Wisdom Wednesday | February 7th

Welcome to Wisdom Wednesday. As a new Book of Proverbs might say, the leech still has the same two children, “Give” and “Give.” Three things are never satisfied, four never say “Enough!” War, conspiracy theories, money and power, which never says “Enough!”

Partisan presidential political posturing has ventured into the absurd. We offer an opinion piece by Michael Sean Winters who examines the conspiracy theory involving pop singer Taylor Swift, the Pentagon and a predicted presidential endorsement.

While we’re on the perceived threat to our democracy, we offer a series of items on “social democracy,” drawn from recent years of scholarship on Catholic social teaching. (Thanks to a friend, Robert Stewart, for collecting these items.)

From democracy to doctrine. One of the Catholic Church’s leading doctrinal officials has reiterated his unusual call for the global institution to consider ending its millennia-long requirement that priests remain celibate, saying that allowing priestly marriage could be a means of preventing clerics from living dangerous double lives with hidden. Relationships.

America Magazine reports that three hundred parish priests from around the world will come to Rome at the end of April to take part in a meeting in preparation for the final session of the Synod on Synodality at the Vatican next October.

The Associated Press reports that Street artist Maupal, whose cartoon-like depictions of Pope Francis as a “Super Pope” have graced buildings around the Vatican for a decade, got an official stamp of approval on last week when he appeared at a Vatican news conference. He’s made posters for Lent, just around the corner.

Coping with celibacy

First, NCR’s Joshua J. McElwee and Christopher White had an exclusive interview with the Vatican archbishop who commented on the lives of priests who have hidden relationships, which he said could be a “symptom” of priests “having to cope with” their celibacy requirement.

Conspiracy?

What do the Taylor Swift conspiracy theories tell us about the sad state of democracy, asks Michael Sean Winters. He reports that Fox News’ Jesse Watters raised the possibility that the pop singer could be part of a Pentagon plot to get President Joe Biden reelected, claiming “around four years ago, the Pentagon’s psychological operations unit floated turning Taylor Swift into an asset.” Never shy about his opinion, Winters says “This gross distortion of the truth has not cost the increasingly irresponsible and unhinged Watters his primetime slot at 8 p.m.”

‘Cathonomics’ and Catholic Social Teaching

Here again is columnist Winters who said a recent (2022) book by economist Anthony Annett “should be required reading not only for those of us who have long been interested in Catholic social doctrine, but for anyone who is serious about bringing their Catholic faith to bear on decisions relating to public life. Cathonomics: How Catholic Tradition Can Create a More Just Economy should especially find its way onto the required reading list at every Catholic business school, he says.

Annett is featured in a video from Fairfield University, another at Loyola University in Chicago, a presentation at Georgetown, and an interview on the Pope Francis Generation podcast.

Priests and Bishops

“Do the Bishops Care About Democracy” – that’s the question in a headline for an article last November by Peter Steinfels in Commonweal. He finds a troubling omission in the USCCB’s voting guide. By Peter Steinfels, November 2023, Commonweal

A new meeting, to be held from April 28 to May 2, was announced by the Synod Secretariat in a press release on Feb. 3. The 300 representatives of the world’s parish priests will participate in a five-day international meeting “of listening, prayer and discernment,” entitled “Parish Priests for the Synod.” On May 2, the parish priests will meet Pope Francis and will be able to have a dialogue with him.

No more silence: Give us our six saints now.

Ralph E. Moore Jr., fresh off a Rome trip to promote the first 6 Black American saints-to-be, says the lack of response is unacceptable—and typical. It is a strong viewpoint, expressed oin Black Catholic Messenger.

Gaza

The Christian Science Monitor reports, “In Gaza, humanitarian network is in crisis even as needs soar.”

Lenten message from Francis

The artist Maupal, in life Mauro Pallotta, who did the “Super Pope” images, has designed a series of posters to illustrate Francis’ 2024 Lenten message, which this year emphasizes the need for the faithful to let go of hopelessness and bondage to find a path of inner freedom. The AP reports the posters will be released weekly over the course of this Lenten season leading up to Easter.

Black Catholics at the Grammys

Nate Tinner-Williams is so-founder of Black Catholic Messenger. He noted that several nods led to just one win across all categories, with a characteristically full slate of nominations for co-religionists from Louisiana.