'Go and Repair My House'

Wall St. J ^ | March 15, 2013 | PEGGY NOONAN

[Steelfish]

March 14, 2013 'Go and Repair My House' There is a power in the new pope's humility.

PEGGY NOONAN

I'll tell you how it looks: like one big unexpected gift for the church and the world.

Everything about Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio's election was a surprise—his age, the name he took, his mien as he was presented to the world. He was plainly dressed, a simple white cassock, no regalia, no finery. He stood there on the balcony like a straight soft pillar and looked out at the crowd. There were no grand gestures, not even, at first, a smile. He looked tentative, even overwhelmed. I thought, as I watched, "My God—he's shy."

Then the telling moment about the prayer. Before he gave a blessing he asked for a blessing: He asked the crowd to pray for him. He bent his head down and the raucous, cheering square suddenly became silent, as everyone prayed. I thought, "My God—he's humble."

I wasn't sure what to make of it and said so to a friend, a member of another faith who wants the best for the church because to him that's like wanting the best for the world. He was already loving what he was seeing. He asked what was giving me pause. I said I don't know, the curia is full of tough fellows, the pope has to be strong.

"That is more than strength," he said of the man on the screen. "This is not cynical humanity. This is showing there is another way to be."

Yes. This is a kind of public leadership we are no longer used to—unassuming, self-effacing. Leaders of the world now are garish and brazen. You can think of half a dozen of their names in less than a minute. They're good at showbiz, ...

[taterjay]

‘Leaders of the world now are garish and brazen. You can think of half a dozen of their names in less than a minute. They’re good at showbiz, ...’

It only took a millisecond to think of Obama.

[Cyber Liberty]

Yer slo.

[Biggirl]

A simple cardinal now pope who could very well do needed “spring cleaning” of the Church.

[Lancey Howard]

I sure hope he can squash the mindset of many church members that “social justice” should be orchestrated by scumbag big government.

[wbill]

I read an article about exactly what you said. Gist of it was that he believes, approximately, that "Social Justice" comes from being a good Christian, being charitable, helping the less fortunate, and so on. NOT "racial equality" or "equality of outcomes" or other progressive nonsense.

Sez me, this is a good thing, regardless of your beliefs.

[LibsRJerks]

I read an article about exactly what you said. Gist of it was that he believes, approximately, that “Social Justice” comes from being a good Christian, being charitable, helping the less fortunate, and so on. NOT “racial equality” or “equality of outcomes” or other progressive nonsense.

**
How about as a world, we work on seeing that the aide we give to the less fortunate, actually makes it TO them ... and does not make a stop in the hands of corrupt leaders and/or liberal socialist politicians and their corrupt, endless and multiplying bureaucracies, which serve no one except themselves.

Maybe THIS is what the Pope means ...because I’m pretty sure he doesn’t advocate stealing from those who produce and giving it to the lazy — or stealing from those who have earned it to give to those who would ultimately seek their destruction (as in our millions in foreign aid to Egypt).

This Pope’s got it going on ...

[Salvation]

'Go and Repair My House'
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Vatican Responds to Accusations About Cardinal Bergoglio and the "Dirty War"
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Pope Francis tied up in Argentina's 'dirty war' debate
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Links of Pope Francis to military dictatorship
Cardinal Bergoglio wrote to Fr. Gruner about Fatima [Catholic Caucus]

Why Pope Francis May Be a Catholic Nightmare [barf alert]
Pope Francis I: It’s All In the Name
Vatican official: Gay marriage a “revolutionary project” for “complete destruction of the family”
Pope Francis, and Blessed Aloysius and Blessed Agnellus: how the saints chose Bergoglio for pope
The Future Pope Francis: Additional Interviews and Writings
Pope Francis – What’s in a Name?
Pope Francis Warns Church Could Become 'Compassionate NGO'
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World Jewish Congress head praises Pope Francis (Jewish-Catholic ties "best in 2,000 years")
How Summorum Pontificum was blocked and trampled on in Buenos Aires
Slaves of the Immac. Heart of Mary Profess Our Filial Submission to Pope Francis (Catholic Caucus)
Gay Advocacy Groups Rush to Demonize Pope Francis
Traditionalists and Pope Francis: Can We Take a Deep Breath and Please Calm Down?
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Pope Francis Offers His Second Blessing to Pregnant Mom, Unborn Baby
Cdl. Bergoglio's Lenten Letter, 2013
UPDATE: Rorate Caeli’s diatribe against Pope Francis [Catholic Caucus]
Pope Francis: A Disappointment for Catholics Who Don't Like Being Catholic
Updates on Pope Francis’ first day as Pope – Great moments! (truly humble man)
New Pope Slips Out Of Vatican For morning Prayer Visit

Our First American Pope
Pope Francis I clear on denying Communion to those who facilitate in abortion
Jorge Mario Bergoglio, Profession: Servant of the Servants of God
EDITORIAL:Pope Francis I bridges conservative and progressive currents
New Pope Francis called homosexual ‘marriage’ a ‘machination of the Father of Lies’
Pope Francis Is First Catholic Pontiff From The Americas; He Is Known As A Humble Intellectual
New Pope lived simple life in Argentina
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10 Facts about Pope Francis
Vatican Web Site Updated
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Pope Francis I promises to be strong pro-life world leader
New Pope celebrated Hanukkah as well as Christmas
New Pope- enemy of Catholic tradition
As Cardinal, Pope Francis condemned abortion even in rape cases
Profile: New pope, Jesuit Bergoglio, was runner-up in 2005 conclave
Jorge Mario Bergoglio elected pope, takes Francis as name
Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio: a Profile
HABEMUS PAPAM!!! (Live Thread)

[ArrogantBustard]

Government certainly has a valuable, necessary contribution to social justice; a contribution only government can provide.

Sadly, few governments come close, and ours is headed in the wrong direction.

Government can and must provide:

1) Stable, sane, comprehensible Rule of Law. As opposed to arbitrary, capricious, and incomprehensible or excessively complicated rule at the whim of the ruler.

2) Legally enshrined, equitably applied respect for private property.

3) Legally enshrined, equitably applied enforceability of contracts.

4) Distributed, rather than centralized, authority.

All of these things serve to protect the rights of the weak against the strong, the small against the large, the few against the many, and the poor against the rich. Combined they allow for long term planning and investment, efficient use of capital and labor, and (perhaps most importantly) peaceful resolution of disputes. They form the basis of a just society, in which all can prosper who wish to do so.

[Lancey Howard]

That’s a great post right there.
Thanks for that.