An apology to Bubbles (and other things)

I corresponded with Bubbles Sirman this morning, and it turns out I did misinterpret his target last night, confusing him with the idiots who think the local crisis is an excuse to have their prurient curiosities catered to. I should have known better, knowing Bubbles from REBORN and all, that he wouldn't be into that. Please accept my contrition.

His real target was our passive-voiced, hiding behind the pr flacks and lawyers bishops up to their miters in the Situation. And, though I express myself very differently, about that we actually agree.

Dallas will be extremely difficult, if our bishops are strong for us and serious at all, and I know at least some of them are. And, in the upcoming months after Dallas, there will have to be a lot more public truth-telling. Not "mistakes were made," but "I allowed x to happen and x was wrong." Not "there were indiscretions" but "I did y. I ordered z. I beg your forgiveness."

I have become utterly convinced (any of my friends can let me know if they think I'm wrong---Mark S, Bubbles, Gerard, anybody?) that in the next months, there will be some, maybe many, of our bishops, including some of the cardinals, facing a full diocesan chapel and a bank of international media for their own public Chapter of Faults. And not over decades-forgiven personal sin and ordinary lack of courage either. This will not be easy. It will be no fun for any of us. But it needs to happen.

We need to pray and do penance. That is what will help the bishops to do it, and help us to endure it. That, and my knowledge that I have sinned and I have done spectacularly dumb things myself. So there is no right to ridicule.

Today's wise words come from Bill W:

How privileged we are to understand so well the divine paradox that strength rises from weakness, that humiliation goes before resurrection, that pain is not only the price but the very touchstone of spiritual rebirth.
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