One excerpt was highlighted by a reader who reportedly found it "hysterical." See for yourself:
Monsignor Krajewski, known as Father Conrad, has been taking provisions and aid to those who live on the streets for years. Pope Francis has chosen him for this reason, appointing him bishop and entrusting him the Almonry; he has the task of being the Pope’s «first responder»: of providing small economic help to those who are enduring hardships. The Polish bishop tells of the meeting at the beginning of October, which opened his eyes: «I had just come out of the Church of the Holy Spirit, where I go to hear confessions. In the Via della Conciliazione I met Franco, a homeless man. He told me that he was turning fifty that day and that he had been living on the street for ten years». The bishop invites him for dinner at a restaurant. The man answers: «But I smell…». Monsignor Krajewski continues, «I took him with me nonetheless. We went to a Chinese restaurant.Our reader remarks: "Man, you smell like a sack filled with old jocks, but I know just the place where we can go that nobody will notice." Um-hmmm. Right. A Chinese restaurant.
[Hat tip to L.S.]
14 comments:
The Pope was inspired by the homeless person's complaint to Monsignor Krajewski that the homeless in Italy have no problem getting something to eat, but have great difficulty finding a place to wash.
I for one wish New York City's own liberal mayor would take note of the Pope's example in establishing this public work of charity.
Oh, I'm so touched by Christopher's good heart.
But, as the Italians say, "quando puoi fai del bene , e non lo dire."
Or, as Jesus said, "But when thou dost alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doth."
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P.S. Nothing to add, except this: no media campaign is innocent at the moment. Particularly when the spokesman being used is Andrea Tornielli, who has lost all sense of integrity recently. Plus, in a few months, you will see what the Romans on the street, always so callously truthful, will be saying about these "showers", just wait.
The bolded part is hysterical.
Look, you smell like a moldy sack of old jocks so I'll take you to a place where you won't even be noticed - a Chinese restaurant.
O, and why the Collonade when there are homeless showers close by?
The miserabilist church progresses
The Pope does something charitable to help the homeless.
Two radtrads take this opportunity to snark at the Pope over it.
You see this is why guys like you can't have nice things. You deserve to remain forever on the fringe with your Rosaries wrapped in tinfoil.
Seems like a great reminder, a Mother Teresa like gesture, to average Catholics to do the right thing. Very good. As is Obama visiting schools and trying to help individuals on need. Would be even better if it wasn't shouted from the Internet rooftops, but I guess that is hoping too much...
Rather Anon this snarking at Pope Francis for doing the right thing has an almost Christopher Hitchens bashing Mother Teresa like quality to it.
The old atheist drunk used to slander her as an immodest attention seeker and ambitious self promoter if the media reported worldwide her good deeds. Or if her order informed others of her good work to raise awareness of the plight of the poor and dying.
Lovely you Radtrads stealing from his play book.
What did he leave it too you in his will?
This is why you reactionaries can't have nice things.
M.Js Bride has long been a force in the Homeless Coalition in the West Palm Beach, Florida area and M.J. his own self one worked as a psych social worker doing psych evaluations as a worker on the Hot Team - Homeless Outreach Team - and they both knew where to place these services and they both knew what would and would not create more problems than it would solve and creating showers under the Collonade is a terrible idea because it will attract a semi-permanent group who will take advantage of the situation to remain homeless.
There are ways of dealing with the homeless that can assist them to restore their dignity but this action is far more likely to have sad results.
O, but maybe the Pope expects this might be needed as the homeless rolls might possibly grow for he just fired 500 men and women who work for him and their firing takes effect in January and he will be using the internet to replace their skills with cheaper labor so those possibly new homeless folks might need a place to wash off the detritus of the creative destruction of the Holy See's capitalism that our Pope so routinely castigates.
@Grorilla guy.
>and they both knew where to place these services and they both knew what would and would not create more problems than it would solve and creating showers under the Collonade is a terrible idea because it will attract a semi-permanent group who will take advantage of the situation to remain homeless.
Or maybe it will just give them some dignity? Also it will contribute to public hygiene and protect the rest of us from sickness.
Ever ride the New York Subway with an homeless man who clearly hasn't showed in years and has obviously soiled himself?
I doubt you would last five minutes buddy. Just saying......
Anyway Kudos to your wife for her work with the homeless.
God bless her. Pope Francis and St Teresa would be proud.
>O, but maybe the Pope expects this might be needed as the homeless rolls might possibly grow for he just fired 500 men and women who work for him and their firing takes effect in January and he will be using the internet to replace their skills with cheaper labor
Or maybe by your own standards they can get other Jobs via your conservative impulse to discourage them from taking advantage of the situation trying to get a charitable organization to pay for a services they don't really need?
I have no easy solution to the problems in either case but the cheeps shots here aren't any solution.
Ben,
I am no RadTrad. But I guess anyone who has problems with Francis guest consigned to the Kolbe Center forPre-Conciliar Hold Outs.We can't all be as incredibly even-keeled as John Allen and David Gibson. As I said, I think it is a noble gesture. Yes. But it's not snarky to my mind to point out that good deeds are supposed to be done in private, whereas the modern tendency is to publicize everything. I had the same reaction when TIME made Pope John Paul the Man of the Year. It's not snarky, it's a matter-of-fact perspective. The "Pope does amazing, humble good deed" material ought to go in a positio, not a press release about the living. I feel the same way about naming airports after still living presidents. As for Hitchens, I'll pass on the compliment.
J
@JFM
> But it's not snarky to my mind to point out that good deeds are supposed to be done in private, whereas the modern tendency is to publicize everything.
You are entitled too your opinion but I think the moral principle here is not to tell others of your good deeds if your intention is too aggrandize yourself. I see no proof the Pope put out this story to make himself look good or put it out at all. Odds are his underlings and press secretary put it out there. If people didn’t inform others of the good deeds they are preforming then I ask you how could we gather any information for the Church to canonize saints? Should Grorilla Boy /MJY have kept quite about his wife’s work with the homeless to “keep it private”?
I don’t think so. Also it spreads awareness that the homeless need help.
> I had the same reaction when TIME made Pope John Paul the Man of the Year.
Yeh you don’t understand the whole MAN OF THE YEAR concept of TIME magazine. Their first MAN OF THE YEAR was Hitler.
MOTY is not a title or award for service. Nor is it an honor given by Time. Rather it is a recognition of persons who have effected the world most for good or ill.
> It's not snarky, it's a matter-of-fact perspective. The "Pope does amazing, humble good deed" material ought to go in a positio, not a press release about the living. I feel the same way about naming airports after still living presidents. As for Hitchens, I'll pass on the compliment.
OTOH I found out later after Benedict resigned he axed hundreds of rogue priests for sex abuse. It would have been nice to know that was happing. If only to give victims confront and blunt the propaganda of anti-Catholics trying to weaken people’s faith.
So you will forgive me if I disagree with you. But at least you didn’t snark at the Pope by expressing this reasoned opinion so I have no beef with you.
MJY, you magnificent simian! Witch hazel is supposed to be the most effective antidote for hemorrhoids, but your response (2nd last sentence) was far more enjoyable.
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