Ok, so I'm hijacking my blog to talking all things Catholic, at least until the white smoke flutters outta that chimney in Rome. Why? So many reasons...
To talk about the state of American Catholicism from the perspective of of a long-gone, well-past-lapsed Catholic.
Having watched Mea Maxima Culpa, and other documentaries about the Irish scandal, you can bet your ass I have a few things to say about pedophile priests. www.hbo.com/documentaries/mea-maxima-culpa/index.html
Really, really would like to argue the very political nature of the Church in the U.S., and the very misguided way in which they claim "religious freedom" for their institutions while denying said freedom to other U.S. citizens. Not attempting to challenge their dogma (as if they'd care), but their arguments are not sound by their own standards.
Let's face it, I want to follow every iota of bizarr-o red slipper drama from PopeWatch 2013! Who will it be? Will any thing change? We will not be taking bets here, but let's make predictions!
So, number one: anyone expecting real or even symbolic change will be sorely disappointed. Number Two: loved the commentaries that they should really shake things up and pick a Nun, but...cmon. It'll be a cardinal, it'll be a white guy about 70 years of age. Number Three: It'll be a European -- probably an Italian. Again. While they will fret about picking someone from the southern hemisphere. where the vast majority of Catholics reside, I'm a numbers Gal: look at how many of the cardinals are from Europe/Italy. The death grip will continue. If they do happen to grasp at a So. American or African, there will be no real change, just window dressing on a hidebound, very conservative, bureaucracy. (See: GOP frantically grasping at Rubio as "the answer" w/out changing message one iota).
Tomorrow: the details of my Bona Fides, entitling me to claim the crown as Queen of the Bad Catholics. Expect me to throw around what little Latin I remember. And I want Dan Savage (@fakedansavage) to be crowned my King. Or co-Queen, his choice.