Where to begin? How about politics?
Rick Santorum, at one time an also-ran, is surging in South Carolina (at least as of this minute), as evangelicals choose Catholic Santorum as the anti-Romney. Funnily enough, Catholics are swinging Mormon, or at least five former ambassadors to the Vatican are endorsing the former Massachusetts governor. I guess Vatican ambassadors are pretty big deals as endorsements go. (Meh.)
Vincent Miller over at America, while not endorsing Romney, questions Santorum’s understanding of the Catholic social principle of subsidiarity. Who ever would have guessed that a word as obscure and unpronounceable as “subsidiarity” would now be a part of American political discourse?
Now what? Bishops you say? OK: Francis George issued an apology on the 12th day of Christmas, backing away from the analogy he drew between KKK marches and Chicago’s annual GLBT pride parade. Well done. Next time, let’s try to cut the distance between offensive analogy and appropriate apology to six days.
George’s fellow Illinois bishop, Daniel R. Jenky of Peoria, also in honor of Epiphany, issued his annual “festival letter,” which was entitled simply, “Secularism.” Feeling festive? We editors at USC like to think of ourselves good at headlines; I volunteer us for next year’s title.
Finally: In the mood for something goofy? Then check out Good Catholic Girls’ spoof on the tumblr feed “Feminist Ryan Gosling” (don’t ask), which features Catholic comedian Stephen Colbert. Really funny. (Fair warning: I think some of the authors may be in favor of the ordination women to the priesthood.)
