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The Patriarch and Biship of Rome

I was disappointed to discover (after much searching) that to be crowned pope is not the same thing as to be made the Bishop of Rome. For some reason I had always thought that they were connected.

The actual placing of the crown of the head of the ultimate prince of the church has now been abandoned and the triple crown or tiara has now been accepted for keeping by the United States in an act of astonishing irony. Instead, the latest rite resonates with Peter's leadership of the church in Rome in 50AD and the pope's role in fostering and extending that legacy. All sorts of pilgrimages were included in the coronation rite to reinforce this connection.

Yet we note that, for several months, the pope is just a cardinal. While he presumably is a bishop, he could just as easily be one of the cardinal deacons. It doesn't matter; even in a community that holds the ideals of apostolic succession as a fundamental requirement of salvation. His succession as bishop in the Cathedral Church of St John's Lateran is subordinate to his coronation as prince of the church in St Peter's Basilica.

It can be argued that because the pope provides leadership to the Roman Catholic Church, his coronation should happen at the earliest time. I do not agree. All bishops share in the succession of the apostles. To some are given the eminence of being an archbishop, fewer a primate, to a very few a patriarch. To the Bishop of Rome is given the titles of archbishop, primate and Patriarch of Rome. In the order of patriarchal eminence, the patriarchy of Rome is the first. But principally he is and must be considered a bishop in a diocese and from that all of this other rights and privileges extend.

Consider the historical weirdness if he were still to be Archbishop of Munich and he were to die between his coronation and translation to the See of Rome. Here would be a pope who died as the bishop of a German provincial city! Would that make Munich, if only for a time, the Holy See?

smiley - lighthouse

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Latest reply: Apr 28, 2005

smilies

I have found a similey that I might use as a signature (since PT is so boring).

smiley - lighthouse

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Latest reply: Feb 25, 2003

Footy at the "highest level"

Last week I saw South Australia play Victoria in the only interstate match of the year. In previous lives Aussie Rules Footy has had interstate carnivals, regular challenge matches etc but, with modern television demanding contracted numbers of hours of sport, this has all passed away. The nature of the new "National Competition" which superseded (or destroyed in Victoria) the old state based comps may also have something to do with it.

Anyway, the game was set to determine which competition was the "Second Best Competition in Australia". The teams lined up for the national anthem at the Adelaide Oval in front of a (small) crowd of 7000: the Croweaters (SA) vs the Big Vs (Victoria). As the game unfolded it became apparent to me and a few others around me that we were, in fact, watching the best competition in Australia.

The differences between the game in front of us and the national superleague, the AFL, were obvious. The players weren't playing to some scientific plan, they were playing good, hard footy because they really wanted to be there and they enjoyed the contest. There was no hanging off the ball, shepherding the opposition so that a rover could swoop in. If the ball was there to be got, the best placed player would commit himself to it. The players constantly talked to each other, others were ready to take the ball out of the packs and run with it. There was all that sort of discipline, but not the sort of rigid game plays that take the life out of the sport.

All of the best players of the state leagues of the SA National Football League and the Victorian Football league were there. There were no weak players on either team. The selectors had not focused on youth, as they do in the AFL, but on real footy ability. Delivery by hand and foot was excellent and inspired by people with experience, ability and footy instinct honed over time. There were some young guys out there but they worked within the team.

The AFL is fast, focused on managing the odds over a season of 24 games. The intensity of the pride held by grown men in their jumper has been replaced with the intensity of playing a game backed by 15 million dollar team budgets. It used to be that teams didn't want loose. Now they cannot afford to loose.

The State Game provided a place were some of the best footballers in the country, all of whom were being paid enough by their own clubs, could go out for one day and play the game as was once always played when it was played at its best.

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Latest reply: Jun 27, 2001

What is most attractive in a girl

I drifted past the "What do you men look for in a woman then" page and saw that people tend to value most in others, what they most value in themselves. I had thought that the great flame wars of the internet had ended in the early 90's: apparently not.

For me, a woman who is attractive is one who is loved, who knows she is loved and lets that knowledge express itself in her words, thoughts and actions - through her very being. It doesn't matter is she is rollypolly, tall, dumb or intelligent, because she will be good fun.

Mind you if I were looking for a long term intimate relationship with a woman, it wouid be essential to be able to talk about something other than the most recent footy game in which their favourite team played.

Women, perhaps more so than men, act as prisms for their emotional environment. A glimering of love can shine in a way which can be quite startling and very attractive. Similarly, a woman who disguises, rejects or simply does not allow love to show itself can appear closed, arragant and aggressively unpleasant.

Discuss this Journal entry [2]

Latest reply: Jun 12, 2001


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