Vatican City

Methinks a good defrocking is good and necessary now and again… (just a hunch—I predict a string of significant defrockings in the Holy See and assorted outlying provinces, and likely sooner rather than later). I’m guessing that as you read this, “God’s Rottweiler,” aka Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, also now known as “Pope Benedict XVI,” is busy bracing himself for the pending “fall from grace”—with regard to the plethora of child-abuse cases by priests worldwide bubbling to the fore—possibly even foreshadowing the implosion of the Catholic Church.

Maureen Dowd (whose column I read occasionally by dent of following The New York Times) makes this astute suggestion: “If the church could throw open its stained glass windows and let in some air, invite women to be priests, nuns to be more emancipated and priests to marry, if it could banish criminal priests and end the sordid culture of men protecting men who attack children, it might survive. It could be an encouraging sign of humility and repentance, a surrender of arrogance, both moving and meaningful.”

I know, this is a bit heavier than most of my posts, but the sheer hypocrisy currently on exhibit is deeply vexing to say the least. But hey—the Vatican has some terrific art… and as if to distract and mesmerize the unwashed masses, you and I can now zoom back and forth (click and drag) through the Sistine Chapel with virtually angelic grace, here. (I promise the experience is worth it—be patient as the site loads [because patience is a virtue, don’t you know]. An extra bonus is the background music provided by—you guessed it—choirboys!).

Thanks to friend Oliver Oike for the link.