Eamonn Clark

It’s that time of year again. Let’s see how I did for 2018 first…

1. The world will not end. YES
2. The Holy Father will resign shortly after a consistory. NO
3. Either Cdl. Parolin or an African will become the next pope. NO
4. Vatican financial reform will continue to be a scandal and a joke. YES
5. Nobody will find D.B. Cooper or his treasure. YES
6. The readership of this website will increase by at least 500 subscribers (including email subscriptions which aren’t publicly visible). NO (but we did okay!)
7. There will not be a ruling on Medjugorje. YES
8. The Dominicans will overtake the Jesuits in the USA for the most entrants into the novitiate. MAYBE (waiting for CARA report)
9. Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI will survive and continue to grow in clout. YES
10. I will not be made a monsignor. YES

6 or 7 out of 10 ain’t bad. Here are my 10 predictions for 2019. They are a bit spicier.

1. An A-list Hollywood personality will either publicly convert to Catholicism or come out very publicly as a Catholic.
   1. Yes – Here (I’m counting it!)
2. The Cubs will win the World Series.
3. Fr. Pedro Arrupe, S.J. will go from “Servant of God” to “Venerable.”
4. A woman will become the new head of Vatican communications.
   1. SO CLOSE – Vice director of the press office. Maybe she will move up this year?
5. It will snow in Rome.
6. Washington D.C. will get a new archbishop from the Midwest.
   1. Yes – Abp. Gregory is a native of Illinois.
7. The Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei will be shut down or completely absorbed into the CDF.
   1. Yes – Here
8. A highly credible Marian apparition will occur in Austria.
9. A bishop from Estonia will be named a cardinal.
10. Rome will fail for a third time in a row to buy an acceptable Christmas tree for Piazza Venezia.