On a more serious note.

According to Father Z, the opposition is popping out of the woodwork. The Pope's decision to lift the excommunications has set off a storm globally. The focus of the storm is Williamson. I can't say if he's the real reason, or the excuse. People hate the thought of them coming back, and Williamson gift-wrapped the perfect cover. Here in Canada not much has been noted in the press, but it's coming, and virtually all the press here is liberal.

On the plus side, Michael Coren did publish an article discussing the lifting of the excommunications, so there was a minor strike against he building wave. On the down side, I for one have never found Coren to be a thorough or persuasive writer, and persuasive force counts. His "it really doesn't matter stance" doesn't carry the thrust of those who say "Yes, it does." And you can see that in the wave of articles that came in the same paper as Coren's, that is the point being hammered home again and again, and from the comments more people are taking the side opposite Coren's.

Much of this could have been avoided with a little care in the presentation of the lifting of the excommunication. Many officials at the Vatican have claimed no one knew about Williamson's views. This is surprising, since Williamson has repeatedly published his views on the Jews and the Protocols of the Elder's of Zion repeatedly. This whole thing could have been prepared and handled better- a press conference, perhaps, or a statement outlining the Vatican's position- a something that should have come before the fact, and not as a defence afterwards. Unfortunately, when it comes to PR, the Vatican- and it pains me to be able to say this- stinks.

I hope Fr. Z'a wrong on this one, and that the newspaper's will quickly get bored with this. But he may be right.

So it will come down to us. We Catholics in the pews, we Catholics on the street, we are the ones people will come to with their questions, accusations, dismissals, yet again. Anyone out there have any plans as how to handle this? I was planning on using the truth, the Vatican's strictly legal explanation, but unfortunately it doesn't have the visceral punch the opposing view has.
As I said, force counts, and it counts more than logic does.