This is from the Independent, via Fr. Harmon:
But though the crowd numbered millions, it displayed a remarkable unity of purpose. A chant of "Giovanni Paolo"Â rang out; hissing greeted big-screen pictures of President George Bush's arrival. When the Mass finally began, all fell silent. Everyone was rapt and attentive. I saw no weeping: the mood was serious rather than mournful. There was quiet clapping only at the sight of the Pope's coffin on the screen. For most people the cardinals celebrating Mass were only a far-off streak of red. But when Cardinal Ratzinger elevated the Host, and the bells of St Peter's tolled for John Paul, many dropped to their knees.
Several things spring to mind. First, the wind reminded me of the Spirit of God moving. Who knows? Maybe it WAS the movement of the Spirit. Second, it is incredible how loved this pope was. It reminds me of Kierkegaard (as many things do). He was loved much, I reckon, because he loved much. Its the principle (from "Works of Love") that the more you give, the more you have, that the one who is "the most injured of all" is the true possessor of everything.
And it reminds me, as I've noted, of how much fruit can be born of a good death. Archimandrite Vasileios of Stavronakita Monastery (an Athonite monastery) says in "Hymn of Entry" that the vocation of every Christian is to die into God. This is a true saying, worthy of all to be believed. If John Paul showed us anyhting in the last few weeks, he showed us what dying into God can look like, and the kind of life it can give. A shadow of the life given to us by our Lord in his dying for us.
Sunday, April 10, 2005
the media weighs in, becomes annoying
Does anyone else find it annoying that the media's restraint seems to have worn more or less out? They don't seem to find their theollogical ignorance any bar to weighing in authoritatively on JP2's relative merits, nor on what the cardinals' and next pope's priorities must be.
From the NY Times:
With all but 3 of the 117 cardinal electors selected by John Paul, it is highly unlikely that the new pope will depart from his conservatism on contraception, divorce, women as priests or the range of what the church considers to be "sanctity of life" issues, from stem cell research to abortion and euthanasia.
From the NY Times:
With all but 3 of the 117 cardinal electors selected by John Paul, it is highly unlikely that the new pope will depart from his conservatism on contraception, divorce, women as priests or the range of what the church considers to be "sanctity of life" issues, from stem cell research to abortion and euthanasia.
Friday, April 08, 2005
pilgrims improvising
One does what one can when one is on pilgrimage. [Why do I associate all the candles with JP2's death?]
vox populi
Here are some of the thousands upon thousands of pilgrims who slept in the sreets and on the ground around St. Peter's to have an opportunity to see the funeral.
One of the most moving sights at the funeral was Cardinal Ratzinger, and all the cardinals, standing silently after the communion while people chanted the word "Santo" and "Giovanni Paulo". Ratzinger let the people go on for quite a while.
One of the most moving sights at the funeral was Cardinal Ratzinger, and all the cardinals, standing silently after the communion while people chanted the word "Santo" and "Giovanni Paulo". Ratzinger let the people go on for quite a while.
the actual burial
In accordance with Vatican tradition, John Paul II will be buried in a triple-lined coffin.
His body will first be placed in a simple coffin of cypress wood, to symbolise humility, and placed in front of St Peter's Basilica.
Before burial, it will be placed in a zinc coffin, hermetically sealed to slow down the process of decomposition. It will bear the name of the Pope and the dates of his pontificate.
This in turn will be placed in an oak coffin, before being interred beneath a marble slab.
The ceremony will take place in the crypt, deep beneath St Peter's Basilica.
The place chosen for John Paul II was previously used for Pope John XXIII, one of the Church's best-loved pontiffs.
The Polish Pope will lie close to the tombs of his two immediate predecessors, John Paul I and Paul VI, who both died in 1978.
In the days ahead, it will doubtless become a place of pilgrimage for Catholics unable to be present at the funeral.
The whole article is here.
His body will first be placed in a simple coffin of cypress wood, to symbolise humility, and placed in front of St Peter's Basilica.
Before burial, it will be placed in a zinc coffin, hermetically sealed to slow down the process of decomposition. It will bear the name of the Pope and the dates of his pontificate.
This in turn will be placed in an oak coffin, before being interred beneath a marble slab.
The ceremony will take place in the crypt, deep beneath St Peter's Basilica.
The place chosen for John Paul II was previously used for Pope John XXIII, one of the Church's best-loved pontiffs.
The Polish Pope will lie close to the tombs of his two immediate predecessors, John Paul I and Paul VI, who both died in 1978.
In the days ahead, it will doubtless become a place of pilgrimage for Catholics unable to be present at the funeral.
The whole article is here.
heads of state
There are plenty of heads of state and what not at the funeral. I'm adding this fact to the list of incredible things surrounding the death of JP2. I am again reminded of Fidel Castro and George W. both praising the pope in the same obsequious terms. And here we have them all gathered next to a huge crucifix, listening to words like "Behold the Lamb of God, behold him that takes away the sins of the world!"
druid site
Here is OakWyse's website.
The whole story really amazes me. I do appreciate the forthrightness with which OakWyse renounced his vows. I would only have recommended that he renounce them before repenting (the first time), but I understand how being "outed" probably came as a surprise, and hindsight is always 20/20, etc. etc.
I wonder what OakWyse's wife is up to. I wonder what Bp. Bennison thinks of the whole thing.
The whole story really amazes me. I do appreciate the forthrightness with which OakWyse renounced his vows. I would only have recommended that he renounce them before repenting (the first time), but I understand how being "outed" probably came as a surprise, and hindsight is always 20/20, etc. etc.
I wonder what OakWyse's wife is up to. I wonder what Bp. Bennison thinks of the whole thing.
Thursday, April 07, 2005
incredible
You folks might like to know that I have renounced by [sic] ordination vows, and formed the Llynhydd Grove of the Druid Order of the Yew. You might want to take my forced letter of ‘recantation’ off your website.
OakWyse
(Bill Melnyk)
(From Titusonenine)
You may remember the whole fiasco when it happened a few months ago. You may remember also that "OakWyse" had repented. I guess he is now repenting of his repentence. Read about the history of this mess here, at Christianity Today.
OakWyse
(Bill Melnyk)
(From Titusonenine)
You may remember the whole fiasco when it happened a few months ago. You may remember also that "OakWyse" had repented. I guess he is now repenting of his repentence. Read about the history of this mess here, at Christianity Today.
four million pilgrims
This is incredible. Authorities are apparently saying that there could be as many as four million people coming to see the pope. (Rome has a population of three million.)
This is from the NY Times:
Vatican officials said in this city of three million, one million people had seen the pope's body since it went on public display on Monday. Viewing is to end Thursday evening, and safety officials, concerned with the size of the crowd and recognizing the wait to see the body would exceed 24 hours, sent warnings on the radio and through text messages to cellphones advising people to stay away. Eventually they decided to close the line to newcomers....
The line had grown so big that it split in two - one curving through the narrow streets near the Vatican and a second along the Tiber River - amid much strain and a striking mix of the spiritual and the physical: there were songs and prayers and remarkable patience, as well as fatigue, sunburn and a bit of borderline bad behavior....
Each day since the pope's death, the crowds have grown by bounds, though they have consisted mostly of Italians, tourists already in Italy, and some from Poland, the pope's home country. But on Wednesday, people began flowing in from the outside....
This is from the NY Times:
Vatican officials said in this city of three million, one million people had seen the pope's body since it went on public display on Monday. Viewing is to end Thursday evening, and safety officials, concerned with the size of the crowd and recognizing the wait to see the body would exceed 24 hours, sent warnings on the radio and through text messages to cellphones advising people to stay away. Eventually they decided to close the line to newcomers....
The line had grown so big that it split in two - one curving through the narrow streets near the Vatican and a second along the Tiber River - amid much strain and a striking mix of the spiritual and the physical: there were songs and prayers and remarkable patience, as well as fatigue, sunburn and a bit of borderline bad behavior....
Each day since the pope's death, the crowds have grown by bounds, though they have consisted mostly of Italians, tourists already in Italy, and some from Poland, the pope's home country. But on Wednesday, people began flowing in from the outside....
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