Ended, but too late

For the Cardinal Under Ban, the Quarantine Has Ended

And perhaps people will take a new, serious look at his work. Perhaps his works may find new meaning, and new publication?

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What is this all about?

He's either taking the prayers for 'the office of Bishops' in each new Mass translation too seriously, or something else is happening. One doesn't make an apology for something so serious and then say that they shouldn't have apologized.

Egan's remarks on priest abuse scandal draw fire

The people who are out to destroy the Church as it is are always looking for more ammunition.

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Ah...

Consistory near: Vatican orders new cardinal's rings

...Vatican gossip about Vatican politics...

(In deference to the current Pope's love of all things traditional in the Church, I've chosen to go beyond the usual 'red hat' image for this post all the way to a very formal, old style image of a Cardinal's traditional hat, complete with tassels. No, don't thank me.)

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Of course,

the issue of the death of the current Pope is still open, so searching out contenders is a little premature...

A papal contender grabs the spotlight
 

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I still believe

that the media is responsible for a great many of our ills.

Vienna cardinal takes tough line on priest revolt

"The head of Vienna's Roman Catholic community ruled out sweeping changes demanded by dissident priests and said there could be "serious conflict" if they defied Church teaching on celibacy or give communion to remarried divorcees."

An Anglican seminarian once quoted me in his thesis after a lengthy and involved conversation we had on the issue of modern communications and the Church. It may be the only thought I've ever had worth quoting as it didn't lead to the rejection of his thesis. In a nutshell (and certainly not worth quoting) instantaneous communications - even as they were in the early 1980s - are in a large part responsible for the current state of affairs in the Catholic Church, I believe. I won't bother going any further than that. My thoughts are never worth quoting anyway (so don't quote me)...

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Funny headline

Pro-Vatican cardinal to head Milan church

Gosh, you'd expect Pope Benedict XVI to appoint a few anti-Vatican Cardinals to positions, wouldn't you?

I'd think, by the very nature of their elevation to the rank of Cardinal, that they're pro-Vatican, but what do I know?

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Personally,

I'm getting a little tired of every protest group airing public opinions about anything the Catholic Church does. I know controversy sells papers, but...

Controversial Que. cardinal promoted to Rome

Some group said he had refused to apologize? Where? When? What was the context? Is this what makes the CBC include 'controversial' in the headline?

Alas, I fear that none of these groups will ever be satisfied, despite their claims to the contrary, until all Catholic priests are publicly beheaded in the village square and all the assets of the Catholic church sold off and split between anyone who has claimed abuse. Oh, and all the Catholic nuns in the world are hung, as well, 'cus we all know how terrible and evil they are!

Not to minimize any true suffering, but 'Bah! Humbug!'.

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A good public message

At the ending of 'The Year of the Priest', Cardinal Cláudio Hummes has words for the whole church...

Letter on End of Priestly Year

"Above all we are on the side of the victims and want to support their recovery and their offended rights."

More of the church hierarchy should make statements like that...

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I can agree with this

Sexual scandals are a call to return to God, remarks Spanish cardinal

They're a very painful reminder, not just to ordained clergy but to all of us, that we need to work, pray and fast to make our behaviour match our beliefs, that our belief in Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God requires us to put off our old person, like removing an old suit of clothes, and make ourselves into that which we preach.

It's not an easy thing, if it were we'd all be working miracles every day. But we have to do it.

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So? He's retired.

Consider his age. Remember that it's not the Church talking.


For Health Cardinal, Sala Therapy

Then consider the very sensitive response from the Vatican.

Sometimes these old retired folk, you know...

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An interesting article

with quite a funny ending...

Cardinal Levada - 'We Do Not Build Heaven On Earth'

But we still feed the hungry, clothe the naked, give water to the thirsty and visit those in prison, for as much as we do this for them, we do it for Christ. Something that bears mentioning...

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He has a point

Nigerian cardinal blasts laxity of American culture, priesthood

There must be a reason that most African countries have vocations at a level the West can only dream of...

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I really like his name

Card. Zen: It is time to put into effect the Popes Letter to China’s Catholics, whatever the cost

Cardinal Zen, Cardinal Sin - Asian Cardinals certainly have the neatest names...

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Wow!


Montreal cardinal challenges Church teaching on abortion, condoms

Now, everyone is going to have their own spin on what the Pope said, with more liberal voices interpreting it reasonably as the Cardinal has done. I suspect he'll be encouraged to retire soon...

When did Lent begin?

Roger Cardinal Mahoney, Cardinal Archbishop of LA, has an answer that's different than usual.


When did Lent begin?

Here's his whole message:


Lent 2009: A time to 'make sacred' our many sacrifices

I think

that the world, and the Church, are used to a different papal style...


Cardinals turn on Pope Invisible

...and through a glass darkly I'm beginning to see why. I'm not sure I can give expression to it, but I think I can see a glimmering of why the Holy Spirit chose this person to be Pope...

They do this quite a bit

'Concentration camp' remark threatens Pope's visit to Israel

I wonder if they just don't think about these things, or just don't care. The Pope himself has enough experience in a high profile position to know what he should and shouldn't say, and one would think any of the Church bigwigs speaking in public about them would too. Or perhaps they're just speaking truth to politicians and diplomats who don't take these things too well. Whichever, 'Concentration Camp' has come to mean just one thing in our culture, and that's 'death camp'. One shouldn't use it to mean anything else anymore, especially when talking to Israelis and Jewish people...

A report

on a funeral, and a man...


The Last Goodbye

R.I.P. - Cardinal Avery Dulles, SJ

Spend a day sick and you really miss a lot of news...


Death of a Legend

Say whatever you want about him and his faithfulness to the magisterium, it wouldn't change the fact that he had a brilliant mind and was a heavyweight theologian. He was an asset to the Church to which he was so faithful no matter how you look at him.

Go swiftly to God, Cardinal Dulles, and rest peacefully in his love and mercy. Requiescat in pacem...

No change

Spain's Cardinal Canizares to take top Vatican liturgical post

More conservative?...