Happy Transfiguration! I went looking for an image and didn't like any; either Christ seems airy-fairy (artists seem to equate his "glory" with his "feminine side") or Peter, James & John seem to be on the ground asleep --I guess fear and amazement's being conveyed --but the gospel says they were caught up in the cloud with Christ --they had a foretaste of heaven. I do kind of like this version, which at least conveys the idea that something extremely unusual was afoot. It's better seen from a distance.
Popery
The Pope's on vacation. Yesterday he & his brother choppered to Oies, a village in the Italian Alps, to visit the birthplace of St. Joseph Freinademetz, missionary to China. He spoke a few words off the cuff which are here in Italian, and coverage in the Italian papers is in English at the Papa Ratzinger forum (scroll to post #3239).
We know that China is becoming increasingly more important politically and economically, and also in the life of ideas,'' the pope said. ''It's important that this great continent opens up to the gospel of Christ,'' said the pope, speaking three days ahead of a ceremony to inaugurate the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.In Sunday's Angelus, given at Brixen, the Pope sent the Chinese well-wishes in advance of the Olympics and remembered Paul VI, who died 30 years ago today. This is delicately put, but instructive in our evaluation of the Council and its fallout.
''St Giuseppe Freinademetz showed us that faith does not alienate any culture or people, because all cultures are waiting for Christ and will not be destroyed. In the Lord, they reach their maturity,'' he said.
Divine Providence summoned Giovanni Battista Montini from the See of Milan to that of Rome during the most sensitive moment of the Council - when there was a risk that Blessed John XXIII's intuition might not materialize. How can we fail to thank the Lord for his fruitful and courageous pastoral action? As our gaze on the past grows gradually broader and more aware, Paul VI's merit in presiding over the Council Sessions, in bringing it successfully to conclusion and in governing the eventful post-conciliar period appears ever greater, I should say almost superhuman.Ratzinger forum reports the Pope also gave one of his Q&As with priests, so that's to look forward to. Meanwhile, a little catch-up:
- July 27 Angelus at Castel Gandolfo, in which he evaluates WYDSYD.
- And the absolute best, most complete collection of texts & commentary on WYDSYD is of course at Against the Grain.
- Plus two very cool slideshows at Pope2008. Sydney stations (with a great interview with the lead actors) and a retrospective.
Potpourri
- Australia: The Pope's a top bloke. Cardinal Pell looks back at WYDSYD. As does Tim Drake.
- Canada: Assaulting marriage laws in the U.S.
- China: more from Asia News on the Vatican & the Olympics; Catholic bishop carries Olympic torch.
- Great Britain: priests making reparation for an act of desecration in the U.S.
- Haiti: kidnapped nun released.
- India: Bishop Gracias addresses a controversial abortion case.
- Russia: L'Osservatore Romano's tribute to Solzhenitsyn.
- U.S.: Robert Novak has a brain tumor. Brand new shrine to Our Lady of Guadalupe in WI. Gorgeous pictures. A dissenter repents, and along those lines, a neat project of HLI: in reparation for dissent, pledge fidelity to HV. And...brace yourselves... the new translation of the mass is here.
- Vatican: Time on the death of Paul VI.
Pope Benedict practices his new Air Piano moves."
