Young Pope and What They Got Right - Episode 1

Young Pope and What They got Right

Episode 1

"I am a contradiction"

So I have to start off by giving you my overall feeling. This crew definitely consulted people on how to be Catholic. And then they kept all of the externals and dumped the internals. HBO gives us exactly what the world wants in 2018. A flawed main character, who is so bad, hes good. Jude Law is lovable in this for sure. His American accent disarms you (all villains in Disney have British accents, right?) For the point of this Young Pope analytical series, I will assume that us traditionalists are stuck with the flawed character of Lenny Belardo AKA Pope Pius XIII to end the crisis in the Church and everything that means. We shall see if God can use a miserable character developed by HBO to save the church IMO.  Also, I have acquired a list that allows me to fast-forward through the naughty parts of the show, so you get a clean analysis in red

This show starts out with newly elected Pius XIII delivering his first address. It starts out extremely humanistic, Novus Ordo, Francis-forward. Then it takes a sharp turn, where you don't know if he is being ironic. Summarized: we have forgotten to masturbate, contracept, marry same sexes, have homosexual priests - married priests, euthanize, fornicate, divorce, allow woman priests, use invetro-fertilization! We then find out its just a dream. Okay, this is going to be a wild ride.

So right off the bat, we know HBO recognizes the Churches firm opposition in the way of "progress." All of the vices listed above is what Hollywood, the Left, most protestants and all Catholics-in-name-only want. If this is a show with an agenda, they will try to make the Church compromise on these topics either through Faith or Morals. 

There is a rather funny exchange next. The Vatican prepares the pontiff what looks like every breakfast item a 5 star hotel would be able to prepare. However, Pius XIII "Didn't they tell you? I eat hardly nothing. All I have in the morning is a Cherry Coke Zero" An overfriendly old sister comes in and pinches the pope on the cheek. He scolds her in front of the kitchen staff and we get an idea of how his pontificate will be.

This really gets to my point. Can we save the Church with this fictitious pope? He seems like an A-Hole so far. But can an A-Hole turn the bark of Peter 180 degrees, and return to Tradition? Well, I'll put it this way, I haven't seen anything yet that says no. In fact, a little brashness is going to be needed when everyone is so politically correct while basing everything on how they feel. So far he passes.

We next see a cardinal transact business on his smartphone while in confession.Ah, now we're getting into belittling the Sacraments. Next we get to see a private conversation among four cardinals regarding whether the Holy Spirit lead them to make the right choice. We get the person we deserve. We get an idea of what Hollywood thinks scares the Catholic Hierarchy. Cardinal Spencer is too independent. Couldn't be controlled. Then we get an idea of what Hollywood thinks the Catholic Hierarchy wants... a pope that can be a puppet. Now, dear reader, have we had puppet popes before? Absolutely, says secular history. And I might even venture to agree. Did all of those popes know they were puppets? Nope. Do cardinals and bishops have more power after Vatican II? (not really, but they think they do.) So since the hierarchy in real life is so far gone... and they HBO is not friendly to Catholicism... and wants the viewer to hold the view that the cardinals wish only puppets to perpetuate a moderate and impotent papacy, we are starting to get down to why a our thesis.  

We are whisked away to the popes bedroom where the Holy Father is praying alone in his room. How edifying? The pope who fixes the crisis must have a strong prayer life. But what are the fruits of his prayer? The very next scene is the Pope asking his confessor break the seal of confession. Later, he makes his new secretary (the sister who took him in as an orphan) stand in the middle of the Vatican, and and says "You are at the exact center of the Church. and now the center of the Church takes a few steps back.> This is obviously meant to give the viewer a sinking feeling if you are a lib watching the show. Or it might be a ray of hope if you like externals. Obviously, there can be no internal change if the pope is already breaking the seal of confession for what we presume is his own personal gain.So this is our departure. Hollywood has given us man who has overstepped too much. These are spiritual problems, and those will not fix the Church, no matter what else happens, unless Pius XIII repents..

Two last details from the first episode. Our pope is a smoker. That isn't as scandalous as it sounds, but smoking is the new sin. Also, good people don't smoke, unless, you are a part of the trendy crowd. Then cigs can be alright, I guess. The Cardinal Secretary of State reminds the His Holiness that smoking in the Vatican was forbidden by John Paul II! "Well, there is a new pope now." That is the overall attitude of his pontificate. It shows that he is the law giver and that he is not subject to the past limitations that his predecessors have set.

Finally, we see the pope with his confessor on the rooftop. The Holy Father makes his first real confession when he tells the confessor his sin. He doesn't believe in God. After he sees the look of horror on the priests face, he quickly puts a smile back on and tells the simply friar that he is just kidding. Alright, we have it. This is the crux of the problem. Can someone who doesn't have the Faith fix our problem. That is the new question I will examine. But wait... we say him pray to God when he was by himself! Maybe he does believe in God. Maybe, he is trying to test his boundries. Perhaps test the poor priest. See how he reacts... Whatever Jude Law is doing, he certainly is full of malice, and it makes for a very dynamic and curious character.

Stay tuned for Episode 2 analysis.