After two doctrinaire popes, it’s a pleasure to have one who puts mercy ahead of dogma as Pope Francis did this week. In an interview with La Civilta Cattolica, the Italian Jesuit magazine, he criticized an emphasis on abortion, gay marriage and contraceptives at the expense of more important matters.
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Impolitical: Leadership noted
What a great display of striking, positive leadership for the good in the last 24 hours. First, this news of the Obama administration’s announcement today on limiting emissions from new power plants: A year after a plan by President Obama to limit greenhouse gas emissions from new power plants set
Continue readingImpolitical: Leadership noted
What a great display of striking, positive leadership for the good in the last 24 hours. First, this news of the Obama administration’s announcement today on limiting emissions from new power plants:
A year after a plan by President Obama to limit greenhouse gas emissions from new power plants set off angry opposition, the administration will announce on Friday that it is not backing down from a confrontation with the coal industry and will press ahead with enacting the first federal carbon limits on the nation’s power companies.
This is executive action that does not require approval by Congress. Obama will, however, have to take on the coal industry. Yet somehow, doesn’t that now seem like much less of a task in the wake of Obama’s handling of the Syria crisis? The timing of this announcement seems to be one from a leader feeling emboldened, with that major international event just under his belt. Moving on now to one of the other major challenges the world faces.
And what will be the reaction of PM Harper? He of the letter to Obama asking for joint things to be done emissions-wise. Obama is acting. Unilaterally. What then is Canada prepared to do?
The second instance of leadership very much worth noting, the interview released of Pope Francis speaking on the Catholic church and his view of how the church needs to evolve.
Even if you are not a particularly religious person, this seems to have big implications. The way that this Pope, in such a position of influence and stature, is shifting the church from a close-minded, dogmatic institution to a non-judgmental, loving stance is remarkable. At least, that’s the way it is striking me. I see news of others similarly moved.
And I certainly don’t see how this is good news for those politicians who would seek to use gay issues and reproductive rights as exclusionary and divisive wedge political issues. This is a powerful counter.
And if you only read one thing on yesterday’s Pope news, I recommend this.
Continue readingImpolitical: Leadership noted
What a great display of striking, positive leadership for the good in the last 24 hours. First, this news of the Obama administration’s announcement today on limiting emissions from new power plants: A year after a plan by President Obama to limit greenhouse gas emissions from new power plants set
Continue readingLeDaro: Pope Francis is a great improvement on his predecessor
He wants to spread goodwill around the globe and mutual respect between different religions. Recently he delivered a message wishing Muslims well during Eid celebrations. It is a great idea to bring people together globally, much better than fighting wars and carrying on violence in the name of religion. “Pope
Continue readingLeDaro: Millions of Brazilians show up to greet Pope Francis
This pope is quite an improvement on his predecessor. Here are millions of people who believe in the Pope and religion despite that Catholic Church has troubled past and those troubles are not over yet. Now these people feel happiness and satisfaction. It gives them some meaning and purpose in
Continue readingBigCityLib Strikes Back: Gruending On The New Pope
How deep was he in with the Argentine generals? Actually, its kind of hard to say. But he hates communists, that’s for damn sure.
Continue readingdrive-by planet: ‘Vatican Inc’ on the Vatican Bank scandal: new Pope – old cover-ups
Beneath: old stone tower in Vatican City where the Vatican Bank is located As the throngs in St Peter’s Square waited for puffs of “fumo bianco” to drift skyward from a copper flue, signaling the choice of yet another elderly white celibate to head the Church of Rome, many of
Continue readingMontreal Simon: Pope Francis and the Complicity of Silence
Even though he belongs to the most conservative wing of the Catholic Church, and is a fierce enemy of the equality of women and gay people. Even though he is an inflexible religious reactionary, like most of the other old men at the Vatican.I can't help hoping that the first
Continue readingCuriosityCat: Papal PR: Welcome to St. Francis with The Sword
Pope Francis Right from the start, Pope Francis has set a new tone in the Vatican for the Catholic Church under his papal rule. Gone are the trappings of power; in are the trappings of modesty. The new Pope, sans Cadillac, sans fancy garb, has set out to impress upon
Continue readingLeDaro: Pope Francis: First Message to Argentina
Don’t cry for me Argentina. Video:
Continue readingThe Ranting Canadian: The sins of the Argentinian church (article in The Guardian)
The sins of the Argentinian church (article in The Guardian): The last pope was a member of the Hitler Youth. The new one acted like a fascist collaborator in his adulthood. Fancy Francis, aka Jorge Bergoglio, was not a progressive-minded liberation theologist like Oscar Romero. Apparently the CONclave members have
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: The New Pope
The new Pope, the former Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio, has a very interesting past; I can’t help but wonder if our press will want to resurrect it. H/t Nickie Recommend this Post
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