How many divisions does the pope have? asked Iosif Vissarionowich Dzhugasvilli (alias: Stalin)
Pope Pius apparently had few. Pope Francis, a much greater man, however seems to have many.
It is the duty of practicing Catholics to obey the pope on moral issues. Pope Francis has eloquently declared, to be sure not ex cathedra, that it is is the duty of Catholics to help immigrants and to take care that the health of the planet is faithfully defended. Four out five Catholics on the U.S. Supreme Court felt otherwise. Perhaps they thought, lawyers that they are, that only ex cathedra statements of the Supreme Pontiff are infallible. It turned out to be otherwise. The God of the Catholics sided with the pope, apparently. Siding with the fundamentalist protestant climate change denials was not only a moral fault, but was apparently a sin as well.
With Scalia dead (God rest his soul), two presidential orders are now safe. The lower court decision supporting the President on regulating carbon emissions, the Clean Power Plan, will stand, and the Paris Climate Accord is no longer in danger. The executive action regarding the status of 5 million so called “illegals,” who entered as children or whose children are US citizens, will also stand. The prayers of the latter were apparently heard.
Meanwhile, the President’s power to use executive orders, so essential in our current gridlock, is restored. Obama is last person who would abuse it. Now, all we need is for the God of Jews to protect the old and in part frail Jewish justices. His views on the issues unfortunately cannot be known. But maybe the Catholic God can pitch in to help, as He did this morning.
P.S. There is also one Muslim who may have reasons to worry, having so grievously endangered the peace of Europe and the World.
