It started off, older readers will recall, back in the deep mists of Antiquity, with PF washing the feet of women as well as of men. This, however agreeable he may have found it, was then illegal.
He then ordered the law to be changed so that any priest could wash the feet of Christians of either sex.
But he himself has continued his friendly-to-camera encouragement of illegality by washing the feet of non-Christians.
However, whatever would he do if crafty Cardinal Sarah called his bluff and yet again changed the rubrics so as to make that legal?
PF seems to have such a deep personal need to break laws. (Could it be that when he was at school he was inadequately thrashed when he broke the rules?)
Perhaps the next stage could be for him to wash the hooves of approved ruminants (of either orientation).
Properly managed, this might enable him to be in breach of Leviticus 11:7.
Some time ago, I suggested another possible development of the Pontifical Pedilavium. This would remove the ceremony from being subject to the rubrics of the Liturgy, and so it would cease to be unlawful.
"While being driven round and round the piazza di San Pietro, the Pope could suddenly leap sylph-like from his popemobile. His security guards would then drag out of the cheering crowd a selected individual and liberate her from her shoes and other, er, pedal integuments. The ever faithful, invariably efficient Guido 'Jeeves' Marini would appear ex nihilo, magically, imperturbably, at his Master's side with basin, water, and towel.
"The People's Pontiff would then dive to his knees and ..." et cetera vel similia.
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5 comments:
Concerning the inadequate trashing:
My kitchen sink psychology seems to teach that the inclination to break rules indicates a lack of paternal attention in the early childhood. Which could also explain other observations (or insinuations or malicious suppositions).
Dear Father. His Popemobile should have a vanity license plate
Ego sum Ecclesia
...""The People's Pontiff would then dive to his knees and ..." et cetera vel similia."...
His humbleness stumbles again! My, how awkward he is.
Oh, look there, He is, no, there He is! This getting to be very tiresome indeed.
The Cross man, the Cross. Look up, He is there for you, and me.
Recalling, if somewhat vaguely, your discussion of the epiclesis in the Roman Liturgy, perhaps this new book from Fr. Christiaan Kappes wil be of interest:
https://s3.amazonaws.com/academia.edu.documents/58935288/Kappes_Epiclesis_Flyer.pdf?AWSAccessKeyId=AKIAIWOWYYGZ2Y53UL3A&Expires=1555557653&Signature=1ge%2BEPmfPIYm3Mur33QwAA3fai4%3D&response-content-disposition=attachment%3B%20filename%3DThe_Epiclesis_Debate_at_the_Council_of_F.pdf
No no Fr. Hunwicke, you had it right at first, use the ruminants, which I believe can be bovine. Note how lazy I am at this moment, too lazy to look up the word ruminant, but I do believe bovine qualifies, and if it does, how perfect, he can get it all done lickety-split with 3 bovine, thereby washing 12 sinful cow hooves.
This would be a spectacle of his I would actually want to observe.
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