Greets and saluts from the soggy NYC metro area. Freezing rain made for a miserable commute in, but it’s still rough going from Long Island and Connecticut where they’re still clearing snow off roads.

And then the Pope announced that he’s retiring. Well, he’s leaving on his own terms, rather than on a stretcher. I’ve read that he’s always considered himself to be a caretaker pope until his successor could be arranged. This may play into that, but who knows.

If the College of Cardinals were thinking about a long-term shift in policy, they ought to consider someone from outside Europe for the next pope, but I think they’ll stick with what’s got them to this point.