First: I agree with JD about wanting Catholic to be my (and my family's) first and primary culture. Our son is of a different ethnicity from my husband and I, so I think a lot about how we're going to intentionally introduce different cultures for him. We're still working out the details and he's still a toddler, but I want to expose him to white American, black American, and, because we live and work in a predominantaly Hispanic area, Mexican American culture. When he gets to be old enough, he can choose what parts of those cultures he would like to participate in, but I want Catholicism to be so entrenched in him that it's just a part of him.
Second: Ed's hot take continues to be that Pope Francis' pontificate was just a buercratic mess and thusly made the Vatican-China deal an even bigger mess. I don't know enough about the inner machinations of either to know if that's the case for myself, but that's why I'm a Pillar listener. It seems to make sense to me, but I suspect we won't know the legacies of any of the aforementioned administrations until after my lifetime.
It strikes me as very possible that the entire China deal is about making diocesan boundaries consistent with existing political and cultural boundaries because then the CCP can install a “territory manager” AKA lapdog bishop to run the table and have the weight of a credible foreign body to build the farce of global legitimacy while they still oppress their own people and do worse to outsiders. I bet it did not occur to them that the Vatican was essentially always open to redrawing these boundaries, though of course for different reasons and as you say over a much more protracted interval. I find the turn of events here very satisfying.
I am commenting on the Pillar Podcast to tell all of you non-subscribers why the bonus episodes are worth the subscription price alone (plus, reading all of their great reporting without subscribing is like stealing).
In the first Bonus episode this week, JD discusses his sense that he is not doing enough to promote the faith (dare I say, evangelize) to those caught in the cultural/political vortex that seems to be sweeping up everything in its wake these days. Ed makes very sound arguments regarding why he should not be feeling this way nor getting sucked into a toxic online culture (of which JD is readily aware) in the hope that he can bring some minimal redemption to it (while true faith can move mountains, most of us mere mortals are more likely to emerge from the sewer looking and smelling of it as opposed to purifying it).
I second all of Ed's arguments but I think JD (and this applies to Ed as well) may simply be unaware of the profound good work that he, Ed and the rest of the staff are doing at the Pillar. I think I speak for many when I say that each of their weekly Pillar Posts are more of a weekly devotion than just a run-down of the top stories they are covering (and btw, Sunday School is a must listen, especially for those less gifted preachers among The Pillar's clerical community). Each one helps me remember why we are here on earth and what we are called to do as Catholics. It never fails that the spiritual lead at the beginning of each post teaches me something important that I did not know and their personal anecdotes or observations at the end provide me a concrete example of how to live the faith or a reminder of how I am coming up short in my own life and practice of the faith. I cannot count the number of times they gave me a new insight into a topic that I thought I knew and understood only to discover how narrow was my thinking and how misguided my conclusion.
Don't get me wrong, evangelization is critical and sowing hope in a field of despair is always needed but I cannot emphasize enough that what you are both currently doing in your present work is far too important for you to be distracted or discouraged by thinking that you are not doing enough. My dad, God rest his sole, was an entrepreneur in the bar and restaurant business and one critical lesson he taught me about success in that business (or any business for that matter) was that while what was coming in the front door (sales) is very important, it means nothing if more is going out the backdoor (expenses, theft, spoilage). While it is important to bring new souls to Christ, the work of maintaining and strengthening the faith of those souls already with Him, is no less important and critical to growing the flock.
I take such inspiration from the way you both live your lives (as conveyed by your personal stories, insights, and encounters with Christ) that it strengthens my faith and inspires me to live intentionally and model the faith better to those around me. You guys are like Green Berets in that your primary role is not to fight the fight but to train and strengthen the fighters so that they can go into battle well trained and confident.
St. Paul referred to us all being parts of the Body with different graces and roles to play but (as a NE Patriots fan) Bill Belichick probably said it more succinctly: Do Your Job! Each one of you are doing a great job at a critical and unglamorous job. I know being the QB is more sexy but the QB can't be successful unless the big uglies up front are doing their job of blocking and tackling. There is no better offensive line in the Catholic Church than The Pillar! Keep up the good work and we will get there, even if it is only 4 yards at a time in a cloud of dust.
In re the parent surrendering his son: Keep in mind that this is Utah and the LDS influence is bound to be a factor. I’m just speculating, but consider the very patriarchal roles of the father and the local bishop in the faith. For the sake of their own immortality, dad and bishop must bring the wayward offspring to justice. If you’re interested in comparative theology, this presents an example.
I could not get three minutes into the podcast without commenting on JD's assertion that he would not "have the will" to turn his son on if he committed murder. This was somehow justified by his concern that he may be unjustly subject to the death penalty. This is just wrong on so many levels and ironic on another level.
Thank God that Tyler Robinson's family had the strength of character to turn their dangerous son in, not only out a sense of justice but also to protect the lives of other potential victims. I can only imagine how difficult and heartbreaking it was, but in the end they saved their son from relentless pursuit and maybe even death.
It is ironic because this is just the kind of thinking that the church, bishops and fellow priests have felt in protecting priest that have committed crimes. In trying to protect the church from scandal and accountability they actually caused more scandal and denied the persons involved the opportunity for repentance.
JD has rightly criticized this human inclination to protect the ones we love, but now admits he could not do it if the shoe was on his foot.
I'm starting to think China is just so brilliant when it comes to international relations, especially compared to how the U.S. is starting to look on the worldwide stage. I don't know for sure how this latest development in the Vatican-China deal plays into that, but everywhere I turn China looks to calmly present themselves as the "adult in the room".
(I'm not envious: IP theft and the surveillance state, genocide, lack of basic freedoms and persecution, these are all seemingly very real problems in China that I hope they don't plan to try to export to the rest of the world.)
First: I agree with JD about wanting Catholic to be my (and my family's) first and primary culture. Our son is of a different ethnicity from my husband and I, so I think a lot about how we're going to intentionally introduce different cultures for him. We're still working out the details and he's still a toddler, but I want to expose him to white American, black American, and, because we live and work in a predominantaly Hispanic area, Mexican American culture. When he gets to be old enough, he can choose what parts of those cultures he would like to participate in, but I want Catholicism to be so entrenched in him that it's just a part of him.
Second: Ed's hot take continues to be that Pope Francis' pontificate was just a buercratic mess and thusly made the Vatican-China deal an even bigger mess. I don't know enough about the inner machinations of either to know if that's the case for myself, but that's why I'm a Pillar listener. It seems to make sense to me, but I suspect we won't know the legacies of any of the aforementioned administrations until after my lifetime.
Mario kart is the best. I am also an avid Mario party player which is fun for the whole family….until you land on a chance time square
I think you got the way Pope Leo is going to deal with TC exactly. A form of unifying the Church, which is why he was elected in the first place.
It strikes me as very possible that the entire China deal is about making diocesan boundaries consistent with existing political and cultural boundaries because then the CCP can install a “territory manager” AKA lapdog bishop to run the table and have the weight of a credible foreign body to build the farce of global legitimacy while they still oppress their own people and do worse to outsiders. I bet it did not occur to them that the Vatican was essentially always open to redrawing these boundaries, though of course for different reasons and as you say over a much more protracted interval. I find the turn of events here very satisfying.
Never much of a gamer. But it’s 1983 and I’m in an arcade - I go straight to Galaga. And Ed, I recommend you look into Desert Bus.
I am commenting on the Pillar Podcast to tell all of you non-subscribers why the bonus episodes are worth the subscription price alone (plus, reading all of their great reporting without subscribing is like stealing).
In the first Bonus episode this week, JD discusses his sense that he is not doing enough to promote the faith (dare I say, evangelize) to those caught in the cultural/political vortex that seems to be sweeping up everything in its wake these days. Ed makes very sound arguments regarding why he should not be feeling this way nor getting sucked into a toxic online culture (of which JD is readily aware) in the hope that he can bring some minimal redemption to it (while true faith can move mountains, most of us mere mortals are more likely to emerge from the sewer looking and smelling of it as opposed to purifying it).
I second all of Ed's arguments but I think JD (and this applies to Ed as well) may simply be unaware of the profound good work that he, Ed and the rest of the staff are doing at the Pillar. I think I speak for many when I say that each of their weekly Pillar Posts are more of a weekly devotion than just a run-down of the top stories they are covering (and btw, Sunday School is a must listen, especially for those less gifted preachers among The Pillar's clerical community). Each one helps me remember why we are here on earth and what we are called to do as Catholics. It never fails that the spiritual lead at the beginning of each post teaches me something important that I did not know and their personal anecdotes or observations at the end provide me a concrete example of how to live the faith or a reminder of how I am coming up short in my own life and practice of the faith. I cannot count the number of times they gave me a new insight into a topic that I thought I knew and understood only to discover how narrow was my thinking and how misguided my conclusion.
Don't get me wrong, evangelization is critical and sowing hope in a field of despair is always needed but I cannot emphasize enough that what you are both currently doing in your present work is far too important for you to be distracted or discouraged by thinking that you are not doing enough. My dad, God rest his sole, was an entrepreneur in the bar and restaurant business and one critical lesson he taught me about success in that business (or any business for that matter) was that while what was coming in the front door (sales) is very important, it means nothing if more is going out the backdoor (expenses, theft, spoilage). While it is important to bring new souls to Christ, the work of maintaining and strengthening the faith of those souls already with Him, is no less important and critical to growing the flock.
I take such inspiration from the way you both live your lives (as conveyed by your personal stories, insights, and encounters with Christ) that it strengthens my faith and inspires me to live intentionally and model the faith better to those around me. You guys are like Green Berets in that your primary role is not to fight the fight but to train and strengthen the fighters so that they can go into battle well trained and confident.
St. Paul referred to us all being parts of the Body with different graces and roles to play but (as a NE Patriots fan) Bill Belichick probably said it more succinctly: Do Your Job! Each one of you are doing a great job at a critical and unglamorous job. I know being the QB is more sexy but the QB can't be successful unless the big uglies up front are doing their job of blocking and tackling. There is no better offensive line in the Catholic Church than The Pillar! Keep up the good work and we will get there, even if it is only 4 yards at a time in a cloud of dust.
Good metaphor, Mr. Stenson. I’d add there are already too many players on the field.
In re the parent surrendering his son: Keep in mind that this is Utah and the LDS influence is bound to be a factor. I’m just speculating, but consider the very patriarchal roles of the father and the local bishop in the faith. For the sake of their own immortality, dad and bishop must bring the wayward offspring to justice. If you’re interested in comparative theology, this presents an example.
Ed: My Chinese pronunciation isn't great
JD: Just say it
Ed: *says it*
JD: Wrong.
Which entire exchange was predicated on the hilarious falsehood that JD would have ANY idea how ot pronounce stuff in Chinese.
100% also played Blades of Steel just to get in fights. Yes it was Blades of Steel.
I could not get three minutes into the podcast without commenting on JD's assertion that he would not "have the will" to turn his son on if he committed murder. This was somehow justified by his concern that he may be unjustly subject to the death penalty. This is just wrong on so many levels and ironic on another level.
Thank God that Tyler Robinson's family had the strength of character to turn their dangerous son in, not only out a sense of justice but also to protect the lives of other potential victims. I can only imagine how difficult and heartbreaking it was, but in the end they saved their son from relentless pursuit and maybe even death.
It is ironic because this is just the kind of thinking that the church, bishops and fellow priests have felt in protecting priest that have committed crimes. In trying to protect the church from scandal and accountability they actually caused more scandal and denied the persons involved the opportunity for repentance.
JD has rightly criticized this human inclination to protect the ones we love, but now admits he could not do it if the shoe was on his foot.
But in both cases this inclination is wrong.
I'm starting to think China is just so brilliant when it comes to international relations, especially compared to how the U.S. is starting to look on the worldwide stage. I don't know for sure how this latest development in the Vatican-China deal plays into that, but everywhere I turn China looks to calmly present themselves as the "adult in the room".
(I'm not envious: IP theft and the surveillance state, genocide, lack of basic freedoms and persecution, these are all seemingly very real problems in China that I hope they don't plan to try to export to the rest of the world.)