got time for a beer Mark?
Paul Scheibmeir | 06.30.03 - 11:41 am | #

Offer me wine, milk, or chocolate and then you're talking.
Mark Shea | Homepage | 06.30.03 - 11:45 am | #

Oh. I forgot you were from Seatle.
Paul Scheibmeir | 06.30.03 - 12:51 pm | #

Mills: "the Pope is actually modelling excellent leadership: he's allowing his American Bishops to clean up the mess they've created."

This thesis is based on the implausible notion that you can get in to the Pope's head and figure out why he *doesn't* act. A thousand reasons could explain why someone doesn't act. To understand their motives, you have to look at when they *do* act. And this thesis just isn't supported by the facts. Every move made by the Vatican in this crisis has been motivated by only this: damage-control, cover-your-a**, and protect the system.

If this thesis were correct, Law would still be the Cardinal Archbishop of Boston.

Mills: "Some call for action: the Pope calls for prayer."

Can't one do both? "Ora et labora"? Pray AND act?

What the Vatican needs is not crisis management and damage control, but *risk* management: identifying problems *before* they occur and acting to prevent them.
Fr. Paul | 06.30.03 - 1:07 pm | #

Tiny point: It's not "Mills". He's quoting a letter.
Mark Shea | Homepage | 06.30.03 - 1:08 pm | #

Not beer, because he's in Seattle? What about Oly and Rainier? Is there no sense of decency?
Ed | 06.30.03 - 1:41 pm | #

Olyimpia and Rainier are not beer, they are horse pizzle.
Jerome B. | 06.30.03 - 4:51 pm | #

I'm sorry, it seems I used the word 'pizzle' incorrectly. I just looked it up - and yes it's a real word - pizzle is another term for a bull's penis, or a whip made from a bull's penis. You can imagine my embarrassment. Apologies to all.

What I should have said in my previous post is this: Olympia and Rainier are not beer, they are horse piss. That's a much more accurate description anyway.
Jerome B. | 06.30.03 - 9:36 pm | #