Popes to Bishops, "Don't be out there in la la land."

When the new sheriff arrived in the Vatican, that was Pope Francis, some things changed. The changes continue with Pope Leo. There is a rule, "Don't be weird. Don't even sound weird."

Francis $hit-canned a Bishop who talked to the press about sinful women who have abortions. Now Leo says Bishops cannot say UFOs are demonic. The Bishop that told this to the press was relieved of duties, even though he said repeatedly it was his view and not that of the denomination. Bishops are not to appear like they are whacko. That is, they are not to go further than the whacko of one cell human beings, dead people jumping up and you know the rest. 

It must be hard for old-line priests and bishops to have spent their careers repeating far out and weird stuff like demons coming from outer space and having folks in the pews listen respectfully then be told they are nuts. There is deprograming for most of us, not Catholic clergy.

We can see how hard it is to hold together a giant institution like the Catholic denomination with its factions hearing voices and seeing demons. The questions those of us on the outside ask is why bother holding it together. What great purpose is served by repeating myths and taking people's money in exchange?

That said, we can give the Popes credit for whatever rational decisions they have made so far. They have instructed clergy not to say UFOs are demons or that women who have abortions are sinners. Pope Francis also dumped "Father Mahoney" of Priests for Life. The latter seems to have been that Mahoney was taking money the mother church wanted for itself. Defrocking him was sweet nevertheless.