The Great Refusal

Well, the Pope has issued his "strongly worded" letter to the Irish. And strongly worded is all it is. And not really even that.

A "visitation" is going to happen (but just like in America a few years earlier), Friday penances are to be offered for the intention of renewal for a year, and the priests are all going to go on some retreat. Big whoop, I bet they'll have lots of fun at their sleep-over.

But no bishops are being removed. No substantive changes are being made to the structure of the clergy. No word on all the other countries in the world. It all seems designed to smooth everything over and maintain the status quo as much as possible. Behind all the claims of strong emotion, it is essentially just a big "well, try to do better next time." Absolutely disgusting limp-wristed cowardice.

Once again, disappointed, but not surprised.

Are the Irish just going to take this? Are we just going to take this?

Where is the real outrage? Where are the good Catholics protesting outside their cathedrals? Oh, wait, they're busy defending the Pope.

What would Dante think of such cowardice and accompanying rank-closing and brown-nosing?

And I, who had my head with horror bound,
Said: "Master, what is this which now I hear?
What folk is this, which seems by pain so vanquished?"
And he to me: "This miserable mode
Maintain the melancholy souls of those
Who lived withouten infamy or praise.
Commingled are they with that caitiff choir
Of Angels, who have not rebellious been,
Nor faithful were to God, but were for self.
The heavens expelled them, not to be less fair;
Nor them the nethermore abyss receives,
For glory none the damned would have from them."
And I: "O Master, what so grievous is
To these, that maketh them lament so sore?"
He answered: "I will tell thee very briefly.
These have no longer any hope of death;
And this blind life of theirs is so debased,
They envious are of every other fate.
No fame of them the world permits to be;
Misericord and Justice both disdain them.
Let us not speak of them, but look, and pass."
And I, who looked again, beheld a banner,
Which, whirling round, ran on so rapidly,
That of all pause it seemed to me indignant;
And after it there came so long a train
Of people, that I ne'er would have believed
That ever Death so many had undone.
When some among them I had recognised,
I looked, and I beheld the shade of him
Who made through cowardice the great refusal.
Forthwith I comprehended, and was certain,
That this the sect was of the caitiff wretches
Hateful to God and to his enemies.
These miscreants, who never were alive,
Were naked, and were stung exceedingly
By gadflies and by hornets that were there.
These did their faces irrigate with blood,
Which, with their tears commingled, at their feet
By the disgusting worms was gathered up.
Inferno, Canto III

I hereby repent of any respect or affection I ever held for that man beyond that which is due to his Office in itself. If some policies, especially liturgical and ecumenical, have been beneficial, then I thank God alone for those, in spite of the frailty of the instrument.

And at this point, even if he does do something more substantive in the future, it will be clear that it is only because of public pressure, not his own leadership or sense of justice. I think this crisis is to teach Catholics how critical it is not to have faith in any fallen human being or human institution, but in God alone. Something Dante learned 700 years ago. To end the papolatry and institution-fetishism that has characterized Catholicism for much of the past century (and, frankly, for much longer than that).

Salva nos, Domine.