#Heads of the Catholic Church

[gone2soon-rip]

POPE EMERITUS BENEDICT XVI (1927-Died New Years Eve,December 31st 2022,at 95).German senior Catholic preist.Born Joseph Ratzinger,he was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 19 April 2005 until his resignation on 28 February 2013. Benedict's election as pope occurred in the 2005 papal conclave that followed the death of Pope John Paul II. Benedict chose to be known by the title "pope emeritus" upon his resignation.Ordained as a priest in 1951 in his native Bavaria, Ratzinger embarked on an academic career and established himself as a highly regarded theologian by the late 1950s. He was appointed a full professor in 1958 at the age of 31. After a long career as a professor of theology at several German universities, he was appointed Archbishop of Munich and Freising and created a cardinal by Pope Paul VI in 1977, an unusual promotion for someone with little pastoral experience. In 1981, he was appointed Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, one of the most important dicasteries of the Roman Curia. From 2002 until his election as pope, he was also Dean of the College of Cardinals. Prior to becoming pope, he was "a major figure on the Vatican stage for a quarter of a century"; he had an influence "second to none when it came to setting church priorities and directions" as one of John Paul II's closest confidants.He lived in Rome from 1981 until his death in 2022.His prolific writings generally defended traditional Catholic doctrine, values and liturgy (with his rehabilitation of Tridentine Mass). He was originally a liberal theologian, but adopted conservative views after 1968.During his papacy, Benedict XVI advocated a return to fundamental Christian values to counter the increased secularisation of many Western countries. He viewed relativism's denial of objective truth, and the denial of moral truths in particular, as the central problem of the 21st century. He taught the importance of both the Catholic Church and an understanding of God's redemptive love. Benedict also revived a number of traditions, including elevating the Tridentine Mass. He strengthened the relationship between the Catholic Church and art, promoted the use of Latin, and reintroduced traditional papal vestments, for which reason he was called "the pope of aesthetics". He was described as "the main intellectual force in the Church" since the mid-1980s.On 11 February 2013, Benedict announced his resignation, citing a "lack of strength of mind and body" due to his advanced age. His resignation was the first by a pope since Gregory XII in 1415, and the first on a pope's own initiative since Celestine V in 1294. He was succeeded by Francis on 13 March 2013, and moved into the newly renovated Mater Ecclesiae Monastery in Vatican City for his retirement.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Benedict_XVI

[canisalbus]

So regarding the fake names, and how it could be bittersweet for machete to have to give up his real name for the sake of anonymity and safety, I had this funny little thought that the entire church genuinely forgot his name from calling him machete for so long. So when they hear about his death, or hear his real name they just go “who?” In response. If he was ostracized as long as he was I doubt any of the enemies he had actually bothered to learn his real name, kind of another massively ironic twist of fate where the very thing that they could use to find him and they never actually bothered to consider it.

And now the question (if that’s okay, I know a suggestion for way to explain why he still is named what he is can be a little rude) Where would they go? Would they head north to where Germany or France currently sits? South/East towards the balkans? Even further north to the anglo-saxons island? I imagine they would need to find a place where the Catholic Church can’t find them easily.

I don't know how plausible it would be for people to completely forget his proper name, but I can't deny liking the idea of him being able to shed the Machete persona and attempting to revert back to his kinder and more sensible self. From the time before his work filed his personality into a set of sharp edges.

Truthfully, I'm not entirely sure, I haven't thought that far. Trying to settle in a protestant country would be distressing, since Machete dedicated so much of his life to counter-reformation causes.

[jo--2004]

[citrine-elephant]

takin another crack at the vendetta novelization (translated by highball66, i don't have the link atm)

last time i opened tis was in january omfg...

[kynvillingur]

can people stop sucking off the pope for being "progressive" now

[ohitslen]

Something something I was thinking about this afternoon over on Twitter right here

[mayflowerofmary]

Why do women veil in church?

As a kid, I would observe it among the older women attending Mass. I didn't like it. I thought it was some weird, dated thing and so I had no interest. After all, it would mess up my hair!

It wasn't until I started the Latin Mass more regularly that I grew more open to it, but I still wasn't into the veiling thing. What was the point of it anyway? 

Finally, a friend went ahead and bought one for me, as a way to gently nudge me to try it. A delicate, white infinity veil (white at the time 😅). I'd never worn one before. How was I supposed to wear it? But for my friend's sake, I did give it a try. And (in my vanity, ironically) once I realized how pretty I felt in it, I thought, "Hmm, maybe this veiling thing isn't so bad." And so, from then on, I started veiling. But I still didn't get why.

Yet the more I went to this Latin Mass I'd discovered, the more I bonded with the community at my church, the more I saw the beautiful piety of the other women veiling… There was a gradual change in me. I intuitively began to understand it's not about how we look, it's not about us at all. We come to church for God. 

I tried to ask around, I even watched videos, looking for explanation for veiling that made sense to me. I knew that it was right, yet if you asked me, I couldn't explain why.

But now, after a long time, I get it. Here's a way to explain it that helped me the most:

Old fashioned etiquette decreed that men take their hats off as a sign of respect, whether it be when entering someone's house, greeting a boss, in the presence of a lady, or entering a Christian church. Why? Because hats identified social standing throughout history. It was a sign of deference. 

This is especially important when entering a Catholic church, God's house, where He is present on the altar. Men remove their hats to show that they submit their God-given authority to Him Who holds the highest authority. 

So then why do women do the opposite and cover their hair?? 

Ladies, we know that how our hair looks is very important! I can't tell you how much time I've spent getting my hair ready for work, church, dances, whatever the occasion! "Hair is a woman's glory." Women are one of God's most beautiful creations. It's written on our hearts by Him to want to be beautiful. But at church, it's all about God, remember? And so, a woman covering her hair is relatively the same thing as a man removing his hat. It's a sign of deference to God when in His house, covering our hair so as not to be a distraction when we're all gathered to lift our eyes to God and glorify Him alone. 

One last note: This isn't actually just some out-dated tradition. It's biblical. St. Paul writes about women veiling in prayer. (1 Corinthians 11:7-9)

[cvsette]

The thing about church is that I would love to go to a Place every Sunday and have the ritual of a group service and hear music and sing with the rest of the attendees and listen to a sermon about a Topic and reflect on how to be a better, kinder, more self-sacrificing person and feel very small in the universe but also feel as though I can do something to help those around me and in the broader community and have volunteer opportunities to do just that. But the thing is I will always feel like an imposter because I can’t make myself believe in God outside of being in a metaphorical foxhole. Anyways who’s down to invent agnostic Episcopalianism

[kleefkruid]

We we're doing that game where you stick a name on someones forehead and they have to guess who they are and I gave Danny 'the Pope' and based on the answers I gave to his questions he somehow concluded he was Andrew Tate and now I desperately need to see the search history of his brain to figure out how he made that fascinating leap

[abijahfowler]

oh yeah abijah fowler is definitely a fake name btw

[momentsbeforemass]

Idiot

(something I need to be reminded of)

There’s a part of each one of us that’s made for God. And God alone. A part of us that can only be at peace when it’s full of God.

This is hardly news. It’s just how we’re made.

It was old news when St. Augustine wrote about it in the 300’s. “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you.”

It’s something that I’m acutely aware of.

To be honest, I’m usually acutely aware of it after the fact. After I’ve tried and failed (again) to find that peace. By trying to fill that part of me, with something that isn’t God.

Sort of my own personal version of the same dynamic we see played out on a large scale in today’s Gospel. With the moneychangers in the Temple.

The thing is, whether we play it out large scale or on a personal level. It doesn’t work. It never works.

You’d think that as many times as I have done this and it hasn’t worked, that I would have learned not to do it. That I would know better. That for once I would see it coming. And turn to God first.

Instead of turning to God, only after I’ve made a mess of things. By trying to fill myself with something that isn’t God. Again.

I wish.

There’s just something about me that falls for this one all too easily.

It’s why J.S. Park’s prayer hits home for me. Every time.

“Some days I pray, ‘Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ Other days it’s ‘Lord, please slap me upside the head, for I am an idiot.’”

Today’s Readings

[handsomegentlebutch]

My 3 little cousins were baptized today. "Triggered" is kind of a strong word but being in a catholic church again... I'm a little fragile rn ngl.

[scottish-valkyrie]

EXTREMELY frustrating as an anti zionist jew watching a bunch of liberals take the side of the fucking Pope

In what world does the fucking CATHOLIC CHURCH have any right to condemn blood spilled over Jerusalem

[lazaruspiss]

catholic moment

[yuga2000]

A Head Full of Ghost by Paul G. Tremblay Review

I just finished this book I checked out from the library and I wanted to share it with you guys because I thought it had a very interesting and very realistic take on mental illness. Without giving away too many spoilers the book follows the story of our doomed protagonist and antagonist, Marjorie, through the eyes of her younger sister, Merry. We basically know from the very beginning that Marjorie isn't going to live to tell her tale as it's told from 15 years later in the form of Merry being interviewed by a writer named Rachel who wants to share what really happened all those years ago in book form. Marjorie, at the age of 14, has started showing acute signs of schizophrenia and she talks about the ghost in her head driving her crazy, how she'll listen to them tell her things or sometimes how they sound like they're speaking to her in English, but she can't understand what they're saying, which often leads to her spirling and turning to her music to calm her down.

Now, I personally do not have schizophrenia nor do I have the knowledge of it to say if this is an accurate representation of it, but in a way I feel like I can relate to Marjorie Barrett in the sense that she's mentally ill and desperately wants to get better, but also felling as though she's at a loss and there's nothing she can do.

Whether it's the schizophrenia or her teenage need to act out is a little unclear when she starts acting out and pretending as if she's possessed and the only one who knows she's lying is her sister, Merry. John Barrett, her father, is an avid church going man who automatically assumes that instead of taking her to her psychiatrist, Dr.Hamilton, that his daughter needs to find God instead. He takes her to their local church to meet with the priest, Father Wanderly, who thinks that exorcism is the best way to go.

The mother, Sarah Barrett, is an atheist and insist that her daughter keeps going to see Dr.Hamilton, much to the deaf ears of John. Him and Father Wanderly come up with this plan to shoot the whole thing and air it on TV, as the family is in financial ruin with John being unemployed and paying for Marjorie's treatment. The show will become their main source of income. Poor Marjorie, of course, plays along with it all, at the expense of her sister's well-being, as well as her own.

This book follows the themes of religious trauma, dysfunctional families, and mental illness. It's terrifying in the way of we see how mental disease not only tears Marjorie apart, but her entire family, including her traumatized younger sister who is telling the story that Marjorie Barrett never get to tell herself.

I highly recommend this book if you're a fan psychological horror. I know that I throughly enjoyed it. It took me 5 days to read, but that's just because I was hyperfixated on it and read it while I was at work during times when we weren't so busy. It has roughly 304 pages, but the number changes depending on the edition and publication date that you pick up. I hope you enjoyed my review and will pick up the book yourself and find out how Majorie's life came to a terrifying and unexpected end.

[opens-up-4-nobody]

hypothetical struggle between Christianity and paganism in bbc merlin? 👀 one that's very neurodivergent? 👀 do tell

Okay, so Athurian times take place in the early dark ages. Which was probably a weird time for religion in Britain. Because the Roman occupation had just come to an end, leaving behind the structure of catholicism at least with those in positions of power. But religious beliefs were still in the process of blending together with the local practices and other religions, leading to some odd gnostic beliefs. Obviously, bbc merlin doesn't talk about Christianity within Camelot but I think we can assume the catholic church would have a position at the round table. Presumably, Arthur would grow up instructed in catholic belief, go to mass, and have bishops or whatever advising him. He would rule by Devine right, sanctioned by the pope and magic would be characterized as demonic. And that somehow raises the stakes for me, imaging magical merlin within the walls of a very catholic Camelot.

I just have this image of merlin in the back of a cathedral as Arthur attends mass. Kneeling in this beautiful building, head bowed low as the congregation sings praise to a foreign God in a foreign tongue. A God that would apparently have merlin tied to a stake and burned alive. And merlin choking out his empty prayers, echoing in the verbal praise under the isolation of his nonbelief and magical association. Full of fear and venom.

The hypothetical struggle I imagine is one of catholic enforcement pushed by Arthur's religious advisors and Arthur's morality. Because Arthur is a good person and slaughtering a people on the basis religion is insane. So, what does it mean for Arthur if he stops listening to his advisors and starts accepting magic? He has to contend with a spiritual struggle, not just the secular issues presented in the show. And I would looooooove to watch that. The bending of Arthur's beliefs into something more flexible and less rigidly Christian according to the church of the time