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.

That, in itself, has sparked a bit of an uproar over the last few days. Many people in the secular media and in the Church have questioned why the Vatican would condemn the sexual abuse of minors by priests and the ordination of women in the same document.

Many believe the church is saying the ordination of women to the priesthood is equivalent to the molestation of children by priests. This is simply not the case. By grouping the two together, Rome is confirming that these are two important issues that are currently facing the Church.

Should the Vatican have released two different documents? Maybe. I do not believe that Rome ever imagined it would receive such intense scrutiny over this document. One thing is clear, however; many have overlooked the most important aspect of this document—what it actually says.

Introducing the changes to the norms regarding the sexual abuse of minors, Bishop Blase Cupich, Chairman of the USCCB Committee on Protection of Children and Young People, stated:

The seriousness with which the church views sexual abuse of a minor by a cleric cannot be understated. By putting child sexual abuse by clergy in the same context as the safeguarding of the sacraments, the Church is making it clear that such misconduct violates the core values of our faith and worship.

Today the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith notes that the abuse of the mentally impaired, no matter what the person’s age, is horrific. Abuse of someone who cannot defend himself or herself is craven, cowardly behavior.

Welcome, too, is the recognition that the crime of child pornography damages not just those who pursue it, but any child degraded in the making of it. Child pornography is a degradation of any child of God. A priest’s involvement with it is particularly offensive.

The document makes law of measures that have already been in use by the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith to facilitate handling of cases brought to the Vatican. This is an important step in the continuing effort to achieve justice for innocent people whose trust in a cleric was violated.

The new norms on clergy sexual abuse make it clear: the Church will not tolerate such abuses! These “new” norms have been in practice for quite some time. The CDF is simply making them known to all the Bishops of the Church so that they, too, can implement similar policies.

In regards to the ordination of women, Archbishop Donald Wuerl, Chairman of the USCCB Committee on Doctrine, stated:

The seven sacraments are an integral and identifying part of the Catholic Church and the faith life of each Catholic. To feign any sacrament would be egregious. The Catholic Church through its long and constant teaching holds that ordination has been, from the beginning, reserved to men, a fact which cannot be changed despite changing times.

All Catholics are called to Christian service. Women have responded with extraordinary generosity. Historically, women have had an essential role in the life of the Church. This is true especially through their volunteer work in parishes, their professional service and their membership in religious communities, lay movements and other organizations, where they serve in a range of areas such as health care and education…

The Church’s gratitude to women cannot be stated strongly enough. Women offer unique insight, creative abilities and unstinting generosity at the very heart of the Catholic Church. Their activity and determinative participation explains much of what makes the Catholic Church the powerful force for goodness and holiness that it is.

Simply put, because the priesthood has always been reserved for men within the church, the ordination of women to participate in the priesthood of Jesus Christ is not acceptable. However, that does not mean that women have no role in ministry. The amount of women in ministry in the U.S. is staggering, as Archbishop Wuerl illustrated. They perform a great service to the Church and are to be commended for the carrying out of their baptismal call.

Sources: (1) USCCB: Normae de gravioribus delictis; (2) USCCB: Bishops Welcome Update of Vatican Norms on Sexual Abuse; (3) USCCB: U.S. Bishops’ Doctrine Chairman Welcomes Vatican Clarification On Ordination…

• 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.

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 church: Associate Pastor, high school and college instructor, Pastor, and Rector/President of the Pontifical College Josephinum in Columbus, Ohio. He has also served as Director of the Office for Divine Worship within the Archdiocese of Omaha, Chair of the Commission on Youth, and Secretary to the Apostolic Nunciature in Washington, D.C. Nationally, he currently serves on the National Pastoral Life Center Board of Directors, the USCCB Committee on Protection of Children and Young People, the USCCB Task Force on Priestly and Religious Vocations and the Catholic Extension Society Board of Governors.

Throughout his episcopacy, Bishop Cupich has, time and time again, stood up for the rights of those members of our society who are the weakest. In response to an abortion ban in 2006 by the South Dakota legislature, Bishop Cupich reminded the people of the state:

“A change in law or structures is necessary, but not sufficient, if human dignity is to be defended and promoted in our society today. Our fellow citizens need to be convinced in their hearts and minds about the dignity of human life in all of its stages. We must look for new opportunities to build a culture of life; otherwise, new laws will rest on a weak foundation…[O]ur commitment to the dignity of human life and the human person must include support for other measures that will ensure a living wage for workers, adequate health care for families, the education of our youth and an end to the death penalty. When our society promotes education, literacy, employment, etc., the resulting social stability will contribute to a diminishment in the number of abortions.”

A news report from Spokane is already reporting the story about Bishop Cupich being appointed as the sixth Bishop of Spokane.

UPDATE: Shortly after posting the original message, I received an email from the Diocese of Spokane. In the email, the diocese stated that there is no official confirmation regarding an appointment for the Spokane Diocese.  They are stating that the local TV station seems to have prematurely reported an “announcement that has yet to be made.”

UPDATE 2: Okay, it is almost official. According to the most prominent Catholic blogs, Whispers and AmP, the announcement should come in the morning, although the Diocese is not ready to confirm. Also, tomorrow will see the announcement of two Auxiliary Bishops for the Archdiocese of Boston.

More at 6 a.m.