from the heelers emails

PAPAL DISCOURSES

----- Forwarded Message -----
From: J Balconi <themissjean@hotmail.com>
To: James Healy <elgransenor45@yahoo.ie>
Sent: Friday, 29 November 2013, 16:10:28
Subject: RE: from el cordobes i mean me

Happy Thanksgiving, James. (Actually, it's the day after American Thanksgiving, but you can never do too much Thanksgiving.  Did you know that Eucharist is "Thanksgiving" in Greek? Learned that yesterday.) I have no idea what "oolagowning" is.  You've stumped me completely.  I even tried the on-line dictionaries, but they insist you meant "hooligan," which gave me a laugh as I tried to imagine you being a hooligan in your e-mail! :)
 
Pope Francis? I love him.  The way I view him is this: The various media who painted Pope Benedict as the Big Mean German Rottweiler now depict Pope Francis as the anti-Benedict.  Pope Benedict washed the feet of youth prisoners: crickets chirp in the silence.  Pope Francis does it: The media applaud this UNPRECEDENTED move! Even when Pope Benedict did beautiful things, they talk about how  he "didn't do enough." (I don't know about Ireland, but in the US that's the standard media line after someone has proved that they didn't enable or ignore any corrupt practice. "Do you feel like he/she/you did ENOUGH?") They cherry-pick Pope Francis's remarks to find something they like.
 
What hurts, of course, is that many Catholic writers (especially young American bloggers) who really loved Pope Benedict are acting like abandoned children chaffing under a "stepfather" who's so different.  So they latch on whatever they hear from the press.  Never mind that our press initially tried to tar Pope Francis as co-operating with the Argentinian dictatorship. So now they're pretending he's Anthony Quinn's version of the pope and reporting only the juicy bits. 
 
As one of my brothers put it: If Pope Francis says something, wait three days for the English transcript!
 
Just yesterday, my father pointed out that Rush Limbaugh (a conservative radio host my father likes; my mother doesn't like ranters) reported that Pope Francis despised the "trickle down" theory of economics. If you don't know, that's the theory that as people gain wealth, their money "trickles down" to members of the service industry; e.g. beauticians and horticulturists.  One of Mr. Limbaugh's callers pointed out that the Italian phrase Pope Francis used wasn't "trickle down;" it was "overflow." In other words, he wasn't talking about economic theory; he was talking when you are materially satiated and give only the cast-offs of your surplus like a glutton letting the gristle fall to the floor.
 
As for a conspiracy against Pope Benedict: I don't believe it. He was looking forward to retirement when he was elected pope. Someone noted that years ago Pope Benedict seemed to have a particular affinity for the previous papal abdicator, so the Holy Spirit may already have been directing him to that end. Based on his actions during his youth and as cardinal, I doubt anyone could have pushed him to abdicate; Christ is the steel in his spine when the Holy Spirit gives him marching orders. Many people don't really believe the Holy Spirit guides the Church, so they see the papal election as politics and any deviation from the norm as a conspiracy.  Remember the assassination theories surrounding Pope John Paul I's death?
 
And now I have rambled myself. Or perhaps hooliganned. :)
 
So how is Ireland these days? Are you doing anything in particular for Advent? Have you followed through on your promise to the Lord during your dream? 
 
I promise my next response will be short, by the way!
 
Your sister in Christ,
MJ
 
PS I am attempting to attach a photo that explains the recent popes. :)
 
 

Date: Thu, 28 Nov 2013 23:30:18 +0000
From: elgransenor45@yahoo.ie
Subject: from el cordobes i mean me
To: themissjean@hotmail.com

Mornin Mj.

Hope they're treating you right in the land of the free.

Your last email, much obliged!

This one, vastly truncated after I rejected my first draft.

Too much oolagowning.

Any more Medjugorje anecdotes would be appreciated. Have you any information on the Audrey Santo case in Boston?

Oh. What about Pope Francis?

The lunatic fringe are saying he's an Anti Pope.

My problem is that I had reservations about him myself stemming from the possiblity that Pope Benedict was forced to resign in some sort of coup. The anti Catholic newspapers over here seem to love Francis. Francis' statements on abortion could be perceived as pulling the rug from under the Pro Life movement. His statements on apparitions, ie "The Blessed Mother is not a post mistress sending out messages every day," could be a rejection of apparitions. His statement that "the spirit of curiosity is opposed to the spirit of wisdom," looks unbiblical and unchristian. His decision to push forward the cause of sainthood for left wing Salvadoran Archbishop Romero looks like a political statement of intent. His decision to do away with the requirement for attested miracles in the sainthood proceedings for Pope John 23rd, looks dubious. The sainthood proceedings themselves for John 23rd also look political.

Whaddaya think?

Be blessed and write soon.

James