Pope John XXIII made the Roman Catholic Church more catholic, while recent popes have made it more Roman.

 Friday, 1/20/11

The new liturgy is having more success as the weeks go on, with some people liking the way it makes us have fresh thoughts. However, the complaints are still strong. People are saying that Pope John XXIII and Vatican II took the Roman Catholic Church, making it more Catholic; while Popes John Paul II and Benedict have made the Roman Catholic Church more Roman than Catholic.

Yesterday I received my twice-a-month copy of the “National Catholic Reporter,” and I appreciated the very Catholic aspect of its coverage. It picture Jerusalem’s Catholics who were permitted to visit the Jordan for the Feast of the Baptism of Jesus. It told of 800 Christians slaughtered by the radical Boco Haram movement in Northern Nigeria. It says Columbia had six of its priests slaughtered by drug lords.

This issue of the N.C,R. gave full coverage to the 48 schools slated for closing in Philadelphia. That gives rise to deep thinking on the future of American Catholicism.

Benedict XVI appointed 22 cardinals: one each for Brazil, Canada, India and China. The States got two, but one of them works full time in the Curia, as do 17 others of the new cardinals.