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Ever since Francis walked on to the loggia sans mozzetta, the Trad crowd has been going bizerk. The news that the Holy Father washed the feet of two women during tonight's Mandatum rite has them going bonkers. But, of all the comments that struck me as bizarre at the website Rorate Caeli, this one stood out. It is sad really:
I am a young, recently ordained priest. Tonight, I planned on preaching about the Eucharist and the institution of the priesthood.
How can I speak about such things - the self-offering of Christ, the 12 viri selecti - when our Holy Father is witnessing to something different?
I feel like going up to the congregation and saying, "I don't have any idea what the symbolism of the washing of the feet is. Why don't we just all do what we want."
How hard this is for young priests.
Really? No "idea what the symbolism of the washing of the feet is"? I would have thought it was pretty obvious. This is the kind of new, young priest who worries me greatly, a forest for the trees young man. How can anyone who thinks this way get ordained? Can you imagine what he had intended to preach? If Pope Francis' example has left this young priest speechless, then I say good. The people will be spared a dose of craziness.
