THE MCJ

In any event, I don't think anyone is mising her.

The Vatican does know that she's a Spongian and that the Episcopal Organization hasn't had any real connection to the Christian religion for a couple of decades now, doesn't it?

Well, His Holiness does seem to be keen on keeping dialogue open with leaders of non-Christian religions...

(rimshot)

Snarking aside - my word what is that woman thinking??? Yeah, you just suck it up and go. I mean - there's zero chance of my converting to Tibetan Buddhism, but if I'd been on the invite list to the Dalai Lama's stop in my neighborhood this weekend, you can bet I wouldn't have any "scheduling conflict".

peace,

Zach

1. Most likely, she's stamping her foot in a little snit. Come on--this Pope doesn't travel as much and the trip has been common knowledge for months. She inhibited a man whose son was on his deathbed, so we know she does "petty" very well. Odds (75% likely) are she's making some kind of insignificant statement on behalf of the rest of her boutique sectarians. Probably some kind of payback for the then-Cardinal Ratzinger message to the Anglicans in Fort Worth.

2. Who cares? I'm reminded of the Oscar Wilde sketch--"Before you arrive is a pleasure, and after..."

3. Chris, if you get an invite before I do, the curia's got some splainin' to do. Rest assured, Frey and his fellow Rwandans are bogarting the Scaife caish.

4. Or, if you want a really fun theory, it's just possible (25% chance) that the Vatican cleared its throat beforehand and said she would be persona non grata. We've done it before, advising Forcefield Frank he couldn't come to an ordination on Catholic ground. Don't rule it out.

Besides, it was only the Pope, not anybody really important like Spong or VGR or ....

Tom (St. Louis)

"...the RCC dissed the coronation of Je Suis l'Eglise by sending a monsignor (or some lower ranking representative) so Je Suis thinks she is returning the favor."

Let us not forget that even the Archbishop of Canterbury stayed away from Kate's Seating Ceremony. He sent the Bishop of Lincoln as his representative. How much of a snub was that?

You know, I'm sure glad I wasn't drinking anything when I came across this one. Schori does seem to have a positive genius for own goals, doesn't she?

Dr. Katharine Jefferts Schori

Presiding Oddly Mitred Person and Gorilla

 
Announcement of the Deposition of Pope Benedict XVI

 
The Title IV Review Committee having certified to me on April 19, 2008 pursuant to Canon IV. 1(1) of the Hermetic-Samaratine Corpus of the Secret Laws of Episcopal church (whose glorious contents are known only to those initiated into the mysteries of the goddess under the aegis of Simon Magus by archierophant Beers) that the Rt. Rev. Joseph Alois Ratzinger, sometimes known as Benedict the XVI, bishop of Rome, has abandoned the communion and teaching of this organization; and the three senior individuals of my personal coffee & martini klatch (the Rt. Rev B. Harris, the Rt. Rev. J. Spong and the Rt. Rev. V. G. Robinson) having consented to this inhibition on that same day, I hereby inhibit the said Bishop Ratzinger and order that from and after April 19, 2005, he cease and desist from exercising the gifts of ordination and ministry; and pursuant to Canon IV.15 of that same Hermetic legal corpus, I pronounce him deposed and order that he cease and desist such acts in any jurisdiction, country, monastery, pub, auditorium, sports arena, or ecclesial location.

I further order and decree that, pursuant to Canon IV.23a and to the Denis Canon, that all monies, properties, parishes, buildings, endowments and any other temporal or secular possessions heretofore belonging either to his see of Rome or to any diocese, religious house or institution which owes affiliation to that see is now forfeit to the Episcopal Organization and I direct that all titles, funds, leases, liens and endowments be transfered forthwith to this office after which transfers, pursuant to section 23b of that same canon, I direct him to cease and desist exercise of all matters temporal as well.

I call upon this former bishop of Rome, now deposed, to apologize to the world for being accused of supporting Nazism, for belittling Islam, for denigrating European secularism, for causing global warming, for eating beef, for rejecting homosexualism and women's ordination, for encouraging prayer, for having nicer vestments than I do, and for upholding Christian teaching.

I hereby direct that notice of this Inhibition and Deposition be expiditiously sent to the college of Roman cardinals, Louis Crew, the New York Times, the Ecumenical Patriarch (you're next, mister!), the Dali Lama, Barbara Streisand, Muqtada al-Sadr and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad may-he-live-forever-and-be-blessed-with-100-camels.

Signed,
Katharine J. "Kitty Cat" Schori
a.k.a. Donnette Schorlione
Presiding Administrator of the Episcopal Organization
Revered and fully-participating member of the Canturbury Anglican Communion.

And, what His Holiness said certainly was a gave NO comfort to liberals:

Too often those who are not Christians, as they observe the splintering of Christian communities, are understandably confused about the Gospel message itself. Fundamental Christian beliefs and practices are sometimes changed within communities by so-called "prophetic actions" that are based on a hermeneutic not always consonant with the datum of Scripture and Tradition. Communities consequently give up the attempt to act as a unified body, choosing instead to function according to the idea of "local options". Somewhere in this process the need for diachronic koinonia - communion with the Church in every age - is lost, just at the time when the world is losing its bearings and needs a persuasive common witness to the saving power of the Gospel (cf. Rom 1:18-23).

Faced with these difficulties, we must first recall that the unity of the Church flows from the perfect oneness of the Trinitarian God. In John's Gospel, we are told that Jesus prayed to his Father that his disciples might be one, "just as you are in me and I am in you" (Jn 17:21). This passage reflects the unwavering conviction of the early Christian community that its unity was both caused by, and is reflective of, the unity of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This, in turn, suggests that the internal cohesion of believers was based on the sound integrity of their doctrinal confession (cf. 1 Tim 1:3-11). Throughout the New Testament, we find that the Apostles were repeatedly called to give an account for their faith to both Gentiles (cf. Acts 17:16-34) and Jews (cf. Acts 4:5-22; 5:27-42). The core of their argument was always the historical fact of Jesus's bodily resurrection from the tomb (Acts 2:24, 32; 3:15; 4:10; 5:30; 10:40; 13:30). The ultimate effectiveness of their preaching did not depend on "lofty words" or "human wisdom" (1 Cor 2:13), but rather on the work of the Spirit (Eph 3:5) who confirmed the authoritative witness of the Apostles (cf. 1 Cor 15:1-11). The nucleus of Paul's preaching and that of the early Church was none other than Jesus Christ, and "him crucified" (1 Cor 2:2). But this proclamation had to be guaranteed by the purity of normative doctrine expressed in creedal formulae - symbola - which articulated the essence of the Christian faith and constituted the foundation for the unity of the baptized (cf. 1 Cor 15:3-5; Gal 1:6-9; Unitatis Redintegratio, 2).

The Holy Father addressed representatives of other Christian communities during an ecumenical encounter at St. Joseph's Church, New York, 18 April 2008.

"Too often those who are not Christians, as they observe the splintering of Christian communities, are understandably confused about the Gospel message itself. Fundamental Christian beliefs and practices are sometimes changed within communities by so-called "prophetic actions" that are based on a hermeneutic not always consonant with the datum of Scripture and Tradition. Communities consequently give up the attempt to act as a unified body, choosing instead to function according to the idea of "local options". Somewhere in this process the need for diachronic koinonia - communion with the Church in every age - is lost, just at the time when the world is losing its bearings and needs a persuasive common witness to the saving power of the Gospel (cf. Rom 1:18-23)."

No comment needed.

Oh, ouch. That's gotta burn.

Papal Address given at Park East Synagogue

He has to know that "Shalom!" is the Official Greeting of TEC and here he is appropriating it for his own use. On behalf of my church, with tears of genuine repentance and a firm purpose of amendment, I apologise most profoundly. Can you ever forgive us?

;-)

Think of it from her perspective: If you were a shadow, would you want to be near light?

All the texts for the visit, including this one, are at Whispers in the Loggia. Here's another excellent passage:

This passage reflects the unwavering conviction of the early Christian community that its unity was both caused by, and is reflective of, the unity of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This, in turn, suggests that the internal cohesion of believers was based on the sound integrity of their doctrinal confession (cf. 1 Tim 1:3-11). Throughout the New Testament, we find that the Apostles were repeatedly called to give an account for their faith to both Gentiles (cf. Acts 17:16-34) and Jews (cf. Acts 4:5-22; 5:27-42). The core of their argument was always the historical fact of Jesus's bodily resurrection from the tomb (Acts 2:24, 32; 3:15; 4:10; 5:30; 10:40; 13:30).

Ok, there are the introductions, mostly being denominational leaders, the Eastern Orthodox first, then the protestant and evangelical groups. Mark Sisk, Epis. bishop of New York was the Episcopalian rep.

A fascinating event.

Ouch! That's gonna leave a mark.

Also, I was forwarded a piece (about those 15 Protestant and Orthodox leaders who got to personally greet the Pope) that relegated +Mark Sisk not only last of 15, but as part of the group of "leaders from the New York area".

I'm listening to the address to the UN now. I'll give you this: the guy has range. From inspiring exhortation to really boring international technicalities. Perhaps this UN thing will read better than it listens...

Unless you don't want to.

As for others sending representatives, sometimes she (we) forget(s) that the Episcopal Church is just one (modest sized) group out of the whole planet. Can the ABP go to every single installation of the "head" of a province? (Presiding Bishop is not the same as Archbishop right? I know she forgets that.) Can the Pope? At least they care enough to send someone.

It also says "Asked to comment on the pope's American visit, she would say only, "I'll want to see what he has to say." But not enough to turn up and listen to him, eh, Katharine?

The Miami Herald gives a fairly good account, too: "The first female presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church experienced the multicultural world of South Florida firsthand Thursday, with stops at three churches including the oldest Haitian Episcopal congregation in the United States." And we also get "The Wednesday Mass at the cathedral drew several hundred worshipers. ''This is like having the pope visit,'' said Trisha Bush. ``It's a big deal.''