22 Comments
User's avatar
Maryse Usher's avatar

How do I get to watch this>

LF Nowen's avatar

These days I think you need to ask to be invited to either JD or Ed’s home and sit on a chair in the corner. I think the odds of JD saying yes to such a request are several orders of magnitude more likely than Ed.

Nathan's avatar

TIL that "suffragan" is with a hard rather than soft g.

James Kabala's avatar

Yeah, the hard g makes sense, but I guess previously the influence of suffrage/suffragist led me astray.

Laura Schoenborn's avatar

Truth be told I think people put too much stock in bishop appointments. For one reason, McCarrick. He was named Bishop and elevated to Cardinal by John Paul 2, who was the best pope we've seen since Vatican 2. That is the main thing we have really seen from Leo.

LF Nowen's avatar

… in contrast to the “Sikh Conference” which would be an evangelistic conference which involves odd looks, cross cultural/religious communication, apologetics, prayer, great curry, and deserts composed of mostly carrots and sugar.

LF Nowen's avatar

Before all the Indian Catholics, Sikh converts, missionaries, and Religious Studies majors correct me, I know it’s not pronounced the same, but it’s the first thing that came to mind when I heard the ad.

Hank's avatar

An unassuming, shy midwesterner? Makes sense to me. Go Sox.

Felicia's avatar

The fact that, in this Jubilee year, many more pilgrims/visitors/tourists are coming to Rome and the Vatican than usual, and so many want to meet, pray, shake hands, take pictures etc. with the new pope may be a factor. The Holy Father is giving a lot of Masses, homilies, and speeches, etc. to different groups for the Jubilee, and that has to be tiring for a man who's inclined to be quiet.

Brian Svoboda's avatar

For “Changing Topic Music,” you should consider one of the bumpers used in “The Beverly Hillbillies.” There’s the music they used to introduce Mr. Drysdale (in our house, “Stylish Bank Music, https://youtu.be/jAtx5uRGqj8?si=5VxRtGvIE5qK58Oo”), and to introduce Ellie Mae (in our house, “Ellie Mae and the Critters Music,” https://youtu.be/9n7dtAosWqM?si=dfi_wKMc5zhQQ75n), both composed by jazz guitarist Perry Botkin. One of the oddities of that show was its use of genuinely top flight musicians.

Jeff S's avatar

JD - unfortunately the lottery is state regulated so you have to abide by the laws in Colorado where I assume you bought the ticket. Colorado requires you report your first name and last initial when you claim the ticket

Jeff S's avatar

JD - I also think that the pillar readers in-a-good-way would tacitly agree to keep it secret if we saw the announcement

Frankie's avatar

My subscription just renewed otherwise I'd dock you a few dollars for that terrible version of Spanish. 🤣

Angie S's avatar

The second topic was particularly interesting. The sacramentalized Purtianism particularly. Are there links to other episodes where you're talking about this? The Parochial Pharasiacalism, and moralistic influence of our history. Nods head.

Sue Korlan's avatar

I think your analysis that Leo is slowly adjusting to his first ever celebrity status makes the most sense of any I've heard on this papacy.

Rebecca R.'s avatar

I agree with Ed that there is definitely some pharisaical behavior or attitudes in Catholicism in the US, but I disagree with him about his example. I actually think his example of being okay with using God's name in regular speech, as an interjection or exclamation, is pharisaical; it's missing the point or heart of the matter but technically fulfilling the letter of the law. (I don't say that to condemn Ed's speech; I don't use speech like that, but it generally doesn't really bother me when others do. I just don't think it's a good example of the kind of thing he's talking about.) I do think it's interesting to think about how Catholicism in the US has been influenced by Protestantism and traditional American values.

James Kabala's avatar

Just like the commenter right below, I would say the right word might be jesuitical. (As the term has been used - not saying it is fair to the actual Jesuits then or now.)

Josh D's avatar

I'm not sure I buy Ed's argument about American pharasaism. Do we really think that old Spanish ladies at mass don't have their own set of strongly held views on appropriate vs. inappropriate garb and behavior that don't strictly speaking have anything to do with the teachings of the faith? If anything, I suspect it's more intense in the Old World.

I can't say much from experience, which is ironic, because a decade ago, I spent nearly a year going to mass in Spain every Sunday. My experience was that everyone was incredibly old, no one talked to me, and no one ever sang.

Maybe I'm influenced by the fact that, like JD, I picked up from a Protestant upbringing a firm belief that saying "Oh my God" is inappropriate and wrong. If that's Puritanical, then Ed's argument that "God's name is not God" is Jesuitical in the extreme.

My impression is that the distinguishing factor of U.S. Catholicism is the DIY spirit. This factors into involvement, tithing, "sense of ownership," and "church shopping." All of which have both positive and negative aspects.

Rev. Mark J. Gantley's avatar

If I win the lottery, I will pay off Ed’s mortgage and buy him a NEW car. For JD, I am still thinking about it …

LF Nowen's avatar

‘Perdure’, JD? Perhaps ‘durian’ or ‘stondan’ instead?