Links for 02/04/16 | National Catholic Reporter

Links for 02/04/16 | National Catholic Reporter by MSW. MGB: A book is a great time to both share and work out thoughts for an author - even the Pope.  Sadly, while he goes to great lenghts to point out mercy in forgiveness, I suspect he misses the point that mercy can include realizing things are not sinful, like gay love, when other less merciful beings insisted that they are.  I think he does, however, get the point that mercy for the many may involve condemning the few who exploit them - and calling the few out is also a mercy to them.



Linking the Ordinate of an Anglican break away diocese to the Chair of St. Peter is rubbing their nose in it.  Frankly, I think we as Church have more to learn from that part of the Anglican Communion they are running from - especially on whom we ordain.



I think Notre Dame is overdoing it.  This is not the Pope's first trip to Latin America.  Still, he will be treated like a rock star and certainly has a large list of issues he can mention, since Mexico is going through tough times right now, many due to the illegality of the American drug market (how many liquor shoot ups have we had since prohibition ended?)  May God keep him safe.  I think he will, since there is much yet for him to do.



I wrote separately about the Puerto Rican gun case.  Here is what I said 3 weeks ago on this case: Puerto Rico is sovereign because it can leave. On the financial issue, if it leaves, it can have its own currency and print money to pay back its creditors - or default without a control board. Until it leaves, however, it is linked to the U.S. the same way Canada is linked to the U.K. - with the Congress having more say in our relationship than Parliment does over Canada, although the Canadian head of state is the representative of the Queen - the governor of Puerto Rico has no connection to presidential appointing power. The interesting case in parallel is the District of Columbia, which is the only territory that cannot decide to unilaterally kick the U.S. out. In DC, the prosecutor is the U.S. Attorney, so all cases are essentially federal - allowing no separate local trial for the same offense