Men Of The Cloth

Greg... Thanks for the thoughts...Yeah, I kind of figured the same thing regarding the lingo...I'm just not going to let them get away with it. ("I'm sorry...what does that MEAN?") Your observations about the Pope leads me to make the assumption that you're a Christian. (These days, that subject is as loaded last November's election results...) I've had my own tug-of-war with this subject on and off for several years...But regardless of faith(or denominations thereof) I've come to the conclusion that we humans seemed to be wired for spiritual concepts, some intuitive knowledge of the workings of the universe that transcends the material. It is a strange dichotomy isn't it? On the one hand, our culture spews out the money/power/possessions message constantly...but how do you weigh that up against what the soul HUNGERS for? Where do the twain meet? What is THE ANSWER? Maybe there ISN'T one. Maybe it can be found in the piles of religious texts and oral stories purporting the story of creation and humanity. Maybe it's a deeply personal thing. Regardless, we all find out the answer when we breathe our last breath. I hope it's LESS like PEGGY LEE'S "IS THAT ALL THERE IS?"(A great song but magnificently depressing...) and more like a pub where all of your good friends are gathered and there IS no closing time... Who knows? And the Pope was a human representative of all that was good in humanity. I can buy that. But being a lapsed Catholic, I feel confident in saying that the Church he headed up was in need of a serious Posse-drag into the 20th Century, never MIND the 21st. I know some good, devout, men of the cloth, one right here in Manchester, the other down in India. Both are gentlemen in the literal sense of the word and they have taught me that practioners of faith are individuals also. (I have to smile when Father Fernandes sends me an Easter Card from Gujarat, India after a long postal silence flagellating himself for being so lax. "I have sinned against you, for that I'm deeply sorry, please Forgive me..." Guess the Catholic guilt is part of his charm. Such a kindly soul, the last person who should be berating himself so...Remind me to tell you HIS story one day...) Anyway, thanks for letting me ramble. Hope all is well with you...GaP