Given the Burlington Free Press’ wall-to-wall coverage of Pope Benedict’s retirement, it’s no surprise that today’s front page is given over to a huge picture of POPE FRANCIS in his first public appearance wearing the White Beanie. Nor is it surprising that three SIX* full interior pages are given over to Francismania.
*Yes, six.
Not surprising, but still a bit puzzling.
In recent years, the Freeploid has focused its efforts (and its front page) on local news. (Indeed, my sense is that the ‘Loid has trimmed its State House coverage in favor of the Burlington area.) Rarely does a national story take precedence over all else.
Except for this Pope stuff. That gets the full-court press, if you’ll pardon the weak pun.
Of course, most of the “in-depth” coverage is the same stuff you could read in USA TODAY or any other Gannett property. (Including a brief, whitewashy item on the new Pope’s name, discussed below.)
The only “local” story was a piece entitled “Vermonters Welcome the New Pope,” as if there was some universal outburst of joy and celebration echoing from the mountaintops: the hills are alive with the sound of habemus papam…
The article recounts a celebratory mass led by Vermont Bishop Salvatore Matano last night. A mass attended by a huge, raucous crowd of Vermont Catholics —
Er, what’s that?
The ceremony, at which Matano served as principal celebrant, drew about 60 faithful…
Sixty?
Ahem.
Tell me again why the Freeploid is spending all this time, energy, and newsprint on the papacy. Hoping to boost newsstand sales by a few dozen?
____________________
Postscript. The Freeploid’s breathless popery includes a short background piece on the name “Francis.” It connects the simple lifestyle of the new Pontiff with the beloved St. Francis of Assisi, “who is identified with peace, poverty and a simple lifestyle.”
Well, that’s half the story.
The new Pope is the first Jesuit to hold the church’s highest office. And there’s another famous Francis in Catholic history: Francis Xavier, co-founder of the Jesuit order. This other Francis, unmentioned in the Freeploid, spent his life bringing Catholicism to distant parts of the globe. (He died while on a mission in southeast Asia.) And the order he founded, the Jesuits, have been called “God’s Marines” for their aggressive evangelization and willingness to go anywhere and live in complete austerity if need be.
I think it’s fair to say that the new Pope is inspired by both famous Francises. And that, in fact, there’s a steel fist inside that velvet glove. But you didn’t read that in the Freeploid.
Not for nothing, but I am a lapse Catholic so I don’t have a big burn over what you are saying. But at least I understand that this is huge news to the billion or so Catholics around the world. But I know you love to be snarky and clever with your comments as that gets you more reads.
Perhaps the Free Press should focus more on what us readers REALLY WANT–SEX! I mean, it’s a tabloid now, right? So, give us a SWIMSUIT EDITION. In fact, it could give us various SWIMSUIT EDITIONS–starting with the Pope and the Cardinals, and finally getting around to Shumlin and the Legislature. I guarantee sales would go off the chart. I’d pay money to see Bill Sorrell and Bill Doyle in thongs. Wouldn’t you?
Well, ya know, all this Catholic shit lately is tabloid in itself. Perhaps I’ll check the Inquirer or the Weekly World News for the real lowdown on this swinging new Pope. HEADLINE: Altar Boy Accuses Francis Of Encouraging Him To Eat Meat On Friday; Says Francis Told Him It Wasn’t A Mortal Sin Anymore.
As Harry Dean Stanton would put it: “Look at those assholes. Regular fucking Catholics. I hate ’em. Pope, no Pope. Who gives a shit.”
it is pay-walled too.
want to know what the headlines were in the least Catholic US state?
For what it is worth the front page of the Commercial Appeal (link below) which is a large newspaper in Memphis Tennessee today was more than 2/3 full of Pope headline news http://www.newseum.org/todaysf…
Tennessee is the least Catholic State in the country with only 3.5 percent identifying as Catholic.
Yet the newspaper headline coverage is not much different from Vermont with 20.5 percent Catholic.
Bergoglio, the right-wing Cardinal, who stood silent as the military junta “disappeared” people on the left.
Just the kind of guy the church needs at the helm: one who will acquiesce to the perpetrators of brutality in order to attain his own ambitions. At least this one isn’t a former Nazi Youth – but don’t expect the church to move anywhere near the 21st century in terms of human rights.
Off an AR15. Would have had 300-500 show up.
😉