Weird popeyguy remark

HuffPo says Pope Francis mentioned the existence of a "gay lobby" in the curia:

"Yes, it is difficult. In the curia there are holy people, truly holy people. But there is also a current of corruption, also there is, it is true... they speak of a 'Gay Lobby' and that is true, it is there.. we will have to see what we can do..."

Dog only knows what that means. But I suspect it isn't good news for gays.

Things are looking up for American nuns

Pope Francis' first Curia appointment resounds. Not only did he put his own guy in the Curia, but he demoted the guy he's replacing. And guess who that guy was?

The 60-year-old Carballo, who was also elevated to archbishop, replaces U.S. Archibishop Joseph Tobin, who was transferred from the high-ranking Vatican post to the Indianapolis archdiocese of fewer than 230,000 parishioners following his efforts to resolve tensions between the Vatican and U.S. nuns. Some theological conservatives had complained that the nuns had become too secular and political. 

This is very positive. 

(And see how this bloggy thing is going to work? I might blog at any time. It's not like I've gone away forever. So keep visiting.)

Sweeping out the Curia

As Pope Francis' PR initiative continues, I suspect there's a lot going on behind the curtains of the Vatican. It's time for Francis to sweep out the Curia and install new members.

Curia is a word denoting "a group of officials who assist in the governance" of a church, according to Wikipedia. The Roman Curia is the central government of the Roman Catholic church. Another way to put this is that the Curia is a group of evil, corrupt, old priests who run the Vatican.

If the reports about Benedict's spirit collapsing after he learned the extent of corruption within the Vatican are true -- and I believe they are -- Francis has one hell of a job on his hands. These "conservative" priests won't go down without a serious fight. Try to remember that "conservative" is a label often connected with crime. Crime and god are typically intertwined in the words and actions of conservatives. We see this in America all the time. And criminals always try their damnedest to hang onto a scam.

If I was Francis, I'd appoint someone to taste my food before I ate. And I wouldn't work my way through the crowds without protection. I believe the Curia is a group of dangerous men. Even though I'm an atheist, I'd like to see Francis straighten out this church. Mind you, Roman Catholicism is always going to be based on a lie. There is no god and this inconvenient fact can't be massaged away. But perhaps Francis can make his church a little less disgusting. I want him to have that opportunity.