Off the Record

space case By Diogenes | September 19, 2008 10:38 AM

 American bishops don't like it when people take them too seriously. Frankly I don't think they have reason to worry.

Still your Uncle Di tries to do his little bit to help keep things light. Yet try as I might, I can't keep up with the antics of their Excellencies. When Archbishop Dolan modeled a cheesehead for an indulgent Milwaukee congregation, I was impressed. With that one pose he did more than a half-dozen pastoral statements on chicken farming to ensure that people keep on chuckling at their bishops. 

So imagine how humble your friendly parodist feels when he spots a photo of the Archbishop of Newark wearing a Martian space helmet (well, I guess it's Martian; I'm not an expert on spacewear), complete with his episcopal crest! 

The archbishop donned the headgear-- all in good fun, naturally-- to promote his new sci-fi novel, The Space Vulture, which he co-authored with a boyhood pal. No, I am not making this up.

Archbishop Myers explains his venture: "Pulp science fiction, just as pulp westerns, are not great art. And we knew that. But it can be fun." OK, fair enough. There are worse ways for prelates to spend their recreation time. 

"This won't be a classic," the archbishop says. And you know what? I believe him.

But a Jesuit astronomer at the Vatican Observatory seems to think otherwise, offering a dust-jacket blurb that describes the book as a "rollicking good time with a spice of high camp and a moral underpinning far more sophisticated than the original space operas were ever capable of attaining." 

And you know how sophisticated the moral underpinning of those original space operas could be.

 

 

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• Posted by: centurion - Sep. 26, 2008 1:12 PM ET USA

  I am not familiar with the the book,but with some of the recent scientific developments regarding Mars and Nasa pictures supposedly showing artificial structures on the moon and Mars maybe the Pope might want to appoint the bishop as the pastor of the first parish out there. What better place for him to be spaced out.

• Posted by: astrid - Sep. 25, 2008 6:47 PM ET USA

  Who on earth (no pun intended) appoints these Bishops????

• Posted by: unum - Sep. 21, 2008 7:55 AM ET USA

  I can't argue with PeterW about the bishop's book, but Myers behavior as a bishop leaves much to be desired. The many examples of lush living, comic behavior, and bad judgment leave little doubt in the minds of the faithful that many of our bishops are unaware of what leadership is all about. I pray that our bishops will grow up, and that they will make the changes necessary so that young men will once again seriously consider the priesthood.

• Posted by: PeterWZ3430 - Sep. 19, 2008 6:52 PM ET USA

  I own the good Archbishop's book, have read & enjoyed it. It hearkens back to the pulp science fiction of the 50s & 60s when I was a boy & is an example of the fiction that entertained with a message that good must win over evil. I still read science fiction to see what the "intelligentsia" are saying. Besides mocking people of faith, there are very few pieces where you see the good or evil clearly & evil often wins now. The Archbishop's book is fun & teaches. I'll buy his next one. Apollinaris