Jump into the 2009 "Catholic Pool"!

ONE: Pope Benedict XVI's anticipated visit in May to the Holy Land will be: a) Derailed over ongoing violence between Israel and the Palestinians; (most likely)
TWO: Pope Benedict's first visit to the African continent in March--to Cameroon and Angola--will be: c) Dominated by criticisms of evangelical and Pentecostal "sects" by Benedict that elicit comparisons to his Regensberg speech on Islam; (return papal slipper to mouth)
THREE: Pope Benedict XVI will create a new flock of cardinals, with the "Jesuit hat" recently vacated by the departed Avery Dulles, SJ, going to: Fr. Michael Kavanaugh of St. Louis U. at behest of Burke.
FOUR: The next Archbishop of New York will be: c) Bridgeport Bishop William Lori; (payback)
FIVE: Relations between the U.S. hierarchy and the Obama Administration will be characterized by: a) A battle over Obama's first nomination to the Supreme Court; c) Clashes over Obama's support for civil unions for homosexuals and a modification of the "Don't ask, Don't tell" policy on gays in the military that the bishops argue infringes on their trademarked seminary practice; (can't be just one thing)
SIX: The next great battle in the "Liturgy Wars" will be over: a) Kneeling to receive communion on the tongue; (counter-revolutionary)
c) The pope's decision to allow or bar women as fully-recognized lectors; (ditto)
SEVEN: The next great theological debate will be over: e) John Henry Newman: Gay or Just Good Friends with that Fellow? (tsk, tstk, not nice to out people on the internet)
EIGHT: Following on the embrace of Galileo, the Vatican will surprise the world by rehabilitating: d) Thomas Doyle, a Dominican priest and canon lawyer who is a leading critic of the hierarchy's failings on sexual abuse; (lets hope)
NINE: The biggest name to become Roman Catholic in 2009 will be: a) George W. Bush; (ultimate pander)
TEN: The biggest name to be canonized in 2009 will be: c) Pope John XXIII; (our keyboards to God's CRT)
ELEVEN: In his long-awaited encyclical on social justice, Pope Benedict XVI will: c) Forget to mention social justice;
TWELVE: In a surprise move, the College of Cardinals will: a) Expand their numbers by including the first non-ordained member since the nineteenth century; (most likely of the silly options)

1. B & C - surely there will be a renewed conflict over the role of Pope Pius XII's role in ignoring the Holocaust in WWII, but there may also be some reconciliation of two ancient religions.
2. C. Benedict is not likely to play down his views of other faiths and may well stir Protestant missionaries to protest.
3. C. Jesuit Fr. James Martin, who has done a great deal to spread the faith to Catholics.
4. A, B, C or D - not sure
5. B, C. It is time that the Church realizes that birth control will stop abortions, and there should be some clear thinking and discussion of this when they meet. Also, Obama's straight talk about gays will be divisive, but we must face the fact that the homosexual trait is from birth, not inclination.
6. C. I think the Pope will be skeptical about women proclaiming the word of God, though more than half of Catholics are women, and there will be a great outcry if some of the best lectors are banned.
7. Wait and see.
8. B, A & C - These good men were clear thinking and right. They should be given their due.
9. Huh? None of these - Gibson is already a Catholic of some color, his own. Perhaps he will come back to reason.
10. C. John the XXIII, saint if there ever was one, who opened the Church to a great airing.
11. A. Benedict will highlight the theme of "love" of mankind and God in performing acts of social justice.
12. B. Discuss Papal Retirement, the only sensible option of the four.

read this recording your choices

These are mine:

1:A

2:none of the above

3: I agree -- None of the above: A nice gesture would be scripture scholar and longtime theologian at the Gregorian, Gerald O'Collins SJ

4:not A -- I think he will get Chicago, whenever. C & D are possibilities. [For complete disclosure, I live in the ATL area.]

5:A and maybe B

6:none of the above -- the bowing at communion is somewhat to mostly ignored even by EM's -- nobody cares about when the sign of piece occurs. SOme parishes do it in the specified place but also have a rite of greeting (before or after the priest precesses in) in which hands are shaken and sometimes names shared -- if women were barred as lectors, I predict war will break out. I would be pround to be an officer in support of women lectors. If only we could get lectors who can proclaim and understand that is what they are to do.

7:an "inside the city limits of Vatican City" issue

8:don't know enough to say but I would also doubt C -- see Commonweal

9:droll, very droll

10: I agree -- C

11: I agree out of ignorance -- A and B -- but I love D.

12:A is a good idea but not yet likely -- B is reasonable but who knows if Benedict can convince the group reason whould prevail -- what is a cappa magna, a large coffee? -- D droll -- E very droll