(Note to Arizona’s Governor Brewer: if you really want to put the public smack down, it helps if you can get the other guy on his knees first.)
The photograph depicts the famous Managua airport encounter between Fr. Ernesto Cardenal and John Paul the Great, upon the arrival of the Pope for his 1983 pastoral visit to Nicaragua, then under the revolutionary Marxist dictatorship of Daniel Ortega and the Sandinistas. Cardenal, ordained a priest in the 1960s, was already well-known throughout Latin America as a poet, wandering liberation theologian, and leader of an “artists’ commune” when the Sandinistas overthrew the ugly Somoza regime in 1979; he accepted the government’s offer to become Minister of Culture, a post he held until the late 1980s.
Cardenal had been ordered by his bishop, who was relaying orders from Rome, to resign his governmental office, it being inconsistent with the obligations of holy orders for a priest of the Church to serve in such a capacity. Cardenal of course insisted that serving the revolution was the true fulfillment of his priestly duties, and his refusal became a public scandal.
When the Pope approached the official welcoming delegation at the airport, Minister Cardenal dropped to his knees and asked for a blessing. What he got instead was the famous, finger-wagging admonition: “You must regularize your position with the Church! Regularize your position with the Church!” Cardenal is reported to have answered “Yes, Holy Father”–which I suppose is what you always say to the Vicar of Christ, even if you have no intention of obeying him.
Cardenal remained the Sandinista Minister of Culture, was eventually suspended from the priesthood, and then later broke with the Sandinistas because of what he saw as the “inauthenticity” of their revolution. He still writes poetry and accepts invitations to deliver lectures at American Jesuit universities, where he presumably tells his audiences that the only “authentic” revolution is repentance and conversion. (?)
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The more we learn about Pope John Paul II, the less he seems “great” to me, and for you to continually refer to him as JP the Great is insulting.
try new book “John Paul 2 :doubts about beautification” –very interesting
Bill,
I do not understand your objection on calling someone, especially this man “Great.” What John Paul II did for the Church, and how he helped refine our understanding of the deposit of Faith during his tenure as our pontiff was incredible. I believe he will go down in history as a great man of faith and eventually be declared a Doctor of the Church. This man probably did more than any other in the 20th century and beyond to bring so many people into the fold of understanding the love of Jesus. He directly and indirectly converted many souls, too many to count. He was a leader against a wicked regime in Eastern Europe, and played a major, if not leading role in helping to bring down that same system of government with nearly no blood spilled. Being the third longest serving pontiff in history also adds to his continually broadening mystique. Now, every man is human and makes mistakes, so please, ye with no sin, please be the 1st to cast a stone.
Agree completely Bill.
AMDG
The Sandinistas were removed from office when they lost an election…or should I say an ‘election’. The so-called Unita Party (ie the united opposition, which did include the Nicuraguan Communist Party) was funded by the USA and the US Navy blocaded Nicuraguan ports which activity was to end if and only if the Unita ‘Party’ won the election. They did! And the Sandinistas took their seats in the opposition benches.
In the European (EU) Parliament 35% of MEPs are Socialist and 10% are Communist & Allied. (Approximate figures.)
Also: The Christian Democrats (Conservatives) also have 35% of MEPs. Their natural allies the Liberals have 10%. However the Greens have the remaining 10% giving the ‘Marxist revolutionaries’ an overall majority in Europe. At least by the standards of the American media….
Peace &
Re: Bill Damas, “The more we learn about Pope John Paul II, the less he seems ‘great’ to me, and for you to continually refer to him as JP the Great is insulting.”
While you are certainly entitled to your opinion, you also have a responsibility to back up your allegation with proof from authentic sources, i.e., not from just hearsay or someone else’s (misinformed / biased / prejudiced) opinion. A misinformed opinion is worthless, but it can do much harm to the one it is directed against, and cause great scandal.
Considering that God Himself performed a miracle* through the intercession of the late Pope John Paul II, which led to JPII’s beatification, it appears that the objective facts are against your misinformed opinion.
* Catholic News Agency has an article about it here: http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/john-paul-iis-beatification-approved-for-may-1-divine-mercy-sunday/.
There is also a beautiful article at the National Catholic Register here: http://www.ncregister.com/blog/blessed-pope-john-paul-ii/.
(Sorry, I can’t find anything about his beatification on Catholic Phoenix!)
What gives here? Forget this stuff. Why fiddle while America burns? Wait ’till you see the February issue of Vanity Fair! Tonight a friend stopped in and told me that a group of men at our parish will study a book that teaches Catholic men how to be men!! Let us all just learn to be CATHOLIC and the rest will follow–man or woman. We are now what we are because the Catholic clergy, bishops and priests, have withheld authentic Catholicism from us for the past 50 years. Revolt! Occupy! Identify yourselves as Roman Catholics and mean it.
Agree with most. Look to John 23th, and you will realize our true faith. Obama is far and away the more in the likeness of what we hold close, than any recent President, and certainly not, someone who should kneel on a tarmac before someone like Brewer? And to compare any candidate
As a better choice…if I here one more idea or thought of a Blessing upon Gingrich, my poor Passionist relatives and forebears will be wondering where ou ever became ‘into the life of Jesus’. Certainly not through you thoughts.
I heard that JP II, after scolding this priest, later went to confession to him (i.e. he had the disciplined priest hear his–the Pope’s–confession!! What a Great Pope!
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