HABEMUS BENEDICTUM!

(Trying not to be smug that, in some sense, I got my Pope Joseph...)

I am loving the whole Benedict thing! So many reasons why this was a perfect name in this moment of ecclesial history! Most of all, I love the idea that we are re-connecting to the Church of history, that the 20th Century ("a pile of corpses" JPII) was just one more century in the Church's story.

Another name thing that stands out in my mind is that the last Benedict, the XVth, followed a Pope who was a saint - Pius X. Pius was greatly beloved of the people, and was acclaimed as a saint by the crowds at his death. Benedict VXI is certainly signalling that he too is following a saint, greatly beloved and acclaimed by the vox populi at his death.

But, as the media is noting, not everybody is happy....

I called four parishes in L.A. this afternoon trying to find a celebratory Mass in the archdiocese. At the gay parish in West Hollywood, the secretary sniffed and was almost shocked at the inquiry, "Oh no," she said. "We don't have anything planned." At the North Hollywood parish which has the newly installed homo-erotic Jesus staue in the sanctuary, the secretary defined desultory. "No. Father has no plans to do anything yet. Check back in a few days." The Jesuit parish phone answerer just said, "NO."

So, I'll be going to Christ the King tonight with the Italian from Italy pastor who hasn't got the memo yet that there is no joy in LA-ville tonight.

Is anybody else having fun yet? Rock on, Your Holiness!