Can anyone explain this cartoon?

Cafe Society
1

It’s from the New Yorker collection I mentioned. 1971. Priest addresses his congregation: “May I remind you that Phase Two does not apply to the Offertory.”

My mom says it’s a reference to Vatican II, meaning something along the lines of “Just because you can eat meat on Fridays now doesn’t mean you can ignore the offering plate.”

I think not; I have a vague sense that Nixon’s economic plan was to be carried out in phases (and did not, in fact, get past Phase Two). So this would mean “Just because the government is squeezing you dry doesn’t mean you can cry poor when the offering plate comes around.”

Any idea? Anyone remember Phase Two? If so, what was it? (I’ve tried Googling, but all the hits take it for granted that I already know what the term means re: Nixon and economics.)

(I just don’t think it’s what she said. Not in the New Yorker. If it was in Catholic Living magazine, sure, but TNY would only do a religious joke if it somehow tied in with government, or society in general; they wouldn’t do an exclusively religious one.)

2

Likely a reference to this.

I don’t actually get it, but I think that’s what it’s talking about.

3

To try to fight inflation, President Nixon imposed wage and price freezes for a short period of time, and then after that, (in November of 1971) moved into “Phase II” of his economic plan, where most of the freezes were lifted (except for food, health care, and construction), and the government came up with “recommended prices” for goods.

So, the joke is that the priest is reminding his congregation they can donate as much as they want, without worrying about price controls. I agree with you here, and not your mom.

4

I see. Thank you.