First things first: Congratulations to the Kansas City Royals — American League Central Division champs for the first time in 30 years…I hope they go all the way, but it’s going to be hard sledding. It would sure make things easier if The Fantastic Johnny C(ueto) is really back to form. He worries me, though…
Now, on to the really big story: Pope Francis.
This is the only time in my life I’ve been really excited about a pope’s visit to the States, and I imagine I speak for a lot of people. This pope is very different than many of his predecessors. He shuns the trappings of majesty, sees the world through the eyes of the have-nots and makes most of us feel he genuinely loves each and every human being.
…I was planning to play golf fairly early yesterday, maybe 10 o’clock, but Patty called at 9 and said the pope’s speech to Congress was on the radio and TV. I turned it on and ended up watching — spellbound — for the next two and a half hours.
The major networks dropped their coverage after the pope left the Capitol, but I wanted more. So I scrolled through the channels and saw that coverage was continuing on Aljazeera America, a Qatar-based cable network that bought out the “Current” network about three years ago.
I had never watched Aljazeera before, but the coverage was excellent. They followed the pope to St. Patrick’s Church in DC, where he spoke to a church full of people and then waded into a crowd that included a number of homeless people. Francis then had lunch with some of the homeless.
**
I watched the speech to Congress on ABC, where George Stephanopoulos was anchoring the coverage. One thing Stephanopoulos said that really resonated with me was calling attention to the contrast between Francis and another fellow who has made a big splash in the media lately — Donald Trump.
Stephanopoulos didn’t put it exactly like this but sort of: When you stand the pope’s humility and compassion against Trump’s self-centeredness and dismissiveness of “losers,” Trump crumbles like dry bread.
Even though Trump was nowhere around — thank God! — it’s a mental contrast that many people probably made, and I think this could be the week that Trump’s polling numbers begin to fall off significantly.
We are seeing in Francis a man who is raising spirits and the dignity of human beings around the world. How does anyone compete with that?
**
When the pope was at the Capital, I got to enjoy my own small, personal link to the occasion.
After his speech, several prelates were among those who accompanied him to the Capitol balcony overlooking the National Mall. From the balcony, Francis addressed a crowd of thousands. When I heard one of the TV announcers mention “Archbishop Joseph Kurtz, president of the U.S. Conference of Bishops,” I began scanning the faces of those flanking Francis.
I spotted Kurtz to the pope’s right. Kurtz is archbishop of Louisville, my hometown, and strangely enough I’ve had the opportunity to play golf with him twice in the last six years.
Archbishop Kurtz
The occasions were the 45th and 50th reunions of my 1964 graduating class at St. Xavier High School. How I ended up in a foursome with Kurtz is that a member of our graduating class got acquainted with Kurtz through the classmate’s job as development director for an order of priests prominent in Louisville. After Kurtz accepted an invitation to play in the 2009 reunion golf game — he’s our age but not from Louisville — the classmate asked my best friend and me to join him and Kurtz on the course.
When the 50th reunion rolled around in 2014, the classmate again asked us to join him and Kurtz.
Both times it was fun and very casual. Kurtz was as regular a guy as you could find — not a bit stuffy and smiling all the time. Last year, I wanted to chat with him about our disgraced Bishop Finn, but I only got a chance to make a passing, unflattering remark. Kurtz just nodded and smiled.
Anyway, shortly after spotting Kurtz standing near Francis, I texted my best friend, saying, “Are you watching our golf buddy?”
He texted back with, “No, who?”
Then I called him and gushed on about what was happening at the Capitol.
…I sure hope Kurtz comes to the 55th anniversary and the four of us get to team up again. He might have some interesting anecdotes about this phenomenal papal visit.
JimmyCsays: At the juncture of journalism and daily life in KC 
Ya, that Francis is a heck of a guy alright. Like the time his aides put his briefcase on the plane ahead of a trip and he ordered them to take it off so the cameras could catch him carrying it aboard himself. He shuns the trappings of majesty and embraces the trappings of “humility” as long as the cameras are rolling that is. Doesn’t look to me like the man has missed many meals.
Oh, and pervert enablers Mahony, Law and Daneels (among others) still have the red hat. Francis is sure cleaning up the church tho! Unless you happen to share his ecclesiology, then your job is safe no matter what. Then there’s the new Francis appointed Bishop Barros of Osorno, Chile who’s not just a pervert enabler, but a pervert himself. Still has a job and likely will for sometime. I guess you and Jim Wandless can’t be bothered with too much pearl-clutching, jowl-shuddering, why-I-never outrage for that huh? Got a tee time to meet after all, eh? Just like all the “regular folk” in the world you plaster saints pretend to revere.
You’re up early, Johnny. You must be a fitful sleeper, as mad and passive aggressive as you are.
Roger Mahony (Los Angeles), Bernard Law (Boston and later Rome) and Godfried Daneels (Brussels) were, indeed, bad actors — cover-up artists. All retired before Francis was installed. You expect him to go back in time and cull out each and every cardinal, bishop and priest — active or retired — who participated in child abuse or child-abuse cover-up? He wouldn’t have time for anything else.
Plaster saints??? Better take a nap; you gotta be exhausted.
The Pope has the authority to demand a cardinal turn in his red hat, it being nothing more than a title. He hasn’t even gone that far. Mahony can still vote for the Pope and he can even be elected Pope, Deo volente. He can also order that a bishop no longer style himself “bishop” and he hasn’t taken even that infinitesimally small step.
Setting the example of only removing bishops who disagree with you from office while leaving your yes men in place regardless of their crimes seems more like business as usual to me than any kind of reform. Those engaged in cover ups should be bounced regardless of how liberal, conservative, traditional, progressive or whatever they happen to be. Yes, I do indeed expect him to go back and cull each and every cardinal, bishop or priest involved in this filth. There aren’t that many compared to the total number of priests and bishops and their crimes are well known. Or at a minimum, admit a mistake was made in Chile and at least dump him. But the Stay Puft Marshmallow Pope has other priorities, obvs.
Oh, and I live on the east coast and work for a living and thus do not have the luxury of sleeping in until 9 every morning just in time to tee off. At least you and your latte liberal buddies at the yacht basin have a few months to gin up some scandal about Bishop Johnston. Can’t wait to see what you come up with. So exciting. :)
First of all: yikes. Now, back to the news.
Did you have to watch your tongue on the golf course?!
I find peoples’ reaction to the Pope very moving.
The Royals’ celebration last night didn’t feel as exuberant and unfettered as last year’s.
I don’t get mad on the golf course very often, Gayle; I’m used to hitting bad shots. I remember once as a teenager throwing a club on a course where one hole bordered a relatively busy road. As I let the club go, I held it a fraction of a second too long, and it went twirling through the air, headed across the road. The club passed in front of a car that was coming along. I don’t know how close it was, but it scared the hell out of me…Maybe the driver, too! That cured me of club throwing.
Maybe the Royals will magically put it all back together, now that they’ve reached this regular-season high point and will be going back to a core of 25 players in October. But the pitching is shakey and now we’ve got Gordon not hitting a lick, as well as Salvy continuing to swing at pitches a foot and a half outside the strike zone. The guy does not appreciate the importance of an out. You only get 27; each should be treated like an opportunity to meet the pope.
The Internet copy desk wants you to know that George Stephanopoulos plies his trade on ABC.
Thank God for the Internet copy desk! (I think I was more focused on spelling George’s last name correctly than getting his network right.) Will fix.
Avoiding that spelling challenge is one reason Charlie Pierce of Esquire’s Politics blog routinely refers to George as “The Clinton Guy Shocked By Blowjobs”
Ha! That’s a good one, Mike.