Lettergate and the Limits of Prediction
The controversy over ‘Lettergate’ is an indicative one, wherein the Vatican Secretariat for Communication, Msgr. Dario Vigano (who has since been demoted, sort of, to third-in-command at said Curia) distorted the views of Pope Emeritus Benedict in his comments on a collection of Pope Francis’ ‘theology’, a compendium of theological works that have shaped the Pontiff. Even part of Pope Benedict’s letter were physically blurred out, so that no one could read the former pontiff’s clarifications, that he intended not to read the volumes, was critical of one anti-papal theologian in the collection, all in general putting his remarks into context.
Poor Pope Benedict; no wonder he wants to keep silent.
Embarrassing, yes, and even scandalous . The Church should avoid even the appearance of duplicity and connivance, in ‘blurring’ the truth in any way. Let our yes be yes, and our no be no, for only the truth will set us free.
On a related note, while we’re on theological fake news, one diocese has apparently doctored a photo of a seminarian in a cassock, to make it look like he is wearing jeans, to attract, one might think, more seminarians. Not the way to go, one might also think. Young men can wear jeans anywhere, and need not enter a seminary to do so. Cassocks, on the other hand, look rather odd on anyone except priests, and future priests, and are quite fitting indeed.
Oh, how I long for the relatively clear and limpid days of yesteryear, and feel like re-writing the Beatles’ ballad on the day before today, when all our troubles seemed so far away.
And what of the oxymoron of artificial intelligence, especially the fiction of autonomous driving vehicles? No car can really ‘drive itself’, for reasons I discussed last year, and may re-post. The Uber car that killed a pedestrian crossing the road the other day was unaware it had done so. No guilt. No repercussions. It just did not ‘see’ her, but then, the camera and sensors do not really ‘see’ anyway; they just respond inexorably and algorithmically to data. Reality is far too complex, multi-varied and changing to be left to algorithms, for something will always escape, go wrong, gang aft agley, as Burns wrote, which might be roughly translated from the auld Scotch as ‘get real ugly’
Then again, something also goes wrong with humans, but we can at least blame them for their lack of awareness, or outright stupidity. At the very least, their intellect can shift according to the shifting of reality, can make judgement calls, can, in a word, adapt, even transcend the ‘algorithm’ of the moment; they are not inexorable, proceeding ahead even if it makes little sense. At least most of the time. Thing can again gang aft agley. The Austin bomber, who killed three people and injured a number more in apparently random attacks, the other day blew himself up as police closed in on his vehicle. He was ‘young, white, unemployed’ and, as the headlines like to add, homeschooled. We know not his motives, but this is, again, a scandal.
Let us not pile up on those educated within the home, almost all of whom quite well adjusted, more religious and virtuous, and usually far better educated than their public school counterparts. God rest his soul and those of his victims, for even the best of things can go wrong, and liberum arbitrium, that whole ‘free will’ thing, will be a mystery until the end of time.
A blessed Passiontide to all.
Carney’s Amoral Majority
After five defections – euphemistically described as ‘crossing the floor’ – and three by-elections, Mark Carney and his Liberals how have their coveted majority. One wonders what bowls of pottage were offered in back-room deals. In the archaic monarchical system that is the Dominion of Canada, this majority allows the newly-minted Prime Minister to rule[…]Continue reading→
Saint Kateri , Canada’s Protectress
This was the title given to Saint Kateri Tekakwitha, by Pope Benedict XVI, when he canonized her on October 28th, 2012, along with six others, in Saint Peter’ Square (she had been beatified by Pope John Paul II back in 1980). With Saint Joseph as our protector, along with the Canadian martyrs, we seem to[…]Continue reading→
A Closed, Unsustainable, Descending Loop
As a follow-up to my thoughts on Payette’s payout, here be a stark image of where are here in Canada. As the graph shows in, well, graphic terms, since 2025, the public sector has contributed to 95.5% of economic growth. The private sector – which funds the public sector, or is supposed to – has[…]Continue reading→
A Tale of Two Benedicts
A grace-filled Holy Week to all our readers! As we await and prepare for the Resurrection about to dawn upon us, we might keep in mind two Benedicts: Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, requiescat in pace, elected on this day in 2005; and today’s commemoration of the mystic pilgrim, Benedict Joseph Labre, who died on this[…]Continue reading→
My Name is Bernadette
April 16th is a propitious day, for besides the anniversary of Father de Valk’s death, who founded Catholic Insight in its print form decades ago, and the commemoration of the ‘two Benedicts’, mentioned in accompanying posts, today we also recall Saint Bernadette Soubirous, the young visionary to whom the Virgin Mary appeared numerous times at[…]Continue reading→
Presidential Pardon of Weronika Krawczyk
As a good news, follow-up to our story from Poland, of the persecution of Weronika Krawczyk for her pro-life views, we heard that she has been granted a presidential pardon. One might still wonder why one needs a presidential pardon for simply holding the long-held belief that the child within the womb is a child,[…]Continue reading→
Saint Lydwina of Schiedam and Suffering Joyfully
Saint Lydwina of Schiedam (1380 – 1433) was one of the countless and glorious ‘victim souls’ in the history of the Church, those whose lives are filled with suffering, often of an unimaginable intensity, but who suffer joyfully. She was a fifteen-year old Dutch girl, out skating one day, when she fell and broke one[…]Continue reading→
The Glorious Martyrdoms of Martin and Maximus
As we enter into Eastertide, we recall on this 13th of April Pope Saint Martin I (+655), one of the noblest, if most tragic, of the successors of Saint Peter. Born in Umbria, Italy, he was of noble lineage, with great intelligence combined with charity and love of the poor and the Church. While still[…]Continue reading→
Pope Leo and a Rosary for Peace
Pope Leo XIV has asked Catholics across the world to join him in a Rosary for peace today, at 18:00 Rome time (6 pm), which would be noon from where I write (EST). If you are able, whether at that time or another, and in whatever way you pray, to join in intercession with the[…]Continue reading→
Payette’s Payout
I was glancing through some headlines, and noticed a mention of Julie Payette – engineer and astronaut and sometime the Queen’s representative in Canada – which brought back vague memories. She was appointed Governor-General by Justin Trudeau in 2017. Ms. Payette resigned in 2021, amidst claims that she created a ‘toxic work environment’, with allegations[…]Continue reading→