Hans-Hermann Hoppe - Realistic Libertarianism as Right-Libertarianism
By: Property and Freedom Society
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Hans-Hermann Hoppe - Realistic Libertarianism as Right-Libertarianism - Video
Hans-Hermann Hoppe - Realistic Libertarianism as Right-Libertarianism
By: Property and Freedom Society
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Hans-Hermann Hoppe - Realistic Libertarianism as Right-Libertarianism - Video
Radicalism as Revolution: A Call for a Fractal Libertarianism
Intro/Outro by Jeff Riggenbach Written by Jeff Riggenbach Read by Tony Dreher Edited by Nick Ford Online article: http://c4ss.org/content/27335 Excerpt: "Rup...
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Radicalism as Revolution: A Call for a Fractal Libertarianism - Video
The Political Paradox Podcast - EP 007 - Libertarianism 101
This Week: Sit back, relax and open your mind. Today, we #39;re talking Libertarianism 101. Topics covered on Today #39;s show: Government Regulation, Monopoly, Capi...
By: Political Paradox
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The Political Paradox Podcast - EP 007 - Libertarianism 101 - Video
Social Justice Libertarianism with Elizabeth Tate
Most liberty-lovers will agree that not every evil is caused by the State. "Social justice" has long been a rallying-cry for the left, and is summarily dismi...
By: Liberty.me
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By David M. Sanders, Dana Point
After reading Andrea Swaynes piece, Building Character in the Jan. 9-15 issue of the Dana Point Times, I couldnt help but sit down and consider the opportunity it laid on the table.
As an architect who has been a Dana Point resident for over three decades, the one thing I always relished about Dana Point was the remarkable degree of freedom it gave to designers. This freedom is incredibly unique in a coastal community. Dana Point has been an island of artistic libertarianism in a vipers den of architectural totalitarianism for as long as I can remember, and personally, Id be sad to see that change.
Obviously, in historical terms, Dana Point has positioned its style as a sort of quasi-Cape Cod groove, which is fine, as far as it applies to certain sites and areas of the city. However, once you leave the specific planned areas, you see Dana Points real charactera huge variety of styles and individual visions of architecture. Take a look at it! You have the recently completed pedestrian overpass at the south end of town in the Spanish Colonial style only a short walk away from the Organic Modernist landmark that is the Chart House Restaurant.
Our two closest neighbors, San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano, are perfect examples of what I call architectural despotism. While San Juan Capistrano has a bit more credibility for its attitude in light of its long history (dating back to Spanish colonization in the 18th century), San Clementes is laughable in my view, dating back to the vision of a property developer in the early 20th century.
To paraphrase Henry Ford, in vast swathes of San Clemente, You can build anything you like, as long as it has a red tile roof, white plaster and wood windows. Since childhood, I always felt that attitude was utterly antithetical to the American ideal. Id sure be disappointed to see that happen to Dana Point. As a property owner, I find it positively offensive.
If you want to dictate aesthetic values on a piece of property Ive bought and paid for, that brings us right down to the level of statist organs like the old Soviet Union and China. I dont think that was Franklin or Jeffersons vision of the United States. Rather, their vision was to create a society of individuals free to pursue their own desires as long as they didnt infringe on their neighbors rights or property. The argument that putting, for instance, a Modernist building next to someone elses Spanish Colonial Revival villa will detract from its value is a threadbare, tenuous argument. Any realtor will tell you that good location, practical zoning standards and quality schools take the lead in property valuation; architectural style of the neighboring buildings is of almost zero relevance.
If I were made king for a day, Id like to see something unique happen with Dana Point. Id like to see it embrace an attitude of encouraging good architecture, period; no matter the textbook style being expressed. As such, any future planning documents would need to contain standards embracing several architectural styles, and even hybrids of those styles.
As a professional in the field, I enjoy experiencing a wide range of styles from the classical to the modern; my only requirements to declare them good is that they be well-designed, well-constructed and compliant with the zoning standards. Dana Point already has mechanisms in place to insure those qualities, and has maintained a knowledgeable, competent staff of community development personnel to uphold the standards.
If a planning document had to be created, it should provide examples and guidelines for all of Californias imported styles, such as Spanish Colonial, Cape Cod and Mediterranean (to name just a few) as well as its indigenous, vernacular styles such as the 1930s through 1960s wood-clad, heavily-glazed beach cottage, Rudolph Schindlers California modernism, and the Arts and Crafts-era bungalow style (a.k.a. Craftsman style); again, naming just a few.
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Virtue Ethics and Libertarianism with Roderick Long
Much is made among liberty-lovers of the divide between utilitarian and deontological approaches to liberty. Roderick Long, however, suggests a third way. He proposes a "eudaimonist" or "virtue...
By: Liberty.me
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Washington Rand Paul took a pretty sharp dig at possible/probable 2016 rival Mitt Romney on Wednesday. In an interview with the NH Journal, Senator Paul noted that this would be Mr. Romneys third try at the Oval Office if he runs, and then said, When you do the same thing and expect a different result, its sort of what Einstein said, that the definition of insanity is to do the same thing over and over again and expect a different result.
Thats right, Paul pretty much flat-out said that Romney would be bonkers to mount another presidential campaign.
Should he have said this? We think not.
Yes, its not far from what lots of Republicans are saying about Romneys surprise interest in 2016. But technically speaking, its inaccurate. Trying something three times and expecting a different result is not the definition of insanity. If it were, everybody who is certain that they know their Netflix password, and that it will work this time if he or she just types it in harder, or more carefully, would be certifiable.
Thats millions of people.
Also, Einstein probably never said this. Like lots of stuff on the Internet, this is a quote that seems vaguely wise and is attributed to a famous person to give it extra power, but nobody really knows where it came from. Ben Franklin didnt say it, either. Neither did Mark Twain.
But this is carping. The real reason Paul should not have resorted to this faux-Einstein chestnut is that its quite likely he (Paul) would benefit if Romney ran. He should be encouraging Mitt to get the gang back together. He should be offering to endorse Romney, or even run the sign-up papers down to the FEC if Romney has to stay home to wait for the car elevator repairman.
Why would Paul be better off with Romney re-redux? Long story short, Romney and Jeb Bush split the GOP establishments votes, money, and endorsements. Paul sticks with his own identifiable, libertarian niche. Hes a unique figure in the race, points out Thursdays Wall Street Journal.
As the field of potential Republican presidential candidates grows, few stand to benefit from the added competition as much as Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, write the WSJs Janet Hook and Patrick OConnor.
In particular, Romney could siphon support from Mr. Bush in the early-primary state of New Hampshire, where the former Massachusetts governor maintains a summer home. The Granite State is also fertile ground for Pauls brand of libertarianism, meaning that he could pull off a surprise win or a strong second in the event of a Romney-Bush clash.
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Rand Paul calls Romney 2016 bid 'insanity.' Counterproductive? (+video)
Anarchy vs Libertarianism
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RAND PAUL BEGINS MAKING HIS CASE FOR 2016: Recent news that former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and 2012 GOP nominee Mitt Romney are mulling presidential bids are welcome news for at least one potential 2016 contender: Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul. The reason is simple: The more contenders there are angling for support among the evangelical and establishment wings of the party, the easier it will be for Mr. Paul to cast himself as a unique figure as he courts a mix of tea-party activists, young voters and other Republicans with his distinct brand of conservative libertarianism.
Mr. Paul visited the early-voting state of New Hampshire yesterday, at a time when much of the focus in GOP politics has centered on what a third White House bid for Mr. Romney would mean for Mr. Bush and others vying for the same centrist, business-friendly donors. The Kentucky senator found a receptive audience in the state, where his libertarian-leaning father came in second with 23% of the vote in the states 2012 GOP presidential primary. As one New Hampshire state senator put it: He is solely the candidate who benefits from the crowded field. Janet Hook and Patrick OConnor report.
Compiled by Rebecca Ballhaus
PATRICK OCONNORS EARLY HIT: AMERICANS WANT CONGRESS TO FOCUS ON THE BASICS Republicans and Democrats alike want Congress to pass an annual budget, drive down college costs and preserve Medicare for future generations, according to a recent nationwide poll commissioned by Crossroads GPS and the American Action Network, two groups that back congressional Republicans. Splits emerge over more divisive issues like approving the Keystone XL pipeline and changing the Affordable Care Act. The poll results suggest Americans would rather see Congress do its basic duties: make government more efficient and tackle kitchen-table topics, not rehash partisan feuds. Read Patrick OConnors full post in Washington Wire.
STORIES YOU SHOULDNT MISS EPA SET TO REGULATE OIL AND GAS METHANE EMISSIONS:The Obama administration unveiled plans to regulate methane emissions from the nations oil and natural-gas industry for the first time, a move aimed at meeting climate-change goals while not hampering the nations energy boom. The Environmental Protection Agency plans to propose federal regulations to cut methane emissions from the oil and gas sector by 40% to 45% over the next decade from 2012 levels. The rules, scheduled to be proposed this summer and completed by 2016, would apply only to new or modified sites. Amy Harder reports. Plus: Five things to know about methane.
MONTHS OF AIRSTRIKES FAIL TO SLOW ISIS: More than three months of U.S. airstrikes in Syria have failed to prevent Islamic State militants from expanding their control in that country, raising new concerns about President Barack Obamas military strategy in the Middle East. While U.S. bombing runs and missile strikes have put Islamic State forces on the defensive in Iraq, they havent had the same kind of impact in Syria, where jihadist fighters have enlarged their hold since the U.S. started hitting the groups strongholds there in September. The militant groups progress in Syria is partly the result of the U.S. decision to focus its military efforts on Iraq, and the Obama administration is now considering whether the U.S. should focus more aggressively on Syria. Dion Nissenbaum reports.
Related: The White House wants to win bipartisan support for an updated congressional resolution authorizing the U.S. to use military force against Islamic State in Iraq and Syria An Ohio man was arrested yesterday as he neared what authorities say were the final stages of a terror plot to attack the U.S. Capitol with guns and pipe bombs in support of Islamic State Four years after the Arab Spring began, the new Middle East looks more and more like the old onebut worse.
HOUSE VOTES TO BLOCK OBAMA ON IMMIGRATION: The House passed legislation to nullify President Obamas immigration policies, tying the contentious issue to a bill funding homeland security and setting up a clash with Democrats who are expected to block the measure in the Senate. The vote was 236-191 for the funding bill after the House easily approved amendments to undo a string of Mr. Obamas executive actions. The move gave conservatives the votes they had been demanding, but prompted backlash from some centrist Republicans who said it goes too far. Laura Meckler and Kristina Peterson report.
More on Congress: The House also passed a bill to ease nearly a dozen Wall Street regulations, the latest legislative effort to roll back provisions of the 2010 Dodd-Frank law.
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Ron Paul : Libertarianism - Charlie Rose Interview Full
Ron Paul : Libertarianism - Charlie Rose Interview Full Subscribe to my channel to learn all about GLOBAL FINANCIAL WAR GAMES / US DOLLAR COLLAPSE / ECONOMIC...
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Ron Paul : Libertarianism - Charlie Rose Interview Full - Video
Libertarianism Defended, Capitalism and Individualism, Ayn Rand, Generosity (2011)
Tibor Richard Machan (/tibr mkn/; born 18 March 1939) is a Hungarian-American philosopher. A professor emeritus in the department of philosophy at Aubu...
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Libertarianism Defended, Capitalism and Individualism, Ayn Rand, Generosity (2011) - Video
Libertarianism Re-Defined
What I #39;m trying to do here is redefine Libertarianism. Don #39;t hurt people. And don #39;t take their stuff. Simple principles that we can all find common ground on...
By: The Live Show
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Libertarianism and Property Rights from First Principles
By: Shane Killian
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Libertarianism and Property Rights from First Principles - Video
The Wild History of Libertarianism: Interview with Matt Zwolinski
Jeffrey Tucker interview Matt Zwolinski about his new book on libertarianism.
By: Liberty.me
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The Wild History of Libertarianism: Interview with Matt Zwolinski - Video
There are many things in life I dont pretend to understand. Accretion discs. Dynamic scoring. Adam Sandler.
But Ive always had a pretty good handle on politics. For one thing, its not that complicated. And for another, when I get confused, theres always Nate Silver to straighten me out.
So, in that spirit, we will begin our 2015 column season by explaining why none of the many Republican presidential candidates could possibly be nominated in 2016. One of them will be, of course, which youd think would ruin the concept of the column. But, fortunately, it doesnt.
I mean, I said repeatedly that Mitt Romney couldnt possibly be nominated in 2012 because the guy who invented Romneycare would obviously not be chosen to run against the guy who invented Obamacare. And yet I knew he would be nominated because, who else Bachmann, Newt, Santorum, Cain, Oops? And so Romney got the job and, as everyone except Romney knew would happen, he lost.
And looking back, it was clear he should never have been nominated ...
... so clear that respected people are actually talking about him running for a third time. Why couldnt Romney run this time? Are you kidding? Its not just because Chris Mathews predicts in mid-tingle that Romney would win the nomination. Its 47 percent of everything else.
Lets go to the real candidates. One of them will win, I guess, even though none of them would seem to have a chance.
1. Jeb Bush. Of all the candidates, this is the most confusing one to me. Would Republicans really nominate pro-Common Core, pro-immigration Jeb Bush? Who is his constituency the younger and smarter brothers of America? The idea of another Bush-Clinton race is so outlandish, so interstellarish, that when Hillary Clinton wins the Democratic nomination (see: Romney, 2012), Americans will look back at yet another Bush candidacy as the time when someone actually Googled William Henry Harrison.
2. Marco Rubio. Hes a young, smart, attractive, inexperienced first-term senator. And hes written a book. (Sound like anyone you know? I cant wait to hear about the time he spent in Indonesia.) Hes also from Florida, where Jeb Bush will have tapped every donor this side of South Beach. Rubio will run eventually. He might even win. Eventually.
3. Mike Huckabee. In 2008, he shockingly won in Iowa, winning the evangelical vote that Rick Santorum won in 2012, proving that winning in Iowa doesnt mean all that much anymore. Huckabee couldnt raise money in 2008. I dont see where he could raise any in 2016, even if he wins Iowa again. Hes a great retail campaigner in an era when retail campaigns have gone wholesale. I spent a day with him in New Hampshire in 2008 and one of his supporters gave me his card which had imbedded in it a piece of a pink Elvis convertible. Or so he told me. Whats not to like?
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Mr. Liu #39;s Opinion:Libertarianism and Right-to-Work
In this video, I distinguish between left- and right-wing libertarians and address their perspectives on US right-to-work laws.
By: Mr. Liu #39;s Opinion
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Libertarianism and its distortion 20120608Hr2
By: Glenn Beck-erwoods
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Are Conspiracy Theories Good for Libertarianism?
I used to be a big conspiracy theorist, still am, but I used to be too.
By: Christopher Cantwell
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2014 was quite a year for those of us who write about the Catholic Church. Looking back at the most important stories of the year, many of them are tied in with Pope Francis but in this column, I will confine my retrospective to events in the United States. So, here are the top stories of the year, ranked in no particular order.
1) Reactions to Pope Francis continued to fascinate. The pope continued to demonstrate wide appeal to almost all Catholics in the U.S. Whatever their ideological and political particularities, people respond to this man in large part because he is so recognizably human, and not afraid to be seen as such.
What I termed last year Pope Francis Derangement Syndrome largely abated. Yes, John Zmirak denied there is any such thing as a papal magisterium, and some well-heeled Catholics tried to reduce the popes clarion calls for social justice to an appeal for personal charity. A few continued to question the legitimacy of his election. But, by and large, the derangement stopped. Sadly, some commentators and some clerics continue to try and parse the popes words, emptying them of their obvious meaning and replacing them with their own perspectives. Indeed, I think one of the things that will warrant further attention in the year ahead is the plain spoken way this pope communicates. In an age riddled with jargon and faux-expertise, when elites in politics and the academy are so far removed from the daily concerns of most people they talk like aliens or with a politically correct vacuity, the popes ability to speak from his heart in language all can understand may be one of the most counter-cultural things about him.
Which leads to another aspect of the reaction to him: The divide within the left between those most concerned about sexual issues and those most concerned about social justice issues continued to grow. Many in the first camp object to the way the pope speaks about women. I prefer his homey metaphors, even when they sound like clunkers, to any PC-approved speech. He speaks like a 78-year old Argentine because he is a 78-year old Argentine. And, the focus on his metaphors involving gender roles can too easily keep us from listening to what he is trying to say. This is related to a consistent criticism I have of the Catholic Left: They approach the teachings of the Church they dislike only with a desire to change them, rarely with the disposition to discover what God, through the Church, may be trying to tell us. All of us have experienced difficult moments or tasks from which we grew in ways we never would have otherwise, yet this knowledge is quickly forgotten by ideologues of all stripes who approach Church teachings the way a child approaches play-do. I think the left, not just the right, has to do a better job listening to what t he Holy Father has to say about humility.
2) The appointment of +Blase Cupich as the ninth Archbishop of Chicago is an enormous event in the life of the Church in this country. Here is a born leader, unafraid to be bold or to swim against the current, a brilliant mind and a thoroughly competent administrator, elevated to one of the most important dioceses in the country. Ad extra, +Cupich was one of the few bishops to have diocesan and Catholic Charities staff trained as navigators for the Affordable Care Act. Ad intra, he had one of the most robust consultations on family issues in advance of the synod. He is a dynamo. As well, if in New York, the rise of financial titans and media stars has taken some, actually a lot, of the Churchs cultural juice once embodied in the person of the Cardinal-Archbishop of that city, in Chicago, it is still the mayor and the archbishop who dominate the socio-cultural landscape. And, if the local Chicago media is any guide, +Cupich has taken the city by storm.
The appointment is significant in its own right. If the pope had called me and asked who should go to Chicago, I would have put +Cupichs name at the top of my terna. Of course, the pope did not call me, but he did consult widely and whomever he consulted came up with +Cupichs name. The pope surely knew this would probably be the most important appointment he makes in the U.S. Church and he found the right guy. I suspect it also shows the influence of Washingtons Cardinal Donald Wuerl and Bostons Cardinal Sean OMalley, both of whom have been out front of the rest of the brethren in their enthusiasm for Pope Francis and whose advice to the pope was likely taken. The fact that the pope got this right bodes well for other matters, for example, the planning of his trip to the U.S. next September. He will not let his appearances be turned into an opportunity to blast the Obama administration, which is certainly what some would have liked.
+Cupich has extensive experience in the USCCB, holding a variety of positions on different committees over the years. At times in its history, the leadership of the USCCB came almost entirely from the great Midwestern dioceses: Cincinnati, Cleveland, Detroit, Chicago, St. Louis and St. Paul. They were often a bulwark of collegiality against the more authoritarian cardinalatial sees in the Northeast. Look for +Cupich to reinvigorate the USCCB and help pull it back from the culture war limb it has climbed out on.
3) At the end of last year, Pope Francis removed Cardinals Raymond Burke and Justin Rigali from the Congregation of Bishops, and replaced them with Cardinal Wuerl. For a variety of reasons, most of the attention focused on the removal of Cardinal Burke, but the end of the +Rigali-era may be the most important development in the U.S. Church.
The two cardinals, especially +Rigali, embody the clerical mindset that has crippled the Church, turned it into what Pope Francis calls a self-referential Church, tone deaf at times, unwelcoming, joyless. And, together, these former archbishops of St. Louis have spread their influence far and wide throughout the U.S. Church. Bishop Robert Finn, who should have resigned long ago, is a creation of the two. Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone was a student of +Burkes and a close friend. +Rigali promoted both +Fabian Bruskewitz, who thumbed his nose at the Dallas Charter for a decade, and Bishop Thomas Olmsted, who announced the removal of the designation Catholic from a local hospital in a statement that did not once mention the Lord Jesus nor quote from the Scriptures, although the references to canon law and the USCCB ethical directives were aplenty. Bishop David Malloy was ushered into the Vatican diplomatic corps by +Rigali, as was Cardinal James Harvey. Archbishop John Nienstedt worked with +Rigali in Rome, and Bishop Robert Vasa, who also refused to comply with the Dallas Charter, and Archbishop Leonard Blair, who led the initial investigation of the LCWR, both have Cardinal Burke as their patrons. Some of the men on this list are talented. All, I am sure, are prayerful. But, all of them, along with others, have been complicit in the marginalization of the Church in our culture by adopting a defensive posture and a culture warrior approach that is the antithesis of Pope Francis approach.
4) The rise of immigration as an issue that unites the Church was the most obvious policy-oriented development in 2014. Following the example of Pope Francis visit to Lampedusa, the USCCB Committee on Migration held their spring meeting not in Washington, D.C. but in Tucson, Arizona and they started with a Mass at the border led by Cardinal Sean OMalley. The event garnered extensive and positive media coverage of the kind U.S. bishops have not gotten since before the clergy sex abuse crisis. The searing images of Cardinal Sean and Bishop Gerald Kicanas serving Holy Communion through the slats in the border fence went viral. Then, this summer, when there was a significant uptick in the number of unaccompanied minors coming across the border, the bishops responded with compassion and effectiveness. The compassion contrasted decisively with the angry protesters urging deportation. The effectiveness the Church was able to help re-locate thousands of children away from detention centers and into homes made the point yet again that the opposite of the much-derided organized religion is disorganized religion.
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Yesterday, I looked at what I thought were the top seven stories about the Catholic Church in the United States during 2014. Today, lets look ahead to 2015 and the stories I anticipate will be generating a lot of buzz and getting a lot of attention here at Distinctly Catholic.
1) In September, Pope Francis will be making his first ever trip to the U.S. The itinerary is still not decided, although we know he will be stopping in Philadelphia for the World Family Day celebrations. I have previously noted that the line-up of speakers for the Philly event, which spans several days, is not exactly the list I would have devised. And, the event will occur just a few weeks before the second synod on the family in Rome, so he will be speaking to the whole Church, not just the Church in the U.S. Still, in terms of emphasis, I am hopeful he will keep to his strong suit, the themes of accompaniment and reaching out to those at the margins, the Church as field hospital, and stay away from the kind of moralistic nastiness that will be on display from some of the other speakers.
It is anticipated that he will also make a visit to New York to address the United Nations: the General Assembly meets in September and given the Holy Sees long-standing support for the UN, you can bank on him making that stop. It is also likely he will come to Washington, D.C. Congress has extended him an invitation to address a Joint Session. I am still trying to decide if I think that is a good idea or a bad one: The setting is so obviously political, it might be jarring but, on the other hand, it would be great if he read them the riot act. His predecessors also came to Catholic University when they visited Washington to address Catholic educators and that would certainly, for me, be the highlight of the entire trip as it was for Benedicts trip. The then-President of the university, then-Father, now-Bishop David OConnell, got me a seat on the aisle and directed the pope to my side of that aisle as he left the room. I was able to kiss his ring and thank him for his ministry. It was nice.
It is unclear if the popes visit to the U.S. will be preceded by a visit to Mexico. If so, many of us hope that he will stop at the U.S. border and say a Mass for those who have died trying to cross that border, as he did at Lampedusa in 2013 and as a group of U.S. bishops did at Nogales, Arizona this year. If he were to make the stop, it would undoubtedly yield the emotional highlight of the entire trip and forcefully call attention to one of the most urgent humanitarian problems facing both the U.S. and Latin America. I can also think of no better way to call attention to the economic pressures many families face than to highlight the extreme pressures placed on family life by unjust immigration laws. If he does not go to the border, the bishops should recommend that the Holy Father stop somewhere in the U.S. with a substantial Latino population. That is the future of the Church, indeed, in many dioceses that future is already here. A Mass in Spanish for a largely Latino congregation would be a huge shot in the arm for all those engaged in Hispanic ministry. If the Southwest or Los Angeles is too far, Chicago is now majority-minority too.
When these papal trips are planned, there is a lot of advance consultation. It will be curious to see whom the pope and his advisors in Rome listen to in deciding what he should say and how he should say it. Given everything we know about his generous heart, I doubt he will denounce same-sex marriage as the most pressing threat to marriage today and, as some would have it, to civilization itself. I hope he will confront the spread eagle consumer capitalism of American society in at least one of his speeches, and I suspect he will, and the only question will be how strong his words are. And, if he addresses the U.S. bishops at some point, which is a staple of most such papal trips, it will be interesting to see if he is more encouraging or more censorious: As we saw in his address to the curia, the Holy Father is not shy about calling prelates to account. I would expect a mix of both admonition and encouragement.
2) The preparations for the synod is both a local and an international story. How extensive will individual bishops be in conducting their consultations? We know that Archbishop Cupich in Chicago has already asked his archdiocesan pastoral council, the archdiocesan womens council, and the presbyteral council to work together on a plan for such consultations. Will others follow suit or merely go through the motions? Will the USCCB take a break from issuing its draconian statements against Obama and hire CARA to conduct some serious surveys?
The U.S. bishops are not used to this sort of synod preparation. In Latin America, meetings of CELAM are proceeded by two or three years of consultation with the lay faithful and the clergy. Pope Francis clearly thinks the CELAM approach has worked well and wants to break its methodology to the universal Church. But, some of the brethren are not in the habit of seeking advice outside a small circle of confidants, and most of those confidants already share their opinions. The pope has asked pastors to acquire the smell of the sheep and the preparation for the synod is a specific task that requires them to do it. I hope the nuncio has a riding crop at the ready to prompt the bishops to get with the program.
3) The nomination of new bishops is always newsworthy and, in the coming year, we will find out if the appointment of Archbishop Cupich, in which the pope was personally involved, will become the norm or prove the exception. Archbishop Sheehan in Santa Fe is already past the age of 75. Next year two additional archbishops will turn 75, Archbishop Schwietz of Anchorage and Washingtons Cardinal Donald Wuerl. +Wuerl is in better shape than I am and I suspect he will be asked to stay at his post for a few extra years.
Every diocese is important, but two large dioceses also have ordinaries who will turn 75 in 2015, Rockville Center, New York and Arlington, Virginia. Arlington is a special case because its clergy, dating back to the creation of the diocese in 1974, it has been a hotbed of conservatism. At the time it was broken off from the diocese of Richmond, any priest with more liberal inclinations stuck with Richmond. Bishop Paul Loverde is a lovely man and has, at times, stood up to the more extreme craziness in the diocese. At other times, such as lending his approval to loyalty oaths for Sunday school teachers, he has caved. Given the large number of federal politicians who live in the diocese, it is imperative that +Loverdes replacement not be a bomb thrower.
How will we know if the changes Pope Francis is asking of the higher clergy are being manifested in the selection of new bishops? I would look for two things. First, if there are fewer candidates with time working in Rome on their resume and more time working in parishes, that would indicate things are moving in the right direction. Second, are new bishops being recruited from the ranks of directors of Catholic Charities and other social justice ministries or are miters still going primarily to men who served as secretaries to bishops or as seminary rectors. It is no slur against seminary rectors to point out that they engage the Church at its most self-referential. That goes with the turf. And, let me add, there are some wonderful seminary rectors who would make fine bishops. But, the mold has to be broken.
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