On top of the 3,400 members of his flock, there are the innumerable pilgrims and other visitors to St. Peter's every day.
I was thinking the same thing, Matthew.
And, btw-- did you see Stirling's comment over at the catholic anarchy site?? Dale, the guy sounds positively Catholic. Have you been beaming secret messages into his dental fillings?
The Popes, contrary to certain corners of Saint Blogs, have never had a problem with the use of military force to protect the innocent. This view was typified by Pius XII in this exchange with Mark Clark in 1944: "A few days after the liberation of Rome, Lieutenant General Mark Clark, Commander of the Fifth Allied Army, paid his respects to the Pope: "I am afraid you have been disturbed by the noise of my tanks. I am sorry." Pius XII smiled and replied: "General, any time you come to liberate Rome, you can make just as much noise as you like.""
Margaret: culturally speaking I'm an -extremely- trad type of High Church Anglican.
I revere the traditions of Latin Christendom, which are the source and framework of our civilization.
I'm just not a believer.
I told you the Swiss Guards had a Swiss Guard Ninja Elite Squad, and you don't beliiiiiieve me. But one lousy press release makes you believe in the Swiss Guard Bomb Squad and Swiss Guard Rapid Response Team?
Man, tough crowd. Me and Cassandra. 
I guess it would be useless to reveal the existence of the Swiss Guard Space Cataphracts to you bunch....
I'm just not a believer.
I realize that. I'm a fan of your Emberverse series and seriously appreciate the fact that you respect Christianity so deeply, and go to such effort in your writing to "get inside the head" of those who do believe. Mathilda, particularly, comes to mind.
What struck me over at the anarchist site was just how-- sincerely? whole-heartedly? you were spelling out the orthodox position. It just had that... believer quality about it, that's all.
Jeez, that anarchist guy even misinterpreted the biblical passage he cited. Jesus didn't ask St. Peter to throw away his sword. He asked St. Peter to sheathe it.
Dale:
I'm unsurprized. After all the Swiss guard come from Catholic Swiss who did their obligatory military service. And I bet over the years they've discreetly tarined with all of the various elite soliders from NATO and the neutral European countries (aka Sweden and Finland) and learnt about the new threats.
Let's not forget that John Paul was shot at by a foreign power using a cutout. So the threat's been there since Peter's upside down crucifixion. The gibbering, eyerolling, ululating islamists are just the newest threat on the block after a 2 century hiatus
xavier
You can be a martyr, should that time of ultimate reckoning come. You simply cannot force anyone else to be one with you.
Yes. Temerity is not a virtue.
It's July 21, which is the day Belgium celebrates as its Independence Day. Is there anyone at certain sites fretting over the foundational acts of violence it celebrates. Or noting that the violence began at a performance of romantic-nationalist opera, specifically a duet called "Amour sacre de la patrie," thus proving that Belgium was founded on an alternative soteriology ("the fatherland is NOT worthy of sacred love") and thus it's better that it be liquidated than survive by war.
(crickets chirp)
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