Again, thanks to the Curt Jester for news of this. The Anglican Archbishop of York, John Sentamu has visited the Holy Father and given him a bottle of beer. (Guardian report) The Guardian reports that the Pope was pleased with the gift. Here's a hint: he was being polite. The Pope does not drink much beer, he normally drinks Fanta (fizzy orange). I learned this from the same source which informed me that contrary to popular rumour, the Holy Father does not now, nor ever has smoked. He is not therefore numbered among the saintly puffers such as John Kemble, Pius X and Titus Brandsma.
The Archbishop's gift reminds me of the occasion on which the President of the United States of America presented the Holy Father with a stick. To be fair, it was inscribed with the ten commandments but it should also be pointed out that they were in the Protestant version. (See National Catholic Register: Gift or gaffe? for further discussion.)Damien Thompson has announced that I am now second favourite (joint with Cardinal Pell) for Archbishop of Westminster. (Holy smoke: Your choice for next Cardinal) Puffed up with pride at this unexpected honour, I venture to give advice to heads of state, anglican dignitaries and others when visiting the Pope of Rome. It's like this: when you give him a gift, he doesn't put it on the mantlepiece in the papal apartments. Try to bring something that will be fitting for the Vatican museums. That way, your gift will be of benefit to the general public. Pope Benedict would like that.
18 comments:
Geez, under Nixon's time "The people of the United States" gave the Vatican a piece of the moon. What else can they want?
Next time we'll know to get him a case of ORange Fanta. Maybe two if he's really nice.
And Jimmy Akin is perfectly correct about the "sir" business. Where Bush grew up a kid would have gotten his butt whipped if he didn't call an adult "sir" or "ma'am" or at the least Mr/Mrs/Miss So-and-so. It is still pretty much that way in the south, and for any formal business dealings it's expected in "Customer service" situations south, north, east and west among adults. Bush merely used what he'd been using since he was old enough to speak.
Karen
and I was informed on the comments section of the same post that I'm a "fascist",
and so are you because you link to me.
So there!
We've been told.
(Of course, deep in my black little heart, I was giddy with delight. Oscar Wilde was certainly right about that.)
Yeah, I saw that, Father; just know you're appreciated.
Interesting comment about the Fanta. I must admit I'm partial to it myself, but I did think the Pope drunk more beer than that -- or does/did he just like getting taken a photo of with beer?
I saw images of it on the website earlier on but I did not know what they meant. I thought it was drinks the monks laid out for the Holy Father. You can see images here.
Fanta...hey? must get some..the other day i said to my teenagers 'give me a fag!'..i mean i don't even smoke!
Dear Father, thank you for the link to the Guardian's delightful report of Archbishop Setanamu's visit. We can the grateful that while we (on such blogs as yours) battle with high principle of Faith, Morals and Liturgy, the world (according to the Guardian) see the Catholic Church like this:
"The gifts pleased the Pope, who is Bavarian by birth and prefers beer to wine and water. That the tipple was a one-off would have also suited a pontiff with designer flourishes. During a two-hour service, which was peppered with incense, chanting, coughing and ringtones, his ruby-red Prada loafers peeped out from under his ivory robes."
Should Damian Thompson's survey predictions prove true, I can only pray that you receive a no less intellectually rigorous response in the Great British press.
Masham - hmmmmm. Must be Black Sheep or Old Peculier. Good choice either way. What is Sentamu trying to say? All Catholics are soaks? We're a bit peculier?
Just because they carry him about in a chair, doesn't mean to say the Pope's a lush (OK, OK I know they don't carry him about in a chair and yes, I know it's an old joke.....;-)
I was right - Black Sheep. I hope he doesn't have more than one at a go or he'll have a bad head.
I always buy my dad 'Hobgoblin' because of the fantastic label.
the papers were filled with reports of His Holiness' german apartment having to be blitzed because of the nicotine stained ceilings...incredible what deception they get away with...
and as for them giving a piece of the moon ?
I bought my daughter an acre of the ocean of storms for Christmas and even bought my mate Neil an acre last week for his birthday...
As for GWB and his carved staff ? You do kind of imagine an exodus scenario with His Holiness turning a staff into a serpent to kill off Pharaoh Bush's snake in the grass....
Congratulations on such a glowing review from Damian Thompson... if you ever had any chance of elevation, you've had it well and truly blasted out of the water now!! For which Blackfen (if not the Church in England & Wales) can be eternally grateful!!
;-)
Hobgoblin is a beast of a beer, OTSOTA. A great winter warmer - dark rich and hoppy. Fantastic.
OTSOTA: No, I mean literally a piece of the moon, from the 1969 landing. If you go to the Vatican Museum there you will see a small moon rock under glass on display. I've long forgotten the exact citation but something along the lines of "President Nixon, on behalf of the people of the United States yada-yada-ding-dong...."
After all the expense of going to fetch it, the Vatican expects more than sticks?
Think of it as a pole you can mount a serpent on and have the people rally around. Like God told Moses to make after Moses had gone down there with the 10 commandments and got torqued off and Mosese smashed the first set.
Wouldnt you have been FURIOUS with those hosers? All day carving those things, you get back and your people are out there breaking 10 for 10 commandments... of course, they didn't know any better yet.... but still ... then what?
Moses: "Hey, God, I got really mad and broke those tablets I spent all day on"
God: "Told you to use papyrus, but would you LISTEN? Nooooooooo....
Okay, I know I told you to tell them not to worship any weird gods, but even though your people are mentally "challenged" tell you what, go take a stick and put a serpent on it....and then I want you to build an ark ... oh, wait, no promised not to use that one again.... okay, here's the plan.... BTW, when I tell you to strike a rock ONCE, I mean ONCE...follow directions or you do not get to pass the land of Nod...."
Fanta ?
Never heard of it.
And I read somewhere that Pope Benedict liked Franziskaner Weissbier from Bavaria.
I even ordered some in a spirit of loyalty to the Holy Father.
Fizzy orange, forsooth !
What is the Church coming to ?
But Peter, Fanta in a hot country is lovely! :)
Mark,
I admire your faith in Fanta.
When I lived in Italy, I usually stuck to Frascati or acqua minerale.
Congratulations Father Tim!
Whilst waiting for my lunch today in a local cafe, I picked up today's Daily Record (A paper I would never buy!) and in it was this article:
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/2008/02/02/pope-is-secret-fanta-fan-86908-20306673/
As you will see from it, you have been appointed a "Vatican Spokesman". Not long now till the red hat then?
Fr Kevin D
Thanks Fr Kevin. that article is amazing - the quote attributed to me "shuns booze etc." is completely invented.
What a great way to write articles. Must save a lot of time and effort :-)
Watch it, Fr. Tim, now some OTHER newspaper will quote you as saying:
"Fr. Tim, a spokesman for the Vatican and the next English Red Hat, says that the pope drinks. He declined to state how heavily."
Karen
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