It had to be one of the most politically charged Midnight Masses in decades, especially from an American perspective. Pope Benedict bemoaned, in this years Midnight Mass, the selfishness of todays' world and the pursuit of wealth at the expense of the poor and dispossessed, and reminded his listeners of the lack of room at the inn for the Holy Family. Yet, he did so from a creche dedicated not, as is typically the case, to the nativity, but to the workshop of Saint Joseph. This creche contained ten figurines from northeast Italy, and other works from an artist from Mexico. The mass then at some point diverged into what seemed to be a lamentation on the effects of global warming, as he criticized the lack of care for the environment.
I fully expect the next few days of the political primary season leading up to the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary to focus on this issue, to in fact take it's cue from the Popes words at this latest Midnight Mass.
The Democrats in particular are eager to regain the votes they lost among Catholic voters in the 2004 elections, where according to some accounts George W. Bush actually won a majority of the votes of American Catholics.
I have to wonder if this was not intentional on his part. In the 2004 election,some Catholic officials were criticized for threatening members who supported Democrat John Kerry with removal from the Church, due to Kerry's support of abortion. Has abortion become such a minor issue this quickly, at least compared to global warming, that the Pope would highlight an issue that is widely seen as a positive for Democrats, and a negative for Republicans? It is after all the Republicans who are seen as strong on Pro-Life issues, a position where the Democrats are viewed as Pro-Choice.
Is it some kind of a signal for the Church, and especially for American Catholics? If it was not so intended, will it be construed in such a way regardless?
Another aspect of the Pope's address, by the way, was a call for world peace. Could this issue be another factor that led the Pope to make this address, and in this fashion?
I know that some people will say I'm reading too much into this, but I don't think so. Regardless of the rightness or wrongness of it, America is viewed as the preeminent leader on the world stage, in all areas of international importance. The importance of the up-and-coming primary elections leading into the next Presidential race can not have escaped him, nor would he be likely to be uninterested in the effect and influence of the next American President and Congress on these and other issues of importance.
I'm not saying the Pope was praying to America so much as praying at America. Or, more specifically, in at least one corner of his mind, to the American politicians running for the highest office in the land. He seems to be giving a special nod to the Democrats. I would look, however, for Republican Mike Huckabee to be the GOP contender most likely to attempt to capitalize on this.
If he does get the Republican nomination, he would probably be the Pope's dream candidate, as he would be the one Republican that, in addition to being staunchly Pro-Life, would be the most likely Republican candidate to be the answer to the Pope's prayers.
He would more than likely be in favor of serious steps toward combating global warming. He would be more willing to quickly end the Iraq War. And he would certainly, of all the Republican candidates, be willing to work on behalf of the poor at the expense of the "Wall Street crowd".
Remember that, after all, Santa Clause was originally a Catholic Saint.
