Do you mind if I ramble a bit? I can't really get my head round all the things that have been going on since the Holy Father announced his abdication. Mulier Fortis says pretty well exactly what I am feeling. Father Blake has just published a heart-rending post about all the filth that has been bubbling up in the Church. It has been going on for a long time, but I can't help thinking of Pope Benedict having pulled the plug on his pontificate, and instead of the water going down the plughole, all sorts of unmentionable and smelly stuff is welling up from the U-bend, requiring vigorous work with a plunger followed by strong disinfectant. If only it were just a sweet little frog, instead of an ecclesiastical version of the plagues of Egypt.
I thought it a bit odd when it was reported that the Pope had directed the cardinals who had investigated and reported on the Vatileaks scandal to reveal its contents to the rest of the cardinals on 1st March. I read somewhere that the only copy of the report was to be locked in his safe, in his apartment. But what if the Camerlengo seals the apartment, in accordance with custom, with the document still in the safe? As to its being the only copy, surely thare is at least a memory stick or whatever they are called, or preferably more than one, secreted in suitable places? You see how my mind is starting to show the strain ...
But back to my point. It occurred to me that the Pope did not seem to have given his request legal force. Since his pontificate will end on the evening of 28th February, how could his direction be insisted upon after that date? Could the investigating cardinals decide not to do it? Could the rest of the cardinals - or the most influential among them - refuse to have it revealed?
But since then we have learnt from Rorate Caeli and others that this communication to the cardinals will not now happen, and that the whole matter will be handed on to the new Pope. Several bloggers have expressed the concern that as a result one of the culprits may end up being elected Pope. As if it isn't already enough of a shambles! Oh boy, lots of prayers going up from this corner of Gloucestershire ...
Natracalm is very good; also St John's wort*. Just thought I'd mention that.
*Update: Very good point from John-of-Hayling : "Careful with St John's wort - it is contraindicated with a number of prescription medicines!"
2 comments:
Careful with St John's wort - it is contraindicated with a number of prescription medicines!
best not to get too Dan Brownish about all these stories.....
Thanks for the comment, John. I'm not really doing a Dan Brown: my feet are on the ground, despite my concerns about the state of the Church.
Good point about St John's wort.
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