the secret
By Diogenes (articles ) | May 28, 2006
"I want to share with you the secret of happiness, that’s why I’m here," said Cardinal McCarrick in his long, loooooong talk at the Stonehill College commencement.
Cardinal Ted continued:
I will do that by first talking about a cartoon. I’m a big cartoon person.
You said it, your Eminence; I didn't.
When I open the newspaper, I first look at the cartoons because often they are the only things I really understand.
And with that he's off, plunging into a magisterial exegesis of a passage from Hagar the Horrible.
About now a critical reader-- someone without the sunny disposition of your Uncle Di-- might wonder whether this Prince of the Church mentioned the name of Jesus in the course of his talk. Fear not; he did. It came later, as he spoke about Father Basil Moreau, who will soon be beatified:
He became a priest and was sent to the Sulpicians and there he developed a deep spirituality, founded and centered on Jesus, which I guess every spiritual life has to be.
I guess.
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Posted by: -
May. 31, 2006 10:04 AM ET USA
tomecom: good comments
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Posted by: -
May. 29, 2006 10:00 PM ET USA
pseudo, clearly Cardinal Schonborn's address is superior. But then, so is St. Thomas Aquinas College to Stonehill College in many, many regards. Most Stonehill graduates probably don't even know who St. Thomas Aquinas IS, never mind read anything he wrote. My sister graduated from there, and I assure you both those points apply to her. The Stonehill grads couldn't handle an address like Schonborn's. Under the circumstances, McCarrick's address was probably about all they could take. :-)
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Posted by: -
May. 29, 2006 9:41 AM ET USA
For an interesting exercise compare Cardinal Teo's commencement address with Cardinal Schonborn's at Thomas Aquinas College a few years back. Very illuminating.
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Posted by: -
May. 29, 2006 1:59 AM ET USA
I skimmed the Cardinal's address. It really wasn't that bad. A bit informal, rambling, and of course the cartoon line sounds ridiculous out of context. But he basically tells the story of a holy man and indicates that happiness in this life is found in service of God and neighbor and encourages the graduates to do that. Cardinal McCarrick does enough stuff that merits criticism that I don't think we need to find things to criticize when there are none. Lighten up.
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Posted by: Vincit omnia amor -
May. 28, 2006 6:24 PM ET USA
Thanks be to God he's retiring. Sadly, there'll probably be many more such commencement addresses now that he has more time on his hands. I just don't understand...
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Posted by: -
May. 28, 2006 5:33 PM ET USA
I could do without the folksy style, but I do not think it really a bad commencement address. We have the obligation to help our bishops do better by loving them. Diogenes, can you say anything good about Cardinal McCarrick?
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Posted by: -
May. 28, 2006 2:38 PM ET USA
This is the long version of those cheezy Mass banners that say: "Live the Gospel!" As if the mere utterance of the platitude will prevent the a hardened sinner from having his daliance with a hooker. That's right, kids, save your parents a hundred grad, put away your Aquinas and Newman, forgot Latin and Greek, its just so darn simple. Don't cha get it?
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Posted by: -
May. 28, 2006 2:34 PM ET USA
We are anterior cruciate people.
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Posted by: -
May. 28, 2006 2:10 PM ET USA
In his talk, he stated, "The Pope said to him (a great line), “Don’t worry Father, Bishops don’t live forever.” I hope this doesn’t appear in the final text of what I’m saying. " Well, it does, Your Eminence! Enjoy your retirement. You might wish to join Fr. Maciel in his "prayer and penance" exercises.
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Posted by: parochus -
May. 28, 2006 1:32 PM ET USA
And as Uncle Ted enters into his retirement, we can all say "Abadee-abadee-abadee th-that's all folks!"
