Papal Emblem

I apologize for the lack of posts over the last few days. There is not much ecclesial news happening around these parts. When the Pope goes on vacation for the summer the Catholic news cycle slows down quite dramatically.

The most interesting tid-bit that has emerged within the last week is the Vatican’s release of modifications to the norms on grave crimes against the church. The official notice from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith stated:

[T]he Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith…held it necessary to proceed with a reform of the [Normae de gravioribus delictis], emending it not in its entirety, but only in certain areas, in order to render the text more useful.

The most significant adjustments within the document come in response to two particular offenses: the molestation of minors by priests and the ordination of women.

Here are the appointments from this morning:

• The Holy Father appointed Bishop Blase Cupich, current Bishop of the Diocese of Rapid City, as the sixth Bishop of the Diocese of Spokane.
• The Holy Father appointed Rev. Arthur L. Kennedy, Ph.D., current Rector of St. John’s Seminary, as Auxiliary Bishop for the Archdiocese of Boston.
• The Holy Father appointed Rev. Peter J. Uglietto, S.T.D., current Rector/President of Blessed John XXIII Seminary, as Auxiliary Bishop for the Archdiocese of Boston.
• The Holy Father appointed Cardinal Marc Ouellet, Cardinal-Archbishop of Quebec, as the Prefect of the Congregation for Bishops and Chairman of the Commission for Latin America.
• The Holy Father appointed Archbishop Salvatore Fisichella as the head of the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evengelization.
• The Holy Father appointed Archbishop Celestino Migliore as the Apostolic Nuncio to Poland.

This morning, Pope Benedict XVI also accepted the resignations of:

• Bishop William Skylstad, Bishop of the Diocese of Spokane.
• Bishop Peter A. Rosazza, Auxiliary of the Archdiocese of Hartford.
• Bishop Emilio S. Allué, Auxiliary of the Archdiocese of Boston.

In preparation for tomorrow’s announcement, this interview of Bishop Skylstad was posted a short time ago on the website of KREM, the local television station that broke the story of Bishop Cupich’s appointment.

Video Source: KREM News 2

Bishop Cupich | Diocese of Rapid City

Well folks, here’s another one for you. It is expected that, as early as tomorrow, Bishop Blase Joseph Cupich will be appointed as the sixth bishop of the Diocese of Spokane. Bishop-designate Cupich currently serves as the head of the Church in Western South Dakota (the Diocese of Rapid City), where he has served as bishop since 1998. Cupich replaces Bishop William Skylstad, who is retiring after 20 years as the head of the Spokane Church.

Bishop-designate Cupich was born in Omaha, Nebraska on March 19, 1949. He attended seminary at the College of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy. Upon graduating from St. Thomas, the Archdiocese of Omaha sent him to study theology at the Pontifical North American College in Rome. He was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Omaha on August 16, 1975. Bishop Cupich is also a graduate from the Catholic University of America, obtaining a Sacramental Theology degree from the university in 1979.

Since his ordination to the priesthood, Cupich has served in various capacities within the