"Tim, I worry you're putting weight back on. You were doing so well this time last year, when you had lost about 35 pounds. You told me how much better you were feeling, how much more pep you had, how you weren't perspiring as much. But now you're bloating back up again." ...
Then, after a big piece of blueberry pie, with some ice cream on top, I calmed down. Because, guess what! He's right! He's telling the truth! Which is why he is a good, wise, and loyal friend, which is why I need him.
By that standard, I never saw any indication that Archbishop Weakland had any friends, except the people he thought were his enemies.
I do worry whether Archbishop Dolan takes care of himself. His father died young, of a heart attack if I recall. And if what one of my commenters has said is true, some Archdiocesan staff might like to put Archbishop Dolan on a Julianne Malveaux diet plan.
"By that standard, I never saw any indication that Archbishop Weakland had any friends, except the people he thought were his enemies."
ReplyDeleteSo very astute.
Thats why I read you.
On the other hand though, having Weakland as bishop forced me to learn something about my faith. I thought I knew everything when all I knew was that there was some connection between God and Jesus, and Jesus had a mother Mary. When, as an somewhat older Catholic out of my young adult years, I would read Weakland's statements, something didn't sound right--things sounded Screwtape-inspired-- it made me research the Catholic faith. The kneeling issue also was a big push to figure out what was going on as well. God makes good come out of evil I suppose.
I've seen other comments on weblogs that the loss of faith in a bishop lead people to study the Faith more deeply on their own. The potential problem is this might tempt people to conclude that bishops are superfluous.
ReplyDeleteLike the clerical pederasty, it's as if our clergy took what we thought of as Reformation slanders and made them their vision statement.