As a fallen away Catholic, it’s not surprising that most of what I know about Pope Benedict XVI comes from another blogger: Sissy Willis. She has followed ‘Papa Ratzi’s’ career at least since his election three years ago and will not disappoint during his current visit to the U.S. Love the Matthew Cavanaugh photograph - pure joy!

Another take on the Pope’s visit: Mark Shea at The American Spectator writes:

Many come to bury Benedict, not to praise him, let alone listen to him. Their minds are made up. Like the Far Side cartoon about what we say and what dogs hear, much of the press coverage will consist of TV spots which will consist pretty much of regurgitations of The American Media Narrative on Benedict: “Benedict blah blah blah Hitler Youth blah blah blah God’s Rottweiler blah blah blah inflexible blah blah blah homosexuality, divorce, women priests blah blah blah Vatican crackdown, etc. blah blah.”

THIS WILL NOT be helped by the fact that we are a Paris Hilton people meeting a Pope who expects us to think. Much of the media — especially the visual media — finds this as hard as Barbie finds math.

Nonetheless, this Pope who believes so strongly in the transformative power of the Holy Spirit appears to think that even a Paris Hilton people can be granted the sight to see beyond the tips of their own cosmetically-enhanced noses.

Today is the Holy Father’s 81st birthday, and I wish him the best of days, the best of times here in the states.