Re-Thurned: A Princess Redeemed

Her Royal Highness Gloria of Thurn und Taxis
www.thurnundtaxis.de/en/

If readers can look past the mostly flakey and inflammatory writing of the New York Times journalist who wrote The Saturday Profile: The ‘It’ ’80s Party Girl Is Now a Defender of the Catholic Faith, a story about Princess Gloria von Thurn und Taxis, readers might just perceive something that the author of the report has mostly overlooked—a story of redemption.

Jason Horowitz's article frequently injects wild speculation and sensational buzz lines into what could have been an inspiring message for those who, having once embraced or still living a tentative lifestyle of the rich and famous, are searching for meaning in an age of tabloid secularism and giddy fads. Using the tactics of a gossipy teenager, the NYT writer attempts to paint Her Royal Highness Gloria von Thurn und Taxis, Cardinal Burke and others as enemies of Pope Francis. Secular writers often miss the fact that Catholics aren't required to worship the Bishop of Rome, nor do the same writers realize that respectful criticism of Pope Francis' approach to the papal office is appropriate given the probability that every Catholic has a need for fraternal correction from time to time. Recall Saint Paul's correction of Saint Peter, the first Pope, which was not a criticism of Saint Peter's doctrine but of his limp witness to the Faith (Galatians 2:11-14).

Horowitz can't bring himself to acknowledge the Princess' reclaimed virtue, but for a moment or two he narrates something of the Princess' acknowledgement that the Church must faithfully preach the Gospel with clarity.

(Princess Gloria) thought the Pope was “trying his level best,” but added with a laugh, he just “doesn’t sing my favorite hits first.”

She argued that instead of the Pope’s emphasis on inclusion, the Church needed to honor its laws and doctrines and undergo a spiritual conversion, much like she had undergone when her husband died nearly 30 years ago, to a more missionary and orthodox belief.

“We need to fight for the Church,” she said, adding that Benedict had instilled in her the desire to “fight for the faith — not only to save the (T)radition, to save the (F)aith, but also to fulfill your duties.”

Princess Gloria provides around 300 hot meals a day for the poor in one of her palace's rooms.