Wednesday, January 23, 2008
PAPAL ONE-UPSMANSHIP
Benedict was scheduled to speak at Rome's Sapienza University three days ago, but there was a major protest of faculty and students claiming that he was "hostile to science." Instead of confrontation, Benedict opted for cancellation of his speech-- a decision that left the university looking rather foolish.
Now there has been a rally in support of the Pope as reported by iobserve.org that included "Tens of thousands of Romans" filling St. Peter's Square to show support.
According to the article he expressed disappointment over the cancellation but "said the university should always be a place of respect for differing opinions." Well yes, when the differing opinions come from a Pope; but I can't help but reflect on all of the opinions that have turned up on Catholic college campuses that as a mother I would never want my 18-year-old exposed to. The argument for "respect for differing opinions" has been the justification for such events as the "Vagina Monologues" after all, and we are approaching Valentine's Day once again, the traditional time for this particular play to be hauled out and staged. Now the words of a pope can be used as justification. Hmmmmmm.
The last line in the article--"Let's go forward in this spirit, working for a fraternal and tolerant society"--is attributed to the pope as well. Every good Mason can heartily approve. It isn't sitting all that well with this Catholic. Weren't truth and tolerance once thought to be mutually exclusive? Well, it seems as though it's a new age for Catholicism in Rome, and I'll be darned if I know what to make of it!
