Some of the news coverage of the Pope’s death has been more suited for RCIA than the material in many RCIA classes. One of the main things covered is the theological temperament of our next pope and so the standard questions are being asked. In a two hour time period watching Geraldo Rivera on Fox News last night (something I normally never do) I heard him ask those standard questions to people actually qualified to answer them. Some of the notables they had on were Professor Janet Smith, Ignatius President Mark Brumley, Canonist Ed Peters, Writer Christopher West, Apologist Marcelino D’Ambrosio, Christendom College President Timothy T. O’Donnell, EWTNews director Raymond Arroyo, and multiple Catholic clergy. It was great to hear the Theology of the Body discussed on national TV and to truly hear Catholic answers to these questions instead of the normal progressive theological mumbo-jumbo of why the Church has to change most if its doctrines. Hearing the answers given by Professor Janet Smith in regards to how the Catholic Church treats women was excellent. I am certainly glad they didn’t take a Hannity and Colmes approach to this by having discussions with both the orthodox and heterodox.
12 comments
You’re Right. The combination of the Pope’s Death and FNC’s use of orthodoxy has probably helped to bring more people to the Church than under normal, everyday circumstances. Frankly, I’m surprised by all the media coverage; I cynically thought that the networks would find something else to talk about by now.
What a blessing!! Fox news in not on my rural cable. I was stuck listening to Christean Ammenpure – or however you spell it – report the feminist view. YUCK
I too was amazed. While flipping through the channels we came across the segment where Rivera was asking them short questions to each of them and my wife and I’s mouths dropped to see actual Catholic teaching. It was awesome.
I have no cable so I had to endure Fr. McBrien and when I got in the car to listen to the radio I had to listen to Fr. Andrew Greeley. AHhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!
Good for them. Someone at Fox finally learned to do their homework, unlike the Schiavo story. I got tired of hearing anchors say “I never knew that!” about facts that have been in the public domain for years.
Wish I had time to watch more.
Quick Jeff! put up your Pope stories! If you met him, read something by him that changed your life or your ideas about God or the Church. We can’t let the heathens at CBS or the CBC get hold of the internet forum.
Start blogging your John Paul II stories! It’s time for all the people who have the privilege of being able to post onto the internet to tell everyone about their personal encounters with him, how his teaching changed their lives. I know lots of people who read something of his and suddenly changed their minds on some key Catholic teaching. He has led so many of us into the Faith or deeper into it. I’m going around all my usual blogger spots and saying this. Get in there and tell everyone why you think he was a good pope, or even a Great pope.
You should all be here in Poland, the TV coverage has been wonderful, the churches have been overflowing, 150, 000 people came to the open-air Mass on Sunday, buses and trams are flying the national and municipal flags with mourning bands on . . .
Does anyone know if there is an “unofficial list” of orthodox Cardinals? I want to know who to root for!
Eric, check out
http://cardinalrating.com
They don’t actually rate the cardinals, but they preserve and publish statements by cardinals on important subjects, which enables everyone to do the rating for himself. I’ve found it a very useful site.
My bad – it should be
http://www.cardinalrating.com
OH, I found you! Glad I ‘stumbled’ across your blog. I was really looking for a blogger who might actually be near the Vatican who may be covering this whole thing.
Filing you away as a favorite!
Im one of those who just finished RCIA. I think its terribly sad that a few hours short of a week after my baptism/confirmation and first communion the Pope I recieved all these sacraments under passed away. Ive posted here before about my pagan upbringing and things about my mother(though I gave up the internet for Lent). I remember when I was young hearing about how the Pope met with all types of religous leaders and so we were basically all going to heavan or some such nonsense.
We discussed in my RCIA class about how God can grant grace for things we will do in the future. I tear up when I think that back then just knowing how his visit with pagans has affected me now. This Pope loved me in place of Christ whom I did not know. And so I loved him. I didnt know it in the past but now I see it was a seed that was planted and God in his timless way laid a plan to bring me closer to Him and His son Jesus and thus to the grace of His Holy Eucharist table. That is what it means to be Pope. Christa Persona Is that the name? To stand for Christ. I pray they Choose wisly but even if they dont Christ holds His church together even with bad Popes.