the periphery of the cabal has publicly asked that he be addressed only as “Father” from now on.
There is no such thing as a centrist Democrat. Those have gone the way of the dodo and the dinosaur.
Not going to happen. Removal from office requires 2/3 vote in the Senate. With 1/3 of the Senate up for re-election, there’s no way they’d gain enough votes to remove. There’s also no possibility of POTUS or VPOTUS resigning based on the facts in evidence today.
However, if you’re concerned about it then pray AND work to make sure it’s not going to happen.
veritas vincit says: And I question how much support Trump will get beyond the razor thin margin that elected him in 2016. He focuses on his base but has a poor record of reaching beyond that base.
Does the evidence bear you out on this?
As far as bishops, Rocco Palmo, a journalist that I trust, pointed out this week that a substantial number of U.S. bishops could retire in 2020, since they are around 75. Therefore, it’s going to be interesting. Personally, I hope my bishop gets to stay put (and not return to Alaska, which currently has a vacancy) and I hope Chaput gets to stay in Philadelphia, since he is in good health (I was a little sad that Swain’s retirement was accepted – I would have liked to seen him stay on in South Dakota).
Atlanta is still vacant, and I hope and pray someone strong gets sent there. Personally, I don’t think the auxiliary bishop will get it, since he is fairly young.
McKelroy worries me (it was sad when San Diego lost Flores when he died), and so does Martin. I don’t know if Martin speaks Spanish (I think he does) so I am wondering if Pope Francis will give him a see in South America (that could happen- there’s a Peruvian bishop – an order priest, but not a Jesuit, and of American descent – who may be retiring soon, and Chile has some vacant sees).
I am not Pope Francis, but I am wondering if Fr. Zuhlsdorf is short listed for Duluth (Minnesota) or Rapid City (South Dakota), which are currently vacant. My old pastor was caught by surprise when he was tapped for Bishop of Lubbock, Texas.
[ROFL! Nooooo. I’m on a list, alright, but it’s not that list!]
Anita Moore: Mostly that’s my personal opinion, based on my observations of Donald Trump. He does a great job energizing his base at his rallies, but I’m unaware of any concerted effort by his administration to reach out beyond that base of supporters. Of course, I could be wrong. But the bigger point is simply that predicting a landslide win by Trump, 11 months before the election is wildly uncertain.
(Now, that Father Z will not be a Monsignor — that I would bet money on).
Fr. Z for Pope!
Quo nomine vis vocari?
Barring a major health problem, I do not believe Francis would resign while Benedict lives.
I think it would be a little odd to have two emeriti, and a bit of an image thing if his retired predecessor outlived his own administration. Then again, if asked prior to 2013, I would have said there was no chance of Benedict resigning to emeritus status – shows how little I know.
.
I don’t think Trump will win in November in any sort of a landslide. At least some demographics and indicators seem to be holding well for him from 2016, so I think it is slightly more likely than not that he will win, but by not too much plus or minus 2016 numbers. Three of the most significant potential obstacles to his re-election are (a) whether the democrats can unite behind some sort of even remotely reasonable candidate, (b) demographics/turnout – he needs the 2008/2012 voters who stayed home in 2016 to stay home again in 2020, and (c) the risk of self-sabotage – he has a complete meltdown or McConnell bungles the trial.
veritas vincit, I disagree that Trump is not reaching out beyond his base. He is reaching out beyond his base in the most effective way he possibly could: by keeping the promises he campaigned on. I think we can bet serious money that he has won over a lot of people who did not vote for him in 2016.
With regard to 2019 #5 and #9, I will observe that not only does the extraordinary form as well as ad orientem in general (including the ordinary form) appear to be on the rise, finding a non-retired bishop who will participate in an extraordinary form mass seems to be getting easier, which is also a good sign. Twenty years ago, a bishop offering an EF Mass was a rarity.
With regard to Fr. Z and higher office, I read last week that a third of those asked to become bishops decline. I hope that Father would accept in the admittedly unlikely event that such a position were offered. I have to wonder what sort of men are declining and why and if one reason we are getting an inferior episcopate is on account of those who decline. For those out there who are offered– if you decline, don’t complain about those who accepted. No man is worthy, but unless a man has serious health issues that truly preclude him from serving, his first instinct should be to accept the call in humility and self-sacrifice.
As for me, the only predictions will be that Satan will continue to attack the Church in every possible way, and Jesus will be with us always (because He said so).
I’ve been saying for several years that McElroy will get a red hat and Gomez will be skipped over.
1. Pres. Trump will be reelected in an historic landslide.
On that blessed day the Fishwrap will finally surrender and the Commies will do public penance. After being taunted a second time, they will be forgiven.
2. Pres. Trump will get yet another SCOTUS pick.
Canon lawyer Ed Peters.
3. The Pachamama idol worship will not die and the Holy See will promote even more earth/climate worship/panic.
Greta Thuneberg will be appointed to the Pontifical Academy of Sciences.
4. Card. Pell will be exonerated.
Deo volente.
6. WHO condemns Rome and Mumbai as unsafe to walk in due to feces on the streets and UNESCO will withdraw recognition of the Vatican City State for the same reason.
Instead, before they realize what they have done, the UN will recognize the Holy Catholic Empire. Everyone speaks Latin, the Angelus bells ring out daily, the Holy Navy is not to be trifled with, the Blessed Baseball Commissioner is second only to the Pope, on Fridays everyone feasts on fishsticks, soy is a controlled substance and latte is barely tolerated, every woman is a Queen, every man does small-engine repair with one hand and with the other slaughters a wildebeest for dinner, the internet delivers a fresh Papal Bull each morning, on St. Patrick’s Day painting your face green and regurgitating in the town square is frowned upon, children squabble with each other in Gregorian chant, on Halloween every girl is St. Catherine of Siena and every boy Servant of God Vincent Capodanno, the St. Boniface Axe Company and St. Catherine Miraculous Medal Company provide employment for all, and at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow.
7. McElroy and Paglia will get a red hat.
A MAGA hat.
9. James Martin will be made a bishop, but not in these USA.
Nor in these continents either. He will be bustled off on a Space X rocket as the Holy See’s Plenipotentiary to Pluto.
10. Fr. Z will still not be a Monsignor.
But will lead the ZedHead cohort from strength to strength. Go to Confession.