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.

Credit: USCCB

In a letter to U.S. President Barack Obama, Archbishop Timothy Dolan, president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishop, has renewed his commitment to defending the Defense of Marriage Act. The message, dated September 20, 2011, comes in response to recent actions taken by the Obama Administration that threaten the very existence of marriage.

Over the last several months, the United States Justice Department has shifted its attitude toward the Defense of Marriage Act from simply not defending it to challenging its constitutionality altogether. That move, in itself, is unconstitutional, some have argued, because the role of the executive branch of government is to enforce the laws, even those it does not necessarily support.

Within the letter, Archbishop Dolan reaffirms the USCCB’s support for the institution of marriage. Dolan also reiterates the “immeasurable personal dignity and equal worth of all individuals,” including the dignity of those with same-sex attraction, the main supporters of the repeal of DOMA. Furthermore, the archbishop refutes the claim that the support of DOMA is “rooted in prejudice and bias.”

The bishops are calling on the President and his administration to “push the reset button” on their approach to DOMA. “A policy disagreement over the meaning of marriage [should not] be treated by federal officials as a federal offense.” The bishops believe that the “Administration’s failure to change course on this matter will…precipitate a national conflict between Church and State of enormous proportions and to the detriment of both.”

Let’s help the bishops’ message reach President Obama. Contact the Administration and ask them to change course on their efforts to repeal DOMA. Urge President Obama to do his job, as outlined by the Constitution of the United States, and defend the laws of this country. You may contact the Obama Administration here: http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact

The full letter from Archbishop Dolan is available below: (as found on the USCCB website)

This afternoon, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops released its report on the causes of the sexual abuse of minors by Catholic priests from 1950 through 2010. The study was conducted by the John Jay College Research Team at the request of a National Review Board, which was implemented by the USCCB Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People.

The report, some 152 pages in length, is “the second of two studies produced by researchers at John Jay College of Criminal Justice about sexual abuse by Catholic priests.” The first report, the Nature and Scope study, was issued in February 2004 and focused on the extent of the cases involving the abuse of minors by priests.

This most recent study has determined the following:

• There is no single “cause” of sexual abuse of minors by Catholic priests. However, the report recognizes that there were significant social and cultural changes in the 1960s and 1970s that resulted in greater levels of deviant behavior throughout society, including among Catholic priests.
• The vast majority of abuse cases occurred in the 1960s and 1970s with a noticeable decline beginning in late 1980s, which continued thru the 1990s to the present day.
• Many individuals who would later abuse minors as priests attended major free-standing seminaries; however, there is no direct correlation between the occurrence of abuse and the type of seminaries the individuals attended.
• There is no significant empirical evidence to suggest that certain personality traits were linked to the abuse of minors.
• Most of the priests who had been accused of sexual abuse are not pedophiles.
• No evidence supports the claim that celibacy has played a significant role in the abuse of minors.
• There is no evidence to support the claim that homosexuality is the cause of child sexual abuse by priests.
• Situational factors and the opportunity to abuse played a considerable role in the onset and continuation of sexual abuse of minors.
• In the mid-1990s, the Church established Five Principles to guide diocesan response to reports of sexual abuse. However, in many dioceses, the implementation of these Five Principles was rather inadequate.
• In the past, the response of diocesan officials to an allegation of abuse was to focus on the priest-abuser. However, as more cases have come to light in the past couple of decades, the Catholic Church has undergone significant organizational change in an effort to promote increased transparency and accountability.

Most of the information above was gathered via the USCCB Live feed on Twitter.

As the release of this report has been publicized in many media outlets over the last few days, many have already expressed their criticisms of the bishops’ findings. However, as Archbishop Dolan has remarked in a statement on the release of the study, the findings of this report are not from the USCCB; rather, the findings are a report to the US episcopal conference.

It must be clearly understood that this report, in no way, is attempting to make excuses for the instances of sexual abuse by Catholic priests. Furthermore, the report does not take responsibility away from bishops and local dioceses for failing to confront the problem of sexual abuse by priests. The report is simply an effort to help the Church understand the reasons for the abuse. In the end, the Causes and Context study will allow the Catholic Church to continue to adapt formation programs in an effort to ensure that the future occurrence of sexual abuse by priests will be eradicated.

Please click here to view the report in its entirety [PDF].

Source: USCCB | The above document is the official release from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and was used with permission.

Newly elected Archbishop Dolan at November General Assembly presser | Credit: CNS

On November 16th, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops elected Archbishop Timothy Dolan of New York to the position of President. The Dolan election turned what was expected to be an uneventful annual November meeting for the bishops into something that seismically altered historical traditions.

Throughout its history, the bishops have elected the conference’s incumbent vice-president into the head position. If tradition would have prevailed this year, Bishop Gerald Kicanas would have stepped into that main leadership role, succeeding Cardinal Francis George of Chicago. [On a side note, the only time tradition has been broken was when Vice-president Cardinal John Carberry of St. Louis would have retired before the end of his three-year presidential term.]

As a result of these election results, many have questioned the motives of the bishops in choosing a person with such a dynamic personality. Some have linked the decision to the Tea Party movement. While others believed the decision was one based on uncertainty about Bishop Kicanas’ leadership abilities.

In years past, Bishop Kicanas had been scrutinized for a decision he made while rector of Mundelein Seminary, which is on the campus of the University of St. Mary of the Lake in Illinois. The decision: allowing the ordination of a seminarian who had previously been accused of inappropriate behavior with a minor. The priest would later be accused of sexually abusing 23 boys and sentenced to five years in prison. Bishop Kicanas has denied knowledge of these allegations.

Nonetheless, many believed Kicanas’ ascendency to the top position would have signaled the wrong message in regards to the conference’s stance on clerical abuse. While these concerns are something to take into consideration, the election of Archbishop Dolan signaled nothing more than the bishops’ desire to continue on the path set by Cardinal George rather than moving towards a “moderated, low-profile approach.”

On election morning, fellow Catholic blogger Rocco Palmo wrote:

Archbishop Timothy Dolan

If they go [with the continuation of Cardinal George’s candidness], the prime figure who rises above the rest in the minds of the bunch is that of the archbishop of New York. So it seems, the conference’s traditional paranoia over investing electoral prominence in the already high-profile holder of a major post has dimmed considerably… but what’s more — as one B16 appointee put it to me — thanks to his gifts of presence and his long history forming and encouraging priests, Tim Dolan “was already an inspiration to us long before we became bishops.”

Especially given the straits of recent years, that’s a pretty powerful sentiment. And arguably, Dolan’s all-out defense of the Pope and church in the wake of the European abuse revelations earlier this year, and especially the archbishop’s full-on critique of the “anti-Catholicism” of the New York Times’ have only served to bolster it.

The election of Archbishop Dolan as President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops was a historic event for the American Church. It shows that, as a moral voice in the world, the bishops will not bow to suppression nor will they cave on the basic principles that make up our faith. Furthermore, it shows that the bishops are unified in defending the Holy Father and assuring respect for Catholics in the media.

In the end, the election of Archbishop Dolan should give American Catholics hope for the future of our Church. Let’s all enjoy the ride because the next few years are going to be interesting.

USCCB November 2009 Meeting

Back in September, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) released the names of American prelates who had been selected as nominees for various leadership positions within the conference. This week, the nominees for the conference president and vice-president were released.

According to the USCCB statement, the “new president will succeed Cardinal Francis George, OMI, of Chicago, who completes his three-year term at the meeting. His successor assumes the presidency at the end of the meeting.” Below are the names of those candidates (in alphabetical order by last name):

• Archbishop Gregory M. Aymond of New Orleans
• Bishop Stephen E. Blaire of Stockton, California
• Archbishop Charles J. Chaput, OFM, Cap., of Denver
• Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan of New York
• Bishop Gerald F. Kicanas of Tucson, Arizona (currently Vice-President of the USCCB)
• Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz of Louisville, Kentucky
• Bishop George Murry, SJ, of Youngstown, Ohio
• Archbishop Edwin F. O’Brien of Baltimore
• Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron of Detroit
• Bishop John C. Wester of Salt Lake City

According to conference by-laws, “the election the president will take place first from among the list of 10 candidates,” followed by the election of the  vice-president, who is “elected from the remaining nine candidates.” If a nominee does not secure more than 50 percent of the vote, the conference will take a second vote. In the case of a third vote, only two nominees will appear on the ballot.

In the end, it is expected that Bishop Gerald Kicanas will be elected to the presidency, as is the historical trend. So, all the attention will be on who is selected as the next Vice-President. We’ll have to wait and see. Stay close!

Source: USCCB | http://www.usccb.org/comm/archives/2010/10-194.shtml

2009 Annual Meeting of the USCCB

This afternoon, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops issued a press release detailing the upcoming annual meeting of the conference. This year’s conference gathering will take place in Baltimore, Maryland from November 15th to November 18th. Throughout those four days together, the U.S. bishops will elect several new heads of committees and some key positions within the conference.

According to the news release, the following committees will receive new heads this year:

• Committee on Canonical Affairs and Church Governance: Archbishop Timothy Broglio, Archbishop for the Military Services, and Bishop Randolph Calvo, Bishop of Reno, have been nominated for this position.
• Committee on Catholic Education: Bishop Joseph McFadden, Bishop of Harrisburg, and Bishop David O’Connell, Coadjutor Bishop of Trenton, have been nominated to lead this post.
• Committee on Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs: Nominated for this position are Bishop Ronald Gainer, Diocese of Lexington, and Bishop Denis Madden, Auxiliary Bishop of the Baltimore Archdiocese.
• Committee on Evangelization and Catechesis: Nominated for this ever important post are Bishop Paul Coakley of the Diocese of Salina and Bishop David Ricken, Bishop of the Green Bay Diocese.
• Committee of International Justice and Peace: Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio of Brooklyn and Archbishop Edwin O’Brien of the Archdiocese of Baltimore have been nominated to lead this position.
• Committee on Child and Youth Protection: The bishops will elect either Bishop R. Daniel Conlon of Steubenville or Bishop Patrick Zurek of the Diocese of Amarillo to this position.

There are also several important conference positions open. During the four day gathering, the bishops will elect a new Conference Treasurer, President and Vice-President. The two bishops nominated for Treasurer are Bishop Paul Bradley of Kalamazoo and Bishop Michael Bransfield of Wheeling-Charleston. The nominations for President and Vice-President of the Conference will be chosen during the assembly.

This year’s assembly will be interesting to say the least. One topic of discussion that is sure to emerge is the implementation of the Third Edition of the Roman Missal. The bishops have already begun their efforts to inform the laity about the upcoming changes to the Mass, which take effect the first week of Advent 2011. While some of the changes do not necessarily make sense, the new translation will “foster a deeper awareness and appreciation of the mysteries being celebrated in the Liturgy.”

As we move towards November, let’s continue to keep the bishops in our prayers.

Source: LA Times

WASHINGTON—Cardinal Francis George, President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, decried the August 4 decision of a federal judge to overturn California voters’ 2008 initiative that protected marriage as the union of one man and one woman.

“Marriage between a man and a woman is the bedrock of any society. The misuse of law to change the nature of marriage undermines the common good,” Cardinal George said. “It is tragic that a federal judge would overturn the clear and expressed will of the people in their support for the institution of marriage. No court of civil law has the authority to reach into areas of human experience that nature itself has defined.”

Joining Cardinal George in his criticism of the court decision was Archbishop Joseph Kurtz, Chair of the Ad Hoc Committee for the Defense of Marriage. Archbishop Kurtz noted that “Citizens of this nation have uniformly voted to uphold the understanding of marriage as a union of one man and one woman in every jurisdiction where the issue has been on the ballot. This understanding is neither irrational nor unlawful,” he said. “Marriage is more fundamental and essential to the well being of society than perhaps any other institution. It is simply unimaginable that the court could now claim a conflict between marriage and the Constitution.”

More to come. As always, stay tuned.

Source: USCCB

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…

Icon of St. John Vianney

Well folks, it is amazing how fast this year has gone. A year ago today, the Catholic Church began a yearlong celebration of the life of St. John Vianney and the celebration of priests. Known as the Year for Priests, the Holy Father called it a time in which all priests would be invited to deepen their commitment “to interior renewal for the sake of a stronger and more incisive witness to the Gospel in today’s world.”

Throughout this past year, the interior renewal called upon by Pope Benedict took on a new meaning for all Catholics as news erupted of more clergy sex abuse scandals throughout the world. It has been a difficult period for the Church; however, through the experiences of this year, we have come to understand Christ’s suffering, death and resurrection in a new light.  As the  apostles and first disciples of Jesus were weary after his death, so too are we. Even so, we have trust and hope that the Lord will awaken a new springtime in the Church.

A few days ago, the Holy Father concluded the ceremonies of the Year for Priests with a special Mass in St. Peter’s Square with 15,000 priests from across the world concelebrating. In his homily, Benedict stated:

It was to be expected that this new radiance of the priesthood would not be pleasing to the “enemy”; he would have rather preferred to see it disappear, so that God would ultimately be driven out of the world. And so it happened that, in this very year of joy for the sacrament of the priesthood, the sins of priests came to light – particularly the abuse of the little ones, in which the priesthood, whose task is to manifest God’s concern for our good, turns into its very opposite. We too insistently beg forgiveness from God and from the persons involved, while promising to do everything possible to ensure that such abuse will never occur again; and that in admitting men to priestly ministry and in their formation we will do everything we can to weigh the authenticity of their vocation and make every effort to accompany priests along their journey, so that the Lord will protect them and watch over them in troubled situations and amid life’s dangers. Had the Year for Priests been a glorification of our individual human performance, it would have been ruined by these events. But for us what happened was precisely the opposite: we grew in gratitude for God’s gift, a gift concealed in “earthen vessels” which ever anew, even amid human weakness, makes his love concretely present in this world. So let us look upon all that happened as a summons to purification, as a task which we bring to the future and which makes us acknowledge and love all the more the great gift we have received from God.

So, as today “officially” marks the close for the Year for Priests, we are reminded to take a look within ourselves, to see how we can become better instruments of God’s love in the world. Let us examine where we have turned away from God in the past weeks, months, or year. Let us take our infirmities and our weaknesses to God, asking for His forgiveness and His healing through Jesus. And, don’t forget to pray for the church and for all priests.

If you go to confession today, please do not forget that you are able to receive a plenary indulgence, as it is the closing day of the Year for Priests. Here are the guidelines for the indulgence, which were issued at the beginning of the year:

On the first and last days of the Year for Priests, on the 150th anniversary of the death of St. John Vianney, on the first Thursdays of the month, or on any other day established by your local ordinary:

1. Attend Mass
2. Receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation
3. Pray for priests
4. Pray for the intentions of the Holy Father

Here is a link to the entire decree from the Offices of the Apostolic Penitentiary in Rome: http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/tribunals/apost_penit/documents/rc_trib_appen_doc_20090425_indulg-anno-sacerd_en.html

Source: (1) Benedict XVI’s Homily: Vatican; (2) Guidelines for Plenary Indulgence: USCCB

Supporters of SB1070 attend a rally at the Arizona Capitol | Source: AP

Over the last several weeks, the new Arizona immigration law has been making news across the country. There are those that completely agree with the new law and those that completely disagree with the new law. Immigration reform is such an important issue to the people of the United States and an important concern for the Catholic Church. It seems there hasn’t been too much said about this latest controversy by many mainstream Catholic bloggers. That needs to change; so, let’s take a look at the facts and the stance of the Church on this important concern of ours, shall we.

Before we get started, let’s examine what the Center for Immigration Studies says about immigration in Arizona. The center released the following information on the current situation in Arizona:

• The federal government estimated that Arizona had one of the fastest growing illegal immigrant populations in the country, increasing from 330,000 in 2000 to 560,000 by 2008.
• The federal government estimated that Arizona had one of the fastest growing illegal immigrant populations in the country, increasing from 330,000 in 2000 to 560,000 by 2008.
• Arizona has adopted other laws to deter the settlement of illegal immigrants in the state in recent years. The federal government estimates that the illegal immigrant population dropped by 18 percent in the state from 2008 to 2009, compared to a 7 percent drop for the nation as a whole. This may be evidence that the state enforcement efforts are having an impact.
• The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office has found that 22 percent of felonies in the county are committed by illegal immigrants. Illegal immigrants are estimated to be 10 percent of the county’s adult population.
• Analysis of data from State Criminal Alien Assistance Program showed that illegal immigrants were 11 percent of the state’s prison population. Illegal immigrants were estimated to be 8 percent of state’s adult population at the time of the analysis.
• Approximately 17 percent of those arrested by the Border Patrol in its Tucson Sector have criminal records in the United States.
• The issue of illegal immigration and crime is very difficult to measure, and while in Arizona there is evidence that illegal immigrants are committing a disproportionate share of crime, it is not clear this is the case nationally.
• In 2007, the Center for Immigration Studies estimated that 12 percent of workers in Arizona are illegal immigrants.
• In 2007, the Center estimated that illegal immigrants and their U.S.-born children (under 18) comprise one-fifth of those in the state living in poverty, one-third of those without health insurance, and one out of six students in the state’s schools.
• In 2007, the Center estimated that one-third of households headed by illegal immigrants in Arizona used at least one major welfare program, primarily food-assistance programs or Medicaid. Benefits were typically received on behalf of U.S.-born children.
• The new law (SB 1070) is extremely popular among Arizona voters. A Rasmussen poll found that 70 percent of voters approve of the new bill, and just 23 percent oppose it.

The center also released the following information on the actual bill:

• The new Arizona law mirrors federal law, which already requires aliens (non-citizens) to register and carry their documents with them (8 USC 1304(e) and 8 USC 1306(a)). The new Arizona law simply states that violating federal immigration law is now a state crime as well. Because illegal immigrants are by definition in violation of federal immigration laws, they can now be arrested by local law enforcement in Arizona.
• The law is designed to avoid the legal pitfall of “pre-emption,” which means a state can’t adopt laws that conflict with federal laws. By making what is a federal violation also a state violation, the Arizona law avoids this problem.
• The law only allows police to ask about immigration status in the normal course of “lawful contact” with a person, such as a traffic stop or if they have committed a crime.
• Estimates from the federal government indicate that more than 80 percent of illegal immigrants come from Latin America. Thus, there is concern that police may target only Hispanics for enforcement.
• Before asking a person about immigration status, law enforcement officials are required by the law to have “reasonable suspicion” that a person is an illegal immigrant. The concept of “reasonable suspicion” is well established by court rulings. Since Arizona does not issue driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants, having a valid license creates a presumption of legal status. Examples of reasonable suspicion include:
  • A driver stopped for a traffic violation has no license, or record of a driver’s license or other form of federal or state identification.
  • A police officer observes someone buying fraudulent identity documents or crossing the border illegally.
  • A police officer recognizes a gang member back on the street who he knows has been previously deported by the federal government.
• The law specifically states that police, “may not solely consider race, color or national origin” when implementing SB 1070.
• When Arizona’s governor signed the new law, she also issued an executive order requiring the Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training Board to provide local police with additional training on what does and what does not constitute “reasonable suspicion.”

As we can see here, and according to the text of the bill, the intent of SB1070 is to “discourage and deter the unlawful entry and presence of aliens and economic activity by persons unlawfully present in the United States.” The only intent of the bill is to enforce federal law in the state of Arizona. Why, then, are members of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and others within the U.S. objecting to the Arizona law? Let’s examine the Catholic side of the immigration debate.

In a recent article published in the Miami Herald, Archbishop Thomas Wenski, archbishop of Miami, wrote:

Our immigration laws need to be changed: They are antiquated and inadequate for the promotion and regulation of social and economic relations of 21st-century America. On this point everyone seemingly agrees. However, the solutions proposed should not make the situation worse. Outdated laws, ill adapted to the increasing interdependence of our world and the globalization of labor, are bad laws. Proposed changes, however, must take into account both human dignity and the national interest.

Source: Justice for Immigrants

The newly installed Archbishop of Miami continued his explanation of the Catholic viewpoint by detailing how the Catholic bishops have called for comprehensive immigration reform for the past several years. Through the U.S. bench’s Justice for Immigrants, the bishops have consistently called for immigration “reform that, while addressing future needs for labor by providing for a legal guest-worker program, also offers an ‘earned’ path to legalization for those 10 million or so workers already in the country as well as fixing the unacceptable backlogs for family reunification visas that keep families separated for intolerable lengths of time.”

Archbishop Wenski wrote:

Illegal immigration should not be tolerated. It leads to abuse and exploitation of the migrants themselves; and, ultimately, businesses that rely on their labor — and, in doing so, help fuel the growth of the American economy — would prefer and benefit from a reliable, legal work force.

But, fixing illegal immigration does not require the “demonization’” if so-called “illegals.” America has always been a land of promise and opportunity for those willing to work hard. We can provide for our national security and secure borders without making America, a nation of immigrants, less a land of promise or opportunity for immigrants.

In the article, Wenski went on to say that the migrant of today is simply looking for “the opportunity to redeem themselves through honest work. Today, many take umbrage at the Catholic bishops’ advocacy on behalf of these “illegals” — but, in doing so, we stand in a proud moral tradition.”

As a result, the Catholic bishops in the U.S. are calling on Congress to “seize the opportunity for a comprehensive fix to our broken immigration system. To date, its failure to act has contributed to neo-nativist anti-immigrant sentiment and to ill-advised initiatives…that usurps what is the purview of the federal government.” He concluded by saying: “As Jesus reminded the embittered zealots of his day, laws are designed for the benefit — not the harm — of humankind.”

It is not my duty to tell you all what to think — I think you all are plenty capable of doing that yourselves. However, it is important for all of us, Catholic and non-Catholic alike, to examine both sides of the issue. When we examine bills up for consideration or laws that have been passed, we must also remember to be charitable. As Christians it is our responsibility to show compassion and mercy to all of our brothers and sisters. When it comes to this issue, I am instantly reminded of a very popular Catholic hymn:

One bread, one body, one Lord of all, one cup of blessing which we bless. And we, though many, throughout the earth, we are one body in this one Lord.

Gentil or Jew, servant or free, woman or man, no more.

In other words folks, we are all in this together. We all travel down the same journey of life. It doesn’t matter if we are legal or illegal; it doesn’t matter if we are White, Black, Hispanic, Asian, etc. We are all brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ, our Lord and we must live the way Jesus taught us to live.

Statistics Source: Center for Immigration Studies

Arbshp. Wenski Article Source: Miami Herald

One Bread, One Body Source: OCP

WASHINGTON—Pope Benedict XVI has named Msgr. Timothy Doherty, 59, pastor of St. Catherine of Siena Parish, in Dundee, Illinois, as Bishop of Lafayette in Indiana, and accepted the resignation of Bishop William Higi, 76, from pastoral governance of the diocese.

The appointment and resignation were publicized in Washington, May 12, by Archbishop Pietro Sambi, apostolic nuncio to the United States.

Timothy L. Doherty was born in Rockford, Illinois, September 29, 1950. He attended St. Mary’s Minor Seminary, Crystal Lake, Illinois, 1964-1968; St. Ambrose College, Davenport, Iowa; 1968-1972; North American College, Rome, 1972-1976; and the Pontifical Lateran University (Academia Alfonsiana), where he earned a Licentiate in Sacred Theology in 1982.

He was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Rockford, in 1976.

He earned a Ph.D., in Christian Ethics, from Loyola University, Chicago, in 1995.

Assignments after ordination included Associate Pastor, St. Peter Cathedral, Rockford, 1976-1981; Chairman, Religious Studies, Boylan Central Catholic High School, Rockford, 1982-1986; Assistant Principal, Marian Central Catholic High School, Woodstock, Illinois, 1986-1991.

In 1995 he was named Diocesan Ethicist for Health Care, a position he holds presently.

Other assignments included Parochial Administrator, St. James Parish, Lee, Illinois, 1999; Pastor, St. Mary Parish, Byron, Illinois, 1999-2007; Pastor, St. Catherine of Siena Parish, Dundee and St. Mary Mission Church, Gilberts, Illinois, 2007 to present.

Bishop Higi was named Bishop of Lafayette in 1984. He was ordained a priest for that diocese in 1959. He served there as an associate pastor, secretary to the bishop, vice-chancellor, chancellor and vicar general. While he was vicar general he was elected administrator of the diocese after the death of his predecessor in 1984.

The Diocese of Lafayette has 9,832 square miles. It has a population of 1,296,384 people, with 99,773, or eight per cent, of them Catholic.

SOURCE: USCCB

The action against the priest was swift and public.

Within five days of receiving a decades-old child sex abuse allegation against the Rev. Melvin Thompson, Denver’s Roman Catholic Archdiocese investigated, alerted law enforcement and announced his suspension to parishioners and the public.

The archdiocese says Thompson, 74, maintains his innocence. Some parishioners have complained the process was unfair and too fast. However Denver Archbishop Charles Chaput called prompt action “painful but necessary.”

The episode highlights the challenges American Catholic Church leaders face as they follow through on a promise to be more transparent in dealing with priests accused of abuse, while respecting the rights of both victims and the accused.

The case comes amid a worsening global clergy abuse scandal focused on how Pope Benedict XVI has dealt with problem priests in his past church roles.

For years, some U.S. church officials kept mum about abuse allegations and shuffled problem priests from parish to parish – practices first exposed in the 1980s and then on a larger scale in the early 1990s.

Denver’s handling of the Thompson case is the latest example of American Catholic leaders shifting from secrecy to greater openness, an attitude church leaders elsewhere in the world have been slower to adopt.

This week, the Vatican for the first time made it clear that bishops and clerics worldwide should report such crimes to police if they are required to by law, matching a policy worked out by U.S. bishops after an explosion of sex abuse cases in 2002.

Critics of the church remain dubious of the U.S. efforts.

Some Catholics, while saying protecting children must be the overriding concern, worry church officials are moving too quickly in some cases.

“The church at this point is simply recognizing that children are more vulnerable than adults,” said Diane Knight, the retired head of Catholic Charities in Milwaukee and chairwoman of the National Review Board, an advisory panel created by U.S. bishops in 2002. “If we’re going to err, we’re going to err more on the side of protecting children.”

Policies approved by the Vatican as church law in the U.S. bar credibly accused priests from public ministry – including saying Mass and working as a parish priest – while allegations are investigated. Diocesan review boards, comprised mostly of lay people, help bishops oversee cases.

Initial inquiries to determine whether a claim is credible tend to focus on making sure dates and places named in allegations stand up. A more in-depth investigation, also involving lay diocesan review boards, is then carried out. Clergy found guilty are permanently barred from public ministry and, in some cases, ousted from the priesthood.

Under the 2002 reforms, U.S. bishops are to comply with state laws for reporting abuse, and to cooperate with authorities. All U.S. dioceses were also instructed to advise victims of their right to contact authorities themselves. Most cases are old and fall outside statutes of limitations, making criminal prosecution impossible.

The Denver archdiocese, Knight said, acted more quickly than most but essentially followed protocol.

On April 7, the archdiocese said it received a complaint from a man who alleged he was sexually abused by Thompson in the early 1970s. That same day Chaput said he removed the popular Thompson from his position as assistant pastor at St. Thomas More Parish in suburban Centennial and suspended his ability to function publicly as a priest.

Over the weekend, a letter from Chaput was read at seven Colorado parishes where Thompson has served.

The Denver Police Department said Tuesday the archdiocese reported the allegation last week, but that no police investigation would be launched because the case falls outside the statute of limitations. Jeanette DeMelo, a spokeswoman for the archdiocese, said the archdiocese will conduct its own investigation.

Efforts to reach Thompson for comment were unsuccessful.

In his archdiocesan newspaper column this week, Chaput wrote that Thompson has “no previous allegation of any sexual misconduct with a minor in his priestly history.” He said Thompson has been a “popular and effective priest,” and emphasized that a presumption of innocence “must be respected.”

“Prompt action is painful for the whole local church,” Chaput wrote, “but it’s a necessary course to protect people’s trust in their parish and in the archdiocese.”

Victims’ advocates, who have criticized the 2002 reforms for not going far enough, remain skeptical. David Clohessy, national director of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, or SNAP, said it’s understandable that some bishops will move more quickly now given the intense public pressure about church delays and secrecy.

“But I would caution against assuming that this was a purely voluntary, incredibly responsible proactive step when we just don’t have enough information to corroborate that and when the historic pattern is so radically different,” he said.

Thomas Plante, a Santa Clara University psychology professor who has counseled both victims and accused priests, said he found it curious a diocese would move so fast. When a clergyman, teacher, professor or Boy Scout leader is accused of child sexual abuse, it’s more typical to investigate fully before making public statements, he said.

“You’re damned if you do and damned if you don’t,” said Plante, vice chairman of the National Review Board. “That’s part of the challenge now. People have demands and want to know, but we do have laws and due process for a reason.”

Monsignor Thomas Green, a professor of canon law at the Catholic University of America, voiced a similar concern while emphasizing that the proper response to an allegation hinges on the circumstances.

Green said legitimate outrage “has led to a situation where I think we’ve maybe reacted the other way, gone in the other direction and therefore we’ve gone gangbusters at times and maybe deal with it too fast.”

The U.S. bishops’ 2002 Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People calls for dioceses “to be open and transparent in communicating with the public about sexual abuse of minors by clergy within the confines of respect for the privacy and the reputation of the individuals involved.” It said it’s especially important at parishes where the accused served.

Starting with Baltimore in 2002, between 15 and 20 dioceses have used their Web sites to list the names of credibly abused priests.

But pockets of resistance exist, too. The Diocese of Lincoln, Neb., has refused to take part in annual audits tracking compliance with the 2002 reforms. The holdout diocese illustrates the limitations of the charter, which does not carry the authority of the separate Vatican-approved norms for handling sex abuse claims in the U.S.

The Rev. Thomas Reese, a senior fellow at Georgetown University’s Woodstock Theological Center, said there’s no way to fully investigate complaints confidentially. While terrible for an innocent priest, going public invites more victims to come forward and gives dioceses a better chance to reach the right conclusion, he said.

“I don’t know of any other way to handle this today, granted how badly the bishops handled it in the past,” Reese said. “My impression is this is the wave of the future.”

SOURCE: Miami Herald | AP – Eric Gorski

PHOTO: CNA

Friday, April 9, 2010

Thursday after Mass in Leogann where once a parish church stood we traveled across the mountains to Jacmel on Haiti’s Southeast coast. The city is known for its art and was a popular tourist destination for Haitians from Port-au-Prince.

The city’s cathedral was built in the 1840′s and part of the cultural patrimony of the nation did not collapse. However it sustained sufficient damage to render it unusable.

Other parishes in the Jacmel area were completely demolished. At the school run by Christian brothers since the 1880′s makeshift classrooms set up in the school courtyard now serve four different schools through a multiple shift schedule.

Returning to Port-au-Prince late afternoon we visited the grave of Archbishop Miyot which is next door to the provisional seminary erected in tents on land owned by the Haitian Bishops Conference.

Thursday, April 8, 2010

Wednesday’s trip to Gressier on the outskirts of Port-au-Prince also included visits to Petit Goave, Grand Goave and Leogann. All towns have lost their parish churches as well as their outlying chapels (which serve the rural areas of the parishes). All but one have also lost rectories with priests now living in pup tents outside the ruins of their parishes. Schools have likewise been affected. Sessions are to resume next week for the first time since the earthquake. Classes will take place under tarps or in other make do structures

Despite the almost total destruction of infrastructure, the work of the Church continues. Priests celebrate Mass in front of the ruins of their parish churches. Dispensaries are operated under trees or from tents.

In the encampments like the one I celebrated Mass in last night people are living in Spartan conditions but still respond enthusiastically in song and prayer. Catholic Relief Services is a supportive presence – providing latrines in some areas and emergency food aid in others.

Today after an early Mass in Leogann to be celebrated on the spot where the church once stood we travel to Jacmel on Haiti’s Southeast coast. The cathedral and several of its parishes were similarly affected by the earthquake.

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Tuesday we began with the celebration of Mass with the Missionaries of Charity at their convent. Then we visited the slum area of Site Soley and the works in education and health care of the Daughters of Charity. Later we visited a clinic staffed by doctors from Cuba. Accompanying me are three structural engineers so the rest of the day was occupied looking at damaged church buildings to see what may be reparable and studying what type of new construction is needed to enable the Church to continue to provide pastoral, educational and health services.

On Monday we visited Sacred Heart parish and St Francis de Sales; on Tuesday the Cathedral, St. Therese and St. Louis parishes. Next to St .Therese we visited an encampment of several thousand people where we met with a congressional delegation from the United States

Today we head out to Gressier near the epicenter of earthquake and on return to the capital I will celebrate Mass at Club Petionville, one of largest camps of people left homeless after the earthquake.

Evenings have been taken up with some “formal” dinners with church dignitaries and other officials.

Pope Benedict XVI has named Archbishop José H. Gomez of San Antonio, 58, as Coadjutor Archbishop of Los Angeles.

The appointment was made public in Washington, April 6, by Archbishop Pietro Sambi, apostolic nuncio to the United States. As coadjutor bishop, Archbishop Gomez is in line to succeed the current diocesan archbishop, Cardinal Roger Mahony, 74, upon his retirement.

José Horacio Gomez was born in Monterrey, Mexico, December 26, 1951. He attended the National University of Mexico where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting. In college he joined Opus Dei, an institution founded by Saint Josemaria Escrivá to help people turn their work and daily activities into occasions for growing closer to God, serving other and improving society. Opus Dei became a personal prelature in 1982. Archbishop Gomez studied theology in Rome and at the University of Navarre in Spain, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in theology and a doctorate in moral theology. He was ordained a priest of Opus Dei, August 15, 1978, in Torreciudad, Spain.

After ordination he pursued pastoral work with college and high school students in Spain and Mexico. In 1987, he was sent to what was then the Diocese of Galveston-Houston to minister for Opus Dei in several capacities in Texas. He became a U.S. citizen in 1995.

As a priest, Father Gomez held positions with several U.S. Catholic organizations. Between 1995-1999, he was president of the National Association of Hispanic Priests (ANSH) and its executive director, 1999-2001. He was treasurer of the National Catholic Council of Hispanic Ministry, 1998-2001.

In 1999, he became the Vicar of Opus Dei for the State of Texas. Pope John Paul II appointed him Auxiliary Bishop of Denver, January 23, 2001. On December 29, 2004 the pope appointed him Archbishop of San Antonio.

As a member of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), Archbishop Gomez was first chairman of the Committee on Cultural Diversity in the Church, and now chairs the Committee on National Collections’ Subcommittee for the Church in Latin America and the Task Force on the Spanish-language Bible. He is chair-elect of the Committee on Migration and a member of the Committee on Doctrine.

Cardinal Roger M. Mahony was appointed Archbishop of Los Angeles July 15, 1985. He was elevated to the College of Cardinals, June 28, 1991. Prior to this appointment he served as Auxiliary Bishop of Fresno, California, 1975-1980, and Bishop of Stockton, California, 1980-1985.

The Los Angeles Archdiocese, the largest Roman Catholic diocese in the United States, includes 8,762 square miles. It has a population of 11,606,889 with 4,176,296, or 36 percent, of them Catholic.

SOURCE: USCCB

PHOTO SOURCE: Texas Catholic Conference