When I Will Concern Myself with the Roman Curia

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St. peters squareWho’s in? Who’s out? Who’s up? Who’s down? Who’s headed up or headed down?  Whose influence is waxing or waning? Ah, Rome.  The Eternal City of intrigue. Ah, Vaticanistas. Of making many speculations there is no end.

I will concern myself with the goings on of the Roman Curia when:

All the dust is gone from every shelf.

The recipes are sorted.

I know everyone on my block.

The pictures are all straight.

The freezer is stocked.

All the volunteer slots at my parish are filled.

The weeds are pulled.

The fingerprints are gone from the woodwork.

The buttons are all on.

All the batteries work.

Everyone in my town has a place to sleep.

The grout lines are all clean.

The hours are all prayed.

No one needs a ride anywhere.

The dryer is empty.

Or if the pope asks for my input.

Whichever comes first.

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About Author

Mary Kochan, former Senior Editor of CatholicExchange, is one of the founders and Editor-at-large of CatholicLane.com. Raised as a third-generation Jehovah's Witness, Mary worked her way backwards through the Protestant Reformation to enter the Catholic Church on Trinity Sunday, 1996. Mary has spoken in many settings, to groups large and small, on the topic of destructive cultism and has been a guest on both local and national radio programs. To arrange for Mary to speak at your event, you may contact her at kochanmar@gmail.com.

  • Struble

    Awaiting Pope Francis’ call. Busy in the meantime.

  • OneTimothyThreeFifteen

    I’d say there are plenty of other activities Catholics busy themselves with before your list which they shouldn’t. Many of them claiming to be devotees of St Therese, too.

    • Ezza

      What’s your point Struble? The Pope busying himself with economics? Or you busying yourself with adding your 2 cents worth?

      • Ezza

        (sorry Struble- question was aimed at Timothy)

      • OneTimothyThreeFifteen

        Eh?

        • Ezza

          Pope Francis is a devotee of St Theresa- you imply Pope Francis should “butt out” of a few things. If thats the case- what should he “butt out” of?

          Well that’s what I understood from your comment.

          Correct me if I misunderstood your initial comment.

  • Howard

    Yup. There’s too much consternation over the changes made by a 77-year old Pope. About the only things that cannot be changed back by his successor are the ages of people. Put not your trust in princes — not even princes of the Church. When his breath departs, he returns to his earth; on that very day his plans perish.

  • Christopher Fish

    All these things are but straw, burnt up forever in the everlasting fires of time. One thing endures and that is Love . If it not done for the sake of Love and he who is love , then it passes away like the wind. Why be trouble by the phantasms of the moment, instead , Love, and Love him eternally.

  • goral

    I know a lot of good capitalists just as the pope knows a lot of good Marxists.
    Capitalism for all its faults is not in opposition to God,
    Marxism is!
    Capitalists have not persecuted the church or murdered Christians as a policy, Marxists have!
    Capitalists have not made laws to enslave the populace with mandates against their faith and conscience, (HSS mandate)
    Marxists have!
    Dear Pope Francis, worthy Nobel laureate, what is your point?

    • Howard

      “Capitalists have not persecuted the church or murdered Christians as a policy….” Sure they have. You meant, “because of Capitalism”. There were, for example, plenty of English Capitalists who persecuted the Church and murdered Catholics as a policy.

      Capitalism, properly so called, is iffy at best, since it seems to founded entirely on usury, but as an economic system it is on most counts morally neutral. It certainly does not require care for the poor, but it does not prohibit such care, either. When Capitalism is taken as more than an economic system — when it is taken as a philosophy of life — it is every bit as evil as Marxism or as the Golden Calf at the foot of Mt. Sinai.

      • Howard

        Oh, and likewise about the claim, “Capitalists have not made laws to enslave the populace with mandates against their faith and conscience.” Can you really not think of a Capitalist country that made laws to protect slavery? I can! Can you really not think of a single Capitalist country that placed mandates against the faith and conscience of the people? I can!

        • goral

          So say it.

          • Howard

            Here’s what I’ll say: If you don’t know the answers already, go find a history book.

          • goral

            Thank you so little for the exchange, Howie.

          • Howard

            I only hope you are feigning ignorance.

      • goral

        My statements were made – “generally speaking”. You can get so specific and picky as to negate any statement. “Capitalism, properly so called, is iffy at best, since it seems to
        (be) founded entirely on usury, but as an economic system it is on most
        counts morally neutral”. The words “seems” and “most counts” do not buttress your assertions, at all.

        • Howard

          OK, I retract “seems”. Capitalism, properly so called, is based on the principle of loaning money at interest with few if any limitations. The reason it did not arise during the Middle Ages is because people were still Catholic back then, and they still believed that usury is wrong.

          “Most counts” actually DOES buttress my assertion. All I am saying is that the sin of usury is a serious Catholic argument against Capitalism. If any others exist, they are not so obvious, particularly with regards to a mixed economy that is not purely Capitalist anyhow.

  • Mary Kochan

    Well, that escalated quickly…

    • goral

      The only thing that escalates quicker is gov’t spending, when democrats are in charge.
      I will concern myself about escalation, dear Editor, when the Treasury printing presses run out of ink.
      Fun article, thanks!

    • Quicker than a Christopher West sucks thread.
      Fire, meet gas can.

      • Wow–seriously?? Quick reminder, Kevin–Christopher is a real live human person. A fellow Catholic. A husband. A father. A faithful son of the Church. He shouldn’t be your personal punch line when you want to make a joke.
        You occasionally write about the Theology of the Body–how about living it out by avoiding treating people like objects?

        • Harry Flynn

          Funny, but I thought people were supposed to look to the East for the coming of Jesus Christ, not West.

          • The point being…? Feel free to objectify anyone who isn’t the Messiah?

          • Harry Flynn

            Westian terminology at its best, I see.

          • Happy Advent, Harry–I think we’re done here.

  • Jonenred

    what I think is alarming people is that Francis removed a good solid cardinal and replaced him with ‘Wuerl the Girl’

    • Right, but what appreciable effect do you think that will actually have on anything? That was the point of this article.

    • texastwist

      Why are you so disrespectful of a Cardinal? I would think that someone like you who holds the Church in such high regard would set an example for others.

  • Mary Kochan

    Thanks, guys. I have never been more motivated to stay offline and clean my house.