Nobody's Perfect

I know some folks think that I am letting Blessed John XXIII slide on some things below. It wasn't my point to go into all sorts of details about the man. I was just aiming to show that he is usually held up as the patron saint of progressives when he publicly declared and authoritatively promulgated views that are diametrically opposed to what most people seem to think.

Discounting Christ and the Blessed Mother, history has taught us that nobody is perfect. Everybody has their warts and weaknesses. John XXIII was no different and folks on every side of the fences should acknowledge that. Sure, he was confirmed the decree of the Holy Office in 1959 to excom anyone who voted for a communist (which was actually more strict than Pius XII's position), but he then turned around and went in for the dealings at Metz (previously mentioned here) that withdrew any condemnations for communism at Vatican II. In fact, instead of condemning communism, he made occasional comments about attempts at "dialogue" with such philosophies, as though the Church has anything to learn from such delusions.

Sure, there was other stuff ("dialogue" with other errors, a seemingly soft position on religious liberty), but the issue remains that he is nothing like the caricature that is usually presented of him. I think he was a good and likable man, who liked the fact that he was liked and did things to cultivate that perception. It's why the Council was hijacked. He wanted for the bishops there to like him and so he let them get away with a lot of stuff right from the opening bell.

Nobody's perfect and hindsight is 20/20. Here ends our fair and balanced coverage of Blessed John XXIII.