HABEMUS PAPAM

I see on TV happy crowds, enchanted with the conclave process, and I remember those Italian crowds I've seen in black and white enchanted with Mussolini, or worse, the enchanted german crowd with their own oh, so carismatic leader...friend and confidant of that italian afore mentioned...
A leader for your soul? History for you salvation? Who'll remember this particular conclave next year? Another path would be a personal orientation, one that may result in a spirituality foucused closer to ourselves, not events perceived as great or otherwise...
There is no Easter. All weeks are Easter. The passion, death and resurrection theatrics have been hashed over way to many times already. Gibson's movie, unseen by me, was still the straw that broke my ex-catholic camel's back. You can't be taking that kind of fantasy seriously! Blood letting for the masses! ! I think is high time He got off that cross, and started laughing once again.
There is no redempiton; never was required. There won't be a final judgment. Our consience is our judgment, not final, but constant, total, and only judge. There is no original sin, as there is no trinity. Only human inventions, evolved to the point of achieving stratagem-status designed by those best postioned to exploit them for personal gain, and who, to do so, will adhere to any system, be it patriarch, obsolete, and devoid of common sense.

Slap on your catholic face...

I read in the Christian Science Monitor (csmonitor.com) a story about the Boston cardinal who was appointed by his cohorts to give the farewell mass for the departed pope at the Vatican.

Some active US catholics took that as a slap in their face, as they have placed responsibility on that very same cardinal, for the impunity with which that Boston priest was able to carry on his evil acts for so many years.

Now the Hopeless are no longer Popeless...
...and the Popefuls waiting in the wings are all Poped out but One.

You may remember the good cardinal saw to it that the pedophile priest be moved from parish to parish as a way to absocond him from any repercussions.

The cardinal's colleagues decided to show solidarity for their Boston counterpart, and annointed him with the privilege of saying that Mass.

While I don't make an effor to remember any names, when I read about catholic shenanigans, as I do not view that organization as a useful venue for human progress, I do admire and remember many individuals who, regardless of their relationship with the catholic church -like Camilo Torres for example- work for peace, and the more so when they have personally evolved above the dogma that dogs most catholics.

This not-so-sublte manner to "rub-it-in" remaninds me of my exwife, a pious catholic, who NEVER failed to attend mass any day it was "required". She also has a very nasty way to "rub-it-in", and took advantage of every opportunity to do so.

Basically, the catholic hierarchy decided to tell American catholics and the world at large, that they are untouchable by such mundane concerns such as child-sexual abuse.

Paz
Neonovo

North Florida's Fort Matanzas and Lighthouse

In March 2005, we visited the to Fort of Matanzas, in North Florida.
Click the image for more photos...

We also visited the St. Augustine Lighthouse & Museum.
More photos behind the image...
Paz
Neonovo

Live and die in San Andrés and Providencia Islands

In February 2005, we went to San Andrés and Providencia Islands.
Click the image for more photos...

40 days later, the plane in which they were taking off, the same type and model we flew 40 days earlier, a Check Let-410UVP-E, crashed on take off from the same runway. I was initially under the impression that it was the very same plane, but the picture on page 2 of the one we flew displays another HK registration number. Nonetheless, the accident gave me a lot of food for though.

We went to the island with the idea to conceive a new human being, while on a great-vacation. A plan probably very similar to that of some of the folk on the unlucky plane. A twist of fate can surely change your perspective on life. Emphasize the real important things in life.

Crash details: \ Date: March 26, 2005 \ Time: 10:15
Location: El Embrujo, Providencia Island, Colombia
Operator: West Caribbean Airways AC Type: Let-410UVP-E Reg: HK-4146X \ cn: 902426 Route: Old Providence - San Andres Aboard: 14 \ Fatalities: 8 \ Ground: 0 Details: The small airliner crashed while taking off from the Colombian Caribbean Island of Old Providence. The aircraft climbed to a height of about 100 feet and then lost control and crashed into a hill. The pilot and co-pilot and six passengers were killed.
Paz
Neonovo