Blood, Sweat, and Tears

Comes news from the Vatican that the late Pope John Paul II, who is now a candidate for canonization, engaged in private flagellation, sleeping on the floor, extreme fasting, wearing a hairshirt, etc. This is the kind of stuff which the Vatican traditionally has regarded as probable signs of unusual sanctity in a person considered for sainthood. But I doubt that the general public and most of the Catholic public will look kindly on this news; it will strike them as eccentric, "medieval," or even repugnant.

Even more-surprising news followed that these details of the pontiff were made known by the Vatican-appointed priest who himself is the investigator-promoter of John Paul's case for canonization. The priest wrote a book about this. That's the end of that guy's ecclesiastical career.