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Hope for the next Pope? Nope.
Eduardo Moisés Peñalver February 13, 2013 - 11:55am
I am with Garry Wills in finding myself unable to get too excited about the selection of a new pope:
[A] new pope will be elected by cardinals who were elevated to office by the very popes who reaffirmed eternal truths like the teaching on contraception. They were appointed for their loyalty, as were the American bishops who stubbornly upheld the contraception nonsense in our elections. Will the new conclave vote for a man who goes against the teachings of his predecessors? Even if they do, can the man chosen buck the structure through which he rose without kicking the structure down? These considerations have given the election of new popes the air of watching Charlie Brown keep trying to kick the football, hoping that Lucy will cooperate.
The selection process is utterly bereft of the characteristics of participation and transparency that virtually all of us would demand as criteria of legitimacy in any other context. It is possible, I suppose, that the process will somehow misfire and yield a Pope who affirms values of openness and accountability. Now that would surely be a sign of divine intervention.
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Agree. Garry Wills's new book, Why Priests? A Failed Tradition, was published yesterday.http://www.amazon.com/Why-Priests-Failed-Tradition-ebook/dp/B008EKMAKG/r... the first few pages he reminds us of what Jesus said about the Sadducees and Pharisees: "Everything they do is done to impress people. They enlarge their tefillins and lengthen their tassels. . . . Do not address any man on earth as father, since you have only one Father and he is in heaven."Wills asks: "What could be more against this teaching than popes who adopt the title, 'Holy Father'?"
I prefer Colbert for Pope -- and he schools Wills rather nicely here!http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/423715/february-1...(I think this is the closest that Colbert's onscreen and real life persona have ever come to meeting)
I wonder what Garry Wills would be like as pope?
Wills is right about the structure being more important than the person, unless the person has the sense to start dismantling the structure. I would never discount the actions of the Holy Spirit, but also think that the Lord helps those who help themselves. Dislodging autocracies is a tricky thing. Change will happen when the faithful get it together enough to give the bishops reason to change, through the exercise of their voices and their pocketbooks. I think he's off the mark on priests, though. Someone has to be designated to execute the sacred rituals. Doesn't have to be a celibate male, but it has to be someone.
John XXIII was elected by Pius XII, and if not by him by Pius XI. John himself was made a cardinal by Pius XII. Could he buck the structure without kicking the structure down? (There are those who say he didn't buck the structure, and those who say he did. And those, here and there, who say he didn't buck the structure but did kick it down anyway. We can ignore the last bunch even if they are prominent in this country.)I would think the cardinals getting ready for the next conclave know, better than anyone else, what's off the rails and are thinking in terms of who will fix it. The aura of perfection so many sycophants puffed up around John Paul II may have wowed them once, but now that Benedict XVI has restored the human dimension to the papacy perhaps the cardinals can do their job right. I am ever the optimist.
Whoops sorry, that first sentence should begin "John XXIII was elected by cardinals appointed by Pius..." (Hit submit instead of scrolling. Old age.)
Someone has to be designated to execute the sacred rituals. Doesnt have to be a celibate male, but it has to be someone.I hope you will consider reading the sample of Wills's book at Amazon. He reminds us in the first few pages that no one was so designated.
How sad, for both gentlemen.
Wills is right theologically. The Eucharist is essentially the Body of Christ which means all the fiathful as Paul calls us- the Body of Christ. Augustine states this in sermon 272 clearly. Orthodoxy refers to this sermon as proving Augustine believed in transubstantiation which is exactly the opposite. Wills is right about priests. This failed concept has brought about too many abuses whereby the
(continued, sorry)priests are sacralized and are not held accountable. It took Vatican II to make clear the opposite. So priests should refused to be called father in contradiction to the words of Jesus. Neither should the pope.
I was a young priest when I chose to write a master's thesis on the priesthood and (lacking skill in German or French) read everything there was in English on the origins of the priesthood as it was being lived in 1968. To my horror, I discovered that the priesthood as we know it reached an historical cul-de-sac sometime around the 300's. The national bishops' group asked biblical scholars to do the same study and I was comforted that those men, much more erudite than I, reached the same conclusion. The bishops then dumped the study. What Wills says is not exactly news, then. The problem began when it suddenly became fashionable to model priests after the Levites of the Old Testament. Since they abstained from sex while offering sacrifice, enforced celibacy could not be far behind. I disagree that we no longer need priests. What we need are priests and bishops who are not drowning in a huge sense their own essential difference from the ordinary flock. We need to get lay people, including women, into the leadership mix. We need married priests, male or female.
A wise and seasoned former colleague of mine (a priest) once told me that he doesn't expect much from leadership on that level (church hierarchy, the Pope), and he is pleasantly surprised if he gets it. I have kept that advice in mind ever since and have not been disappointed. And except for rare, but shining, instances, I have not been pleasantly surprised either.
No doubt what Wills says about scripture and the early Church is true. But as Catholics, we consider the tradition itself as a form of revelation, no? So Wills could be right and the priesthood still of value (especially if it is not limited to celibate males with four years of post-graduate education). Even in the secular understanding of the sacred, there is a soul who is designated to perform a ritual, and in the witnessing of it, the participants enter into the experience of the sacred. (Think the ritual of the Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, which certainly qualifies as a sacred event.) That's what we need to get back to, without all the claptrap of monarchy and clericalism.
Everybody wants to go back to some era when it was the "real" church, it seems. For Wills, sometime around the first Pentecost, I think. For the pope, probably around the fourth century -- though Bavaria in the 1930s is a close second. For others the Middle Ages, still other the years before Vatican II and others right after Vatican II. Nostalgia seems to be everyone's preferred theological lens. I just wish I could go back to this morning's Mass and fix the music...
After watching Wills on Colbert, I wish to say, as emphatically as possible, that I am not with him.
I prefer Colbert for Pope and he schools Wills rather nicely here!David Gibson,I think he "schools" Wills with the kind of things we learned in grade school and high school in the 1950s, such as Jesus made Peter the first pope when he said, "You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church." I thought Wills' appearance was unfortunate, but kind of for the same reason the author of The Rape of Nanking would certainly have declined to appear in a five-minute spot on a comedy show. Those interviews on The Colbert Report are often worthwhile when they sound like a bad idea, but there are just some topics that aren't appropriate.
God bless Gary Wills. He's practical, historical, and Intelligent. He also, most of all. knows how to put a little humor in it. I love the football and Charlie Brown.
I am trying not to be quite so gloomy as Eduardo and Garry Wills, keeping always before me the surprise of John XXIII. I fully believe that the conclave will be enlightened by the Holy Spirit. But I'm afraid I don't believe there's any law, divine or human, that assures us its members will take her advice.
My first remark was about the article in the NYT. I just saw the Colbert interview, and I think that I could never accept his stance on Transubstantiation. The Eucharist and the Mass is my greatest anchor in my faith.
For subscribers only, John Baldovin's review of Garry Wills's 'Why Priests?':http://www.commonwealmagazine.org/cult-hit
The spiritual traditions that I am most familiar with, Catholic and First Nation, specifically Oji- Cree all have a pretty strong component of ritual attached to them and somebody needs to lead this rituals. Usually, there is some kind of process and the leader of the ritual is somebody who lives the life and is recognized as such by the community. I am with Jeanne on that point. There is the sacred and we need to be brought into that space. I would bet that even in Christian traditions that have no ordained ministers such as the Quakers, they still have preferred "go to" people to lead services.
The celebration of the Body of Christ in remembering and proclaiming the life, death and resurrection of Jesus is quite sacred, redeeming and fruitful. We just do not need narcissists taking it over.
Garry Wills's blog post at Huff yesterday:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/garry-wills/solving-the-priest-shortage_b_...
The announced resignation of Pope Benedict has set in motion the process of selecting a new Bishop of Roman and leader of the Catholic church. Cardinals will gather in early March and enter into conclave and proclaim during the election process that they are voting for the individual whom they believe God has directed them. There is an absolute conviction that the Holy Spirit is guiding the Cardinals in this process.In his act of resignation, the Pope has made an ecclesiological act. He has reminded the church that becoming Pope is not an ordination, nor by the way is becoming a cardinal. There is no ontological change in becoming a Pope. The Papacy, or better, the Petrine ministry is an office presently attached to the Bishop of Rome. It is not a personal office as in priestly ordination of Episcopal ordination, even though it is always personal. One need not be Pope for life as Benedicts action reminds us.I am wondering if another ecclesiological truth should also now be recovered. Sadly, one has the impression from numerous media reports that the Cardinals under 80 will select the next Bishop of Rome and Pope. While this perspective is true for the process of selection, the Cardinals if fact must attend to the whole communion which is the church and act in harmony with this communion. The media reports paint a picture of a very exclusive hierarchical and clerical church. In fact, the Cardinals are attentive to the developments, challenges, questions and issues facing the global Catholic communion which has become more and more diverse. The Cardinals bring into the conclave the real Catholic communities around the world who enter into the guidance of the Holy Spirit directing each Cardinals vote.Perhaps this is an opportune time for the Catholic faithful around the world to become even more involved in the process of selecting the successor of Peter. Perhaps in the next two weeks Catholic can write, e-mail or text the different Cardinals and communicate the sensus fidelium, the experience, wisdom and insights of the various local churches who are THE CHURCH. Let the faithful be heard. We are a church of clergy and laity and the Spirit works throughout the body. Voting for the Pope is the responsibility of the cardinals, choosing a Pope is the responsibility of the whole church.
Maybe if the role focused more on ministering rather than cultic things (not excluding them, but not putting them in first place, either) then the title "Minister" would be more appropriate. The Protestants learned that quite some time back even if the "low church" ones did downplay the cultic things.BTW, John Allen doesn't think that all is lost (but, then, he is the internal church mouse optimist, as well): http://ncronline.org/blogs/ncr-today/why-resignation-may-mean-conclave-o...
I'm not holding my breath waiting for the cardinals to rescue the Catholic Church. Not going to happen for all the reasons written above. I have a deep belief that the narrative of the future of Catholicism, and Christianity for that matter, will be written, for better or for worse, by just regular folks, not irrelevant and alienated hierarchs.If the Holy Spirit even still bothers with the conclave she would contrive the election of a humble man who would recognize that the only way to save the church, the only way out of the mess that Ratzinger and his "brother bishops" have led the church to, is to LET THE PEOPLE DECIDE!Will the church have the wisdom to avoid the certain fate that the forces of evolution seem ready to extract from Christianity? I don't know if there is another J23rd out there - after all, geniuses of the human heart like that only come around every millennia or so.The best hope for the Catholic Church would be for the cardinals to have the humility to acknowledge their historic failures of the last fifty years. I just don't think they have it in them - I really believe that they believe they have been doing just a superb job!My sainted sixth-grade teacher, Sister Mary Adelaide, [referencing Aquinas, I think] always told us that "Grace builds on nature." All the evidence around us tells us that the cardinals' true nature is to seek after power and privilege. The cardinals are not the stuff of apostles.
Knowing that our primitive ancestors in the Christian faith did not have "priests", and knowing how the "priests on pedestals" mentality contributed to the widespread clerical sexual abuse of children, episcopal coverups/etc., and papal indifference to all the aforementioned, why the hell does the Church of Rome continue to refer to its ordained frontline clergy as "priests". As the good sisters taught us kids in parochial school more than 50 years ago, a "priest" mediates between God and Man by offering "sacrifice" to God on behalf of the people. Arguments for some kind of organizational/institutional hierarchy aside, such ecclesiology is the perfect setup for all the crap we've seen revealed in recent years (no thanks to the Church of Rome's leaders, by the way).Jesus never identified himself as a "priest" but only as a "prophet". Peter and Stephen acknowledge Jesus as "prophet". As noted, Jesus did not descend from the priestly line in Judaism. Baptism conferred priesthood (or at least admission to a priestly community) in primitive Christianity. At least Vatican II retrieved the term 'presbyterate' from the primitive churches. As Kenan Osborne has noted in his PRIESTHOOD: A HISTORY OF THE ORDAINED MINISTRY IN THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH, liturgical presidership was based on a person's community leadership. Today (and I guess going back perhaps hundreds of years), this picture is reversed: community leadership is based on one's liturgical presidership. I've heard that B16 has discouraged use of the word 'presbyter' in Catholic discussion. We need to jettison use of the form of address "Father". Absent anything better, I prefer the term "Pastor" as used in some other Christian denominations. Rome's protestations to the contrary, we do have de facto women liturgical presiders in the wider Catholic world. Do we address these presbyters (or "priests") as "Father"?I hope we get a pope who FINALLY moves the Church of Rome forward in the spirit of Vatican II. We must face our history, good and bad, and take corrective measures as necessary. We may need the transcendant --- but not the way in which it's been understood and exercised.
With all due respect for Garry Wills, the historical Jesus is arguably best understood as an example of a shaman.Now, all men and all women have the potentiality to become shamans. However, most men and most women do not develop this particular potentiality to the degree that the historical Jesus did, because they develop other potentialities instead to a far greater extent than they develop this particular potentiality.But in my estimate, the Jesuit spiritual director Anthony de Mello (1931-1987) from India did develop his shaman potentiality to an extent comparable to the extent to which the historical Jesus developed his shaman potentiality. I base my estimate of the extent to which Tony de Mello developed his shaman potentiality on his own perceptive comments in works such as THE WAY TO LOVE: MEDITATIONS FOR LIFE (reissued Image, 2012) and other works and on his spiritual conferences during his lifetime.Nevertheless, I agree with Garry Wills that there is no hope that the next pope will be significantly different from the two most recent popes.
I talked to three persons about the pope's resignation.- The first one said: "I am very excited. It gives a sense of possibility."- The second one said: "Yes, I heard about it, but frankly, no matter who is the next pope, I doubt it's going to make any difference for us in practice."- The third one said: "Why did he resign? He said that he was no longer strong enough. Could it be that the forces of evil are closing in around him? That does not seem very auspicious."
I think that it is worth noting that we know very little about the community structures and liturgical practices of the early Christians. So while the Church's account of its origins in the primitive church is idealized and unhistorical, I'm not sure if it makes sense to posit a different idealized, equally unhistorical model of what the earliest church was like.(Especially if it means talking about shamans. Good Lord, Lemon!)
My colleague John Baldovin's "Commonweal" review of Wills' book concludes:"Garry Wills is an erudite man (in typical fashion, he provides his own translation of Hebrews in an appendix) as well as a polished and persuasive writer, and he raises important questions about the ordained ministry. Yet Why Priests? exudes the same angry and bitter tone as his 2001 Papal Sin: Structures of Deceit. Once again he has taken a sledgehammer to an issue that requires a much more delicate instrument. We clearly need a good, serious book that moves the ball forward on the theology of ordained ministry, especially in relation to Christian worship. Sadly, this is not it."The erudite exegete of the "Declaration of Independence" and of Lincoln's"Second Inaugural" does himself no credit by the cavalier reference in his op-ed piece to "weird arguments contained in the anonymous Epistle to the Hebrews." So much for biblical inspiration.And though Wills extols one of Newman's essays, he might re-read the one that brought Newman into the Catholic Church: his "Essay on the Development of Doctrine," including the doctrine of the priesthood.
The last Pope who embarked on a program of "openness and accountability" ended up with his Papacy cut rather mysteriously short.
It's very surprising to me that a distinguished Augustine scholar like Wills would turn into a literalist-fundamentalist in his old age. True, some very basic questions about the priesthood need to be asked desperately, especially questions about bishops. Here again we have that same old theological epistemological question rearing its persistent head: what can we know theologically and how can we know it?
Here's an informative article from Reuter's about what does and doesn't happen at a conclave.http://blogs.reuters.com/faithworld/2013/02/13/discreet-papal-campaign-b...
Just watched the Wills interview. He seems to me pretty much like a Congregationalist. At this interview he denied three sacraments (if my count was right). He has every right to do so. As did Luther. But after doing all this, is it meaningful to call yourself a Catholic (in any meaningful way)? Just saying
To Anthony Andreass: your observation in trenchant. But Wills is still making "first half of life" statements, and asking "first half of life" questions, much like the institution he so rabidly criticizes. He is actually more similar in modus operandi to the institutional RCC than he thinks. Much like Bill Donahue and Christopher Hitchens were more or less the same, despite their cable talk show blowharding.
@ Brian Pinter. You are wise beyond your years.
What Gary Wills is saying is not new. Many Catholic theologians who are not intimidated by the magisterium have been saying this for a long time. Vatican II introduced the term "Presider" but the old regal chuch advocates ignored that and reverted to the priest, bishops and popes as semi-gods. E.G Maciel, JP II...
Brian Pinter,Since I have willy-nilly entered "the second half of life," what are the "first half of life" questions?
Interesting review of Wills's new book at New Republic by Kevin Madigan, "Winn Professor of Ecclesiastical History at Harvard and author of the forthcoming Medieval Christianity: A New History (Yale University Press)."Madigan concludes with this:"While quite intriguing to contemplate, Willss suggestion will never be seriously considered, either by Catholic priests or many parishioners. It is likely to be dismissed, therefore, as unrealistic, impractical and possibly unkind. This is a shame. Whatever one thinks of his proposal, Willss demolition of the many myths surrounding the origins of priestly status and function is in itself crucially informative and enlightening, especially for practitioners of Catholicism."http://www.newrepublic.com/article/112294/gary-willss-why-priests-review...
It is possible, I suppose, that the process will somehow misfire and yield a Pope who affirms values of openness and accountability.EduardoThis seems to miss the point since the RCC is first and foremost Christ's Church on earth and thus accountable to Him, not the laity. From the Catechism '...our Savior, after his Resurrection, entrusted to Peter's pastoral care, commissioning him and the other apostles to extend and rule it...' Unless I'm mistaken, your view of accountability treats the laity as God.
"... the RCC is first and foremost Christs Church on earth and thus accountable to Him not the laity.....your view of accountability treats the laity as God."The Pope isn't the RCC, though, right? He is a part of it, just like the laity. Why wouldn't the leadership be accountable to the rest of the membership? Isn't that a basic element of leadership? Seems like any other view would be treating, not the laity, but instead, the Pope, as God.
Fr. Imbelli, I am quite confident you have entered the second half of life, but it should be stated that age has nothing to do with it. Richard Rohr describes those in the second half of life this way: they no longer need to divide the field of every moment between up and down, totally right or totally wrong, with me or against me. People in the second half of life don't have the need to use religion as a belonging system or a mode of condemnation. They also let go of infantile thinking, and the need to have certain kinds of authority, "daddy/mommy" figures. They are compassionate and embracing, forgiving and wise. We are attracted to such people because of their open-heartedness and ability to give and receive love. They are wounded, sometimes deeply, but have allowed the wounds to be transformed into something life giving. They are not transmitting their hurt, anger, rage, and pain to others. I pray that we will someday have a Pope and church leadership which has entered this second half of life, but the institution as a whole is very much "first half of life" - concerned about structure, identity, rules, who is in/out, why we're better, why God loves us the most - the thoughts and arguments of teenagers. But one never knows. We might get there someday.
Benedict has given the SSPX a final chance (according to Rorate)"Rorate can independently confirm the report --hinted at just now in Le Forum Catholique -- that the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith has sent a letter with a final offer to the Society of Saint Pius X (FSSPX / SSPX): resume the dialogue with the Holy See by February 22, or else the Holy See will make an offer of reconciliation and full communion to individual SSPX priests. (What kind of offer or structural basis will be offered is unclear.)http://rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/2013/02/a-last-chance-for-sspx-plus-ssp...
One of the people posting on Le Forum Catholique says that the letter setting the February 22 deadline was sent at the beginning of January - not since the Pope's resignation.How accurate that is, I don't knowhttp://www.leforumcatholique.org/message.php?num=705325
How can anyone say it's their last chance? A pope is not bound by another pope's threats, but only by Jesus' forgiveness formula: seventy times seven.Maybe the next pope (DOLAN) will forgive everyone who was threatened, investigated, hassled, silenced, intimidated, excommunicated, etc. by the John Paul II / Benedict XVI regime.
Gerelyn, I guess he practical question is whether Benedict will take any action during his final week as Pope if the SSPX doesn't sign the Doctrinal Preamble by February 22. To do that, there would have to be a document already prepared and awaiting his signature.
That Reagan and John Paul II brought down communism is a shallow interpretation. Communism was clearly not working and the video tape brought reality to the Russian people never allowed under a managed news USSR. (The same reality is the reason people in the church have confronted the Vatican in the last 50 years. Rome cannot spin anymore.) The pope and Reagan just happened to be the leaders at the time.
Bill--Do you have any contemporaneous support that, in the 1980s, you believed Communism was clearly not working? It's funny, we all Reaganites "now", though I recall 40% of the country did not vote for him "then."Methinks I must still be in my first half of life.
Oh thats a good one Bill; the VCR brought down soviet Communism. Hmmm. Reagan, Thatcher, Gorbachov, John Paul II, even Boris Yelstin, none of them had any bearing on the matter? Wow.In any case, the cardinals will implore the Holy Spirit to guide them in selecting the next pope, they will listen carefully and then we will have a new pope.As for the ever pressing issues like bc pills etc., the new pope will no doubt give those matters all the thoughtful consideration they deserve.
About the Author
Eduardo Moisés Peñalver is the Allan R. Tessler Dean of the Cornell Law School. He is the author of numerous books and articles on the subjects of property and land use law.


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Opening a restaurant is an exciting time for the owner. Months or even years of hard work finally come together in a combination of anxiety, stress, joy and anticipation for actually running the business. As you build your timeline and plan your opening budget, be prepared to decide the best time to open your doors to the public.
Choosing when to open can impact your early sales. The best time of year to open has to do with where your restaurant is located. A host of factors could influence the business you get on opening day. Be sure to think about the time of year, the local climate and even your personal life when planning your opening day.
Seasonal Changes
Summer months are generally busy months for restaurants. Still, some owners plan to open during the slower months, like autumn and spring, in order to give staff time to prepare for the busier, warmer months and holidays. Consider your restaurant concept as well as the local climate. Someone preparing to open an ice cream shop, for example, may want to open during spring or early summer, when people are more apt to go out for a cold treat.
During the major winter holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas, business can either be non-existent or overwhelming. Opening a restaurant in a retail-heavy location during the holiday season can bring a lot of business right away, so think about whether this would be a good move for your restaurant.
Local Events
As you plan when you will open, consider how local events could help or hinder your business. In general, restaurant owners want attention on their new restaurants, so people will be excited to dine there. Sometimes, local events can help by bringing attention to your area. For instance, annual conventions, parades and athletic events may bring large groups of people together in the same area as your new restaurant, providing a great opportunity to show off the newly opened eatery to many people at once. On the other hand, big events that take place outside your trade area may pull traffic away from your new restaurant, not only decreasing potential customers but also making it more difficult for you to get the press you need. When possible, stay aware of local events and schedule your opening accordingly.
Family and Personal Affairs
As it is, balancing a family and a restaurant is never easy. Be sure you do not make it more difficult by scheduling your opening day when your family is expecting a new baby or when you have a major surgery scheduled. You cannot plan for everything, but be sure to check your calendar if you think you may have conflicting family or personal plans.
Do not feel discouraged, however, if people are not breaking down the door in anticipation. In fact, many restaurants take time to develop a customer base and steady sales. Focus on perfecting your restaurant operations as much as possible so that your food and service is impeccable once business picks up.
Once you have a date scheduled, you can begin to plan your grand opening. A grand opening describes the new restaurant's celebrated opening day. To prepare for a grand opening, restaurant owners and managers saturate the local market with advertisements and announcements to invite guests for the first day of business. A restaurant may send out direct mail coupons or hang highly visible banners to get even more attention. The purpose of a grand opening is to promote your restaurant and attract as many guests as possible. You may even initiate a special grand opening event to do so.
However, not everything goes right the first time. This is especially true with brand new restaurants. Rarely does an operation run completely problem-free during the first few days or even weeks of being open. A flood of customers arriving to the restaurant immediately after it opens can overwhelm the staff and result in less than perfect service. It takes effort and practice to get a restaurant operation to consistently run smoothly.
To avoid an overwhelming opening day, restaurant owners often schedule a soft opening. This is the term for a practice period when a business opens its doors without any major fanfare. A soft opening is not advertised except by word-of-mouth, usually to employees' friends and family. Sometimes restaurants will even schedule a window of time before the grand opening called a "preview" or a "sneak peak." This is a time customers can eat for free, so staff can practice making and serving the food. The crowd attending a restaurant's soft opening is usually much more manageable in volume.
Another benefit of scheduling a soft opening is that guests are usually more accepting of minor mistakes if they know the restaurant is still not fully open. This allows the staff to get a feel for operating the restaurant while still giving them several days or even weeks to settle any major issues before the grand opening. Scheduling both a soft opening day and a grand opening will give the restaurant staff a better chance of running a successful operation.
Opening day is a big day for a restaurant. A restaurant's grand opening signals the end of preparation and the beginning of operation. As such, the opening day can be seen as a sort of gateway from planning to execution. Planning for the best possible time of year for both soft and grand openings will help you know what to expect and give you and your team the best chance at running the new operation as well as possible.
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subset: commoncrawl


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D as in distortion.
Grant Gallicho December 5, 2012 - 5:02pm
Last Friday, Mollie did a superb job cataloging Bill Donohue's shortcomings both as a crusader against anti-Catholicism (which obviously includes using the occasion of World AIDS Day to call people with HIV promiscuous) and as a surrogate for the conservative movement (giving Dick Morris a run for his money). Her conclusion was pointed: "Seriously, your excellencies and eminences: what will it take to make you rethink the wisdom of encouraging Bill Donohue to act as your public interpreter?"
Wish I knew. Donohue has said lots of offensive things on a variety of topics, but his record on one subject in particular ought to give Catholic bishops considerable pause before lending him support: the sexual-abuse scandal.
Over the weekend, the New York Times reported that the clergy of the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph are divided on the question of whether their bishop should resign after being found guilty of one count of failing to report suspected child abuse. (A diocesan school principal warned the diocese about about Fr. Shawn Ratigan's "inappropriate behavior with children" in May 2010; seven months later disturbing photos of little girls were found on Ratigan's laptop; Bishop Robert Finn didn't restrict Ratigan until February 2011; and the police weren't notified until May 2011.) The Times story is ugly: One priest goes on the record recommending the bishop step down. Another says his liberal colleagues are using Finn's travails to push for a new, less conservative bishop. More than one hundred thousand people have signed an online petition urging Finn to step aside. The diocese has spent $1.4 million on legal fees. And the Times spoke with two priests who say that at a recent meeting of diocesan clergy Finn denied any wrongdoing. Yet he agreed to a set of stipulated facts that led a judge to render a guilty verdict. "I truly regret and am sorry for the hurt these events caused," Finn told the judge at the time. And now he's privately telling priests that he did nothing wrong?
Of course, none of that troubles Donohue. When it comes to defending Bishop Finn, Dr. D. is all in. We've been over this before, so bear with me as I rehearse some of the details. After Finn was convicted, Donohue offered his magisterial shrug, claiming Ratigan's case involved neither child abuse nor pornography. No and no. In August, Ratigan pleaded guilty to federal charges of possessing and creating child pornography. In December 2010, diocesan staff found staged photos on Ratigan's laptop. Child pornography always involves abuse -- the subjects in such photos don't pose themselves. That's why the Vatican amended church norms to include possession of child pornography in its definition of sexual abuse.
No one is hiding those facts. If Donohue had the slightest interest in learning more about the way Finn handled this case, he might have Googled "Shawn Ratigan." There's been no shortage of reporting on the case. But no. He remains undeterred by facts that complicate his view of Bishop Finn as anything other than unjustly accused. And so Dr. D. is at it again, peddling the same old untruths in a brand new press release responding to the latest Times article on Finn.
Observe as Donohue tries his hand at fact-checking:
The Times says that Finns conviction of a misdemeanor stemmed from his failure to report the Rev. Shawn Ratigan to the authorities after hundreds of pornographic pictures that Father Ratigan had taken of young girls were discovered on his laptop in December 2010. That statement is factually wrong. On October 15, 2011 the Times mentioned there was a single photo of a young girl, nude from the waist down, and hundreds of photographs of children showing upskirt images and images focused on the crotch.
No, that statement is what's factually wrong. Dr. D. is selectively citing that October 15 Times story. A "single photo" is mentioned. But it refers to the fact that the Vicar General Msgr. Robert Murphy described only one of Ratigan's photos to Rick Smith, a member of the diocesan review board -- and a cop -- in a half-hearted attempt to figure out whether the images amounted to child pornography. This is one of Donohue's favorite facts about this case. He can't quit using it to distort what really happened.
Thus spake Dr. D.:
Moreover, the diocese described the single photo of a naked girl to a police officer who served on the diocesan sexual review board, and he said it did not constitute pornography.
False. Msgr. Murphy told the cop that the photo depicted a girl in a nonsexual pose. He asked Smith whether such a photo would amount to child pornography. The cop said he'd have to ask around the department. But he hadn't seen the photo. Nor did he know how many others were on Ratigan's computer. When Smith got back to Murphy, he reported the photo as described might or might not be pornographic. What's more, months later, after Murphy had an attack of conscience and decided to come clean about the rest of the images in Ratigan's collection, Smith was not amused. "That's not what you told me," the cop said, giving Murphy an ultimatum: get the laptop to the police today or I'm calling it in myself. And that's just what he ended up doing, because it turned out that Finn had given the laptop to Ratigan's brother, who destroyed it. (The diocese gave the police a disc containing copies of the photos.)
Watch as these facts are run through the Donohue distortion field:
So why would the Times say that hundreds of pornographic pictures were found two years ago this month? The record shows that it was not until after the diocese called the cops in May 2011 that porn pictures were found on Ratigans computer.
That is definitely not what the record shows. First, the diocese did not "call the cops." A cop called the cops. Second, among the hundreds of disturbing photographs found on Ratigan's computer was a series that focused on a young girl's crotch. She was wearing only a diaper, and over the course of several photos the diaper was gradually moved to fully expose her genitals. Those images were among those first discovered in December 2010 by Julie Creech, director of information systems for the diocese. She also found evidence that Ratigan had visited websites selling spy-cams and two-way mirrors -- along with the Facebook pages of several young girls. Third, only after the diocesan review-board member called the police were more photos found on a computer Ratigan used during a previous parish assignment.
Donohue wants you to believe that the "single photo" was the only really offensive thing the diocese had to go on, that a cop definitively declared it nonpornographic, and that the really terrible stuff wasn't found until after the the diocese referred the Ratigan case to the police department. But none of that is true. The diocese did not call the police. Capt. Rick Smith, diocesan review-board-member, said the single photo might be pornographic. And in December 2010 the diocese was aware that Ratigan had dozens of potentially illegal photos on his computer. And on the same day those photos were found, Msgr. Murphy briefed Bishop Finn on the situation. (Wouldn't you know it -- neither Murphy nor Finn say they recall the details of that conversation.)
All of that is a matter of public record. The case was exhaustively examined in a study Finn commissioned -- a study Donohue himself cites in his outrageous closing:
Under Bishop Finn, the review board was contacted, the authorities were notified, and an independent investigation was ordered (the Graves Report). In short, Bishop Finn deserves better. The attack on him, coming exclusively from the Catholic Left, smacks of an agenda.
Gosh, that makes it sound like Bishop Finn couldn't have acted more responsibly. Apparently Dr. D. could not be bothered to read the report he cites. Because if he had, he'd know that nothing could be further from the truth. Bishop Finn did not bring the matter before the review board. Finn did not notify the authorities. No diocesan employee called the police. An unpaid lay member of the diocesan review board did. That is why a judge found Finn guilty of failing to report suspected child abuse. There is no conspiracy on the Catholic left to bring down a conservative bishop. This transcends ideology. Kansas City Catholics want to know what it means to have a bishop who violated both canon and civil law, and as a result could not even be hired as a parish volunteer in his own diocese.
So what is it exactly that Bill Donohue imagines Bishop Finn deserves? To be defended with falsehoods? To be left alone, while the rest of us pretend there's nothing strange about a bishop who was convicted of the crime that drove the scandal to continue in office without so much as a peep from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops? Is the suspended sentence Finn received supposed to be sufficient to restore the trust of the Catholics of the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph? What about his responsibility-avoiding apology?
Does Bill Donohue seriously believe that Bishop Finn has gotten a raw deal? Finn imposed appallingly light restrictions on a priest known to possess potentially illegal images of naked little girls, and when he learned that the priest was violating those strictures, he did nothing more than scold him. And what happened during that time? Ratigan continued taking illicit photos of little girls. "The images of my daughters private areas that the FBI showed me, they are forever burned into my brain," one parent wrote to Finn. "Shawn Ratigan was in my house, around my children in February [2011], and I thought my children were completely SAFE!" The parents of those children are scandalized. Bishop Finn is on probation.
So why would any bishop stand up for a man like Bill Donohue, let alone endorse his work? What are Catholics who are still struggling to forgive the bishops for the sexual-abuse scandal supposed to think when they see some of them supporting a person who has such a difficult time telling the truth about the Finn case, a man who has asked why teenagers "allow themselves to be molested"? That the hierarchy has turned a corner on the greatest crisis ever to seize the Catholic Church in the United States? Or that some prominent bishops really do believe that Bill Donohue paints on the "canvas of the cardinal virtues"? One of which is temperance.
Commenting Guidelines
Jean: I am against the idea of stopping to go to Mass. Do you remember that in "The Power and the Glory", at one point an old woman says to the main character: "You're a bad priest"? Yet it does not prevent her from going to him for Mass and even for confession. I like that attitude. A holy Mass presided by a sinful priest and attended by sinful people: that makes sense to me. We need the sacraments. My basic request is for people to be removed from positions in which they may cause harm, but after that, we're all together in this mess that life is.
Ann Oliver,There are two separate issues regarding Rembert Weakland. One is his paying hush money to a lover. The other is his reassigning known pedophiles to be near children. In that case, he is like Bishop Finn in that he mishandled his dealings with dangerous members of the clergy who were under his care. It is SNAP who charges Weakland with failing to apologize. I suggest that you contact SNAP Wisconsin if you think Weakland is being judged unfairly.
Donate to the Archdiocese.My husband made me stop the final few payments on a multiyear pledge after he read in the paper that our Archdiocese was spending money to fight laws meant to give victims of sexual abuse more time to sue in court. My husband really, really didn't like that. I am also not thrilled that my Archdiocese is closing Catholic schools but seemed to put a ton of resources into the "Fortnight of Freedom". It seems unfortunate we had money for the latter and not the former. So now I give the money I used to give to the Archdiocese directly to poor parishes. And I giving more to my own parish as well now that i don't give to the Archdiocese.
Hey Jean, I agree with you: "Seems to me that Grants identifying blind obedience/collusion with corruption in high places here and Eugene Ms piece on the Dolan-Donohue-Anderson troika are good starts.I no longer give to the bishops appeal (and he knows why if he reads his mail).And we can pray, certainly."Claire, I also think you identified some excellent protest gestures:"For example, instead of contributing to the Diocesan appeal, they can give the money to a local Catholic organization on which he does not have oversight, or to a local Christian organization, or to the diocesan appeal of another diocese which they would adopt. They can make presents to their parish in kind and not in dollars, so that no fraction of the donation goes to the diocese.They can cancel their subscription to the diocesan paper and subscribe to another paper instead. They can avoid reading anything Bishop Finn has written and avoid listening to anything he has said. They can avoid talking about him, or looking at him, or interacting with him in any way. They can ask for confirmation to be conferred by someone else; defer confirmation if that is not possible; or at least not take pictures of him with the newly confirmed youth."I actually think that numerous lay people have risen to the challenge as best they can. Bravo. More power to those who have not given up on change. People like both of you, and others, have not given in to the sinfulness of the status quo. In addition to this, I think we need prophetic voices from the pulpit. We need priests and deacons and bishops who are willing to break ranks and name the actual demons that are driving this thing. And I don't mean dish out the usual excuses: secularism and the media, our permissive society, etc. etc. etc. I mean naming the demon of clericalism, and the worship of authority and success, and the weakening of moral fiber because we put the perpetuation of institutional power ahead of the needs of vulnerable people and demands of justice. These things are sins. (Sorry, Jean, you're right about the Catholic guilt, I guess!) If these sinful habits weren't firmly in place, the first instance a child was touched, somebody would have been there to say "Hey, stop that" and they would have been backed up to the hilt. We know that's not what happened, and it's still not to be taken for granted.Our shepherds are not only shrugging themselves, but they seem to feel no pressure to keep us, their people, from complicity in these sins. That's my view. We become complicit when we get used to it, when we "take refuge in the impossibility of changing the unjust situation," and shrug or wink or throw up our hands, or whatever. For the sake of the moral life of Catholics, we've got to change this dynamic. No ideal solutions are on my mind, but I think that the collective wisdom of the Church can come up with something better than what we have to date.
Jim Pauwels,Unfortunately, I can not access the article you reference. Could you email the text to me? Thanks.
I gave up giving to the bishop's fund 3 years ago when I realized that the NY state bishops had hired a PR firm to lobby for them in the NYS senate. A Child Victims Bill has passed several times in the Assembly. It adds five years to the current statue of limitations on child abuse claims and allows for a one year window when victims from before that limit can make a criminal and civil complaint. It has never been taken up in the senate, due in large part to the lobbying by the bishops hired hands. Since I had been e-mailing and writing letters to state legislators on behalf of this bill, I had to ask myself why I was still giving to an entity that was aggressively lobbying against what I was lobbying for. The money I gave yearly to the bishop's fund, I now divide among groups I see that are doing God's work. Most are Catholic, some are not. These are dark times in the church. The only power the laity has is the witholding of money. No money, no power. A small step, but a necessary one. I can only hope that many others follow.
Frank G. --Yes, Weakland behaved badly with about the abusive priests. But he has admitted it in detail under oath. As to his affair, I'm not so sure that an affair, whether with a man or woman, should automatically and finally disqualify a priest/bishop. Depends on the circumstances, repentence, etc. It's the toleration of the use of children that is such a heinous fault. Actually, I think that many of the abusive priests have severe mental problems, which lessens their culpability. So I view the actions and inactions in the cover-ups as as serious and even more serious than the sins of the crazy priests. (No, I don't think that *all* of the abusers are crazy, but some are, and many are neurotic to the point that culpability is probably lessened somewhat.)As to SNAP, I don't know it's latest pronouncements, and at does seem unforgiving. However, what I've read indicates that Archbishop Weakland is truly contrite. Most significantly, his resignation shows it. (I might ask you -- why do you think he is insincere? Might there be some bias there??)The case that really drives me up the wall is that of C. Law. That such an administrator should be rewarded for his sins instead of being fired is jaw-droppingly unbelievable -- except that it did happen and it continues to give the worst sort of scandal after 10 years. It's like responding to Bernie Madoff, "Oh well, boys will be boys".
It would be pharisaical to think, "I could never and would never make Finn's mistake" and it is unhelpful to demonize him with overheated rhetoric. DPierre makes a point worth considering even if it risks mitigating the convenient picture of Finn as a baddie: "Lets see here: two computer technicians a diocesan lawyer a monsignor a vice-chancellor a psychiatric doctor and a deacon ALL allegedly saw the disturbing images from Fr. Ratigans computer, but NONE of them officially alerted law enforcement. Why not?!? The Graves report said all the people who saw the images should have called the police. Yet Bishop Finn, who stated he never saw the images, was the one who took the hit."To say Finn's bad judgment of people makes him unfit to be a bishop is rather sweeping. Who has perfect judgment in dealing with people? Who can even be sure of having good or fairly good judgment? And there is no interviewing process to examine bishops on their judgment of people.
Accountability is surely missing among those in high places, particularity bishops.
It doesn't take perfect judgment to realize, when you receive a long letter from a parish school principle warning you about a priest's inappropriate behavior toward kids -- which includes the fact that parents found girls panties in a planter in the priest's yard -- followed by news from your vicar general that the same priest had potentially illegal photos of naked children on his computer, nearly ten years after Dallas, that the priest poses a threat. Finn didn't ask to see the photos? That was irresponsible. As were his restrictions on Ratigan. No effort was made to monitor his Internet use. Don't forget, Ratigan left a suicide note apologizing for the harm he'd done to children. What sentient being wouldn't interpret that at the very least as an indication that the guy was dangerous? Even when Finn learned that Ratigan was ignoring the light restrictions, he did nothing more than scold him by phone. Finn was found guilty because he agreed to stipulated facts that amounted to an admission of guilt. He is the bishop. The final authority in the diocese. And his failure to report and rein in Ratigan led to Ratigan's commission of more crimes.
"Accountability is surely missing...."Jeb,It is, and what complicates this is that Bishop Finn has the support of his younger priests. Are they more charitable in their judgment, do they themselves have the conservative qualities attributed to the bishop (and thus admire him, detect a bias against him because of his conservative nature), or do they just want to leave final judgment to posterity? It is hard to say. O thing for sure: if the younger clergy are supporting him, he will stay put.
Clergy, at least some clergy, don't start from a position of objectivity. We feel bonds of loyalty to our bishops. In many ways, these bonds are good things, and serve the church well. It's not that different from the bonds of loyalty that most of us feel toward members of our family, or that a soldier may fell toward her commanding officer. I do think that clergy should be granted some - not unlimited, but some - latitude when their loyalty to their bishop is put to the test.If the priest or deacon or bishop is a person of integrity, then presenting him the truth in love will help open his eyes and open his heart. It may take several attempts :-). On the other hand, fierce frontal attacks elicit a circle-the-wagons mentality in a lot of people, including some clergy.
Jim P, I don't think there's anything to be proud of in tribal loyalty - it's a purely self-serving device that privileges the well-being of the in-group against the well-being of all others. Ideally, the church (like the military) shouldn't exist to perpetuate itself - its purpose is to serve the very people it is instead preying upon.
James Chichetto and Jim Pauwels,I assume youve read Grants comments -- the one that immediately preceded yours, and the earlier ones. Would you say that theyre truthful, accurate? If so, how could the loyalty of the younger clergy ever be a reason for not removing Finn? As Tina Turner might say, whats loyalty got to do with it, when someone has done what Finn has done, and failed to do what hes failed to do? Doesnt a tipping point exist, a point at which one declares, Enough already! He simply has to go. We have to do the right thing, regardless of whether the younger clergy likes it.
Gene - for myself, I'm not arguing that Finn should stay. I agree that there is such a thing as a tipping point, a point beyond which clergy, or anyone, needs to set aside loyalty to the church, for the good of the church. If that point has been reached in Finn's diocese, then some of his clergy may need to be *helped* to realize that. In my view, the path to achieve that is to tell the truth in love. I see Grant's post and his comments here as exercises in truth-telling. That is very powerful.
Jim, You wrote, I agree that there is such a thing as a tipping point, a point beyond which clergy, or anyone, needs to set aside loyalty to the church, for the good of the church.If they were to do that, I dont think it would amount to setting aside loyalty to the church. It would mean, instead, setting aside loyalty to a person precisely in order to be loyal to the church.
I maintain that Bill Donohue and his ilk are the foundational cause of the "Bishops Abuse Scandal. It is lay Catholics like him who blindly support the "Apostolic Hierarchy" with their words and money who are the true perpetrators of the criminal sodomy of children.The hierarchy of the Roman church would have a much more difficult time of defending itself if the laity was united in their abhorence of the crimes that the bishops have committed. So the laity who continue to support the Abuse of Power by all the bishops are abetting the continuation of a bishop's power to resume the secret practice of covering up crimes whenever they decide to do it again.The power to keep scandals secret continues to be systemic to the entire hierarchy. The so called "reforms" are cosmetic. In Philadelphia accusations were never sent to the "hand-picked review board." The pope in Rome immediately gets rid of Bishop Morris of Australia for even mentioning the future possibility of a married priesthood or women priests, but refuses to accept the resignation of Irish bishops who covered up crimes. What is wrong with this picture?Bishops on every continent (except Antarctica) have covered up the sexual abuse of children in over 26 countries. Most child victims were sodomized because bishops worldwide covered up the crimes and perpetuted the abuse of additional victims.There is too much evidence for Rome and the Pope to claim they did not know.Bill Donohue's words should be criminal in that his lies are helping the Bishops continue to deny their Abuse of Power. The underlying System of Abuse continues to exist. Unless the power system is changed, the sodoming of our future children and grandchildren will happen again. How do I know that? Because the hierarchy has all the power in the Roman Church and obedience to that power is absolutely required all the way to "infallible" Rome.If you don't think what I say is true, then I would ask you "What does your Bishop do with ALL the money you send him?" Truth is you not only do not know, but no one can find out unless your bishop lets you. There is no one looking over his shoulder checking up on him, nor will he let any "independent" audit occur. The bottom line is the laity are powerless. but the worst part of the laity are lackeys like Bill Dondhue. They continue to play a roll in the sodomizing of children.
'It would mean, instead, setting aside loyalty to a person precisely in order to be loyal to the church.'Right, Gene. As JAk never ceases to remind us, the bishops are *not* the Church. They're part of the Church, no less, no more.
"Enough already. He simply has to go."Yes, certainly. But how does one convey that to his younger priests?
"Yes, certainly. But how does one convey that to his younger priests?"Maybe something like, "This is a good and sincere man who thought he could handle and control a dangerous predator. He is not equipped to make the hard decisions a bishop must make in order to protect the most vulnerable members of the church."
"But how does one convey that to his younger priests?"That's easy. Rome does it. The younger clergy prone to support Finn surely would not balk if the decision came from Rome. As for the mechanics of it, that's easy too. They send in a co-adjutor bishop, then take Finn aside and persuade him it's for the good of the faithful that he resign. Once he agrees, he himself will explain to his younger clergy that they must all look to the greater good and not worry about him. Period. It's finished.But it will never happen. They don't take the crisis seriously. Judging from earlier events, I wouldn't rule out the possibility that Finn has already asked to resign and was forbidden by Rome.
"If they were to do that, I dont think it would amount to setting aside loyalty to the church. It would mean, instead, setting aside loyalty to a person precisely in order to be loyal to the church."You're right. I meant to write, " ... setting aside loyalty to the bishop for the good of the church"
"But how does one convey that to his younger priests?Take them to my old neighborhood where the Russian Orthodox priests always in cassocks, beards and birettas[?] with congregations of about a dozen babushkas, and show them the Roman future
Each day that Finn remains in office, each day that twisted hacks for the hierarchy like Donohue appear before the public to defend priests' indefensible rape, sodomy and exploitation of children, each day that bishops escape their accountability for the corruption of the priesthood, is another nail in the clerical coffin, another shovel of dirt on the hierarchy's grave.In a perverse kind of way, Finn's clinging to his office is a Christmas gift to Catholics that keeps on giving. He's dragging them all down with him.Jesus scolded the sign-seeking Pharisees and Sadducees of his day for not reading the "signs of the times." Catholics today are witnessing the slow-motion, painful death of the feudal celibate priesthood- the signs have been all around us for a very long time. Matthew quotes Jesus: "A wicked and adulterous generation looks for a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah.What kind of Jesus movement and church will emerge from the belly of the beast in the 21st century?LET THE PEOPLE DECIDE!
Rita's comment is correct. We in Dallas experienced a like situation in the 1990's over the Rudy Kos trial. The initial judgment was over $31 mil; eventually negotiated down to around $18 mil. Insurance companies covered roughly 50%. The diocese had to make up the difference - e.g. selling land that had been earmarked for future parishes or needed schools for minority populations; saddling parishes with higher payments/*taxes*, etc.This was ten years before the Dallas Charter. Kos and the initial cover-up occurred before his time and yet he made subsequent decisions that made him a part of the cover-up; excuses; etc. (there are indications that his witness testimony is contradicted by both facts and other testimonies. Both he and his chancellor publically stated that the parents were at fault, etc.)During the trial, significant and powerful catholic lay folks met with the bishop and (by their written account) he agreed to resign/retire at the trial's conclusion. The bishop reneged on that promise. Rome eventually assigned a co-adjutor but the bishop fought this (per sources, leveraging his personal friendship with Ratzinger). After a few years of heightened animosity between these two - bishop/co-adjutor, Rome moved the co-adjutor to New Jersey. Rome then allowed the bishop to remain until his 75th birthday.From a diocesan perspective, that 10+ year period has been tracked and documented - no serious catholic gave any sizable donation, trust fund, etc. during that period....many vocally stated that they would wait until he was gone. Pastors hunkered down; expansion plans; building projects, etc. were either held up or postponed. (one exception - the bishop did get his cathedral renovated; finished the bell tower that had never been done; and added expensive bells). Diocesan morale remained negative waiting for his retirement. There were public calls for him to step down but it was skewed to look like his staying was a sign of loyalty and integrity to his calling/position.This is hypocrisy - the church is put on hold to play to papal politics, personal egos, power plays, etc.
Rita,You wrote, it will never happen. . . . I wouldnt rule out the possibility that Finn has already asked to resign and was forbidden by Rome."If thats the case, its very disappointing. Why would they forbid him to resign? Honestly, I dont understand. And if they did do that, do you think theres any similarity between this and another story one often hears: that Cardinal Law had wanted to resign earlier than he actually did, but was forbidden by Rome?
Gene,You are correct that Law wanted to resign earlier on his first trip to Rome. Batista Re headed the Congregation for Bishops and was against it, as no doubt were others in Rome as well. The answer was no, tough it out. The fear was that Law's resignation might turn out to be the first domino.When Law got back to Boston, things calmed down a bit and it looked as though he just might make it through. Then the repulsive Foley documents and others were released; Judge Constance Sweeney said the evidence in documents showed Law's earlier statements about his record did not reconcile (practically calling him a liar); and those documents lost Law his die hard major donor support. That last was the nail in the coffin so to speak, except that a cushy retirement awaited him.Bill deHaas' recount of the experience in Dallas is another sad chapter in Rome's power games.I doubt that Finn has already offered his resignation though. He does not think he did anything wrong, so in imitation of the suffering Lord, he bravely carries on.
And let's not forget the Irish bishops who resigned under pressure but whose resignations were turned down by Rome: Bishop Raymond Field and Bishop Eamonn Walsh.
Again, thank you, Grant, for your powerful rebuttal of Donohue's distortions of reality at the opening of the thread, and at 12/06/2012 - 8:44 pm.
Gene P: "Honestly, I dont understand."Neither do I.Sadly, I keep coming back to Eugene Kennedy: We have power and you do not..."
Gene,I'd be speculating to say why. I suppose the domino effect is feared. I also think there is resistance to the idea of moral accountability for oversight. The resignations of bishops (Antigonish, Milwaukee) who actually performed immoral acts themselves were accepted. Carolyn has spoken to your question about Cardinal Law, and Claire's addition of the two Irish prelates whose resignations were not accepted is apt. There are others too, I am told. The costs, as Bill DeH. has outlined, are enormous. I share your sadness.
Accountability. We learned about that around Boy Scouts' campfires :"If you don't bear the cross, then you can't wear the crown" (From "Do Lord, O Do Lord, O Do Remember me")Resignation. What kind of a mindset does it take for a man who feels that, to do the right thing, he has to resign, but doesn't do so because someone forbids him to do it? Why didn't he resign and let the Vatican refuse to accept it? "You've done enough. Have you no sense of decency, sir, at long last? Have you left no sense of decency?"
Crystal: this tribal loyalty is a direct outgrowth of the knowledge that Big Daddy has your career in his hands. If you want to move up and possibly have access to a touch of the scarlet, then you have to play along with whatever Big Daddy wants you to do. And above all you must exhibit loyalty to him no matter what.Once the priest with integrity gets over this sense of ambition and possibly entitlement, then and only then will he do the right things.
To try to put some kind of a positive Advent spin on all of this:On the Mystery of the Incarnation by Denise Levertov (19231997)It's when we face for a momentthe worst our kind can do, and shudder to knowthe taint in our own selves, that awecracks the mind's shell and enters the heart:not to a flower, not to a dolphin,to no innocent formbut to this creature vainly sureit and no other is god-like, God(out of compassion for our uglyfailure to evolve) entrusts,as guest, as brother,the Word.
Jimmy,The Levertov poem is ravishing. Thanks for sharing it. I love her poetry, what of it I know, but haven't read this before. What collection is this from?
Wonderful, wonderful poem. Thank you.
Jimmy, wow! Thank you!
Beautiful - thanks, Jim.
Catholic News Agency says "Criticisms of Bishop Finn described as misleading, dishonest"By Michelle Bauman --- with the usual Donohue quotes and those from supportive priests: "Although Msgr. Blacet believes the attacks against Bishop Finn are unwarranted, he is not discouraged, but rather sees an analogy to the sufferings and accusations that Christ bore during his passion..." As I feared, Finn as the suffering Christ.http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/criticisms-of-bishop-finn-describ... now, Grant's rebuttal here provides much needed counterpoint and truth-telling, provided my link is accepted.
Thank you very much, Jim. Have you considered forwarding a copy to Donohue for his possible use in his Advent stream-of-consciousness effluvium? Imagine his impact if he used it as you did.
Carolyn - saw the same post. Msgr is 91 or 92 years old. Don't mean to pick on the elderly but not sure that I place much credence in his opinion - he is entitled to his opinion but let's not generalize or make some type of clerical statement.
"Most child victims were sodomized because bishops worldwide covered up the crimes and perpetuated the abuse of additional victims."(1) only a small percentage of the abuse victims were actually sodomized.(2) how can you substantiate that most crimes against minors (rather than many; or some) were due to episcopal coverups?
"lets not forget the Irish bishops who resigned under pressure but whose resignations were turned down by Rome: Bishop Raymond Field and Bishop Eamonn Walsh."Martin Drennan courageously withstood this pressure, rightly.Donal Murray should have withstood too. Now people realize the charges against him were unsound and he is praised in the latest report for his handling of the abuse crisis.Don't jump on bandwagons.
Note that the Vatican has trouble finding anyone who wants to be a bishop.
It's from "The Journey With Jesus: Poems and Prayers." http://www.journeywithjesus.net/PoemsAndPrayers/Denise_Levertov_Incarnat...
DPierre's sharp criticism (@12/6 9:50AM) and personal attack against Grant Gallicho must not go unremarked. Charging Grant with deceit, guile, being unbothered by the exploitation of children, distortion and blatant dishonesty is unwarranted and unwelcome here.Some background on Pierre may be helpful to discern his approach. I believe he and Donohue have much in common. http://www.associationofcatholicpriests.ie/2012/01/the-truth-about-false..."Dave Pierre is a journalist who operates TheMediaReport.com, which examines anti-Catholicism and bias in todays media, and the author of two books, Double Standard: Abuse Scandals and the Attack on the Catholic Church and Catholic Priests Falsely Accused: The Facts, The Fraud, The Stories. Dave is also a contributing writer to NewsBusters.org, a blog of the Media Research Center covering media bias."Below the interview with Pierre, is this helpful comment:Dr Margaret Kennedy March 13th, 2012 at 10:06 pm"I have extreme difficulty understanding Dave Pierres statistics regarding alleged false allegations. (32% in Boston) Even Father Stephen Rossetti, himself a Catholic Priest and therapist who ran a treatment centre for clergy offenders said in Rome in February that 95% of allegations are true! the John Jay research states only 1.5% allegations are false and most studies find the percentage of false allegations are between 2-3%.I do think other voices, other research on this whole area needs to be heard by the ACP. Dave Pierre is a journalist, does his experience trump that of criminal researchers (John Jay) and priest Therapists (Rossetti)Weird."A response to Dave Pierres book on falsely-accused Catholic priests...http://www.associationofcatholicpriests.ie/2012/03/re-catholic-priests-f... 3/18/12In the interest of transparency:http://www.associationofcatholicpriests.ie/2012/03/dave-pierre-author-of... 3/19/12I believe Grant deserves much better.
How the complexity of our relation to the church hierarchy is interfering with our prayer.In my parish the prayers of the faithful are prepared by parishioners. Today's prayer: "For the pope, bishops, priests and deacons - the representatives of Christ on earth - as they teach us the truths of God's law" (or something like that). Upon hearing: "for the pope, bishops, priests and deacons", I wondered with unease what was coming next, but reminded myself that of course they needed our prayers. Then I heard "the representatives of Christ on earth", thought to myself that it is not just in them that we see Christ, but started wondering what "representatives" really meant and whether I might be able to assent to what was being said. That train of thought threw me off and by the time the third part of the sentence came (which I can't remember word for word), I was too confused to decide whether to join in, and my vague mumble was between a response or non-response. Also, was there an agenda behind the prayer? Was it a coded way to ask us to pray for their campaign against gay marriage? Or on the contrary, was it a suggestion that we should follow them only when they themselves are faithfully following Christ? These days, nothing is simple when pope and bishops are mentioned in the prayer of the faithful.
Re: Its from The Journey With Jesus: Poems and Prayers. http://www.journeywithjesus.net/PoemsAndPrayers/Denise_Levertov_Incarnat... be clear for those who haven't looked at the link yet. The link is to the source where I saw the poem. It isn't to any collection of Levertov's.Here is a link to her thoughts: http://books.google.com/books?id=J0Ly9rX6e54C&pg=PA186&lpg=PA186&dq=on+t...
Jim,Along the line of the role of imagination in faith, see "The Healing Imagination" by Ann Ulanov, a penetrating study. Fictions of real possibilities..."a central resource of the life of the psyche and the life of the spirit"...The last chapter on Resurrection is masterful.Sample it at http://books.google.com/books?id=w2sSEmb5A80C&pg=PA1&lpg=PP1&dq=The+Heal... Resurrection: http://books.google.com/books?id=w2sSEmb5A80C&pg=PA1&lpg=PP1&dq=The+Heal...
co-written with husband Barry Ulanov -- sorry


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Hello all you beautiful people!! I recently went to Los Angeles to shoot for world famous fashion store and brand, FOREVER 21!!! It was an absolutely amazing experience not to mention my first big international shoot! They have a dream team of stylists, photographers, make-up artists and hair artists which made everyday on set a blast!!
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tnpir4002 wrote:@starship: I'll have you know before we go any further that one of your creations (your NCC-1701-B, to be specific) was featured in my recently-completed fan film "Star Trek: Retribution." You do good work! (Don't worry, you were credited during the end credits as "J. 'starship' Cassio")
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I was I was diagnosed with ADD/ADHD at the age of 40. I had ADD all my life but nothing was done about it except for being punished at school for being disruptive and talking. Morning after I took Ritalin (generic)for the first time I woke up with my mind going full speed. I realized what it was like to be a morning person and the feeling was wonderful. Unfortunately this only lasted a couple of weeks. The side effects were that after a couple of months I had a lot of tension in my jaw and would sometimes grind my teeth. This went away when I stopped using it, but only after several months. To avoid the side effects but keep the benefits I get a prescription from my doctor for two weeks worth of Ritalin every year. I wish I could've had this in high school and all the years before that. It would've made life a lot easier and I believe I could've been much more successful and disciplined.
It is the only thing that has helped my depression. I had just low grade chronic depression, tried antidepressants which either made me tired which antidepressants that made me tired made me even more depressed as I couldn't get things done or focus, tried other types they made me hostile, I was severe at procrastinating, lacked motivation. I started at 30mg Ritalin alone, adjusted to a dose of 60mg and have been on that dose 5 years adjusting it to how I feel, worked a miracle, can take it as needed, I can break it up to make my own time released way. I didn't handle time release forms well as sometimes it is too much this way I can read how my body feels and adjust it. I have energy and motivation during the day, and sleep well at night. my recommend rate is only 3, all body's react different, I think of children who are to young to read how their body and brain is reacting, sometimes it can be to much and you feel anxiety, hostile, so some days I use less.
Works very well. Very low cost
Ritilan treats my Narcolepsy or consistent fatigue great. Unfortunately, the feeling of being awake does not last but a few hours. It would be great to be prescribed more of this, but there is a chance of abuse. Personally, my doctor does not wish to risk anything. So, I have to be smart with what he gives me.
I've been diagnosed ADD since I was 7 years old. I initially used Ritalin in its early stages when I was diagnosed, and it worked well from what I can remember. I had also tried Adderall, which gave me the shakes and kept me up at night. I was eventually prescribed Concerta in my teens and found its effects to be very sobering and depressing. On my own occord, I chose to nix my medication and remained prescription free until college. When I found it difficult to keep attention to my studies, I went back to my psychiatrist and tried Ritalin LA. It works like a charm for me. For the entire duration of the medicine (6 hours) I am highly attentive and productive, so much to the point that I have lost track of time as I complete work and tasks. The prescription cost $40 for 90 pills under a BlueCross BlueShield PPO.
I've had severe depression and suicidal feelings almost all the time since I was about 13. I'm 27 now and this year have tried ritalin for focus. It has not only helped me with my school work at college, but gives me more energy, confidence, and my depression seems to go away. It does ware off throughout the day but it's nice to have for at least the daytime. I would recommend it, it couldn't hurt to try it (at least that's how I feel). Ask your doctor about this.
I've been on prozac for a couple of years for depression. After the birth of my 4th child, I became more depressed then ever. I was perscribed ritalin with the prozac. What a great difference! I was more focused, and had a little more energy then I had before. The depression was totally gone, and still is. Three years later, I'm still taking both medications, and feeling fine. I don't know any long term effects, but I do know that I'm one happy mother!
27yr-old Australian guy who suffers from severe clinical depression and general anxiety. On Lexapro 80mg/daily and Remeron/Avanzo 45mg/nightly. Over a month ago my psych had mentioned to me about adding Ritalin to the mix as he had had good results with other patients in helping with depression to remove the negative feelings and also help me to organize and concentrate on my life-one thing at a time.Its over 1 month now and I take 30mg a day and my life has changed!It's a wonderdrug for depression and literally leaves you feeling confident and in control,and gives you that extra energy to do things. It makes me into that "normal" person and gives me that "normal persons" energy.I think its great, I love it, and highly recommend it to any really depressed patient to ask their Dr or Psych to see if they can add it to their arsenal of drugs against your depression.Used alone it wouldn't work. But along with an anti-depressant(s) - it's certainly worth a shot.
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Alaska is a state of superlatives, so it's fitting that the state's eight national parks contain the nation's highest peak, the largest landmass, and some of the wildest areas in the world.
Australia, with its expansive coastlines, fascinating wildlife, breathtaking landscapes and rugged outback, is essentially synonymous with adventure.
In Germany, the 39th session of UNESCO's World Heritage Committee admitted 24 new properties to the registry of World Heritage Sites. See what sites made the cut - and start planning your trips now.
There are a lot of American table manners that are totally rude abroad. We decided to make that list more general to provide a basic overview of the practices you should be mindful of when traveling.
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Headed to North Carolina's Outer Banks this summer, but afraid of getting in the water? There's still plenty to do away from the shore.
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From the AKFiles, building Glocks:
From the AKFiles, building Glocks:
Boris is from my area and belongs to the same local (new england based) forum that I do. He is definitely quite a character. Here is his post from that forum http://www.northeastshooters.com/vbu...ron-glock.html
His build an AK from a shovel thread is legendary, with well over a million views.
That is awesome!!!!!! Talented, out of the box thinker, thats for sure.
Enforcement, NOT Amnesty!!!!!!
"If theyre going to come here illegally, apply for & receive assistance through a corrupted Government agency encouraging this lawless behavior, work under the table & send billions of dollars each year back to their families in Mexico, while bleeding local economies dry, protest in our streets waving their Mexican flags DEMANDING rights, while I have to press 1′ for English, then they need to be shipped back to where they came from!" -Chad Miller
Did you click the link in my post to his ak build? It is a classic, not to be missed
Ill pass . I respct his skills but IMO the stuff like that just draws bad bad attention .
I have seen a few glock air soft builds into the real thing an IMO its just going to make things worse down the road .
I like my stuff to look like it is made with care an quality . I think the guy s has great skills I just dotn get the whole lets do it to piss off the atf or govermet it only makes things worse IMO .
There is a few air soft conversion on weapons guild an some are pretty nice but it is going to hurt the hobby down the road IMO.
Id build a shovel stock if the 5 million normal stocks were not avaliable . .
I agree with Big'un to a point. Just like the "printable guns", it almost seems like someone is trying to make firearms more evil by the ease with which one can obtain one. "Print it or make it from soup cans, it's sooooo easy that every criminal will have one. Let's ban them all so we're all safe!"
I will admit though, the shovel AK is bad ass. There's a few shorter than 5 million normal stocks available, I have a small collection. One might be spared to allow a shovel handle to live its dream.
Whatever site I read it on as a members tag line, it's the truest statement ever made.
"Our forefathers would have been shooting by now"
They would have a long time ago, when our government became self serving and lied so openly that the taste of disgust can't be cleared with bleach.
WTF happened to our country?
member # 575
Oh, I almost forgot!
Rash pookana fairy unicorn hash tag deep savings pool liner best mileage better sex nutrients tree saving live longer more money deep discounts more fun free beer better foot arches easy open beer can.
I think we're all supposed to spam a little bit more, for whatever that gets oneself as a spammer.
Whatever site I read it on as a members tag line, it's the truest statement ever made.
"Our forefathers would have been shooting by now"
They would have a long time ago, when our government became self serving and lied so openly that the taste of disgust can't be cleared with bleach.
WTF happened to our country?
member # 575
On the AK it's not the stock that's cool and original. The the pic of the one leaning up against the tire has been floating around for years, that was his inspiration. The original and cool part is receiver made from the spade end.
I had to read that thread further because he doesn't actually describe what he is doing. OK so he is making a glock "frame" in the most bare-bones definition. Starting with some sheet metal to make the frame. Is that a kit or did he bend the sheet metal himself? It appears to be a BIY kit of some sort? You still have to have the glock slide assembly so he is just making a metal skeleton for the lower. Looks like some sheet metal work.
It is reported to fit inside an airsoft glock "lower" so you can wrap it up in plastic. But that is never stated by the original builder nor is there any pic of it fitted into airsoft pieces so that may not be a correct statement. Not really a big deal if it really does fit IMO because you are never really CONVERTING an airsoft to the real thing. The important stuff is still from a real pistol. He is basically bolting on some airsoft pieces as a shortcut to avoid any sort of plastic piece manufacturing, which frankly is a PITA to deal with.
I'm not really a big fan of putting airsoft stuff on a gun. I would rather see those metal pieces replaced in favor of a 1911-style metal frame. Now THAT would be interesting!
I looked at that shovel build. Agree, the cool part is the SHOVEL STEEL is made into the receiver! Someone needs to get that man a cutter that cuts in straight lines - I don't think there's a parallel surface on that entire receiver! LOL
Gunco Member #10
The "original" Boltcutter Rivet Squeezers:
Project Pink - the Pink and Blue AK-74:


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Inspired by the temples of India, China, and Nepal, all-seeing eyes and luxurious fabrics are major factors in Kenzo's Fall collection. Texture and pattern come into play, as well as a ribbon inlay technique used on vintage Kenzo garments, translating the splendor of these beautiful buildings into the architecture of gorgeous jacquard, brocade, and printed pieces.
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Porto slideshow
Ashes - James Anderson to miss fourth Test through injury
England's James Anderson will miss the fourth Ashes Test at Trent Bridge after injuring his side in the match against Australia at Edgbaston. More »Eurosport - 3 hours ago
Euro Papers: Manchester City ready '€200m package' to land Kevin De Bruyne
According to German newspaper Bild, Manchester City are launching a mega-bid for Wolfsburg's Kevin De Bruyne. More »Eurosport Videos - UK - 2 hours 48 minutes ago
FA Cup - Gary Neville: Jack Wilshere's bus parade rant was one of best things I'd seen in 10 years
Gary Neville has leapt to the defence of Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere following his expletive-ridden celebration during Arsenal's FA Cup bus parade. More »Eurosport - 1 hour 15 minutes ago
Athletics - UK athletics review of Alberto Salazar finds no issue with Mo Farah
An initial investigation by UK athletics into allegations made about Mo Farah's coach Alberto Salazar finds no evidence of wrongdoing. More »Eurosport - 22 hours ago
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Manchester United are in a bind with David De Gea and have a 'big problem', but will let Angel Di Maria leave. That and more from the Friday papers. More »Eurosport - 6 hours ago


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Monday, September 1, 2014
Two final summer canning classes are scheduled during the month of September.
Jams and Jellies will be taught on Sept. 6 in Moncks Corner.
The class will be held at Carolina Harvest located at 978 South Live Oak Drive ( Hwy 17-A ) from 10 a.m. to noon. Participants will be engaged in the step-by step preparation of a luscious homemade spread.
Current USDA techniques will be taught and demonstrated.
A Pressure Canning class will be taught at John Wesley United Methodist Church in Charleston on Sept. 27 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Pressure canning is required for home canned vegetables, meats, and seafood. Participants will learn how to use a pressure canner safely and correctly. Class sizes range from eight to 14 people.
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Details and Shopping
Customer Favorite
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Button front mini tank dress with a flouncy-shaped bottom.
*72% Polyester, 28% Linen
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Measurements for Size Small:
Length: 33"
Bust (all around): 29 1/2"
Waist (all round - relaxed): 32"
Armhole Drop: 7 3/4"
*72% Polyester, 28% Linen
*Machine Wash Cold
Measurements for Size Small:
Length: 33"
Bust (all around): 29 1/2"
Waist (all round - relaxed): 32"
Armhole Drop: 7 3/4"
Rated 3.5 out of 5Â by 6 reviewers.
Rated 3 out of 5Â by arizonagirl31 Okay Dress I was kind of disappointed in this dress because as everyone is saying it's kind of awkwardly loose and doesn't look good belted. Maybe I should have gotten the xs. I don't know, I still think it's cute and am determined to find a way to wear it. 12.27.2012
Rated 5 out of 5Â by TiffanyMichelle true to size Great throw on for summer. Great over a bathing suit but runs sheer. I recommend a slip under this. The material is soft and stretchy. 6.15.2012
Rated 2 out of 5Â by briiianaaa I really did not like this dress... I ordered this in the mail and imagined this dress to be a perfect little summer attire. When I finally received it I was not too pleased. It is extremely sheer and you have to wear a slip under it (unless you are just throwing it over a bathing suit) and it is really loose and slouchy looking (I'm 5'7 120 lbs). It did nothing for my curves and the armpits went really far down (you have to also wear a bandeou). Overall, I returned this dress back to the FP store, it was in no way worth $98. 5.7.2012
Rated 5 out of 5Â by StephanieMazzeo Adorable layering dress The fabric is super soft. I use the dress for layering and it's a perfect fit.I bought the gray color and it goes perfect with blues and charcoals. 12.22.2012
Rated 2 out of 5Â by dcal Loose This is a great for a beach cover up, but it's really awkward in the butt and chest area. I am curvey, but it was not something that looks good belted. I think this dress is best worn around the house or to the beach. Like everyone said, it's sheer and loose fitting. 8.20.2012
Rated 4 out of 5Â by bravenewnance Fun for Summer I had been haunting this dress online as a great basic for summer and finally ended up trying on and purchasing in store. I'm very glad I did, since, on top of losing weight, this dress also runs a full size large. Typically, I wear a small in Free People dresses and I ended up purchasing an extra small. The dress is fairly sheer and can be rather bland on its own, so I bought a lacy crop bra to wear underneath it, and it makes it so adorable! The only problem with the fit is that, since I have a 34C chest, the buttons look strange done up all of the way, but since I plan to wear it only with something underneath, this becomes a non-issue. Overall, I'm super pleased with this great summer basic dress. 5.19.2012
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