No, I am not referring to the Elton John song, but feel free to hum the tune to the song as you read this entry. No, I am referring to THE Benny…Pope Benedict the something-or-other. Oh, I should not be so disrespectful, for I speak of His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI. He has finally arrived to Washington, DC shortly after 4pm our time after great anticipation. No, not on my part since I am not a big fan of this theology…and by his I am not referring to the Catholic Church, but to his documented record of teachings and papal statements since his time as the Prefect for the Congregation of the Faith. That title, historically, was knows as the Grand Inquisitor. Did you know that? Well, in that position, he was responsible for maintaining the consistency of the teaching of church doctrine in order to cast out heretics. That position is still alive as many a priest (often Jesuits!) are summoned to Rome to face the accusation of heresy, though the term if often reserved for the most severe of cases. Nonetheless, the person holding that office is quite busy as they are also responsible for interpreting church text and transmitting that interpretation to the faithful, lest misunderstandings or the dreadful act of self-interpretation take place. Here is a brief educational video to help clarify the role of the Prefect. Please save all questions for after class.

So, the pope’s visit means one thing…traffic! As I was driving around the city today looking for a pinoy flavoring (pandan extract) I encountered such traffic and it sucked. Luckily I had a full tank of gas and a rack of cd’s to accompany me. I finally found the pandan flavoring and slowly made my way back to the house where I sit now with a hot cup of tea, relaxing after an evening run, accompanied by a stack of things to do here on my desk. Will I get to them tonight? Maybe, maybe not. Oh, the suspense!