Kingfishers, Dragonflies, and Stones

As kingfishers catch fire, dragonflies dráw fláme; / As tumbled over rim in roundy wells / Stones ring; like each tucked string tells, each hung bell's / Bow swung finds tongue to fling out broad its name; / Each mortal thing does one thing and the same: / Deals out that being indoors each one dwells; / Selves -- goes itself; myself it speaks and spells, / Crying Whát I do is me: for that I came.// Í say móre: the just man justices/ [Gerard Manley Hopkins]

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In "Four Cultures of the West," John O'Malley, SJ, showed us how to read the open book of our own personal experience and look at what we find there. This is what I find about family and friends, academics and humanism, religion and the rule of law.

Sunday, March 15, 2009

No Statue For Galileo

As a member of ARCC -- Association for Rights of Catholics in the Church -- I am privileged to receive its Spot LIGHT, "brief commentaries on current issues by members of the ARCC Board periodically sent out by e-mail to the ARCC membership."

The one here shows that it is in the little things that we see the basic person. For Josef Ratzinger, it is not the pronouncements he makes, the clothes he wears, but the little ways he gets his way -- by banning a statue of Galileo designed for the Vatican gardens, because . . .

Well, read the article and think on our petty pope.

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ARCC spot LIGHT
(analysis of Church issues by the ARCC Publications Committee, R. Schutzius, ed.)

 No Statue for Galileo

Cardinal Ratzinger once described Galileo's trial as "fair and reasonable" and most likely the hierarchy considered it so at the time.  The rub comes, and continues to rub the Vatican the wrong way, because they were seriously wrong and demonstrated their reliance on literal scripture over science by condemning and excommunicating him.

In celebrating the 400th anniversary of Galileo's accomplishments, now Pope Benedict praised Galileo as a man of science and deep faith.  As a sign of rehabilitation of Galileo a statue of him was to be erected in the Vatican gardens (thanks to a generous sponsor).

Poor Galileo, it is not to be so.  It was announce by the Vatican in January that the project would be scrapped and the sponsor was urged to give his money to other science projects.  A statue of Galileo in a garden he frequently visits would remind Pope Benedict of a tragic error.  Not a very pleasant thought to one at the center of the religion-science struggle for truth.  It would also remind him of his cancelled visit to Rome University last year after staff and students accused him of defending the Inquisition's condemnation of Galileo.

Few want constant reminders of past mistakes, but the powerful should, lest they fail to question their decisions and attitudes.  Too bad Pope Benedict will not have a big statue of Galileo to remind him of his, but the way things are going, he doesn't need any more reminders.   Vatican officials will participate in a conference in Florence on the whole Galileo affair in May, gathering for the first time all the key Church institutions since Galileo's condemnation.  Maybe a "Blessed Galileo"? Don't bet on it!

What do you have in your life's garden  to keep you humble?  Married people don't need to ask.   

 
 

Remembering the Women Sunday Readings   

3/22, 4th Sunday of Lent, - Ester 8:1-8, Exodus 35: 20-29

3/29, 5th Sunday of Lent - Jeremiah 31:15-14  
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