How hard is it to say exactly what you mean?

I am not confident that I know whether the Pope or the Vatican is in favor of carbon pricing policies or opposed. I read the encyclical as being opposed, for exactly the same reasons that Stavins and Nordhaus did. Now Joe Romm says we got it all wrong. The fact that very smart people can disagree on such a straightforward question suggests that the encyclical, in this regard, was poorly written, or perhaps poorly translated. Now there is a simple solution: Francis, do you or do you not support cap-and-trade and or carbon taxes as key policy instruments for combatting global warming?

The Pope on Cap-and-Trade

At my school, people care a lot about what the Pope thinks, and it appears that the Pope does not think much of cap-and-trade policies for reducing carbon emissions. From his encyclical:

171. The strategy of buying and selling “carbon credits” can lead to a new form of speculation which would not help reduce the emission of polluting gases worldwide. This system seems to provide a quick and easy solution under the guise of a certain commitment to the environment, but in no way does it allow for the radical change which present circumstances require. Rather, it may simply become a ploy which permits maintaining the excessive consumption of some countries and sectors.

Perhaps by "carbon credits" he means carbon offsets, which indeed have been misused... but this is a question of implementation, not principle. But it seems by "carbon credits" he may intend "cap-and-trade." If so: Bad call, Frank... Cap-and-trade is not a panacea, but it is a powerful policy tool. You should have an audience with Bob Stavins... he cares a lot about this stuff, and he knows a lot more about policy than you do...

“I respect what the pope says about the need for action, but this is out of step with the thinking and the work of informed policy analysts around the world, who recognize that we can do more, faster, and better with the use of market-based policy instruments — carbon taxes and/or cap-and-trade systems,” Robert N. Stavins, the director of the environmental economics program at Harvard, said in an email.

“Doctrine doesn’t change, but it is understood in a deeper manner”

So said Cardinal Reinhard Marx, chairman of the German bishops’ conference, with reference to the wishy-washy conclusion of the synod on the family. May the good Lord help them deepen their understanding sooner than later with respect to gays and divorce, not to mention the role of women in the Church and society...

San Miguel

San Miguel is California's best-preserved and most beautiful mission, barely a stone's throw from the 101 just north of Paso Robles. The somewhat psychedelic interior frescoes have allegedly never been repainted, so visitors experience the church much as the missionaries and California natives would have 200 years ago, just a little faded, perhaps. It is peaceful, fascinating, and cool on a hot day.

Here's St. Mike himself behind the altar, below the all-seeing eye.

And here's a photomechanical print of the exterior from 1898.

Francis

Father Michael Engh, the president of my university, writes, "Along with Jesuits and colleagues around the world, we celebrate the election of Cardinal Jorge Maria Bergoglio as Pope Francis I. As a man committed to social justice, he shares the ideals of our own institution."

With due respect, his ideals are not consistently the ones to which I hope my own institution aspires. Setting aside the controversies over his relationship with the Argentine junta, we have this:

"In recent years, Cardinal Bergoglio has clashed with the Argentine government, particularly former President Néstor Kirchner and his successor and widow, Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, about issues like gay marriage, abortion and the adoption of children by gay couples. In 2010, he described a government-supported law to legalize marriage and adoption by same-sex couples as 'a war against God' and 'a maneuver by the devil.'"

Committed to social justice? Justice for whom? No more tolerance of intolerance and bigotry.

Popeless after day one

Dubuque, Iowa. The smoke comes from Dubuque's largest industry, the sash and door mills. John Vachon, 1940.

Um, call the cops maybe?

Philadelphia monsignor found guilty on one count in church abuse case

"The defense said Lynn tried to address cases of pedophile priests, compiling a list in 1994 of 35 accused predators and writing memos to suggest treatment and suspensions.

He was hampered because he could merely make recommendations to his boss, the head of the archdiocese, Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua, the defense said."

Obedience vs. caprice?

The Pope maintains that Christ’s concern “was for true obedience, as opposed to human caprice.” The notion that the alternative to obedience is caprice says a lot about what is wrong with the Church.