Rerum Novarum (NP, prehaps)

[Michael Bailey]

apparently this was a big encyclical and still referred to a lot

I finally stumbled on this, though back in 2006 or so, I think, Paul
Mackin set me straight on it. I had made reference to some kind of
social justice bull promulgated by a "Pope Pius XXIII" and Paul cited
the correct Pope and document...

but I didn't follow up till last night, when I was trying to make nice
with a colleague who'd raked me over the coals for not being staunchly
anti-abortion enough (I said rape incest health of the mother, he said
Nazi KKK eugenicist)  He was saying he'd never smoked pot, but he'd
like to chew coca leaves sometime, he thought that sounded like fun.

I told him about a coca wine that a Pope had awarded a gold medal to,
so of course I had to send him a link, which led me to Pope Leo XIII
and Rerum Novarum.

Not only was Leo a fairly butt-kickin' Pope in many ways (though no
human, qua human, is perfect, that's stipulated) and a drinker of coca
wine, but he wrote this Rerum Novarum, which was followed up by (in
the words of Wikipedia)

"...later encyclicals, in particular Pius XI's Quadragesimo Anno
(1931), John XXIII's Mater et Magistra (1961), and John Paul II's
Centesimus Annus (1991)."

so, like, "40 years on", "Mother and Teacher" and "100 years on"...
Even Benedict the um 16th, hasn't repudiated it.  In fact wrote a
non-ex cathedra book supporting it.

Interesting stuff.  Pynchon probably very conversant, as he was
brought up Catholic, right?
 (although, had he chosen to start off the events in AtD in 1891 in
Rome, that would have been more of a sign)

Although, where did the Catholic branch of the Pynchon family begin?
Old William certainly was no Papist...

Overtly Catholic references in Pynchon?
Hmm, "like the ballroom in St Patrick's Cathedral, there is none in
these pants"
Trying to think of another one.

Interesting bunch of encyclicals - among other things, the idea of
birth control is referred to as  "not necessary at this time" though
going on to say, in essence, "nowhere and not at all necessary at this
time" but still, "at this time..."

Some say that um John Paul I was perceived as perhaps about to
reassess the times on that, but his papacy only lasted like 23 days or
something.  Some say that is one of the reasons why he didn't live
long although perhaps other issues like resentment of personnel
changes and investigations of the Vatican Bank entered into some
people's willingness to believe he was poisoned.

anyway, some good reading.  I also like that priest that writes novels.

changing the subject, just read Stephen King's _Hearts in Atlantis_
and saw the movie.  Rarely has a book been so butchered.  Yet, not a
terrible movie.  But the book was much better. Oh my.  So much better!

Hail to the (new) Chief!
I still can scarcely believe it.  Diebold must have been instructed by
the Bilderbergers to let this one slide, biding their time.
(Palin-Gingrich in 2012, anyone?)

Peace out

-- 
"Money ain't the most important thing.  Friendship is the most
important thing." - Mr Rad (in "You Got Served")