Bruskewitz - 1, Ewers - 0

UPDATE: Bruskewitz - 0?, Particular Church Law - 1?

The premier story for tonight:

Bishop Bruskewitz shoots back at National Review Board

Bishop Fabian Bruskewitz of Lincoln, Nebraska, has responded sharply to criticism from the US bishops' National Review Board about his refusal to cooperate with the Board's "audit" of diocesan plans for implementing national guidelines on sex-abuse programs.

Bishop Bruskewitz released this statement on March 31:

"Some woman named Patricia O'Donnell Ewers, who is the Chair of something called "A National Review Board for the Protection of Children and Young People", has said that her Board "calls for strong fraternal correction of the Diocese of Lincoln." The Diocese of Lincoln has nothing to be corrected for, since the Diocese of Lincoln is and has always been in full compliance with all laws of the Catholic Church and with all civil laws. Furthermore, Ewers and her Board have no authority in the Catholic Church and the Diocese of Lincoln does not recognize them as having any significance.

It is well known that some of the members of Ewers' Board are ardent advocates of partial birth abortion, other abortions, human cloning, and other moral errors. It is understandable then how such persons could dislike the Diocese of Lincoln, which upholds the moral teaching of the Catholic Church.

The words attributed to Ewers seem to confirm the suspicion that the members of her Board are unfamiliar with Catholic teachings, Catholic ecclesiology, and even the basic rudiments of the Catholic Catechism. Rather than concerning themselves with the Diocese of Lincoln about which they appear completely ignorant, Ewers and her colleagues would occupy themselves in a better way by learning something about the Catholic religion and the traditions and doctrines and laws of the Catholic Church.

The Diocese of Lincoln does not see any reason for the existence of Ewers and her organization.

Gerald, Dom (and now Diogenes) give their commentary.

UPDATE: Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam has found the statement that evoked Bishop Brukewitz' response:

In just three years, dioceses/eparchies have worked extremely hard to address the issue of clergy sexual abuse. This conclusion is strongly supported by the audit results.

It disheartens the Board, however, that the bishop of the Diocese of Lincoln, Nebraska, and the eparch of the Eparchy of Newton for Melkite Catholics in Newton, Massachusetts, have refused to participate in the audit process, and the Board calls for strong fraternal correction in these refusals.

Though their governance authority is fully understood by the Board, nonetheless, these refusals go against all of the efforts of the Church to be open and transparent in addressing child protection and reaching out to victims to help with their healing.

[my underlining]

[link to the full original document]

The raw numbers on costs for clergy sex abuse

...from 1950-2006:

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- The cumulative financial cost to the U.S. Catholic Church for clerical sexual abuse of minors is now more than $1.5 billion and still climbing.

...

Among major settlements yet to come are those in the Los Angeles Archdiocese, which has more than 500 cases pending, and in the Portland Archdiocese in Oregon and the Spokane Diocese in Washington, which have entered federal bankruptcy proceedings because of the number and size of legal claims filed against them for clergy sexual abuse. [more]

It's here! Cardinal Arinze Bio/Interview

While fellow bloggers are celebrating the arrival of the Compendium of the CCC, I was thrilled upon my arrival home today to find my copy of God's Invisible Hand waiting for me, fresh from Amazon!

And at over 350 pages, it looks like I've got a great deal to look forward to this weekend!

Read my blog about God's Invisible Hand, the biography of and interview with Cardinal Arinze right here.

CNN roundup: The last days of John Paul II

CNN Video: John Paul II Remembered

While relatively short (~5 min.), it is very worth watching - Cardinal George's testimony is particularly moving...

"CNN Presents" will be airing a John Paul II special on April 1 & 2, 10PM EST.

CNN's roundup of images, video, quotes, etc.

(thanks to reader Dante for alerting me to this)

Closed Cafeteria documents the horror

Gerald Augustinus over at Closed Cafeteria is covering Mahoney Fest 2006 (doubtlessly as a particularly brutal form of Lenten penance):

Day 1 (Youth Day) of Mahony Fest 06

Religious Education Congress 2006

Stay tuned at Closed Cafeteria for more updates.

Kill a Baby - get free movie tickets and a chance to win an iPod!

Unbelievable:

San Francisco, Mar. 31, 2006 (CNA) - Anyone who makes an appointment at one of the eight facilities run by Planned Parenthood Golden Gate (PPGG) before April 30 can enter to win an iPod. This is just one of the schemes the abortion agency has organized to try to lure teens into its San Francisco clinics, reports the group, Life Decisions International.

...

A poster announcing another Planned Parenthood program, called “Tell-A-Friend,” includes the image of a teenage girl whispering into the ear of another teenage girl: “Get free movie tickets? Yes, when you tell a friend about Planned Parenthood.”

[more]

Pope Benedict's latest move to support freedom for the Catholic Church in China

Now he is devoting this month's prayer intention to the cause:

Vatican City, Mar. 31, 2006 (CNA) - The Vatican has announced that during the month of April, Pope Benedict XVI will focus his prayer specifically on the plight of the much-persecuted Church in China.

The text of the Holy Father’s April mission intention, released today, is "That the Church in China may carry out its evangelizing mission serenely and in full freedom."

[more]

Faithmouse's Terri Schindler Schiavo Memorial Illustration

More cartoons about Terri (including comparisons with John Paul II)

View the accompanying message for this illustration at Faithmouse.

Terry Schiavo's One Year Memorial

One year ago today, Terri Schiavo died after being starved to death for 13 days.

Blogs for Terri

ProLife Blogs

Terri's Fight

Amy Welborn's Post

Terri Schiavo: Finding the Answers

A Life That Matters : The Legacy of Terri Schiavo -- A Lesson for Us All
(the book recently published by Terri Schiavo's parents)

Perhaps this Friday we can do penance not only for our lenten intentions but also for the repose of the soul of Terri Schiavo and for all those who are neglected (sometimes criminally) in our society.

AP on Benedict watching film on JP2

The AP covered Pope Benedict watching a made-for-TV movie about John Paul II today.

Explaining the scene that evoked this evident reaction from Papa Benny, he said:

Benedict said he was left "petrified, as if we were present" when watching the reconstruction of the 1981 attempt on John Paul's life by a Turkish gunman in St. Peter's Square.

[Read the rest]

Just a quick brag

My youngest sister (Theresa, 8) won the Metro Parent's annual Overall Best Writer/Illustrator, Ages 8-10 category this evening, beating out about 120 other aspiring authors. Her story is going to be published (illustrations as well) in the next issue of the Metro Parent. The flip side is that she will then have shattered my record for youngest-published in the immediate family (a pathetic 12). Oh well, it feels good to be beaten.

Another iPope Picture

This one found at The Crescat.

Here is a much larger one (different style).

Cosmic Body Prayer - Spiritual/Physical Workout!

From the same "spirit" of Vatican II that gave us the "Flying Dutchmen Gospel Procession" comes the most exciting thing to hit Germany since the "Disco Mass":

I present to you: Cosmic Body Prayer.

Click here to view Cosmic Body Prayer's unique creation, "The Dynamic Our Father." (complete with step-by-step instructions demonstrated by the exuberant Franciscan friar to the left).

The picture to the left shows the "cosmic body expression" of the line "Hallowed be thy name" in the Our Father. What does one do? Just this: "Three cross shapes are outlined in the air, with strained and outstretched hands." ... (can't you just feel him hallowing God's name like crazy?)

"And to not lead us into temptation" is another favorite of mine.

While I did not see anything about this explicitly on the website, I should imagine that the "Our Father" Cosmic Body Prayer is a beginning spiritual exercise ... eventually one can work oneself up to doing a whole decade ... and even (for the especially dedicated) an entire rosary!

Gerald and Jeff, I hereby summon your skills to elucidate the benefits of this spiritual exercise more!

h/t to Catholic Caveman via The Crescat

"The Pill is a No-No"

And while we're at it, now is probably as good a time as any to bring this out of the archives.

Picture of John Paul I with (future) John Paul II

Pope John Paul I (L) meets Cardinal Karol Wojtyla, archbishop of Krakow, in this October 16, 1978 file photograph. (REUTERS/Vatican/Files)

I thought it appropriate to feature this picture today as we are talking about the issue of contraception.

News watch: Magister on "Into Great Silence"

The german documentary of Carthusian monks (which I've blogged about here and here) has been recently discussed by Sandro Magister (h/t: Amy Welborn):

"The film was shot at the Grande Chartreuse in Grenoble, and is 162 minutes of pure contemplation. In Germany, it has met with surprising success. And now it has come to Rome."

ROMA, March 30, 2006 – It was previewed on March 26 in the cathedral of Genoa and on March 28 at the Pontifical Gregorian University. On the 31st it will be released in the movie theatres of Rome and the rest of Italy. Benedict XVI also knows about it, and might see it. The film comes from his homeland of Germany, where it has had surprising success with the public.

The original title in German is “Die Grosse Stille,” the great silence. It is a title that is more than appropriate for 162 uninterrupted minutes of pure contemplation. The soundtrack is made only of the chiming of bells, nighttime psalmody, footsteps, wind, rain, and very little else.

Read the rest.

View a high-quality version of the trailer here.

And here is the movie's website.

Archbishop Fitzgerald criticizes Pope Benedict

Looks like someone is a bit sore at being packed off to Egypt:

Rome, Mar. 30 (CWNews.com) - Archbishop Michael Fitzgerald, who was recently replaced as president of the Pontifical Council for Inter-Religious Dialogue, has indirectly criticized Pope Benedict XVI for underestimating the importance of interfaith discussions.

Inter-religious dialogue should not be considered merely as an aspect of cultural discussions, Archbishop Fitzgerald told a Rome seminar on March 29. Pope Benedict apparently thinks otherwise. On March 11, Pope Benedict announced that Cardinal Paul Poupard, the president of the Pontifical Council for Culture, would double as president of the Pontifical Council for Inter-Religious Dialogue. Although that appointment was described as temporary in an official Vatican announcement, many informed observers believe that the Pope intends to merge the two offices.

(boldface added).

Posted without comment

Pope Benedict XVI reacts at the screening at the Vatican of a film on his predecessor John Paul II, during the scene when the late pontiff is shot in St. Peter's Square.

(Thursday March 30, 2006; AP Photo/Pier Paolo Cito)

WYD 2011 in Korea?

Seen on Amy Welborn:

Cardinal Nicholas Cheong Jin-suk, Archbishop of Seoul and Apostolic Administrator of Pyongyang, has said he will “do everything possible” to have Korea host the next World Youth Day (WYD), “one of the biggest events organized by the Catholic Church”.

In an interview with Chosun Ilbo, the neo-cardinal said: “If South Korea manages to host World Youth Day, we would naturally invite the pope to come to visit our entire country.”

I tell you, everyone is taking a look at the list and deciding they want to be on it. :)

Also, I got a kick out of the article designating the new cardinal as a "neo-cardinal" - especially after discovering the neo-bishop recently...

Janet Smith debates Charles Curran on Contraception

Pro-Life activist Dr. Janet Smith debated the dissenter Dr. Charles Curran in front of a packed Dallas audience in 1994. I think the debate is well worth a focused listening because Dr. Smith and Dr. Curran are widely recognized as the top proponents of their respective positions on the contraception issue (at least in the US), and it's a rare occurrence indeed to hear two figures of their stature debating each other live.

[Listen to Part One of the debate] [Listen to Part Two of the debate]

NOTE: Each file is roughly 25mb, so they will take a little while to download even on a broadband connection.

In Part One, Dr. Smith and Fr. Curran give their presentations and rebuttals. In Part Two, they ask each other questions, and then take many more from the audience.

National Catholic Reporter provided coverage of the debate. (poorly, in my opinion)

Over a million copies of Dr. Smith's taped talk "Contraception, Why Not?" have been distributed [read a transcript] [order a free copy]. She is currently serving a second term as a consulter to the Pontifical Council on the Family.

UPDATE: Dr. Smith has also written on this topic "Why Humanae Vitae was right" and "Humanae Vitae: A Generation Later".

NB: It is reaching the end of the month, and I have about 50GB of bandwidth left - I would love to have this bandwidth used up by people downloading and listening to this landmark debate. It's in mp3 format so you can even play it on your iPod. So, please feel free to listen to it yourself and then tell a friend about it, too!

Update: Thanks to others who have linked to it (Curt Jester, Closed Cafeteria) - my bandwidth is humming along and that's what I like to see!

Update 2: Dr. David of C-L-S has an insightful post analyzing Fr. Curran's use of the terms "physicalism" and "biologism" in this debate.

Baptism for TomKat's baby?!

Canon Lawyer Ed Peters over at In the Light of the Law looks at what canon law would have to say about Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes' new baby getting baptized (probably by Grandma Holmes!):

Let's assume that Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes are just two terribly catechized Catholics who don't have the faintest idea what it really means to be "married in the Church." That would explain how they (and the clueless media) could even be talking about their "being engaged" despite Tom's two previous putative marriages (c. 1085) and his apparent apostasy (cc. 751, 1071) to Scientology on the one hand, and the stress of Katie's metapublic pregnancy and her own dalliance with Scientology on the other. The point I wish to address, however, deals not so much with them, as with their baby, due shortly. As things stand now, their baby cannot be licitly baptized in the Catholic Church. [more]

Oh, and in other news: Tom Cruise is crazy.

... and if that doesn't convince you, this should (click here if video does not work):

Results of AP Poll: Which new cardinal are you most excited about?

The results are in...

235 voters participated in this poll. Thanks to the many blogs who linked to it, especially Michael Paulson of the Boston Globe (even though his readership might have tipped the voting a bit...)

However, in the end, Cardinal Zen of China received over 30% of the vote, edging slightly ahead of the American Cardinal O'Malley!

A reader from China sent in this comment: "Wow, it is a surprise that here voted cardinal Zen being elected as the most exciteing. I'm exciteing too.haha!"

(We're all praying for the Church in China and join you in your excitement about Cardinal Zen's election!)

Cardinal Dziwisz, former secretary to John Paul II, put in a strong showing for 3rd with about 15% of the vote.

The always stylish Cardinal Caffara came in 4th, with my guy, Cardinal Canizares of Spain taking 5th (oh well).

American-born Cardinal Levada of San Fransisco received only 4.3% of the vote, which was somewhat suprising for me.

Even Cardinal Dery of Ghana received a few votes!

An excellent reader poll in my opinion - look for the next one to go up in a couple days! Thanks to everyone who voted and promoted it throughout St. Blogs!

And as a quick post scriptum, it looks like Cardinal Zen is happy and excited about his victory:

h/t: Rocco

More details on upcoming Papal Trips

As if Michael Rose reads my blog, suddenly Papa Ratzi Post links to two articles today on future pope visits:

Alcohol ban during forthcoming Pope visit to Poland

Alcohol will be banned from sale from all shops and bars in the Krakow and Warsaw regions during the first visit to Poland of Pope Benedict in late May.

Pope Benedict’s three day schedule, from may 25 to may 28 will include stops in Krakow, Warsaw, the site of the Nazi death camp at Auschwitz and to the Shrine of the Black Madonna, Czestochowa.

A similar drinks ban was put in place during visits by Pope John Paul II to his homeland.

And also this:

Pope expected to visit Quebec City in 2008

TORONTO and QUEBEC — Pope Benedict XVI is expected in 2008 to stand at the hallowed heart of Canadian history -- Quebec City's Plains of Abraham -- and celebrate mass for tens of thousands of Roman Catholics from around the world.

Cardinal Marc Ouellet, Archbishop of Quebec and primate of the Canadian Catholic Church, said he'll meet journalists tomorrow to tell them what he called good news from Rome.

... I guess Cardinal Ouellet didn't like the Pope's trip to Canada receiving a "low" probablity rating on our chart of upcoming Papal visits.