Greetings everyone. I saw the new episode of South Park on Wednesday after I got out of work. The episode, as usual, pushed the envelope of comedy as expected with South Park. I also made me laugh because the subject matter related a little to me. In the end, the message was clear and a good message at that. There are many who deride South Park for its crude content and humor. However, I think this show makes a good point in some episodes. Follow me bellow the flip.
I will start by telling all of you that I was a seminarian in high school. At one point, I thought about being a monk or a friar. However, I later discovered that I did not have the vocation for the priesthood. Still, I learned a great deal about my Catholic Church; good and bad. I also feel that my education at the seminary made me more open minded to other faiths and trains of thought. The fiars who instructed me, were men who were liberal in their views. The fiars are of the order of Franciscan Capuchins, an reform order of the Franciscans. These men follow the example of St. Francis of Assisi by giving of themselves to others. Indeed, the prayer of St. Francis is the best example of this mindset of unselfishness:
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace,
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy;
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Why do I mention all of this and what does it have to with South Park? Well, the episode made fun of Easter, Bill Donohue, and the Catholic Church. Stan's father is excited about Easter and is painting eggs. Stan asks his father what the connection between Easter, Jesus Christ, and the Easter bunny is. He says that somewhere along the line, something went wrong with Easter. Of course, his questions rile a secret group called "The Hare Club for Men." This secret order is of course a play on the Knights Templar of the Middle Ages. Anyway, they chase Stan all the way back to his house. When he gets home, to his surprise, he finds that his father is a member of the Hare Club for Men.
At the meeting, the members explain to Stan that the HCFM has existed to keep fact alive that the real Pope of the Catholic Church is a rabbit named Peter. The rabbit was chosen by Jesus to be Pope, but the leaders of the early church would not have it and hid the truth. All of a sudden, a whole bunch of ninja's and right-winger Bill Donohue crash the meeting. They capture some of the members, included Stan's father and they also kill some. Before, he is caught, Stan's father says to escape with Peter the rabbit and protect him.
Stan escapes to Kyles house and together they go to Professor Teabag's house. They ask the professor more about the HCFM and proceeds to tell them more of the history. However, what made this funny was the fact that the professor has DaVinci's The Last Supper in his study. Professor Teabag points Kyle and Stan to look closer at the painting using laser technology. To their amazement, they see that Peter the rabbit was in the original painting of the supper. However, the church hid that from the people and covered up the painting. This makes fun of the DaVinci code. The professor then shows them the pope's Mitre was actually made to fit a rabbit. Then, once again, the ninja's break in and kill the professor, while Stan and Kyle escape.
In the next scene, Stan's father and the HCFM members are all imprisoned in the Vatican. Bill Donohue and Pope Benedict demand to know where the rabbit is. If they don't, Bill Donohue will order that they be tortured. Benedict does not think that is very Christian. Stan shows up and tells them to release his dad and the member. Bill says okay and we sware it on the cross. However, Bill swore on two cross and hence he double crossed them. They are going to be killed and used for rabbit stew. Benedict does not like this and therefore Bill relieves the pope of his position and makes himself pope. Jesus also shows up to make his displeasure known. He tells the pope and Donohue that the rabbit was appointed to be pope because he would not judge or speak for all men. Bill does not have any of that and locks him up too.
As they prepare the stew, which will be ten times meatier. Jesus plans his escape from the cell. Kyle is also locked up with Jesus and Jesus asks Kyle to kill him so he can resurrect out of the cell. Kyle has a problem with this since he is Jewish and ask Christ not to mention this to Cartman. So, Christ dies and ressurects in St. Peter's square. He tells the people the pope is actually a rabbit. He then takes out a ninja star and flings at Donohue thus killing him. The episode ends with Peter rabbit assuming the papacy. Then, one of the priest asks the pope a question to which he doesnt answer. The priest says, he did not say anything at all. Then another priest says, just like Jesus would have wanted and the episode ends.
Why did I mention this episode? Well, partly because this week is holy week and many Catholics will celebrate Easter. However, I wrote about his episode to say that Catholics need to have a sense of humor about their faith. I found this episode of South Park to be quite enjoyable and funny. I was not offended at all about the content. However, this episode did get me thinking as to what Bill Donohue would say about this. This man pretends to speak for the whole Catholic Church and I do not like him at all. He does not speak for me with his vile and hatefilled speech. He is a hypocrite and Christ would be very ashamed of him if he did come back.
I have been a liberal most of my life. My Catholic upbrining and teaching at the seminary have lead me to believe that Jesus Christ was a liberal. The Catholic Church sometimes forgets that following this faith is not just about abstaing from sex, or abortion, or any other type of sexual morality. Life is also about helping other as Christ did in his time here. St. Francis, my favorite saint, dedicated his life to helping other's lives be better. Social justice is just as important as sexual morality. However, I think that social justice is greater in that you affect many people.
I will close by wishing a Happy Easter to all of you. May this Easter season bring you and your families closer and that you share great times. Lastly, I am not endorsing the Catholic religion in this post. Happy Easter and best wishes to all of you!