Good point. We shouldn't be too shocked that a man who said *in court* that he would do something illegal is now trying to do something that he had no legal right to do.
Historically, the Vatican’s bureaucracy has been rife with personal ambition and power plays, often to the detriment of justice and transparency. Rather than speculating on what the Pope knew and when he knew it, we must consider the implications of Peña Parra’s actions. If his maneuvering was sanctioned or ignored by the Pope, it raises alarming concerns about the leadership principles guiding the Church. Conversely, if the Pope was uninvolved, it suggests a troubling disconnect from his own administration, undermining the moral authority of the papacy. The ramifications are far-reaching, affecting not only the Church’s credibility but also the trust of its followers. While Pope Francis has promised a commitment to transparency and justice, incidents like this cast doubt on that commitment and jeopardize his legacy as Peter’s successor.
My wife and I had the opportunity to honeymoon in Vienna last year, and their streetcar system (and public transit in general) was spectacular. They started early and ran late. The city's app let me purchase my 35 euro weeklong unlimited-use pass with my American credit card, and helpfully provided maps, timetables, and routing for the entire public transit system—bus, tram, train, and subway. The trams (and buses, and trains) were almost universally clean and in reasonable condition, even outside the city center. There was no scanning or ticketing on any of the transit; you simply got on, and occasionally transit officials would come through and validate everyone's fare, which could be done simply by showing the active pass on the app (which didn't even need an internet connection). You could get all over the city and even south to Baden via transit, and the trams got dedicated lanes and right-of-way throughout the city.
However, all this works through the combination of Viennese civil infrastructure and Austrian commuter culture, which both demands and supports an efficient, functional public transit system. For better or for worse, American cities largely didn't develop in that way, and latter-day attempts to impose Euro-style transit tend to fail because such efforts are unduly expensive and lack support. It's hard to restructure a city that's already there, which makes such restructuring costly and partial, which makes the resulting transit disruptive, ineffective, and expensive, so it doesn't get public buy-in. I'm not saying that the car-packed gridlock of American cities is *good* (frankly, I'd prefer Vienna-level public transit anywhere bigger than Lincoln, NE), just that it's very hard to change.
Yes, my experience with trams/streetcars in Germany has been only positive! I did not live in those cities when the lines were being constructed, though.
Back in the US now, I have often longed for a tram system- for instance, I live a mile from my parish, and many times I have walked out of Mass with a sleeping baby on my chest in his carrier, knowing I would have to wake him up to put him in his car seat to drive home, or else walk a mile and abandon the car- if only I could just hop on the tram for one or two stops!
I suspect that DC, a city planned before cars, might be a slight exception to this rule, but many sprawling, post-car cities in the US would probably have a hard time retrofitting for streetcars.
That’s what I’m thinking- I used to live in one of the “streetcar suburb” neighborhoods of Indianapolis, and in those areas it would be more doable to add a streetcar back in from a spatial organization standpoint. From a political will, funding, traffic, or financial standpoint, probably still quite complicated!
"the common fallacy that the general power grid runs on rainbows and panda bear farts." Best quote of the day. Also, if this were true I could personally contribute to the grid a lot more than some poor little panda bear.
Great reporting on the Pena-Parra comeuppance, Ed -- not to mention on the street car vanity project. Together, well worth the price of my annual subscription.
I suppose people in DC came to Pittsburgh to see the sights (we have several good museums here), rode the one "T" line to the south for no imaginable reason, and became mad with envy. Love (of streetcars) is as strong as steel rails, jealousy is fierce as their asphalt tomb.
I really cannot understand why my fellow Venezuelan, Peña Parra, still holds his post after, "I know it's illegal but I would do it again"
Good point. We shouldn't be too shocked that a man who said *in court* that he would do something illegal is now trying to do something that he had no legal right to do.
St. John XXIII, pray for us.
St. Paul VI, pray for us.
St. Xavier Rynne, pray for us.
Time and time again, when Church leaders are given an opportunity to choose between God and Satan, they make the wrong choice.
Kýrie, eléison
Christe, eléison
Kýrie, eléison
Slandering streetcars is the most controversial take I’ve seen in Pillar yet
The whaling opinion is still my choice for peak Ed. It's beautiful.
This is a man against public libraries on principle; but slamming Charlotte’s web takes the cake for me.
shouldn't be given the innovation of BRT
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bus_rapid_transit
Historically, the Vatican’s bureaucracy has been rife with personal ambition and power plays, often to the detriment of justice and transparency. Rather than speculating on what the Pope knew and when he knew it, we must consider the implications of Peña Parra’s actions. If his maneuvering was sanctioned or ignored by the Pope, it raises alarming concerns about the leadership principles guiding the Church. Conversely, if the Pope was uninvolved, it suggests a troubling disconnect from his own administration, undermining the moral authority of the papacy. The ramifications are far-reaching, affecting not only the Church’s credibility but also the trust of its followers. While Pope Francis has promised a commitment to transparency and justice, incidents like this cast doubt on that commitment and jeopardize his legacy as Peter’s successor.
My wife and I had the opportunity to honeymoon in Vienna last year, and their streetcar system (and public transit in general) was spectacular. They started early and ran late. The city's app let me purchase my 35 euro weeklong unlimited-use pass with my American credit card, and helpfully provided maps, timetables, and routing for the entire public transit system—bus, tram, train, and subway. The trams (and buses, and trains) were almost universally clean and in reasonable condition, even outside the city center. There was no scanning or ticketing on any of the transit; you simply got on, and occasionally transit officials would come through and validate everyone's fare, which could be done simply by showing the active pass on the app (which didn't even need an internet connection). You could get all over the city and even south to Baden via transit, and the trams got dedicated lanes and right-of-way throughout the city.
However, all this works through the combination of Viennese civil infrastructure and Austrian commuter culture, which both demands and supports an efficient, functional public transit system. For better or for worse, American cities largely didn't develop in that way, and latter-day attempts to impose Euro-style transit tend to fail because such efforts are unduly expensive and lack support. It's hard to restructure a city that's already there, which makes such restructuring costly and partial, which makes the resulting transit disruptive, ineffective, and expensive, so it doesn't get public buy-in. I'm not saying that the car-packed gridlock of American cities is *good* (frankly, I'd prefer Vienna-level public transit anywhere bigger than Lincoln, NE), just that it's very hard to change.
Yes, my experience with trams/streetcars in Germany has been only positive! I did not live in those cities when the lines were being constructed, though.
Back in the US now, I have often longed for a tram system- for instance, I live a mile from my parish, and many times I have walked out of Mass with a sleeping baby on my chest in his carrier, knowing I would have to wake him up to put him in his car seat to drive home, or else walk a mile and abandon the car- if only I could just hop on the tram for one or two stops!
I suspect that DC, a city planned before cars, might be a slight exception to this rule, but many sprawling, post-car cities in the US would probably have a hard time retrofitting for streetcars.
I grew up just outside DC and sixty years ago they were tearing out streetcar lines. Just FYI.
That’s what I’m thinking- I used to live in one of the “streetcar suburb” neighborhoods of Indianapolis, and in those areas it would be more doable to add a streetcar back in from a spatial organization standpoint. From a political will, funding, traffic, or financial standpoint, probably still quite complicated!
streetcars no longer make sense given the innovation of Bus Rapid Transit
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bus_rapid_transit
"the common fallacy that the general power grid runs on rainbows and panda bear farts." Best quote of the day. Also, if this were true I could personally contribute to the grid a lot more than some poor little panda bear.
Trivia question:
St John Paul XXIII announced that he would do three things:
The one everyone knows is convene a Council.
The second far fewer know, but mentioned here, is revise the Code of Canon Law.
So what was the third thing?
A Diocesan Synod for the city? At least, that’s what my search engine tells me.
Who'd have thought that the mantle of curial reform would be passed from an Aussie, God rest his soul, to a fighting Irishman?
Finally, a John Kennedy who's a faithful Catholic and worthy of admiration.
For some reason, I have a gnawing fear that Cdl. Peña Parra's recent search history includes "For Sale" listings for Carcano Model 38 rifles...
Given how many Australians were once Irish themselves and built the Australian Church it seems rather fitting.
Why is it convoked and not convened or another word?
Because an ecumenical council doesn't just "come together", it is "called together" by the Pope.
Great reporting on the Pena-Parra comeuppance, Ed -- not to mention on the street car vanity project. Together, well worth the price of my annual subscription.
Not sure John XIII was a saint… but he did find a nice wife for the Emperor, and I believe that’s how we got forks in the West…
I don't think he realizes there's a typo in his first sentence.
Oh for heaven’s sake. Three people proof read this bloody thing and the typo is in the first sentence.
We will know that the curia is really getting it together when Rupnik is laicized. I'm not holding my breath.
I suppose people in DC came to Pittsburgh to see the sights (we have several good museums here), rode the one "T" line to the south for no imaginable reason, and became mad with envy. Love (of streetcars) is as strong as steel rails, jealousy is fierce as their asphalt tomb.
Mr. Condon, your interpretation of the AI answer to trolley cars and your analysis of the Principi case were worth my subscription this month!
Think there may be an error: this is John XIII https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_John_XIII