Quotable & Notable

“I’m in hot water again.”

-- Admiral William Fallon telling writer Thomas P.M. Barnett that the White House was displeased, again, with his penchant for diplomacy before talk of war. Fallon resigned as head of U.S. Central Command, shortly after Barnett’s Esquire article was published.

“It seems to me that faith education works all right as long as people are not that serious about their faith.”

-- Barry Sheerman, British parliamentarian, criticizing Roman Catholic Bishop Patrick O’Donoghue of Lancaster after the bishop banned “values-free” sex education in his diocesan schools and ordered crucifixes hung in all classrooms. Church schools in England are state-supported.

“China and the Vatican are walking toward each other. The distance between the two sides is getting shorter and shorter, but there is a river between the two sides.”

-- Ye Xiaowen, director-general of China’s State Administration for Religious Affairs

“I have mixed emotions. ... We certainly have to unite to save the country from [Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton].”

-- John Stanton, member of the National Catholics for McCain Committee. The committee is uncomfortable with McCain’s accepting the endorsement of Texas pastor John Hagee, who has described the Catholic church as the “great whore.”

National Catholic Reporter, March 21, 2008