Sunday, April 27, 2014

When the Catholic Saints come marching in!

Pat Macpherson, Pfc. Sandoval, CC Liu, Wisdom Quarterly; NPR Italy Correspondent Sylvia Poggioli, L. Carol Ritchie (npr.org); Shirley Jahad (SCPR); Harry Cooper (Coast to Coast)
Former Hitler Youth member, former Cardinal Ratzinger, former Pope Benedict I kisses man
.
Vatican (Vincenzo Pinto/AFP/Getty Images)
Hundreds of thousands of people filled St. Peter's Square [in the Holy See] and the streets of Rome on Sunday to witness the extraordinary sight of two popes -- one reigning and one retired -- declaring two of their predecessors as saints.

Fr. Beniof, Our Lady of Angels (Shirley Jahad)
Most Catholics around the world are celebrating the sainthood of Pope John Paul II and Pope John XXIII. [Two groups are conspicuously absent from that list, purists who recognize the anti-Catholic violations by the extremely popular Pope John Paul II and victims of child molestation or to put it more palatably "clerical sexual abuse" often involving homosexual rape.] The historic canonization this weekend has stirred controversy for some victims of the clergy sex abuse scandal. Pope John Paul II is widely credited with helping melt down the Iron Curtain, traveling the world, and supporting oppressed people. Officials with the L.A. Archdiocese said he is particularly popular in Los Angeles, where 75 percent of parishioners are Latino. They say Pope John Paul II visited Mexico more than any other country besides Poland, his homeland. Now Pope John Paul II is reaching "sainthood" in record time. But some say he should not be named a saint because of the church sex abuse scandal. LISTEN
 
The ceremony was the first time two pontiffs -- John XXIII and John Paul II -- were made saints at the same time. The AP says:
"Francis recited the saint-making formula in Latin, saying that after deliberating, consulting, and praying for divine assistance 'we declare and define Blessed John XXIII and John Paul II be saints and we enroll them among the saints, decreeing that they are to be venerated as such...'"
Pope Francis kisses the relic of Pope John XXIII during the canonization mass.
Pope Francis kisses relic -- like the previous "Nazi" Pope Benedict once kissed a man -- of Pope John XXIII during canonization mass. Above: Red and white Polish flags dot St. Peter's Square for the canonization of Popes John XXIII and Polish John Paul II (Vincenzo Pinto/AFP).
.
Pope John Paul II at Giants Stadium in New Jersey in 1995. John Paul, the pontiff from 1978-2005, was a favorite among traditionalist. He will be canonized on Sunday along with the late Pope John XXIII, he was popular among liberals.
Beloved Polish pope
It was also the first time in the history of the Roman Catholic Church that a living and a former pope performed a mass together. Pope Francis was joined by emeritus Pope Benedict XVI, who "retired" [or was chased out pending indictment for crimes against humanity and banking irregularities at the Vatican bank under his tenure and his long-time affiliation as head of the Office of the Inquisition under the previous Pope John Paul II] last year.

Hitler survived, moved to Argentina
Hitler in Argentina
It is strange that the "Nazi Pope" Ratzinger, aka Benedict I -- a self-confessed member of the Hitler Youth -- was deposed and replaced by the first Vatican pontiff/CEO from Argentina. Last night George Knapp (Coast to Coast) interviewed author and researcher Harry Cooper (sharkhunters.com), author of Hitler in Argentina who makes the case that Adolf Hitler, "the Fuhrer," did not commit suicide. That was a stand in. He and Eva Braun and enormous riches of top Nazi brass were ferried away to Argentina (and neighboring Antarctica) at the end of WWII to live out a full life. The show began with an hour of Dan Johnson, the founder of PANDA (People Against the National Defense Act) sharing an update on new assaults to our civil liberties. More

 
We made a good choice in Francis I
Many of the faithful had camped in the square to claim spots for the mass. Others prayed in all-night vigils in churches in downtown Rome.

Today, they celebrated under flags and banners bearing the colors of the Vatican and Poland, Pope John Paul's homeland.

I wanted the job longer like Hitler -Ratzinger
"Italy's interior ministry predicted 1 million would watch the Mass from the square, the streets surrounding it and nearby piazzas where giant TV screens were set up to accommodate the crowds eager to follow along," the AP said. More

What about Ukraine, Jon and Barry?
(Daily Show with Jon Stewart) CSI Crimea Scene Investigation on Russian Emperor Putin


No comments: