Photo Caption Call - 4/30/08

[For today's blog topics, click here.]

[Credit: AP Photo/Brennan Linsley]

Breaking: John Michael Talbot’s Hermitage Burns To The Ground

Horrible:

A major fire is testing the faith of a Catholic monastery near Eureka Springs. Flames destroyed the chapel and dining hall of Little Portion Hermitage just after midnight Tuesday.

Firefighters from four departments were able to keep the intense fire from spreading to the living quarters of its members. They lost their archives, library, and storeroom. Little Portion's founder is recording artist John Michael Talbot, who says some at the monastery suffered from minor smoke inhalation.

If you'd like to make a donation for recovery and rebuilding, you can do so at Little Portion’s Web site.

More:

• Music News: Fire destroys Little Portion Hermitage (GrapeVine)
• Breaking News: John Michael Talbot’s Hermitage Burns (Catholic Online)

Ph/t: AmP reader Joan.

Pictures: Franciscan Univ. of Steuenville hosts Latin Mass

From Fr. Z:

He has more pictures and first-hand comments.

What Pope Benedict is up to, from May - August

The Vatican released his official schedule of events (reproduced by CNA):

May:

• Saturday 3: Recitation of the Rosary at 6 p.m. in the Roman basilica of St. Mary Major.
• Sunday 11: Pentecost Sunday. Mass at 10 a.m. in the Vatican Basilica.
• Saturday 17 and Sunday 18: Pastoral visit to Savona and Genoa, Italy.
• Thursday 22: Solemnity of Corpus Christi. Mass at 7 p.m. in the basilica of St. John Lateran, followed by a procession to the basilica of St. Mary Major for Eucharistic blessing.

June:

• Saturday 14 and Sunday 15: Pastoral visit to Santa Maria di Leuca and Brindisi, Italy.
• Saturday 28: At 6 p.m. in the Roman basilica of St. Paul's Outside-the-Walls, First Vespers for the solemn opening of the Pauline Year.
• Sunday 29: Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul, Apostles. Mass at 9:30 a.m. in the Vatican Basilica. Blessing and imposition of the pallium on metropolitan archbishops.

July:

• Saturday 12 to Monday 21: Apostolic trip to Australia for World Youth Day in Sydney.

August:

• Friday 15: Solemnity of the Assumption, Mass at 8 a.m. in the parish church of St. Thomas of Villanova in Castelgandolfo.

It's never to early too plan your summer vacation around seeing the pope!

Vatican allows injured bishop of Gallup Pelotte to resign

Finally:

"The Holy Father accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of Gallup, U.S.A. presented by Bishop Donald E. Pelotte S.S.S., in accordance with canon 401 para. 2 of the Code of Canon Law." (VIS)

The wierd backstory:

Last July, Bishop Pelotte, the first American Indian bishop ever appointed, suffered from a fall at his home in Gallup, New Mexico. The fall caused head injury and heavy bruising across his face, chest, both arms, knuckles, legs, and feet.

While doctors and news agencies speculated that the injuries were more consistent with an assault than a fall down a staircase, the bishop insisted that he was not attacked by anyone.

A few months later, the bishop made the news again when he called the police to report four "gentle little people, about 3 to 4 feet tall, and wearing Halloween masks" who refused to leave his home. (CNA)

Local coverage:

Pelotte returned to Gallup Sept. 21 after receiving treatment in Arizona, Texas and Florida. He left Gallup again on Dec. 13 for further medical treatment, diocese officials have said. They have declined to say where Pelotte is recovering.

The Vatican granted Pelotte a one-year medical leave and the pope appointed Diocese of Phoenix Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted as apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Gallup.

Olmsted will run the Diocese of Gallup until Pelotte's successor is appointed and installed.

The diocese encompasses all of San Juan and McKinley counties in New Mexico and most of northeastern Arizona. (AP)

My previous posts on this story as it was developing here. It's a strange one, for sure.

I'm glad to see the Vatican has officially allowed him to resign so the diocese can move on.

update: Diogenes bemoans the lack of (elsewhere-touted) "transparency" in all this.

Photo Caption Call - 4/29/08

[For today's blog topics, click here.]

[Credit: Flickr user "M&M Ski"]

Update: New Bishop of Lansing Earl Boyea to be installed at 2PM EST

See the Diocese of Lansing website for more details.

Local coverage:

Faithful to greet newest bishop (Lansing State Journal)
Local news in brief (Detroit Free Press)
Bishop's installation will be a large logistical challenge (MLive)

I lived in the Diocese of Lansing for six years, and covered Boyea's nomination here when it happened.

My father, Canonist Ed Peters, will be co-anchoring live coverage of the liturgy with Al Kresta on Ave Maria Radio here.

update: you can hear the live coverage right here. I'm trying to listen in now.

Breaking: Cardinal Egan calls out Guiliani for papal Mass communion

This is the big story of the day. Read the report first, then scroll down for my comments and context.

Here are pictures of Rudolph Giuliani in line to receive communion at the papal Mass (credit: AP).

LifeSiteNews presents the situation accurately and briefly. It's worth your time:

The decision by several prominent pro-abortion politicians to publicly receive Holy Communion at papal Masses during the recent visit of Pope Benedict XVI, despite clear Church teaching that says that their reception of Communion would constitute a grave sacrilege, may have backfired. While at first it seemed like it would be business as usual, today Cardinal Edward Egan of New York issued a statement condemning the reception of Holy Communion by former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani.

The Archdiocese informed LifeSiteNews.com that the issue is being brought forward publicly at this time "because it has become a public issue and a public question."

"The Catholic Church clearly teaches that abortion is a grave offense against the will of God," said Egan. "Throughout my years as Archbishop of New York, I have repeated this teaching in sermons, articles, addresses, and interviews without hesitation or compromise of any kind."

He continued, "Thus it was that I had an understanding with Mr. Rudolph Giuliani, when I became Archbishop of New York and he was serving as Mayor of New York, that he was not to receive the Eucharist because of his well-known support of abortion."

"I deeply regret that Mr. Giuliani received the Eucharist during the Papal visit here in New York," said Egan, "and I will be seeking a meeting with him to insist that he abide by our understanding."

Giuliani's response?

Responding to the matter in the press, Giuliani said that his faith "is a deeply personal matter and should remain confidential."

Catholic News Agency tells us:

Giuliani's spokeswoman, Sunny Mindel, responded to the cardinal's statement by saying that Giuliani is willing to meet with the cardinal but added that his faith "is a deeply personal matter and should remain confidential."

Carl Olson at the Ignatius Press blog has the response to that false defense:

Well, [Guilian's] "faith" might be a "deeply personal matter," but reception of the Eucharist is not just a "personal matter," but a public act of worship and a declaration that one is in right relationship with Jesus Christ and His Church.

Here is the full statement of Cardinal Egan:

“The Catholic Church clearly teaches that abortion is a grave offense against the will of God. Throughout my years as Archbishop of New York, I have repeated this teaching in sermons, articles, addresses, and interviews without hesitation or compromise of any kind. Thus it was that I had an understanding with Mr. Rudolph Giuliani, when I became Archbishop of New York and he was serving as Mayor of New York, that he was not to receive the Eucharist because of his well-known support of abortion. I deeply regret that Mr. Giuliani received the Eucharist during the Papal visit here in New York, and I will be seeking a meeting with him to insist that he abide by our understanding.”

Rocco at Whispers in the Loggia holds this up as a counter-example:

The move is a notable change of public tack by [Cardinal Egan]. In an early 2007 TV interview, when asked how he'd "come down" on public officials who defy church teaching -- Giuliani included -- Egan said that the politicos named were "all friends of mine."

"I wish them all the best, and they've been very good to us" the cardinal told WNBC's David Ushery.

Suffice it to say, compare and contrast.

I'm not sure if this interview response necessarily contradicts the statement he issued today. If anything, Cardinal Egan's tone of surprise and hurt would seem to imply that he sees Guilian's action as a violation of their previous understanding.

What provoked this move, we might ask?

John Allen noted back on April 20th that "At least three times during Pope Benedict XVI’s visit to the United States, a prominent pro-choice Catholic politician has received communion during a papal Mass." (Nancy Pelosi, John Kerry, and Rudolph Guiliani).

From this example, Allen concluded:

"While it would be a stretch to say that Benedict XVI authorized what happened, one can at least infer that the pope did not issue strict instructions to the contrary. The cumulative effect of these events will likely be to weaken the case that the Vatican wants the American bishops to take a stricter stance against communion for pro-choice Catholics in public life."

And yet, here we are, April 27th, and Cardinal Egan issues this unambiguous statement.

Bob Novak, in the interim, has been most vocal about the scandal the intervening silence caused:

In the aftermath of the U.S. visit by Pope Benedict XVI, traditional Catholics are asking a troublesome question: Did pro-choice politicians receiving Communion at the papal Masses indicate the pope had softened on the abortion question? The answer is no. On the contrary, it reflected disobedience to Benedict by the archbishops of New York and Washington.

And he was particularly harsh about the situation in New York:

In New York, Giuliani receiving Communion was even more remarkable. Unlike Pelosi and Kennedy, who attend Mass regularly, the former mayor says he goes to church only "occasionally," usually for holidays or funerals. Abortion aside, Giuliani's third marriage would make him ineligible for Communion because his second marriage was not annulled by the church. But Cardinal Egan is no more apt than Cardinal McCarrick was to offend the powerful, and Giuliani was invited to the Mass.

Novak published this Monday the 28th in the Washington Post. That same day Cardinal Egan published his statement. I don't know the timeline for sure, but it's possible Cardinal Egan was told in advance about Novak's piece. Or, it could be a coincidence that both Novak and Egan went to presses the same day.

update, 3:30pm - I was right, the statement was in response to Novak and the questions circulating:

"... the statement from Cardinal Egan was prompted by Robert Novak’s column and by comments circulating about the elected officials who had received Communion. “The cardinal felt it was important to clarify what had been the understanding, and to address it publicly,” he said. (CNA)

First things first, however - Cardinal Egan made the right move here. He did nothing new, or radical, he simply preached what the Church teaches in a moment when the teaching was challenged by Guiliani. In making this bold move to defend the Eucharist and prevent the scandal caused by these public figures receiving communion, he stands by Archbishop Raymond Burke, who up to this point has been the most prominent (and practically solitary) bishop to do so.

Canon Lawyer Ed Peters says that Cardinal Egan's statement is a slam dunk in terms of doctrine and Church Law:

"...whether for pro-abortion activism or for divorce and remarriage, to say nothing of both, Rudy is barred from receiving Communion. Period. His very, very public act of defiance in taking Communion at the papal Mass deserves swift and firm condemnation."

Now, one wonders if anything will happen here in Washington DC, where Kerry and Pelosi received (update: as well as Kennedy and Dodd).

The first public fruits of the pope's visit to America might well be giving the pastors of the Church the courage they needed to call out the wolves who have been attempting to masquerade as sheep in the American fold.

More on this story as it develops. Stay tuned....

update, 3:30pm - the response from Washington....

The Archdiocese of Washington also weighed in on the controversy, telling the New York Times that Archbishop Donald Wuerl had “consistently and persistently presented the Church’s clear teaching on the evil of abortion and the need for those in public office to recognize that the support of abortion is wrong.”

“How to respond to those in public office who support abortion legislation is open to various legitimate pastoral approaches, as the United States bishops affirmed in their June 2004 statement on Catholics in political life,” the statement said. “The decision concerning the refusal of Holy Communion to an individual can best be made by the bishop in the person’s home diocese with whom he or she presumably is in conversation.”

When contacted for additional comment by CNA, Susan Gibbs, Director of Communications for the Archdiocese of Washington, would not provide anything further. (CNA)

Pictures: The Best Photos of Pope Benedict XVI

Flickr User Christus Vincit has done us a service - the best photos of Pope Benedict XVI.

A sample:

.... an endless supply of Papist Pictures of the Day! ;-)

Papist Picture of the Day - 4/26/08

[For today's blog topics, click here.]

"Guardian of the Pontifical Fire Escape" sounds more glamorous than it is.

[source: REUTERS/Tony Gentile (VATICAN)]

Lombardi describes rumors about pope's health as "baseless" and "paradoxical"

Via Zenit:

Rumors suggesting that Benedict XVI's health is failing are "baseless," confirmed the Vatican.

Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, director of the Vatican press office, said this in statements to the press after the French newspaper Le Figaro published an article Saturday that raised questions regarding the Pontiff's health. The report also speculated on future successors to the papacy.

The spokesman said the article's assertions, published less than one week after the Pontiff ended his five-day apostolic trip to the United States, were "paradoxical.”

“Benedict XVI is well and it is paradoxical that doubts about his health are being manufactured precisely after his return from his demanding trip [to the U.S.], during which his schedule was not lightened in any way, and given the obvious joy with which the Pope responded to the welcome he received,” he said.

Exactly, if anything, Pope Benedict appears to have gained energy and vigour since becoming Pontiff. He was positively spry during some events. I was exhausted trying to keep up with everything he was doing during those five days. Like Pope John Paul II, he appeared to draw energy from his loving audience and the importance of his mission (the grace attached to the office of Peter's successor, I'm sure, helps as well).

At the same time, however, I think the Vatican significantly damaged its credibility on the issue of the pope's health during the many declining years of Pope John Paul II. During which, despite obvious signs to the contrary, the press office often claimed that he was in good health. Do I think they hide this pope's health issues? No. But a few extra prayers sure couldn't hurt in any case.

Photos: Pope Benedict XVI Ordains 29 Men to the Priesthood

A busy day in Vatican City at St. Peter's Basilica:

The joy intrinsic to the ordination and the sorrow caused by news of violence coming from tormented Africa marked Benedict XVI’s day today as he ordained 29 deacons from the diocese of Rome this morning in St Peter’s Basilica. The Pope later talked about the rite and made an appeal for Somalia, Darfur and Burundi. He also mentioned his ‘mission’ to the United States and extended his best wishes to Orthodox Christians who celebrate Easter today, thus renewing his hope in full unity. (AsiaNews.IT)

Selected photos:

My, but doesn't this picture speak volumes? Here's the official photo caption:

New ordained priest Jarjis Robert Sayd of Iraq looks on during a ceremony lead by Pope Benedict XVI in which he ordained 29 new priests, in St. Peter Basilica at the Vatican, Sunday, April 27, 2008.

More photos at New Liturgical Movement.

Commentary: Cardinal Mahony says he is a "different disciple" after pope's visit

A changed man?

Cardinal Mahony writing in The Tidings - italics are my own:

For me personally, the two most memorable moments of grace with our Holy Father were ones shrouded in quiet prayer, silence and few public words: his meeting with victims of sexual abuse in Washington, D.C., and his visit to Ground Zero in New York. Both of these events had the dignity of silence, the depth of sadness, and the promise of hope-filled prayer - and both captured deeply the most wounded parts of our Church and of our country.

Yes, the great outdoor Masses were inspiring, the meetings with ecumenical and interfaith leaders were moving, and the gathering with young people and seminarians was memorable. But the power of those times of quiet healing moved me more deeply than all the rest of the Holy Father's many public appearances.

At first, I didn't know why. After all, concelebrating Mass with the Pope and tens of thousands of people was surely uplifting and a source of joy for us all. Slowly the realization became real: those times of quiet healing grace were exactly what I needed at this time in my own journey of faith. My own mistakes and failures over the years had continued to burden me - a weight that I failed to realize was holding me down.

The gentle and quiet manner of Pope Benedict touched me in the most vulnerable depths of my soul. I felt uplifted by our Shepherd and my heavy burdens somehow seemed lighter. How did our Holy Father accomplish this? Through his consistent call to faithful discipleship in Jesus Christ, and his reassurance that we are truly saved by hope in our loving God! His recent Encyclical Letter, Spe Salvi [Saved by Hope], continues to point us forward and upward on our journeys. He does not allow us to remain mired in our sins and faults, but instead, kept repeating the call to "true freedom" in Jesus who has come as "the way, the truth, and the life" for each one of us.

I return to Los Angeles a different disciple of Jesus than when I left a week ago. Thank you, Lord, for sending us not only the Vicar of Christ and the Successor of Peter, but also a brother and friend who knows Jesus personally and gave us six extraordinary days of grace and hope!

I dearly hope that Mahony's change of heart is authentic and bears fruit through internal and external reform.

Mahony, regular readers of this blog know, has a long history of doctrinal selectivism, allows and and promotes liturgical abuse, by many accounts has been deeply involved in abuses related to clergy sexual misconduct (during which he has often thrown the interests of the Church under the treads of civil law to protect himself), and is guilty of such deeply imprudent things as the construction of an ugly, vacant, $200 million cathedral in an archdiocese which could ill-afford such expenditures.

Has Mahony learned that it's never too late to begin acting for the best interest of the Church? Has he internalized the full range of Pope Benedict's teachings and exhortations? I hope so, on both counts.

If not, this letter is an empty lament, and a sounding gong. More than that: it's a crying shame.

Ph/t: Gerald Augustinus.

"Bill to Ban Human-Animal Hybrid Creation Introduced in Congress"

An AmP shout-out to Rep. Chris Smith:

Yesterday, Rep. Chris Smith introduced the Human-Animal Hybrid Prohibition Act, H.R. 5910, to ban the creation of part-human, part-animal hybrid beings. The legislation is timely as researchers are already tinkering with human-animal hybrid technologies. British scientists are actively perfecting the hybrid technique. On April 1, 2008 the BBC reported that, "Scientists at Newcastle University have created part-human, part-animal hybrid embryos for the first time in the UK." (LSN)

In the mailbox: The Last Secret of Fatima

The latest from DoubleDay religion:

Wow, written by the Cardinal Secretary of State, and a forward by Pope Benedict XVI!

I'm going to start reading it this afternoon.

"Papal visit triggers “tsunami” of New York seminary applications"

The good kind of tsunami:

St. Joseph Seminary in Yonkers, New York, has received dozens of applications following Pope Benedict’s visit, the New York Daily News reports.

"It's been like a tsunami, a good tsunami of interest," said Father Luke Sweeney, the Archdiocese of New York's vocations director. “I've been meeting people all week and have a lot of e-mails I haven't had the chance yet to respond to. It has been incredible.”

The dire side:

For the first time in 108 years, the seminary had been preparing for a year with no students. Only 23 seminarians are expected to be ordained for New York City over the next four years. A study carried out by Catholic World Report claims the archdiocese’s ratio of priests to congregation members is among the worst in the country.

Hope:

“We were hoping the Pope would convince many who were considering the priesthood to make the next step. It looks like he did,” he said

“One said he came, saw the crowd, heard what the Pope said and then called us," the priest said. "He said his questions and concerns were answered when he heard him speak.”

Let's all pray for these brave young men.

Local Bishop claims no responsibility for "balloon priest"

When I reported on the story of a balloon-flying priest earlier in the week, I asked "Which bishop, exactly, approved this leave of absence?!"

Looks like the bishop in question ... is distancing himself from his earlier approval:

Bishop Joao Alves Dos Santos of Paranagua said this week the Church warned Father Adelir de Carli, who disappeared last Sunday, against the dangers of taking a balloon flight.

The 41 year-old priest was hoping to break a balloon flight record in order to raise money for a spiritual rest stop for truck drivers. Although he said he was prepared for the journey, he went missing a few hours after he began his flight and he has still not been found. Rescue efforts by the Brazilian Air Force were suspended on Thursday, but the priest's family is persisting in the search with the help of a rented twin engine plane.

Bishop Dos Santos had joined in the now suspended search effort and said he is praying for the wellbeing of the priest.

According to the bishop, the Church did not encourage Father De Carli to take the flight. “We respected his decision but we advised against the trip because it was dangerous,” he said. (CNA)

Sure, suspending yourself hundreds of feet above the ocean with party balloons. What's not to respect?

Seriously, I hope they find him. But is this sort of thing really the best way to raise money in Brazil?!

"Bee Tornado" or Modern Day Eleventh Plague?

True story [with my bracketed comments for illustrative purposes]:

A giant cloud of thousands of bees mysteriously appeared and began to swirl in a "tornado pattern" around [an Egyptian-run] Central Florida Mexican restaurant [and brick manufacturer].

[Hebrew] Customers at Oxie's restaurant located near Highway 17-92 and Plymouth Avenue in [in Lower Egypt] said they noticed a cloud in the sky and thought it was raining. They then realized, the cloud was a swarm of bees.

"A lot of people said it was bees and ran to their cars [and chariots]," restaurant owner [and Pharaoh] Oxie Ochiana said. "It was scary. I was panicking. I didn't know what to do. [When one of my customers claimed his God was a jealous God, I totally didn't believe him.]"

Witnesses said the bees began to swirl like a tornado and menace customers Thursday [saying, "Let my people go!"].

"I looked and it was like a tornado of bees just all around our parking lot, swarming," said restaurant worker Marie Olson [whose Hebrew name is Zipporah].

A crowd formed at a distance to watch the cloud of bees [and praise the Lord with Timbrel and Harp]."

"It was crazy," Olson said. "I was shocked. I was surprised to see it. I don't know where they came from, so it was amazing to actually see them like that. It was awesome. [Our God is faithful to his promises!]"

I swear, the non-bracketed parts are completely original.

Papist Picture of the Day - 4/25/08

[For today's blog topics, click here.]

Some claim the Orthodox are overzealous when picking saints.

[source: REUTERS/Mihai Barbu (ROMANIA)]

Quotable Benedict: "Music infuses hope into the human soul"

Some excerpts from a speech he made at the Vatican after a concert performed in his honor:

This week the Italians took their turn at showing their affection and respect for the Pope by hosting a classical music concert in honor of his third anniversary and birthday. Benedict XVI thanked the choir and the orchestra for sharing the gift of music with people. Music, he said, has a spiritual value because it can “infuse hope into the human soul.”

.... The concert featured pieces by Luciano Berio, Johannes Brahms and Ludwig van Beethoven and was performed by the Giuseppe Verdi symphony orchestra and choir of Milan.

.... The Pope explained that there is a “spiritual value” to the art of music which, “in a special way, is called to infuse hope into the human soul, marked and sometimes injured by its earthly condition.

“There is a profound and mysterious relationship between music and hope, between song and eternal life", the Holy Father said. "It is no coincidence that Christian tradition shows the spirits of the blessed as they sing in chorus, captivated and enraptured by the beauty of God. But true art, like prayer, is not foreign to everyday reality, rather it calls us to 'irrigate' that reality, to make it sprout that it may bring forth fruits of goodness and peace.

Music, in fact, has a far greater value because it "reminds us furthermore of the value and the universal importance of artistic heritage,” the Pope said. He also mentioned that it is of particular value to the young, who can draw "new inspiration" from such heritage "in order to build a world founded on justice and solidarity, putting the multiform expressions of world culture to good account at the service of mankind".

Benedict XVI mentioned the importance that "educating people to recognize true beauty has for the formation of the young", and he explained how art "contributes to refining their souls and leads towards the construction of a society open to the ideals of the spirit. (CNA)

Underlinining my own. Many of the performers were young adults.

A few pictures from the event:



Credit: REUTERS/Tony Gentile (VATICAN), AP Photo/L'Osservatore Romano, HO

Peggy Noonan on airport security, Pennsylvania, and Bush

My Friday morning treat is to read Peggy Noonan's latest column. Now it can be yours, too!

McCain-Jindal spotted in New Orleans, VP rumors denied

McCain in New Orleans:

Surrounded by gutted homes in the Lower 9th Ward, Sen. John McCain promised Thursday that the federal government won't be so slow after the next big storm.

The presumptive Republican presidential nominee toured a residential street with Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, a Republican, before addressing about 50 activists, journalists and Hurricane Katrina survivors in front of a church.

"Never again will we experience such mishandling of natural disasters and the suffering that ensues from it," McCain said. "There are so many lessons that … need to be learned." (USA Today)

Bobby Jindal, for his part, said he wasn't considering or remotely expecting the VP spot. Instead:

"I intend to be governor for four years and run for a second term," Jindal said.
Jindal’s national profile will rise again next week with an appearance on "The Tonight Show" on Monday and in front of the National Press Club in Washington on May 2. (The Daily Advertiser)

Hey, I'm free May 2nd. Maybe I should check it out.

Papist Picture of the Day - 4/24/08

[For today's blog topics, click here.]

The separation of Church and State, ballpark-style.

[source: Mike Segar/Reuters]

Exclusive: On day of PA primary, Hillary Clinton wears Madonna Bracelet!

Check out this photo of a celebratory Hillary Clinton taken on the night of the PA primary:

Now let's have a closer look at that bracelet she's sporting:

To many Catholics, it's instantly familiar as a "Madonna bracelet", such as this one (maybe exactly this one):

So, here it is: on the day of a crucial primary for her campaign, in a state with a large Catholic vote, Hillary Clinton deliberately wears a piece of religious jewelry identifying her with a popular Catholic devotion.

Am I surprised? Not at all. After all, it paid off. She won the "Catholic vote".

But I thought it should be pointed out nonetheless.... what do you think of her choice?

update - this story has gone big. Feel free to add this to Digg, etc. The buttons are below.

update 2 - welcome, readers of HotAir, MichelleMalkin, Ace of Spades, NRO's The Corner & Lucianne.

You saw it here first: Hillary Clinton, a Methodist, wearing a Catholic devotional bracelet! See more of my posts:

• Hillary Clinton
• Barack Obama
• 2008 Presidential Race
• Catholicism & Politics
• My previous exclusives

.... and if you want some Friday humor, check out the archived papist picture of the day!

Video: This week's "Catholic Colbert"

The latest "Catholic Colbert":

Frankly, not that funny. This is why he should interview me.

Stephen, I know you're watching. I am papist, and so can you.

AmP Featured on BlogAwards.com

Pretty cool:

In honor of Pope Benedict XVI’s visit to the good ol’ USA, we bring you the blog American Papist: Not Your Average Catholic. For those not in the know, a Papist is a Catholic who is a strong advocate of the papacy. The blog is written by Thomas Peters, a young lay Catholic currently studying and working in Washington D.C., who has been blogging about life as a Catholic American since 2005. Brimming with images of the Pope’s visit thus far (he only arrived yesterday in D.C.) and extended coverage of his every move, American Papist is a must-read for Catholics and non-Catholics alike who are interested in the Holy Father.

Thanks for the nod!

Vatican to take disciplinary action against renegade Paraguayan bishop?

The headline gives us the picture: Former bishop Fernando Lugo scores historic win in Paraguay.

The story fills it in:

Former Roman Catholic bishop Fernando Lugo won a historic victory in Paraguay's presidential election Sunday, ending more than six decades of one-party rule with a mandate to help the nation's poor and indigenous.

.... News of the win by the gray-bearded Lugo, dubbed the "bishop of the poor," set off massive parties in cities across Paraguay with horn-honking caravans of cars blaring music. Others stamped on torn-down banners of the Colorado Party, which many Paraguayans blame for decades of corruption by political elites.

.... In Paraguay's long-volatile politics, Lugo still awaited final official returns confirming his landmark triumph, which would make him he first former Catholic bishop elected as a president.

.... A bishop since 1994, he resigned the post in December 2006 to sidestep Paraguay's constitutional ban on clergy seeking office. Lugo says he was influenced by the liberation theology frowned upon by the Vatican. But he says he is neither on the left nor the right, but leads a pluralistic coalition.

Trouble is, it's meaningless to "resign" from being a priest (or a bishop) in the Catholic church.

[edited - see update below]

Canon Lawyer Ed Peters (my father) explains the complexities of the canonical case:

Pope Benedict XVI is believed to be mulling over the possibility of expelling a bishop, Fernando Lugo, from the clerical state. That would certainly be a first under the 1983 Code (the Jacques Gaillot case in 1995 was not a precedent; Gaillot was removed from office, but not from the clerical state), and I'm pretty sure it never happened under the 1917 Code.

[More arcanum and "practicalum" in his post.]

Catholic World News follows the above-cited canonical analysis of Ed Peters, and adds this:

A former Divine Word missionary, Lugo was named Bishop of San Pedro in 1994. He resigned that post in 2005, citing health issues. He is now 58 years old and his health appears to be fine.

How shocking. A miraculous recovery. Must have been a sign, right?

The Vatican's spokesmen, Fr. Federico Lombardi, says they are going to "take things slow."

In other words, don't expect an immediate specific condemnation of the bishop's most recent action (winning the election). Lugo is already in enough trouble for abandoning his ministry, so he's not going to get into more trouble for succeeding at what he left his office to accomplish. If anything, in accepting the position he proclaims his obduracy in sin. Plus the Vatican doesn't want to look like it is meddling in the political process.

update: Gregor of TNLM, in the comments section to this post, raises the possibility that removal of a bishop from the clerical state is in fact impossible, citing a statement by Cardinal Re. Considering that the original "source" for these rumors that the pope was considering removing Lugo from the clerical state is not the Vatican but instead a UK newspaper, it's not surprising that they would get this matter of fact wrong.

Heck, these journalists can't even get the concept of laicization down in the first place (instead they often use the non-technical term "defrocking", which they actually used again in today's story).

Updates as I see them....

update 2: Ed Peters responds that dismissing a bishop from the clerical state is not impossible, but will save explaining why until later tonight when he can do so at length on his blog. So check back there.

Flash: John Henry Cardinal Newman to be beatified this year!

Deo Gratias!

The Vatican has approved the beatification of Cardinal John Henry Newman [wikipedia page], the English convert and theologian who has had immense influence upon English-speaking Catholicism, the Birmingham Mail reports.

The Catholic Church has accepted as miraculous the cure of an American deacon’s crippling spinal disorder. The deacon, Jack Sullivan of Marshfield, Massachusetts, prayed for John Henry Newman’s intercession.

At his beatification ceremony later this year, John Henry Newman will receive the title “Blessed.” He will need one more recognized miracle to be canonized.

The case of a 17-year-old New Hampshire boy who survived serious head injuries from a car crash is being investigated as a possible second miracle. (CNA)

Intentional Disciples anticipated this story, and has some helpful resources.

Plenty of folks are going to be tickled pink about this news. Me, for one.

Ph/t: Gashwin Gomes.

Brazilian balloon priest missing at sea; feared apostasized, raptured

Well, the first part of this blog title is true:

Rescuers reached a cluster of brightly colored party balloons floating in the ocean off Brazil's coast Tuesday but did not find the Roman Catholic priest who had been using them in a bid to set a flight record.

Rev. Adelir Antonio di Carli remained missing after lifting off from the port city of Paranagua on Sunday strapped to hundreds of helium-filled balloons.

He was also wearing a helmet, aluminum thermal flight suit, water proof coveralls and parachute and was seeking to break a record for the longest time in-flight with party balloons.

He planned to use the money raised in his attempt to break the 19-hour record to fund a "spiritual" rest-stop for truckers in Paranagua, home to Brazil's largest grain port. (AP)

*scratches head* Which bishop, exactly, approved this leave of absence?!

Photos: Pope Delivers Homily at Funeral Mass for Cardinal Trujillo

More fantastic photos at New Liturgical Movement.

From the Vatican Information Service:

This morning in St. Peter's Basilica, Benedict XVI pronounced a homily following the funeral Mass for the late Cardinal Alfonso Lopez Trujillo, president of the Pontifical Council for the Family, who died on Saturday 19 April at the age of 72.

The Pope highlighted "the zeal and passion" with which the cardinal worked over the last 18 years, "his tireless activity in safeguarding and promoting the family and Christian marriage" as well as "the courage with which he defended the non-negotiable values of human life".

Among the late cardinal's achievements, the Pope mentioned "the 'Lexicon', which is a valuable formational text for pastoral care workers and an instrument for dialogue with the modern world on the fundamental themes of Christian ethics. We cannot", he added, "but be grateful for the tenacious battle he fought to defend the truth of familial love and to spread the gospel of the family".

He was well loved and will be dearly missed.

Catholic Radio gets a Sirius Papal Shout-Out

Talk about a fun listen, Pope Benedict XVI during his visit to New York sat down to record a 30-second spot for the Catholic Channel on Sirius Satelite Radio, which you can hear here. The story has been picked up by Zenit.

Hmm, "other media" - is that a subliminal reference to Catholic blogs?!

Oh, and they offer a free 3-day trial on their website.

Plans are in the works to have Pope Benedict guest-blogging on American Papist soon. ;-)

Help an Eastern Rite Seminarian

I often get requests along these lines, but it's rare that someone has done the legwork to where it's easy for me to pass on their request. He's been accepted as a seminarian but needs to pay off his college debt.

• Real Clear Religion explains the situation
• The young man speaks on Catholic Exchange
• His website: http://www.helpmebecomeapriest.com/

If you don't feel able to help his financial plight, please keep him in your prayers.

Papist Picture of the Day - 4/22/08

[For today's blog topics, click here.]

The pope's eighth-inning call for a lavabo cleared the bench.

[source: Erin Siegal/Reuters]

Exclusive behind-the-scenes photos from the NYC papal Mass!

These sent to me by AmP reader Jeff, studying at St. Mary's Seminary and University.

A gorgeous altar crucifix, seen close up. This guy had access.

The sacristy (aka the Yankee's locker room) all decked-out.

Cardinals DiNardo, O'Malley and Maida chat before the Mass.

Cardinal Folley takes an opportunity to get off his feet prior to the official activities.

Cardinal O'Malley shows off his spiffing matching red socks. Get it ... red sox?! :)

Angels in the outfield, and bishops in the dugout!

The commemorative plaque donated by the KofC that will remain in Yankee Stadium.

I had to laugh at this one: the famous orange fanta that the pope supposedly loves!

A couple more photos can be found on the AmP Flickr set I've created for these.

My thanks to Jeff for sending these to me. I think they reveal a nice alternative perspective on what was - by all accounts - a "well polished production of a Mass."

If you have any behind-the-scenes photos, please, send them along! I'd love to share them with AmP readers.

Update: Papists and Today's Pennsylvania Primary

update, 11:30PM:

Clinton wins PA by about 10 points. So that means she's staying in the race.

As Deal notes, Catholics went for Clinton big time, but had a less-than-expected showing.

update, 6:30PM:

early word out of PA is that Clinton has narrowly won the state over Obama 52-48.

if true, that's a much slimmer margin than she was hoping for, and now she needs Indiana.

more:

• Analysis: Philadelphia area key to winning state
• Exit polls: New Dems break for Obama, late deciders for Clinton

update, 3:30PM:

• "The former first [lady] is favored to win today's contest, but polls show a wide range of possible victory margins, and it's unclear what impact thousands of newly registered voters will have on the race. Many political observers believe she must win by double-digits here or face pressure to bow out." (MSNBC First Read)

Voter turn out is high today, aided by good weather.

• "The margin in the popular vote ultimately will be secondary to how Pennsylvania affects the battle for pledged delegates," Dan Balz writes in The Washington Post. "Clinton badly needs to make up ground in the delegate fight and, given the way they're distributed, that could be difficult." (ABC NEWS The Note)

If not impossible - at least for anyone who isn't named Clinton.

original post:

Tomorrow (Tuesday the 22nd), Pennsylvania is holding its democratic primary.

How much do Catholics figure in this primary? Plenty.

Estimates for the percentage of Catholics who will participate in the election run as high as 40%, which is above the state's overall demographic (where Catholics make up about ~30% of the population). This still means that Catholics are the largest voting block in Pennsylvania by religion. It seems safe to guess that 1/3 of the voters tomorrow will be Catholic.

This is good news for Clinton, who normally wins more Catholics than Obama.

Obama is wise to this situation, however, and he has formed a "Catholic advisory council", that Deal Hudson takes a look at here. The Catholic vote is crucial to Obama's long-term prospects. As CNN's Ed Henry notes, Catholics have picked the winner "in eight of the last nine presidential elections."

Will Pope Benedict's recent trip to the U.S. have an effect on voting or show up in the polls? It's very unlikely. Matt Drudge has reported that the Clinton campaign has internal polling numbers showing her with an 11-point lead going into tomorrow, but that up-tick I'm sure is due to many factors.

So, what do you think? I'll keep this thread updated tomorrow so concentrate the comments here.

A seminarian blogs his experience of the Papal Youth Rally

In his own words:

Due to the generosity of my bishop, I was able to attend the Youth Rally at St. Joseph Seminary in Yonkers NY during Pope Benedict XVI's visit to the USA.

I found this particularly amusing:

Here is a diagram to 1) give you a better idea of where I was and 2) put my stellar paintbrush skills on display. The yellow part is the buffer zone between the crowd and the Pope (there was actually Gold carpeting laid down here. The white at the top is the stage, and the white at the bottom is the gathering space.

Go visit his blog for the rest of his on-the-ground reporting!

Richard Sipe "outs" retired DC Cardinal McCarrick

It's interesting (surprising?) that Catholic World News would report on this accusation:

Richard Sipe, a former Benedictine priest and psychologist who has commented extensively on the sex-abuse scandal in the US, has accused Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, the retired Archbishop of Washington, of recruiting seminarians as sexual partners.

Here is Sipe's statement.

A couple reactions:

• It is doubteful that Sipe would go this far if he did not think he could survive a counter-lawsuit saying that he is guilty of libel for making these claims. By the same token, however, the failure of McCarrick to bring such a lawsuit should not automatically be taken as an admission of guilt on his part.
• I don't know much about Richard Sipe, but it appears he has taken some of his advocacy on behalf of uncovering abusive priests too far. For instance, he thinks clergy celibacy should be repealed.

In posting this story, I'm not trying to take a position on the veracity of Sipe's claims, or the prudence of addressing the situation in the way he chose (publicly). CWNews has already let the story out of the bag.

Charge: CNS behaves more like "LPNS" when choosing interview subjects

In other words, not "Catholic News Service", but "Liberal Protestant News Service" says Carl Olson over at the Ignatius Press blog.

Christopher Blosser at the Benedict in America Blog explains the cause for Carl Olson's charge - it's the inexplicable fact that CNS writer Chris Herlinger chose to interview students at a "nondenominational graduate school of theology with Protestant roots and a home for Catholic academics who have run afoul of the Vatican" to get a reaction to the pope's visit.

It shouldn't surprising the resulting article came up with quotes like this:

"For her part, [Union doctoral student Kim] Harris -- a Catholic who used to be Presbyterian -- said her concern about church reform, specifically the need to expand the eligibility for clergy to include noncelibate men and women, is coming out of real and "lived experience.""

Christopher Blosser asks in response:

Does this subjective feeling of resentment invalidate the argued position of the Church?

Catholic News Service identifies itself as "the primary source of national and world news that appears in the U.S. Catholic press," however with the disclaimer that "while created in 1920 by the bishops of the United States, is editorially independent and a financially self-sustaining division of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops."

I wonder if "editorially and financially independent" is to the USCCB what "plausible deniability" is for the President, when the CIA does a black operation? Honestly, I would have normally expected this backstabbing tripe from the likes of the National Catholic Reporter.

Diogenes at Catholic World News' Off the Record blog doesn't have much patience for this sort of thing either.

Aussie Cardinal Pell Disputes “global warming hypothesis”

CNA reports:

In the April 20 edition of the Australian newspaper, the Sunday Telegraph, Cardinal George Pell expressed his concern regarding the “global warming hypothesis” in an article titled, “Global warming is over.”

Cardinal Pell began his article by giving recent examples of countries that have experienced more bitter temperatures and heavier snow than usual.

... The cardinal stated that while “the world is much bigger than both China and Canada combined, which might be the exceptions to the new rule of man-made global warming, but they are inconvenient facts for the climate-change bandwagon.”

"And it is an intolerant bandwagon with loud, exaggerated claims that the issue is settled and that an unchallenged consensus among scientists confirms the hypothesis of dangerous, humanly caused global warming. In fact, the issue is far from settled.”

He continued by listing three significant points. [Read them here.]

Papist Picture of the Day - 4/21/08

[For today's blog topics, click here.]

Vice-President Cheney was disappointed when he was informed that he could not accompany the pope back to Rome. No, not even if he asks nicely.

[source: REUTERS/Mel Evans/Pool (UNITED STATES) ]

Archive: AmP Coverage of Pope Benedict XVI's visit to the USA

Complete Coverage of Pope Benedict's visit to the U.S.:

Day 6:

• AmP: Thanks, Papa!
• Humor: Papist Picture of the Day
• Recap: Suffering from Papal withdrawal?
• Photo Caption Call (My 3000th post!)
• Pope trip: Papal Mass in Yankee Stadium beginning now
• A youth's first-hand account of the papal youth rally
• Pictures: Pope Benedict Prays at Ground Zero

Day 5:

• Video: Kelly Clarkson performs for Pope Benedict
• Commentary: On Pope Benedict's Speech to Youth
• Liveblogging Pope Benedict's Youth Rally
• Humor: Papist Picture of the Day
• Quotable Pope: On Academic Freedom, and Heterodoxy
• Commentary: The pope's global warming speech that wasn't
• Offbeat: Papal Security Sweep Saves Life of Area Beaver
• Exclusive: Kelly Clarkson will sing for Pope Benedict

Day 4:

• Notice: I'll be on CNN this Saturday morning at 11:30
• Video: President Bush praises Pope Benedict
• Pictures: Pope Benedict at the United Nations
• Awesome Picture: Pope Benedict Descends From Helicopter
• Aside: Pope leaves 46,000 happy (and sunburned!) Catholics
• Text: Pope Benedict's address to the United Nations
• Pope trip: Pope to NYC, and U.N. Address (includes links)

Day 3:

• Video: Abuse victims describe personal meeting with Pope
• Links: All the speeches of Pope Benedict so far
• AmP Videos: Papal Mass in Washington DC
• AmP Pictures: Papal Mass in Washington DC
• Video: Catholics Come Home
• Noted: Pope meets privately with victims of sexual abuse
• Picture: John Kerry Receives Communion at Papal Mass

Day 2:

• President Bush to Pope: "Awesome speech your Holiness"
• Reactions to Pope Benedict's Speech to U.S. Bishops
• Humor: Photo Caption Call
• Photos: Pope addresses U.S. Bishops
• AmP Pictures: Pope Benedict visits the Shrine
• Amp Videos: Pope Benedict visits the Shrine
• My Videos & Photos taken at Pope Benedict's visit to the National Shrine with the U.S. Bishops
• Text: Address of the Holy Father to the U.S. bishops
• Pictures: Pope Benedict at the White House
• Text: Address of the Holy Father at the White House
• AmP: Blogging from near the National Shrine
• AmP: Tonight, I sleep in the same city as the pope
• Videos: Day 1 highlights of Pope Benedict XVI's visit
• AmP: I'm interviewed in OSV's article on Catholic blogging
• Cardinal: Pope's reflections aren't irrelevant to politics
• Personal: I've got the golden ticket!
• Noted: Abp. Wuerl to ride with Pope Benedict in Popemobile
• Info: DC Papal Mass at Nationals Stadium - All you need.

Day 1:

• Day 1: Pictures of Pope Benedict's Arrival
• Day 1: Liveblogging the pope's arrival (w/ live video links!)
• Video: My MSNBC interview on the pope and his trip
• Day 1: Hillary Clinton makes her move
• Day 1: Vatican's papal itinerary (and already a typo)
• Day 1: Pope Benedict speaks to reporters on Shepherd One

My email: thomas [at] americanpapist.com

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What does Pope Benedict have to say to the Catholic youth of today? Find out in this affordable book!

Thanks, Papa!

Needless to say, Pope Benedict XVI's visit was a huge shot in the arm for AmP's readership numbers. The blog was featured on the Today Show and MSNBC.com, and I was able to do interviews with CNN, BBC World News and Our Sunday Visitor. AmP was also recommended as a "go to" blog for papal coverage by countless blogs and websites.

Thank you for the trust.

Hopefully people were able to find out more about our beloved Holy Father. After all, he's why I'm here.

As a result of all this exposure, some AmP numbers for you, in case you find these things interesting:

• Bloglines subscribers are up to 160.
• Almost 400 subscribers through Google Reader.
• Over 23,000 picture views recorded on Flickr.
• AmP's YouTube videos have been watched almost 17,000 times, with 46 subscribers.
• The official AmP Facebook page has almost 350 members now.
• In the last week, well over 40,000 visits and 100,000 pages viewed.

... and a couple folks even dropped a little something in the Paypal donation box. Thank you!

And please remember, following Pope Benedict XVI is a year-round gig around here - so stick around!

Suffering from Papal withdrawal?

I am.

I'm also rather exhausted by these last five days. I can only imagine how happy Pope Benedict is to be finally going home. I mean, he has almost 60 years on me. And what's around-the-clock coverage and a few interviews when compared to the schedule he had? Not much, really.

(Gosh, I already miss him.)

That said, I don't want to lose the momentum. I will, however, probably allow a few days to slip by before I try to glean what the "consensus" is following his visit. In the interim, AmP will be returning to its normal wide coverage of things Catholic, plus I'll be drafting a reflection piece on what the pope's visit means, now that he is gone.

(I wonder if anyone wants to publish it? Drop me a line.)

Also, I'd love to hear what you thought about the visit. Favorite moment? Favorite line? Did you see him? What was good? What was bad? Did the media behave? Did the pope exceed your expectations? Disappoint?

There's plenty to discuss, so go for it!

Photo Caption Call - 4/20/08 (My 3000th post!)

[For today's blog topics, click here.]

[Credit: REUTERS/Mike Segar]

As I've said in many recent interviews, I expected to publish my 3,000th post during Pope Benedict XVI's visit.

Well, here we are. See you at 4,000!

Papal Mass in Yankee Stadium beginning now

The pope's final public appearance - celebrating Mass at Yankee Stadium in NYC - is beginning now.

I would recommend watching it on the USCCB's papal visit site: http://www.uspapalvisit.org

A youth's first-hand account of the papal youth rally

This sent to me last night by an overjoyed Megan B., of Hyde Park, New York:

"Hello! I’m a long time reader of your blog and I wanted to give you some more details on the papal youth rally, which I was able to attend today.

First of all, it was absolutely amazing. It was like a giant 4th of July fireworks event, or county fair (including long lines for food!)

One of the things they didn’t show on TV (I don’t know if they mentioned it) was that there was also a prayer chapel and confessions available. The prayer chapel was a white tent with a gold tabernacle, a life-sized crucifix and big picture of the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe. All day they had prayer services like meditations, songs, the rosary, and dance. I was with a group that did two prayer services, and people just kept coming in and out to pray.

Also, I’ve never been to a world youth day, so this is the most brothers, sisters and priests I’ve seen in one place! There were tons of priests/seminarians in cassocks everywhere. I also saw the Dominican Sisters of Hawthorne, the Sisters of Life, Dominican Sisters of Mary Mother of the Eucharist (from Michigan!) and Mother Theresa’s sisters, the Sisters of Charity. I saw regular Franciscans, and also Franciscan Friars of the Renewal, including…Fr. Benedict Groschel! He passed by my area in a wheelchair; it looked like he was going to the VIP section.

It was also so amazing to see everyone’s shirts. Almost all the schools/parishes had personalized shirts. Some had the Christ our Hope logo, and the year and their parish name, there were jersey style “Benedict 16” shirts, I "heart" B16 (styled after the I love NY logo), “I’d rather be studying theology,” “I love Jesuits.” It was amazing. It really made you realize how many people there are that love their faith.

Besides the marriage vocation video, they also showed a clip of “God in the Streets of New York” by Grassroots Films. They also showed an interview with a friend of mine, sharing an experience of living the Gospel in daily life, specifically through sports.

Overall, the vibe was really great. The MCs were good, and they kept dangling Kelly Clarkson in front of the audience, but honestly, I think all the other Christian artists did a better job of psyching people up. What better way to prepare for seeing the pope than singing “Jesus Freak” with TobyMac, or the Apostle’s Creed with Third Day or “Here I am Lord” with Matt Mahr. The last one was the only song that everyone sang along with.

Once the pope arrived, we all just couldn’t stop cheering. I think we ran overtime because of that. The seminarians were the worst—I don’t know if you could tell, but the pope actually stopped at one point to let them finish the song they were singing—I think it was a Gregorian chant. The pope was definitely happy to be there.

Also, everyone got a good bag with:

• a bottle of water
• emergency poncho (which we used to sit on, since there was no rain)
• a white or yellow bandana (you can see them in the pictures)
• a 2-for-1 admission pass t the Cathoics in New York dispay at the museaum of the City of New Yorka prayer card for the pope's visit
• a "Come Follow Me" vocation prayer carda brochure and card about vocations to the priesthood
• the program book, which had the songs that were song with the pope, including "Happy Birthday" in German (you didn't think we all knew that, did you?)"

Thanks, Megan, for your wonderful account!

Pictures: Pope Benedict Prays at Ground Zero

Words below, but images first:

Read the Vatican's account of the pope's visit to Ground Zero, along with the text of his prayer, here.

Papist Picture of the Day - 4/19/08

[For today's blog topics, click here.]

PopeBerry n., "A phone addictively used to take pictures of the pope."

(The same people normally have this image as their phone's wallpaper.)

[source: REUTERS/Mel Evans/Pool (UNITED STATES) ]

Video: Kelly Clarkson performs for Pope Benedict

Here ya go (link updated):

Thoughts on Pope Benedict's Speech to Youth

Quotations and comments:

"I am most grateful to them all. Also, I wish to acknowledge your singing to me Happy Birthday! Thank you for this moving gesture; I give you all an "A plus" for your German pronunciation!"

Ha!

My own years as a teenager were marred by a sinister regime that thought it had all the answers; its influence grew - infiltrating schools and civic bodies, as well as politics and even religion - before it was fully recognized for the monster it was. It banished God and thus became impervious to anything true and good. Many of your grandparents and great-grandparents will have recounted the horror of the destruction that ensued. Indeed, some of them came to America precisely to escape such terror.

Pope Benedict is never afraid to use his own life and experience as an example to youth, good and bad.

The second area of darkness - that which affects the mind - often goes unnoticed, and for this reason is particularly sinister. The manipulation of truth distorts our perception of reality, and tarnishes our imagination and aspirations. I have already mentioned the many liberties which you are fortunate enough to enjoy. The fundamental importance of freedom must be rigorously safeguarded. It is no surprise then that numerous individuals and groups vociferously claim their freedom in the public forum. Yet freedom is a delicate value. It can be misunderstood or misused so as to lead not to the happiness which we all expect it to yield, but to a dark arena of manipulation in which our understanding of self and the world becomes confused, or even distorted by those who have an ulterior agenda.

Have you noticed how often the call for freedom is made without ever referring to the truth of the human person? Some today argue that respect for freedom of the individual makes it wrong to seek truth, including the truth about what is good. In some circles to speak of truth is seen as controversial or divisive, and consequently best kept in the private sphere. And in truth's place - or better said its absence - an idea has spread which, in giving value to everything indiscriminately, claims to assure freedom and to liberate conscience. This we call relativism. But what purpose has a "freedom" which, in disregarding truth, pursues what is false or wrong? How many young people have been offered a hand which in the name of freedom or experience has led them to addiction, to moral or intellectual confusion, to hurt, to a loss of self-respect, even to despair and so tragically and sadly to the taking of their own life? Dear friends, truth is not an imposition. Nor is it simply a set of rules. It is a discovery of the One who never fails us; the One whom we can always trust. In seeking truth we come to live by belief because ultimately truth is a person: Jesus Christ. That is why authentic freedom is not an opting out. It is an opting in; nothing less than letting go of self and allowing oneself to be drawn into Christ's very being for others (cf. Spe Salvi, 28).

A favorite theme of the Holy Father: our freedom is meant to lead us to happiness, but it is a delicate possession that must be closely guarded and fostered. Freedom is not an end in itself.

The pope now focuses four "essential aspects of faith":

1. personal prayer and silence
2. liturgical prayer
3. charity in action
4. vocations (not just to the priesthood - to the married life as well)

In detail (my abbreviated quotations from the Holy Father's text):

1. What matters most is that you develop your personal relationship with God. That relationship is expressed in prayer....Friends, do not be afraid of silence or stillness, listen to God, adore him in the Eucharist. Let his word shape your journey as an unfolding of holiness.

2. Whenever you gather for Mass, when you go to Confession, whenever you celebrate any of the sacraments, Jesus is at work....Your faithful participation, is an active hope which helps to keep the world - saints and sinners alike - open to God; this is the truly human hope we offer everyone.

3. Contemplating Jesus on the Cross we see love in its most radical form. We can begin to imagine the path of love along which we must move. The opportunities to make this journey are abundant. Look about you with Christ's eyes, listen with his ears, feel and think with his heart and mind. Are you ready to give all as he did for truth and justice?

4. Let us pray for mothers and fathers throughout the world, particularly those who may be struggling in any way - socially, materially, spiritually. Let us honor the vocation of matrimony and the dignity of family life. Let us always appreciate that it is in families that vocations are given life.

To seminarians:

Gathered here at Saint Joseph Seminary, I greet the seminarians present and indeed encourage all seminarians throughout America. I am glad to know that your numbers are increasing! .... Dear seminarians, I pray for you daily. Remember that what counts before the Lord is to dwell in his love and to make his love shine forth for others.

His final paragraph:

Friends, again I ask you, what about today? What are you seeking? What is God whispering to you? The hope which never disappoints is Jesus Christ. The saints show us the selfless love of his way. As disciples of Christ, their extraordinary journeys unfolded within the community of hope, which is the Church. It is from within the Church that you too will find the courage and support to walk the way of the Lord. Nourished by personal prayer, prompted in silence, shaped by the Church's liturgy you will discover the particular vocation God has for you. Embrace it with joy. You are Christ's disciples today. Shine his light upon this great city and beyond. Show the world the reason for the hope that resonates within you. Tell others about the truth that sets you free. With these sentiments of great hope in you I bid you farewell, until we meet again in Sydney this July for World Youth Day! And as a pledge of my love for you and your families, I gladly impart my Apostolic Blessing.

See you in Sydney (God willing)!

Liveblogging Pope Benedict's Youth Rally Remotely

*** The Live feed by the USCCB is here: http://www.uspapalvisit.org/ ***

6:30PM - Sorry to say that I must cease liveblogging at this point, but do continue to watch the feed!

5:55PM - We're watching five youths read the short biography of American saints, and meet the Holy Father.

5:40PM - A wonderful line from Cardinal Egan: "Here before you, Holy Father, is the hope of the Church in America!"

5:31PM - I can't believe it. He walked all the way down the "catwalk" platform to shake hands!

5:30PM - I've lost track of how long they've been cheering. Something rediculous like 6-7 minutes?!

5:24PM - He's taken the stage. One of the happiest I've seen him. He hasn't sat down yet.

5:15PM - Waiting to leave, he rolled the window down and continues to greet the youth.

5:13PM - Before getting in the popemobile, the pope made a run for the barrier and said hi!

4:59PM - He's leaving down the center aisle now. Blessing children like crazy. Seeking them out sometimes.

4:54pm - The pope is addressing the assembled youth with disabilities. It is actually a planned speech, and not "off the cuff" as the USCCB commentator's surmised. His speech gains force because you can here in the background some of the children, and see their parents caring for them.

4:47PM - The archdiocesan deaf choir is singing along with a hymn for the Holy Father.

4:46PM - Pope Benedict is receiving gifts from children. Super cute. He's all smiles.

4:29PM - Oh, and I just have to mention that in this lengthy promo video I appear TWICE! :-D

4:22PM - They're rolling a video promo for the next in World Youth Day in Sydney, Australia. Contrary to what the commentators said - it's happening this summer (2008), not next summer.

4:20PM - Colleen Carroll Campbell has an excellent piece on what Catholic youth see in Pope Benedict, and what he expects of them. One of the best treatments I've read recently.

4:15PM - The commentators have been saying some helpful things. We're basically just waiting for the pope. I just read the pope's speech in advance - it's going to be great! Stay tuned to see if he adapts the text....

4:00PM - Here's an interesting move. They are playing a lengthy video about Saint Gianna Beretta Molla and her husband as an example of marriage. Pope Benedict has already spoke often about the importance of teaching young people about the full reality of marriage.

3:58PM - And that's it. She's gone. :-)

3:55PM - Back to familiar territory - Since You've Been Gone.

3:50PM - Kelly's taken the stage. Walk Away is her first song. Second one is a "more spiritual song" by the name of Up to the Mountain.

3:45PM - Kelly Clarkson is about to go on. I wonder what her selections will be?!

3:35PM - A few links:

• "Holy Father expected to address vocations in seminary in Yonkers" (CNA)
• "Warming up the crowd for the Pope" (OSV's Papal visit blog)
• "Grinding for God: Pope to get 'official papal skateboard' from youths" (CNS)

3:25PM - Three Graces have taken the stage. Opera, Pop and Broadway music. Nice combination.

3:15PM - Just caught the end of Fr. Stan Fortuna's set. I heard him perform a couple times at World Youth Day 2005 in Germany, and got to meet him. Cool dude. Here's one of his songs on YouTube.

Quotable Benedict: On Academic Freedom, and Heterodox Teaching

In Pope Benedict's address to Catholic educators delivered yesterday, he succintly framed the questions about (and implied the answers to) some basic issues which seem to continually escape the erudite academic community here in the United States:

In regard to faculty members at Catholic colleges universities, I wish to reaffirm the great value of academic freedom. In virtue of this freedom you are called to search for the truth wherever careful analysis of evidence leads you. Yet it is also the case that any appeal to the principle of academic freedom in order to justify positions that contradict the faith and the teaching of the Church would obstruct or even betray the university's identity and mission; a mission at the heart of the Church’s munus docendi and not somehow autonomous or independent of it.

In the grand spirit of recent academic scholarship, let me provide some Cliffs Notes:

• Academic freedom is a good, as long as it honestly examines the evidence at hand
• Academic freedom is not a free "get out of jail" card, in fact it can put you in the doghouse of relativism and "novelty for novelty's sake" when it becomes the sole measure of academic merit
• To falsely justify "positions that contradict the faith and the teaching of the Church" is in fact a betrayal of a Catholic university's fundamental identity and mission.

For anyone cramming for the future final exam, I hope they put these bullet points on their quicksheet.

And if you're wondering about the duty of Catholic educators to provide a faithful witness to the world, try counting the number of times the pope uses the word "witness" in this address.

I'll give you a hint - the answer is eleven.

The pope's impassioned speech on global warming ... that wasn't

British tabloids and other less-than-reputable news organizations claimed last year, early in the papal visit planning process, that Pope Benedict would use his speech at the United Nations to "deliver a powerful warning over climate change." At the time of these rumors, I published a lengthy rebuttal of their accuracy and likelihood.

It's worth repeating some of the claims that were circulated:

The Pope is expected to use his first address to the United Nations to deliver a powerful warning over climate change in a move to adopt protection of the environment as a "moral" cause for the Catholic Church and its billion-strong following....

....It will act as the centrepiece of a US visit scheduled for next April – the first by Benedict XVI, and the first Papal visit since 1999 – and round off an environmental blitz at the Vatican, in which the Pope has personally led moves to emphasise green issues based on the belief that climate change is affecting the poorest people on the planet, and the principle that believers have a duty to "protect creation".

Today, now that the speech has been delivered and made available, I went looking for the pope's "centrepiece" to complete the Vatican's "environmental blitz" making it a "moral cause for the Catholic Church." This is what I found:

"....questions of security, development goals, reduction of local and global inequalities, protection of the environment, of resources and of the climate, require all international leaders to act jointly and to show a readiness to work in good faith, respecting the law, and promoting solidarity with the weakest regions of the planet. I am thinking especially of those countries in Africa and other parts of the world which remain on the margins of authentic integral development, and are therefore at risk of experiencing only the negative effects of globalization."

"... international action to preserve the environment and to protect various forms of life on earth must not only guarantee a rational use of technology and science, but must also rediscover the authentic image of creation. This never requires a choice to be made between science and ethics: rather it is a question of adopting a scientific method that is truly respectful of ethical imperatives."

Note what the pope is actually worried about: environmental and climate protection are one among many moral imperatives facing the international community, with his eye especially on regions of Africa that suffer underdevelopment (as opposed to the "overdevelopment" of industrialized nations).

Furthermore, this entire project must possess a "rational use of technology and science, but must also rediscover the authentic image of creation", which necessarily implies a union of "science and ethics." The authentic image of creation which the Church reveals is always connected to the idea that creation is meant to serve the human person, who receives the fruits of creation as a reward for his labor.

Of course, abuses of the environment, which may have ill-effects on the climate, are against the image of creation, but this is so because the ultimate meaning of creation is tied up with the image of man who is the steward and custodian of creation. That's why the pope talks about "ethics," because it is only human persons who are bound to act "ethically" and see that their actions do not impinge upon the rights of the global community.

If the UK tabloids were looking for their "moral cause" - they've found it: preservation of the image of creation by those who are made in the image of God on behalf of those made in the image of God. People first!

Photo Caption Call - 4/18/08

[For today's blog topics, click here.]

[Credit: AP Photo/Gerald Herbert]

Papal Security Sweep Saves Life of Area Beaver

An unexpected good consequence of the papal visit to the United Nations:

The NYPD's Harbor Unit, patrolling the East River near the United Nations as a part of security operations for the Pope's visit, rescued an apparently sick beaver from the water.

The ever-vigilant harbor cops spotted the animal, which appeared to be having trouble breathing and struggled to swim, not far from the U.N., where the Pope was speaking.

pulled it aboard, and placed it in a bucket with water. Officers brought the beaver to shore for transport to an animal hospital.

They did not say if they considered the animal to be a security risk.

But "it has pretty big claws," said Lt. John Harkins of the NYPD SCUBA Unit. He indicated the beaver was four feet long and about 40 pounds.

No word if the beaver was trying to get a closer look at the Pope. (FOX NY)

The beaver might have been sub-contracted to fell trees as part of the papal altar fabrication process for the Yankee Stadium Mass. More on this developing story as it appears....

Kelly Clarkson will sing for Pope Benedict

A little bird told me that Kelly Clarkson, pop superstar, will perform Franz Schubert's version of the Ave Maria towards the end of the Gathering with Youth and Seminarians program at St. Joseph's Seminary in Yonkers, with Pope Benedict XVI in attendance.

No word yet if the performance will subsequently be released as a single. ;-)

I'll be on CNN this Saturday morning at 11:30

I just got off the phone with one of the producers for CNN. It looks like I'll be appearing on their NewsRoom tomorrow morning at about 11:30AM to discuss the pope's visit and Catholic blogging.

It goes without saying, you're more than welcome to tune in!

Video: Bush praises Pope today

At the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast:



His full speech is actually quite lengthy, and viewable here.

Pictures: Pope Benedict XVI Day Four (United Nations)

The best of the photostream (which contains hundreds of new images each day)....

What a wide variety of situations the Holy Father is encountering!

Awesome Picture: Pope Benedict Descends From Helicopter

Remember, he is a head of state.

[source: REUTERS/Osservatore Romano/Pool (UNITED STATES)]

Pope leaves 46,000 happy (and sunburned!) Catholics

Since I haven't seen anyone else mention this yet....

In the wake of Pope Benedict's public Mass at the Washington National's Stadium yesterday, well, let's just say it's as obvious as the ruddy, sunburnt glow on your face whether or not you were in attendance (at least for fair-skinned individuals like me).

In fact, the Pope brought with him the temperate Mediterranean climate and clear skies, which chased away the rain showers and general dreariness that had been pervading DC up until the day before his arrival.

While it wasn't particularly hot, everyone had to be in the stadium by 8:30 am, and the Mass didn't end until almost 12:30 pm. Luckily there were plenty of volunteers handing out water. Most folks managed to improvise make-shift hats. But you had to sympathize with the numerous vested clergy as well as the seminarians in their black clericals. Plus the aluminum flooring they placed on the field served as very efficient double-sided quick-tan setup.

And of course, Pope Benedict had more layers than probably anyone else in the stadium, but he was in the shade most of the time. Actually, by the time he was ready to leave a brisk breeze was blowing. How convenient.

If you want to see how my skin fared, it's looking like you'll have that chance tomorrow in the late morning on CNN, presuming my plans for an appearance on that network work out. So stay tuned, I'll have an update soon!

Text of Pope Benedict's address to the United Nations

It will go up here as soon as Pope Benedict finishes delivering it and the media embargo is lifted.

update: Here is the full text of the Holy Father's speech.

A standing ovation from the assembly after his presentation, and kind words from the officials.

Day 4: Pope to NYC, and U.N. Address

He's off to NYC:

In these three days I'll be shifting from first-person pictures and video to my regular coverage and commentary.

Notable items on the papal agenda today:

• 10:30 a.m. - The Holy Father Addresses the United Nations
• 6:00 p.m. - Ecumenical Prayer Service with Holy Father

Live video feeds online from the USCCB and EWTN.

[photo source: (AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari)]

Video: Abuse victims describe personal meeting with Pope

CNN has posted the video: "Unfiltered access to the pope". I highly recommend watching it.

Ph/t: Amy Welborn.

update: someone put it on YouTube, though I don't know how long it will last:

Photo Caption Call - 4/17/08

[For today's blog topics, click here.]

[Credit: AP Photo/Pier Paolo Cito]

Links: All the speeches of Pope Benedict so far

My choice commentary to follow, once I get a chance to read them (notable ones in bold):

• Pope John Paul II Cultural Center - Message to the Jewish Community
• Pope John Paul II Cultural Center - Meeting with other religions
• The Catholic University of America - Address to Educators
• Nationals Park - Holy Mass (Homily)
• The Basilica of the National Shrine - Meeting with the Bishops of the United States
• White House - Welcome Ceremony Speech
• Interview of the Holy Father during the flight to the United States of America

Video & Photo: Pope Benedict Receives Enthusiastic Greeting!

After attending the Papal Mass at Nationals Stadium today in Washington DC, I decided at the last minute to catch a final glimpse of Pope Benedict as he arrived on the CUA campus to address Catholic Educators.

This (shaky) video I took captures well the level of enthusiasm I've been witnessing for the pope:

Amid all this hubbub, I managed to snatch this photo:

What a pope.

AmP Videos: Papal Mass in Washington DC

I've got some good ones for you today!

First, a video I took from the field at Nationals Stadium while waiting for the Papal Mass to begin:

Second, I videotaped the first 60 seconds of Pope Benedict's homily:

Finally, one more scanning shot of the full stadium during the Papal Mass:

Hopefully these videos help give you a feel for what it was like. In a word: awesome.

AmP Pictures: Papal Mass in Washington DC

A perfect day....

A packed house to greet the Pope. Click here for a larger version.

This is my view of the papal altar. I won't lie. They were good tickets.

The altar and local crucifix used for the Mass. Look at the seven candles!

I had to include this: every concession bought in the stadium that day rang up as "Pope Food".

Deacons conduct a pre-Mass planning session. They were placed at each level of the stadium to expedite the distribution of Communion, a very prudent and efficient way to do this on such a large scale.

And of course, what we're all here for: Pope Benedict XVI celebrates Mass.

A few more images on the AmP Flickr album.

Video: Catholics Come Home

This video has been receiving alot of (merited) attention. It was also played prior to the Papal Mass this morning at Nationals Stadium on the big screen:

Their website: http://www.catholicscomehome.org/ - tell your non-practicing friends!

Pope Benedict meets privately with victims of sexual abuse

Disproving the false notion that Pope Benedict somehow doesn't care about the victims of abuse:

• John Allen reports: "In an unexpected and essentially unprecedented move, Pope Benedict XVI met quietly with five victims of clerical sexual abuse this afternoon at the Vatican’s embassy to the United States, located in Washington, D.C.
  Prior to this afternoon, no pope had ever met with victims of sexual abuse by priests. That omission has been oft-cited by critics of the church’s response to the crisis as an indication that Rome and the papacy are out of touch with American realities, or in denial about the magnitude of the problem."
• CNS provides more: "Father Lombardi said it was a very emotional meeting; some were in tears."
• The Vatican noted the meeting in an official press release.

Picture: Pro-Abortion Senator John Kerry Receives Communion at Papal Mass

A picture that says it all:

Frankly, he doesn't even have good technique. LifeSiteNews has more.

update: Deal Hudson claims this move had to have been orchestrated in advance.

President Bush to Pope: "Awesome speech your Holiness"

This recorded comment from President Bush to Pope Benedict is quickly becoming the talk of the town:

When you hear it being talked about on the newsfloor of the BBC, it's gotta be news.

Oh, and by the way, my interview on BBC World News went very well tonight. They talked with me for almost 4 1/2 minutes, which is a good stretch in the television news world, for those who keep track of these things.

Reactions to Pope Benedict's Speech to U.S. Bishops

In a phrase: it's turning heads.

I've posted the full text here for you to read yourself. John Allen summarizes here.

Pope Benedict also held a Q&A session with the bishops, which CNA has posted here.

As far as reactions go, Tim Drake starts us off with some comments from lay people and bishops.

Russell Shaw at OSV, meanwhile, calls the speech "A bit of a bombshell" and says "If the bishops were looking for an agenda, they have one now." Alehandro Bermudez, the editor of CNA blogging for the New York Times, takes Pope Benedict to mean "Catholics Should Be…Catholics."

Goodness, if that's what the pope had to say to the U.S. Bishops today - I wonder what he'll have to say to the U.S. Catholic Educators tomorrow when he addresses them. Stay tuned, I'll have the latest.

Photos: Pope addresses U.S. Bishops and visits National Shrine

Some good images in this batch....

Note how attentive Francis Cardinal George appears. It's wonderful for me to see these pictures. because I often attend daily Mass in the crypt church of the National Shrine where this was held! I've sat in those pews!

AmP Pictures: Pope Benedict visits the National Shrine

Some choice pictures from the AmP photo stream I uploaded today:

(check back tomorrow for my photos taken at the Papal Mass!)

The rest of them (in high-quality) are on this AmP Flickr Album.

AmP Videos: Pope Benedict visits the National Shrine

First, a video to give you a feel for what it was like "on the ground" waiting for the pope to arrive. I'm standing at the street entrance to the National Basilica looking down Fourth Street where the Popemobile arrived later.

Now here's the moment we'd all been waiting for - the appearance of Pope Benedict XVI in his popemobile. This captures the crowd response well, and of course - Il Papa!

This second video shows him greeting the crowds - listen for the "Happy Birthday" song! Towards the end I focus on some of the Bishops and Cardinals who were in his train.

Darn tree.... if you only knew how hard I had to finagle to get that "prime viewing spot."

My Videos & Photos from Pope Benedict's visit to the National Shrine with the U.S. Bishops

They are all uploading now to these locations....

Videos will go to the AmP YouTube Channel and the pictures will be on this AmP Flickr album.

Hope you enjoy them!

I'm heading out to do an interview with the BBC right now. After that, more blogging this evening.

Then, tomorrow morning, I'll be on the field during the Papal Mass at the Washington Nationals' stadium, and probably on the mall when Pope Benedict XVI addresses Catholic educators. So check back soon!

Day 2 Pictures: Pope Benedict at the White House

Fresh from the photostream. One of my roomates was lucky enough to have a ticket (I haven't had a chance to see his pictures yet, these are from the AP's photo feed):





Anyone who lives in DC would know what a miracle today's weather is - just glorious.

Text: Address of the Holy Father at the White House

Direct from the (USCCB media) source:

Mr. President,

Thank you for your gracious words of welcome on behalf of the people of the United States of America. I deeply appreciate your invitation to visit this great country. My visit coincides with an important moment in the life of the Catholic community in America: the celebration of the two-hundredth anniversary of the elevation of the country’s first Diocese – Baltimore – to a metropolitan Archdiocese, and the establishment of the Sees of New York, Boston, Philadelphia and Louisville. Yet I am happy to be here as a guest of all Americans. I come as a friend, a preacher of the Gospel and one with great respect for this vast pluralistic society. America’s Catholics have made, and continue to make, an excellent contribution to the life of their country. As I begin my visit, I trust that my presence will be a source of renewal and hope for the Church in the United States, and strengthen the resolve of Catholics to contribute ever more responsibly to the life of this nation, of which they are proud to be citizens.

From the dawn of the Republic, America’s quest for freedom has been guided by the conviction that the principles governing political and social life are intimately linked to a moral order based on the dominion of God the Creator. The framers of this nation’s founding documents drew upon this conviction when they proclaimed the “self-evident truth” that all men are created equal and endowed with inalienable rights grounded in the laws of nature and of nature’s God. The course of American history demonstrates the difficulties, the struggles, and the great intellectual and moral resolve which were demanded to shape a society which faithfully embodied these noble principles. In that process, which forged the soul of the nation, religious beliefs were a constant inspiration and driving force, as for example in the struggle against slavery and in the civil rights movement. In our time too, particularly in moments of crisis, Americans continue to find their strength in a commitment to this patrimony of shared ideals and aspirations.

In the next few days, I look forward to meeting not only with America’s Catholic community, but with other Christian communities and representatives of the many religious traditions present in this country. Historically, not only Catholics, but all believers have found here the freedom to worship God in accordance with the dictates of their conscience, while at the same time being accepted as part of a commonwealth in which each individual and group can make its voice heard. As the nation faces the increasingly complex political and ethical issues of our time, I am confident that the American people will find in their religious beliefs a precious source of insight and an inspiration to pursue reasoned, responsible and respectful dialogue in the effort to build a more humane and free society.

Freedom is not only a gift, but also a summons to personal responsibility. Americans know this from experience – almost every town in this country has its monuments honoring those who sacrificed their lives in defense of freedom, both at home and abroad. The preservation of freedom calls for the cultivation of virtue, self-discipline, sacrifice for the common good and a sense of responsibility towards the less fortunate. It also demands the courage to engage in civic life and to bring one’s deepest beliefs and values to reasoned public debate. In a word, freedom is ever new. It is a challenge held out to each generation, and it must constantly be won over for the cause of good (cf. Spe Salvi, 24). Few have understood this as clearly as the late Pope John Paul II. In reflecting on the spiritual victory of freedom over totalitarianism in his native Poland and in eastern Europe, he reminded us that history shows, time and again, that “in a world without truth, freedom loses its foundation”, and a democracy without values can lose its very soul (cf. Centesimus Annus, 46). Those prophetic words in some sense echo the conviction of President Washington, expressed in his Farewell Address, that religion and morality represent “indispensable supports” of political prosperity.

The Church, for her part, wishes to contribute to building a world ever more worthy of the human person, created in the image and likeness of God (cf. Gen 1:26-27). She is convinced that faith sheds new light on all things, and that the Gospel reveals the noble vocation and sublime destiny of every man and woman (cf. Gaudium et Spes, 10). Faith also gives us the strength to respond to our high calling, and the hope that inspires us to work for an ever more just and fraternal society. Democracy can only flourish, as your founding fathers realized, when political leaders and those whom they represent are guided by truth and bring the wisdom born of firm moral principle to decisions affecting the life and future of the nation.

For well over a century, the United States of America has played an important role in the international community. On Friday, God willing, I will have the honor of addressing the United Nations Organization, where I hope to encourage the efforts under way to make that institution an ever more effective voice for the legitimate aspirations of all the world’s peoples. On this, the sixtieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the need for global solidarity is as urgent as ever, if all people are to live in a way worthy of their dignity – as brothers and sisters dwelling in the same house and around that table which God’s bounty has set for all his children. America has traditionally shown herself generous in meeting immediate human needs, fostering development and offering relief to the victims of natural catastrophes. I am confident that this concern for the greater human family will continue to find expression in support for the patient efforts of international diplomacy to resolve conflicts and promote progress. In this way, coming generations will be able to live in a world where truth, freedom and justice can flourish – a world where the God-given dignity and rights of every man, woman and child are cherished, protected and effectively advanced.

Mr. President, dear friends: as I begin my visit to the United States, I express once more my gratitude for your invitation, my joy to be in your midst, and my fervent prayers that Almighty God will confirm this nation and its people in the ways of justice, prosperity and peace. God bless America!

Blogging from near the National Shrine

People are starting to filter in. No one can take their places to greet the pope until 2:30pm. In the meantime it's the waiting game, or for me, frantic blogging and planning. At least the weather is perfect!

Photo Caption Call - 4/16/08

[For today's blog topics, click here.]

[Credit: Max Rossi/Reuters]

Tonight, I sleep in the same city as the pope

I checked the distance on Google maps, and it turns out that I live a scant four miles away from where Pope Benedict XVI is staying this evening, at the Apostolic Nunciature of the Holy See.

Somehow, I think I'll sleep more soundly tonight knowing that. See you tomorrow, Holy Father!

Videos: Day 1 highlights of Pope Benedict's visit

First, CNN's raw video of Pope Benedict XVI stepping off the plane and being greeted by President bush:

I've also created a photopost of the ceremony and liveblogged it and listed the dignitaries present.

Second, Dominican Friars pull off an engineering feat in mounting a banner to welcome the pope properly:


It looks like the banner turned out nicely! This is the view Pope Benedict will have of it tomorrow.

Third and finally, Local WBAL reports on the preparations for the Papal Mass happening on Thursday:


Exciting times!

Papist Picture of the Day - 4/15/08

[For today's blog topics, click here.]

This girl's response to the pope coming: "Like, wow!"

(I walk by this poster whenever I go to Mass at the National Shrine. There's always someone having their photo taken with it.)

[source: AFP/Tim Sloan]

AmP interviewed by OSV article on Catholic blogging

"Bloggers driving media coverage of U.S. papal visit" by Mary DeTurris Poust:

The media frenzy surrounding Pope Benedict’s visit to the United States is being driven in part by a newcomer on the media block: bloggers. For the first time in history, a U.S. papal visit is being covered around the clock by bloggers of all stripes – Catholic and secular, independent and staff, spiritually focused and news focused – and they are doing what they do best, bringing online readers information almost as fast as it happens.

It’s a new way of covering the pope, and, according to those on the front lines, it is changing the landscape of media coverage in general, bringing to light errors in the press that might otherwise go uncorrected and creating communities of people who not only read the news but participate in it through comments and e-mails.

“Blogs add a personal dimension that mainstream coverage lacks (ostensibly for purposes of objectivity). They also present near-instant reaction to events and response to errors in mainstream reporting,” said Thomas Peters of American Papist, a popular Catholic blog which, as the name suggests, covers all things pope-related.

“They sometimes let you see the event ‘from the inside,’ by posting their own pictures, experiences, word-of-mouth and the thousand of little things that have trouble filtering through traditional media intact,” Peters told OSV in an e-mail interview as he geared up to cover the papal visit.

Oh yeah, and the rest is really good as well: Amy Welborn, Jeff Miller & Rocco Palmo - she did her homework! Although I'm sorry to see she missed Christopher Blosser, the man behind not only Benedict in America, but also the Cardinal Ratzinger & Pope Benedict XVI fan clubs!

Hey, I own one of the Ratzinger Fanclub shirts. :-)

Cardinal: Pope's reflections aren't irrelevant to politics

A healthy reminder:

Pope Benedict XVI will not bring political directives during his U.S. trip, but his reflections should help Americans make a "deeper moral judgment" during this year's election campaign, a leading U.S. cardinal said.

Cardinal J. Francis Stafford, one of two U.S. cardinals who will accompany the pope from Rome to the United States in mid-April, said he thinks Americans will listen closely to what the pope has to say.

"The pope is coming at a particularly sensitive time, with the presidential election scheduled for November," Cardinal Stafford told Catholic News Service in an interview April 8 in his Vatican office.

The cardinal said he does not expect the pope to address partisan political issues, but to "heighten people's awareness" about what is right and what is wrong. (CNS)

I've got the golden ticket!

The seating area for the Mass? Field level. And although you can't see it well in this picture, the inner borders are actually colored a shiny gold. Thanks for this opportunity go to the amazing bloggerette at Cnytr.

Archbishop Wuerl to ride with Pope Benedict in Popemobile

Not the most earth-shattering news item, but I found it cool:

Archbishop Wuerl remembers the thrill he felt as a seminarian in Rome in the early 1960s when he gathered with classmates along a road around dawn, to see Pope Paul VI leaving for his historic visit to the Holy Land.

Now, he will get to ride with Pope Benedict in the popemobile in Washington.

"There are still moments when you greet the pope, and you are overcome, because he is Peter," Archbishop Wuerl said in an interview with the Catholic Standard, Washington's archdiocesan newspaper. (CNS)

Which of course, falls in line with what he said to local DC youth at his recent theology on tap appearance, which I videotaped and uploaded to my AmP YouTube channel right here (and here, here, here).

You can see both the Archbishop and Pope Benedict XVI along these DC roads tomorrow. Check it out!

Info: DC Papal Mass

This post is a service announcement for the Papal Mass to be held at the Washington Nationals Stadium on Thursday here in DC (which I have a ticket to, luckily enough). This post will be updated as I find more info.

Important resources:

• Information on taking the Metro to the Stadium, including how to get a Papal Mass pass
• Archdiocese of Washington has a helpful list of frequently asked questions (and answers)
• They've also released a one-page Papal Mass Fact Sheet (in PDF format):

Ticket holders should arrive at Nationals Park as early as possible and no later than 8:30AM. The best way to get there is Metro, or by charter bus to designated locations where complimentary shuttles will run to Nationals park. Parking near the stadium is nearly non-existent.

Important notes:

• You must have your ticket and a government issued photo ID
• All children need a ticket, regardless of age (minors don't need a photo ID)
• You must go through a magnemeter - bags will be searched
• Once inside the Park, you can't leave and be able to re-enter
• PROHIBITED ITEMS: Metal, plastic or glass containers, backpacks, fireworks (duh!), whistles, food and beverages, large bags, large flags or banners, poles and staffs (metal, plastic or wooden), weapons and illegal substances, video cameras and tripods. No pets are allowed, only service animals may enter the stadium.
• (You can bring a handheld camera.)

The U.S. Bishops asks that you keep these things in mind:

• Read any instructions received with your ticket very carefully and follow them exactly.
• Make sure you have government-issued photo identification with you.
• Allow extra time to get from place to place and bring plenty of patience.
• If you are attending the Mass at Nationals Park or the Mass at Yankee Stadium, gather the religious articles that you would like to have blessed by the Holy Father.
• Prepare for your journey with prayer and reflection.
• After the visit, share your experience with people in your parish and diocese. You can also share your experience in the comments on this blog.

Day 1: Pictures of Pope Benedict's Arrival

Fresh from the photostream....





Looks like he's energized for his visit. He almost ran down those steps!

Day 1: Liveblogging the Pope's arrival

The Pope will be among us soon! Less than 45 minutes at time of posting....

EWTN has live streaming feeds online here, Pope2008 has it embedded here.

The USCCB feed will start live video at 3:45pm.

The pope's plane (Shepherd One) should arrive at 4pm, where he will be greeted by President Bush, etc.

updates....

4:05 PM - I'm watching EWTN, and listening to the bells of the National Shrine ring.

4:12PM - The Pope is here! Walking briskly down the stairs to meet President Bush. Huge response from the crowd. Abp. Wuerl of Washington looking very distinguished. Cardinal Bertone close at hand.

4:15PM - The Pope and President are off to their brief private meeting before the official one tomorrow.

top links:

• John Allen has a transcript from the in-flight papal interview
• Plenty of good coverage at Pope2008
• Benedict in America is also humming

NBC Nightly News interview: the extended cut

Here is the extended cut of the interview I taped last week:



World Youth Day in Sydney, Australia is actually this summer, not next summer.

On the fly right now, just wanted to make the video available for those interested.

update: keep the interview requests coming, my email is "thomas [at] americanpapist.com".

Day 1: Hillary Clinton makes her move

New York Times blog:

"Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton issued a statement this morning praising Pope Benedict XVI for his work on world peace, social justice and climate change and welcoming his visit to Washington and New York this week. Mrs. Clinton, of New York, and her rival for the Democratic presidential nomination, Senator Barack Obama of Illinois, are intensely courting Catholic voters, particularly in advance of the Pennsylvania primary scheduled for a week from today."

Her statement:

We are blessed to receive a visit from His Holiness, Pope Benedict, to the United States this week. Not only is he the spiritual leader of America’s great Catholic community, he is a strong and effective voice for the cause of peace, freedom and justice as well as the fight against poverty and disease. His visit to the United States this week should be a very impactful one. I particularly appreciate his going to ground zero with some of the families who lost loved ones there. I hope that his message about economic justice and global development will get an appropriate hearing both in our country and in the government. I also applaud Pope Benedict’s example and leadership on addressing global warming making the Vatican a model in conservation for all to emulate.

His apostolic journey is built on the theme of Christian hope, and as he has said, the Gospel message is ‘deeply rooted’ in our country. We all pray that he will have a safe and successful visit to America, and that everyone will find inspiration in his presence and his words.

It's notable for its absences.

Day 1: The Vatican's papal itinerary (and already a typo)

Just for today, from the Vatican press office ... note the underlined section:

At midday today, the Holy Father departed from Rome's Fiumicino airport. Following a flight of more than 7,000 kilometres, his plane is due to land at 4 p.m. local time (10 p.m. in Rome) at Andrews Air Force Base near Washington D.C. This is the Benedict XVI's eighth apostolic trip outside Italy and his first to the U.S.A. as Pope.

U.S. President George W. Bush and his wife Nancy will welcome the Pope as he descends from his aircraft. No speeches are scheduled for this first meeting and the welcome ceremony proper will take place tomorrow at 10.30 a.m. local time (4.30 p.m. in Rome) at the White House, official residence of the U.S. president.

After landing, Benedict XVI will travel by car to the apostolic nunciature in Washington D.C where he will spend the rest of the day.

"Nancy" would be Ronald Reagan's widow. George W. Bush's wife is named Laura.

Goof.

Anyway, more details on the Andrews Air Force Base arrival (no public statement is expected):

DIGNITARIES GREETING THE POPE:

Cardinal Francis George, OMI, president of the USCCB
Bishop Gerald F. Kicanas, vice president of the USCCB
Msgr. David J. Malloy, STD, general secretary of the USCCB
Archbishop Pietro Sambi, apostolic nuncio for the U.S.
Archbishop Donald W. Wuerl, archbishop of Washington
Bishop Francisco Gonzalez, SF, auxiliary bishop of Washington
Bishop Martin D. Holley, auxiliary bishop of Washington
Bishop Leonard J. Olivier, SVD, auxiliary bishop of Washington
Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio, archbishop of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA

Attempts to get my name on that list in the last days fell through.

Day 1: Pope Benedict speaks to reporters aboard Shepherd One

He's coming!

Associated Press, filing its report from the airborne Shepherd One [picture], has the first coverage: "Vatican officials selected four questions to be read by the journalists to the pontiff aboard the plane."

BBC Quotes him as saying: "It is more important to have good priests than many priests."

The pope usually conducts a press conference aboard the plane when he on a long flight. There had been some talk that he might cancel it this time rather than go through what happened in Brazil again - where a comment of his sparked a frenzy of (confused) debate and reaction, which in turn distracted from the focus of his visit.

Not so this time, however, and judging by this first filed report, it looks like it went well. A good start, for sure.

Rumor: Bishop Thomas Wenski bound for Detroit?

Adam Cardinal Maida of Detroit is the oldest serving Cardinal in the United States. His replacement has been past due for a couple years at this point.

Earlier this month, I published a rumor that Cardinal Maida was in Orlando with Bishop Thomas Wenski discussing a "transition plan" with him.

Today I've received the breaking news from a source on the ground that today Bishop Wenski has named six of his priests monsignors, an apparently unprecedented move in the diocese.

A final note? Bishop Wenski is Polish. There are lots of Polish people in Detroit. I'm just sayin' ....

Quote: Pope Benedict speaks to youth at his first Mass as pope

The claim has recently been made that "Some youth feel detached from the Pope", and while Bill Cork has already responded to this feeling.

I think an easy solution to this problem would be to listen to what Pope Benedict XVI only have to look as far as his very first homily as pope!

This is how he ended this speech:

[Pope John Paul II spoke] to everyone, especially the young. Are we not perhaps all afraid in some way? If we let Christ enter fully into our lives, if we open ourselves totally to him, are we not afraid that He might take something away from us? Are we not perhaps afraid to give up something significant, something unique, something that makes life so beautiful? Do we not then risk ending up diminished and deprived of our freedom?

And once again [John Paul II] said: No! If we let Christ into our lives, we lose nothing, nothing, absolutely nothing of what makes life free, beautiful and great. No! Only in this friendship are the doors of life opened wide. Only in this friendship is the great potential of human existence truly revealed. Only in this friendship do we experience beauty and liberation.

And so, today, with great strength and great conviction, on the basis of long personal experience of life, I say to you, dear young people: Do not be afraid of Christ! He takes nothing away, and he gives you everything. When we give ourselves to him, we receive a hundredfold in return. Yes, open, open wide the doors to Christ – and you will find true life. Amen.

That underlining is mine. Notice how Pope Benedict is unabashed and bold in his defense of the claim that his "long pesonal experience" has revealed to him that no one should be afraid of friendship with Christ!

If young people are looking for a successor to Pope John Paul II, they've found him - it's Benedict XVI. So it's time to get attached! And as I said, a good start would be to read what the Pope has already said to young people. This book, (which I reviewed briefly here) is only $10, and collects the pope's recent Q&A sessions with youth into one handy little volume. A good read, and a great gift. Because no one should stay disconnected from him...

DC Parish offers 24 hour prayer during papal visit

Forwarded to me through the local catholic youth circuit:

St. Stephen Martyr Parish invites the public to be a prayerful part of Pope Benedict XVI's visit to Washington D.C. The Church of St. Stephen Martyr will be open 24 hours a day from Tuesday April 15th until Friday April 18th.

Make a pilgrimage. Come be part of the work of hope. Come and pray for the Holy Father and his intentions, for the crowds who will see and hear him, and for all who need the light of Christ Our Hope.

The Holy Father will drive by the Parish in the Popemobile on Wednesday afternoon at approximately 12:15

For your safety there will be a security guard in the Church during the night and early morning hours.

The media has descended...

What was last week a trickle of occasional TV vans and camera crews at CUA has become a flood of media trucks, construction workers, CIA representatives and plain-clothes Secret Service men.

This CUA press release mentions 13 media satellite trucks in front of McMahon Hall alone.

That lines up with my on-the-ground observation:

And the pope doesn't even arrive until Wednesday.

I'm happy to report that through the kindness of the Dominican Friars I have a ticket to the front steps of the National Shrine when Pope Benedict XVI arrives there on Wednesday afternoon (I hope to provide pictures and video of that event). I'll be standing about where I was when I took this video last week.

Also, through an additional kindness, I have access to the CUA mall on both days the pope will be there. I hope to provide pictures and video of what is happening on the ground Wednesday and Thursday.

Busy times - keep it tuned here!

Photopost: Washington DC baseball stadium prepares for the papal Mass

Photos taken today. I hope to be at the Mass this Thursday, with 46,000 other American Catholics.

"Workers assemble the roof structure that will cover the stage where Pope Benedict XVI will say Mass at Nationals Park April 14 in Washington, DC. US President George W. Bush will roll out the red carpet for visiting Pope Benedict XVI on Wednesday during a gala day which concludes with a White House dinner in the pontiff's honor.
(AFP/GETTY IMAGES/Win Mcnamee)"
"Archbishop Donald Wuerl (L) of Archdiocese of Washington Pope (4th L) tours the Nationals Stadium."
"A crew begins to assemble a stage in the outfield for an outdoor Mass."
"Lorena Gonzalez of Silver Spring, Md., cleans the seating area in the upper deck."
... now that's a proper use for a baseball stadium. ;-)

Technical difficulties resolved

We're finally back online (perhaps you noticed the lack of updating today).

And good thing, too - AmP is getting deluged with hits. Back to the coverage!

Video: AmP interviewed for Today Show, MSNBC.com

Here's the MSNBC.com feature video, "Holy rolling for the pope", I'm at the end:

The producer emailed me this morning and said there will also be a piece later today that is an extended cut of the interview they did with me last week. Several folks have also said they saw me on the Today Show.

This is why I refrain from announcing TV appearances ahead of time in general - airtimes are unpredictable.

That said, this shouldn't be the end of them in the near future... thanks for all the kind comments already.

And if you're wondering about the papal skateboard contest winner [image], Tim Drake's favorite won.

Rats.

Papist Picture of the Day - 4/12/08

[For today's blog topics, click here.]

The blessing of the cameras is a popular part of every papal appearance.

[source: AFP/Andreas Solaro]

Was I on the Today Show today?

It might be an awkward question to ask, but some folks have told me I was. I'd like to know for sure.

Video & Recap: Internationally-known panelists on the pope's visit

As I mentioned last week, on Friday I attended an event put on by the good people at Crossroads which assembled an internationally-known panel of experts to discuss the pope's visit.

The event entitled "Only something infinite will sufice" was held at the John Paul II Cultural Center, which is where Pope Benedict will be holding his ecumenical dialogue on Thursday, April 17th.

Speakers from this evening included:

• His Eminince Pietro SAMBI Apostolic Nuncio of the Holy See to the U.S.
• John L. ALLEN, Jr. NCR Senior Correspondent, CNN Senior Vatican Analyst
• David SCHINDLER Dean of John Paul II Institute, Editor of Communio
• Monsignor Lorenzo ALBACETE Theologian, Author, Columnist
• ... and a surprise appearance by EWTN's Raymond Arroyo

Here is a picture of the panel:

(from R-L: Albacete, Sambi, Schindler, Allen - if you can't read the placards)

And for any die-hard Arroyo groupies:

Crossroads has released video with highlights from the evening:

And here is a short video I took of John Allen and the presentors (apologies for the vertical orientation at the very beginning of the video - don't get neck strain!):

You can see Abp. Sambi listening very attentively.

John Allen at the podium:

My brief reactions to the presentations:

• Monsignor Albacete's wit and deep knowledge were evident from his participation. He's a joy.
• Abp. Sambi's presentation helped identify the pope's priorities for his visit. He singled out the phrases Conversi Ad Dominum (turn towards the Lord!) and Sursom Corda (Lift up your heart!) as being integral to the message he wishes to bring to the United States.
• Allen provided inside and exhaustive knowledge of what a papal trip entails in general, and what this one will in particular. Besides some amusing personal antedotes, he stuck fairly close to the material he has published on his weekly web column. It was nice to meet him.
• Schindler provided the theological heft of the evening, and provided thought-provoking points.

Abp. Sambi was somewhat surreptitiously taken away before the Q&A session in order to appear on EWTN, which will be broadcasting from the John Paul II Cultural Center throughout the pope's visit.

And there you have it. More inside scoops to follow!

Photo: Pope Benedict XV & Woodrow Wilson?

This post has compiled a picture of almost each pope who has met with a U.S. president.

Evidently, pictures of the first meeting in the 20th century - between President Woodrow Wilson and Pope Benedict XV in 1919 - are hard to come by. Looks like this is the best we can do for now:
Hehe. Thanks AmP reader David!

Today, Pope prays for "spiritual renewal" during his U.S. visit

Catholic News Agency tunes us in:

After his Sunday Regina Caeli prayers, Pope Benedict XVI addressed in English those gathered in St. Peter’s Square, asking them to pray that "spiritual renewal" would result from his upcoming apostolic journey to the United States.

In his greeting to English-speaking pilgrims, the Holy Father said, “This Tuesday I leave Rome for my visit to the United Nations and the United States of America. With the various groups I shall meet, my intention is to share our Lord’s word of life.”

“In Christ is our hope! Christ is the foundation of our hope for peace, for justice, and for the freedom that flows from God’s law fulfilled in his commandment to love one another,” the Holy Father said.

“Dear brothers and sisters, I ask you all to pray for the success of my visit, so that it may be a time of spiritual renewal for all Americans. Upon each of you present, I invoke the protection and guidance of Jesus the Good Shepherd,” he concluded.

Speaking in Italian before the Regina Caeli prayers, the Holy Father entrusted his upcoming “special missionary visit” to the United States to Mary, Mother of the Church and Queen of Peace.

And afterwards, a loyal american papist was to be seen in the crowd assembled in St. Peter's square ....

2 days, 1 hour, 15 minutes....

[credit: AFP/File/Andreas Solaro]

AmP quoted in the Deleware News Journal today

In an article titled "Prayers, questions await pontiff."

I'm pretty sure the first quote attributed to me isn't my own. "Sinful brazeness" isn't my type of phrase.

At least, not for interviews. ;-)

Photopost: Popes meeting U.S. Presidents

Here they are...

"President Dwight D. Eisenhower walks with Pope John XXIII at the Vatican, in this Dec. 6, 1959, file photo. The leader of the world's 1 billion Roman Catholics has been to the White House only once in history. That changes this week, and President Bush is pulling out all the stops: driving out to a suburban military base to meet Pope Benedict XVI's plane, bringing a giant audience to the South Lawn and hosting a fancy East Room dinner."

"President John F. Kennedy and Pope Paul VI talk at the Vatican in this July 2, 1963 file photo. Kennedy's meeting with Pope Paul VI at the Vatican was historic: the first Roman Catholic president of the United States was seeing the Roman Catholic pontiff only days after his coronation. Kennedy — who struggled against anti-Catholic bias during his presidential campaign — only shook hands with the pope rather than kissing his ring, as is the usual practice for Catholics."

"President Kennedy talks with Pope Paul VI, at the Vatican in this July 3, 1963 file photo. Kennedy's 1963 meeting with Pope Paul VI at the Vatican was historic: the first Roman Catholic president of the United States was seeing the Roman Catholic pontiff only days after his coronation. Kennedy — who struggled against anti-Catholic bias during his presidential campaign — only shook hands with the pope rather than kissing his ring, as is the usual practice for Catholics."

"Pope Paul VI, left, and President Lyndon B. Johnson are seen during the Pontiff's visit to New York in this Oct. 4, 1965 file photo. The trip presented protocol problems. President Johnson wanted to see him, but the pontiff was a chief of a state not officially recognized by the U.S. The solution: Johnson flew to New York for dinner at the apartment of his friend Arthur Goldberg, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, and the pontiff was welcomed to Johnson's suite at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel the next day."

President Richard Nixon talks with Pope Paul VI as they meet in the Vatican, in this Sept. 28, 1970 file photo. (AP Photo/File) - [Thanks go to AmP reader Michael for this one.]

"President Jimmy Carter , right, talks with Pope John Paul II at the White House in Washington in this Oct. 6, 1979 file photo. Carter hosted the first White House by a pope. Pope John Paul II was greeted at Andrews Air Force Base outside Washington by Vice President Walter Mondale. His stay at the White House featured 10,000 guests — split between separate arrival and departure ceremonies on the North and South Lawns."

"President Ronald Reagan shakes hands with Pope John Paul II on the podium at Miami International Airport, Fla., in this Sept. 10, 1987 file photo."

"President George H.W. Bush, stands with Pope John Paul II in the papal library at the Vatican, in this May 27, 1989 file photo."

John Paul II meets President Bill Clinton and wife Hillary. This photo was not in the same photostream so I had to find it independantly.

"President Bush is greeted by Pope John Paul II upon their meeting in his private library at the Vatican, in this June 4, 2004, file photo. In the background is Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Angelo Sodano."

The next addition to this set will be made on April 16th, 2008.

update: The Associated Press has published a complete list of meetings: "A list of all 25 meetings between popes and U.S. presidents, spanning 89 years, five pontiffs and 11 American leaders."

• Woodrow Wilson and Pope Benedict XV, Vatican, January 4, 1919
• Dwight Eisenhower and Pope John XXIII, Vatican, December 6, 1959
• John F. Kennedy and Pope Paul VI, Vatican, July 2, 1963
• Lyndon Johnson and Pope Paul VI, New York, N.Y. October 4, 1965
• Lyndon Johnson and Pope Paul VI, Vatican, December 23, 1967
• Richard Nixon and Pope Paul VI, Vatican, March 2, 1969
• Richard Nixon and Pope Paul VI, Vatican, September 29, 1970
• Gerald Ford and Pope Paul VI, Vatican, June 3, 1975
• Jimmy Carter and Pope John Paul II, White House, October 6, 1979
• Jimmy Carter and Pope John Paul II, Vatican, June 21, 1980
• Ronald Reagan and Pope John Paul II, Vatican, June 7, 1982
• Ronald Reagan and Pope John Paul II, Fairbanks, Alaska, May 2, 1984
• Ronald Reagan and Pope John Paul II, Vatican, June 6, 1987
• Ronald Reagan and Pope John Paul II, Miami, September 10, 1987
• George H.W. Bush and Pope John Paul II, Vatican, May 27, 1989
• George H.W. Bush and Pope John Paul II, Vatican, November 8, 1991
• Bill Clinton and Pope John Paul II, Denver, August 12, 1993
• Bill Clinton and Pope John Paul II, Vatican, June 2, 1994
• Bill Clinton and Pope John Paul II, Newark, N.J., October 4, 1995
• Bill Clinton and Pope John Paul II, St. Louis, January 26, 1999
• George W. Bush and Pope John Paul II, Castel Gandolfo, Italy, July 23, 2001
• George W. Bush and Pope John Paul II, Vatican, May 28, 2002
• George W. Bush and Pope John Paul II, Vatican, June 4, 2004
• George W. Bush and Pope Benedict XVI, Vatican, June 9, 2007

George Bush also attended John Paul II's funeral on April 8, 2007.

He will meet with Pope Benedict XVI on April 16, 2008.

NOTE: ... a special AmP Shout-out goes to the first person who finds me a photo of Pope Benedict XV and President Woodrow Wilson meeting in 1919!

Update 2: it looks like this is the best we're going to do for a Wilson-Benedict XV photograph.

A friendly reminder.

Don't. Scalp. Tickets.

Even if they come with a goodie bag.

In thanksgiving...

... for my grandparents Nade & Nancy, and Anthony & Joan.

Who, as of today, both celebrate over 50 years of married life together.

Video: Archdioceses of Philadelphia and Washington DC welcome the pope

Dioceses in the United States are sending welcome videos to Pope Benedict XVI which will be played at Nationals Stadium before his Mass on April 17th. I've found two more videos for your viewing pleasure:

First, Archdiocese of Philadelphia under Justin Cardinal Rigali:

My rating: 8/10. A very strong entry. It features a personal introduction from the Cardinal, with a focus on the Archdiocese' liturgical celebrations, many of them highly public and well-attended. What a good witness.

Second, my own Archdiocese of Washington DC under Archbishop Donald Wuerl. You can view the video on this page (click on "Welcome from Washington D.C." in the middle of the list).

My rating: This video has a very different style from the ones I've previously rated, so I don't think it would be fair to do so. Obviously it begins with an introduction and welcome from the Archbishop, and then provides the personal greetings of a large cross-section of the faithful.

Previous videos in this series that I have watched and rated:

• Prat 8: Archdiocese of Cincinnati and Diocese of Harrisburg (6/10 & 7/10)
• Part 7: Dioceses of Rochester and Corpus Christi (7/10 & 10/10)
• Part 6: Diocese of Arlington (8/10)
• Part 5: Diocese of Providence and Diocese of Charlotte (6/10 & 9/10)
• Part 4: Archdiocese of Baltimore (9/10)
• Part 3: Archdiocese of Los Angeles (1/10)
• Part 2: Diocese of San Diego (6/10)
• Part 1: Diocese of Buffalo and Archdiocese of Chicago (4/10 & 7/10)

Video: Archdiocese of Cincinnati and Diocese of Harrisburg welcome the pope

Dioceses in the United States are sending welcome videos to Pope Benedict XVI which will be played at Nationals Stadium before his Mass on April 17th. Two more videos get added to that growing list today:

Archdiocese of Cincinnati under Archbishop Daniel Pilarczyk

My rating: 6/10. The video is very informative, but I do prefer to see bishops become personally involved in the presentation of their diocese to the Holy Father. And I especially wish that dioceses would spend more time presenting their liturgical and devotional life. Sacraments make the Church, after all. (CCC 1118)

Next up, the Diocese of Harrisburg under Bishop Kevin Rhoades. You can watch it here (WMV).

My rating: 7/10. This video does a good job of describing more properly Catholic features of the diocese, and incorporates the theme of Pope Benedict's visit. And they pray for the pope and his visit.

Previous videos in this series that I have watched and rated:

• Part 7: Dioceses of Rochester and Corpus Christi (7/10 & 10/10)
• Part 6: Diocese of Arlington (8/10)
• Part 5: Diocese of Providence and Diocese of Charlotte (6/10 & 9/10)
• Part 4: Archdiocese of Baltimore (9/10)
• Part 3: Archdiocese of Los Angeles (1/10)
• Part 2: Diocese of San Diego (6/10)
• Part 1: Diocese of Buffalo and Archdiocese of Chicago (4/10 & 7/10)

Papist Picture of the Day - 4/11/08

[For today's blog topics, click here.]

It's easy to defend the existence of purgatory when you've been there.

[source: REUTERS/Jeff Snyder/Handout]

Video: Carpenter Crafts Furniture for Pope

Here ya are, consider this your human interest story of the day. ;-)


Maybe of the week....

Text of Pope Benedict XVI's Address to the United States

[In French]
Mr President,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

As I begin my address to this Assembly, I would like first of all to express to you, Mr President, my sincere gratitude for your kind words. My thanks go also to the Secretary-General, Mr Ban Ki-moon, for inviting me to visit the headquarters of this Organization and for the welcome that he has extended to me. I greet the Ambassadors and Diplomats from the Member States, and all those present. Through you, I greet the peoples who are represented here. They look to this institution to carry forward the founding inspiration to establish a "centre for harmonizing the actions of nations in the attainment of these common ends" of peace and development (cf. Charter of the United Nations, article 1.2-1.4). As Pope John Paul II expressed it in 1995, the Organization should be "a moral centre where all the nations of the world feel at home and develop a shared awareness of being, as it were, a 'family of nations'" (Address to the General Assembly of the United Nations on the 50th Anniversary of its Foundation, New York, 5 October 1995, 14).

Through the United Nations, States have established universal objectives which, even if they do not coincide with the total common good of the human family, undoubtedly represent a fundamental part of that good. The founding principles of the Organization - the desire for peace, the quest for justice, respect for the dignity of the person, humanitarian cooperation and assistance - express the just aspirations of the human spirit, and constitute the ideals which should underpin international relations. As my predecessors Paul VI and John Paul II have observed from this very podium, all this is something that the Catholic Church and the Holy See follow attentively and with interest, seeing in your activity an example of how issues and conflicts concerning the world community can be subject to common regulation. The United Nations embodies the aspiration for a "greater degree of international ordering" (John Paul II, Sollicitudo Rei Socialis, 43), inspired and governed by the principle of subsidiarity, and therefore capable of responding to the demands of the human family through binding international rules and through structures capable of harmonizing the day-to-day unfolding of the lives of peoples. This is all the more necessary at a time when we experience the obvious paradox of a multilateral consensus that continues to be in crisis because it is still subordinated to the decisions of a few, whereas the world's problems call for interventions in the form of collective action by the international community.

Indeed, questions of security, development goals, reduction of local and global inequalities, protection of the environment, of resources and of the climate, require all international leaders to act jointly and to show a readiness to work in good faith, respecting the law, and promoting solidarity with the weakest regions of the planet. I am thinking especially of those countries in Africa and other parts of the world which remain on the margins of authentic integral development, and are therefore at risk of experiencing only the negative effects of globalization. In the context of international relations, it is necessary to recognize the higher role played by rules and structures that are intrinsically ordered to promote the common good, and therefore to safeguard human freedom. These regulations do not limit freedom. On the contrary, they promote it when they prohibit behaviour and actions which work against the common good, curb its effective exercise and hence compromise the dignity of every human person. In the name of freedom, there has to be a correlation between rights and duties, by which every person is called to assume responsibility for his or her choices, made as a consequence of entering into relations with others. Here our thoughts turn also to the way the results of scientific research and technological advances have sometimes been applied. Notwithstanding the enormous benefits that humanity can gain, some instances of this represent a clear violation of the order of creation, to the point where not only is the sacred character of life contradicted, but the human person and the family are robbed of their natural identity. Likewise, international action to preserve the environment and to protect various forms of life on earth must not only guarantee a rational use of technology and science, but must also rediscover the authentic image of creation. This never requires a choice to be made between science and ethics: rather it is a question of adopting a scientific method that is truly respectful of ethical imperatives.

Recognition of the unity of the human family, and attention to the innate dignity of every man and woman, today find renewed emphasis in the principle of the responsibility to protect. This has only recently been defined, but it was already present implicitly at the origins of the United Nations, and is now increasingly characteristic of its activity. Every State has the primary duty to protect its own population from grave and sustained violations of human rights, as well as from the consequences of humanitarian crises, whether natural or man-made. If States are unable to guarantee such protection, the international community must intervene with the juridical means provided in the United Nations Charter and in other international instruments. The action of the international community and its institutions, provided that it respects the principles undergirding the international order, should never be interpreted as an unwarranted imposition or a limitation of sovereignty. On the contrary, it is indifference or failure to intervene that do the real damage. What is needed is a deeper search for ways of pre-empting and managing conflicts by exploring every possible diplomatic avenue, and giving attention and encouragement to even the faintest sign of dialogue or desire for reconciliation.

The principle of "responsibility to protect" was considered by the ancient ius gentium as the foundation of every action taken by those in government with regard to the governed: at the time when the concept of national sovereign States was first developing, the Dominican Friar Francisco de Vitoria, rightly considered as a precursor of the idea of the United Nations, described this responsibility as an aspect of natural reason shared by all nations, and the result of an international order whose task it was to regulate relations between peoples. Now, as then, this principle has to invoke the idea of the person as image of the Creator, the desire for the absolute and the essence of freedom. The founding of the United Nations, as we know, coincided with the profound upheavals that humanity experienced when reference to the meaning of transcendence and natural reason was abandoned, and in consequence, freedom and human dignity were grossly violated. When this happens, it threatens the objective foundations of the values inspiring and governing the international order and it undermines the cogent and inviolable principles formulated and consolidated by the United Nations. When faced with new and insistent challenges, it is a mistake to fall back on a pragmatic approach, limited to determining "common ground", minimal in content and weak in its effect.

This reference to human dignity, which is the foundation and goal of the responsibility to protect, leads us to the theme we are specifically focusing upon this year, which marks the sixtieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This document was the outcome of a convergence of different religious and cultural traditions, all of them motivated by the common desire to place the human person at the heart of institutions, laws and the workings of society, and to consider the human person essential for the world of culture, religion and science. Human rights are increasingly being presented as the common language and the ethical substratum of international relations. At the same time, the universality, indivisibility and interdependence of human rights all serve as guarantees safeguarding human dignity. It is evident, though, that the rights recognized and expounded in the Declaration apply to everyone by virtue of the common origin of the person, who remains the high-point of God's creative design for the world and for history. They are based on the natural law inscribed on human hearts and present in different cultures and civilizations. Removing human rights from this context would mean restricting their range and yielding to a relativistic conception, according to which the meaning and interpretation of rights could vary and their universality would be denied in the name of different cultural, political, social and even religious outlooks. This great variety of viewpoints must not be allowed to obscure the fact that not only rights are universal, but so too is the human person, the subject of those rights.

[In English]

The life of the community, both domestically and internationally, clearly demonstrates that respect for rights, and the guarantees that follow from them, are measures of the common good that serve to evaluate the relationship between justice and injustice, development and poverty, security and conflict. The promotion of human rights remains the most effective strategy for eliminating inequalities between countries and social groups, and for increasing security. Indeed, the victims of hardship and despair, whose human dignity is violated with impunity, become easy prey to the call to violence, and they can then become violators of peace. The common good that human rights help to accomplish cannot, however, be attained merely by applying correct procedures, nor even less by achieving a balance between competing rights. The merit of the Universal Declaration is that it has enabled different cultures, juridical expressions and institutional models to converge around a fundamental nucleus of values, and hence of rights. Today, though, efforts need to be redoubled in the face of pressure to reinterpret the foundations of the Declaration and to compromise its inner unity so as to facilitate a move away from the protection of human dignity towards the satisfaction of simple interests, often particular interests. The Declaration was adopted as a "common standard of achievement" (Preamble) and cannot be applied piecemeal, according to trends or selective choices that merely run the risk of contradicting the unity of the human person and thus the indivisibility of human rights.

Experience shows that legality often prevails over justice when the insistence upon rights makes them appear as the exclusive result of legislative enactments or normative decisions taken by the various agencies of those in power. When presented purely in terms of legality, rights risk becoming weak propositions divorced from the ethical and rational dimension which is their foundation and their goal. The Universal Declaration, rather, has reinforced the conviction that respect for human rights is principally rooted in unchanging justice, on which the binding force of international proclamations is also based. This aspect is often overlooked when the attempt is made to deprive rights of their true function in the name of a narrowly utilitarian perspective. Since rights and the resulting duties follow naturally from human interaction, it is easy to forget that they are the fruit of a commonly held sense of justice built primarily upon solidarity among the members of society, and hence valid at all times and for all peoples. This intuition was expressed as early as the fifth century by Augustine of Hippo, one of the masters of our intellectual heritage. He taught that the saying: Do not do to others what you would not want done to you "cannot in any way vary according to the different understandings that have arisen in the world" (De Doctrina Christiana, III, 14). Human rights, then, must be respected as an expression of justice, and not merely because they are enforceable through the will of the legislators.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

As history proceeds, new situations arise, and the attempt is made to link them to new rights. Discernment, that is, the capacity to distinguish good from evil, becomes even more essential in the context of demands that concern the very lives and conduct of persons, communities and peoples. In tackling the theme of rights, since important situations and profound realities are involved, discernment is both an indispensable and a fruitful virtue.

Discernment, then, shows that entrusting exclusively to individual States, with their laws and institutions, the final responsibility to meet the aspirations of persons, communities and entire peoples, can sometimes have consequences that exclude the possibility of a social order respectful of the dignity and rights of the person. On the other hand, a vision of life firmly anchored in the religious dimension can help to achieve this, since recognition of the transcendent value of every man and woman favours conversion of heart, which then leads to a commitment to resist violence, terrorism and war, and to promote justice and peace. This also provides the proper context for the inter-religious dialogue that the United Nations is called to support, just as it supports dialogue in other areas of human activity. Dialogue should be recognized as the means by which the various components of society can articulate their point of view and build consensus around the truth concerning particular values or goals. It pertains to the nature of religions, freely practised, that they can autonomously conduct a dialogue of thought and life. If at this level, too, the religious sphere is kept separate from political action, then great benefits ensue for individuals and communities. On the other hand, the United Nations can count on the results of dialogue between religions, and can draw fruit from the willingness of believers to place their experiences at the service of the common good. Their task is to propose a vision of faith not in terms of intolerance, discrimination and conflict, but in terms of complete respect for truth, coexistence, rights, and reconciliation.

Human rights, of course, must include the right to religious freedom, understood as the expression of a dimension that is at once individual and communitarian - a vision that brings out the unity of the person while clearly distinguishing between the dimension of the citizen and that of the believer. The activity of the United Nations in recent years has ensured that public debate gives space to viewpoints inspired by a religious vision in all its dimensions, including ritual, worship, education, dissemination of information and the freedom to profess and choose religion. It is inconceivable, then, that believers should have to suppress a part of themselves - their faith - in order to be active citizens. It should never be necessary to deny God in order to enjoy one's rights. The rights associated with religion are all the more in need of protection if they are considered to clash with a prevailing secular ideology or with majority religious positions of an exclusive nature. The full guarantee of religious liberty cannot be limited to the free exercise of worship, but has to give due consideration to the public dimension of religion, and hence to the possibility of believers playing their part in building the social order. Indeed, they actually do so, for example through their influential and generous involvement in a vast network of initiatives which extend from Universities, scientific institutions and schools to health care agencies and charitable organizations in the service of the poorest and most marginalized. Refusal to recognize the contribution to society that is rooted in the religious dimension and in the quest for the Absolute - by its nature, expressing communion between persons - would effectively privilege an individualistic approach, and would fragment the unity of the person.

My presence at this Assembly is a sign of esteem for the United Nations, and it is intended to express the hope that the Organization will increasingly serve as a sign of unity between States and an instrument of service to the entire human family. It also demonstrates the willingness of the Catholic Church to offer her proper contribution to building international relations in a way that allows every person and every people to feel they can make a difference. In a manner that is consistent with her contribution in the ethical and moral sphere and the free activity of her faithful, the Church also works for the realization of these goals through the international activity of the Holy See. Indeed, the Holy See has always had a place at the assemblies of the Nations, thereby manifesting its specific character as a subject in the international domain. As the United Nations recently confirmed, the Holy See thereby makes its contribution according to the dispositions of international law, helps to define that law, and makes appeal to it.

The United Nations remains a privileged setting in which the Church is committed to contributing her experience "of humanity", developed over the centuries among peoples of every race and culture, and placing it at the disposal of all members of the international community. This experience and activity, directed towards attaining freedom for every believer, seeks also to increase the protection given to the rights of the person. Those rights are grounded and shaped by the transcendent nature of the person, which permits men and women to pursue their journey of faith and their search for God in this world. Recognition of this dimension must be strengthened if we are to sustain humanity's hope for a better world and if we are to create the conditions for peace, development, cooperation, and guarantee of rights for future generations.

In my recent Encyclical, Spe Salvi, I indicated that "every generation has the task of engaging anew in the arduous search for the right way to order human affairs" (no. 25). For Christians, this task is motivated by the hope drawn from the saving work of Jesus Christ. That is why the Church is happy to be associated with the activity of this distinguished Organization, charged with the responsibility of promoting peace and good will throughout the earth. Dear Friends, I thank you for this opportunity to address you today, and I promise you of the support of my prayers as you pursue your noble task.

Before I take my leave from this distinguished Assembly, I should like to offer my greetings, in the official languages, to all the Nations here represented.

[in English; in French; in Spanish; in Arab; in Chinese; in Russian:] Peace and Prosperity with God's help!

Event: John Allen & Pietro Sambi discuss pope's visit

I will be attending this event tonight:

Title: “Only Something Infinite Will Suffice”

Opening Remarks: H.E. Pietro SAMBI Apostolic Nuncio of the Holy See to the U.S.

Speakers:

• John L. ALLEN, Jr. NCR Senior Correspondent, CNN Senior Vatican Analyst
• David SCHINDLER Dean of John Paul II Institute, Editor of Communio
• Msgr. Lorenzo ALBACETE Theologian, Author, Columnist

When/Where: The Pope John Paul II Cultural Center, 7PM

Host: Crossroads NYC

The JP2 Cultural Center is where Pope Benedict will hold his meeting with ecumenical representatives on the 17th. Archbishop Pietro Sambi needs no introduction, and I'm looking forward to hearing John Allen.

President Bush promises Pope Benedict a Rose Garden

Mark Silva at a Baltimore Sun blog (helped by Charlie Spiering of the National Catholic Register:

The White House is promising the Pope the Rose Garden.

The Bush administration is organizing a "unique'' Rose Garden ceremony as it finalizes plans for the arrival of Pope Benedict XVI next week. "There is great excitement throughout the staff regardless of one’s religious affiliation,” says White House Deputy Chief of Staff Joe Hagin. “This is a very special day.”

Hagin, together with Anita Bride, the first lady's chief of staff, held a roundtable discussion with members of faith-based media to give an inside look at the White House preparations. “As a Catholic,'' McBride said, "this is an enormous honor for me and a privilege to work on some small aspect of this visit.''

The staff has prepared a ceremony that reflects the usual details reserved for heads of state, together with “very appropriate and warm additions.” McBride notes that nearly 10,000 people will attend the ceremony surrounding the pope's arrival on the South Lawn on Wednesday.

...

Following the Rose Garden ceremony, the President and the Holy Father will hold a private meeting in the White House, lasting perhaps 45 minutes. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone will also meet separately during the papal visit.

It's good timing - the weather just broke here in DC (and hopefully it holds).

Friday chuckle: a case of "screamingly bad" Latin usage

Alternately titled, "why reporters shouldn't fake a knowledge of languages they can't spell."

Voice of America's Jeff Swicord drew an admittedly crummy assignment: reporting on the latest shenanigans put on by the "woman priest" crowd. But what should have been a routine serving of empty drivel went LOL funny when Swicord attributed to an Opus Dei priest the following comment on the maleness and the priesthood:

"'The church teaches that he [the priest] does this in what is called insomnia nomini Christa, that he does this in the name and the person of Jesus,' says [Fr. Arne] Panula. Jesus was male."

A priest acts "insomnia nomini Christa"? That is screamingly funny. It doesn't mean a thing, folks. The closest I can get is "lack of sleep to/for the name Christina".

More hilarious goofs and funnier commentary continued at In The Light of the Law.

Papist Picture of the Day - 4/10/08

[For today's blog topics, click here.]

In a rare senior moment, Pope Benedict hopped out of the chair marked "For The Pope Only", before realizing his mistake.

[source: REUTERS/Max Rossi (VATICAN)]

CNN planning extensive papal coverage

I generally refrain from news stories on news channels about news organizations ... but it looks like CNN is making a major play for papal coverage. In terms of reporting (not in terms of commentary), CNN has been a step ahead of the other major networks in covering the 2008 presidential race. I wonder how they'll do with the pope.

Graphic: Map of NYC Popemobile route

On Saturday, April 19th at 1:15pm Pope Benedict will exit St. Patrick's Cathedral and undertake a one-mile trip up 5th Avenue in the Popemobile to 72nd Street, for the public to see him and receive his blessing.

{Here} is a Google map with the path shown, as well as areas closed to the public.

You can also see my Google map of his Washington DC routes {Here}.

I will add more details to the map when they are made available. Security will be tight.

Welcome Busted Halo listeners!

Welcome to everyone who is visiting AmericanPapist for the first time because you heard my segment on this evening's Busted Halo radio show on Sirius' Catholic Channel. Fr. Dave has a great show!

If you have any questions about the topics we discussed, or if you just want to introduce yourselves, hop into the comment box below. And don't forget to bookmark. Thanks.

The New York Times gets ... well, credible

The New York Times has a blog called "A Papal Discussion" covering Pope Benedict's trip:

http://thepope.blogs.nytimes.com/

What is notable about this development is the panel of contributors they have invited:

• Alejandro Bermudez is the director of Catholic News Agency, which provides fine coverage of things Catholic. I've been using their material extensively for years.
• Colleen Carroll Campbell works for the Ethics and Public Policy Center, which is a good outfit, and wrote "The New Faithful: Why Young Adults Are Embracing Christian Orthodoxy."
• Rev. James Martin, S.J. is an associated editor of America. I can't say that I particularly agree with most editorial positions America has taken, but hopefully his commentary is accurate.
• Rabbi James Rudin, I presume for ecumenical reasons. Hopefully he appreciates Pope Benedict XVI's long tradition of authentic dialogue with and respect of Jews.
• Peter Steinfels, is a NYT religion columnist, and as Margaret Cabaniss noted on the Inside Blog, recently wrote a very illuminating article on papal news coverage.
• Last but not least ... St. Blog's own Amy Welborn! Who migrated in the last year from her flagship Open Book blog to her new one, Charlotte was Both.

Really, I don't think they could have chosen a better representative of St. Blogs than Amy.

On the New York Times staff, it's Ian Fisher and Laurie Goodstein. Laurie I've heard is normally balanced.

I hope this turns out to be as much of a sign of progress as it could be. Finally, mainstream media organizations are realizing that their coverage of things Catholic is lacking, and they're reaching out to fix it.

Video: Dioceses of Rochester and Corpus Christi welcome the pope

Dioceses in the United States are sending welcome videos to Pope Benedict XVI which will be played at Nationals Stadium before his Mass on April 17th. Two more videos get added to that growing list today:

Diocese of Rochester, under Bishop Matthew Clark:

My rating: 7/10. Simple, straightforward, innocuous. I wish the diocese were the same.

Second, the Diocese of Corpus Christi under Bishop Edmond Carmody - which you can see here (WMV file).

My rating: 10/10. The bishop proudly introduces his diocese, the ecclesiology is sound, the music selection is moving, and the video even has a sense of drama. It makes for a real sock-knocker!

Previous videos in this series that I have watched and rated:

• Part 6: Diocese of Arlington (8/10)
• Part 5: Diocese of Providence and Diocese of Charlotte (6/10 & 9/10)
• Part 4: Archdiocese of Baltimore (9/10)
• Part 3: Archdiocese of Los Angeles (1/10)
• Part 2: Diocese of San Diego (6/10)
• Part 1: Diocese of Buffalo and Archdiocese of Chicago (4/10 & 7/10)

Video First Look: Pope Benedict's Travel Path at the National Shrine

Just to make sure my camera still works, here's a short video I took of the travel path Pope Benedict will follow when he visits the National Shrine for Vespers with the U.S. Bishops on April 16th:

The beginning of the video shows 4th street, where the Popemobile will originate, and then the ellipse where he will greet the 3,000+ person crowd waiting outside the National Shrine.

I then pan to show the front of the National Shrine, with its two large papal welcome banners displayed, which I photographed yesterday and are now on the AmP Flickr Page.

Pope trip: Thursday bloggables

Busy day today, so just the essential links:

• CNS provides us with the text of the prayer the pope will say at Ground Zero
• This article by Reuters, I am told, actually paints an accurate picture of Catholic youth
• Pope2008 provides "this inspiring video, from Catholics Come Home," explained here
• update: CUA named its papal essay contest winner, which you can read here.

Photo Caption Call - 4/9/08

[For today's blog topics, click here.]


[Credit: Flickr user "Danny McL"]

Pope Trip - 5 days to go - My Plan

Before we jump into the last few days before Pope Benedict XVI visits Washington DC and New York City, it would be good idea, I think, to do a quick review of my coverage plans for his visit (at this point).

Of course, I am on the ground here in Washington DC, watching the preparations take place and focusing my coverage here. I'll also be paying attention to the pope's meeting with young people at St. Joseph's.

A good portion of my time will be spent doing interviews. The Maximus Group has been keeping me busy, fielding offers, etc., and I've also had numerous chats (on camera and off) with organizations contacting me directly (email is the best way). I'll be announcing those once they get aired or published.

Tomorrow night I'll be on Busted Halo live at 8:20-40 pm, on the Catholic Channel network. They take calls.

I also should have advance access to the papal speeches and addresses during the pope's visit, and I'll be screening those so that once the embargo is lifted we can get those available to everyone quickly.

As far as on the ground coverage, I'll probably be at the pope's first public appearance - vespers with the U.S. Bishops on the 16th at 5:15pm. Earlier that day I might try to catch a glimpse of him on Pennsylvania Avenue, but we'll see. I have the option of watching his speech to Catholic Educators on Thursday the 17th by sitting on the CUA campus mall, but frankly, I think I'll have a better view from home watching the live feeds at that point.

On Friday morning I have the option of greeting the pope as he leaves the Apostolic Nunciature on his way to New York, but it's a very early morning and it's the same time as the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast.

When the pope is on U.S. shores, I'll be manning the blogger console, scanning my finely-tuned RSS feeds, and providing complete coverage of the best the web has to offer in general, and St. Blogs in particular.

Once again, your tips and contributions will be invaluable to make this whole thing proceed smoothly.

And, I'm happy to report, the visitors are certainly pouring in. Today will be a new record for the most number of visits to AmP in a 24hr period. And to think, the pope himself is still 5 days away....

To all the new readers - of which I know there are many - welcome! You've found a good place to watch the pope.

4/10/08: Appointmentgeddon? (of new bishops, that is)

Rocco says to expect the "biggest blitz of [bishop] appointments" the Catholic Church has seen "in years."

... tomorrow.

What dioceses are up for grabs?

These dioceses currently have no bishop (with date left vacant):

• Little Rock AR - 2006 May
• Virgin Islands (US) - 2007 Jan
• Des Moines IA - 2007 Apr
• New Ulm MN - 2007 Apr
• Knoxville TN - 2007 Jun
• Green Bay - 2007 Jul
• Charleston SC - 2007 Aug
• Juneau AK - 2007 Nov
• Biloxi MS - 2008 Apr

These dioceses currently have a bishop serving past his mandatory age of retirement (75):

• Detroit MI - 2005 Mar (Abp. Adam Maida)
• New York NY - 2007 Apr (Abp. Edward Egan)
• Omaha NE - 2007 Jun
• Syracuse NY - 2007 Jul
• Kalamazoo MI - 2007 Jul
• Fort Wayne-South Bend IN - 2007 Aug
• New Orleans LA - 2007 Dec
• Wilmington DE - 2008 Jan
• Allentown PA - 2008 Mar
• Pueblo CO -2008 Mar

Of the 19 dioceses listed, Detroit and Ft. Wayne-S. Bend are the most likely to see appointments, I'd say.

So, in these final hours before the Vatican bollettino goes out - any predictions or advanced rumblings?

Can anyone remember the most number of U.S. bishops appointed on a single day in recent history?

He might.

update: Michael Dubruiel predicts four new bishops, and singles out Charleston SC.

Hmm, I wonder about the fourth....?

update 2: Rocco is now reporting bishops appointed to Little Rock & Des Moines (1st & 3rd longest vacant, respectively) and auxiliaries to Denver, San Antonio and San Francisco.

Which, as he says, makes for five appointments - but only two immediate diocese fillings.

But there might be more... stay tuned. Tomorrow morning by 7:30AM I should have an update.

update 3: yep, it happened:

• Bishop Richard Pates, 65, heretofore auxiliary of St Paul and Minneapolis, as bishop of Des Moines;
  
• Fr Anthony Taylor, 53, pastor of Sacred Heart Parish and vicar for Ministries in the archdiocese of Oklahoma City, as bishop of Little Rock;
  
• Msgr James D. Conley, 53, pastor of Blessed Sacrament Parish in Wichita (and former official of the Congregation for Bishops) as auxiliary to Archbishop Charles Chaput OFM Cap. of Denver;
  
• Fr William Justice, 65, vicar for Clergy of the archdiocese of San Francisco, as auxiliary to San Fran Archbishop George Niederauer;
  
• Fr Oscar Cantu, 41, pastor of Holy Name Parish in Houston, as auxiliary to Archbishop Jose Gomez of San Antonio

More links to follow, but here are the names for now.

update 4: I've linked the names to their C-H pages. Whispers has coverage-o-rama.

Pope trip: Arch of NY has 5,000 tickets to see Pope on 5th Ave.

update: how typical - barely had the news gone out, and all the tickets are gone. popular pope!

Associated Press:

The Archdiocese of New York says it has 5,000 tickets available to see Pope Benedict XVI on Fifth Avenue before he enters St. Patrick's Cathedral to celebrate Mass later this month.

The tickets are good only for the pope's welcome rally on April 19 outside the landmark cathedral.

Tickets can be obtained by filling out a form online at www.archny.org/papalvisit. They will be mailed out on Monday.

On the day of the event, those with tickets will have to enter at Sixth Avenue and 49th Street through security checkpoints, from 6 a.m. to 8 a.m. The pope is scheduled to arrive around 9 a.m.

The Mass will be televised on a huge screen in front of the cathedral.

I think the archdiocese's website is getting heavy traffic right now. Popular Pope.

Pictures: First look at National Shrine & CUA papal welcome banners!

Taken this afternoon!

Theological College across the street from the CUA campus.

Unfolding the large welcome banner on the National Shrine's tower.

A sample Archdiocese of Washington banner on 4th Street, across from the National Shrine.

The CUA (left) and Papal Welcome (right) banners, with National Shrine in background.

Pope Benedict XVI's papal coat of arms, posted above the National Shrine's main entrance.

The fully unfolded papal welcome banner on the National Shrine's tower. It's huge!

I've uploaded these to the AmP Flickr page, where you can find full-size versions of them.

update - I decided to add a few more:





Very nice.

Your chance to help greet the pope!

I've got an inside scoop for you this afternoon.

The Dominican Friars here in Washington DC are going to be helping to organize and co-ordinate the pre-appearance gathering at the National Shrine before the pope's meeting with U.S. Bishops on the 16th. This includes praying the rosary while the gathered crowd (of thousands) as they await Pope Benedict XVI's appearance, and other planned activities they are organizing around it.

One of the things they want to do is teach the crowd to sing a chant so when the pope arrives he is greeted properly. This will be the first public appearance of the Holy Father during his visit to the U.S.

... that's where you come in! What should they sing? It has to be short, pithy, appropriate, and memorable.

(begin update .... some ideas:)

"Pope Benedict, We love you. Pope Benedict, Yes we do!"

"Christ our Hope - we love our Pope!"

Hopefully that gives you a better idea what we're looking for. (end update)

So jump into the comment box and help the Dominican Friars out with some suggestions.

More on this story as it develops!

Humor: Stephen Colbert on the Pope Coming to Town

Catholic Colbert:

Looks like Stephen [Colbert] is all set for the Pope’s visit to New York. He’s got quite a welcome package prepared, right down to a baby to be baptized (son of Colbert Report writer Peter Gwinn). Whether the pope accepts or declines the invitation, it could make for some great comedy bits in the days to come.

A little on the irreverent side at times. Colbert can do better.

Graphic: Map of the DC Popemobile Routes

The USA Today talks about the popemobile routes:

Pope Benedict XVI will make public appearances in a bulletproof "Popemobile" on two days during his first U.S. visit next week, the Roman Catholic archdioceses of New York and Washington, D.C., announced Tuesday.

Details of the public excursions in New York City and Washington, the only two stops on his six-day visit, took elaborate consultations with the Secret Service and local police. The Popemobile events will likely be the only opportunity for the general public to catch a glimpse of the pope, outside of scheduled ticketed events.

Here is my updated super Google Map for the DC portion of his trip (NYC to come next):

{View Map}

I've marked out the routes (with times), the areas closed to the public, and my suggested prime viewing locations.

My tip: the trip near Catholic University of America will be very congested, and short. If you want to see the pope - your best bet is around 12pm on April 16th when he goes from the White House back to the Nunciature. Come early, look for a good spot, and wait it out. Good luck!

See yesterday's post on the USCCB's press release of this information here.

update: I've removed the embedded map. It was very cool, but caused some browsers to freeze. Sorry for that inconvenience, this should fix the issue.

Arch of DC requests Metro remove "offensive" bobble head pope ad

Earlier today I posted on a public service message created by the Washington DC Metro authority for pilgrims coming to see Pope Benedict XVI and using the special Papal Mass Pass they offer.

It contained a video segment with a pope bobble head figurine (incorrectly dressed in red, incidentally).

It was soon taken down by the user who uploaded it - and now we know why:

Metro officials are apologizing for a brand new ad that appeared on the transit system's website, featuring a Pope Benedict bobble head figurine, traveling to the Nationals Stadium by way of Metro.

It's a two minute on-line advertisement using humor to get an important message out to those attending the historic Papal Mass...

... In the ad, an enlightened commuter begins to chant in Latin, thanking heaven for Metro. Then viewers follow a miniature bobble head Pope Benedict riding with an all-day fare card.

Yet, just hours after it was posted, the Archdiocese of Washington notified Metro and requested it be [removed].

Here is video from local ABC news 7.

Personally, I did not find the advertisement offensive. I think it was designed to convey important information to pilgrims in a humorous (albeit at times somewhat uneducated) manner.

I can see the Archdiocese of DC's point, of course. But I think they may come across as over-sensitive.

What do you think?

update: and while the link lasts, someone has uploaded a copy of the video....

update 2: Associated Press has picked up the story. Way to make a big deal of it. I'm also reading conflicting reasons from the Archdiocese as to why they thought the ad should be pulled. That isn't helpful.

Papist Picture of the Day - 4/8/08

[For today's blog topics, click here.]

His calculations told him he would need more frequent flyer miles for a free trip to America. Christmas would be tight this year.

[source: AP Photo/Osservatore Romano, HO]

One of the worst - but sadly expected - introductions to the pope's visit

I read this story in USA Today yesterday about the upcoming pope visit and felt like I was getting nauseous.

What a relief to find out that Carl Olson has risked his supper to point out its hackneyed failings point-by-point.

Video: DC Metro's video for pilgrims (w/ bobblehead pope and chanted Latin!)

By way of a DC insider, a DC insider blog gives us the scoop on this public service message created by the Washington DC Metro for pilgrims coming to see Pope Benedict XVI and using the special Papal Mass Pass.

Here's the video (update 2: link restored, but see why it was taken down here):



Favorite line: "Avoid the unholy traffic. Take metro."

And I wonder where they found someone to chant in Latin?!

DC insider explanation:

The last time Metro dipped its toes into the exciting world of internet video, DCist was the first to share their low-budget, Peeps going to Nationals Park spectacular. Our readers enjoyed that one so much, Metro just tipped us off to their latest effort, titled "Strangers on a Train", which aims to [promote] their special Papal Mass Pass. The pass itself is a good idea: it costs a flat $9, and gives those who plan to follow Pope Benedict XVI around town when he arrives to give a special mass at Nationals Park on April 17 unlimited rides all day.

We're totally fine with a Pope bobblehead taking Metro. Heck, the more bobbleheads we encounter on public transportation, the better....

Indeed. I take the metro's red line every day, and have yet to encounter the papal bobblehead. Or the pope.

update: the Archdiocese of DC requested this video be taken down from the Metro website.

DC Popemobile routes finalized - here they are!

The goods from the USCCB media relations office:

April 16: After the pope’s visit at the White House, around noon, the pope will travel in the popemobile to the Vatican Embassy on Massachusetts Avenue. From the White House, the route will follow Pennsylvania Avenue to Washington Circle. From there, the motorcade will head toward Massachusetts Avenue through Rock Creek Parkway, to the residence located across from the U.S. Naval Observatory.

The public generally can see the pope from the sidewalks throughout the route. Sidewalks immediately in front of the White House and Lafayette Park, directly across Pennsylvania Avenue from the White House, will be closed to the public. Washington Circle also will be closed as a viewing location.

Later that day, at approximately 4:15 p.m., the pope will board the popemobile for a second motorcade from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops offices, 3211 4th Street, NE, to the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception on Michigan Avenue, where he will meet with the U.S. bishops. The public can see the pope along this route from the west side of 4th Street, NE and from the south side of Michigan Avenue in front of and across the Street from the Shrine.

April 17: A third opportunity to see Pope Benedict will be on the campus of The Catholic University of America, as he travels across campus to the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center to meet with faith leaders from many religions. Access to viewing areas on Catholic University’s campus is available only through tickets that the University has made available through local church-sponsored Catholic organizations. Tickets are available in blocks of 50 or more only to local Catholic Church-sponsored organizations (including parishes). Submissions for blocks of tickets must be sent no later than Thursday, April 10, to papalvisit@cua.edu . Name, address and affiliation are required.

update: I've created a special graphic map with Google that has the times, routes, areas closed to the public, and my suggested prime viewing locations of the popemobile. Find it here, with my comments.

Video: Pope Benedict's official greeting to the people of the United States

As announced yesterday, the Vatican Press Office is releasing a video greeting today from Pope Benedict XVI in anticipaton of his visit to the United States next week.

Vatican watcher Rocco Palmo explains the importance of this decision:

"... the move underscores both the import the church's central command is placing on next week's events and Rome's understanding of the usefulness and impact of new technology, both on the life of the Stateside church and the wider society here."

Well yes, that and the fact that the Vatican knows how much I love papist videos.

update: okay, not the smoothest roll out we've witnessed....

• update 3: here is the full video:

• The text of the message is available here

update 2: John Thavis of CNS has comments, John Allen as well:

Release of a video from the pope ahead of a foreign trip is not standard Vatican operating procedure. Vatican sources said the decision was the result of an unusually high volume of requests for interviews with the pope from American media outlets sparked by the impending trip. Although the pope turned down those requests, sources said his advisors were impressed with the interest and wanted to offer a response.

Photo Caption Call - 4/5/08

[For today's blog topics, click here.]


[Credit: Flickr user "mapia 51"]

Servais Pinckaers, O.P.: 1925-2008

Servais Pinckaers, O.P. (1925-2008)

Some very sad news today. A brilliant Dominican moral theologian, longtime teacher at Fribourg in Switzerland, honored member of the ITC and formative contributor to the Catechism of the Catholic Church and Veritatis Splendor preparatory commissions, has passed away today....

The news this morning is that Father Servais Pinckaers, O.P., has died after a long period of debilitation. His history of Christian ethics and other writings—and especially his acute distinction between the “freedom of indifference” and the “freedom of excellence”—has had a powerful influence in Christian circles, and not only among Catholics, and certainly not only among Thomists. (RJN at First Things)

Pinckaers was one of the primary inspirations for my master's thesis ("Spiritual Spontaneity at the Heart of Morality"). You can read a decent biography of the great man here.

Also: a short Pinckaers CV, an essay of his entitled "The Place Of Philosophy In Moral Theology", and a personal note passed on from the dominicans who tended his bedside. His magnum opus is The Sources of Christian Ethics, but he also wrote a more introductory version of it: Morality: The Catholic View.

+

Requiem aeternam dona ei, Domine, et lux perpetua luceat ei. Requiescat in pace. Amen.

Video: Diocese of Arlington welcomes the pope

Dioceses in the United States are sending welcome videos to Pope Benedict XVI which will be played at Nationals Stadium before his Mass on April 17th. Here is another entry, this one from the nearby diocese of Arlington.

My rating: 8/10. A very decent entry. Very high production standards, a broad spectrum of people are featured, plenty of information, and Bishop Paul Loverde provides the narration. If I could ask for one thing, it would be that more of the sacramental and liturgical life of the diocese were better represented.

Previous videos in this series:

• Part 5: Diocese of Providence and Diocese of Charlotte (6/10 & 9/10)
• Part 4: Archdiocese of Baltimore (9/10)
• Part 3: Archdiocese of Los Angeles (1/10)
• Part 2: Diocese of San Diego (6/10)
• Part 1: Diocese of Buffalo and Archdiocese of Chicago (4/10 & 7/10)

Pope trip: Monday morning bloggables

At the top of the list, word from Rocco is that the Vatican Press Office will be releasing a "brief video message" from Pope Benedict XVI tomorrow morning addressed to us folks here in America. Cool.

So much good stuff happening on Pope2008 & Benedict in America, just click-over and peruse 'em.

Over at IP's Insight Scoop, Pope Benedict tells about his childhood, in his own words. He talks about soap.

Finally, the DC popemobile routes have been approved, and as soon as they are published I'll get them to you!

Commentary: Filling in the "generation gap" in the Catholic Church in America

Catholic bloggers have been doing an excellent job pointing out some of the fallacies and false oppositions being set out by the media in the advance days before Pope Benedict XVI visits the United States.

One uneven treatment that I think this blog is uniquely suited to address is well represented by this story by the Associated Press: "Generation Gap Shapes Catholic Church in America".

From the introductory paragraphs:

In his visit this month to the United States, Pope Benedict XVI will find an American flock wrestling with what it means to be Roman Catholic.

The younger generation considers religion important, but doesn't equate faith with going to church. Many lay people want a greater say in how their parishes operate, yet today's seminarians hope to restore the traditional role and authority of priests.

Catholic colleges and universities are trying to balance their religious identity with free expression, catching grief from liberals and conservatives in the process.

There is a little good mixed in with a great deal of bad here. That little good is the part about seminarians. But it makes them out to be an isolated phenomenon. Young lay persons, at least the hundreds I've encountered in my life, also want to see the traditional role and authority of priests upheld.

And while, on the whole, the younger generation (which I presume, must also include non-Catholics), "doesn't equate faith with going to church", there are also certainly hundreds (again) of youth that I have personally met who do. See the uneven picture emerging?

The article tries to broadly suggest a great deal of interest on the part of American Catholics in the figure of Pope Benedict, but a generally lax approach to following the teachings of the Church.

Again, my experience says otherwise, and while I'm limited to what I know (which is a good deal considering my years of blogging these issues), and is supported by the sheer numbers of individuals I know who actually subscribe both to the truth that Pope Benedict preaches and the life which results from the teachings of Christ.

Can the Catholic Church in America improve? Yes. Are the youth especially called to fidelty? Absolutely. But is it really such a lost cause? I would strongly disagree with intimations that it is. Consider:

Older Catholics who remember the Second Vatican Council of the 1960s are still debating its modernizing reforms. The council changed everything from the role of lay people to the direction priests face while celebrating Mass.

Benedict has revived some traditions and prayers that had been largely abandoned since Vatican II, refueling the debate.

But young adult Catholics are fed up with the fight, according to James Davidson, a Purdue University sociologist of religion who studies American Catholics.

This line of argument especially irks me, because it dismisses Catholic youth as being either uninvolved, uninterested or uninformed about these debates, or normally - all three. Well, try telling that to the "Whapsters" , or the kids at PhatMass, or me (frankly), or the amazing and brave young men studying for the priesthood, or the thousands of kids attending education at orthodox Catholic colleges, or the dozens (if not hundreds) of youth blogs who I've come across in these past years.

I'm not saying there's a silent majority here, I'm saying there's a very vocal minority. But passionate, creative minorities change culture too, and often, sooner. And my thousands of young readers don't waste time.

The article's explanation of the next generation of priests is especially lacking:

Monsignor Thomas Nydegger, vice rector of the Immaculate Conception Seminary School of Theology at Seton Hall University, said seminarians today are reaching back in Catholic tradition — like Benedict does — for rituals and clerical garb they find inspiring.

But they blend that interest with modern church goals: to serve parishioners and the larger community and to reach out to people of other faiths, he said.

The author reveals his impoverished understanding of the landscape by using "but" to start the second paragraph. In fact, this interest in "modern church goals" is part-and-parcel with their devoted reclamation of traditions that were falsely discarded by the previous generation. And the mentioned goals aren't modern, they're ancient.

Moreover, this new generation has seen the projects of their predecessors, and has decided what works - not always the innovations of the last twenty years, but always the tradition that has inspired the Church to proclaim the gospel for the past twenty centuries. And yes, that can even include distinctive clerical garb.

The truth of what I'm saying is born out by the phenomenon of recent priestly vocations - the men coming into the priesthood are attracted to orthodoxy and tradition; and the same applies to catholic youth who stay within the Church. In other words, if you don't think being Catholic is important, you aren't very likely to stay. If you do stay, especially in today's hostile climate, it's a good bet you believe in what she teaches and strive to live it.

Before this gets too lengthy - okay, it probably already is - I'll respond to the final paragraph of the article:

One visit from Benedict won't solve the problems of the American church. But by coming to the U.S., he can show Catholics — even briefly — what it might be like to be truly united by faith.

Without realizing it, the author has stumbled upon a very true insight. Yes, one visit from the pope won't overcome the challenges facing Catholic youth in America in the 21st century. But guess what? You can listen to the pope when he isn't physically in your country. Some of us - *cough* - make rather a habit of following what he says, year round, even when he's Rome-bound. It's a good way to bridge the gap this author points out.

So, I guess what I'm saying is, bookmark AmericanPapist, and get the wider picture. Fill in the gaps!

Cast your vote in the "Papal Skateboard Contest"

I recently announced the Archdiocese of New York's "Papal Skateboard Art Design Contest" to unbelieving ears and wide eyes. Helpful wags were quick to photoshop the pope putting his unlikely gift to good use back home.

Sad to say, my selection didn't make it to the final three, which you can now vote for at http://www.papalskateboardjudge.com/ (which has to be one of the strangest websites I've directed my readers to in a long while).

The Archdiocese has gotten quite serious about this whole thing, with a collection of linked resources:

• Papal Skateboard - Letter to Contestants
• Papal Skateboard - In the News
• Papal Skateboard - Contest Rules
• Papal Skateboard - Art Gallery
• Papal Skateboard - Buy a Board

Fr. Peter Pomposello writes to the contestants:

Your artwork is a reflection of your faith. To borrow from the words of Pope John Paul II, your artwork "is an echo of the mystery of creation with which God, the sole creator of all things, has wished in some way to associate you." Many of your designs are far more than just passing symbols of pop-culture. Your artwork is a means of spreading Pope Benedict's message of hope to inspire all who have experienced your work. Your participation in this contest proves the love you have for Jesus Christ and His Church and your desire to witness to that love. The base and negative culture which at times is associated with skateboarding is simply blown away with the breath of the Holy Spirit through your artwork.

Yours truly might have just found a helpful talking point when he interviews on this topic tomorrow.

And as for Il Papa, I'm still saying, there's a reason he has those shades....

Political aside: the state of the presidential nomination race

Yes, even as we prepare for Pope Benedict XVI's visit, we should keep in mind that there's a race happening.

The news de jour for the Clinton campaign is that her top strategist, Mark Penn, has quit "amid criticism of his public relations firm's contacts with the Colombian." MM for more commentary.

Sure, I'm sure the Colombian government ties are the cause of his departure, but at the same time, if you're a savvy rat, it's nice to have an alibi for why you're jumping off the sinking ship. I'm not saying he's a rat.

AP: "It was the second major departure of a Clinton campaign official this year. In February, Patti Solis Doyle stepped down as campaign manager and was replaced by Williams...Penn's consulting firm, Penn, Schoen & Berland, has been paid $10.8 million so far by Clinton's campaign."

This WaPo Politics blog intimates that Penn "was a major influence in Clinton's decision to focus on her toughness and readiness to be commander in chief during the campaign [and the 3AM ad as well]."

Meanwhile, in the wider picture, Obama has a double-digit lead in North Carolina, has narrowed the gap between him and Hillary in mutch-watched Pennsylvania, and now leads Clinton 50%-42% nationally.

Interestingly, Obama also leads McCain 46%-42% in a hypothetical Iowa matchup. McCain is far ahead of Hillary.

Here's something: Dan Senor at ABC News makes the case that Condoleezza Rice is actively pursuing the republican VP spot. LifeSiteNews did a report on her abortion position in 2005, where she described herself as "mildly pro-choice." See her respond to the question on 60 Minutes here:



And that's the state of the presidential nomination race.

If I missed someting important or noteworthy, tell me below!

Graphic: Archdiocese of DC's Metro bus ad welcoming the pope

This graphic is now on the sides of metro buses across the district of columbia:

Okay, local papists, here is your mission: get me a picture of the real-life version!

DC Youth Papal Welcome Video Contest winners announced!

The proud papa let me know:

"My daughter and her friends produced a video to welcome the pope as part of a contest sponsored by the Archdioceses of Washington, Baltimore and Arlington for youth to participate in, and they won!"

Here is the official webpage for the contest. The winning video is the second from the top ("Seton School).

The happy kids:

"Seton School students Brian Nagurny, left, Kristie Ostrich, Mimi Myers, Libby Wittman and Olivia Aveni react on Thursday about winning a youth video contest [welcome Pope Benedict XVI]."

Local NBC 4 has text and DC FOX has video.

Congrats!

(and what about that papal skateboarding contest, you ask? that's next!)

[Photo credit: Donnie Biggs/News & Messenger]

Cardinal Arinze at University of Dallas, April 14th

The University of Dallas Theology Department is hosting him:

The Theology Department is very pleased to announce that the speaker for the 2007-08 John Paul II Lecture will be Francis Cardinal Arinze, Prefect of the Congregation of Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments. {more details}

On Friday, LifeSiteNews discussed a recent video Q&A session with Cardinal Arinze that pro-abortion politicians "must" be "refused" Communion. I made the video in question available here last Wednesday.

Maybe it's time for another (polite) Q&A session with the Cardinal to allow him to repeat the teaching?

Ph/t: Phatmass user "dUSt".

Flash: Pope Still Catholic

Drudge headlined this story "POPE: Divorce, abortion an offence to God...", but I think mine is more succinct.

Videos: Dioceses of Providence & Charlotte welcome the pope

Dioceses from around the United States are sending welcome videos to Pope Benedict XVI which will be played at Nationals Stadium before his papal Mass on April 17th. Here are two more:

Diocese of Providence, RI under Bishop Thomas Tobin.

My rating: 6/10. A decent video. Heavy on social justice and "the environment" but also features an extended welcome from the Rector and Seminarians of Our Lady of Providence Seminary. And finally - where is the bishop?

For the second video, this one by the diocese of Charlotte, NC, you can click here.

My rating: 9/10. One of the very best I've seen. The Bishop, Peter Joseph Jugis, takes a personal responsibility in presenting and introducing his diocese, and along the way, teaches about how his diocese lives its Catholic faith.

Previous videos in this series:

• Part 4: Archdiocese of Baltimore (9/10)
• Part 3: Archdiocese of Los Angeles (1/10)
• Part 2: Diocese of San Diego (6/10)
• Part 1: Diocese of Buffalo and Archdiocese of Chicago (4/10 & 7/10)

Papist Picture of the Day - 4/4/08

[For today's blog topics, click here.]

"Pope Benedict's idea of Sunday Funnies."

[source: AP Photo/Osservatore Romano, HO]

Pope Trip: Friday Morning Notables

A quick tour around the other papal visit coverage blogs, for some extra Friday diversion:

• USCCB papal visit blog: Past Papal Visits
• USCCB papal visit blog: A First Look at the Papal Missal
• Benedict in America: The Pope's Entourage
• Benedict in America: United Nations will permit the Pope to speak for twenty minutes
• Pope2008: The Itinerary from the Vatican
• John Allen: "Vatican fence-mending campaign with Jews picks up steam"
• Bendictions: "Pope's 'Loving' Fans An Added Security Challenge"

Video: Laugh, then help a big Catholic family win $25k

From Marcel LeJeune of the MarySaggies blog:

Some friends who have a wonderful Catholic family of 9 kids, all home-schooled, are in the final 10 of a $25,000 college scholarship contest (and the parents are Aggie Catholics if you needed more incentive). They created a great video, but now need your votes to help them win. Go here to vote for them (yes, you have to fill out a short registration).

Hey, it's worth the time. If you're feeling industrious, consider blogging it or sending out an email!

Papist Picture of the Day - 4/3/08

[For today's blog topics, click here.]

"When not spiritually uniting the Church, Pope Benedict is literally upholding it."

[source: AFP/File/Andreas Solaro]

AmP Exclusive: Pope Benedict already undercover at the National Shrine?

One of my friends will be singing for Pope Benedict during the Vespers with bishops at the National Shrine. Tonight after choir rehearsal he sent me this saying "it appears the Holy Father is now working at the Shrine too!"

I wonder if he autographs posters?

AmP Exclusive: Loyal Papists in Chicago show their (papal) colors

Seeing my recent post which included the Archdiocese of Chicago's welcome message to the Holy Father (scroll down), one of the Canons Regular of St. John Cantius Catholic Church in Chicago sent me this:

"In light of the upcoming visit of Pope Benedict, here a a couple of photos taken at a spontaneous rally for Pope Benedict in which St. John Cantius Parish marched to Holy Name Cathedral to show support for the newly elected Pope three years ago."

For their proud papist pageantry, they get an AmP Shout-Out!

These are the same kids, by the way, who I ran across during this year's march for life:

What a fantastic idea it would be to have your parish host a papal rally! If you do, drop me a line.

Rumor: Maida and Orlando bishop discussing Detroit transition plan?

In follow-up to yesterday's post on the same topic, a source on the ground in Detroit tells me that Cardinal Maida might be in Orlando this week discussing a "transition plan" with Bishop Thomas Wenski.

How much weight would I give this? Probably not all that much. But do note that in the final days before an announcement it becomes more difficult to keep a lid on things. So, for what little it's worth....

"Catholic Students pledge 500,000 Hours of Service as Birthday Gift to the Pope"

Quite a social service bouquet:

More than 500,000 community service hours have been pledged by Catholic school students and other Catholic youths in honor of Pope Benedict XVI's 81st birthday.

he pope's birthday is April 16, the second day of his six-day visit to the United States.

Washington Archbishop Donald W. Wuerl, announced the number of pledged hours March 25 during opening remarks at the National Catholic Educational Association's convention in Indianapolis.

... Students choose how to spend their volunteer hours. Acts of service are broadly defined as anything that helps another person or improves the environment. Students are encouraged to conduct canned food drives, visit nursing homes, write letters to those in military service or to shut-ins, raise money for a charity or clean up a local park. (CNS)

Far be it from me to criticize a worthy effort, but I should hope that some of those hours of service might be spent in Eucharistic adoration praying for the pope's intentions - that's social service too.

And if you like this post, see my other recent posts on the upcoming visit of Pope Benedict to the USA.

Pope Benedict adds NYC synagogue to his visit itinerary

The top mainstream papal news story today:

Pope Benedict XVI will visit a synagogue led by a rabbi who survived the Holocaust during his first papal trip to the United States, the nation's bishops said Thursday.

Benedict's visit will be just the third visit by any pope to a synagogue in the 2,000 year history of the Roman Catholic Church. It is his second visit to a synagogue as pontiff. On his first papal trip abroad in 2005, Benedict visited a synagogue in Cologne, Germany. Pope John Paul II was the first pope to visit a synagogue. (CBS)

For extensive coverage, see the Benedict In America blog.

I remember when I was in Cologne for World Youth Day in 2005 hearing about Pope Benedict's decision to visit a synagogue there. I also recall that the news surprised the native Cologne folks when I explained to them that the pope had made this gesture.

The CBS news story does a pretty good job keeping the story straight on the pope's "nazi ties":

The pontiff, 80, is a native of Germany whose father was anti-Nazi. Benedict was enrolled in the Hitler Youth program as a teenager against his will and then was drafted into the German army in the last months of the war. He wrote in his memoirs that he deserted in the war's last days.

Actually he was stationed in a backwater and was never close to active duty, as I understand it.

Video: Archdiocese of Baltimore welcomes Pope Benedict

To make up for the simply awful video produced by the LA Archdiocese, blogged about this morning, I present the best "welcome Pope Benedict" video I've found so far.

The "Premier See", Archdiocese of Baltimore under Bp. O'Brien, welcomes Pope Benedict:

Rating: 9/10. Informative, historical, contemporary. Really great. I do think at the end there's a rather significant omission of mentioning Jesus Christ, perhaps they were trying to be "inclusive."

Previous posts in this ongoing series:

• Part 3: LA Archdiocese welcomes the pope by talking about animals
• Part 2: Diocese of San Diego welcomes Pope Benedict
• Part 1: Diocese of Buffalo and Archdiocese of Chicago welcome the Holy Father

Video: LA Archdiocese's simply awful welcome video for Pope Benedict

As the third installment (part 1 - part 2) of my series in which I watch and rate the various "Welcome Pope Benedict" videos being produced by American dioceses, I give you a real humdinger. This isn't a joke.

Not surprisingly, it's the Archdiocese of Los Angeles that has managed to produce a welcoming video not only worse than every other one I've already seen, but laughably bad in comparison. This video, moreover, will be played on the big screens at Nationals Stadium in DC before the Papal Mass, along with the rest.

I've embedded the video below, the original is on the Arch of LA website here.



Here's a transcript of the video:

From it's humble beginnings at La Placita church, to the Cathedral of our Lady of the Angels, Los Angeles' vibrant catholic community [not church!] looks to the future while paying tribute to her past.

Los Angeles has celebrated the blessing of the animals since 1930. A cow traditionally has the place of honor at the head of the parade. She's followed by cats, dogs, turtles, snakes, and a host of other animals.

"Los Angelinos" send their best wishes to his holiness, Pope Benedict the 16th.

(people welcome the Holy Father)

Los Angeles [not the Archdiocese], welcomes you, Pope Benedict, to America.

Yes, you read and watch right: the entire video is about the once-a-year blessing of the animals. And of even that, it's mostly about the animals (and Cardinal Mahony, blithely throwing water at everything in sight).

Truly if these videos say anything about the dioceses that produced them, I hope this is the low point.

I'm going to refrain from laying out exactly all the reasons I find this video inadequate, and let you chime in.

Rating: 1/10 (it mentions the Pope).

update: Curt Jester reveals, in his humerous way, why this was probably the safest thing they could do.

Video: BBC Discovers Amazing *Flying* Penguins!

To quote Dr. Allan Grant, "Life finds a way!"

And who could ever doubt the BBC?

Cardinal Arinze: "Send 12 Swiss Guards to arrest them all!"

The fine folks at the Cardinal Arinze Podcast have given us a gem of a Cardinal Arinze answer:

Watch the first 45 seconds, then jump to 2:30, then to 3:30....

On a more serious note though - is it really as funny as all that?

The Cardinal Arinze Podcast, of course, has the coolest. logo. ever:

It has a permanent place on the AmP sidebar.

Rumor: New Archbishop for Detroit to be announced by April 15th?

Adam Cardinal Maida is the oldest active Archbishop in America at just over 78.

Today, tucked into his coverage of a new bishop being named for Mobile AL, Rocco tells us:

In what's been described as the "surest sign" that, after countless rounds of false alarms, a Detroit transition is finally close at hand, earlier this week Maida announced that his longtime right-hand in the administration of the 1.5 million-member archdiocese, Msgr John Zenz, would take a pastorate effective 1 June. In a letter to his central staff dated Monday, the cardinal said that Auxiliary Bishop Francis Reiss would assume the duties of vicar-general and moderator of the curia on a "pro-tem" basis "for the next few months," ostensibly pending the arrival of a new archbishop.

Wouldn't you know it, I went to school in Detroit for two years and never once came across Bp. Reiss [pic].

From a personal source, I can add to the above rumors the one that Cardinal Maida is no longer scheduling official appointments and appearances past April 15th.

So, if you're looking for an announcement, it will probably happen by April 15th. Gee, that date rings a bell .... and Pope Benedict has been known to personally announce appointments when he is visiting countries.

A clarification regarding my papal visit media credentials

Looking over the woes of Tim Drake for the National Catholic Register ("The Media "Nightmare" Has Already Begun") and Barb Fraze for Catholic News Service ("The nightmares of preparing for a papal visit)", I'm sorry to say that I think I've got them beat. Totally beat.

In what's sure to be a disappointment to my readers - for which I apologize - it's currently looking like I will not have media credentials for the pope's upcoming visit.

What's the story? It's no secret that the USCCB's media outreach website has been a rocky road for most of us who have tried to travel it. Long story short is that it looks like I misread my initial pre-accreditation email, and took a confirmation page ("please print this for your records," etc.) to mean that I had actually been awarded the credentials I requested. I've sent the USCCB an email asking for clarification, but haven't heard back.

In the meantime, in full disclosure, I'm posting this update and have removed the notice I had added to the template sidebar.

This doesn't mean, of course, that I won't still be covering the papal trip in-depth, it just means that I won't be covering the papal trip up close. I still have advance access to documents, I'll be on the ground in Washington DC, and enjoy an extensive network of colleagues who will be giving me reports of their experiences. Essentially I'm in the same boat as the majority of my hard-working, always-blogging fellow papists.

Looks like I'll be watching this one from the sidelines, but I'm used to that. I'm a blogger. :-)

Thanks in advance for your kind attention, and a few prayers at this stage certainly couldn't hurt.

Pope Benedict attributes "supernatural qualities" to Pope John Paul II

The reporting from United Press International on Catholic topics sometimes feels like a mix between a comic book, the instruction manual to a computer game, and a celebrity tabloid.

I'm exaggerating a bit, of course, but see what you think:

"Speculation regarding the sainthood of the Pope John Paul II escalated Wednesday as Pope Benedict XVI attributed the late pontiff with "supernatural qualities."

I somehow doubt that the level of speculation has "escalated" the last 24 hours. It is good to hear, though, that John Paul II had "supernatural qualities." I hope one of them was X-ray vision.

Another quote:

Beatification is a phase on the way to full sainthood. Full sainthood requires evidence of a variety of theological qualifications, including evidence of miracles.

Yes, it's true: John Paul II is quickly on his way to reaching Full Sainthood. All saint-trainees begin at Level 1 Sainthood. St. Theresa of Avila was a Level 4 Saint. John Paul II is rumored to be at least a Level 5 Full Saint. Jesus was an unheard of Level 10 Full Divinity.

Okay, I think I've about run this joke into the ground. Besides, ANSA provided the reporting anyway.

Video: Diocese of San Diego welcomes Pope Benedict

On Monday I provided two videos from American dioceses welcoming Pope Benedict. Today, a third - Aux. Bp. Salvatore J. Cordileone and Bp. Brom of the diocese of San Diego:


Rating: 6/10. On the one hand, Auxiliary Bishop Cordileone is awesome, as I've pointed out. I also appreciate the video's depiction of sacraments and San Diego's historic mission. On the other hand, once again, this video is very heavy on the "diversity" theme. I admit there are many cultural backgrounds represented in the diocese, but the faith is more than the culture in which it exists. Oh, and, I guess the welcome video wasn't time to bring up the ongoing unfortunate situation.

update: surprise, surprise - this was a local San Diegan JP Catholic production. (ph/t: Pope 2008).

Photo: The Popemobile arrives!

"The Mercedes Benz "Popemobile" is transported on a flatbed truck along interstate 295 near the Delaware Memorial Bridge near Wilmington, Delaware April 2, 2008. Pope Benedict will meet top U.S. Catholic educators on April 17. - REUTERS/John Randolph (UNITED STATES)"

So ... did anyone spot it en route?

Photos: Pope Benedict celebrates anniversary of Pope John Paul II's death

Pope Benedict XVI arrives in St. Peter's square [in red!] to celebrate a Mass in memorial of the third anniversary of Pope John Paul II's death:

[Photo sources: REUTERS/Alessandro Bianchi (VATICAN CITY); (AP Photo/Plinio Lepri)]

Santo Subito!

update: TNLM has a fine post on this Mass with plentiful pictures from the video stream.

Bishop Thomas John Rodi of Biloxi goes Mobile (Alabama, that is.)

Bishop Thomas John Rodi of the diocese of Biloxi has been named the Archbishop of the archdiocese of Mobile, Alabama. From the Vatican's bollettino:

"[Today the Holy Father] Appointed Bishop Thomas John Rodi of Biloxi, U.S.A., as metropolitan archbishop of Mobile (area 59,467, population 1,680,384, Catholics 67,351, priests 127, permanent deacons 62, religious 179), U.S.A. The archbishop-elect was born in New Orleans, U.S.A. in 1949, he was ordained a priest in 1978 and consecrated a bishop in 2001. He succeeds Archbishop Oscar Hugh Lipscomb, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same archdiocese the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit."

Archbishop designate Rodi is a graduate of Georgetown, and has a degree in law from Tulane. He received his licentiate in canon law at Catholic University of America and taught canon law at Notre Dame seminary. Once again an extensively-educated and canonically-trained prelate gets the nod.

More coverage here from Whispers.

The Mobile Archdiocesan website has a nice welcome graphic on their homepage as well as these links:

• Press Release
• Biography
• Archbishop Lipscomb's Letter
• Archbishop Designate Rodi's Letter
• What Next?: "Archbishop Designate Rodi's installation ceremony will be held Friday, June 6th at 3:00 in the afternoon at the Cathedral-Basilica of the Immaculate Conception."

A couple cool little details:

Archbishop-Emeritus Lipscomb and Archbishop-Designate Rodi will celebrate today’s 12:10 p.m. Mass at the Cathedral-Basilica of the Immaculate Conception.

Archbishop [Designate] Rodi’s first name, Thomas, is now included in the prayer of the Eucharistic Canon at Masses celebrated within this diocese.

Major props to the Archdiocese of Mobile for a prompt, informative web presentation of the announcement.

Just as an aside, perhaps someone can help me out: why exactly is a diocese with less than 70k Catholics an archdiocese? No offense to the fine people of Mobile, but I just wonder how that works.

Secondly, it's very interesting to note that Abp-d. Rodi will continue to administer his old diocese of Biloxi by "decision of the Holy Father". The priest shortage has caused many dioceses to have a single priest ministering to multiple parishes, but I wonder here if we are seeing the first instance of a bishop administering multiple dioceses. Or this could just be a temporary, one-time thing. Either way, I'd like to see this decision discussed a bit.

Text: Address of the Holy Father to the U.S. Bishops

The embargo has been liftedn by the USCCB (this post is back-listed so it doesn't get in the way):

Dear Brother Bishops,

It gives me great joy to greet you today, at the start of my visit to this country, and I thank Cardinal George for the gracious words he has addressed to me on your behalf. I want to thank all of you, especially the Officers of the Episcopal Conference, for the hard work that has gone into the preparation of this visit. My grateful appreciation goes also to the staff and volunteers of the National Shrine, who have welcomed us here this evening. American Catholics are noted for their loyal devotion to the see of Peter. My pastoral visit here is an opportunity to strengthen further the bonds of communion that unite us. We began by celebrating Evening Prayer in this Basilica dedicated to the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a shrine of special significance to American Catholics, right in the heart of your capital city. Gathered in prayer with Mary, Mother of Jesus, we lovingly commend to our heavenly Father the people of God in every part of the United States.

For the Catholic communities of Boston, New York, Philadelphia and Louisville, this is a year of particular celebration, as it marks the bicentenary of the establishment of these local Churches as Dioceses. I join you in giving thanks for the many graces granted to the Church there during these two centuries. As this year also marks the bicentenary of the elevation of the founding see of Baltimore to an Archdiocese, it gives me an opportunity to recall with admiration and gratitude the life and ministry of John Carroll, the first Bishop of Baltimore - a worthy leader of the Catholic community in your newly independent nation. His tireless efforts to spread the Gospel in the vast territory under his care laid the foundations for the ecclesial life of your country and enabled the Church in America to grow to maturity. Today the Catholic community you serve is one of the largest in the world, and one of the most influential. How important it is, then, to let your light so shine before your fellow citizens and before the world, "that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven" (Mt 5:16).

Many of the people to whom John Carroll and his fellow Bishops were ministering two centuries ago had travelled from distant lands. The diversity of their origins is reflected in the rich variety of ecclesial life in present-day America. Brother Bishops, I want to encourage you and your communities to continue to welcome the immigrants who join your ranks today, to share their joys and hopes, to support them in their sorrows and trials, and to help them flourish in their new home. This, indeed, is what your fellow countrymen have done for generations. From the beginning, they have opened their doors to the tired, the poor, the "huddled masses yearning to breathe free" (cf. Sonnet inscribed on the Statue of Liberty). These are the people whom America has made her own.

Of those who came to build a new life here, many were able to make good use of the resources and opportunities that they found, and to attain a high level of prosperity. Indeed, the people of this country are known for their great vitality and creativity. They are also known for their generosity. After the attack on the Twin Towers in September 2001, and again after Hurricane Katrina in 2005, Americans displayed their readiness to come to the aid of their brothers and sisters in need. On the international level, the contribution made by the people of America to relief and rescue operations after the tsunami of December 2004 is a further illustration of this compassion. Let me express my particular appreciation for the many forms of humanitarian assistance provided by American Catholics through Catholic Charities and other agencies. Their generosity has borne fruit in the care shown to the poor and needy, and in the energy that has gone into building the nationwide network of Catholic parishes, hospitals, schools and universities. All of this gives great cause for thanksgiving.

America is also a land of great faith. Your people are remarkable for their religious fervor and they take pride in belonging to a worshipping community. They have confidence in God, and they do not hesitate to bring moral arguments rooted in biblical faith into their public discourse. Respect for freedom of religion is deeply ingrained in the American consciousness - a fact which has contributed to this country's attraction for generations of immigrants, seeking a home where they can worship freely in accordance with their beliefs.

In this connection, I happily acknowledge the presence among you of Bishops from all the venerable Eastern Churches in communion with the Successor of Peter, whom I greet with special joy. Dear Brothers, I ask you to assure your communities of my deep affection and my continued prayers, both for them and for the many brothers and sisters who remain in their land of origin. Your presence here is a reminder of the courageous witness to Christ of so many members of your communities, often amid suffering, in their respective homelands. It is also a great enrichment of the ecclesial life of America, giving vivid expression to the Church's catholicity and the variety of her liturgical and spiritual traditions.

It is in this fertile soil, nourished from so many different sources, that all of you, Brother Bishops, are called to sow the seeds of the Gospel today. This leads me to ask how, in the twenty-first century, a bishop can best fulfill the call to "make all things new in Christ, our hope"? How can he lead his people to "an encounter with the living God", the source of that life-transforming hope of which the Gospel speaks (cf. Spe Salvi, 4)? Perhaps he needs to begin by clearing away some of the barriers to such an encounter. While it is true that this country is marked by a genuinely religious spirit, the subtle influence of secularism can nevertheless color the way people allow their faith to influence their behavior. Is it consistent to profess our beliefs in church on Sunday, and then during the week to promote business practices or medical procedures contrary to those beliefs? Is it consistent for practicing Catholics to ignore or exploit the poor and the marginalized, to promote sexual behavior contrary to Catholic moral teaching, or to adopt positions that contradict the right to life of every human being from conception to natural death? Any tendency to treat religion as a private matter must be resisted. Only when their faith permeates every aspect of their lives do Christians become truly open to the transforming power of the Gospel.

For an affluent society, a further obstacle to an encounter with the living God lies in the subtle influence of materialism, which can all too easily focus the attention on the hundredfold, which God promises now in this time, at the expense of the eternal life which he promises in the age to come (cf. Mk 10:30). People today need to be reminded of the ultimate purpose of their lives. They need to recognize that implanted within them is a deep thirst for God. They need to be given opportunities to drink from the wells of his infinite love. It is easy to be entranced by the almost unlimited possibilities that science and technology place before us; it is easy to make the mistake of thinking we can obtain by our own efforts the fulfillment of our deepest needs. This is an illusion. Without God, who alone bestows upon us what we by ourselves cannot attain (cf. Spe Salvi, 31), our lives are ultimately empty. People need to be constantly reminded to cultivate a relationship with him who came that we might have life in abundance (cf. Jn 10:10). The goal of all our pastoral and catechetical work, the object of our preaching, and the focus of our sacramental ministry should be to help people establish and nurture that living relationship with "Christ Jesus, our hope" (1 Tim 1:1).

In a society which values personal freedom and autonomy, it is easy to lose sight of our dependence on others as well as the responsibilities that we bear towards them. This emphasis on individualism has even affected the Church (cf. Spe Salvi, 13-15), giving rise to a form of piety which sometimes emphasizes our private relationship with God at the expense of our calling to be members of a redeemed community. Yet from the beginning, God saw that "it is not good for man to be alone" (Gen 2:18). We were created as social beings who find fulfillment only in love - for God and for our neighbor. If we are truly to gaze upon him who is the source of our joy, we need to do so as members of the people of God (cf. Spe Salvi, 14). If this seems counter-cultural, that is simply further evidence of the urgent need for a renewed evangelization of culture.

Here in America, you are blessed with a Catholic laity of considerable cultural diversity, who place their wide-ranging gifts at the service of the Church and of society at large. They look to you to offer them encouragement, leadership and direction. In an age that is saturated with information, the importance of providing sound formation in the faith cannot be overstated. American Catholics have traditionally placed a high value on religious education, both in schools and in the context of adult formation programs. These need to be maintained and expanded. The many generous men and women who devote themselves to charitable activity need to be helped to renew their dedication through a "formation of the heart": an "encounter with God in Christ which awakens their love and opens their spirits to others" (Deus Caritas Est, 31). At a time when advances in medical science bring new hope to many, they also give rise to previously unimagined ethical challenges. This makes it more important than ever to offer thorough formation in the Church's moral teaching to Catholics engaged in health care. Wise guidance is needed in all these apostolates, so that they may bear abundant fruit; if they are truly to promote the integral good of the human person, they too need to be made new in Christ our hope.

As preachers of the Gospel and leaders of the Catholic community, you are also called to participate in the exchange of ideas in the public square, helping to shape cultural attitudes. In a context where free speech is valued, and where vigorous and honest debate is encouraged, yours is a respected voice that has much to offer to the discussion of the pressing social and moral questions of the day. By ensuring that the Gospel is clearly heard, you not only form the people of your own community, but in view of the global reach of mass communication, you help to spread the message of Christian hope throughout the world.

Clearly, the Church's influence on public debate takes place on many different levels. In the United States, as elsewhere, there is much current and proposed legislation that gives cause for concern from the point of view of morality, and the Catholic community, under your guidance, needs to offer a clear and united witness on such matters. Even more important, though, is the gradual opening of the minds and hearts of the wider community to moral truth. Here much remains to be done. Crucial in this regard is the role of the lay faithful to act as a "leaven" in society. Yet it cannot be assumed that all Catholic citizens think in harmony with the Church's teaching on today's key ethical questions. Once again, it falls to you to ensure that the moral formation provided at every level of ecclesial life reflects the authentic teaching of the Gospel of life.

In this regard, a matter of deep concern to us all is the state of the family within society. Indeed, Cardinal George mentioned earlier that you have included the strengthening of marriage and family life among the priorities for your attention over the next few years. In this year's World Day of Peace Message I spoke of the essential contribution that healthy family life makes to peace within and between nations. In the family home we experience "some of the fundamental elements of peace: justice and love between brothers and sisters, the role of authority expressed by parents, loving concern for the members who are weaker because of youth, sickness or old age, mutual help in the necessities of life, readiness to accept others and, if necessary, to forgive them" (no. 3). The family is also the primary place for evangelization, for passing on the faith, for helping young people to appreciate the importance of religious practice and Sunday observance. How can we not be dismayed as we observe the sharp decline of the family as a basic element of Church and society? Divorce and infidelity have increased, and many young men and women are choosing to postpone marriage or to forego it altogether. To some young Catholics, the sacramental bond of marriage seems scarcely distinguishable from a civil bond, or even a purely informal and open-ended arrangement to live with another person. Hence we have an alarming decrease in the number of Catholic marriages in the United States together with an increase in cohabitation, in which the Christ-like mutual self-giving of spouses, sealed by a public promise to live out the demands of an indissoluble lifelong commitment, is simply absent. In such circumstances, children are denied the secure environment that they need in order truly to flourish as human beings, and society is denied the stable building blocks which it requires if the cohesion and moral focus of the community are to be maintained.

As my predecessor, Pope John Paul II taught, "The person principally responsible in the Diocese for the pastoral care of the family is the Bishop ... he must devote to it personal interest, care, time, personnel and resources, but above all personal support for the families and for all those who … assist him in the pastoral care of the family" (Familiaris Consortio, 73). It is your task to proclaim boldly the arguments from faith and reason in favor of the institution of marriage, understood as a lifelong commitment between a man and a woman, open to the transmission of life. This message should resonate with people today, because it is essentially an unconditional and unreserved "yes" to life, a "yes" to love, and a "yes" to the aspirations at the heart of our common humanity, as we strive to fulfill our deep yearning for intimacy with others and with the Lord.

Among the countersigns to the Gospel of life found in America and elsewhere is one that causes deep shame: the sexual abuse of minors. Many of you have spoken to me of the enormous pain that your communities have suffered when clerics have betrayed their priestly obligations and duties by such gravely immoral behavior. As you strive to eliminate this evil wherever it occurs, you may be assured of the prayerful support of God's people throughout the world. Rightly, you attach priority to showing compassion and care to the victims. It is your God-given responsibility as pastors to bind up the wounds caused by every breach of trust, to foster healing, to promote reconciliation and to reach out with loving concern to those so seriously wronged.

Responding to this situation has not been easy and, as the President of your Episcopal Conference has indicated, it was "sometimes very badly handled". Now that the scale and gravity of the problem is more clearly understood, you have been able to adopt more focused remedial and disciplinary measures and to promote a safe environment that gives greater protection to young people. While it must be remembered that the overwhelming majority of clergy and religious in America do outstanding work in bringing the liberating message of the Gospel to the people entrusted to their care, it is vitally important that the vulnerable always be shielded from those who would cause harm. In this regard, your efforts to heal and protect are bearing great fruit not only for those directly under your pastoral care, but for all of society.

If they are to achieve their full purpose, however, the policies and programs you have adopted need to be placed in a wider context. Children deserve to grow up with a healthy understanding of sexuality and its proper place in human relationships. They should be spared the degrading manifestations and the crude manipulation of sexuality so prevalent today. They have a right to be educated in authentic moral values rooted in the dignity of the human person. This brings us back to our consideration of the centrality of the family and the need to promote the Gospel of life. What does it mean to speak of child protection when pornography and violence can be viewed in so many homes through media widely available today? We need to reassess urgently the values underpinning society, so that a sound moral formation can be offered to young people and adults alike. All have a part to play in this task - not only parents, religious leaders, teachers and catechists, but the media and entertainment industries as well. Indeed, every member of society can contribute to this moral renewal and benefit from it. Truly caring about young people and the future of our civilization means recognizing our responsibility to promote and live by the authentic moral values which alone enable the human person to flourish. It falls to you, as pastors modelled upon Christ, the Good Shepherd, to proclaim this message loud and clear, and thus to address the sin of abuse within the wider context of sexual mores. Moreover, by acknowledging and confronting the problem when it occurs in an ecclesial setting, you can give a lead to others, since this scourge is found not only within your Dioceses, but in every sector of society. It calls for a determined, collective response.

Priests, too, need your guidance and closeness during this difficult time. They have experienced shame over what has occurred, and there are those who feel they have lost some of the trust and esteem they once enjoyed. Not a few are experiencing a closeness to Christ in his Passion as they struggle to come to terms with the consequences of the crisis. The Bishop, as father, brother and friend of his priests, can help them to draw spiritual fruit from this union with Christ by making them aware of the Lord's consoling presence in the midst of their suffering, and by encouraging them to walk with the Lord along the path of hope (cf. Spe Salvi, 39). As Pope John Paul II observed six years ago, "we must be confident that this time of trial will bring a purification of the entire Catholic community", leading to "a holier priesthood, a holier episcopate and a holier Church" (Address to the Cardinals of the United States, 23 April 2002, 4). There are many signs that, during the intervening period, such purification has indeed been taking place. Christ's abiding presence in the midst of our suffering is gradually transforming our darkness into light: all things are indeed being made new in Christ Jesus our hope.

At this stage a vital part of your task is to strengthen relationships with your clergy, especially in those cases where tension has arisen between priests and their bishops in the wake of the crisis. It is important that you continue to show them your concern, to support them, and to lead by example. In this way you will surely help them to encounter the living God, and point them towards the life-transforming hope of which the Gospel speaks. If you yourselves live in a manner closely configured to Christ, the Good Shepherd, who laid down his life for his sheep, you will inspire your brother priests to rededicate themselves to the service of their flocks with Christ-like generosity. Indeed a clearer focus upon the imitation of Christ in holiness of life is exactly what is needed in order for us to move forward. We need to rediscover the joy of living a Christ-centred life, cultivating the virtues, and immersing ourselves in prayer. When the faithful know that their pastor is a man who prays and who dedicates his life to serving them, they respond with warmth and affection which nourishes and sustains the life of the whole community.

Time spent in prayer is never wasted, however urgent the duties that press upon us from every side. Adoration of Christ our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament prolongs and intensifies the union with him that is established through the Eucharistic celebration (cf. Sacramentum Caritatis, 66). Contemplation of the mysteries of the Rosary releases all their saving power and it conforms, unites and consecrates us to Jesus Christ (cf. Rosarium Virginis Mariae, 11, 15). Fidelity to the Liturgy of the Hours ensures that the whole of our day is sanctified and it continually reminds us of the need to remain focused on doing God's work, however many pressures and distractions may arise from the task at hand. Thus our devotion helps us to speak and act in persona Christi, to teach, govern and sanctify the faithful in the name of Jesus, to bring his reconciliation, his healing and his love to all his beloved brothers and sisters. This radical configuration to Christ, the Good Shepherd, lies at the heart of our pastoral ministry, and if we open ourselves through prayer to the power of the Spirit, he will give us the gifts we need to carry out our daunting task, so that we need never "be anxious how to speak or what to say" (Mt 10:19).

As I conclude my words to you this evening, I commend the Church in your country most particularly to the maternal care and intercession of Mary Immaculate, Patroness of the United States. May she who carried within her womb the hope of all the nations intercede for the people of this country, so that all may be made new in Jesus Christ her Son. My dear Brother Bishops, I assure each of you here present of my deep friendship and my participation in your pastoral concerns. To all of you, and to your clergy, religious and lay faithful, I cordially impart my Apostolic Blessing as a pledge of joy and peace in the Risen Lord.


* * *
1. The Holy Father is asked to give his assessment of the challenge of increasing secularism in public life and relativism in intellectual life, and his advice on how to confront these challenges pastorally and evangelize more effectively.

I touched upon this theme briefly in my address. It strikes me as significant that here in America, unlike many places in Europe, the secular mentality has not been intrinsically opposed to religion. Within the context of the separation of Church and State, American society has always been marked by a fundamental respect for religion and its public role, and, if polls are to be believed, the American people are deeply religious. But it is not enough to count on this traditional religiosity and go about business as usual, even as its foundations are being slowly undermined. A serious commitment to evangelization cannot prescind from a profound diagnosis of the real challenges the Gospel encounters in contemporary American culture.

Of course, what is essential is a correct understanding of the just autonomy of the secular order, an autonomy which cannot be divorced from God the Creator and his saving plan (cf. Gaudium et Spes, 36). Perhaps America's brand of secularism poses a particular problem: it allows for professing belief in God, and respects the public role of religion and the Churches, but at the same time it can subtly reduce religious belief to a lowest common denominator. Faith becomes a passive acceptance that certain things "out there" are true, but without practical relevance for everyday life. The result is a growing separation of faith from life: living "as if God did not exist". This is aggravated by an individualistic and eclectic approach to faith and religion: far from a Catholic approach to "thinking with the Church", each person believes he or she has a right to pick and choose, maintaining external social bonds but without an integral, interior conversion to the law of Christ. Consequently, rather than being transformed and renewed in mind, Christians are easily tempted to conform themselves to the spirit of this age (cf. Rom 12:3). We have seen this emerge in an acute way in the scandal given by Catholics who promote an alleged right to abortion.

On a deeper level, secularism challenges the Church to reaffirm and to pursue more actively her mission in and to the world. As the Council made clear, the lay faithful have a particular responsibility in this regard. What is needed, I am convinced, is a greater sense of the intrinsic relationship between the Gospel and the natural law on the one hand, and, on the other, the pursuit of authentic human good, as embodied in civil law and in personal moral decisions. In a society that rightly values personal liberty, the Church needs to promote at every level of her teaching - in catechesis, preaching, seminary and university instruction - an apologetics aimed at affirming the truth of Christian revelation, the harmony of faith and reason, and a sound understanding of freedom, seen in positive terms as a liberation both from the limitations of sin and for an authentic and fulfilling life. In a word, the Gospel has to be preached and taught as an integral way of life, offering an attractive and true answer, intellectually and practically, to real human problems. The "dictatorship of relativism", in the end, is nothing less than a threat to genuine human freedom, which only matures in generosity and fidelity to the truth.

Much more, of course, could be said on this subject: let me conclude, though, by saying that I believe that the Church in America, at this point in her history, is faced with the challenge of recapturing the Catholic vision of reality and presenting it, in an engaging and imaginative way, to a society which markets any number of recipes for human fulfillment. I think in particular of our need to speak to the hearts of young people, who, despite their constant exposure to messages contrary to the Gospel, continue to thirst for authenticity, goodness and truth. Much remains to be done, particularly on the level of preaching and catechesis in parishes and schools, if the new evangelization is to bear fruit for the renewal of ecclesial life in America.

2. The Holy Father is asked about "a certain quiet attrition" by which Catholics are abandoning the practice of the faith, sometimes by an explicit decision, but often by distancing themselves quietly and gradually from attendance at Mass and identification with the Church.

Certainly, much of this has to do with the passing away of a religious culture, sometimes disparagingly referred to as a "ghetto", which reinforced participation and identification with the Church. As I just mentioned, one of the great challenges facing the Church in this country is that of cultivating a Catholic identity which is based not so much on externals as on a way of thinking and acting grounded in the Gospel and enriched by the Church's living tradition.

The issue clearly involves factors such as religious individualism and scandal. Let us go to the heart of the matter: faith cannot survive unless it is nourished, unless it is "formed by charity" (cf. Gal 5:6). Do people today find it difficult to encounter God in our Churches? Has our preaching lost its salt? Might it be that many people have forgotten, or never really learned, how to pray in and with the Church?

Here I am not speaking of people who leave the Church in search of subjective religious "experiences"; this is a pastoral issue which must be addressed on its own terms. I think we are speaking about people who have fallen by the wayside without consciously having rejected their faith in Christ, but, for whatever reason, have not drawn life from the liturgy, the sacraments, preaching. Yet Christian faith, as we know, is essentially ecclesial, and without a living bond to the community, the individual's faith will never grow to maturity. Indeed, to return to the question I just discussed, the result can be a quiet apostasy.

So let me make two brief observations on the problem of "attrition", which I hope will stimulate further reflection.

First, as you know, it is becoming more and more difficult, in our Western societies, to speak in a meaningful way of "salvation". Yet salvation - deliverance from the reality of evil, and the gift of new life and freedom in Christ - is at the heart of the Gospel. We need to discover, as I have suggested, new and engaging ways of proclaiming this message and awakening a thirst for the fulfillment which only Christ can bring. It is in the Church's liturgy, and above all in the sacrament of the Eucharist, that these realities are most powerfully expressed and lived in the life of believers; perhaps we still have much to do in realizing the Council's vision of the liturgy as the exercise of the common priesthood and the impetus for a fruitful apostolate in the world.

Second, we need to acknowledge with concern the almost complete eclipse of an eschatological sense in many of our traditionally Christian societies. As you know, I have pointed to this problem in the Encyclical Spe Salvi. Suffice it to say that faith and hope are not limited to this world: as theological virtues, they unite us with the Lord and draw us toward the fulfillment not only of our personal destiny but also that of all creation. Faith and hope are the inspiration and basis of our efforts to prepare for the coming of the Kingdom of God. In Christianity, there can be no room for purely private religion: Christ is the Savior of the world, and, as members of his Body and sharers in his prophetic, priestly and royal munera, we cannot separate our love for him from our commitment to the building up of the Church and the extension of his Kingdom. To the extent that religion becomes a purely private affair, it loses its very soul.

Let me conclude by stating the obvious. The fields are still ripe for harvesting (cf. Jn 4:35); God continues to give the growth (cf. 1 Cor 3:6). We can and must believe, with the late Pope John Paul II, that God is preparing a new springtime for Christianity (cf. Redemptoris Missio, 86). What is needed above all, at this time in the history of the Church in America, is a renewal of that apostolic zeal which inspires her shepherds actively to seek out the lost, to bind up those who have been wounded, and to bring strength to those who are languishing (cf. Ez 34:16). And this, as I have said, calls for new ways of thinking based on a sound diagnosis of today's challenges and a commitment to unity in the service of the Church's mission to the present generation.

3. The Holy Father is asked to comment on the decline in vocations despite the growing numbers of the Catholic population, and on the reasons for hope offered by the personal qualities and the thirst for holiness which characterize the candidates who do come forward.

Let us be quite frank: the ability to cultivate vocations to the priesthood and the religious life is a sure sign of the health of a local Church. There is no room for complacency in this regard. God continues to call young people; it is up to all of us to to encourage a generous and free response to that call. On the other hand, none of us can take this grace for granted.

In the Gospel, Jesus tells us to pray that the Lord of the harvest will send workers. He even admits that the workers are few in comparison with the abundance of the harvest (cf. Mt 9:37-38). Strange to say, I often think that prayer - the unum necessarium - is the one aspect of vocations work which we tend to forget or to undervalue!

Nor am I speaking only of prayer for vocations. Prayer itself, born in Catholic families, nurtured by programs of Christian formation, strengthened by the grace of the sacraments, is the first means by which we come to know the Lord's will for our lives. To the extent that we teach young people to pray, and to pray well, we will be cooperating with God's call. Programs, plans and projects have their place; but the discernment of a vocation is above all the fruit of an intimate dialogue between the Lord and his disciples. Young people, if they know how to pray, can be trusted to know what to do with God's call.

It has been noted that there is a growing thirst for holiness in many young people today, and that, although fewer in number, those who come forward show great idealism and much promise. It is important to listen to them, to understand their experiences, and to encourage them to help their peers to see the need for committed priests and religious, as well as the beauty of a life of sacrificial service to the Lord and his Church. To my mind, much is demanded of vocation directors and formators: candidates today, as much as ever, need to be given a sound intellectual and human formation which will enable them not only to respond to the real questions and needs of their contemporaries, but also to mature in their own conversion and to persevere in life-long commitment to their vocation. As Bishops, you are conscious of the sacrifice demanded when you are asked to release one of your finest priests for seminary work. I urge you to respond with generosity, for the good of the whole Church.

Finally, I think you know from experience that most of your brother priests are happy in their vocation. What I said in my address about the importance of unity and cooperation within the presbyterate applies here too. There is a need for all of us to move beyond sterile divisions, disagreements and preconceptions, and to listen together to the voice of the Spirit who is guiding the Church into a future of hope. Each of us knows how important priestly fraternity has been in our lives. That fraternity is not only a precious possession, but also an immense resource for the renewal of the priesthood and the raising up of new vocations. I would close by encouraging you to foster opportunities for ever greater dialogue and fraternal encounter among your priests, and especially the younger priests. I am convinced that this will bear great fruit for their own enrichment, for the increase of their love for the priesthood and the Church, and for the effectiveness of their apostolate.

Dear Brother Bishops. with these few observations, I once more encourage all of you in your ministry to the faithful entrusted to your pastoral care, and I commend you to the loving intercession of Mary Immaculate, Mother of the Church.


* * *
Before leaving, I would like to pause to acknowledge the immense suffering endured by the people of God in the Archdiocese of New Orleans as a result of Hurricane Katrina, as well as their courage in the challenging work of rebuilding. I would like to present Archbishop Alfred Hughes with a chalice, which I hope will be accepted as a sign of my prayerful solidarity with the faithful of the Archdiocese, and my personal gratitude for the tireless devotion which he and Archbishops Philip Hannan and Francis Schulte showed toward the flock entrusted to their care.

Bioethics: British team makes mixed human animal embryos

UK Times:

Embryos containing both human and animal material have been created in Britain for the first time, a month before the House of Commons is to vote on new laws to regulate the controversial research.

A team at the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne announced tonight that it had successfully generated “admixed embryos” by adding human DNA to empty cow eggs, in the first experiment of its kind in the UK.

The achievement will heighten debate over the ethics of human-animal embryos, as the Commons prepares to debate the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill next month.

... [This research], however, has been vociferously opposed by religious groups, particularly the Roman Catholic church. Cardinal Keith O’Brien, the head of the Catholic church in Scotland, described the work last month as “experiments of Frankenstein proportion”.

My bioethics essay on this research: Human-Animal Hybrids and the Catholic Response (9/20/07)

My previous report on this story: Human/animal hybrid embryos will be created 'within months' (1/18/08)

The Pope's April Prayer Intentions

Pope Benedict's general prayer intention for April is: "That Christians, even in the difficult and complex situations of present-day society, may not tire of proclaiming with their lives that Christ's resurrection is the source of peace and of hope".

His mission intention is: "That the future priests of the young Churches may be constantly more formed culturally and spiritually to evangelise their nations and the whole world".

Breaking: Msgr. Michael Duca of Dallas appointed to Shreveport, LA

Local Dallas outlet WFAA:

Monsignor Michael Duca of the Catholic Diocese of Dallas has been appointed bishop of Shreveport by Pope Benedict XVI.

[Fr.] Duca, a Dallas native, has served as rector of Holy Trinity Seminary in Dallas since 1996.

“I am humbled and honored by the Pope’s decision to appoint me as bishop of the Diocese of Shreveport," [Fr.] Duca said. "It is an incredible blessing that I look forward to, but not without some mixed emotions.

The Vatican bulletino announcement:

The Holy Father appointed Msgr. Michael Gerard Duca of the clergy of the diocese of Dallas, U.S.A., rector of the Holy Trinity Seminary at Irving, as bishop of Shreveport (area 28,837, population 824,000, Catholics 40,500, priests 51, permanent deacons 22, religious 70), U.S.A. The bishop-elect was born in Dallas in 1952 and ordained a priest in 1978.

Rocco has more:

A former diocesan vocations director, chaplain at Dallas' Southern Methodist University and Angelicum-trained canonist, the bishop-elect, 55, succeeds Bishop William Friend, who retired as head of the 40,000-member diocese in December 2006.

Seminarians go on to be priests, Seminarian formators go on to be bishops.

Here is the announcement from the diocesan website.

Anyone have personal contact with the monsignor?

Modern Day Babel: Saudi prince plans mile-high skyscraper!

I've said many times before in my coverage of the insane building projects in the middle east that they represent the modern day spirit of babel. This most recent project is therefore no surprise to me:

"Mile-high tower: Saudi prince promises £5bn desert spire TWICE as tall as nearest rival being built"

On a clear day, the view from the top will take in the Middle East, North Africa and the Indian Ocean - providing you've a head for heights.

Plans for a mile-high tower in the Saudi Arabian desert have been unveiled by the billionaire owner of London's Savoy Hotel.

At 5,250ft, the ~$10billion project, masterminded by two British engineering consultancies, will be twice as high as its nearest rivals, skyscrapers under construction in Dubai and Kuwait, and almost seven times as high as the Canary Wharf tower in London's Docklands....

.... Experts say the technical challenges are enormous. Much of the lifting will be carried out by helicopters, which will also be used as commuter transport for builders.

The tower will have to be capable of withstanding a wide range of temperatures, with its top baking in the desert sun by day but dropping to well below freezing at night.

To resist the strong winds prevalent in the area and stop it swaying, giving its occupants a form of high-rise seasickness, it will be fitted with a giant computer-operated damper.

(Estimated completion date: 2012. )

Everything new, is old. Nimrod lives.