Diocese of Orlando

This afternoon, Bishop John Noonan of the Diocese of Orlando announced the following official appointments:

• Rev. John Giel is appointed Chancellor of Canonical Affairs and Vicar General, effective May 3, 2012. Rev. Giel replaces Bishop-elect Parkes who was recently named Bishop of the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee. Fr. Giel also serves as pastor of St. Paul Catholic Church in Leesburg.
• Rev. Jean Aland is appointed Parochial Vicar of Most Precious Blood Catholic Church in Oviedo, effective May 21, 2012.
• Rev. Jesus Arroyave is appointed Parochial Vicar of Blessed Trinity Catholic Church in Ocala, effective May 21, 2012.
• Rev. Alfonso Cely is appointed Parochial Vicar of Saint Mary Magdalen Catholic Church in Altamonte Springs, effective May 21, 2012.
• Rev. Hector Vazquez is appointed Parochial Administrator of Saint Rose of Lima in Poinciana, effective May 21, 2012. (Rev. Alfredo Ortiz, pastor of St. Rose of Lima is granted a temporary medical leave effective May 21, 2012.)
• Rev. Richard Trout is appointed Pastor of Corpus Christi Catholic Church in Celebration, effective May 21, 2012.
• Rev. Richard Voor is appointed Parochial Administrator of All Souls Catholic Church, effective May 21, 2012.
• Rev. Anthony Onysi Banye is appointed Parochial Vicar of Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church in Indiatlantic, effective June 1, 2012.
• Rev. Gabriel Kamienski, SDS is appointed Parochial Vicar of St. Teresa Catholic Church in Titusville, effective June 1, 2012.
• Rev. Vilaire Phillius is appointed Parochial Vicar of St. James Cathedral, effective June 1, 2012.

• Tom Doyle, the current principal of BMCHS, will be co-President next academic year with Ms. Kane, officially taking over all responsibilities of the position in June 2013.
• Scott Brogan, current Assistant Principal, will take over the responsibilities of Principal at the beginning of the 2012-2013 academic year.
• Yvonne Toro, current Principal of the Basilica School of St. Paul in Daytona Beach, has been named the new Assistant Principal of BMCHS. She will officially take over these responsibilities in July.

Additional staffing changes should be announced in the coming weeks, including the announcement of a new Director of Admissions and a new Director of Curriculum.

The day of the announcement, I put in my request with the Vatican, along with about 2000 other people. Yesterday, I received an email from the Vatican informing me that my request had been approved.

If you would like to receive your own widget, click on the following link and complete all the required steps. It’s very easy to do. http://www.vatican.va/widget/widget.htm

My grandmother and grandfather instilled in each of their children and grandchildren the importance of a strong faith, hard work, perserverance, and–above all–love of neighbor. Rest in peace, Grandma. I love you!

****UPDATE:

Visitation: Sunday, April 15th from 5:00-7:30 p.m. at Woodlawn Memorial Park (Gotha); Rosary to take place at 7:30 p.m.

Funeral Mass: Monday, April 16th at 10:00 a.m. at St. James Cathedral in Downtown Orlando with Fr. Miguel Gonzalez presiding.

Here’s a link to Grandma’s obituary: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/orlandosentinel/obituary.aspx?n=annabelle-m-dennis&pid=156950607&fhid=9033

Bishops Traveling to Mexico:

USCCB Delegation:

• Bishop Octavio Cisneros (Aux. Brooklyn), Subcommittee Church in Latin America

Bishops Traveling to Cuba:

USCCB Delegation:

• Bishop Octavio Cisneros (Aux. Brooklyn), Subcommittee Church in Latin America
• Bishop Eusebio Elizondo (Aux. Seattle), Subcommittee Church in Latin America
• Bishop Richard Pates (Des Moines, Iowa), Committee on International Justice & Peace
• Bishop Gerald Kicanas (Tucson), president Catholic Relief Services

Bishops Traveling with Groups

• Cardinal Sean O’Malley, Boston
• Archbishop Thomas Wenski, Miami
• Bishop John Noonan, Orlando
• Bishop Felipe Estevez, St. Augustine

If you know of any other bishops traveling to either Cuba or Mexico, please comment below with a link to the information if possible. Thanks!

• Bishop William Lori, currently serving as Bishop of the Diocese of Bridgeport and as Chairman of the USCCB Ad Hoc Committee on Religious Liberty, as 16th Archbishop of Baltimore, succeeding Cardinal Edwin O’Brien who was recently appointed Grand Master of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre
• Monsignor David Malloy, priest of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee and former General Secretary of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, as Bishop of Rockford, Ill.
• Bishop Christian Lepine, Auxiliary Bishop of Montreal, as Archbishop of Francophone (Canada)

Also released this morning by the Vatican is the final report on the Apostolic Visitation of Ireland. The visitation was announced following the devastating sexual abuse scandals that rocked the Irish church. The report outlines observations from the visitation team and offers recommendations to the Bishops of Ireland on how to move forward. The full text of the report can be found here: http://press.catholica.va/news_services/bulletin/news/28948.php?index=28948&lang=en.

Bishop-elect Parkes

This morning, Pope Benedict XVI named Very Rev. Gregory Parkes, 47, current Vicar General and Chancellor of Canonical Affairs of the Diocese of Orlando, as Bishop of the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee. He succeeds Bishop John Ricard whose resignation was accepted by Pope Benedict XVI last March.

Fr. Gregory Parkes graduated from the Pontifical North American College in 2000 with a Licentiate Degree in Canon Law from the Pontifical Gregorian University. He was ordained to the priesthood by our beloved Bishop Norbert Dorsey on June 26, 1999 in the Cathedral of St. James.

After ordination he served as parochial vicar of Holy Family Catholic Church in West Orlando and as Pastor of Corpus Christi Catholic Church in Celebration. He has also served as a member of the Diocesan Finance Committee, Priest Placement Board, Presbyteral Council, Incardination Committee, and College of Consultors. Bishop-elect Parkes also serves on the Board of Trustees of St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary in Boynton Beach, FL which he attended as a seminarian.

In December 2004, then-Bishop Thomas Wenski appointed Father Gregory as the Chancellor of Canonical Affairs for the Diocese of Orlando. In 2009, Wenski appointed him Vicar General of the Diocese of Orlando as Monsignor Patrick Caverly was preparing to retire from the post.

Bishop-elect Parkes (left) at the dedication of Corpus Christi Catholic Church, Celebration.

Father Gregory becomes the first priest of the Diocese of Orlando to be named a bishop. But, he also very well maybe the tallest bishop in the United States. Towering over all the priests of the Diocese of Orlando, the Bishop-elect comes in at just shy of 7-feet tall—no, I am not exaggerating. With a miter on his head, I wonder if they’ll have to raise the doors of the Co-Cathedrals in the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee.

Father Gregory’s brother, Stephen, is also a priest of the Diocese of Orlando and currently serves as Pastor of Annunciation Catholic Church in Altamonte Springs. And, if you’re wondering, he is nearly as tall as his brother.

On a personal note, over the last several years, I have had the privilege of getting to know Fr. Gregory quite well. In fact, Archbishop Wenski used to point out to me how I looked like a shrimp when Father Gregory would stand next to me. As a seminarian, Fr. Gregory and the parish of Corpus Christi sponsored me and made sure that I had everything I needed while studying at St. John Vianney College Seminary in Miami. To this day, every time I see Father Gregory, he asks me how things are going. That’s just the type of person he is. The people of the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee have received a tremendous gift.

The people of the Diocese of Orlando rejoice with Fr. Gregory and wish him the best of luck. He will be in our prayers as he embarks on the next phase of his journey of priestly service. Congratulations, Father Greg! You always have a home in Orlando.

]]> http://www.thomaspringle.com/2012/03/parkes-to-pensacola-tallahassee/feed/ 1 http://www.thomaspringle.com/2012/03/stand-up-for-religious-freedom-orlando/ http://www.thomaspringle.com/2012/03/stand-up-for-religious-freedom-orlando/#comments Tue, 20 Mar 2012 00:39:27 +0000 Tom Pringle http://www.thomaspringle.com/?p=3780

Please join us as we stand with others around the nation in solidarity to oppose and speak out against President Obama’s HHS Mandate with the “Nationwide Rally for Religious Freedom!” This event will be taking place in cities and towns across the United States on March 23 at Noon.

This “Mandate” from Obama’s Department of Health and Human Services forces employers to provide free contraceptives, sterilization and abortion-inducing drugs through their health plans.

Even Catholic and other Christian hospitals, universities and charities are being ordered to obey the HHS Mandate, in direct opposition to Christian morals teaching.

Join the Orlando, FL Rally for Religious Freedom as we pray, worship and speak out against this injustice and help stop this unprecedented assault on religious liberty!

Where:
Federal Courthouse
401 West Central Boulevard (corner of Central and Hughey)

When:
March 23, 2012
12:00-1:00pm

Contact: orlando@standupforreligiou​sfreedom.com
407-230-2557

More Info: http://​StandUpForReligiousFreedom.​com/

Diocese of Orlando

On Friday, March 16, Bishop John Noonan and the Diocese of Orlando announced the following appointments:

• Fr. Edward Waters, Pastor of St. Timothy Catholic Church, Lady Lake
• Fr. Ybain Ramirez, Pastor of St. Augustine Catholic Church, Casselberry
• Fr. Augustine Clark, Pastor of St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church, Orlando
• Fr. Derk Schudde, Pastor of Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church, Winter Park
• Fr. Gilbert Medina, Pastor of St. Mary of the Lakes Catholic Church, Eustis
• Very Rev. Gregory Parkes, Pastor of Corpus Christi Catholic Church, Celebration

The priests named as pastors today were previously serving as Parochial Administrators of their assigned parishes. You might be wondering what the difference is between a Parochial Administrator and a Pastor? For that, we turn to Canon Law:

Canon 519: The parish priest is the proper pastor of the parish entrusted to him. He exercises the pastoral care of the community entrusted to him under the authority of the diocesan Bishop, whose ministry of Christ he is called to share, so that for this community he may carry out the offices of teaching, sanctifying and ruling with the cooperation of other priests or deacons and with the assistance of lay members of Christ’s faithful, in accordance with the law.

Canon 522: It is necessary that a parish priest have the benefit of stability, and therefore he is to be appointed for an indeterminate period of time. The diocesan Bishop may appoint him for a specified period of time only if the Episcopal Conference has by decree allowed this.

Canon 524: The diocesan Bishop is to confer a vacant parish on the one whom, after consideration of all the circumstances, he judges suitable for parochial care of that parish, without any preference or persons. In order to assess suitability, he is to consult the vicar forane, conduct suitable inquiries and, if it is appropriate, seek the view of some priests and lay members of Christ’s faithful.

Canon 539: When a parish is vacant…the diocesan Bishop is as soon as possible to appoint a parochial administrator, that is, a priest who will take the place of the parish priest in accordance with Can. 540.

Canon 540: §1 The parochial administrator is bound by the same obligations and has the same rights as a parish priest, unless the diocesan Bishop prescribes otherwise.

§ 2 The parochial administrator may not do anything which could prejudice the rights of the parish priest or could do harm to parochial property.

§ 3 When he has discharged his office, the parochial administrator is to give an account to the parish priest.

Canons 527-534 and 538 have additional functions of the parish priest (pastor) and may be found here: http://www.intratext.com/IXT/ENG0017/_P1T.HTM

• Italian Archbishop Fernando Filoni, prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, 65
• Portuguese Archbishop Manuel Monteiro de Castro, major penitentiary of the Apostolic Penitentiary, 73
• Spanish Archbishop Santos Abril Castello, archpriest of Basilica of St. Mary Major, 76
• Italian Archbishop Antonio Maria Veglio, president Pontifical Council for Migrants and Travelers, 73
• Italian Archbishop Giuseppe Bertello, president of the commission governing Vatican City State, 69
• Italian Archbishop Francesco Coccopalmerio, president of the Pontifical Council for Interpreting Legislative Texts, 73
• Brazilian Archbishop Joao Braz de Aviz, prefect of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, 64
• U.S. Archbishop Edwin F. O’Brien, grand master of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem, 72
• Italian Archbishop Domenico Calcagno, president of the Administration of the Patrimony of the Holy See, 68
• Italian Archbishop Giuseppe Versaldi, president of Prefecture of the Economic Affairs of the Holy See, 68
• Syro-Malabar Archbishop George Alencherry of India, 66Canadian Archbishop Thomas C. Collins of Toronto, 64
• Czech Archbishop Dominik Duka of Prague, 68
• Dutch Archbishop Willem J. Eijk of Utrecht, 58
• Italian Archbishop Giuseppe Betori of Florence, 64
• U.S. Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan of New York, 61
• German Archbishop Rainer Maria Woelki of Berlin, 55
• Chinese Bishop John Tong Hon of Hong Kong, 72
• Romanian Archbishop Lucian Muresan of Fagaras and Alba Julia, 80
• Belgian Father Julien Ries, expert on history of religions, 91
• Maltese Augustinian Father Prosper Grech, biblical scholar, 86
• German Jesuit Father Karl Josef Becker, theologian, 83

Congratulations to all of the Cardinal-designates, especially Timothy Cardinal Dolan and Edwin Cardinal O’Brien.

Credit: AP

Yesterday afternoon, the Huffington Post posted an article on its website entitled “Rick Santorum Wins Over Evangelicals By Breaking With His Own Catholic Creed.” Before I go any further, I must preface this by encouraging you to read that article, not because I agree with it but because what I have written here will somewhat respond to those claims. I additionally encourage all of you to read the USCCB document “Faithful Citizenship” again–it’s always a good idea to reread that document prior to elections. This post is simply a reminder of what Faithful Citizenship is asking us to do as Catholics. I also include some of my thoughts on Rick Santorum. With that said, let’s get started, shall we?

In the upcoming presidential primaries and in the November general election, all Catholics must make an informed decision on which candidate they will throw their support behind. It is our responsibility to vote for the person who has the best interest of the nation at heart and who stands in compliance with the most important issues. In Faithful Citizenship, a document produced by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), the bishops call all Catholics to “form their consciences in the light of their Catholic faith and to bring our moral principles to the debate and decisions about candidates and issues.”

Voting is the most important duty we have as Americans. Through it, we make our voices heard in the public forum, highlighting and defending our political ideologies. However, those ideologies must be informed by our faith and by our own moral compass. The Catholic Church has never told people how to vote on issues. Furthermore, the Church has never told people what political ideology to follow. Throughout her involvement in public life, the Church has only sought to prepare Catholics for making informed decisions.

There is not one Catholic individual within the United States whom supports and agrees with every position the Church takes on issues. Some Catholics believe that climate change is active and having a devastating effect on our world; others are skeptical of the scientific data being presented in the case for climate change. Some Catholics have taken a narrow view on the topic of evolution, at times even rejecting the notion; others have been more open to the scientific proof that supports some aspects of evolution theory.

The people who make up the church do not stop having an opinion when it comes to political beliefs. We are allowed to be diverse in our thoughts on most issues. If we, as Catholics, all believed the same thing, there would be no dialogue and the Church would risk being stuck holding onto an ideology that was ancient and outdated. However, there are some issues that we must not and cannot support. As Catholics we are called to “promote and protect human life and dignity, marriage and family, justice and peace in service to the common good.” Any stance that interferes with these must not be supported.

When it comes to Rick Santorum, he, like other Catholics, is allowed to hold unique positions on certain issues. While his views on climate change and evolution are not necessarily in line with the church’s position, his stance on the most important of issues—abortion, same-sex marriage and the promotion of the traditional family—remain in line with Catholic teaching.

It’s all about making an informed decision. If Catholics around the country choose to throw their support behind Senator Santorum, so be it. Others will support Romney, Gingrich, Paul and other candidates. When it comes time for the general election in November, some will even support President Obama. As long as we take our voting decision seriously, bringing it to prayer and study, we will make the right choice for our beliefs.

As for me, I’m pulling for Santorum!! Game on!

Credit: Xinhua/Luo Xiaoguang

Over the last several years, the relationship between the Holy See and communist China has been strained to a point of seemingly no return. Throughout 2011, the situation worsened after the Chinese run church–Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association (CPCA)–ordained several bishops without the consent of the Holy See. The breakdown in relations has been an ongoing dilemma for the Vatican as Chinese officials sought more control over Catholics in their country. The government is seeking to ensure the bishops throughout the country are loyal to the communist ideologies. For those Catholics objecting to state control of the church, life is far from serene.

The faithful in China have undergone such hardship and persecution at the hands of the communist regime. Priests who have shown loyalty to the Vatican and to the Pope have been arrested and murdered. Over the years, there have been countless reports of women religious being raped by Chinese soldiers. The horrors taking place in the country continue to be despicable.

Some may argue that Catholics in the country should be willing to offer some concessions to the government since they are being given the opportunity to worship the Lord publicly. While some concessions may increase dialogue between the Holy See and China, most of the concessions these individuals are being forced to make are, in fact, restricting their ability to worship freely and causing tensions to rise.

In 1951, the Chinese government officially forced Catholics in the country to cut all ties to the Vatican. At that time, government officials also restricted public worship, permitting only those in the state-run church to worship freely. Despite that order, millions of brave and faithful Catholics formed an underground church that remained loyal to the Pope.

Some have been seeking to discover a reason for the Chinese reversal of the agreement with the Vatican. In recent years, the Chinese government needed the approval and respect of many western nations in order to host a successful Olympics. That was in 2008. Now, the economic situation has shifted where those same western nations owe China a tremendous amount of debt. Therefore, the roles have been somewhat reversed; western nations are now forced to accept the actions of China.

Some also argue that the recent ‘Arab Spring’ has instilled a sense of fear and uncertainty in Chinese officials who are now seeking to gain more control over what the people of their country are able to see on the internet and on television. There may be some substance to this position. In the weeks and months following the uprisings in Egypt, Tunisia and Libya, the Chinese government began an unprecedented crackdown on bloggers and activists. The crackdown on these individuals may have inspired the uptick in control over the Church in the country.

In response, the Vatican is taking a more stringent approach with the communist government. Following the ordination of the new bishop for the Diocese of Leshan, the Vatican issued a communique that called the ordination illegitimate. The statement also conveyed the Pope’s dismay and deep sadness at the situation. In July, officials at the Holy See excommunicated the newly ordained Bishop of Shantou. If Chinese officials continue to appoint and ordain bishops without the approval of the Holy See, we can expect to see this type of hard-line response.

Christians are not the only group being targeted in China, however. The human rights violations that are occurring in the communist country are appalling and we have to work to curb the injustices being committed against people of all faiths, people of all races. We need the countries of the West to join the Vatican, recognizing the abuses that are occurring in China. We need leaders from around the world to come together, to not be afraid and to bring an end to these violations.

Every human person has the right to worship and believe as he or she deems appropriate. The Chinese government MUST stop the commission of these injustices! The Chinese government MUST recognize the rights of all its citizens to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Every human being deserves dignity and respect. What China needs is another John Paul II; a person who, having lived through the oppression of freedoms, emerges as a leader for the Church; a person who encourages the people of China to respond to the hate and the evil with love. What China needs is for the nations of the world to step in and demand communist officials stop this attack on human freedom.

Let us stand united with our brothers and sisters in China and throughout the world who lack the freedoms to worship freely. Let us unite ourselves to the Cross of Christ, recognizing that freedom does not come without price. Let us pray for each other, that Christ may be made present to all of us, that Christ may break the stoney hearts of those who persecute his Church. Let us pray for the conversion of all those who cause division throughout the world.

In July 2011, in the midst of the visitation, Irish officials released the 400-page Cloyne Report, detailing the findings to the investigation into the handling of abuse cases by the Diocese of Cloyne. According to the report, the commission “examined all complaints, allegations, concerns and suspicions of child sexual abuse by relevant clerics made to the diocesan and other Catholic Church authorities and public and State authorities.” Furthermore, the commission did not seek to determine whether abuse actually occured, but to reveiw how well the Irish church investigated claims againsts priests and ministers. Among the major findings of the report was that two-thirds of the allegations made since 1996 were not reported to the police, which after the revelations of abuse throughout the world in recent years is completely unacceptable.

After the publication of the Cloyne Report, some within the Irish government began publicly criticizing the Holy See, indicating it was a dysfunctional organization that downplayed the sexual abuse crises within Ireland. Following these criticisms by Irish officials, Father Federico Lombardi, spokesman for the Vatican, speaking in a personal capacity, stated that the criticism of the Holy See was unfounded. The report, which according to Lombardi did not supply any evidence indicating a cover-up of any kind by the Vatican, provides a “new step in the long and arduous walk to find the truth.”

Many believe the sexual abuse crisis within Ireland has created tension between the country and the Vatican. Throughout this year, those tensions have been evident. While it has not been connected in any way to the revelations of the Cloyne Report, the government of Ireland recently decided to close its embassy to the Vatican. Reportedly, the move comes as a cost-saving measure for the government; however, that has not stopped the speculation about it being the most visible sign of tensions between the two nations.

In addition to these ‘tensions,’ over the next few years, the Pope will be tasked with restructuring the hierarchy within the Irish Church. At last count, four dioceses have no bishop at the healm, three bishops are serving past the age limit, and an additional two bishops will reach the retirement age in the coming year and a half. To assist in this endeavor, Pope Benedict XVI recently appointed Monsignor Charles Brown, 52, a priest of the Archdiocese of New York, as the Apostolic Nuncio to Ireland. Let’s pray that the Holy Spirit guide the Holy Father in this endeavor and that a new springtime may arise for the Irish church.

4. Religious Liberty Issues in the United States

Over the last few months, issues of religious liberty have been receiving more attention from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops as a result of the passage of gay marriage initiatives within many states and the removal of conscience protections within the health care reform law. In September, Archbishop Timothy Dolan (New York), president of the USCCB, wrote a letter to his brother bishops announcing the formation of a new ad hoc committee focused on dealing with issues associated with religious liberties. In the context of that letter, Dolan noted the recent uptick in assaults on the basic right of all individuals for religious freedom:

This basic right, in its many and varied applications for Christians and people of faith, is now increasingly and in unprecedented ways under assault in America. This is most particularly so in an increasing number of federal government programs or policies that would infringe upon the right of conscience of people of faith or otherwise harm the foundational principle of religious liberty.

Dolan also listed several threats that have emerged towards religious liberty, including: the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) mandate ordering the inclusion of contraceptive and sterilization in private health insurance plans, the HHS requirement for the U.S. bishops’ Migration and Refugee Services to provide reproductive services to victims of trafficking, the continuing denial of support for the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) by the executive branch, and the limited exemptions for religious institutions in newly passed laws allowing gay marriages in some states.

During the USCCB’s November meeting this year, Bishop William Lori (Bridgeport), chairman of the new Ad Hoc Committee on Religious Liberty gave a presentation to the entire conference in which he said the government was treating the church “not as a contributor to our nation’s common morality” but as an instrument of divisiveness that should be kept out of public life. He furthermore called on all bishops to defend religious liberty in all that they do–teaching the faithful within their dioceses about the limitations being placed on religious institutions and standing up for the many injustices toward religious freedom occuring throughout the country.

3. New Translation of the Roman Missal

In parishes and diocese throughout the country, individuals, both lay people and clergy, have reported no major issues with the implementation of the Third Edition of the Roman Missal. For those communities that began utilizing parts of the new missal before the First Sunday of Advent, the big day was largely insignificant. If your parish did not start using the new parts early, more power to you because you were basically thrown into the new missal with little or no preparation. Hopefully though, the parishes and the dioceses offered some kind of catechesis for the laity and ministers throughout the country so that the people in the pews did not walk into the weekend of implementation blindly.

Personally speaking, my parish began using the new music settings about two months before we were obligated to implement the new translation. At first it was a bit difficult for the people to learn the parts. But, we did not introduce all the music settings at once, we staggered them from weekend to weekend which seemed to help the congregation in the learning process. When the First Sunday of Advent finally came upon us, there was only one person in my parish who was unhappy about the changes; after the first “And with your spirit” an older gentleman in the congregation said rather loudly, “Why do they have to change things?” However, that sentiment was not seconded, at least publicly, by too many people in the parish.

Wherever you and your parish are at in terms of the new translation, we are still in this together. Hopefully we are moving right along with the creed, especially with that ‘consubstantial’ word. There are some great resources out there for those of us who are still needing a little assistance–I admit, I still need some help. More reviews will be coming in the next few days.

2. Beatification of John Paul II

On May 1st, the Feast of the Divine Mercy, a feast day implemented by Pope John Paul II, the late pontiff was beatified in St. Peter’s Square by Benedict XVI. In the most joyous celebration of 2011 for the Catholic Church, an estimated 1.5 million people came to the Eternal City to witness the beatification of our beloved John Paul.

Throughout his priesthood and, even moreso when he was elected to the papacy in October 1978 following the death of John Paul I, the 263rd successor of St. Peter relied on these personal convictions to lead the church. During the vigil of prayer prior to the beatification, Cardinal Agostino Vallini stated:

He was witness to the tragic age of big ideologies, totalitarian regimes, and from their passing John Paul II embraced the harsh suffering, marked by tension and contradictions, of the transition of the modern age toward a new phase of history, showing constant concern that the human person be its protagonist. He was a staunch and credible defender of the human person to the nations and the international institutions, which respected him and have paid him homage, recognizing him as a messenger of justice and peace.

With his gaze fixed on Christ, the Redeemer of humanity, he believed in humanity and showed his openness, trust, and closeness. He loved the human person, pushing us to develop in ourselves the potential of faith to live as free persons, cooperating in the realization of a more just and caring humanity, as workers for peace and builders of hope. Convinced that only the spiritual experience can satisfy humanity he said: the fate of every person and of all peoples is tied to Christ, the only liberator and Savior.

Pope John Paul II taught us all how to live truly Catholic Christian lives. He taught us that being a Christian is not without its challenges and struggles. Through his battle with Parkinson’s Disease, the late pontiff showed us how to embrace the crosses that present themselves throughout life and to continually give praise to God.

Blessed John Paul, we miss you dearly and know that you continue to pray for the Church that you served with all of your strength and loved with all of your heart. Pray for us, that we may come to recognize, appreciate and defend the dignity of every human person; that we may love the church and devote our lives to her; that we may follow your example of humility in all that we do. Finally, pray for those who have not come to know Christ, that they may embrace God’s love for them and come to call Jesus their Savior.