A helpers’ tale:

“A man is known by the company he keeps.”

The list is long, and getting longer every day, of the criminal clergy whom Bergoglio has tolerated or promoted, from his time in Argentina all the way up to the present moment: cardinals (McCarrick, Murphy-O’Connor, Coccopalmerio), bishops (Zanchetta, Piñeda, Maccarone, Marx, Maradiaga), and priests (Grassi, Inzoli, Corradi).

As if this were not enough, he thwarts efforts at discipline. “McCarrickism” is still alive and well. All the dots have been well connected.

Quite a mare’s nest.

How many stars you got? Five all you got? Where can I get some more?

Priest finds out what’s what. Marvelous.

Cupich of Chicago’s idea, “looks like it is gaining favor in Rome,” does it?

Why wouldn’t it? He’s Pope Francis’ man in the U.S., defeated in last election for head of the conference but locked in to where it matters in today’s HQ-dominated church:

The so-called “metropolitan model” was first suggested by Cardinal Blase J. Cupich of Chicago during the USCCB meeting in November, after the vote on the original plan of a national lay review board was stopped by the Vatican.
Cupich gave more details of the proposal on Feb. 22, during a press conference at the Vatican summit.

Basically, the metropolitan archbishop – now a largely symbolic role – would be in charge of investigating abuse complaints against the bishops in his territory, called a province.

But:

4) The biggest problem facing the model is the lack of trust people have in the bishops right now. The national review panel originally proposed by the U.S. bishops was an acknowledgement of this fact. The “metropolitan model” is, in effect, the bishops saying, “Don’t worry. You can trust us.”

I doubt if there’s a bishop in Illinois who would trust his future to Cupich, who being a metropolitan (primate, as it were, of the Illinois church), whose heavy- if not high-handedness has shown itself in at least two highly public defenestrations — Fr. Frank Phillips, peremptorily ousted from his pastorate before an independent panel had even convened, much less exonerated him, as happened later, and Fr. Paul John Kalchik, effectively chased out of town for allowing parishioners to burn a rainbow flag hung over the altar by a previous pastor,

But his idea of resolving bishops-accusations would put the matter in his hands.

Note also the studied naivete displayed by Crux in this story. Tsk.

Not kidding about this:

During an appearance on Nick Hanauer and David Goldstein’s “Pitchfork Economics” podcast released earlier today, Booker said that America was no longer “the top country” for “poor people” to be born into, and said this has changed drastically in his lifetime.

It’s an old leftist dumb thing to say. Get yourself a new shtick, Cory, something we haven’t heard before.

The commonfolk church, true to its heritage.

A party boss — no recommendation at all.

The runoff battle between Lightfoot and Preckwinkle promises to be a donnybrook, pitting a new reformer against an old one who has since become a party boss. Whatever happens, assuming the two indeed face each other in a runoff, Chicago will make history with its first African-American woman as mayor. [emphasis added]

Makes it an easy choice when you say it (credibly) that way.

She said that she would do it, and indeed she did.