Thursday, January 15, 2015

The Pope in Asia



He still schleps his own bag.

What's a schlepper?  Salesmen used the term to describe themselves going around, dragging their baggage - business to business, town to town.  The term has taken on a somewhat negative connotation these days, but I think of it as more a fun term... self-deprecating.

That said, the Pope makes me smile when I see him schlepping his own bag - it looks kind of funny, kind of dumpy - it makes him look like a schlepper.

Prayers for the Holy Father as he travels through the Philippines.

Bonus:

Here's an interesting papal fashion trend:  Many Cardinals, Bishops, Monsignors, and even priests and seminarians are now beginning to carry their own over-sized black bags themselves ...


Whaaat?


6 comments:

  1. Thank God Cardinal Burke is here to bring us back to an earlier time, when the Church was more masculine.

    Ok, that was too easy.

    Oddly enough, the whole lace and fine vestments thing seems to lead to male bonding. That tradition seems to say, "It's ok to appreciate beauty (and not just women or nature). You can be a man and like sacred music, choreographed high masses and incense. It's a culture where men can be vulnerable--vulnerable in recognition of the holiness of God. Nothing says that more than kneeling at an altar rail and letting another man feed you the Eucharist. Vulnerability leads to bonding. There's a genius to the old Roman Catholic culture, and Burke is tapping into it (though not with that photo!).

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    1. Just trying to have fun - nothing against Burke at all. I get a kick out of the pope carrying his case around - and the bBurke photo fit my bogus factoid.

      The fine vestments and lace and gallero and all that stuff is fine with me - it's Catholic. I think the suggestion of it being effeminate is malicious. There is a site which also tallies the cost of the vestments with the suggestion the cost should somehow be given to the poor - it reminds me of what Judas said. It's an easy and over used attack.

      My photshop is not meant as an attack on traditional vesture, although some will insist it is. It's not - it just works with the pope photo. By now everyone knows my sense of humor is pretty weird. I know you know that. ;)

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    2. I was just thinking out loud about the paradox that so many young, non-effeminate men are so zealously attached to lace, smells, bells and slow-motion divine theatre. It's experiencing an unlikely renaissance.

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  2. That photoshop of Burke holding your purse never gets old, does it? Clearly it's not an attack; you just want to make sure he's properly accessorized.

    What?

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    1. I have no way of knowing this, but I kinda think Burke was simply posing here and it was all in fun. I may be wrong.

      Delete
  3. Terry, I think it's funny and not at all malicious. In fact I shamelessly use it and everyone knows I'm a Burke fan. No one once has chastised me (but if they do, I'll send them your way ;)

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