From the Herald Tribune:
A conservative pastor who suggested God punished New Orleans with Hurricane Katrina says he's relieved after passing up a papal promotion that had sparked an outcry from Austrian Catholics.
Pope Benedict XVI promoted Gerhard Maria Wagner to the post of auxiliary bishop in Linz on Jan. 31, causing an uproar from church groups and priests. Late Sunday, Wagner unexpectedly announced his decision to turn down the opportunity.
That's good news. One wonders if Fr. Wagner got a bit of a nudge before announcing his unexpected decision which resulted in such relief for him. Whatever. If he's the best the pope can find amongst conservative priests in his domain to promote to bishop, then he's in trouble.
Maybe he should elevate Fran. I think she'd do OK as a bishop and everybody likes her.
ReplyDelete+Fran, the first woman bishop in the Roman Catholic Church! Sounds good to me.
ReplyDeleteBet Benny called Rowan and got a few tips on how he handled Jeffrey John.
ReplyDeleteOh my! I am grateful at the suggestion but I don't think I will fit in very well!
ReplyDeleteReady for a move to Linz, Fran? We'll set up a lobbying group.
ReplyDeleteWhen you cast your net into the far right wing waters, you're bound to snag an apocalyptic nutter or two, not to mention the occasional anti-semite.
ReplyDeleteLa Tedescha has more egg on his face than a breakfast cook at Denny's.
Would Fran really want to be Archbishop of Linz? Anyone remember who was Linz's most famous son?
Bruckner.
ReplyDeleteLapin, I had someone else in mind.
ReplyDeleteThe former concentration camp, Mauthausen-Gusen is near Linz.
Of course this leaves us with the basic question un-resolved. How screwed up is Benny and his staff? They made the appointment before someone did a Rown to Jeffrey on this guy.
ReplyDeleteFWIW
jimB
Jim, Benny is plenty screwed up, and his closest advisers have to be the greatest of enablers.
ReplyDeleteLa Tedescha has more egg on his face than a breakfast cook at Denny's.
ReplyDeleteAnd you said you were the humorless Doug!
And thank you for "La Tedescha". I plan to put it to good use. In fact, I already have sent it around.
AH lived in Linz as a child, but was a native of Braunau am Inn.
ReplyDelete"Anyone remember who was Linz's most famous son?"
ReplyDeleteOf course I meant Ludwig Wittgenstein.
Then, there was that other kid in his class...
AH lived in Linz as a child....
ReplyDeleteEnough to pollute the place. However, I'm sure that some very nice people live in Linz.
Wittgenstein & AH attended the same high-school at the same time. Although they were the same age, AH was two grades lower.
ReplyDeleteWhat I have noticed is how loud and insistent the voices-- clergy, political and lay -- have been against this pope's f***ups. No one used to complain. The times they are a changin'.
ReplyDeleteThe sheep are not as docile as they once were. This is a retreat, the first retreat by a pope that I can remember. I suppose infallibility doesn't come into play in choosing bishops. The times they are a'changin'.
ReplyDeleteHere's a picture of little Ludwig and little Adolph together in the same class.
ReplyDeleteCounterlight, I shall treasure the picture always and forever.
ReplyDeleteTalk about putting old heads on young shoulders, Counterlight.
ReplyDelete