Banning Pope T-Shirts in Sydney or Clerico-Fascism Part One
July 2nd 2008 20:43
The unnecessary fascist regulations in Sydney concerning the Pope and WYD are only partly to protect His Holiness and his entourage from indecency and licentious, indeed ribald, comment from the forces of organised naturalism. I think the real target is Low Church Anglicans and other levellers. Morris and Co (whoever the co. might include now - I suppose he's looking for friends wherever he can find them) are afraid not so much of "Oxford Street Welcomes Catholic Youth with Open Arms - Business as Usual" tees or Pope shaped prophylatics, as placards with recondite references to the Apocalypse or St Paul's more opaque writings. As any magistrate, police man or theologically literate fireman would know, calling the Pope the Anti-Christ is much more offensive to Catholics than pubescent Pope jokes. What I can't work out is how Catholic Sedevacantists fit into the picture. Is declaring allegance to Pope Pius XIII, John Gregory XVII or the Vacant Throne itself to be considered offensively anti-Catholic? Would a reasonable man, if such a being can be currently discovered in Sydney, find a Latin (what other language?) placard saying, for example, "Sedes Vacat! Ratzinger non est Papa!" anti-Catholic? Would it have to be decided in the Court of Appeals?
The evident farce inherent in this whole legal debacle leads one to suspect that the tin ear of politically naive clergy has been listening to the siren song of senior Catholic laymen flattering priestly ambition and its attendant insecurities. I find it difficult to believe that such heavy handed measures were taken without, at the very least, the foreknowledge of the episcopal classes. One is reminded of the exasperated rhetorical question that led to the murder of Thomas a Beckett. While it is undoubtedly true that the Cardinal did not request these regulations - he said say so, I believe him - someone must have. That someone would not have proceeded without canvassing the matter at least indirectly (perhaps even in a Sir Humphrey Appleby kind of way that entailed plausible deniability) with those in charge of the event.
As ever when dealing with intractable stupidity you need to ask "Cui Bono?" Who's getting the political points out of this? Clergy worried the Pope might think badly of them if nasty things happen while he is visiting on their watch in their town? Lay Catholic Eminences Grises currying favour with the clergy for deeply rooted psychopathological reasons? The NSW Government trying to look good in the eyes of the Catholic electorate in a misguided attempt to win votes? Is it just the usual Catholic organisational stuff up? Whoever the winner might be, it is not the public perception of the Church in NSW. All that has been reinforced in the minds of Sydneysiders is that the Church at its official level does not like public discussion and that it prefers to exercise its not inconsiderable power subversively of the parliamentary government via back stairs and what used to be smoke filled rooms.
I really look forward to World Youth Day now! Things are getting interesting.
The evident farce inherent in this whole legal debacle leads one to suspect that the tin ear of politically naive clergy has been listening to the siren song of senior Catholic laymen flattering priestly ambition and its attendant insecurities. I find it difficult to believe that such heavy handed measures were taken without, at the very least, the foreknowledge of the episcopal classes. One is reminded of the exasperated rhetorical question that led to the murder of Thomas a Beckett. While it is undoubtedly true that the Cardinal did not request these regulations - he said say so, I believe him - someone must have. That someone would not have proceeded without canvassing the matter at least indirectly (perhaps even in a Sir Humphrey Appleby kind of way that entailed plausible deniability) with those in charge of the event.
As ever when dealing with intractable stupidity you need to ask "Cui Bono?" Who's getting the political points out of this? Clergy worried the Pope might think badly of them if nasty things happen while he is visiting on their watch in their town? Lay Catholic Eminences Grises currying favour with the clergy for deeply rooted psychopathological reasons? The NSW Government trying to look good in the eyes of the Catholic electorate in a misguided attempt to win votes? Is it just the usual Catholic organisational stuff up? Whoever the winner might be, it is not the public perception of the Church in NSW. All that has been reinforced in the minds of Sydneysiders is that the Church at its official level does not like public discussion and that it prefers to exercise its not inconsiderable power subversively of the parliamentary government via back stairs and what used to be smoke filled rooms.
I really look forward to World Youth Day now! Things are getting interesting.
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