Picking the Pope

In response to Michael's jab, a few things:  First, with all due respect to Fr. McBrien, and notwithstanding the fact that Michael and I like many of the same books, Eamon Duffy's is a better history of the Popes.

Second, I (obviously) realize (as does Pope Benedict) that we have had some sub-optimal Popes and that it is (thankfully) not necessary for us to regard every Pope in history as having been specifically identified and imposed on the Church by the Holy Spirit.  That said, I'm comfortably confident that the selection of this Pope -- even if he is not as much like Pres. Obama, or as responsive to the concerns of Kathleen Kennedy Townsend and her friends as she might like -- fits nicely within the Holy Spirit's promised-by-Christ guidance, protection, preservation, and inspiration of the Church.  

Third, although I've learned from some other MOJ-ers to try to avoid the "surely you can agree that X" move, I'm happy to agree with my friend Michael that President Obama's speech -- even if it was, like every presidential speech, part of a political program (not that there's anything wrong with that) -- was an inspiring and hopeful one.  Why shouldn't I?  After all, I am not one of sorry sorts who is unable to recognize and praise the good that folks with whom I disagree do.