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Sunday 27 May 2012

Another cause for celebration

Thursday, 28th April 2011

The British like nothing more than the idea that the world is obsessed with our Royal wedding. It is not entirely a delusion: Americans and Europeans, especially in the media, do seem quite captivated by William and Kate. It is what 24-hour news people call a 'global talking point'.

In reality, though, most foreigners couldn't care less about the big day tomorrow. Some of them have their own things to celebrate. The Poles, for instance, are getting very excited about the beatification of John Paul II this weekend.

On Sunday, in Rome, Pope Benedict XVI will elevate Karol Wojtyla, the most famous Pole ever to have lived, to the altars of the Church. Across the world, millions will watch; millions will rejoice; millions will wave flags. It will be like the Royal wedding, in fact - save that the protagonists will be single men, one of whom is dead. And rather than admiring Princess Kate's hand-waving technique, the congregation in Rome will worship a vial of John Paul's holy blood.

Among westerners, scepticism about the beatification prevails. Isn't this the Pope who neglected to stop paedo priests? The dogged old reactionary who would not stand down even though he was incapacitated for more than a decade by Parkinson's disease? The one who refused to reform the Church's position on condoms and gays and women priests? How can he be on course to become a saint? Besides, aren't saints and miracles out of date and silly?

Such an attitude is only to be expected from secular and liberal types. What's more interesting, though, is that it is also quite fashionable among conservative Catholics to express objections to John Paul II's elevation.

The traddie magazine The Remnant has expressed doubts as to whether John Paul II had expressed sufficient 'heroic virtue in the exercise of his exalted office as Pope' to justify his beatification,' it said. 'Given the condition of the Church as he left it, the pontificate of John Paul II objectively does not warrant any role for popular acclaim in his beatification, much less the immediate sainthood for which the large crowds have clamored.'

The Remnant's article is not a mainstream view, to be sure, but it reveals the concerns that some loyal Catholics have about John Paul II. It is felt that he was not sufficiently interested in the traditional liturgy and that in other ways he changed the Church for the worse. During his pontificate, he 'fast-tracked' too many canonizations and thus undermined the importance of sainthood. Surely, the argument runs, his own cause should not be similarly rushed?

The traddies ought to put aside these quibbles, however. John Paul II, though he had faults, was a titan of Catholicism, a man who led the Church courageously through a dark time, who helped defeat godless Communism, and who inspired millions of young people to take up the faith.

It's easy to scoff at his unwillingness to retire, but isn't it a kind of 'heroic virtue' to carry serving as Universal Pontiff even as one's body suffers the torments of a horrible disease?

I expect that what most bothers these sceptics is that John Paul II was loved, even by non-Catholics. In an age when Catholicism came to be seen as a sinister anachronism, he managed to be popular without compromising his principles. He did not suffer from the paranoia and bitterness that afflict so many Catholics in the modern world.

Make him a saint, I say, and sooner the better. And everybody should join in the celebrations.

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Dennis Sewell

April 28th, 2011 5:46pm Report this comment

I agree with every word you've written, Freddy. Santo subito!

Austin Barry

April 28th, 2011 6:33pm Report this comment

"Isn't this the Pope who neglected to stop paedo priests?"

Well, yes, and it isn't just "secular and liberal types' who have a problem with this fact. The man was criminally complicit in covering-up rampant, global child sexual abuse by his evil, ring-kissing acolytes.

"On course to become a saint"?

What an appalling prospect. What an insult to all those victims.

John Patrick

April 28th, 2011 6:56pm Report this comment

"the congregation in Rome will worship a vial of John Paul's holy blood". Actually, no. The Catholic Church does not 'worship' relics but rather 'venerates' them just as it does not 'worship' the Blessed Virgin Mary but 'honours' her. Worship is reserved only for God alone.

John Patrick

April 28th, 2011 6:58pm Report this comment

But I agree that JPII should be canonised as soon as possible. He practised heroic virtue especially during his long illness. It is interesting to compare his attitude with the cowardice of the euthanasia movement when faced with death.

Jeremy

April 28th, 2011 8:27pm Report this comment

Freddy Gray:

"And rather than admiring Princess Kate's hand-waving technique, the congregation in Rome will worship a vial of John Paul's holy blood."

Hmmmm...I think I might prefer to admire the hand-waving technique. It sounds like the less morbidly gruesome of the two.

"It will be like the Royal Wedding, in fact - save that the protagonists will be single men, one of whom is dead."

Is the Pope marrying a zombie?

Trogs

April 28th, 2011 10:59pm Report this comment

We are so primitive. Another couple of millions years and, if we've survived, we might actually be worth noticing.

Baron

April 28th, 2011 11:31pm Report this comment

good on Wojtyla, good on the Catholics, I say, one’s bound to be entertained by the scurrilous shouting, arm waving, abuse throwing and stuff of those of the materialistic creeds.

what must irritate and rile those spewing the hatred the most is that here is a pyramid of power with worldwide reach, supported not but compulsion but entirely by voluntary submission of ordinary men and women, laughed at, despised, maligned, legislated against, even killed. Abstruse in its hold on human psyche, esoteric by nature, but amazingly enduring movement in an age supposedly conquered by science. Go figure.

Andrew Fletcher

April 29th, 2011 9:27am Report this comment

There was this nun right and she had Parkinsons and the Pope he cured her and that's like magic innit?!!

So now he should be like a saint cos they all done magic innit right?!

Peter From Maidstone

April 29th, 2011 9:33am Report this comment

Andrew Fletcher, you don't really have a clue do you? Why bother posting something spiteful about something that you do not participate in?

Andrew Fletcher

April 29th, 2011 9:57am Report this comment

But he cured a nun who had Parkinsons!!!
I think that is absolutely incredible!!
Surely you have to agree he deserves some sort of award for that, no?

CD

April 29th, 2011 10:52am Report this comment

I plonk for the royal wedding!

Because the royal wedding is (as is every wedding) a portrait of the wedding of the Lamb and the Church to which every one who believes Jesus is looking forward to. How awesome must that wedding be, if this one's so attractive!

On the other hand, the veneration is a done deal. Everyone who believes Jesus, pope or otherwise, wears His righteousness and is already a saint in the sight of God. Why debate something already settled by God Himself?

arnoldo87

April 29th, 2011 12:45pm Report this comment

@ Baron

"what must irritate and rile those spewing the hatred the most is that here is a pyramid of power with worldwide reach, supported not but compulsion but entirely by voluntary submission of ordinary men and women, laughed at, despised, maligned, legislated against, even killed. Abstruse in its hold on human psyche, esoteric by nature, but amazingly enduring movement in an age supposedly conquered by science. Go figure."

Yes, Baron - Islam is a wonder to behold.

Jim Burfield

April 29th, 2011 8:29pm Report this comment

@Baron

"laughed at, despised, maligned, legislated against, even killed"

Make that "fabulously rich, and officially empowered to indoctrinate children in many countries". You could add "a gleeful torturer and murderer of all who questioned it; a dedicated oppressor of homosexuals and protector of child abusers; willing to kill rather than accept the simple existence of the solar system; a proponent of the birth of unwanted children who will starve; a passionate supporter of fascism; and eager to spread the palpable lie of its own infallibility."

Whatever the spiritual comfort it indubitably peovides to somne, the RC church has always been wrong about everything.

Paul Henderson

May 3rd, 2011 7:53pm Report this comment

Having read about the early years of Pope John Paul as a non Catholic myself and as someone who was sceptical about him, I was actually inspired by his courage, strength and spirituality.

Will

May 10th, 2011 1:47am Report this comment

What exactly is a saint? This is the crux of the matter. By the standards put forth by some people Ronald Reagan could be made a saint - even though he wasn't catholic. Does a saint have to be a catholic? Reagan stood up to the Soviets, revitalized an economy in decline, reinvigorated confidence in America, and gave hope to people in places like Poland. Why not Saint Reagan?

Hayward Maberley

May 11th, 2011 2:20pm Report this comment

Will,
Reagan was the sainted one who turned the US from a creditor to a debtor nation.
In 1981, shortly after taking office, Reagan complained of "runawaydeficits" that were then approaching US$80 billion, or about 2.5 percent of GDP.

Within only two years, however, Reaganomics had succeeded in
enlarging the deficit to more than US$200 billion, or 6 percent of
GDP. At the end of Bush 1 was down to US$150 billion, still almost double what it had been under Carter.

However the National Debt had climbed from US$995 billion, when Reagan took office, to $4 trillion by the end of Bush1's presidency.

Reaganomics, as applied by 3 Republican Administrations, had it grow as a % of GDP from 26% to 42%. Clinton managed hold/wind back both of them in returning the budget to a surplus of some US$280 billion and reducing the National Debt to 35% of GDP.

Then along came Bush2!! And look at the mess he made. Should he be put forward for Sainthhood as well?

It is interesting to note that from 1978-2005 under Democratic
Presidents, Federal Spending went up by 9.9%. Federal Debt by 4.2%, GDP by 12.6%.
Under Republican Presidents Federal Spending was up 12.1%, Federal Debt by 36.4% , GDP by 10.7%

CD

May 12th, 2011 11:48am Report this comment

Will - "What exactly is a saint? This is the crux of the matter. By the standards put forth by some people ..."

Good question. Easy to find the answers - refer to the handbook of faith.

Who is a "saint"? Someone who has been "sanctified".

Who can sanctify? Someone who is "perfect". God alone.

How does God do it? The Bible says "we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all."

Or, in other words (again from the handbook), if you confess the Lord Jesus with your mouth and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead.

Sanctification of one man by another man is something like the inverse of a pot calling the kettle black, if you get my meaning.

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