The rightwing fringe is getting noisier and even more aggressive. First, Pewsitter does not like the appointment of Bishop Bob McElroy to San Deigo and aks if he is really Catholic? Rorate Caeli is similarly upset. To which I say: Congratulations Bishop McElroy. This is the crowd that attacked Cardinal O'Malley for presiding at the funeral of Sen. Kennedy, that thinks the communion rail should be turned into a redoubt in the culture wars, and really, really does not like the Holy Father. Being attacked by them is like being called ugly by a frog.
The fringe is not only attacking +McElroy. They are training their sights directly on Pope Francis. How else to explain this article in Crisis entitled "Can a Pope Be a Heretic?" Either you have way, way too much time on your hand or you write such an article because the subject came up in conversation. I confess, such a question does not come up in my conversations.
Speaking of the Holy Father, in case you missed his talk to the cooperatives in Italy, please read this article. He could not be more clear. Some of our libertarian friends like to say that they are not really libertarian, and that the pope is not really condemning the economic model they defend, and besides, we all know he is limited by his Argentine experience, etc. What the pope is saying, and he is not saying it applies only to Argentina, is that when the "laws of the market" are invoked to justify economic practices that are unjust, we Catholics need to remind ourselves that the "laws of the market" are manmade things and should not let them become idols. This line of thinking is the exact opposite of the line that emerges from the Acton Institute. I wish they had the courage and the honesty to admit it.
