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Once people start to believe change is possible, 
the drive to achieve it accelerates.
                                          _  Patrick Sullivan, ARCC President
 
Clericalism and Sociopathy
Patrick B. Edgar, DPA                                          July, 2016
 
Most Catholics interact with their church in the parish, where their faith is formed and nourished.  Unfortunately, the parish is also where they can experience bullying, abuse, and tyranny. Two main themes are prominent in the many calls from Catholics that I receive as President of the Association for the Rights of Catholics in the Church (ARCC).

First are the questions from those who have been divorced and remarried about how the internal forum works. The second main theme arises from numerous conversations with Catholics who are frustrated by the behaviors of their parish priest, usually the pastor.  In typical cases, the priest has taken away programs the parishioners cherish; the pastor has disbanded parish councils; the priest has removed people from ministries; or the priest has denied people sacraments for contrived offenses. To put it bluntly, the local priest is a bully or a tyrant.

Most priests I have known are not inclined to such behaviors.  However, that appears to be changing - and not in a good way. Priests who are more pastoral are retiring, and their replacements appear to have something else in mind. Based on the descriptions of their behaviors, I would argue that many are sociopaths.

The relationship between priest and people has not always been a power struggle. In the early church, the primary place of worship was the house church. The presider was usually the host. The deacons (diakonia - διακονία) and priests (presbyteros - πρεσβύτερος) were chosen from the local groups to serve others. There is little evidence that any ordination was involved. "Therefore, brethren, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this task." (Acts 6:3)

The main function of these men and women was to care for others. They were not viewed as positions of authority but of service. This changed. As communities became more assimilated into the Roman Empire, they moved from house churches to more formal settings in large buildings that resembled Roman temples. They also took on a more hierarchical structure, similar to the Roman Empire. In fact, the term diocese comes from the division of the provinces established by the emperor Diocletian. The office of the pope became more and more tied to the Roman concept. The title of Pontifex Maximus was a Roman term for the highest priest who was the "bridge builder."

During the Middle Ages, the church replaced the empire as a coordinating and governing body. The parish priest became more and more the representative of the bishop, who was part of the nobility himself. The typical local priest, however, was minimally educated; he still served the people in taking care of the poor and providing the sacraments to the local community. But the need for educated priests became a priority, especially with the impact of the Protestant Reformation.

By the 18th century, the priest had become more the enforcer of rules than servant of the people. One of the reforms of the Council of Trent had been to formalize seminary training and to discourage Catholics from reading the scripture themselves. The concern was that too many interpretations differed from the official Roman Church position, which was seen as part of the cause of the Reformation. This established a system in which the priest was deemed the expert on spiritual matters; the people were to rely only on him for answers to their religious questions. This kind of control actually worked to slow the impact of the Reformation on Catholics. On the other hand, it failed in the primary mission of the church: to bring people closer to the call of the Gospel.  Instead, people became minimalist or legalistic; their main questions for "Father" were tied to what the threshold was for being in trouble, i.e., sin.

When the Second Vatican Council (1962-65) convened, the church was thriving in numbers and wealth. However, the concern was that most Catholics were rather immature in their spirituality. The council sought to move beyond Neo-Scholasticism and biblical literalism to become more in touch with the modern world. Some of the council's results were profound, especially in terms of the relationship between the priest and the laity. More lay people began to participate actively in parish ministries. The priest acted more as the pastor who encouraged spiritual growth. Liturgies began to reflect the local community instead of following medieval ritual. More lay people took up scripture study and reflection. There was certainly more open discussion of many topics, and the people in the congregation relied less on the priest to instruct them on how to obey the rules.

These changes were welcome to many Catholics but some were disturbed by the loss of control and conformity. They found that Catholics were no longer loyal to everything the priests and bishops expected. In fact, they thought that such active participation by the non-ordained was very troublesome, especially participation by women. Many such individuals in the hierarchy strove to push back against the changes.

One particular issue that caused considerable friction regarded artificial birth control. After the pronouncement of Humanae Vitae in July 1968, there was a deep division in the church. The majority of lay people ignored the teaching, and the size of Catholic families dropped dramatically. This widespread "disobedience" gave impetus to the Restorationist movement.  The papacy of John Paul II and Benedict XVI aggressively pursued strategies to regain control over the laity; ironically, this resulted in more people leaving the church. People simply no longer saw the need to obey a group of celibate men who seemed to have no experience with actual family life.

One of the practices of the bishops, especially those appointed by John Paul II and Benedict XVI, was to emphasize obedience. Apparently it was thought better to have obedient Catholics than thoughtful ones. As a result, many of the men selected for seminary training were chosen specifically because they indicated that they valued obedience over any of the other virtues. In my own experience, the most common topic raised and repeated during the seminary entrance interviews was how I felt about obedience. I answered that I understood the importance of having a degree of consistency. I did not realize how significant this was at the time. As I continued in my training (the most accurate term I can apply), the supreme value was obedience. We were constantly reminded of it, and I was sanctioned for not being obedient, even when I simply asked why a certain class was required when the professor himself said that I did not need it. Many seminarians were so keen on following and enforcing rules that I started referring to them as "Stepford Seminarians," after The Stepford Wives film.

At that time I did not recognize the depth or the severity of what it was I was seeing. These seminarians - the majority of those making it to priesthood - were acting on this need to control the laity. They were actually drawn to the priesthood because of this perceived power that they would enjoy. Recently, I have come to the conclusion that a disproportionate number would be considered sociopaths.

Sociopathy, or antisocial personality disorder, is a mental health condition in which a person has a long-term pattern of manipulating, exploiting, or violating the rights of others. High-functioning sociopaths are people with sociopathic traits who also have a very high intelligence quotient. They are likely to be highly successful in their field. They plan very meticulously, and their sociopathic traits - lack of empathy, lack of remorse, deceptiveness, shallow emotions, etc. - make it difficult for "normal" people to compete. (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, DSM IV-TR, American Psychiatric Association.) The sociopath needs, and will do whatever it takes, to satisfy his ego needs without regard for others. This would explain many of the behaviors I have observed in my former colleagues and hear from people who call.

Paul Lawrence and Victor Lipman suggest that a disproportionate number of sociopaths are in leadership positions (Lawrence and Lipman, "The Disturbing Link between Psychopathy and Leadership," Forbes, April 25, 2013).  Paul Babiak and Robert Hare, in their book Snakes in Suits: When Psychopaths Go to Work (Harper Business, 2007), describe the traits that actually enable sociopaths to move into leadership roles. Their lack of empathy allows them to use whatever methods they want to get to the top. Martha Stout (The Sociopath Next Door) takes this further by describing how they use other people: "The perfect victim is someone who is very, very loyal. Most of us consider loyalty to be a very positive trait - and it is a positive trait. But it also blinds people to some of the traits they are loyal to." It is particularly noteworthy that the very people who contact me about controlling priests who have caused them such great concern are those who have been very loyal in the past. They could not understand that their commitment over the years was not only being ignored but abused.

We need not conclude that these are bad people, as Seth Myers explains in "Understanding the Sociopath: Cause, Motivation, Relationship," (Psychology Today.com, April 2, 2013):

Are sociopaths bad people?  It's easy to utter a full-throated "yes" for so many reasons, but the reality is that sociopaths don't necessarily have malicious feelings toward others.  The problem is that they have very little true feeling at all for others, which allows them to treat others as objects.  The effect of their behavior is undoubtedly malicious, though the intention is not necessarily the same thing.

This can explain the behaviors of many of those whom we see as clericalist. Sociopaths are drawn to leadership positions. A man who, while growing up, has watched the influence and authority of a priest may be attracted to a life in which people fawn over him as "Father" and are loyal to his preaching. It is reasonable to conclude that there may be a significant number of sociopaths in the priesthood. Further, it would make sense that sociopaths are even more likely to work their way up to higher office.

In the national population it is estimated that four percent are sociopaths. In prisons this rises to ten percent. So out of the 12,000,000 sociopaths, only 400,000 are in prison. That means that the remaining 97 percent are free to roam. Given the behavior of those caught in sexual abuse (a crime that necessarily requires the perpetrator to view the other as an object) and the willingness of others to protect them, it would be reasonable to conclude that we are dealing with a significant number of sociopaths.

The best way to deal with this situation is to remove the sociopath's path to power. Hierarchy is not a Gospel teaching, and its current form is ideal for attracting sociopaths. If people are empowered to interact with the Gospel and participate fully in liturgical practices, the hierarchy will soon be unable to continue in its present form. If they are no longer able to control the people, they cannot function as a hierarchy. The key point here is that neither the hierarchy nor sociopaths care about the rights of others.

Instead, the leadership should act as a partner in the journey of faith. The priest should be one who is chosen from the community, one who has demonstrated a high level of compassion and ability to love. Seminary preparation should emphasize pastoral care over obedience. The broader leadership should be chosen in a similar fashion and be monitored by the community itself. If bishops (or whatever replaces them) grasp for power and fail to demonstrate empathy, they should be removed.

"But now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love." (1 Corinthians 13:13)

Patrick B. Edgar, DPA, M.Div., is Director of the Professional Development Center, State of Montana; and President, Association for the Rights of Catholics in the Church (ARCC).
This article first appeared in the OMG! Journal
    
Some things we have been reading  
What Young Millennial Christians Believe
John A. Dick, Ph.D., S.T.D       July 8, 2016
 
As vice-president of ARCC, I am pleased to announce an important conference this coming October in the Washington DC/Baltimore area. I would appreciate your passing on the information.
 
"Changing the Conversation - The Millennial Generation: Their Values, Belief, and Thoughts about Church."
 
October 29, 2016 - 1:00 to 3:00 PM
Best Western at BWI
6755 Dorsey Rd, Elkridge, Maryland
 
 Our Presenter is
Todd Salzman - Professor of Theology at Creighton University
 
One of his special interests is the belief and ethical values of the Millennial generation.
He is married to Katy Salzman, and they have identical twin boys and a daughter.
To help with our planning, we appreciate a pre-conference registration and a donation of $5 per person, payable on site at the conference.

To register or for more information, please write:    This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
The Vatican denies 'ad orientem' changes to Mass are coming
Gerard O'Connell       Jul.11,2016
 
The Vatican has denied media reports, based on recent statements made by Cardinal Robert Sarah in London, claiming that there will be changes in the celebration of the Mass from next Advent with the priest facing the east, and that "a reform of the reform" of the liturgy is under way.

The Vatican statement, issued on the evening of July 11 by Federico Lombardi, S.J., director of the Holy See Press Office, said "there are no new liturgical directives starting from next Advent, as someone has improperly deduced from some words of Cardinal Sarah, and it is better to avoid using the expression 'the reform of the reform,' referring to the liturgy, given that this has sometimes been the source of misunderstanding."

The Vatican statement declared that "all this was expressly agreed during a recent audience given by the pope to the said Cardinal Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship." That meeting took place last Saturday, July 9, as reported in the Press Office bulletin.

The cardinal's statements in London, made at the Sacra Liturgia conference on July 5, caused consternation and much confusion in many parts of the church across the world, and in the Vatican, too. They raised the fundamental question as to whether the cardinal was acting on his own accord or whether he had received authorization from higher levels in the Vatican for saying such things.
Today's Vatican communique makes clear that Francis never authorized any such statements and that these do not correspond to what is envisaged in the liturgical books approved by the pope.
Cardinal Sarah's very public slap-down shows Pope is willing to use his authority
      Jul.13 2016
 
When it comes to those he disagrees with, Pope Francis's approach is to avoid direct confrontation, preferring instead to ignore them and get on with his job. But in the case of Cardinal Robert Sarah he has made an exception. 
 
Last week the 71-year-old Guinean prelate unilaterally announced that priests should start to turn their backs on the congregation and face east to say Mass - something which liturgical traditionalists often call for as it is how the priest celebrates the Old Rite Latin liturgy.

 

This is all part of an agenda described as a "reform of the reform" which would make the Mass ordinary Catholics attend on Sunday more like the one celebrated before the reforms of the Second Vatican Council. It means more latin, more chant and less participation from the congregation.

 

Soon after the cardinal made his remarks, however, the Vatican released a statement saying there will be no changes to this part of the liturgy and, crucially, that this had been "expressly agreed" during a recent audience between the cardinal and the Pope. It added that the phrase "reform of the reform" should be avoided.


It is highly unusual for the Vatican to publicly slap down a Prince of the Church, yet not entirely surprising given how Cardinal Sarah has operated since his appointment to lead the Holy See's liturgy department.
Cardinal George Pell is given a reduced role at the Vatican by Pope Francis months after sex abuse investigation
Aneeta Behole   Jul.10, 2016
 
The Pope has removed many of Cardinal George Pell's administrative functions from his role as the Vatican's key financial office.
 
Pope Francis essentially reversed a 2014 law that had transferred the main operational section of the patrimony office to the Australian cardinal's Secretariat for the Economy as of Saturday. 
 
In a slight to Pell, Francis says he's removing the tasks because there needs to be an unequivocal and full separation between those who manage Vatican assets and those who supervise them.

Cardinal Pell, a critic of the Vatican's financial wastefulness, assumed control in a bid to assert authority over different areas of the Vatican's spending.
 
But over time Francis has managed to trim his reach.
 
The announcement comes just months after Cardinal Pell appeared in front of a Rome royal commission into sexual abuse.
Two Convicted of Conspiring to Leak Vatican Secrets in 'Vatileaks 2'
Elisabetta Povoledo       Jul.7, 2016
 
A Vatican court on Thursday found two former members of a papal oversight commission guilty of having conspired to leak confidential information and documents to the press. But as the trial known as "Vatileaks 2" came to a close, the tribunal declared that it did not have the jurisdiction to try two journalists charged with disseminating that information via separate books.

Speaking to a hushed courtroom in the somber building that houses the Holy See's judicial offices, Judge Giuseppe Dalla Torre gave Francesca Immacolata Chaouqui, a public relations specialist, a 10-month sentence, then suspended it. Frequently outspoken during months of trial testimony, Ms. Chaouqui merely smiled as the verdict was read.

Msgr. Lucio Ángel Vallejo Balda, the former secretary of the Vatican's now defunct prefecture for economic affairs, was sentenced to 18 months in prison. His secretary, Nicola Maio, who had been accused of being part of a secretive association with Ms. Chaouqui and Monsignor Vallejo Balda that conspired to leak the documents, was found not guilty after the court ruled that this organization did not exist.

The court did not rule on the merit of the charges against the journalists, Gianluigi Nuzzi and Emiliano Fittipaldi, who wrote separate exposés on supposed mismanagement and corruption at the Vatican, declaring that as the two were not Vatican officials it did not have jurisdiction to try them. But the ruling specified that freedom of the press was guaranteed by Vatican law, which the two journalists interpreted positively.
Pope appoints Chicago Archbishop to Congregation for Bishops
CNS      Jul.7, 2016
 
Pope Francis has named Chicago Archbishop Blase Cupich a member of the Congregation for Bishops, the office that advises the pope on the nomination of bishops around the world.

Archbishop Cupich, 67, takes the place left vacant by US Cardinal William Levada, who turned 80 in mid-June and automatically ceded his membership.

The congregation is led by Canadian Cardinal Marc Ouellet, its prefect. Cardinal Donald Wuerl of Washington also serves as a member.

Nuncios, or Vatican ambassadors, around the world conduct the initial search for priests suitable for the office of bishop and forward their names to the congregation. Congregation members review the biographies of potential candidates along with comments and recommendations collected by the nuncios before making their recommendations to the pope.
Pope says critics won't stop him from pursuing vision for church
Cindy Wooden     Jul.5 2016
 
Pope Francis said he will continue pressing for a church that is open and understanding despite opposition from some clerics who "say no to everything."

"They do their work and I do mine," the pope said when asked, "What is your relationship with ultraconservatives in the church?"

The question was posed by Joaquin Morales Sola, a journalist for the Argentine newspaper La Nacion,in an interview published July 3. The Vatican newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano, published a translation of the interview July 5.
. . . .
"I want a church that is open, understanding, that accompanies families who are hurting," Pope Francis said.

Some church leaders do not agree with his approach, but "I continue my course without looking over my shoulder," he said, adding that he does not try to silence them. "I don't cut off heads. I've never liked doing that."
Pope Francis urged mercy toward divorced Catholics. Now bishops are deciding what that really means.
      Jul.8 2016
 
Three months ago, Pope Francis released a church teaching about the family, a document that both empathized heavily with the challenges of modern life and left major questions unanswered, including whether he'd opened the door to a changed place for divorced and remarried Catholics.

Such people are barred from Communion - the highest sacrament of the church - and Francis uncorked decades of debate about whether this huge pool of people were about to be let back in.
 
Tiny clues are starting to come in the United States, where at least two bishops - including one with a key leadership role on the topic - issued quite different reactions.
 
Last week, Archbishop Charles Chaput of Philadelphia quietly issued guidelines "for implementing Amoris Laetitia," which did not make any changes to existing practice in the prominent, historic archdiocese. The guidelines remind that people who live outside of the church's explicit teachings - primarily people who divorce and remarry outside the church, but Chaput also included people who live together unmarried and same-sex couples - are eligible for Communion only if they don't have sex.
. . . .
In May, San Diego Bishop Robert McElroy took a very different approach, calling for a special meeting in his diocese in the fall to discuss the papal document. Every parish will have a representative there, he said.
 
In the diocese's May paper, McElroy wrote that Francis's document "unceasingly points to the reality that the beauty of married love is not confined to an ideal world or exceptional relationships, but is realistic and attainable for most men and women. ... The declining number of Catholics who marry in the church is an enormous pastoral problem in the Diocese of San Diego and throughout the nation. Thus it is essential for our parishes to reflect a deep culture of invitation and hospitality toward all couples who have not yet celebrated Catholic marriage."
. . . .
As with many Francis documents, experts across the church read Amoris Laetitia and saw different things. Many acknowledged he had changed no doctrine, but had given in particular divorced and remarried people a hugely warm welcome and hope that he was urging priests to be as lenient and forgiving and merciful as possible.

Many debated a footnote which talked about ministry to divorced and civilly remarried people:

"In certain cases, this can include the help of the sacraments. Hence, 'I want to remind priests that the confessional must not be a torture chamber, but rather an encounter with the Lord's mercy'... I would also point out that the Eucharist 'is not a prize for the perfect, but a powerful medicine and nourishment for the weak'"
Special Report: After decades of mistrust, Pope pushes for breakthrough with China
Lisa Jucca, Benjamin Kang Lim and Greg Torode      Jul.14, 2016
 
Pope Francis is leading a determined push to fundamentally alter the relationship between the Vatican and China, which for decades has been infused with mutual suspicion and acrimony.

Interviews with some two dozen Catholic officials and clergy in Hong Kong, Italy and mainland China, as well as sources with ties to the leadership in Beijing, reveal details of an agreement that would fall short of full diplomatic ties but would address key issues at the heart of the bitter divide between the Vatican and Beijing.

A working group with members from both sides was set up in April and is discussing how to resolve a core disagreement over who has the authority to select and ordain bishops in China, several of the sources told Reuters. The group is also trying to settle a dispute over eight bishops who were appointed by Beijing but did not get papal approval - an act of defiance in the eyes of the Vatican.
 
In what would be a dramatic breakthrough, the pope is preparing to pardon the eight, possibly as early as this summer, paving the way to further detente, say Catholic sources with knowledge of the deliberations.

A signal of Francis' deep desire for rapprochement with China came last year in the form of a behind-the-scenes effort by the Vatican to engineer the first-ever meeting between the head of the Roman Catholic Church and the leader of the Chinese Communist Party. Aides to the pope tried to arrange a meeting when both Francis and Chinese President Xi Jinping were in New York in late September to address the United Nations General Assembly.

The meeting didn't happen. But the overture didn't go unnoticed in Beijing.

While the two sides have said they are discussing the issue of the bishops, Catholic sources gave Reuters the most detailed account yet of the negotiations and the secret steps the Vatican has taken to pave the way to a deal.
. . . .
For the Vatican, a thaw in relations with China offers the prospect of easing the plight of Christians on the mainland who for decades have been persecuted by the authorities. It may also ultimately pave the way to diplomatic relations, giving the Church full access to the world's most populous nation.
Nuns on the bus will ride to political conventions
       Jul.5, 2016
 
Disturbed by the language of exclusion that has characterized much of the 2016 electoral campaign, Sister Simone Campbell and a band of Catholic nuns will again board her bus to promote a vision of a more inclusive America.

The activist nun and 18 other sisters will begin their trip on July 11 in Janesville, Wis., hometown of House Speaker and Republican leader Paul Ryan, a fellow Catholic whose conservative policies Campbell has regularly criticized.

The bus tour, the latest in a series of election-year trips organized by Campbell's Washington-based lobby, Network, will eventually travel to 13 states, making  at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland in mid-July and the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia later in the month.
World's oldest priest says strict routine basis of long life
Francois Lenoir      July 10, 2016
 
A strict daily routine is the recipe for a long life, according to the world's oldest priest, Belgian Jacques Clemens, who will celebrate his 107th birthday on Monday.

Clemens, who has also celebrated his 80th anniversary as a Catholic priest, gets up every morning at 5.30 a.m. and goes to bed at 9.00 p.m.

When Clemens was about to retire at 75, his bishop asked him to remain in service until they found a successor - he only stopped holding regular church services at his parish in the southern Belgian village of Nalinnes last year.
Sisters of Mercy also being asked to come to Rome for conversation
Dawn Araujo-Hawkins      Jul.5 2016
 
The Sisters of Mercy, the largest order of women religious in the United States, are among the communities being asked to come to Rome for further conversation following the apostolic visitation, Global Sisters Report has learned. The community's communications director, Susan Carroll, confirmed the report by email but said there would be no further comment at this point.

The Vatican's congregation for religious life is contacting  to clarify "some points" following the controversial six-year investigation of American communities of women religious, the head of the congregation said June 14.

Cardinal João Bráz de Aviz, prefect of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, said the conversations involve "listening to what they say in a transparent way, without fear, without judging."
Orlando
 
Dallas
 
Nice
Statement by the National Black Catholic Congress (NBCC): A Call to Prayer and Action
 National Black Catholic Congress      Jul.13, 2016
 
The National Black Catholic Congress (NBCC) joins the nation in mourning over the tragedies in Baton Rouge, the Minneapolis-Saint Paul area, and Dallas last week. As we commend to the Lord those who have died, we pray for the consolation of all who are grieving.
 
It is important for Black Catholics to contribute to the ongoing national conversation about the underlying issues which have existed for too long. These issues include racism, inequality, poverty, and violence. During this Jubilee Year of Mercy, we must be signs of God's love which promotes justice. Justice promotes right relationships, which includes upholding the dignity of human life.
 
The NBCC invites Black Catholics and all people of good will to join in a time of prayer and action. We believe in the power of prayer. We also believe that we must cooperate with how God will answer our prayers. HENCE, THE NBCC ASKS YOU TO JOIN US IN OFFERING THIS PRAYER FROM MONDAY, JULY 18TH TO MONDAY, AUGUST 15TH: 
 
O God, who gave one origin to all peoples
and willed to gather from them one family for yourself, 
fill all hearts, we pray, with the fire of your love and kindle in them a desire
for the just advancement of their neighbor,
that, through the good things which you richly bestow upon all, each human person may be brought to perfection, every division may be removed, and equity and justice may be established in human society.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
  
(Collect, Votive Mass for the Progress of Peoples,
The Roman Missal)
Pope raps countries that talk of peace in Syria but supply arms
 Philip Pullella      Jul.5, 2016
 
Pope Francis on Tuesday criticized countries which are arming the warring parties in Syria while speaking at the same time of peace.

The pontiff did not name any countries. President Bashar al-Assad's government is receiving military and other help from Russia and Iran, while some opposition groups have the backing of Sunni Muslim regional powers and the West.
. . . .
More than a quarter of a million people have been killed and more than 11 million displaced in Syria's five-year-old civil war, which has led to Europe's biggest refugee crisis since World War Two.
 
U.N.-brokered peace talks have stalled. The United Nations' envoy to Syria told the U.N. Security Council last week it remained unclear when the next round peace talks would take place. 

Francis has made many appeals for peace in Syria and has criticized arms manufacturers and traffickers, saying they cannot in good conscience call themselves Christians.
Vatican goes international in new spokesman team
Nicole Winfield      Jul.11, 2016
 
Pope Francis on Monday named a former Fox TV correspondent, Greg Burke, as his spokesman and tapped a Spanish woman to be the deputy, the first time a woman has held the post.

The change is aimed at making the spokesman's job - long directed at Italy and Italians - more international in focus, and reflects the demographics of the Catholic Church during the first-ever Latin American papacy.
 
"Obviously Italian is the internal language of the Vatican," Burke said in a phone interview. "But half of the Catholic world population is Spanish-speaking, and if you want to speak to the globe, the language is English."
Burke, 56, takes over from the Rev. Federico Lombardi, 73, a Jesuit like Francis who has been Vatican spokesman for a decade.
 
Burke, who is a member of the conservative Opus Dei movement, in December moved in as Lombardi's deputy after working as a communications adviser in the Vatican's secretariat of state since 2012.
His deputy will be Paloma Garcia Ovejero, 40, currently the Vatican correspondent for Spanish broadcaster Cadena Cope of the Spanish bishops' conference.
 
Both, therefore, come into the spokesman's office having been part of the Vatican press corps and aware of the needs of a 24/7 news cycle that seems particularly interested in the Francis pontificate.
Dublin archbishop and laywoman appointed to new Vatican communications department
      Jul.14, 2016
 
Pope Francis has named the Archbishop of Dublin and an American laywoman as the first members of a newly established Vatican communications department. 

Archbishop Diarmuid Martin and Kim Daniels - a media consultant who is the Director of Catholic Voices USA - are part of a 16-member body that also includes six cardinals, six bishops and two lay people. 

Daniels, a lawyer specialising in pro-life and religious freedom issues, is one of two women appointed to the group - the other is Mexican-born psychologist Leticia Soberon.

They will be members of the Holy See's Secretariat for Communications, established following a review of the Holy See's media strategy by Lord (Chris) Patten and management consultants McKinsey & Co. 

The new secretariat's aim is to better co-ordinate the Vatican's media strategy and output and to ensure it operates across all digital platforms.
Archbishop Martin, 71, has long-standing experience of working for the Vatican as secretary to the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace and then as the Holy See's Permanent Observer to the United Nations in Geneva - he was also praised for his handling of the the sexual abuse scandal in Dublin. 

Ms Daniels is a former spokeswoman for Cardinal Timothy Dolan in his capacity as President of the United States Bishops' Conference and was the founder and director of the US-branch of Catholic Voices, a lay-led group that puts forward the Church's position in the media. 

Soberon is a psychologist and academic specialising in communication and religion in the digital era based in Spain. She was one of the founders and the chief content officer of dontknow.net, a website devoted to exploring ethical, moral and religious questions and helped coordinate the network riial.org, a web platform for Latin American bishops.
Altoona man abused by priest kills himself just days after defeat of reform measure in bill
      Mon.dd, 2016
 
He was 10 years old, the product of a devout Catholic family that worshipped at Holy Name Catholic Church in Ebensburg.

An altar boy, Brian Gergely should have been preoccupied with the task of assisting his priest with the rites of Mass. Instead, he was consumed with the idea of escaping the monster behind the black robe who sexually abused him in the sacristy and the confessional.
. . . .
As an adult, Gergely shared his story of abuse with others - from his high school biology class, where he first broke the news of his abuse, to national and international media covering the worldwide clergy sex abuse scandal.

On Friday, Gergely, 46, took his own life. He hanged himself. His father found him.
 
His friends, other survivors of sexual abuse and victims advocates point to the fact that his death comes just days after the state Senate voted in favor of a bill that reforms the state's child sex crimes law.

Last week, the Senate stripped House Bill 1947 - by a 49-0 vote - of a measure that would have allowed victims of past abuse whose legal rights had expired to seek justice in the courts.
. . . .
Former friend and school mate at Bishop Carroll Michele Gonsman said Gergely was certain to have looked at the measure as a last hope for other victims. Gonsman described him as a "tormented soul," who in spite of going public with his abuse, never found peace and struggled throughout the years with drug and alcohol abuse. 

"All he wanted was justice," said Gonsman, herself a survivor of child sex abuse by a neighbor. "They decimated the bill and he struggled and struggled, and he killed himself."
Commission meets to investigate cardinal accused of Nazi links
Christopher Lamb      Jul.13 2016
 
Two years ago the Vatican ruled that Cardinal Aloysius Stepinac had performed a second miracle - the details of which have remained undisclosed - allowing for him to be canonised. All that was required for this to happen was the signature of the Pope.
 

But following pressure from both the Serbian government and Orthodox church Francis took the unprecedented move to form a body of bishops and historians to examine the conduct of Stepinac who is accused of collaborating with Croatia's Ustase regime, a Nazi puppet state responsible for killing thousands of Serbians and Jews.

 

On the other side, many Croatians passionately believe that the former Archbishop of Zagreb should be canonised: they see him as a hero who resisted communism.

 

In a statement the Vatican said the new commission, which met on Tuesday and Wednesday, was being asked to clarify "historical issues" around Stepinac's conduct "before, during and after the Second World War" but stressed it would not interfere with decisions over the canonisation of Stepinac, a process reserved to the Holy See.

 

The body, which is being led by Fr Bernard Ardura, the President of the Pontifical Committee for Historical Sciences and is expected to sit for a year, had been established following consultations with the Serbian Orthodox Church and the Croatian bishops' conference.
Read more
Obituary: Mike Tegeder, outspoken priest and passionate outdoors enthusiast
       Jul.10, 2016
 
"Fearless." "A rare bird." And a burr under the saddle of authority. The Rev. Mike Tegeder was all those things, according to those who knew him. Tegeder, 67, who died Saturday after battling lung cancer, was never afraid to speak up or get his hands dirty on behalf of others, whether that meant bucking the Catholic hierarchy or showing up with a trailer to help someone move.
. . . .
Tegeder made headlines in recent years as a vocal critic of former Archbishop John Nienstedt and the church's attempts to block gay marriage, opposition that threatened Tegeder's status as priest at his two Minneapolis churches, St. Frances Cabrini and Gichitwaa Kateri. He kept his bus driver's license up to date in case he was dismissed from the priesthood.

"He used to get under the skin of power people," said Flahavan. "He was an especially gutsy guy when it came to church reform issues."

But although Tegeder was a leader and sometimes a lighting rod, he was a humble man who didn't seek the spotlight, according to those who knew him.
Dear Pope Francis, End the Religious Ritual that Devalues Human Life
      Jul.15, 2016
 
Dear Pope Francis,

Every single day before communion, millions of Christians verbally declare one of the most destructive phrases in human history. On Sunday, it's tens of millions if not a half billion of the over one billion Catholic Christians worldwide-and not without repercussions.  

In the Bible, a Centurion soldier relates, "Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof..." (Matthew 8:8) before recounting the inner workings of the blindness of patriarchal hierarchies and slavery that exists to this day.

Applying religious context, what's important for Christians to note is that the soldier uttered the phrase pre-salvation. An unsaved (ignorant) man sharing his feelings and a religion demanding a billion saved Christians repeat the phrase daily post-salvation are entirely two different matters.

Dialogue and constructs that perpetuate "I am not worthy" are the root of all evil behavior. It is divisiveness personified. By believing we are not worthy, we open the door for the mistreatment of ourselves and the mistreatment of others as we seek to assuage the psychological pain the false belief imparts.

The guilt of unworthiness calls for us to judge ourselves and to judge others just as harshly. We cower within power-over structures or worse; we attempt to control others in our imagined superiority. The insanity continues as inferiority complexes pursue power and wealth as outward substitutes for what Jesus, Buddha, and many other saints and sages have said can only come from within.
. . . .
It's time for a mass healing. I implore you to call for an end to the religious ritual of the declaration of unworthiness. As children of God, we are equally worthy-even the "ignorant." I think deep down in your heart; you know this to be true. Lead the way and others will follow.

Healed, we can finally turn in service to one another instead of exploitation as so many already have. Then maybe, just maybe, we can all work together cooperatively to create a peaceful and harmonious world.
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the drive to achieve it accelerates.
                                          _  Patrick Edgar, ARCC President
 
 
World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation - September 1
Prayer for Care of Creation
 
A Christian prayer in union with creation 
 
By Pope Francis* 
 
Father, we praise you with all your creatures. 
They came forth from your all-powerful hand; 
they are yours, filled with your presence and your tender love. 
Praise be to you! 
 
Son of God, Jesus, 
through you all things were made. 
You were formed in the womb of Mary our Mother, 
you became part of this earth, 
and you gazed upon this world with human eyes.
Today you are alive in every creature 
in your risen glory. 
Praise be to you! 
 
Holy Spirit, by your light 
you guide this world towards the Father's love 
and accompany creation as it groans in travail. 
You also dwell in our hearts 
and you inspire us to do what is good. 
Praise be to you! 
 
Triune Lord, wondrous community of infinite love, 
teach us to contemplate you 
in the beauty of the universe, 
for all things speak of you. 
Awaken our praise and thankfulness 
for every being that you have made. 
Give us the grace to feel profoundly joined 
to everything that is. 
 
God of love, show us our place in this world 
as channels of your love 
for all the creatures of this earth, 
for not one of them is forgotten in your sight. 
Enlighten those who possess power and money 
that they may avoid the sin of indifference, 
that they may love the common good, advance the weak, 
and care for this world in which we live. 
The poor and the earth are crying out. 
O Lord, seize us with your power and light, 
help us to protect all life, 
to prepare for a better future, 
for the coming of your Kingdom 
of justice, peace, love and beauty. 
 
Praise be to you! 
Amen. 
 
* Pope Francis published this prayer in his Laudato Si'  encyclical, and is meant for us Christians to ask for inspiration to take up the commitment to creation set before us by the Gospel of Jesus.
 
 
 
Some things we have been reading  
URL

 

Pope Expresses "Heartfelt Sorrow and Spiritual Closeness" to Those Hit by Powerful Earthquake in Central Italy
Gerard O'Connell      Aug.24 2016
 
Pope Francis expressed "his heartfelt sorrow and spiritual closeness" to all those hit by the powerful earthquake and many aftershocks in central Italy very early this morning. The quake left at least 120  people dead, including many children, obliterated mountain villages and caused the collapse of countless private homes and public buildings.
. . . .
The 6.0 magnitude earthquake struck three regions-Lazio, Marche and Umbria-at 3:38 a.m. this morning, killing many people-with the death toll still growing-and wiping out some mountain villages including Amatrice, Accumoli and Arquata del Tronto. These towns normally have very small populations, but because it is the holiday season many had returned home to spend time with friends and relatives.
US Lutherans approve document recognizing agreement with Catholic church
Emily McFarlan Miller       Aug.16, 2016
 
Nearly 500 years after Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to the Castle Church door, the largest Lutheran denomination in the U.S. has approved a declaration recognizing "there are no longer church-dividing issues" on many points with the Roman Catholic church.

The "Declaration on the Way" was approved 931-9 by the 2016 Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Churchwide Assembly held last week at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans.

ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth A. Eaton called the declaration "historic" in a statement released by the denomination following the Wednesday vote.

"Though we have not yet arrived, we have claimed that we are, in fact, on the way to unity. ... This 'Declaration on the Way' helps us to realize more fully our unity in Christ with our Catholic partners, but it also serves to embolden our commitment to unity with all Christians," Eaton said.

The declaration comes as the Lutheran and Catholic churches prepare to kick off a year of celebrations to mark the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation.
. . . .
Last November, Pope Francis sparked controversy when he seemed to suggest a Lutheran could receive Communion in the Catholic Church, saying "life is greater than explanations and interpretations." The pontiff is scheduled to visit Sweden on Oct. 31 to preside at a joint service with Lutherans.

And the Vatican and the Lutheran World Federation released a joint document in 2013 titled "From Conflict to Communion" that focused on the progress made in Lutheran-Catholic dialogue in the past 50 years, rather than centuries of conflict.
Vatican newspaper: 'Amoris Laetitia' is authoritative church teaching
Cindy Wooden       Aug.23, 2016
 
Pope Francis' apostolic exhortation on the family is an example of the "ordinary magisterium" -- papal teaching -- to which Catholics are obliged to give "religious submission of will and intellect," said an article in the Vatican newspaper.

Father Salvador Pie-Ninot, a well-known professor of ecclesiology, said that while Pope Francis did not invoke his teaching authority in a "definitive way" in the document, it meets all the criteria for being an example of the "ordinary magisterium" to which all members of the church should respond with "the basic attitude of sincere acceptance and practical implementation."
. . . .
Accepting "Amoris Laetitia" as authoritative church teaching, Father Pie-Ninot said, applies also to the document's "most significant words" about the possibility of people divorced and remarried without an annulment receiving Communion in limited circumstances.
 
 
Will next synod address ordaining 'elders' -- both women and men?
Christine Schenk       Aug.25, 2016
 
Anytime Austen Ivereigh offers an opinion about an issue in the Catholic church, I pay attention.
 
His outstanding biography of Pope Francis, The Great Reformer, opened my eyes to what makes Francis tick. It also provided a fascinating window into why the pope's lived experience has given him a unique ability to negotiate delicate political issues and get stuff done.
What makes Francis tick is his passion about the pastoral care of people.
 

So when Crux recently published an article by Ivereigh headlined "Next synod likely to focus on ordaining married men," I took notice. Not only because this is a founding issue of FutureChurch, the church renewal organization I served for more than 20 years, but because I know how important it is to honor all the ministries in the church, not just those of male priests.

I was dismayed by the title Crux gave to Ivereigh's piece because it sensationalized what he actually wrote. What he said is that burning "questions about ministry: access to the sacraments, the role of women and lay people, as well as the role of deacons" are leading some to say that pastoral ministries will be the topic for the next Synod of Bishops.

Pastoral ministries. Not just "ordaining married men." Hmm.
. . . .
As it turns out, [Brazil's Bishop Erwin] Lobinger's "interesting hypotheses" involve more than ordaining married men. In an intriguing 2010 U.S. Catholic article, he writes:
More than half the Catholic Church's communities [worldwide] have no resident priest. ...  A great number of these 'self-ministering' communities are ready or almost ready for the introduction of teams of ordained elders. ... Because the majority of proven local leaders are women, it is unavoidable that the question of their inclusion among ordained elders will arise, though present church law does not permit it.
Lobinger is proposing two forms of priesthood, citing the example of the early church (Acts 14:23) when Paul and Barnabas appointed local "elders" (presbyters) for churches in Asia Minor. "Both receive the same sacrament of Holy Orders," suggests Lobinger, but would exercise different roles:

The elders would lead the community and administer the sacraments in their own community, while the priests would be the spiritual guides of elders. ... The priests would thus serve the whole diocese but elders would serve only the community where they were ordained. Elders would not be transferred.
Stop shaming women for seeking equal power in the church
Jamie Manson       Aug.17 2016
 
In late June, on a flight back from Armenia, Pope Francis told a team of reporters that he was angry.

What made Francis angry wasn't the continued deaths of countless refugees, or the latest instance of environmental degradation or some grim statistics about rates of human trafficking. No, what angered him was the suggestion, by some in the media, that he had "opened the door to deaconesses,"  with the International Union of Superiors General (UISG).
. . . .
"When you want something not to be resolved, make a commission," Francis joked to the journalists, quoting line from a former president of Argentina.

And, yet, on August 2, just weeks after this press conference, the pope appointed six men and six women to the "Study Commission on the Women's Diaconate."
. . . .
We do know that this commission will not resolve the neuralgic issue of the ordination of women to the priesthood. The reasons have been laid out. First, there is clear historical precedent for women deacons, where there isn't clear precedent for women priests. Second, women deacons are a matter of ecclesiastical law that can be changed, whereas women priests have been banned by church doctrine.

But the deeper reason that women will be denied the priesthood lies in the Catholic church's radical opposition to allowing women and men equal power in the realms of ecclesiastical and sacramental authority.
. . . .
I can appreciate those who see the creation of this commission as a small, important step towards integrating women into the decision-making positions in the church. But as we celebrate this incremental step, I think it is wise to bear in mind a sobering reality. We are dealing with a hierarchy that has an enshrined belief that God has ordered the cosmos and human relations in a way that de facto denies women power in the church that is equal to men.

The struggle for women's equal participation in the church will, therefore, continue to arouse a variety of emotions -- and Pope Francis is not the only one whose anger will get piqued by the topic.
. . . .
I've also heard more than one person suggest ( that women will be "clericalized" by ordination) that women who want the priesthood are power-hungry careerists who seek honors, and titles and status.

I find this argument particularly troubling, since we rarely hear anyone accuse a young man seeking the priesthood of such nefarious motivations. We tend to give male seminarians the benefit of the doubt, but it seems such good intentions aren't assumed of Catholic women who feel qualified to seek the priesthood.

There is a demonization, sometimes subtle, sometimes not so subtle, of women who want the same power afforded to men in the institutional church. That sort of shaming and blaming must stop. The only purpose it serves is to divide and conquer Catholics who want to see women treated with genuine justice and equality in the church.
 
Man confesses in killings of 2 Mississippi nuns
Associated Press |       Aug.27, 2016
 
A man suspected in the slayings of two nuns found dead in their Mississippi home confessed to the killings, a sheriff said Saturday, in the latest twist to a crime that has horrified people in the small communities where the women served.
 
Rodney Earl Sanders, 46, of Kosciusko, Mississippi, was arrested and charged in the deaths of Sister Margaret Held and Sister Paula Merrill, Mississippi Department of Public Safety spokesman Warren Strain said late Friday. Both women were 68.
. . . .
Dr. Elias Abboud, the physician who oversees the clinic in Lexington where the nuns worked, said Saturday that Sanders was not a patient there.

The Rev. Greg Plata, sacramental minister at St. Thomas Catholic Church in Lexington where the women led Bible study for years, said Saturday he does not think people at the church knew Sanders.

The women's bodies were discovered Thursday after they failed to show up for work in Lexington, about 10 miles from where they lived.

The sheriff said they had been stabbed.
. . . .
Authorities said Sanders was being held in an undisclosed detention center pending a court appearance. They have not given any details on why they think Sanders killed the women or whether he knew them.
Dallas Bishop Kevin Farrell is eager to take on new role in the Vatican
Sarah Mervosh and Clair Ballor      Aug.27, 2016
 
Dallas Bishop Kevin Farrell has been called by Pope Francis to oversee a new Vatican department focused on the lives of ordinary Catholics around the world.

The appointment, effective Sept. 1, will make Farrell the highest-ranking American clergyman serving in the Vatican, the Diocese of Dallas said Wednesday.
. . . .
Francis chose Farrell to lead the Dicastery for Laity, the Family and Life, a newly created office that combines the responsibilities of two existing pontifical councils. It will be part of the Roman Curia, an administrative body that advises and helps the pope carry out the church's affairs worldwide.

In his new role, Farrell, 68, will focus on the needs of laypeople, those everyday Catholics who are not part of the clergy.
. . . .
Farrell's new job will reunite him with his brother Brian, who is also a bishop and the secretary of the Vatican's Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity.
Read more
Mongolia's first Catholic priest to be ordained in Ulaanbaatar
Vatican Radio      MAug.27, 2016
 
Joseph Enkh will be ordained to priesthood by His Exc. Mgr. Wenceslao Padilla, CICM, Apostolic Prefect of Ulaanbaatar on August 28. The new priest has chosen for his ordination the motto: "Deny yourself, take up your cross daily and follow me" (Lk 9, 23). According to Fides, "More than 1,500 people have confirmed that they will participate in the celebration, which will be a very special moment for the Catholic Church in Mongolia and for the whole society", says  Fr. Prosper Mbumba, CICM a Congolese missionary in the Asian country.
. . . .
The Church has been growing in Mongolia following decades of Communist rule, during which the free exercise of religious freedom was not permitted, therefore restricting opportunities for the Catholic Church to spread the Faith. But the new democratic government of Mongolia established in 1992 has been welcoming the Church's presence and the work of the Congregation of the Immaculate Heart (CICM) missionaries.
Ireland: Association of priests publicly criticise Papal Nuncio
 Sarah Mac Donald       Aug.22, 2016
 
The Papal Nuncio to Ireland has come under fire from a prominent group of Irish priests over his selection of a series of what they say are "like-minded" new bishops whom the priests claim are "inadequate" for the needs of the Irish Church today.

In a statement, the Association of Catholic Priests (ACP), which has a membership of over 1,000 Irish clerics, charged Archbishop Charles Brown with choosing "narrow-minded" bishops whom the reform-minded priests say are out of sync with the majority of the faithful.

Speaking to The Tablet, Fr Brendan Hoban, a spokesman for the ACP, warned that Irish priests, and not just ACP members, have lost confidence in the process of selecting bishops and specifically with the lack of consultation.

According to Fr Hoban, the Nuncio has "drawn from a very narrow mind-set, out of tune with the theology of the Second Vatican Council and the realities of Irish Catholic life today".
. . . .
Archbishop Brown was appointed by Benedict XVI in November 2011 in the wake of the apostolic visitation to the Irish Church which was announced in March 2010. It followed the publication of the findings of the Murphy Report into the mishandling of allegations of clerical sexual abuse in the archdiocese of Dublin, as well as the Ryan Report into abuse in residential institutions run by religious.

The New York-born Nuncio, a former CDF official has, since his arrival in Ireland at the start of 2012, played a central role in the selection of ten bishops for the dioceses of Ardagh and Clonmacnoise, Cashel, Cloyne, Derry, Elphin, Kerry, Kildare, Killaloe, Limerick and Waterford.

The Archbishop is currently in the process of appointing six more bishops for Clonfert, Cork, Galway, Meath, Ossory and Raphoe. He will therefore have had a role in selecting new leaders for 60 per cent of the Irish church's 26 dioceses.
Maynooth to review policies in wake of allegations about seminarians' behaviour
 Sarah Mac Donald       Aug.24, 2016
 
Far reaching changes have been announced by the trustees of the national seminary in Maynooth, Ireland, aimed at tackling disquiet over "an unhealthy atmosphere", allegations of inappropriate sexual behaviour and concerns about an inadequate complaints procedure.
 
On Wednesday, St Patrick's College announced that 14 new seminarians begin their training for the priesthood this week. However, the trustees of the college held a special meeting in Maynooth on Tuesday to discuss the crisis which engulfed the seminary earlier this month.
 
The storm erupted amid claims that seminarians were using the gay dating app Grindr and led to an announcement by Archbishop Diarmuid Martin of Dublin that he was sending his seminarians to study at the Irish College in Rome.
 
In their statement the archbishops and bishops who act as trustees of Maynooth announced that the seminary authorities have been requested to evaluate and review policies regarding the appropriate use of the internet and social media.
 
They have also asked the Irish Bishops' Conference to commission an independent audit and report of governance and statutes in Irish seminaries.
 
In tandem with this, the bishops have been asked to "urgently" develop a uniform national policy for admissions to Irish seminaries while all prospective candidates applying to become seminarians will in future be required to undertake a pre-seminary year.
Priest suspects there is a 'great deal more' to Maynooth story
Vivienne Clarke      Aug.4, 2016
 
An American canon lawyer says he suspects there is a great deal more to the story of what is happening in  seminary.

Fr Tom Doyle told RTE's Morning  that he has great respect for Archbishop Diarmuid Martin and his judgement.

His comments come after the Archbishop of Dublin, Dr Diarmuid Martin said earlier this week that he had decided to transfer three seminarians to Rome after concerns emerged about "strange goings on" and a gay subculture at St Patrick's College in Maynooth.

Fr Doyle said he believed Dr Martin's decision to withdraw seminarians from Maynooth was "an excellent decision."

There is a toxic subculture in some American seminaries, he said, with a lot of backbiting. "If that's the discord in Maynooth then he was right to take the steps he took and I respect him for that.

"If there is a subculture going on then it has to be addressed immediately and decisively. In the US seminarians who reported were not believed and the subcultures continued."

Fr Doyle said that one of the problems of seminary life is that it is very closed. "You're bound to have subcultures with a different set of social values."

On the issue of orthodoxy in Maynooth, Fr Doyle said that there was "a whole crop" of very conservative and controlling bishops who were appointed under Popes John Paul II and Benedict.

"These bishops have very little pastoral understanding and they attracted a whole new breed of kids who want to play at being 1950s priests. They wanted to recreate an ultra clerical priesthood.

"They are not part of the real world and shouldn't be allowed in the real world. The result is a situation where clergy want control, which is nothing to do with following Christ."
Pope John Paul I to be honored with museum in northern Italy
Elise Harris       Aug,24, 2016
JP I
On Friday a museum dedicated to Pope John Paul I will officially be inaugurated in the hometown of the "Smiling Pope," whom Pope Francis has often quoted when speaking on the topic of mercy.

Though his papal reign is among the shortest in history, summing up to just 33 days, Pope John Paul I was in office long enough to leave a mark.
. . . .
Despite the fact that John Paul I's papacy is among the shortest in history, it will now be honored with a museum featuring important documents, personal items and objects used by the Pope.

Although there's been a temporary photo exhibit in Canale d'Agordo since 1978, the display has been renovated and expanded for the new museum, which is located in the city's old town hall and will be officially inaugurated by Vatican Secretary of State Pietro Parolin Aug. 26.

Called the "Albino Luciani Museum," the launch date was chosen to coincide with the 38th anniversary of John Paul I's election to the papacy.
Benedict says he quit because he couldn't face another trip
Inés San Martín       Aug.24 2016
 
Ever since February 28, 2013, when emeritus Pope Benedict XVI unexpectedly, and in Latin, announced his resignation, theories regarding why became too numerous to count: scandals over leaked confidential documents, his health, an alleged "gay lobby" in the Vatican, and so on.

Benedict said at the time he was stepping down because he was 86 and lacked the strength to continue with his mission of leading an institution present in every corner of the world, with over 1.2 billion members.

In a recent interview he expanded on that explanation, adding more details. Among other things, he said that his March 2012 trip to Mexico and Cuba had taken such a toll that he knew he'd be incapable of making another grueling international trip. He says he agreed with his doctor it'd be better if he didn't make such a demanding outing.
. . . .
That snippet was shared by the emeritus pope himself in an interview with Italian Elio Guerrero, author of the upcoming book "Servant of God and Humanity: The biography of Benedict XVI." It'll be released in Italian on August 30, and no date for an English publication has yet been announced.
The book includes not only a preface by Pope Francis, but also an interview Guerrero had with Benedict.
. . . .
Personally, the emeritus pope says, he's been very touched by Francis' "extraordinary human availability."

Benedict XVI also thanks Francis for the gift of a "marvelous fatherly-brotherly relationship," with the Argentine pope often sending him small gifts or hand-written letters, and always finding the time to visit his predecessor before embarking on a long trip.
Last Testament
In  His Own Words
  
By: 
 
BXVI bookPublished: 11-15-2016 Format: Hardback Edition: 1st Extent: 224 
ISBN: 9781472944672 Imprint: Bloomsbury Continuum 
Illustrations: black and white illustrations in the text 
Dimensions: 5 5/16" x 8 1/2" 
List price: $24.00 
    
Cardinal Burke insists he is serving Francis, not opposing him
David Gibson       Aug.22, 2016
 
Ever since Pope Francis was elected in March 2013, he has faced strong opposition from traditionalists unhappy with his push for church reforms - and the face of that opposition has often been Cardinal Raymond Burke, an American prelate who has worked in senior positions in Rome for most of the past decade.

Francis eventually moved Burke out of key Vatican jobs and into a more ceremonial post as patron to the Knights of Malta, an apparent downgrade that both Burke and the pope insist wasn't tied to the cardinal's criticisms.

But Burke, a former archbishop of St. Louis who has a devoted following among conservatives, has continued to use his Roman platform to speak his mind.

He did that again most recently in a book-length interview in which he hits many of the themes that have drawn attention in the past: critiquing  "radical feminism" and homosexuality ("a wounding of nature," he calls it) as well as the "secularization" and moral relativism that he says have infected society and the Catholic Church.

The reforms that followed the Second Vatican Council of the 1960s are also a recurrent target, as he again champions a return to the old Latin Mass and voices nostalgia for the Catholicism of his boyhood (Burke says that he first felt a tug to the priesthood at the age of 8). The cardinal also has a provocative new take on Islam, which he said "wants to govern the world."

Notably absent from the book, however, and from direct criticism, is Francis himself.  . . . .  Burke approvingly and frequently cites Saint John Paul II, the pope who named him a bishop back in 1995, and Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, who brought him to Rome in 2008 and made him a cardinal two years later.
. . . .
But Francis is mentioned only in passing, which seems just fine by Burke.

"I know about all these depictions. People call me 'the enemy of the pope' and so forth. I have never been and I am not presently the enemy of the pope," Burke told RNS by telephone recently from his home state of Wisconsin, where he was spending time this summer.

"I have never, in anything I've said, shown disrespect to the papal office, because the Catholic Church doesn't exist without the office of Peter," he said, referring to the apostle who Catholic tradition views as the first bishop of Rome and therefore the first pope in an unbroken succession up to the present day.

"I've said to the pope himself, in conversations with him - and these by the way are friendly conversations - I told him, 'Holy Father, the only way I can serve you is by speaking the truth in the best and clearest way possible.' His response to me is: 'That's what I want.'"
Society of St. Pius X (SSPX): What is and what is not negotiable for reconciliation with the Catholic Church?
Lisa Palmieri-Billig      Jul.28.dd, 2016
 
In an interview for the German language publication "Christ und Welt" (on newsstands as of July 28) Archbishop Guido Pozzo, Secretary of the Pontifical "Ecclesia Dei" Commission entrusted by Pope Francis to conduct conciliatory talks with the breakaway Catholic traditionalists of the priestly fraternity, "the Society of Saint Pius X" (commonly referred to as "SSPX") this high Curia official clarifies some key issues regarding the negotiations. No longer excommunicated, but not yet canonically re-integrated, the fraternity has made basic concessions but continues to reject important Vatican II documents. According to the interviewer, Archbishop Pozzo's report is likely to raise further questions. 
. . . .
Two main issues seem to be at stake. One is Pope Francis' ardent desire for pastoral unity within the Catholic Church together with the healing of theological rifts. The second concerns the serious implications for the future of key documents in Vatican II such as 1) "Nostra Aetate"- widely celebrated all over the world last year on the 50th anniversary of its publication - which refers to the nature of the Catholic Church's relations with the Jewish People, with Muslims and with other non-Christian world religions; and 2) Dignitatis Humanae - the Declaration on Religious Freedom. ''
 
Regarding the first issue, Archbishop Pozzo states, "I believe that everything that furthers encounter and unity lies close to the Pope's heart" Asked what he felt had changed in the Vatican's attitude towards the fraternity of SSPX under Pope Francis, he replied, "From 2009 to 2012 the main emphasis was on theological disputes. Doctrinal difficulties had hindered the canonical recognition of the fraternity. But we know that life is more than Doctrine. During the past three years the desire grew to learn more and better understand the concrete reality of this priestly fraternity... Whereas earlier, meetings took place in a lecture hall, so to speak, now we meet in a more easygoing and brotherly atmosphere, even if the discussions remain the same..." 
. . . .
Archbishop Pozzo recalled that Benedict XVI had declared the excommunication of the Fraternity was due not to the SSPX's arguments against Vatican II, but purely to their non-recognition of the Primacy of Rome. And this has now been remedied. 
 
However, canonical recognition of the SSPX has still not been granted, the main reason being, precisely, their continued opposition to accepting certain Vatican II documents. This remains the principle topic for ongoing negotiations and is the other main issue discussed in the German interview with the Vatican's envoy for mediation with the SSPX.  
Donald Trump has a massive Catholic problem
Aaron Blake     Aug.28, 2016
 
Much has been made of Donald Trump's problems with a few voting groups - female voters, blacks and Hispanics, and young voters, in particular. And, to be sure, they are all problems.

But relatively speaking, his biggest problem actually appears to be with a different group: Catholics.

Yes, the man who once feuded with the pope (how soon we forget that actually happened) is cratering among Catholics.
. . . .
But Trump trails among Catholics by a huge margin. A new poll from the Public Religion Research Institute released this week shows him down 23 points, 55-32.

A Washington Post-ABC News poll released earlier this month painted an even worse picture for Trump's Catholic support. He was down by 27 points, 61-34.
. . . .
It's also hard to overstate just how significant Trump's poor performance among Catholics is. That's because they comprise about one-quarter of voters in the United States (25 percent in 2012 exit polls) and are about as big a voting bloc as non-whites (28 percent) and independents (29 percent).
Cardinal Marx faces accusations over handling of alleged abuse case
Anian Christoph Wimmer       Aug.19, 2016
 
Accusations have been raised in a number of German media that Cardinal Reinhard Marx of Munich and Freising failed to remove from office a priest accused in 2006 of sexually abusing a minor.

The alleged abuser, it appears, was allowed to stay on as parish priest for a number of years, even going on overnight excursions with youth.

A spokesperson for Cardinal Marx has said that the prelate had acted in accordance with relevant guidelines that were in place at the time.
. . . .
According to the German news magazine "Focus", state authorities initiated two further investigations into the priest's conduct, in 2013 and 2015. Both times, the lines of inquiry stalled and finally were abandoned due to a lack of evidence.  

Only as of May 2015, the alleged abuser is no longer allowed to be in contact with minors or to publicly say Mass, Focus reports, as both civil authorities and the Trier diocese are yet again investigating the matter under both legal and canonical auspices.
Pope Francis will await judgment on Cardinal Pell over sex abuse claims
Josephine McKenna       Aug.1, 2016
 
Pope Francis says he will not address sexual abuse allegations against the Vatican's finance minister, Cardinal George Pell, until Australian judicial authorities complete their investigation.

In a press conference on the papal flight returning from World Youth Day in Poland late Sunday (July 31), the pontiff said the allegations against Pell "are in the hands of the justice system" and the cardinal should not be judged "before the justice system judges."

"If I were to make a judgment in favor or against Cardinal Pell that would not be good because I would be making a judgment first," said the pope.
Pell, an Australian cardinal who as the Holy See's finance chief is third in the Vatican hierarchy after Pope Francis and Secretary of State Pietro Parolin.  He is the most senior figure in the Catholic Church to be accused of sexually abusing minors.
. . . .
The claims against Pell are an important test case for the pope as he has vowed zero tolerance for sexual abuse in the Catholic Church and said he would sack bishops found guilty of committing abuse or covering it up.
Number of German priest ordinations plummets to new low
Anian Christoph Wimmer      Aug.18, 2016
 
Never before have so few Catholic priests been ordained in the Church in Germany: a total of 58 men joined the clergy in 2015, according to official figures published by the German Episcopal Conference this week.
 
Within the last decade, the number of ordinations has dropped by half. In 2005, a total of 122 diocesan priests were ordained. Five decades ago, in 1965, the number was 500.

While there were almost 20,000 Catholic priests in Germany in 1990, today their number has already dropped to 14,000. The drastic decline is set to continue, judging by the figures: last year also marked the first time in history that the number of new seminarians dropped to double digits. Only 96 new students were registered in 2015. At the same time, 309 priests passed away, and 19 left the priesthood.
. . . .
With over 23.7 million members, Catholicism is the largest religious group in Germany, comprising 29 percent of the population. However, people are leaving in droves: In 2015, a total of 181,925 people departed according to official statistics published in July.  By comparison, 2,685 people became Catholic, and 6,474 reverted to Catholicism.
Villages 'obliterated' as Christian persecution grows in eastern Congo
Catholic Herald       Aug,19, 2016
 
The persecution of Christians has escalated in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), prompting fears that a jihadist group is gaining strength in the region.

At least 36 people were killed in the North Kivu region on Saturday. It is the deadliest attack there since November 2014, with some saying that casualties might be nearer to 50. The victims were reportedly tied up and hacked to death.

The Islamist Allied Democratic Forces-National Association for the Liberation of Uganda (ADF-NALU) have targeted Christians in the north-east of the DRC for several years after their attempt to overthrow the Ugandan government failed.

The United Nations has urged the Democratic Republic of Congo to investigate the massacre. A statement from the UN's high commissioner on human rights said the death toll from the group since 2014 had risen to 645.

On Monday the Pope condemned the "shameful silence" over the violence in the region.
. . . .
"We do not understand why this is happening to us," said one pastor. "The rebels just take people into the bush to kill them or kidnap them. They attack one place for a while and cause people to run away. Then they strike the places people run to."
Mark Zuckerberg Met With Pope Francis And Gave Him A Drone
Jenna Amatulli     Aug.29 2016
Pope _ Zuckerberg
If only they had taken a selfie together...

Pope Francis met with Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Zuckerberg's wife, Priscilla Chan, at the Vatican on Monday.

The meeting was set up so the pair could discuss "how to use communications technology to alleviate poverty, encourage a culture of encounter, and to communicate a message of hope, especially to the most disadvantaged," Vatican press office director Greg Burke told ANSA news agency.

Zuckerberg forewent his usual ensemble of a hoodie and T-shirt, wearing a full suit for the occasion. He also gifted a drone to the religious leader and shared a photo of the exchange on Facebook (of course). Zuckerberg added that he admired the pope and the meeting was unforgettable.
'Iron Nun' Proves Youth Is Unlimited In Nike Ad
Carol Kuruvilla       Aug.15 2016
With a nickname like the "Iron Nun," Sister Madonna Buder isn't the kind of lady you'd want to underestimate.
 
The 86-year-old appears front and center in Nike's new ad "," where she runs, bikes, and swims with a resilient ferocity that could outpace many who are half her age.  
 
"The Iron Nun" got her moniker from the Iron Man, a grueling triathalon race that packs together a 2.4 mile swim, a 112 mile bike, and 26.2 mile run. 
 
Buder has done  of these races, proving to her fans that youth has no age limit.
 
The athlete started her running career when she was 47 years old, after listening to a priest talk about the benefits of the sport. She ran her first triathlon in 1982, when she was 52 years old. She became the oldest woman to ever complete an Ironman race at the age of 75. She's been on the move since then, often pushing races to open up a new age division so she can register to compete. 
Read more
Brazilian priest cited in 'Spotlight' hangs himself in jail
Reuters       Aug.9 2016
 
A Brazilian priest mentioned in the Catholic clergy sex abuse film "Spotlight" has been found dead in a prison cell after he was arrested again for suspected pedophilia.

The Rev. Bonifacio Buzzi, 57, hanged himself with a sheet in a jail in the state of Minas Gerais, where he was taken after his arrest on Friday, authorities said in a statement. His body was discovered on Monday (Aug. 8).

A decade ago Buzzi was convicted of abusing a 10-year-old boy in Minas Gerais and jailed from 2007 to 2015. He was arrested last week after criminal complaints that he had molested two boys aged 9 and 13.

Buzzi was cited among the pedophilia cases listed at the end of "Spotlight," the Oscar-winning 2015 film based on The Boston Globe newspaper's investigation of sexual abuses by Catholic priests and efforts by the Archdiocese of Boston to cover them up.
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President's Christmas Message 2016

Recently, we finished the Year of Mercy with an emphasis on God's grace in our lives.  For all of us, I would like to propose a Year of Peace.  There is little doubt that we have witnessed incredible divisiveness in our world, in many of the nations, and in our church.  The separation between those who stress inclusion and those who focus on difference could not be wider.   The U. S. election was certainly one that emphasized derision and hostility.  Whether it was the conservatives focusing blame on those who are different, immigrants, Muslims, or minorities or the liberals accusing the wealthy of malfeasance and greediness, there was little that we agreed upon.  The campaigns took on an ugliness that we have not seen for a while.  In our church we experience similar conflict.  The traditionalists concentrate on the need to preserve the long-standing rules and accuse others of relativism.  The progressives regard the traditionalists as being intolerant and out of touch.  It seems clear to me that we are not going to make any progress in bringing about the reign of God by carrying on this way.
 
During the past year, I have received letters that demonstrate a kind of ugliness that has nothing to do with the teaching of Jesus of Nazareth.  A couple of individuals accused me of doing the work of Satan.  Still others have condemned me for trying to destroy the church.  There were those who refused to attend our mini conference in October, suggesting that we were a bunch of old, disgruntled, Vatican II Catholics who have become irrelevant.  On some occasions, we have chosen to be critical of individuals themselves as much as we have opposed their ideas.  
 
One of my tasks as an expert in professional development is to mediate in organizations who are enduring intense conflict.  In almost every instance, communication has broken down and the two (or sometimes three) sides see their opponents as enemies rather than colleagues.  The only strategy that works in these cases is to find a third or fourth solution.  The resolution of conflict is almost never a matter of deciding which side is right.   In this process, I spend many hours interviewing everyone in the group.  The conversation seeks to discover the relational issues because the content of the arguments is not where the problem lies.  The quarreling parties cannot get to a point of reconciliation until they recognize the hurt they have caused one another.  The ongoing conflict leads the participants to turn each other into objects instead of people.  Once I get to the root of the relational difficulty I can then begin the process of formulating a possible solution.  In other words, I learn more about each party's objectives, challenges, and passions.  Then we can move to some set of solutions that preserve their dignity and focuses on a healthy relationship, which includes healthier methods of conflict.  
 
What I suggest for this beginning of the liturgical year is that we begin the process of seeking to learn more about each other in a similar fashion.  Rather than continuing our tendency to accuse the other of violating core principles or, more importantly, some negative intent, we should be willing to listen to each other.  A key element in every conflict is that both parties are contributing to it somehow.  We must be ready to own our part in the division.  Until we are willing to do that, we cannot begin to listen and we certainly will not be open to solutions not yet imagined.  The interesting thing about this is that I have learned that as long as we wait for the others to turn and listen to us, it will remain a standoff.  I personally commit to listening to other perspectives and not to demonize the other.  I sincerely hope that those who wish to explain their perceptions can do the same.  Let us focus on listening first and then perhaps we can find the "third way" solution.
 
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"Glory to God in the Highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests." (Luke 2:14)  
 
Let us be responsible for carrying out the angels' prayer.  The rights of Catholics in the Church, as anywhere, can only be brought about when we recognize the obligation that is placed on every one of us to love one another.  
 
Peace and all that is good,
 
Merry Christmas and a Joyous New Year.
 
Patrick B. Sullivan, DPA
President
 
Remember we rely on your generous support to continue our work.  We want to spend this year reaching out to as many people as we can with a message of peace.  That includes those who have separated themselves from the Church, those who suffer in some way from the conflict, and those who seek justice in this world.  We are also especially interested in reaching out to the younger members of our church.  They are the present church as much as they are its future.  Consider ARCC in your estate planning and leave a legacy that seeks the justice that is found in teachings of Jesus Christ.
 
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Association for the Rights
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Catholics in the Church

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  Helena, MT  59604                                                  http://arcc-catholic-rights.net

 

Joseph Boyle, M.A.
Patrick Sullivan,  DPA, M. Div. (Pres)
Earlene Mara, M.A.  C.A.G.S.

William Slavick, PhD.
Leonard Swidler, Ph.D, (Emerit.)

John A. Dick, Ph.D, STD (V.P./Treas)
Caridad Inda, CHM.,  Ph.D

Dawn Edgar,  MPA (Sec.)
Annaliese Sinnott, Ph.D.
Barbara Linen, SHCJ

Archbishop Christophe Pierre
3339 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D. C.  20008-3687

Dear Archbishop Christophe Pierre,

We choose to add our support for Pope Francis in his Amoris Laetitia.  We challenge the statement issued on December 8, 2016, supporting the four cardinals who contend that the teaching of the Pope is contrary to the traditions of the church.  The challenge by these individuals suggests that Catholics cannot be expected to “undertake this doublethink.”  Rather, we offer that Catholics continue to exercise their right to primacy of conscience. 

We have long held that the People of God have a right to discern when they are in good standing and allowed to fully participate in the life of the church.  This is not a matter to be taken lightly.  It is a matter of preserving the dignity of the individual in keeping with the message of Jesus of Nazareth. 

Sincerely,

Patrick B. Sullivan, DPA
President 
Association for the Rights of Catholics in the Church (ARCC)

The Association for the Rights of Catholics in the Church is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization.  All contributions are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.  No goods or services were provided in exchange.  Please keep this as a receipt for your records.

  1. ARCC News 10 December 2016
  2. ARCC News 31 May 2016
   

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