Pope Francis is Coming, Part III | National Catholic Reporter

Pope Francis is Coming, Part III | National Catholic Reporter by MSW. MGB: The Holy Spirit has surprises.   Francis is the vessel.  That he is likely to have strong words on immigration is a blessing and a curse (on conservative politicians).  Excellent.  If he can enter from the south, it will top the Mass at the fence.  I expect the congressional address to be in praise of social welfare spending and maybe eve what we call socialism.  Double hurrah!  (and I see no reason for him to measure his words, and I expect him to discuss abortion with Obama.  Hopefully Obama will not engage in patronizing silence and will instead put on his constitutional law professor’s hat and explain why, whether desirable or not, is essential law.  As for the bishops, they don’t have to like him, they have to either follow his example or expect to be replaced – and not with a cushy job in the Curia.

Laudato Si’ will be the show stopper.  It may upset the right wing in this country more than any comments resembling socialism.  Eco-socialism will be harder for them to take, but it is necessary unless we want the poor who live by the sea to have to tread water – or put them up in new and better digs.  The responsibility to do the latter will be much more expensive than a carbon tax – but the right wing is not known for such forward thinking.

That Francis will have an interreligious event at Ground Zero is bold.  It will be an affront to everyone who fought the “Ground Zero Mosque.”   Good!

In Philly, Francis may just preach on the gospel of the day, but he got to pick the day.  He knows he is entering failed marriage ground zero.  Since I resemble that remark, I am looking for some hope.  While he cannot show real solidarity with those in failed marriages, he can with prisoners just be being there.  I hope this also provides a scold to Obama to accelerate clemency, regardless of any impact on Democratic Party candidates for the White House.  On religious liberty, I hope he talks more about freedom of religion and delineates it from religious power.  That would be a nice change.

The best part of this trip is that EWTN will be pre-empted by it.  The worst is that they will comment on it – but that could prove interesting if the Pope says things that they don’t want to hear.  Either way it could ruin them, as some will simply want straight reporting, not ideology, while other viewers will want red meat.  Vive il Papa!