Here's the deal.
Only the Pope knows; so the guy/gal ("dissident") carries on as before; the Pope knows, in his heart of hearts, that he's silenced him/her; so everyone is happy.
It is surely time to resurrect that fine Papal practice of doing things In Pectore now that we are back to the age of persecution, nihil obstat and imprimatur. The old system of censorship was very resource intensive with its huge Index Librorvm Prohibitorvm and all the clerks required to keep it up to date and everything.
The new old way would be better. Wouldn't cost a penny and would economise on scarce clerical resources ('scuse the pun) in these days of exponentially declining vocations and falling replacement ratios.
So what's with the picture, I hear you ask, as your febrile brain tries to make the connection? Well, I liked the tones in the painting; it is pertinent (and indeed, pert); and it is arguably less offensive than my original choice which was to put the Pope's head on a picture of the Sacred Heart. The logic would have been more apparent but the offence all the greater.
.
For those too young to remember anything before the Celtic Tiger, I should have explained that the most usual use of "in pectore" by the Pope was the creation of Cardinals in persecuted lands. The prelate in question would be suitably honoured but the appointment would not be announced for fear the authorities would persecute the man. Now do you see where I am coming from?
ReplyDeleteWhile I'm at it, I notice Fr. Twomey has been very quiet of late (so just to spite me he'll turn up in tomorrow morning's paper).
Now, this might just be because he has been silenced by one of those holy super-gag orders, but unlike Fr. Fagan, his would have to be for ultra-orthodoxy, either in the holding or the stating thereof, thereby embarrassing his former mentor, the Pope.
On the other hand, is it just possible he might have been secretly appointed one of the censors to keep an eye on errant dissidents?
One to keep an eye on.