Basilica of St. Paul

The Old Basilica of St. Paul was build during the 4^th Century by Emperor Constantine the great over the tomb of the Apostle Paul.  It is called Outside-the-Walls because it is located not within the City of Rome but along the Ostian Way, a short distance from the place called Three Fountains where St. Paul was beheaded in 64 AD.

The New Basilica was built in 1854, to replace the other that was destroyed by a fire.  On the exterior, there is the statue of St. Paul, surrounded by a portico with 146 columns meant to shelter the pilgrims.  The mosaic of the façade represents Jesus blessing Peter and Paul.  The interior is decorated with the portraits of all 264 Popes, from St. Peter to John Paul II.  Beneath the altar there is the tomb of St. Paul.

The Basilica of St. Paul, along with the one of St. Peter, has been visited for over two millennia by more pilgrims than any other place on earth.  Every five years, bishops from all over the world make the Visita ad limina Apostolorum—the Visit to the Tombs of the apostles—to renew their commitment in the service of Christ and of his Church.

Visual source:  fotopedia

John Cardinal O'Connor

A little-known anniversary passed very silently on the tenth of this month, the twentieth anniversary of AIDS activist group ACT-UP’s desecration of Saint Patrick’s Cathedral. The New York Times reported the incident. It was the culmination of many smaller-scale desecrations at the Cathedral by gay groups, including Dignity. From 1987-88 I was a seminarian for the Archdiocese of New York, and was present at the Cathedral for Sunday Masses with the Cardinal when Dignity would seat themselves in rows midway down the aisle, then stand with their backs turned to the Cardinal as he gave the homily. They hated him as no other because he was pro-life, because he was a faithful son of the Church and would not give his blessing to the use of condoms for any purpose.

Cardinal O’Connor’s famous rejoinder was, “Good morality is good medicine.” For that singular statement he was regarded as little more than a caveman in Cardinal’s robes. From the Times article:

“Protesters said yesterday’s action was prompted by what they said was Cardinal O’Connor’s growing verbal assault on abortion and on the use of ’safe sex’ with condoms as a precaution against AIDS.

“In October, the Cardinal expressed his admiration for Operation Rescue, an anti-abortion group that frequently blocks entrances to abortion clinics. In a speech at the Vatican in November, he re-stated his view that distributing condoms or clean needles was an inappropriate way to combat the spread of the AIDS virus. In a phrase frequently condemned by demonstrators yesterday, he said, ‘Good morality is good medicine.’”

What the Times did not report was that one protester crumbled the Eucharist at Communion time in an act of desecration never before seen in the cathedral. Protesters also threw condoms all over the cathedral. They were right about one thing, people were dying from this disease. AIDS patients were still considered lepers in many quarters. It was a frightening time.

Earlier that autumn 1989, Fr. Bruce Ritter asked me if I would return to Covenant House, a shelter for homeless teens in Times Square, where I had worked for five years prior to entering the seminary. He explained that he had started a Special Needs Unit for adolescents with HIV/AIDS. Some were already dying in end-stage AIDS. I accepted the offer.

Our unit at the time was the ONLY residential facility in the nation for adolescents with HIV/AIDS. Most of the kids were male prostitutes who contracted the virus from their clients. The disease progressed rapidly in some. We buried one young man not long after I began work on the unit. So, I was not without sympathy for the issue felt so keenly by Dignity and ACT-UP.

I contemplated this during the long night shifts when the kids finally went to sleep. What was the objection, really? Why such venomous hatred directed at the Church? Everyone knew that condoms broke during vaginal sex, more-so during anal sex. This wasn’t a state secret. Having just begun my post-baccalaureate curriculum in science at Columbia University, I found the hatred for the Church on campus palpable. Why?

The answer was: Narcissism. Even in the face of a killer sexually transmitted disease, people wanted their sex. Period. The drive toward self-indulgence was so powerful that it blinded people to the reality that condoms had a pretty significant failure rate, for a variety of reasons: improper and inconsistent use, tearing, slipping.

Then there was the issue of promiscuity in the gay community, the orgies in the bath houses that were eventually closed down as a public health measure. People weren’t interested in changing their behavior. They wanted fornication without consequences and expected, demanded the Church play along. In hindsight, they were looking for political cover.

For those old enough to remember the early years of the AIDS pandemic, it was largely considered a ‘gay’ disease. When it started showing up in the heterosexual community, many gays feared (rightly) a backlash based on that perception of AIDS being a gay disease. What better cover than the Catholic Church? The Bishops weren’t falling for it. They knew better about condoms, and sought to teach the faithful.

In the interim, Cardinal O’Connor quietly set about increasing the number of hospital beds in Catholic hospitals of the Archdiocese dedicated to AIDS patients to well above fifteen percent. He effectively turned Saint Clare’s Hospital on W 52nd Street into an AIDS hospice. Unbeknown to his detractors, the Cardinal went to St. Clare’s once a week in simple clerical garb to wash patients, empty bedpans, and perform priestly pastoral ministry to the dying. On his orders, he was introduced simply as Father John.

Next Wednesday, we’ll take a look at the wisdom and strength behind that humility. We’ll consider the National Institutes of Health and Centers for Disease Control data that clearly vindicate Cardinal O’Connor, and lay much blame for this ongoing tragedy at the feet of his most bitter detractors. We’ll see the epidemiological data that expose the great lie about condoms and where we have gone these past twenty years. It isn’t pretty.

New Liturgical Movement reports that Bishop Alfonso de Galarreta, perhaps to now one of the least well known of the Society of St. Pius X bishops, has said the outcome of the first official doctrinal meeting was “good”.

The main points under discussion are, understandably:

a) The Magisterium of the Council and after the Council.

b) The conciliar liturgical reform.

c) Ecumenism and interreligious dialogue.

e) Papal authority and collegiality.

f) Freedom of conscience, religious freedom, secularism and the social reign of Jesus Christ.

g) Human rights and human dignity according to the Council’s teaching.

Of course, most “traditional” Catholics who are not schismatic, such as yours truly, agree with the SSPX to some degree or other on these issues, if only that Vatican II is very confusing in the light of Church tradition. I believe in a hermeneutic of continuity, but it is rather intellectually puzzling in some cases.

Progress in these dialogues would be a great boon to the Church. If the SSPX is allowed to resume full canonical status, then it would not only be a victory for authentic ecumenism, but it would ease the minds of many troubled traditionalists–it would also infuriate a lot of liberal Catholics.

According to the article, the process of the dialogue is: a) SSPX writes a position paper on one of the issues; b) “technical experts” exchange e-mails on the subject; c) the Vatican issues a formal response; d) an in person discussion is scheduled (and recorded by both sides); e) the results are forwarded to Pope Benedict XVI and to Bishop Bernard Fellay.

WASHINGTON (CNS) — Although authentic reform of the nation’s health system is “a public good, moral imperative and urgent national priority,” the Senate version of health reform legislation “should not move forward in its current form,” the heads of three committees of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops said Dec. 19.

The comments came after the introduction of a 383-page manager’s amendment incorporating some aspects of an amendment proposed by Sen. Robert Casey, D-Pa., to improve the bill on the issues of abortion and conscience rights.

In a Dec. 18 statement, Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo of Galveston-Houston, chairman of the USCCB Committee on Pro-Life Activities, had welcomed Casey’s “good-faith effort” but said a “fundamental problem” remains that makes the bill morally unacceptable.

He said the USCCB would continue to oppose the Senate legislation “unless and until” it is amended to “comply with long-standing Hyde restrictions on federal funding of elective abortions and health plans that include them.”

The Hyde amendment prohibits federal funding of abortion except in cases of rape, incest or threat to the woman’s life.

Bishops William F. Murphy of Rockville Centre, N.Y., and John C. Wester of Salt Lake City, who chair the committees on Domestic Justice and Human Development and on Migration, respectively, joined Cardinal DiNardo in the Dec. 19 statement.

Although praising the manager’s amendment for including Casey’s expansion of adoption tax credits and assistance for pregnant women, the statement cited two remaining problems:

– “It does not seem to allow purchasers who exercise freedom of choice or of conscience to ‘opt out’ of abortion coverage in federally subsidized health plans that include such coverage. Instead it will require purchasers of such plans to pay a distinct fee or surcharge which is extracted solely to help pay for other people’s abortions.

– “The government agency that currently manages health coverage for federal employees will promote and help subsidize multi-state health plans that include elective abortions, contrary to longstanding law governing this agency.”

via thebostonpilot.com

Associated Press
New York

In what has become the defining event in American Constitutional Law, arrests of Catholic Cardinals, Bishops, Priests, Religious, and laity have continued into a second day, and will surely cast a pall over President Obama’s second term in office, as well as his legacy.

After the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear the petition of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) on Monday, the Justice Department moved forward with the seizure of all Roman Catholic Properties for failure to pay taxes for a second year in a row. On Thursday, Cardinal Dolan took to the pulpit in a packed St. Patrick’s Cathedral to denounce the tactics of the Federal Government, while calling on his congregation to treat the police with the utmost courtesy and respect.

When the Cardinal refused to order his congregation to disperse in compliance with the 12 P.M. deadline to vacate the premises, Federal officers mounted the altar and handcuffed the Cardinal, leading him out of the Cathedral through the entrance to his residence behind the altar.

Auxiliary Bishop Mark Valente and Cathedral Rector, Msgr. Justin O’Reilly were each led away in handcuffs after also refusing to give the order to disperse. The officers then set about placing plastic restraints on the wrists of the more than 2,000 congregants, many elderly nuns, who refused to leave. Among those arrested were several leaders of other faith communities here in New York who fear a similar fate for their churches.

The choir led the congregation in singing hymns of praise, such as Lift High the Cross, and Holy God We Praise Thy Name.

Similar scenes have been playing themselves out at Catholic churches all over the nation. Not since the civil disobedience of Gandhi has the world seen anything approaching this scale.

President Obama will address the nation tonight at 9 P.M. from the Oval Office. Confidential sources say the President plans to explain why the USCCB cannot use their political muscle to violate the law with impunity.

In Rome an increasingly frail Pope Benedict XVI thundered condemnation for the assault on his Church, and expressed his solidarity with his brothers and sisters, “persecuted for righteousness’ sake”.

Meanwhile, the USCCB has been gaining traction with its 60-second ad campaign showing no fewer than thirty Democrats campaigning from pulpits in Protestant Churches, as well as over fifty Protestant Ministers openly advocating DNC policy from their pulpits. Cries of “double-standard” continue to inflict damage on Obama’s standing in the polls, with the latest Gallup Poll showing the President’s approval rating sliding twenty-two points to 27% since his reelection just four months ago.

Since the Bishops lost their bid in early 2010 to keep Federal Funding of abortions out of the health care legislation, they have stirred themselves into an activism never before seen. The current crisis began when the Bishops, in conjunction with the RNC, disseminated voter guides in church to the faithful.

Most analysts agree that this contributed in no small measure to the Republican landslide that won them the House and Senate in 2010, and even larger majorities this past November. But for the untimely death from a heart attack of Mr. Obama’s opponent three weeks before the election, a Republican rout was all but certain.

Many see the actions of the IRS in early 2011, and the subsequent court battles as retribution from Obama for effectively making him a lame duck in his first term.

Meanwhile, arrests have slowed as police set up makeshift detention centers in armories and school gymns in the large cities. The detained are refusing to post bail and refusing to leave the detention centers. If forced to do so, they claim to be resolved in their determination to return to their churches, schools and diocesan centers to attempt entry and force a re-arrest.

It is becoming clear that the IRS threat of losing 501(c)(3) status was never a viable strategy in the face of a determined opposition.

UFT President Adrian Moore has blasted the Obama administration for emptying Catholic schools in the seizure and forcing these students on classrooms already overcrowded and on school systems that are bankrupt after the sex abuse lawsuits against public school teachers, most going back decades, that were the result of the courts mandating that public schools had to also open a one year window for claims no longer covered by the statute of limitations.

This was another in a series of unintended consequences, as Democrats tried to destroy nonprofits by passing legislation aimed only at them, opening the one year “look-back”, as it is called. Upon challenge, the courts decided to apply the standard to public schools as well, rather than striking down the lopsided legislation.

For now, neither the President, nor the Bishops will back down. The issue may be decided on Capitol Hill, as talk of impeachment begins to gain momentum.

Sano di Pietro, The Massacre of the Innocents

Julie Schmit-Albin of NE Right to Life comments over on Jill Stanek’s blog that abortion was used by Senator Ben Nelson as a “pawn” in the healthcare debate. She and Stanek assert that when he loaded up on enough pork and perks for the folks back home, he betrayed the unborn. All true enough, except the part about abortion being used as a “pawn”.

It’s probably more accurate to say that abortion was used as a smokescreen and NE RTL and the USCCB were used as pawns. Look at the media attention for the past several weeks. It’s been all about the abortion language in the bill. In getting everyone to argue the abortion language, the Democrats got everyone to tacitly accept that this entire immoral bill was a foregone conclusion. In so doing, we took our eye off of the larger immorality of medicare cuts and the inevitability of euthanasia down the road.

That’s how we got screwed. The Washington Two-Step.

There is still hope that the firebrands in the House may cause the process to implode and that the legislation will not survive in conference. No small amount of pressure will be brought to bear on Stupak’s allies. Going forward, we need to understand that there is a larger immorality involved in this legislation.

We need now more than ever to be Pro-Life and not merely anti-abortion. This entire piece of legislation stinks. If we focus too narrowly on abortion again, I fear another betrayal will come to pass. There are far more vulnerable members of the House up for re-election this year. They need to be blistered this week by all who care for life at both ends of the spectrum and in between.

Meanwhile, Nelson has lined his pockets as he guaranteed the Slaughter of the Innocents will proceed apace. That free Medicare will avail his Nebraskans little when their treatments are denied along with the rest of us. Well done thou good-for-nothing servant.

So the Catholic Bishops don’t approve of Reid-Nelson. (Yawn). Who cares? Seriously. Who cares?

It’s no small secret that the Bishops walk on eggshells because they fear losing our 501(c)(3) status. So who cares what they have to say? They’ve painted themselves into a corner.

As the Bishops quake at the thought of losing our tax-exempt status, the Democrats thunder. They are poised to dictate how Catholic Hospitals are run. They already have dictated that Catholic Church employees in NY must have birth control supplied as part of their health coverage. Democrats are poised to rescind conscience clauses for physicians on abortion. The list goes on. Because they will not fight, the Bishops are being tied down like Gulliver.

Why should non-Catholics fear the Bishops, who are nothing more than paper tigers? The Bishops will not even discipline their most notorious congregants. While Canon Law defines Formal Cooperation on abortion as those who participate directly in the abortion, including paying for one, it is strangely silent on politicians who vote for abortion funding, or who militate for protective legislation.

The Bishops need to regain credibility on this issue by underscoring to the people just how serious it is. That begins with excommunicating notorious public figures. It isn’t simply a matter of whether or not one is fit to receive the Eucharist. That’s the wrong argument. If the abortionist, the mother, the other formal cooperators know that the penalty is automatic excommunication, then they incur the penalty when the baby is killed. The same ought to hold for Catholic politicians who fund abortions in the scores of thousands, or who seek to thwart pro-life legislation that seeks to restrict abortion.

After incurring excommunication, re-admittance to the Church is only through a genuine confession marked by true contrition and a firm purpose of amendment.

Catholic Politicians such as the Kennedy’s, Michael McMahon (featured below in the post “Black Knight White Knight”). Kathleen Sebelius, et al. need to be brought up before their bishops and made to choose. The laity need to see that the Bishops grasp the terrible dimensions of abortion, and that every Catholic should as well. Jesus said that either we are with Him, or against Him. The Bishops do no pastoral service to Catholic politicians who think that they can have it both ways. They can’t.

It is simply a lie to state that one is personally opposed to abortion on moral grounds, but that they are not free to tell others what to do. What about rape and murder? Same deal?

Catholic politicians are free to work within the democratic system to craft just legislation. Henry Hyde did it. If they honestly believe that they cannot do so, then they are free to pursue another line of work where this burden is lifted from them.

As for the Bishops, why should average Catholics take them seriously when they allow themselves to be made fools of by third-rate men like Representative Patrick Kennedy and Representative Michael McMahon? It’s time for a good old-fashioned house cleaning. The Bishops needn’t worry about losing the tax-exempt status. That’s coming anyway, unless they wield those staffs in defense of the flock.

Time will tell.

I came across this picture by Dave Walker…the Nativity.

This CartoonChurch.com cartoon by Dave Walker originally appeared in the Church Times.

so what have i learned from the this whole copenhagen focused debacle?

1. The debate about climate change, and whether humans are responsible for the current increase in temperature is seemingly impossible to win. No matter how much ‘evidence’ there might be, it will never be 100% convincing because of the nature of the scientific investigation, therefore there will always be a few percent of doubt, which seemingly gives legitimate reason for doubting humans complicity in the current situation.
2. Politicians are motivated primarily by fear, and the fear of appearing week, or to have ‘given in’ to another’s demands is the biggest fear. The inability of leaders to ‘lead’ because of this climate (no pun intended!) of fear is worrying.
3. Politicians care more about the economy than the environment, but both of these are in a mess because of human greed.
4. From archbishops, to head’s of state, I have heard bold proclamations about the need to act. The actuality of acting is much harder and I have found much less evidence for people taking seriously what they have said.
5. Politicians are never going to solve the problem of climate change. (I’m not sure who is, but the whole political system has proved itself completely inept on this particular point over two weeks in Copenhagen.)
6. The number of ‘climate skeptics’ influenced not through research but by casual and sloppy reporting in the media scares me.
7. I am scared for the future, I am scared because I feel totally dis-empowered and don’t know what to do next, I am scared I will give up, I am scared.

An essay by Wendell Berry that I read many years ago seems all the more prophetic and accurate today as it did when I first read it:

“To be convinced of the sanctity of the world, .and to be mindful of a human vocation to responsible membership in such a world, must always have been a burden. But it is a burden that falls with greatest weight on us humans of the industrial age who have been and are, by any measure, the humans most guilty of desecrating the world and of destroying creation. And we ought to be a little terrified to realize that, for the most part and at least for the time being, we are helplessly guilty. It seems as though industrial humanity has brought about phase two of original sin. We all are now complicit in the murder of creation. We certainly do know how to apply better measures to our conduct and our work. We know how to do far better than we are doing. But we don’t know how to extricate ourselves from our complicity very surely or very soon. How could we live without degrading our soils, slaughtering our forests, polluting our streams, poisoning the air and the rain? How could we live without the ozone hole and the hypoxic zones? How could we live without endangering species, including our own? How could we live without the war economy and the holocaust of the fossil fuels? To the offer of more abundant life, we have responded with choosing the economics of extinction.“

Wendell Berry; The Burden of the Gospels, in, The Way of Ignorance: and other essays; (2005)

by: Anura Guruge

Cardinal Józef Glemp of Poland, created a cardinal by his compatriot in 1983, turned 80 today. He thus ceases to be an elector. So we are down another elector. But 112 electors is one more than we had for the two conclaves in 1978 and just three shy of the electorate that participated in the 2005 conclave. With Christmas upon us, we are unlikely to see a consistory any time soon.

Cardinal Aloysius Matthew Ambrozic, of Canada, the retired Archbishop of Toronto, will turn 80 on January 27, 2010.

Cardinal Glemp was already Archbishop Emeritus of Gniezno and Warsaw. So today’s birthday does not change ‘occupations’ roster — though it has to be noted that Cardinal Glemp, as of today, will also not be the Primate of Poland. Thus, the last retirement was that of 79 year old Cardinal Christian Wiyghan Tumi of Cameroon, who had been the Archbishop of Douala on November 17, 2009. The prior material change relating to a cardinal had been on October 24, 2009. That day, Italian Cardinal Renato Raffaele Martino (b. Nov. 23, 1932), who had been the President of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace since October 2002 resigned, he having been well over the retirement age of 75 for curial cardinals. He had already resigned another post earlier this year. Sixty one year old Cardinal Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson, of Ghana, has been appointed the new President — making him the youngest of the curial cardinals. Before this October 24 change, things had been quiet since July 17.

On July 17, 2009, Cardinal Jean Margéot (Mauritius), a cardinal priest since 1988, died at the age of 93. The last cardinal to die prior to that was the Italian, Franciscan Cardinal Umberto Betti on April 1, 2009, at the age of 87.

On July 4, 2009, Darío Castrillón Hoyos (Columbia), a cardinal priest, turned 80 — and thus lost his right to participate in a conclave. Four days later he retired from his post as President of the Pontifical Commission “Ecclesia Dei.” On June 25, 2009, Francesco Marchisano (Italy), a cardinal deacon, turned 80.

Consequently, the College is now at 185 with 112 under the age of 80 (and thus eligible to vote at a conclave) and 73 over the age of 80.

I as is my wont, I checked yet again, today [i.e., December 18, 2009], on the Vatican list of cardinals. It says it was last updated 11.11.2008 [i.e., Nov. 11, 2008], and as such it has the total count at 192. THAT WAS OVER A YEAR AGO. So they are kind of way behind. So, per my constant refrain, please be aware if you use these lists that they might not be as up to date as you assume. Why they appear to be reluctant to update their Web site is a mystery. If they really are that short-handed (as I have heard them claim, though I am reminded on Pope John XXIII’s incisive answer when he was once asked how many people worked at the Vatican < see below >) they really should think about getting some interns to help them out.

This is the smallest the College has been in awhile. After the last consistory on November 24, 2007, there were 201 cardinals, with 120 eligible to vote . I had thought that we were due for another consistory this year. November and December are popular months for consistories. So I haven’t totally given up yet. Maybe the pope is preoccupied trying to lure in the Anglican priests. Wonder whether he will make any of them cardinals.

Following my “Next Pope — Papabili List for 2009,” I had some questions as to the amount of sway the curial cardinals would have at the next conclave. So I did some analysis on the composition of the current College beyond just age and nationalities. This is an ongoing effort to keep the data that I found up to-date. This data is now accurate as of December 18, 2009. There is also a steady trickle of cardinals that retire that impact these numbers. On July 8, Cardinal Darío Castrillón Hoyos, as discussed at the start, retired. Five days earlier, Cardinal Francesco Marchisano (Italy), who had been the President of the Labor Office of the Apostolic See, and Cardinal Andrea Cordero Lanza di Montezemolo (Italy) who had been the Archpriest of Pontifical Basilica of St Paul Outside the Walls retired. Prior to that it had been Cardinal James Francis Stafford (USA) on June 2 and before that Cardinal Michael Michai Kitbunchu (Thailand) on May 14. These have been factored in.

Of the 185 total cardinals:

• 6 are Cardinal Bishops, 3 are Oriental Rites Patriarchs, 148 are Cardinal Priests & 28 Cardinal Deacons
• Average age is 77 years
• The macro geographic breakdown is as follows:
  Africa 14, Americas 48 (U.S.A. 16), Asia 19, Europe 100 (Italy 39), Oceania 4
  Africa 13 countries, Americas 16, Asia 12, Europe 23, Oceania 2 — 66 countries in total
  Italy 39, U.S.A 16, Spain 10, France 9, Poland 8, Germany 7, Brazil 8, India 6, Argentina 4, Mexico 4, Canada 3, Ireland 3, Philippines 3 & Switzerland 3

• 4 are Cardinal Bishops, 1 is an Oriental Rites Patriarch, 91 are Cardinal Priests & 17 are Cardinal Deacons
• 19 hold curial offices. Of these 2 are cardinal bishops (viz. Bertone & Re), 5 are cardinal priests and the others cardinal deacons
  (Italy – 7, Rest of Europe – 7, U.S.A. – 1, Latin America – 2 , India – 1 & Africa – 1)
• 63 are Archbishops including two Patriarchs – i.e., Venice and Lisbon (Portugal)
• 1 is Bishop — Mainz (Germany)
• 1 is the Vicar General of Rome, viz. Cardinal Agostino Vallini (papabile)
• 1 is the Grand Master of the Equestrian Order of Jerusalem, viz. Cardinal John Patrick Foley
• 26 are ‘retired,’ i.e., emeritus status
• 1, viz. Cardinal Bernard Francis Law (formally of Boston, USA), is an Archpriest
• Average age is 72 years; 11 in their 79^th year, youngest being Peter Erdö (Hungary) at 56
• 21 belong to religious orders, 4 of whom are Salesians, 3 Franciscans, 2 Jesuits & 2 to Opus Dei
• 82 (73%) of these cardinals were created by Pope John Paul II between 1983 and 2003
• 30 were created by Pope Benedict XVI in 2006 & 2007
• The macro geographic breakdown is as follows:
  Africa 9, Americas 35 (U.S.A. 13), Asia 10, Europe 56 (Italy 19), Oceania 2
  Africa 8 countries, Americas 14, Asia 7, Europe 21, Oceania 2 — 52 countries in total
  Italy 20, U.S.A 13, France 6, Spain 6, Germany 5, Poland 3, Brazil 4, Mexico 4, Canada 3, India 3

• 2 are Cardinal Bishops, 2 are Oriental Rites Patriarch (Babylon of the Chaldeans & Antioch for Maronites), 57 are Cardinal Priests & 11 are Cardinal Deacons
• 1 is an Archbishops – Cardinal Vithayathil, Syro-Malabra (India)
• 65 are ‘retired,’ i.e., emeritus status
• 1 is a nuncio, Cardinal Coppa (Italy)
• 2 are Oriental Rites Patriarchs
• 4, Cardinal Deacons and distinguished academics all, fall into a ‘continuing prior career’ category in that they were created cardinals after they had turned 80 and were thus too old to hold curial offices.
• Average age is 86 years; oldest Cardinal Mayer (Germany) at 98 with four in their 80^th year.
• 15 belong to religious orders with 7 of them Jesuits & 3 Franciscans
• 4 of these cardinals were created by Pope Paul VI between 1969 and 1976
• 63 (86%) by Pope John Paul II between 1979 and 2003
• 6 by Pope Benedict XVI in 2006 & 2007
• The macro geographic breakdown is as follows:
  Africa 5, Americas 13 (U.S.A. 3), Asia 9, Europe 44 (Italy 20), Oceania 2
  Africa 5 countries, Americas 7, Asia 7, Europe 12, Oceania 1 — 32 countries in total
  Italy 19, Spain 4, Poland 5, Brazil 4, France 3, U.S.A 3, India 3

Pope John XXIII’s answer to the question as to how many people worked at the Vatican: “about half!” Judging by recent events, even that might have been overly optimistic.

I am not a cardinal-watcher. For that matter, I am not really even a pope-watcher. My interest and expertise is in research and analysis. So I really am more of a papal historian and analyst — which is what I have ever professed to be. So please do not rely on me for keeping you updated as to the latest happenings with the cardinals. I do not even check necrology on a daily basis — let alone weekly. Sometimes not even monthly. Though I get a daily summary of Vatican news — I don’t read it! I am usually heads down doing research, writing what I have found or trying to make a living. We do not have another cardinal turning 80 until December 18. But much is likely to change before that. So I expect I will be updating this again in a few weeks.

Hope this helps. All the best.

Anu

As the various factions have had their say, what is shaping out in the Senate seems great to me. Now, I’m drafting this both as a report/commentary and as a question. From what I’ve been seeing in the dissatisfaction of liberals about the current stance of health care reform, we’re seeing the beginning of actual reform, as opposed to a government takeover.

According to this Yahoo article,

1. “Public option” is all but dead (good)
2. The bill would require most Americans to purchase insurance (bad but possibly an acceptable compromise)
3. The bill would forbid insurance companies from denying coverage to people (doesn’t say anything about increased premiums, however) for pre-existing conditions, etc. (Fantastic)
4. The bill would provide subsidies to make insurance affordable to lower and middle class families (Fantastic)
5. The bill would apparently put a tax on companies that make medical equipment, supposedly to offset costs and encourage them to reduce fees. (Not sure what I think of that)
6. There is still debate about abortion coverage, and I got lost on who’s who. Apparently, as it stands, abortion would be a separate premium on private insurance. I’d rather not have abortion covered at all, which is I guess where Nelson and the Republicans stand, but at least they’re not forcing pro-life people to pay for abortion.

Honestly, if that’s true, that sounds a lot better. I have no problem with federal regulation and protection of the little guy.

I would just add that they need to do the following three things:

1. Tort reform.
2. Reduce health care costs by increasing the number of health care providers (remove the unnecessary stumbling blocks to enter medical training–increase the number of Nurse Practitioner schools, Physician’s Assistant Schools and osteopath schools, and reduce costs and hurdles to enter medical school).
3. Increase the options for private insurance, as the town hall lady on the Youtube video said: break up the Cigna, BC/BS, Aetna and Humana oligopoly and open up state borders for smaller insurance companies to compete.

Also, the USCCB is to be praised for the strong stand it’s taking in this regard.

My first semester at Rhode Island College is finally coming to a close.  With a mixture of relief and anticipation, I look forward to the spring.  Among my list of classes, I’ve had Western History, Writing 100, and American Government.  My American Government class has proved to be an interesting eye-opener towards the American political system, and essentially how it runs.

Towards the end of the semester we had a debate in class, which I sadly missed due to our first ‘convenient’ snowstorm.  The topic of which related to the display of religious Christmas decorations on State Property.  We were to argue whether or not it was constitutional.  Of course this is a much heated discussion, considering the political scene today; but I did write a 3 page argument which was due the day of the debate.

The question that surfaces whenever we approach this subject, is “What essentially defines separation of Church and State?” Any careful examination of the United States Constitution will show that not once does the clause ‘Separation of Church and State” appear.  Rather, the constitution contains a religious establishment clause, which basically states that Congress shall not honor any one particular religion as the state religion.  The reasoning for this clause might be discussed, but when it comes down to a final interpretation, we find that the founding fathers wrote the clause with the intention of keeping the United States from becoming like England.  That is, the Anglican Church was the state religion, imposing heavy fines and punishments on those who did not comply with the state religion.  In fact, many of the colonists in America were actually members of different Christian groups fleeing England’s religious persecution.

The United States grants freedom of religion in the First Amendment, so the religious establishment clause is necessary to establish that freedom, and ensure its life and protection.  Another factor to consider is the general Protestant mentality of the founding fathers.  At that time in history, English Protestants had a strong resentment of the Catholic Faith.  This being said, there would have been a strong movement in the foundation of our nation to try and keep Catholicism out of U.S. Politics.

Today’s world revisits this question. What is separation of Church and  State?  A lot of buzz has been accumulating here in New England following the Church/State confrontation between Bishop Thomas Tobin of the Providence Diocese, and one of Rhode Island’s Representatives, Patrick Kennedy.

The issue was on Patrick Kennedy receiving Communion, after openly supporting abortion in the Health Care Reform Bill.  The Bishop made it clear that a person cannot claim to be pro-choice and at the same time claim to be a practicing Catholic, as abortion is condemned in Church Law.

The conflict grew to the point that Bishop Tobin, in a private letter to Rep. Patrick Kennedy, obliged him not to receive Holy Communion, and instructed the local priests in the Providence Diocese to withhold Communion from the congressman.  This was met by a fiery attack from the media, which attacked the Bishop on the grounds that he was violating the separation of church and state clause, which of course does not exist.  Rather, the Bishop was stating that in order to be a ‘good’ Catholic in the public square, that one has higher responsibilities in living his faith in the eyes of others.  Bishop Tobin simply was clarifying this, saying that you can either be Pro-Choice, or you can be Catholic.  You cannot be both.

Analyzing this, I find it difficult to see how this would be considered a violation of church and state.  But of course, everyone is out to get the church at the first opportunity.  I would like to explore the general idea of separation of Church and State.  This might come across as a rather different approach, but I personally feel that both church and state need a proper balance.  We can’t have a church/state theocracy, neither can we have a separate system where any sense of morality is tossed out for the sake of a secular state.

Why this particular opinion?  Let’s look  back at history.  It seems many people in the modern world wish to associate a society where church and state are one with Medieval European Society.  In fact, upon close analysis, these two were not united in that extent.  Church and state actually existed as two complimenting parts of society, not one.  In viewing the facts, we find that essentially the Medieval state was shaped by the Catholic morality; rather than a particular Pope being in charge of a particular nation’s affairs, or the King being in charge of the Church’s affairs (Church of England,) the Pope was responsible for the spiritual well being of the people.  Also worth noting is how many of Europe’s leaders actually had conflicts with individual bishops and popes.  Modern historians would like to state that this is due to conflict brought about by a united church and state.  Rather, it points to the opposite, showing that the Church was in fact attempting to keep its members bound by a general moral code.  Government leaders not abiding by ‘moral’ standards? :O  Try Machiavelli.   The Church saw the danger of unrestricted state authority, and the Kings and nobles had to be bound by a common law.  Church Law.

This being said, we may now look at the State’s role in this balancing system.  Unlike the extremities of the Anglican Church which combined church and state to their fullest, the Catholic system often had many conflicts.  Some which were brought about my somewhat legitimate arguments.  Henry II, King of England, who is infamous for his conflict with St. Thomas Becket, sought to have religious clerics tried in secular courts for secular crimes.  Becket stated contrary, arguing that the Church had the right to try its clerics in its Ecclesiastical Courts.

Becket was murdered in his cathedral.  He won the argument.

My point being, that despite such conflicts, these arguments brought about a balance to the European system of ruling.  With the Church being checked by the state, Holy Men would have to stand in her defense.  With rigid and strong men in government positions, those inside the Church who sought to use their position to gain secular power often encountered a stumbling block.

Of course this system was fallible.  After all, isn’t every political and social system fallible?  With mere humanity, how can we ever gain perfection?  There needs to be a proper balance, especially in today’s age.  Where morals and ethics are tossed aside so carelessly, there needs to be a voice to keep our secular system in check.  I’m not stating that the Church needs to be politically involved.  But what is strongly needed is an active involvement with confronting the politicians on morals grounds.  Because when it comes down to it, if the men who guide and rule our country are immoral in action and decision, how can they be trusted to best protect and represent our interests at large?

While in Copenhagen, over this last weekend, I attended an ecumenical service at which the Archbishop of Canterbury spoke. The full text of his sermon can be found here. In typical style Rowan Williams articulated a careful critique of where we find ourselves, and the challenges we as a global community face, and yet within that context how the gospel, which at its heart embodies perfect love can overcome the fears that currently dominate the climate change discussions.

It’s worth reading in full.

Frank Viola continues to shine in this chapter. He breaks down the eldership into two chapters: this one and the next on decision-making.

He basically destroys any idea that the way churches are led today is in any way according to the Bible or (most importantly) according to the way that Jesus wanted us to live. Nobody in the church is to have any supremacy over anybody else. Christ is the head of the church and that has to be lived out.

There is no way I can flesh out everything that Frank says in this awesome chapter and I really wish that people would read this and realize that the way we have done it in the past is bad for the church (and is not what Jesus wanted anyway). We can have it better.

The thing I like most about Viola is that he is really just saying “you already believe and teach what I’m saying in your doctrine but you don’t apply it in your practice”. That is true. The church’s practice comes from tradition, not from what we know about Jesus. That is what is wrong with the institutional church

In this week’s paper we report on the clash between Harriet Harman and the bishops of England and Wales over the Equality Bill, the installation of the popular new Archbishop of Birmingham and Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor’s decision to reject a seat in the House of Lords.

We also interview the son of St Gianna Beretta Molla, publish a robust defence of Anglo-Catholic “patrimony” and present a forceful appeal for a sharper divide between the roles of clergy and lay people.

This is just a hint of what’s in the paper. To get the whole story, you may like to pick up a copy (at the back of churches in Britain and Ireland) or subscribe.

[As stated in my About, I want to tell the world about the Orthodox faith. Up to this point, my blogs have somewhat unorganized to do that. Now God has given me a more coorinated way to do that.  I will be sharing articles from the Orthodox Faith.  

This will be a long series, but I trust it will be profitable to you in learning about the Orthodox faith. From time to time, I will also provide addition blogs of interest.  - Herman Art]

Great Litany

After the opening proclamation, the Great Litany is chanted. This litany begins every liturgical service of the Orthodox Church, as well as virtually all sacraments and special services. It is the all-embracing prayer of the Church for everyone and everything. It consists of petitions to which the people respond: Lord have mercy.

The Great Litany begins with prayers “in peace” and “for peace.” The people then proceed in the litany to pray for their eternal salvation; for the welfare of God’s churches and for the union of all; for the faithful and God-fearing of the particular community; for the bishops, priests, deacons and all the people of the Church; for the nation and its institutions for which all are responsible: the president, civil authorities and armed forces; for the given city and country and for all cities and countries; for good weather and abundant crops; for travelers, for the sick, the suffering and those in captivity.

Finally, after asking God for the deliverance from everything harmful and negative and for his divine help, salvation, mercy and protection, the people remember the Theotokos and all the saints and commend themselves and each other and all their life to Christ their God.

The Great Litany then ends with a doxology proper to the Holy Trinity to whom are due all glory, honor and worship forever. Once more the prayer is completed by the Amen of the people.

http://www.oca.org/OCchapter.asp?SID=2&ID=93

The author of the Letter to the Hebrews wrote to the 1st Century Christians, “Obey those who rule over you…”   (Hebrews 13:17).    These words were written by a believer at a time when he apparently could not imagine Christian leadership misleading or abusing  fellow Christians.   Almost 2000 years later Christians have learned through painful experience that leadership sometimes fails, sometimes sins, sometimes abuses its power.  In an age when leadership of every kind is looked at with far less trust, the unflinching and unapologetic attitude of the Letter to the Hebrews stands as a challenge to those who are jaded by skepticism toward leadership.  (In the 2008 Gallup Honesty and Integrity Poll only 56% of Americans ranked church leaders as being of high integrity).

Obedience in America is often coupled with the adjective “blind” and is most often considered the lot of enslaved people.  Think about the Star Wars movies – the federation has a presidency with some implication of free elections while the evil empire is ruled by a despotic emperor who crushes dissent with storm troopers.

On the other side of this, we Christians can see that one of the traits of the Messiah is that though He was God, He learned obedience to His Father.  

“Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God … emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.  And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross.  Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name…”    (Philippians 2:5-9 RSV)

 In this, He showed us that obedience can be part of love and of salvation.  We don’t have to be blindly obedient to authority, but in love we can freely submit ourselves to authority in order to accomplish salvation for the world and to build up the household of God.  The  practices of asceticism – fasting and self-denial – is connected to our freely choosing to deny ourselves in order to take up our crosses and follow Christ.

Admittedly, St. Paul wrote those words in a culture which valued obedience a lot more than American culture does.  Nevertheless, if we are to be Christian, Christ-like, disciples of Christ, there is a need for us to learn some form of obedience.  Fasting is one way that we can learn this.  Submitting ourselves to a discipline is a way to become a disciple. 

“Obey!” for many Americans is a command for a dog, perhaps a child, but not for an adult.  Theologian Olivier Clement defined Christian obedience in this way:  “Obedience sets freedom free by crucifying the love of self”.     Obedience has to do with discerning God’s will, something we cannot do if we are pre-occupied with asserting our own. 

Jack Sparks in his adaptation of the spiritual classic, VICTORY IN THE UNSEEN WARFARE, writes this about the will of God: 

 “For whatever affliction comes upon them, they refuse to bend their necks to the yoke of God’s will and to trust in His secret and righteous judgments. They do not want to follow the example of our Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, who humbled Himself and   suffered for our sakes…We must renounce all will of our own and learn perfect obedience to the will of God…You must sacrifice everything to God and do only His will. You will meet within yourself a multitude of desires, all clamoring for satisfaction, whether or not it agrees with the will of God…Therefore, to reach our chosen aim, we must first curb our own desires, submitting them to the will of God.”

Fasting, self-denial, abstinence all have to do with learning how to freely submit our desires to the will of God.

In Hebrews we are told to “obey those who rule over you,” referring to allegiance to legitimate Church authority.  In Romans 6:16, we are reminded of another side of obedience:

Do you not know that if you yield yourselves to any one as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?

Here St. Paul asks us to think about whom we obey for whomever that is, we become enslaved to them.   We can become enslaved to sin or to righteousness, to God or to the ego, to evil or to the self, to peer pressure or to our passions, to wealth and pleasure or to goodness and love.   Obedience in and of itself is not always a virtue: we must discern to whom we choose to become servants and whom we are to obey.

The Holy Door

The Holy Door, which is located in every Major Basilica in Rome, is opened at the beginning of the Jubilee Year, and closed at its end.  The Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica is opened by the Pope on Christmas Eve, December 25, 1999, with three strokes of the Silver Jubilee Hammer. 

The Pope is the first to enter, holding a copy of the Gospel, followed by the faithful.  A few hours later, also the Holy Doors of the other Basilicas and Cathedrals in Rome and around the world will be opened by the respective Cardinals and Bishops.  The Holy Door symbolizes Jesus Christ, who said:  “I am the gate;  whoever enters through me will be saved” (John 10:9).  As it was prophesied:  “This is the gate of the Lord through which the righteous may enter” (Psalms 118:20).  By passing through the Holy Door we profess that Jesus is the Messiah. 

Jubilee Churches

The following churches are designated for the Jubilee 2000:  St. Peter, St. John Lateran, St. Mary Major, St. Paul Basilicas in Rome; the Basilicas of Holy Sepulchre (Jerusalem), the Nativity (Bethlehem), the Annunciation (Nazareth) in Holy Land; cathedrals, minor basilicas, and important shrines throughout the world. 

Visual source:  images.google