Conclave

I forgot to mention that I'd been to see Conclave in the cinema the other day. Based on a Robert Harris novel, it takes the entirely factual idea of a papal conclave as the backdrop to an entirely fictional inside account of one where, after various occurrences a new Pope is chosen. Without giving too much away it confirms modern liberal prejudices as it works its way through the story. Some very good acting, I guess.

Two Welsh Popes

I enjoyed The Two Popes film recently on Netflix with my son. The film looks at the relationship between the present Pope, Pope Francis from Argentina, and his predecessor who retired, the German Cardinal Ratzinger,. Put aside the fact that these men are antichrists and that there is no way of knowing how accurate the story is, the film is still an enjoyable and well acted piece worth watching. The way the film has it Ratzinger is a cultured, remote academic, quite other worldly and humourless in many ways while the Argentinian is much more a man of the people, down market and a football fan. We get the back story of Francis and Argentinian politics but not that of Ratzinger. The success of the film is down to the consummate performances of the two Welshmen given the main roles – Anthony Hopkins and Jonathan Pryce. Hopkins is particularly good. I liked the way he kept the German element very soft but definitely there. Worth seeking out. Expect oscars.

Carey Conference 2017 Day 2 Session 1

I chaired the first session of the day. After a report on GBM from Dayl Jones, our speaker was again Dr Leonardo de Chirico. His subject was the present Pope, Pope Francis.

His PowerPoint presentation covered four points under the general heading of a journey into Pope Francis' world
1. Three overlapping worlds
1 The Jesuit identity, anti Protestant
2 The name Francis, St Francis never challenged Roman structures
3 Latin American DNA
(All 3 are firsts)
2. Four significant writings
1 Aperecida (2015) a theology of the people and marianism
2 Lectures on the Jesuit history (1985) Luther the heretic and Calvin the schismatic
3 Evangeli Genetium (2013) Rahner influences
4 Laudatory Si (2015) ecological concerns
3. Three programmatic missions
1 A turn around with regard to the past
2 Presiding over the continent where the future of the RCC lies
3 A "catholicity of mercy"
4. Challenges for evangelicals
He has many acquaintances in the evangelical world and shows them affection and consideration
He knows and uses evangelical vocabulary
He knows and practices evangelical forms of spirituality
He has a vision of unity as a 'polyhedron' where there can be multiple relationships
We must either
Be the evangelical wing of a Roman Catholic church further globalised
Or a radical witness to the gospel which regenerates.
We had a good question session to follow.

Lookalikes

Another interest of mine. My wife said that Ray Davies looks a bit like the Welsh actor Jonathan Pryce, with which I agree (though it is hard to show). The Internet I notice goes more for Pryce and the current Pope.

New Antichrist in Rome

Apparently the new man in the Vatican is the first Jesuit, the first Latin American (he is from Argentina). He has taken the name Francis (I).

His real name is Mr Jorge Mario Bergoglio. He was born December 17, 1936. He has been Archbishop of Buenos Aires since 1998. He was made a cardinal in 2001.

His views (according to Wikipedia) are conservative.

Liberation theology

Bergoglio is an accomplished theologian who distanced himself from LT early in his career. He is thought to be close to Comunione e Liberazone, a conservative lay movement.

Abortion and euthanasia

Cardinal Bergoglio has invited his clergy and laity to oppose both abortion and euthanasia.

Homosexuality

He has affirmed church teaching on this, though he teaches the importance of respecting individuals who are gay. He strongly opposed legislation introduced in 2010 by the Argentine Government to allow same-sex marriage. In a letter to the monasteries of Buenos Aires, he wrote: "Let's not be naive, we're not talking about a simple political battle; it is a destructive pretension against the plan of God. We are not talking about a mere bill, but rather a machination of the Father of Lies that seeks to confuse and deceive the children of God." He has also insisted that adoption by gays and lesbians is a form of discrimination against children. This position received a rebuke from Argentine president Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, who said the church's tone was reminiscent of "medieval times and the Inquisition".

Church and AIDS

His doctrinal orthodoxy emphasises Christ's mandate to love: he is well remembered for his 2001 visit to a hospice, in which he washed and kissed the feet of twelve AIDS patients.

Social justice

He consistently preaches a message of compassion towards the poor, but some observers would like him to place a greater emphasis on issues of social justice. Rather than articulating positions on matters of political economy, Bergoglio prefers to emphasise spirituality and holiness, believing that this will naturally lead to greater concern for the suffering of the poor. He has, however, voiced support for social programs, and publicly challenged free-market policies.

Relations with the Argentine government

On April 15, 2005, a human rights lawyer filed a criminal complaint against Bergoglio, accusing him of conspiring with the junta in 1976 to kidnap two Jesuit priests, whom he, as superior of the Society of Jesus of Argentina in 1976, had asked to leave their pastoral work following conflict within the Society over how to respond to the new military dictatorship, with some priests advocating a violent overthrow. Bergoglio's spokesman has flatly denied the allegations. No evidence was presented linking the cardinal to this crime.

 

So apparently mortally wounded, Antichrist once again rises, this time in the guise of a simple, poor, conservative and holy man. Many will be fooled. More on the subject here.

Job Vacancy

10 Famous goalkeepers

As someone who played in goals as a boy myself this list is of interest as a fine bit of trivia. (We are talking about soccer, of course).

1. Algerian born writer and philosopher Albert Camus played for Racing Universitaire Algerios (RUA) junior team (“All that I know most surely about morality and obligations I owe to football.”)

2. Spanish crooner Julio Iglesias played for Los Blancos Juniors

3. Karol Wojtyla (Pope John Paul II) played for Krakow University

4. Opera singer Luciano Pavarotti played in goal for Modena Juniors before moving to the wing position

5. Writer Arthur Conan Doyle played for a team called Portsmouth F C (but unconnected to the present day team)

6. Writer Vladimir Nabokov played during his time at Cambridge

7. Scientist Niels Bohr played for Akademisk Boldklub (his lesser known brother Harrald played for the national side when Denmark took silver at the 1908 Olympics)

8. Revolutionary Che Guevara (in goals and not on the left wing due to asthma)

9. Religious oddity David Icke played for Coventry City

10. Boyband Westlife singer Nicky Byrne played for Leeds United youth who won the FA Youth Cup in 1997

Welsh Rugby and Popes

Could there be any truth to the urban legend that claims every time Wales win a rugby grand slam a pope dies?

The hypothesis, based on the deaths of Paul VI, John Paul I and John Paul II in years when the Welsh team dominated the Six Nations, was rejected by doctors in 2008.

However, a letter published in the British Medical Journal has claimed the study made the fatal error of ignoring coptic popes.

In a revelation that could see popes locking themselves in armoured mobiles for the remainder of the year following Wales' recent success, Dr Edward Snelson claimed the 2008 study was based on "false assertions".

He quoted the study's urban legend basis, "Every time Wales win the rugby grand slam, a pope dies, except for 1978 when Wales were really good, and two popes died.

"However they included only Roman Catholic popes in their outcome measures, thus altering the statistical analysis to create a potentially false reassurance," he wrote. ....

Read more here

Satan blunders

Satan is not omniscient. Sometimes he makes mistakes, especially when different plans run up against each other. The above picture purports to be of Zimbabwe's President Mugabe receiving communion in Vatican City yesterday. Despite being banned from most European countries for human rights violations, Mugabe was present in the Vatican at the so-called beatification of Karol Woytila, better known as Pope John II. The evils of the late pope are not the same as Mugabe's, of course, but that Satan has used both for evil ends is not something there should be any doubt about. I notice that a certain Cardinal Dziwisz told AFP recently concerning th late Pope's blood and hair "these are from of the pope's body, so these are relics of the first degree". Utter paganism. 

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