Are the right people running the Churches? Those in charge sometimes seem so clueless, while the ordinary people-in-the-pew can see and understand what is going on in the world. I mentioned the Catholic educators visiting Israel a few days ago. Now here is Vatican Watcher, with a perceptive post.

The State of Israel has made it plain that it is going to neutralize Hezbollah one way or another. If that means violating what is technically Lebanese territory, then so be it. Of course, it's not /really/ Lebanese sovereign territory if the Lebanese government can't defend it. A government is only /truly/ sovereign when it has a monopoly of force within its borders. And the Lebanese ain't got that at all.

Vatican Watcher notices that “the Holy See had its usual announcement on the situation”, produced by Cardinal Sodano

When Cardinal B. comes into office, I sure hope he can come up with some statements that are a bit more interesting than that. The Middle East is going to hell in a handbasket and the Holy See can only reiterate its condemnation of terrorist attacks and military reprisals along with other filler before and after. I don't see any mention of the fact that the Holy See stands with Israel in defending its sovereign borders and independence when terrorists cross the border to attack Israeli soldiers and then kidnap two of them to haul back to Lebanon. Fair is fair, right?

Of course, Catholic Friends of Israel always talk sense. Meanwhile, John L Allen Jr shows an understanding of what is going on in The Vatican responds to crisis in Lebanon

In the peaks and valleys that seem always to characterize the relationship between the Vatican and Israel, and between the Catholic church and Judaism, this episode so far represents another valley.

While the Pope was away on holiday, Cardinal Sodano issued his statement, which evidently pleased Hezbollah.

As if to underline Sodano’s argument, the Holy See Press Office issued his comments as an official declaration. An official Hezbollah radio station rebroadcast Sodano’s statement that day.

Allen points out that “it wasn’t just Jewish sources objecting to the comments from Sodano and the pope.”

Speaking on Fox News July 16, Col. David Hunt, an American expert on counter-terrorism, called the statements “outrageous,” saying the Vatican “is not losing any soldiers.”

“Let them talk all they want,” he said. “Look at the moral imperative after the Israeli soldiers can come back. But they’ve got the right to help their soldiers.”

Meanwhile, here is Roman Catholic Blog, which also recognises that Israel is Under Attack and that Civilization is at Stake. And here are more sensible thoughts on the subject from Catholic Analysis than you will hear from the Vatican.

Can we do a swap? Exchange these bloggers, and others like them, for a few Cardinals, and put them in charge of the Church instead?