Papist Picture of the Day - 3/31/08

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

"The once-famous Amazing Living Arm, after a long period of unemployment, finally gets hired as the pope's photographer-at-large."

[source: AP Photo/Plinio Lepri)]

Videos: Dioceses send welcome messages to Pope Benedict

The Diocese of Buffalo under Bishop Edward Kmiec welcomes the Holy Father:

I'd give it about a 4 out of 10. Very little on the sacramental life, very much on the inculturation.

Second, the Archdiocese of Chicago under Francis Cardinal George welcomes the pope:

This one gets a 7/10. Prayers for the Holy Father, and prayers for the success of his visit.

Did your diocese or organization create a video to welcome Pope Benedict? Send me a link!

Rocco: Shreveport, LA to get new bishop tomorrow morning, Mobile next?

update: Michael Duca of Dallas appointed to Shreveport, LA

The next best thing to the Vatican's bulletino:

This week's first US vacancy to fall comes tomorrow with the appointment of a new bishop for Louisana's diocese of Shreveport. The traditional warning shots have been firing off for some days now, with the latest sending word of the standard 10am press conference in the border diocese. (Whispers in the Loggia)

Shreveport has been without a bishop since December 2006, the second longest diocesan vacancy in the U.S. behind Little Rock, AR (May 2006). After this post has been filled, there will still be eight dioceses in the U.S. without a bishop, and eleven more dioceses whose bishop is serving past the mandatory retirement age of 75. (Source: CanonLaw.info).

Rocco says that more bishop apointments will come down the stretch in these next couple weeks:

.... as soon as [this] week, the Pope is expected to appoint a new archbishop of Mobile to succeed the venerable native son Oscar Lipscomb, the nation's longest-serving metropolitan, who reached the retirement age of 75 in September 2006. Multiple sources report that the nod will fall to the senior suffragan of the province, Bishop Thomas Rodi of Biloxi.

[More from the Sun Herald, citing Rocco]

New bishops as presents from the boss before he visits? Check.

Speaking of check, check back here tomorrow morning once we get the official announcement.

PA bishop cancels appearance after Catholic college announces Clinton rally

Another day, another Catholic college invites Hillary Clinton:

Hillary Clinton is going to hold a campaign rally at Mercyhurst College tomorrow, Tuesday, April 1, 2008. The Catholic College boasts of the pro-abortion Senator and Presidential candidate's appearance on its web page. LifeSiteNews.com has also learned that Erie Bishop Donald W. Trautman has cancelled his scheduled appearance at the upcoming Mercyhurst graduation ceremony in protest. (LifeSiteNews)

Here is the event page on the Mercyhurst College website.

What locals can do:

Tim Broderick of the pro-life group People for Life is urging "all pro-life people to make whatever sacrifices are necessary to be at Mercyhurst for a pro-life informational demonstration from 5:30 PM until 7:30 PM, Tuesday -- rain or shine." Broderick is urging pro-life individuals who are unable to attend to contact the university with their concerns.

Demonstrators are being asked to meet at the Parade Blvd. entrance to the Mercyhurst Campus. Broderick will be on hand with picket signs from 4 PM.

What we can do: LSN also provides the President's contact information "to politely express concerns".

Related: "Catholic Mercyhurst College Jeered for Hosting Pro-Abortion Hillary Clinton Rally"

Mercyhurst? More like "unmerciful hearse" if they let a pro-abortion politician campaign there.

Okay, that's histrionic of me to say, I realize, but why is it that the Catholic colleges with the best namesakes end up making some of the worst decisions, it always seems?

Vatican: "Report on John Paul II Sainthood Ready"

Talk about simultaneously one of the easiest and most difficult jobs to have - officially documenting the heroic virtues of Pope John Paul II for his canonization cause, which just took another significant step:

The church official spearheading the cause to make Pope John Paul II a saint said Monday he has finished a roughly 2,000-page draft of a report supporting the late pontiff's canonization.

Two days before the Vatican marks the third anniversary of John Paul's death, Monsignor Slawomir Oder told Vatican Radio that he has turned over the report to the Vatican's Congregation for the Causes of Saints.

The report summarizes and analyzes all the documentation about John Paul's life and virtues that had been gathered since his 2005 death, including testimony from witnesses and his own writings.

[More from the Associated Press.]

And I'm sure that 2,000 pages leaves plenty to explore in the footnotes!

update: DoubledayReligion has released a video of John Allen answering some related questions:

Hey, He Said It: "Whether it is lawful for Clerics to Kill Evildoers?"

Welcome to the first installment of an occasional series in which I selectively quote famous Catholic authors for entertainment or satirical purposes. Consider these the light version of Cliffsnotes.

"Whether it is Lawful for Clerics to Kill Evildoers" (ST II-II, Q. 64, art. 1), in which St. Thomas Aquinas presents both sides of the question and eventually determines that, no, sadly, they can't:

Objection #1: It would seem lawful for clerics to kill evil-doers.

Objection #2: Much more ... may clerics, who are God's ministers and have spiritual power, put evil-doers to death.

Objection #3: Now it belongs to the princely office to slay evildoers ... Therefore those clerics who are earthly princes may lawfully slay malefactors.

On the contrary: "It is written (1 Timothy 3:2-3): "It behooveth . . . a bishop to ... not [be] given to wine, no striker."

St. Thomas responds: It is unlawful for clerics to kill, for two reasons.

Reply to Objection #1: The Priests or Levites of the Old Testament were the ministers of the Old Law, which appointed corporal penalties, so that it was fitting for them to slay with their own hands.

Reply to Objection #2: The ministry of clerics is concerned with better things than corporal slayings ... and so it is not fitting for them to meddle with minor matters.

Reply to Objection #3: Ecclesiastical prelates accept the office of earthly princes ... [but] this may be carried into effect by others in virtue of their authority."

Hey, he said it!

Photo Caption Call - 3/30/08

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

Credit: Flickr user "chuckod"

Media: Vocations video from America's largest college seminary

St. John Vianney is the largest college seminary in the USA (150+ men). I have many friends studying there now. Some of the students and priests have just released a high-quality video introduction to "SJV":

Part 1:

Part 2:

Feel free to pass these vidoes along (with a tip to AmP, if you please).

More about the project: One of my friends tells me that it was put together over the course of this school year, to explain what a college seminary is and promote vocations, especially to men in highschool.

Commentary: Vatican admits Muslims more numerous than Catholics

The story:

Islam has overtaken Roman Catholicism as the biggest single religious denomination in the world, the Vatican said on Sunday.

Monsignor Vittorio Formenti, who compiled the Vatican's newly-released 2008 yearbook of statistics, said Muslims made up 19.2 percent of the world's population and Catholics 17.4 percent.

"For the first time in history we are no longer at the top: the Muslims have overtaken us," Formenti told Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano in an interview, saying the data referred to 2006.

He said that if all Christian groups were considered, including Orthodox churches, Anglicans and Protestants, then Christians made up 33 percent of the world's population -- or about 2 billion people.

The Vatican recently put the number of Catholics in the world at 1.13 billion people. It did not provide a figure for Muslims, generally estimated at around 1.3 billion.
Formenti said that while the number of Catholics as a proportion of the world's population was fairly stable, the percentage of Muslims was growing because of higher birth rates.

He said the data on Muslim populations had been compiled by individual countries and then released by the United Nations, adding the Vatican could only vouch for its own statistics.

A clarification (because you can make a catchy headline out of practically any set of statistics):

"Islam" should be taken as an umbrella term much like "Christianity." Islam does not have a central authority, and divisions of Islam are many. Islam is primarily divided into Sunnis (~940 million) and Shiites (~170 million).

Thus, It would be more accurate to compare "Islam" with "Christianity" and compare "Catholicism" with, say, the Sunni branch of Islam. In both these cases, Christianity and Catholicism remain more numerous than their respective counterparts.

Of course, this grammatical precision does not dismiss the demographic reality here: Muslims are having children at rates far exceeding Christians (and Jews, for that matter). It's a sad reality that of the three "Abrahamic Faiths", only Islam appears to fully live out God's promise of fertility.

Furthermore, this population shift is not just taking place in clearly identifiable areas. I remember being in Ireland one weekend in 2003, the first weekend that the number of people attending a Mosque exceeded the number of people attending Anglican services in the UK.

For any questions about world religions and demographics, Philip Jenkins is the scholar to read. I don't always agree with his ecclesiology, but his knowledge of the worldwide landscape is unparalleled, and especially the situation in Africa. His 2006 article for First Things, "Believing in the Global South" is a good place to start.

For those who are looking for a book-length treatment, one might read "The New Faces of Christianity: Believing the Bible in the Global South", "The Next Christendom: The Coming of Global Christianity" or "God's Continent: Christianity, Islam, and Europe's Religious Crisis" (in which he claims that the "Islamification" of Europe is being over-dramatized, but Richard John Neuhaus disagrees).

I think that sufficies for a reading list.

Oh, and having Christian babies would help matters as well.

update: more commentary from Monsignor Vittorio Formenti (who compiled the statistics):

Formenti said the information on Muslim numbers had been released by the United Nations, while the Vatican's data on Catholics was based on questionnaires sent out to dioceses worldwide.

"Latin America remains the stronghold for Catholicism, while the American continent as a whole has 49.8% of the world's total," he said.

Formenti said that the number of Catholic priests was on the rebound, particularly in Asia, "where there are few Catholics, but they are driven by great spirit".

He described Africa as a "grand resource" for the church, while Europe and North America were struggling. The number of nuns was undergoing a "drastic reduction".
As for the enrolment of seminarians, Guadalajara in Mexico had the largest number, with two seminaries "packed full".

France, the Netherlands and Belgium were bottom of the league, while Italy was seeing a "small, very small reprise". (source: Rome office of UK Guardian.)

Report: Pope Benedict will attend several "unofficial" events during U.S. visit

The source for this report is the Washington Times.

Take note:

Pope Benedict XVI has two schedules for his upcoming U.S. visit: A jampacked list of official events and an unofficial schedule of evening meetings, including a huge birthday party at the Italian Embassy starring world-famous tenor Placido Domingo.

Not a sure thing in this case, but maybe:

The splashy April 16 party — in celebration of the pope turning 81 — is sponsored by all eight former and current U.S. ambassadors to the Vatican. Several hundred people are invited.

The pope — who will meet that afternoon with U.S. Catholic bishops at the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Northeast, is not expected to make the party's 6:30 p.m. kickoff time.

In fact, he's not even been officially invited, said Thomas P. Melady, ambassador to the Vatican from 1989 to 1993. But the papal nunciature on Massachusetts Avenue Northwest — where the pope will be spending the night — has been notified of the event in case he wishes to drop by. The embassy is on Whitehaven Street, within walking distance of the nunciature.

Talk about the best party in town:

"It's really not in his tradition to attend parties," explained Mr. Melady, now senior diplomat in residence at the World Institute of Politics. "His happiest days were when he was a young priest and teaching at the seminary."

But just in case, Mr. Domingo will be singing some of Benedict's favorite songs. He, along with mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves, will also be performing the following day during the Nationals Stadium Mass.

Several hundred people, including a wide range of local Catholics and Vice President Dick Cheney, have been invited. Many are hoping Benedict will show.

The closest thing to a confirmation:

[Raymond Flynn, ambassador to the Vatican during the Clinton administration] said there will be several off-the-record gatherings with the pope during his six days in the country.

That's the way it always is when the pope comes," he said. "There are private conversations and discussions with people here. I think they want to keep those meetings as private as they possibly can. They [the Vatican] will release an official schedule, but they'll leave a lot out."

Inquiries around the Catholic community seemed to bear this out. Robert George, a leading Catholic scholar at Princeton University, implied he'd be meeting privately with the pope in Washington but refused to divulge details.

The Rev. Dennis McManus, a consultant with the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, said Benedict has "a full evening at the nunciature" planned for him after an April 17 meeting with interfaith leaders at the John Paul II Center near the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. He also would not divulge details.

This report seems plausible to me, if for no other reason than it explains the long periods of "down time" scheduled into the pope's visit, where he only has one brief official appearance.

Nonetheless, we should keep in mind that Pope Benedict is turning 81 during his visit, and that he does not keep to the same extreme schedule of events that his predecessor, Pope John Paul II, would pull off during his early years as pontiff. I seem to remember Rocco Palmo saying in a recent TV interview that Pope Benedict has been ordered to take a three-hour nap/break each day of his visit.

Darn, now I have to figure a way to get an invite to these events as well.

Papal skateboard contest winning entry to be presented to pope

I posted about the "papal skateboard contest" earlier this week.

More from Associated Press:

One of the many gifts Pope Benedict will receive when he arrives in New York City next month will be a skateboard designed by a local child.

The Archdiocese of New York is holding a contest this spring to see who could design the best "Official Papal Skateboard" for the 80-year-old pontiff.

About 70 children entered the competition. A winner has yet to be picked.

The idea for the contest came from a youth skateboarding club at St. Elizabeth's Church in Manhattan.

The pope is expected to arrive in New York on April 18. Church authorities hope to give him the skateboard during a youth rally in Yonkers.

update: oh my gosh.

Pope Benedict in the USA - 16 days to go

Your exhaustive, frequently-updated weekend report:

"The tickets are coming! The tickets are coming!"

"The archdiocese [of Washington DC] is saying all those 45,000+ bar-coded Nationals Stadium tickets for the April 17 Mass have arrived and are now being sorted at their office. Parishes should be getting them sometime next week." - Washington Times

"The archdiocese has set up a wait list site. Gibbs said that so far they have received 1,000 requests at the site for 3,000 tickets."- Washington Post

It wouldn't hurt to put yourself on the wait list.

Concern about the Washington DC Papal Mass liturgy

"Brace yourself for the Pope's mass in DC, says Jeffrey Tucker (The new Liturgical Movement March 28, 2008), responding to the Washingtion Diocese' announcement regarding its selection of music ("Music for Pope Benedict XVI’s Mass at Nationals Park will reflect Archdiocese’s diversity"). Tucker prounounces the list --"it includes mostly Gospel numbers, some rock/blues thrown in ("Jesus is Here Right Now"), together with the "Mass of Creation" Sanctus and Amen" -- "as skimpy as it is troubling." - Benedict in America

"Operatic tenor Placido Domingo will perform at a Mass to be celebrated by Pope Benedict XVI at Nationals Park on April 17...Four choirs totaling 570 members from across the Archdiocese of Washington will perform at the Mass, singing in 10 languages." - Associated Press

Okay, I don't have a concern with Placido Domingo performing before the Mass, but he's certainly not the first person who comes to mind when I think of "the United States welcoming the Pope." More like, "The last of the three tenors reprises his frequent role at Vatian Christmas concerts." Please, let's move on.

"15-Year-Old To Participate In Papal Mass: Elizabeth, 15, of Montgomery County has been selected to be a gift bearer in the offertory procession when Pope Benedict comes to Washington and holds mass." - WJZ Baltimore, which includes video of the report

Lucky kid!

Media Offerings for the Papal Visit

SIRIUS Satellite Radio has announced that three Catholic channels will provide coverage for Pope Benedict XVI’s April visit to the United States. In addition to coverage from the Catholic Channel, one channel will rebroadcast highlights of the Pope’s trip while another will broadcast historical speeches from past pontiffs. - CNA

The Knights of Columbus will sponsor a nationally-broadcast television discussion program previewing Pope Benedict XVI's visit to the United States on Sunday, April 13. The show – entitled A Journey of Hope – features a panel of experts. The half hour show will air on CBS stations in the four largest U.S. markets and will also air nationally on the Fox Business Channel at 5:30 p.m. In addition, the program will air on a variety of Catholic television outlets, including EWTN, the Catholic Cable Network, and local and regional Catholic cable channels. - Rhode Island Catholic

Plenty of good offerings.

The Wider Context

"N.Y. bishop ready for pope's U.S. visit" - Monterey County Herald

"Public Less Likely to See Pope in DC: "His visit reflects the times we live in," said Susan Gibbs, spokeswoman for the Archdiocese of Washington. "There has to be a little higher level of security, unfortunately." - Associated Press

Nevertheless, the story describes the huge demand and desire to see the Pope, in person or through media.

The Pope's Press Treatment

"In preparation for Benedict's arrival, the discerning reader (or reporter) might want to understand WHY the Church teaches what it does...Observe the extent to which the author focuses on the grievances of "progressives" against the orthodox ("traditional") Church, with precious little attempt to understand and explain exactly WHY the Church takes the positions that it does." - Benedict in America

"The interview questions in this interview, from the Boston Globe, reads like every tired cliche that's ever been written about Pope Benedict and the Church. In its title, it describes Pope Benedict as a "more complex pope." It uses language- specifically "liberal" and "conservative" - which is not correct in explaining the Church. Not surprisingly, it also engages in the "WOCHA mantra." Thankfully, it's salvaged by the intelligent responses of Francesco Cesareo, president of Assumption College." - Pope2008

"If what you know of Pope Benedict XVI is the hard-line doctrinal decrees of Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, he may surprise you on his first visit to the United States next month. So says the Rev. Robert Sirico, who has met Benedict and seen his pastoral side closer than many." - MLive

Is the pope Catholic? That used to be a sarcastic way of saying, could anything be more obvious? Is fire hot? Is water wet? Now, however, that nothing in the world is obvious, when Pope Benedict XVI arrives in the United States on April 15 there will surely be voices in the media apparently disconcerted to discover that, yes, the pope is Catholic. - New York Times

The New York Times piece I found to be particularly illuminating. Consider the final lines:

Of course, part of the problem in getting a fix on Benedict is simply the feebleness of accepted categories for understanding any serious religious leaders — and hence the impulse to deal with them as celebrities or politicians. Of all the words he speaks during his trip here, the ones that will probably go least examined are no doubt the ones he treasures most, the words of the Mass.

But the pope is not just another spiritual guide or priest. He has enormous institutional powers and responsibilities. To what extent does Benedict conceive of his papacy as a work of prayer and teaching? To what extent does he conceive of it as a renewal of structures and institutions? How does he see those aspects interacting?

His trip to the United States will presumably provide some clues. But they will be missed if it is greeted and framed with all the ready-made reflexes.

For a prime example of someone completely missing what the pope is about, see this article in WaPo.

And that's where the news currently stands, with updates to follow over the course of the weekend....

update 1:

"'Popemobile to be used during N.Y. visit: A spokesman for the Archdiocese of New York said the pope will use the specially designed bulletproof vehicle to get around the city during his three-day stay, the New York Daily News reported. The itinerary of his public appearances includes a special mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral." - UPI

"Patrick Baker & Sons Inc., of Southington, is supplying candles, vestments and other items for the pope's Masses in New York. "It is an honor," said Michael Baker, a salesman at the business's 1650 West St. location. "It is a highlight in my career" to supply goods for the event." - Record-Journal

"New York Youth Prepare to Meet Pope: Youth in New York are preparing for Pope Benedict XVI’s visit to the United States in just over two weeks time. Twenty thousand young people from different parts of the country will hold a vigil in New York on the occasion of the Holy Father’s visit. Dominican Father Gabriel Gillen is a priest of the St. Catherine of Siena parish in New York City. He says that the Pope’s visit will draw even more young people into an authentic experience of God." - Vatican Radio

The Diocese of Buffalo, NY has posted a "Welcome Holy Father" video on YouTube.

update 2:

"Trivial Pursuit about Papal Travel in America: By way of background to Benedict XVI’s April 15-20 visit to the United States, the following are some “Trivial Pursuit”-style nuggets about papal travel in America." - John Allen

update 3:

"The pope gets a guide for his U.S. tour: When Pope Benedict XVI makes his first papal trip to the United States in April, he will be guided by a seasoned Vatican ambassador who sees the visit as an opportunity to introduce a little-known pope to a complex set of audiences: American Catholics, Americans in general and global opinion leaders.

"The image of Benedict XVI is not only not well known, but it is badly known," said Archbishop Pietro Sambi, who as apostolic nuncio is the Vatican's top diplomat in the United States." - International Herald Tribune

(some slight editing has been made to the original material above - thank you, sharp readers!)

Picture: Houston's New Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart

Houston's new Cathedral is first seeing the light of day:

A slideshow of 49 more pictures here. Whispers has thorough coverage. The $65m cathedral will be dedicated this Wednesday, with 60 bishops attending. This is the first "mother-church" dedicated since the "Taj Mahony" opened in 2002. Oakland's Christ the Light will be dedicated in late September 2008.

Article: "5 Reasons Muslims Convert"

From Christianity Today:

1. The lifestyle of Christians. Former Muslims cited the love that Christians exhibited in their relationships with non-Christians and their treatment of women as equals.
2. The power of God in answered prayers and healing. Experiences of God's supernatural work—especially important to folk Muslims who have a characteristic concern for power and blessings—increased after their conversions, according to the survey. Often dreams about Jesus were reported.
3. Dissatisfaction with the type of Islam they had experienced. Many expressed dissatisfaction with the Qur'an, emphasizing God's punishment over his love. Others cited Islamic militancy and the failure of Islamic law to transform society.
4. The spiritual truth in the Bible. Muslims are generally taught that the Torah, Psalms, and the Gospels are from God, but that they became corrupted. These Christian converts said, however, that the truth of God found in Scripture became compelling for them and key to their understanding of God's character.
5. Biblical teachings about the love of God. In the Qur'an, God's love is conditional, but God's love for all people was especially eye-opening for Muslims. These converts were moved by the love expressed through the life and teachings of Jesus. The next step for many Muslims was to become part of a fellowship of loving Christians.

A "sixth" reason that I often hear is the "Fatherhood of God". Islam teaches that Jesus Christ is not divine, and so God is not Father in relation to his Son. Subsequently, God cannot be said in any meaningful way to be our father, either. Knowing the paternal love of God the Father can help non-believers accept the revelation of God's Son.

Papist Picture of the Day - 3/28/08

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

"Pope Benedict appreciated the commemorative flip book of his Easter Mass."

[source: AP Photo/L'Osservatore Romano, HO]

Preparing for a papal visit isn't all cushioned seats and free samples

Barb Fraze describes the nightmares (literally) that CNS folks are having as they prepare for the papal visit.

I haven't quite reached that stage yet. Then again, there's always tonight.

Don't let the cool exterior of AmP fool you: behind the scenes there are (sometimes) frantic and (always) exciting preparations taking place. An update on those will hopefully get posted over the weekend.

Pope trip: Friday Mar 28 Roundup

Five of the freshest papal visit stories:

• Jeffrey Tucker takes an extended look at the Washington DC papal Mass at TNLM.
• US News & World Report publishes a lengthy treatment: "Pope Reaches Out to American Catholics"
• Christendom College gets a special mention in "Pope to Meet with Catholic Colleges and Universities"
• John Allan has a brief update on papal visit preparations as part of his Weekly Column.
• Reuters has published it's first report on the pope's upcoming speech to Catholic educators:

"Pope Benedict likely will walk a fine line between trampling on academic freedom and laying down the law on orthodoxy when he meets with top U.S. Catholic educators next month, experts and observers say."

Note the choice of violent images: "trampling" and "laying down the law". And while I agree with the author that it takes precision to accurately relate academic freedom to orthodoxy, it is not true that these two realities are as necessarily opposed to one another as this sentence makes out. This sort of mindset, indeed, is why we need the pope to explain how these two concepts actually support and harmonize with one another.

Report: Pope Benedict 'partial to buffalo mozzarella cheese'

Because you had to know:

Pope Benedict XVI is a big fan of buffalo mozzarella cheese, and eats it often reported Italian daily Il Messaggero on Friday.

Pope Benedict XVI reportedly likes simple dishes and often receives buffalo mozzarella cheese as a gift from bishops from the Campania region in southern Italy where the best buffalo mozzarella is produced.

The cheese is given to Benedict's policemen, who later 'discreetly' take the cheese to his apartment, Il Messaggero reported. (AKI)

A picture of the cheese in question:


The article continues:

Recently there have been fears the highly popular mozzarella cheese may have been contaminated by dioxins and other chemicals from illegally dumped toxic waste.

Japan and South Korea have in recent days halted imports of buffalo mozzarella, and there are fears other countries could suspend imports.

That part, sadly, is true.

The AKI story gets silly at this point:

In the supermarket located inside Vatican City, the dairy section is full of mozzarella cheese products from the southern region of Campania.

Reportedly, the cheese is prized among priests and nuns who visit the supermarket everyday to restock convents, institutes and monasteries.

Oh come on, it's cheese. There's nothing to "report" about priests and nuns "prizing" cheese. Normal folks like cheese, too. And it's no surprise that Italians ... like Italian cheese. For that matter, I doubt there is some huge cartel of Italian mafioso cheese merchants paying off "Benedict's policemen" to supply him with black market premium buffalo mozzarella shipments. Goodness.

I guess Il Messaggero - the original source for this "story" - was chagrined that they missed out on the much-touted "Pope Benedict likes Jewish Pizza" report that circulated recently. Their response? "Pope Benedict likes Italian cheese." Tomorrow's report? "Pope Benedict drinks orange juice!"

You watch, it'll happen.

Papist Picture of the Day - 3/27/08

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

"Amazingly, the Pope sometimes gets his travel ideas from signs like these."

[source: REUTERS/Max Rossi (VATICAN)]

Pope trip: NY youths submit designs for "Papal Skateboard Contest"

A glance at the Archdiocese of New York Papal Visit page reveals the normal list of expected topics such as "Ticket Information," "Press Releases," etc.

But what about "Papal Skateboard Art Design Contest"?!

It's true!

My personal favorite so far is this submission by Larissa - Age 12.

I'm pretty sure the charism of papal infallibility doesn't extend to being able to plant a double 360 pressure flip foot plant, but hey, stranger things could happen. Pope Benedict already has the shades.

The rest of the designs are viewable by clicking below. There's still time to submit yours!

In a similar vein (but not nearly as hip), the Archdiocese of Washington held a youth video contest.

Christian Post suggests Obama believes "Jesus Christ Not the Only Way to Heaven"

Jennifer Riley interpreting recent comments made by Barack Obama:

Democratic presidential contender Barack Obama suggested Wednesday that Jesus Christ is not the only way to heaven during a campaign event in North Carolina.

While answering a question about his Christian faith, Obama said he believes that Jesus Christ died for his sins and through God’s grace and mercy he could have “everlasting life,” according to the Los Angeles Times.

But he also believes Jews and Muslims and non-believers who live moral lives are as much “children of God” as he is, according to The Associated Press.

As an example, he spoke about his late mother who was “not a believer.”

The author seems to imply that Obama's comments should provoke a sharp response from Christians. I think, however, that she is missing a helpful distinction: while it is true that anyone who is saved from original sin is saved only in Jesus Christ, it is not true that every person need explicitly believe that truth in order to be saved.

This teaching answers the quandary posed by the hypothetical "noble pagan" or "noble savage" dilemma ("how can those who never had the opportunity of knowing Jesus Christ be saved from their sin?"). All Catholics can certainly hope that a Jew, Muslim or athiest might be saved in the mercy of Christ, while clearly we should also wish that they might come to know and believe in Jesus Christ if it is possible.

However, when pressed, would Obama say that Jesus is always the unique savior of every human being, even if He is only "clearly perceived in the things that have been made" (Rom 1:20)?

That's a question I can't answer for him.

Beliefnet poll: Should women be priest(esses) or deaconesses in the Church?

Beliefnet has a survey running as part of their coverage of the pope's visit.

I decided to take the survey to see what kind of questions they were asking.

I didn't get past this point:

5. What role should women play in the Church? (Select all that apply)

• Priests
• Deaconesses

When I tried to select neither option, I was greeted with this message: "*This question requires an answer."

That ended the survey for me.

Still need a papal ticket? Buy Papa Benny a "Jewish Pizza"!

Apparently these local Jewish confections are a sure way to win Pope Benedict's eternal gratitude:

A famous kosher Italian bakery has an important local patron: Pope Benedict XVI.

Wilma Limentani, the owner of the Boccione bakery in Rome's ancient ghetto, said she recently received a letter of thanks from the Vatican revealing the pope's love for her biscotti and an almond-and-raisin confection dubbed "Jewish pizza."

One of the pope's doctors -- a Jew who stopped by the 453-year-old bakery en route to administering a routine checkup of the pontiff -- introduced the pastries to Benedict.

"Since then he looks forward to each visit by his Jewish doctor or by acquaintances who pass through our neighborhood," Limentani said in Wednesday's Yediot Achronot. (JTA)

Wow, this is almost as effective an ecumenical outreach as drinking protestant beer.

John Thavis, a CNS reporter stationed in Rome, visited the shop to see if the reports were true:

I wandered into Rome’s Jewish ghetto neighborhood because I read an intriguing little report about Pope Benedict’s favorite bakery.

The tiny Limentani pastry shop has long been a favorite of mine. I go for the same reason most people go: their “Jewish pizza,” a type of miniature fruit cake packed with almonds, raisins and other stuff I’ve never identified. It looks terrible and tastes great.

I asked the senior woman behind the counter about the report that the pope had their sweets delivered to his table. Through a series of phrases and gestures, she let me know that it was somewhere between maybe and probably true.

And just in case anyone was worrying:

... the kosher bakery does not use saturated animal fats, [so] Benedict is free to indulge his sweet tooth without fearing for his cholesterol. (source.)

I wonder if they travel well? Hmm.... I wonder if they ship oversees to Catholic bloggers well?

For those of you lucky enough to be in Rome, the address of Pasticceria Limentani is "Via del Portico d’Ottavia 1" and the phone number is 066878637. Hey, It's never too late to earn my eternal gratitude. ;-)

Here's a map should you choose to accept this mission:

View Larger Map

You'll have to figure out the currency exchange rate yourself.

Pope trip: Popemobile en route to U.S., will arrive by early April

Where the Popemobile goes, the Pope follows.

.... and the popemobile is on its way!

While Pope Benedict XVI probably has not begun packing his bags for his April 15-20 trip to the United States, one big Vatican package was prepared just after Easter.

The white, 2002 Mercedes-Benz popemobile has left the Vatican and will be delivered by an air cargo company in the first days of April, said Alberto Gasbarri, the chief organizer of papal trips. (CNS)

The Vatican currently has three popemobiles. The specifications for the one the pope will use in America:

A modified version of the Mercedes-Benz ML430 off-road vehicle. Its "glass" top is a cube made of advanced, bulletproof plastic and the vehicle features a high seat so the pope can still be visible.

Here is a picture of the pope using this model during his trip to Brazil (with the window down!).

A little backstory:

An official in the Vatican motor pool said there really was not a choice to make between the two ML430s since "one is in the repair shop."

Mercedes-Benz originally delivered one of the vehicles with a "mother of pearl" tint, but the Vatican decided it was too gray, and so repainted it, the motor pool official said.

Related previous posts:

• 3/17/08: "Popemobile routes for upcoming U.S. visit revealed"
• 12/6/07: "Photos: New Mercedes-Benz Popemobile debuts" (Vatican-use only)
• 11/26/06: "Popemobile gives way to armoured car on visit to 'minefield'"

[photo: AP Photo/Victor Caivano, File]

Pope trip: Getting to Know the Pope

Sister Mary Ann Walsh at the USCCB blog:

One of the best things to come from Pope Benedict XVI’s visit to the United States will be that people will get to know him.There’s a lack of awareness of who he is for three reasons: He follows Pope John Paul II, who revolutionized the papacy. Before his election, the papacy had basically been a stay-at-home job. When John Paul with his fine stage presence set out globe-trotting, he captured the world’s imagination. With telecommunications, John Paul took the office public as no one before him. His is a hard act to follow.

Pope Benedict’s 24 years in his previous job typecast him. He was prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the church’s faith and morals watchdog. He was arbiter of what was acceptable for theologians to write and teach. His statements were heard worldwide and often drew controversy. When he spoke of revealed truth, he was painted as a man wedded to the past. Despite his kindly nature, he was typecast as stern. Many made up their mind about him even before his election.

He is a scholar and introvert, not given to encourage a cult of the papacy around himself. He comes from the world of academia and of scholarship, where study, writing and thought are prized.

Those who know him think many Americans will come to appreciate him when he journeys across the Atlantic. A recent survey reports he has an 80 percent approval rate. It will be even higher after his visit. [More.]

Sister also points out a very revealing fact: prior to Cardinal Ratzinger's elevation to the papacy, he made it clear that he had no intention of crossing the Atlantic again or even going outside Europe - "doctor's orders."

Now, years later, as Pope Benedict XVI, in addition to numerous pastoral visits within Italy, a pilgrimage to Austria and World Youth Day in Germany, he has travelled to Turkey, undertaken a lengthy visit to Brazil, is now coming to the United States, and will be in Australia this summer for a second World Youth Day. Even a future apostolic journey to China is not outside the realm of possibility!

The pope is coming to us at a great personal expense to himself, out of love for Christ and his Church, and you.

The least we can do is attentively listen to what he has to say.

Sister Mary Ann Walsh, by the way, recently became one of my very favorite people for completely refuting Joe Feuerhard's recent "screed" against the Catholic Bishops. She's very good and knows her stuff.

Papist Picture of the Day - 3/26/08

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

"Now that lent is over, the pope ain't drinking water to clear his throat anymore."

[source: REUTERS/Max Rossi (VATICAN)]

Commentary: Pope Benedict and the 2008 U.S. Presidential Election

As we approach the "Ides of April", when Pope Benedict will begin his five day visit of the United States, we can expect political commentators to closely scrutinize what the pope has to say in an attempt to determine which candidate or party the pope supports. This is a fool's quest, in many ways, because Pope Benedict has more important things to talk about than - yes, even politics.

At the same time, it is a healthy opportunity to evaluate the candidates and their positions from the perspective of Catholic social teaching, and the particular pastoral priorities of the pope.

Robert Reilly, writing for Inside Catholic, starts us off:

Senator McCain not only needs Catholics who will vote for him, but who will each find ten other Catholics who will do the same. That is not going to happen unless he galvanizes the Catholic electorate. He has an opportunity to do this when Pope Benedict XVI visits the United States during April 15 to 20.

... So what should Senator McCain do when Benedict XVI visits in April? This is his opportunity to demonstrate that he understands the significance of the pope's thought as it relates to the institution of the family, the sanctity of human life, and the threat of radical Islam. [more.]

Reilly provides several more helpful and important talking points, including that McCain should appear in and be interviewed by Catholic media outlets (I, for one, would be happy to do so).

I think Reilly is absolutely correct. The pope's visit is an invitation to all high-profile political leaders to (re)commit themselves to the common values of human dignity and sanctity to which Pope Benedict witnesses.

On the democratic side, Michael Sean Winters, writing for America, hopes Hillary will make a similar move:

... the combination of Benedict's visit and anti-immigrant hostility in economically depressed areas of the Rust Belt gives Clinton a chance to move past her greatest liability: her previous support for NAFTA, support that received new credence from the release of her White House schedules which show she was involved in lobbying for the trade bill.

Note the disparity here: Clinton's best hope for political capital from the papal visit is ... NAFTA-related.

And even this might be too much to hope for, in discussing her role as a "change" candidate for instance:

I doubt Clinton will embrace such a proposal. The polls in Pennsylvania show her with a solid lead and why rock the boat? In the time-honored playbook of American politics, look for Clinton to go increasingly negative on Obama in the weeks ahead, trying to shift the fundamentals of the race. Still, until America realizes that it needs vibrant economic growth throughout the hemisphere, that NAFTA was not only bad policy that needs to be reversed, but that good policy needs to be put in its place, then and only then will we be approaching comprehensive immigration reform.

If "comprehensive immigration reform" is the best she has to offer as common ground with the pope's priorities, it's going to be a uneventul visit for her, at best. Too little, too late, in my opinion.

As for Obama, earlier this week he picked-up the endorsement of the former dean of the Catholic University of America's law school, Douglas Kmiec. Alisa Harris, writing for the Huffington Post:

But as Kmiec has noted before, Catholics do hold views that make them uncomfortable in either party. They’re pro-life, anti-death penalty, often anti-Iraq war, and concerned about global warming.

Will other Catholics follow Kmiec’s lead? So far, they’ve been voting for Hillary Clinton over Obama, but the New York Times says they’re a fickle group: “No other large group has switched sides so often, or been so consistently aligned with the winners.”

Kmiec's own position:

Kmiec noted that as a Republican and as a Catholic, he supports preserving traditional marriage and believes that "life begins at conception" -- and he acknowledged that Obama may differ with him on those issues. However, he said he is convinced that Obama "is not closed to understanding opposing points of view, and … will respect and accommodate them." (UPI)

Unfortunately, Obama has actually demonstrated a complete unwillingness to understand opposing points of view on life issues, let alone respecting or accomodating them.

Deacon Fournier has written the definitive refutation of Kmiec's argument at Catholic Online:

On many important public policy issues I agree with my friend Professor Doug Kmiec. I also admire him and believe that he is sincerely pro-life. However, I respectfully and strongly disagree with his decision to support Senator Barack Obama.

In the application of issues in accordance with the hierarchy of values, I choose to hear the cry of the ones whom Blessed Teresa of Calacutta called the "poorest of the poor", the children living in the wombs of their mothers. After all, they have no voice but ours....

.... I am whole life, pro-life. I absolutely oppose the taking of innocent human life in the first home of the entire human race, the womb. Science has confirmed what our conscience has long known; the child in the womb is out neighbor. It is always and everywhere intrinsically evil to take innocent human life. Senator Obama is wrong in his support of legalized abortion. It is also intrinsically evil to “manufacture” human embryonic life to then kill that life for spare parts. Senator McCain is wrong in his support for deadly research on human embryonic life.

Note in that last sentence, a question that McCain also to has to answer, and has not yet done so satisfactorily.

And that, not-so-briefly, is where the candidates stand in respect to the pope, 19 days before the Ides of April.

Alert: AmP receives premium media credentials for upcoming papal visit!

My hands are trembling as I write this.

Today I received my media credentials from the USCCB for Pope Benedict XVI's apostolic journey to the United States.

It seems too good to be true, but it appears that I (or more accurately, AmericanPapist) have been approved to cover the following events:

• April 16: Papal Vespers and Address to U.S. Bishops at the National Shrine
• April 17: Address to Catholic Educators at The Catholic University of America
• April 18: Ecumenical Prayer Service at Saint Joseph Parish in NYC
• April 19: Rally with Seminarians and Young People at Saint Joseph Seminary
• April 20: Papal Mass at Yankee Stadium

That's right. An event every day (and I opted-out of the Andrews Air Force Base greeting). Each reporter is only allowed to cover one event per day, so this is the absolute limit of what I could have received.

I'm especially excited about the Address to Catholic Educators, as I have long covered issues relating to Catholic education in America, and am myself a product of (and ongoing participant in) that enterprise. I'm also looking forward to the pope's rally with Seminarians and Young People, because AmP has always had a special focus on youth and seminarian topics. Hey, do what you know, I say.

And of course, the address to U.S. Bishops and the Yankee Stadium Mass are important as well. The Ecumenical Prayer Service is probably a venue I'm least automatically familiar with, but there's time to learn.

Now is the time to contact me ("thomas [at] americanpapist.com") to secure unique or distribution rights to the videos and pictures I will be able to take during these events. I'm also looking to publish my thoughts and experiences of the visit in high-profile publications, Catholic outfits get first preference.

Having covered every apostolic journey of Pope Benedict's pontificate, and having attending World Youth Day 2005 in Germany as well as having covered such large events as the 2008 March for Life, I hope to be well situated to provide good reporting this time around as well. But this time, "officially."

Please keep my preparations in your prayers. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the secret service background check goes smoothly. Luckily, for this sort of trip, my papist sympathies serve me in good stead.

It's also no secret that your own attention to these pages, in your regular visits and helpful tips, has assisted tremendously in getting AmP a high enough profile to merit media credentials for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. 100,000 visits a month has to be more than just my friends and family.

So - thank you. I hope to make you all proud. Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam!

~ Thomas Peters, AmericanPapist

Wallpaper: Moses' Modern Red Sea Crossing

(click image for full-size version)

Given the high costs of airfare to Australia, I'm wondering if he could help me out. I could purchase a bicycle.

Ph/t: PhatMass user "KnightofChrist"

Did the Holy See "emphasize" the pope's baptism of a Muslim convert, or not?

The L'Osservatore Romano is trying to claim the Holy See has not emphasized the conversion:

The official Vatican daily, L’Osservatore Romano, has rejected claims in some media reports that the Holy See has “emphasized” the baptism of Magdi Allam, the Muslim convert and associate director of the Italian daily Corriere Della Sera who entered the Church during the Easter Vigil Mass celebrated by Pope Benedict XVI. (CNA)

To point out an awkward truth, look at today's bulletino, published by the Vatican press office itself:

SUMMARY: 19 - 26 MARCH

• - Easter Triduum and Appeal for the Situation in Tibet
• - Holy Thursday: Chrism Mass and the Lord's Supper Mass
• - Good Friday: Lord's Passion, Way of the Cross at Colosseum
• - Egyptian Muslim Journalist Baptised by the Pope
• - Easter Saturday: Christ's Departure Is a New Return
• - Easter Sunday: the Resurrection Is an Event of Love
• - Missionary Martyrs and the Struggle against Tuberculosis
• - Telegram for the Death of Cardinal Suarez Rivera
• - Christ Gives Us the Certainty of Our Own Resurrection
• - Other Pontifical Acts

Yes, look at the fourth story: "Egyptian Muslim Journalist Baptised by the Pope".

In the text of this story it says:

"The catechumens who will receive Baptism tonight come from Italy, Cameroon, China, the United States and Peru. Among them is Magdi Allam, a well-known journalist of Egyptian origin, vice-director 'ad personam' of the Italian newspaper 'Corriere della Sera'.

He is the only named convert in the article. And the only convert to receive a bulletino headline.

Now, whether he is named because he is "well-known" or because he is Muslim, that is a separate question. Frankly, I'd imagine he is well-known for being an outspoken Muslim individual.

My first post on this story, blogged the day-of, already has a vigorous debate taking place.

CUA Law hosts "Common Morality for the Global Age" event this weekend

I might be attending some of these conference events this weekend (Mar 27-30):

The Catholic University of America’s Center for Law, Philosophy and Culture presents a symposium, “A Common Morality for the Global Age: In Gratitude for What We Are Given.”

In response to the personal appeal of Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVI, this symposium seeks to elicit ideas and concepts for the renewal of a global culture that can sustain the moral insight necessary for addressing our world’s pressing problems. Can we reclaim an original attitude of acknowledgement of, and respect for, the gift of existence that arguably has historically informed the world’s great moral and cultural traditions? Leading thinkers from philosophy, theology, ethics and politics will gather for several days of papers, discussion and common reflection centered on this question.

Links:

• Schedule
• Speakers
• Panelists & Respondents
• Symposium Question

The events are free and open to the public, but registration reserves you a seat.

Any suggestions as to what events I should prioritize? There's plenty of good options it seems.

Action: 96 Catholic Colleges have pro-homosexual clubs or activities

Sounds like a poor joke, right? Well, it's true.

From the TFP Student Action center:

... TFP volunteers examined the official web sites of 211 Catholic universities and colleges listed by Granley’s Catholic Schools in America. Their research discovered that 45% have pro-homosexual clubs. Many of these clubs share in the movement’s radical goal – to force social acceptance of unnatural vice on Christian America, and gag expressions of free speech that oppose the movement’s ideological agenda.

... However, the number of pro-homosexual clubs on Catholic campuses may exceed 45% because not all clubs are listed on university web sites.

Action points:

1. Read the full report of the TFP.
2. See the list of Catholic colleges with pro-homosexual clubs
3. Send a pre-written (but customizable) letter to your school, if it applies.

Here in Washington, DC, Georgetown is the most blatant offender:

"... Georgetown University, the nation’s oldest Catholic university, recently agreed to open and fully fund a new center for homosexual students in addition to the already existing pro-homosexual club on campus."

Georgetown hosts mock same-sex “wedding”, grants health benefits to the partners of homosexual employees, and provides services for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning Youth and their Families.

On the GU Pride University website, photos from their "Coming OUT Day 2006" include shots of gay and lesbian students kissing at the public event, and other untoward images. A sample caption? "There's nothing strange about people in bright orange shirts kissing each other in a public forum with hundreds of people walking by and staring, right?"

Instead of directly answering that question, let me be very clear: the reason to decry "pro-homosexual" clubs is not because the Catholic Church is "anti-homosexual." It is because (for example) the Church cannot endorse or promote behaviors that hurt the human person, like these clubs do.

And there's nothing strange about that.

[photo: GUPride]

Animation: The Ten Plagues of Egypt - for Kids!

The Tzivos Hash and Chabad.org foks have created an animation of the Ten Plagues of Egypt, for kids!

Just to jump ahead to the best part, here's a sample of the tenth plague, the death of the firstborn:

Sorry billy, maybe you should have covered your doorposts with the blood of a lamb after all.

(... and that's one scary double-circle, yellow-lightbeam-shooting Angel of Death, if I do say so.)

Ph/t: PhatMass user "T-Bone_"

Coverage: Former Abp. of Zimbabwe Pius Ncube admits adulterous affair

Last September I blogged at length about the resignation of Zimbabwen Archbishop Pius Ncube.

At the time, the truth of the matter was difficult to determine. For the full backstory, read the original post.

Today, things are very clear:

"It is true, I do admit that I did fail in keeping God's commandment with regard to adultery," admitted Pius Ncube ...” "Having failed in keeping the Seventh Commandment Thou shalt not commit adultery, I would like to apologize to you, I'd like to apologize that so many of you were praying for me, for the fact that so many of you standing with me in fact suffered so much." (via CNA, more from CWNews.)

Ncube was the most vocal opponent of the President of Zimbabwe, Robert Mugabe, whom from all reports, is a thoroughly nasty dictator. It is a great blow that his personal sin has destroyed his ability to effectively help the plight of Zunbabwen citizens. It didn't help that he long denied the truth of the adultery charges.

One report said he was "widely tipped as a future Nobel Peace Prize winner" but has now been "ordered to stop speaking out about conditions in his devastated country" by Rome. Zimbabwe has the highest infaltion rate and lowest life expectancy. There is areport that Ncube is now in the United Kingdom awaiting a Vatican decision.

Frontier Africa TV has a short video clip of the his admission, and scenes from his ministry. It's moving.

He says:

"I'm not going to be silenced. I don't mind so much what people do to me personally, but what I do mind is the damage and evil to the people coming from the government of Zimbabwe.

More from the Sunday Herald.

I've been watching to see how the media treats this situation:

Zimbabwe has lost in the immediate term what was one of the most courageous and best-known voices of opposition to Mugabe. In the longer term, the controversy will inevitably raise questions about the gap between how prelates in Rome believe the faithful in Africa should behave, and the reality on the ground.

It is no great secret among those who live in Africa that Roman Catholic priests on that continent often honour the vow of celibacy as much in the breach as in the practice. Some priests have children, while others listen to the quiet advice of their bishops to practice birth control. Roman Catholic nuns sometimes defy papal doctrine and freely distribute condoms to their flocks to help counter the HIV/Aids pandemic, which is cutting a swathe through Africa. Many Zimbabweans and other Africans are likely to see as disproportionate the Vatican smothering of a powerful focus of opposition to Mugabe on account of an all too human failing - one that the Zimbabwe regime was bound to spot and exploit.

While this account misses some important distinctions, on the whole, it's not far from the truth. Clerical discipline is not universally observed in Africa, but I don't think that's a closely-kept secret even outside Africa. And we all hope and pray that it improves. Certainly there are amazing examples of fidelity and obedience in Africa as well. But those stories don't make headlines.

And this isn't the first time in human history that a person forfeited their ability to do good because of personal sin. The devil gives extra attention to those called to great things, and so we should pray for this man, and all individuals who face these struggles, especially priests and bishops.

A last word from Ncube:

"I think Christ would condemn the violence, widespread rape and torture by government agencies and the Mugabe-loyal youth militia," he said. "I don't think Christ would have survived in Zimbabwe. We're all being held to ransom by one despot. Mugabe's government doesn't like people who speak the truth. Plenty of people who criticise the government have died mysteriously. Christ wouldn't have had a chance."

But Christ was the sinless man who died for our sins, Ncube's included. We could all benefit from looking to the example of Christ whose witness to the truth was perfectly free from every hint of sin, Ncube included.

update: In the Light of the Law makes the technical point that the archbishop has admitted to violating his vows of continence, not (strictly-speaking) celibacy.

I would also add, reflecting on the story a bit more, that I am concerned about Ncube's ongoing problem with obedience to the Church. The circumstances of his interview with the reporter seemed to be contrary to the Vatican's wishes, for instance, and he seems to drop some hints that he does not intend to be silenced. Well, I hope as part of his penance he remains faithful to his vow of obedience.

Noted: New Legionary of Christ Director Meets With Pope

Their meeting took place on the 15th of this month, but I didn't notice it until now:

In a private audience with Benedict XVI, the general director of the Legionaries of Christ renewed the congregation's loyalty to the Pope at the start of a new stage in its history, following the Jan. 30 death of the founder.

The Pope received in audience Legionary of Christ Father Álvaro Corcuera on Saturday.

According to the congregation, in the meeting the general director wanted to assure the Holy Father of the group's "unconditional loyalty to the Pope" in what he called a "new stage in their history."

Father Marcial Maciel, the founder of the congregation and the apostolic movement Regnum Christi, which is associated with the Legion of Christ, died Jan. 30 at age 87.

According to the Regnum Christi Web page, "The Holy Father, with fatherly kindness, assured Father Corcuera that he continues closely accompanying the Legion of Christ and Regnum Christi with his prayers. He then granted all of its members his apostolic blessing, especially the thousands of young people and families who will participate in evangelization missions across the world during Holy Week." (Zenit)

"Unconditional loyalty." A "new stage" in the LoC history. Good signs. Why we need good signs.

The picture above is from their previous meeting in June 2006. More about it, in Fr. Corcuera's own words, on the Regnum Christi website. The RC report on this 2008 meeting is here. Happy Pope photo alert:

Pope Trip - March 25th Roundup

A few headlines and developments, as we enter the final three weeks before Pope Benedict's arrival:

The USCCB has invited the public to greet the Pope as he travels through Washington DC:

The general public can see the pope on Wednesday, April 16, as he departs from the White House visit with President and Mrs. Bush and travels to the Papal Nunciature on Massachusetts Avenue. Pope Benedict will ride in the popemobile for part of the route.

Later, the public will be able to see the pope as he travels in the popemobile to the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception on Michigan Avenue.

I think it's safe to say that the USCCB might be concerned that Pope Benedict won't receive a very large public greeting because details concerning his public appearances have (and remain) scant.

CNS provides a play-by-play of the Pope's itinerary over at the official US Papal Visit website.

Rocco adds that the current price tag for the Pope's "potomac leg" will be in the neighborhood of $3 million.

Pope2008 reports on the encouraging news from a recent survey that "Americans Have an Overwhelmingly Favorable View of Pope Benedict". Some statistics from the results:

• By a ratio of four and a half to one (58% to 13%), respondents said that they had a favorable or very favorable view of Pope Benedict.
• 65% of respondents had a favorable view of the Catholic Church.
• 42% of Americans said they would like to attend one of the Pope's public appearances while he is in the U.S.
• 66% of Catholics said that they would like to attend one of his appearances.

Let's hope those first two statistics continue to improve.

Finally, Kelly Clarkson, who I reported last week will perform for Pope Benedict, is looking forward to it:

"I was so excited to be asked to sing for the pope," Clarkson told the Star-Telegram via her publicist. "I grew up singing church music, and it's always been a dream of mine to perform Ave Maria. To have that dream come true on such a special occasion is truly a blessing."

The Star-Telegram adds:

According to Joseph Zwilling, spokesman for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York, Clarkson will perform a few of her songs at a youth rally at St. Joseph's Seminary in Yonkers on April 19, as well as Ave Maria after the pope arrives.

...

Zwilling said it's "an unanswered question" whether Clarkson will meet Benedict. She had initially been scheduled to perform the miniconcert for the rally but also "expressed interest" in singing Ave Maria for the pope.

Kelly Clarkson grew up attending a Baptist church.

More as I find it....

In the mailbox: JP2, SoJ, KoC & Anne Rice

Currently reading:

• Christ the Lord by Anne Rice (I see this everywhere, evidently popular).
• A Civilization of Love by Carl Anderson (Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus)
• John Paul II and the Meaning of Suffering by Robert Schroeder (from Our Sunday Visitor)
• A Long Retreat by Andrew Krivak (personal memoir of his time with the Society of Jesus)

Photo Caption Call - 3/24/08

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

[credit: Flickr user "I didn't mean to go to Stoke"]

Text: Pope Benedict XVI's "Urbi et Orbi" Easter Speech

The official English-language Vatican translation, released through the Associated Press:

"Resurrexi, et adhuc tecum sum. Alleluia! I have risen, I am still with you. Alleluia! Dear brothers and sisters, Jesus, crucified and risen, repeats this joyful proclamation to us today: the Easter proclamation. Let us welcome it with deep wonder and gratitude!

Brief coverage and video at CNN.

Wikipedia on the Urbi et Orbe speech.

Photos of (and stories from) the Easter weekend papal liturgies linked here.

Photos: A Rainy Easter in St. Peter's Square

Selected from the photostream:






[sources: AP Photo/Pier Paolo Cito; AP Photo/Andrew Medichini; AFP/Pool/Alessandra Tarantino]

Pope Benedict baptizes prominent Italian Muslim

This news got some press today:

Italy's most prominent Muslim commentator converted to Roman Catholicism on Saturday during the Vatican's Easter vigil service presided over by the pope.

An Egyptian-born, non-practicing Muslim, Magdi Allam has infuriated some fellow Muslims with his criticism of extremism and support for Israel.

The deputy editor of the Corriere della Sera newspaper, Allam often writes on Muslim and Arab affairs.

...

There is no overarching Muslim law on conversion. But under a widespread interpretation of Islamic legal doctrine, converting from Islam is apostasy and punishable by death -- though killings are rare.

CNN has video.

The AP's original coverage had a more dramatic opening sentence:

Italy's most prominent Muslim, an iconoclastic writer who condemned Islamic extremism and defended Israel, converted to Catholicism Saturday in a baptism by the pope at a Vatican Easter service.

I don't think the Vatican is trying to make any sort of political or religious "statement" in choosing this individual for baptism, as much as the press would like to see it in those terms.

Comments?

[photo: Dario Pignatelli/Reuters]

Picture: Pope Benedict's Easter Vigil Candle

This is usually my favorite published photo of Pope Benedict each year - the Easter Vigil Mass candle....

"Pope Benedict XVI holds a candle during the Easter vigil mass in St. Peter's Basilica, at the Vatican, Saturday March 22, 2008. The pontiff presided over an Easter vigil service late Saturday during which he was to baptize one of Italy's most prominent Muslims." (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino, Pool)

Video: Real Preachers of Genius

Not to diminish the solemnity of these days, but rather that we might all better appreciate the sacred liturgies we are (hopefully) able to attend over Triduum, I Present "Mr. Seeker-Sensitive Megachuch Pastor":


Ph/t: AmP reader "Padre".

Photos: Good Friday Papal Liturgy

Selected from the photostream:



[sources: REUTERS/Dario Pignatelli (VATICAN); AP Photo/Claudio Peri, Pool]

Photos: Holy Thursday Papal Liturgy

Selected from the photostream:

[sources: AP Photo/Plinio Lepri; AP Photo/Max Rossi, Pool; AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino; AFP/Damien Meyer].

Easter 2008

I am celebrating Triduum with my family and friends in Michigan, and so blogging will be sparse.

A very blessed and joyful Easter to you all!

Stunning: Pictures of animals growing inside their mother's wombs

Simply amazing, a baby elephant in it's mother's womb:

"The elephant foetus at 12 months, when it is 18 inches long and weighs approximately 26 lbs."

The UK Daily Mail:

Using new technology, these images, published in UK's Daily Mail, reveal what until now has been a secret - exactly how animals develop in the womb. They were created by the same team who in 2004 showed how human embryos "walk in the womb".

Using a combination of three-dimensional ultrasound scans, computer graphics and tiny cameras, the team were able to show the entire process from conception to birth.

"These kind of images from inside animals have never been seen before," Jeremy Dear of Pioneer Productions, who made the film, told The Daily Mail.

Even more stunning? A baby dolphin "swimming" in utero:

I've never asked myself this before, but I wonder: are passionate animal-rights activists pro-life in respect to animal foetuses? How can a female mammal not want it's child? In that regard, every animal-rights activist would have to respect the presumed right of the animal mother to give birth to it's offspring.

Goodness, what cloudy thinking and paradox-strewn conclusions this raises.

Let's just take a step back and marvel at the clarity of theses images. Let's hope they sink in.

Graphic: World’s oldest animation (5,200 years old!)

Proof that Disney was storyboarding long before the Greeks invented tragedy:

On second thought, I think this goat has more personality than most recent Disney characters.

Get the story here.

Tip: Get a *free* copy of "Contraception, Why Not"

I love telling my readers how to get quality Catholic content, for free (or at a ridiculous discount, in some cases).

Here's an example of free:

"Contraception: Why Not is a powerful presentation that challenges America to rethink its contraceptive mindset. To help people understand the contraception situation better, One More Soul offers one free copy of this talk to any new customer.

For more about Professor Smith and her available publications click here.

To see more of our radically pro-life resources, please visit our online catalog."

In all seriousness, if you know someone who is using contraception, or wants to understand the Church's teaching more fully, get this CD . I've listened to it before and it is, without a doubt, the single most effective one-stop explanation. Dr. Smith goes far beyond the "why nots" and explains the "whys." A must-have for Catholic youth.

If you have a Catholic tip you'd like people to hear about, drop me an email: "thomas [at] americanpapist.com".

Ph/t: AmP reader Nicole.

AmP wins 2008 "Best Political/Social Commentary" Catholic Blog!

The results are in!

With all of the votes counted, AmP won "Best Political/Social Commentary Blog" in the 2008 Catholic Blog Awards.

Other top finishes:

• Funniest Catholic Blog - 2nd (tied)
• Best Individual Catholic Blog - 2nd
• Smartest Catholic Blog - 2nd
• Best Designed Catholic Blog - 2nd
• Best Insider News Catholic Blog - 3rd (even with my votes being split into two options)
• Best Written Catholic Blog - 3rd
• Most Informative & Insightful Blog - 4th
• Best Overall Catholic Blog - 4th (again, my vote split in two, but it doesn't change the rank)

Wow, four second-place finishes, and four more top-5 finishes. Considering the winners in these categories outstrip my daily readership, I'm happy that proportionally AmP readers more than carried their weight!

Truly, a great big THANK YOU to everyone who voted for me, and congrats to the other winners!

Since moving to Washington, DC in August of 2007, I've been trying to include more regular political and social commentary into my coverage. Recently, I have been publishing more freelance pieces in online publications such as Catholic Exchange and Inside Catholic, as well as increasing the number of interviews I grant.

Considering how recently I've been doing this seriously, I think it's safe to say "you ain't seen nothing yet."

So stick around! There's plenty to come.

update: Special congratulations to Fr. Z. who ran away with practically every award his impressive blog was eligible for. Congrats also to The New Liturgical Movement that worthily won the "Best Designed" award, and best group blog. Fine contributors there. CreativeMinorityReport is the new kid on the block, look for good things from him in the future. And I have to say he's very inventive with his blogger template. CurtJester, it's no surprise, won "Funniest Catholic Blog." Hey, I voted for him, negative campaign and all. :-P

Allright, back to doing what I've been self-referentially talking about the past couple weeks!

Photo Caption Call - 3/19/08

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

(he's holding the papal miter, by the way.)

[credit: Flickr user "Pope Benedict XVI"]

Picture: Vector Pope Benedict

Easily the strangest artistic rendering of Pope Benedict I've come across.


And considering the random nature of the internet, that's impressive.

P.S. I don't much care for it, but can you imagine seeing this on a highschooler's shirt?

Ph/t: Phatmass user "Ash Wednesday."

Bin Laden accuses Pope Benedict of danish cartoon "crusade"

The relevant text:

Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden threatened the European Union with grave punishment on Wednesday over cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad.

In an audio recording posted on the Internet, Bin Laden said the cartoons were part of a "crusade" in which he said the Catholic Pope Benedict was involved.

The message was released on the fifth anniversary of the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq.

More from CNN (but not anything relating to Pope Benedict).

This is a good reminder that we should pray seriously for the pope's safety during his trip to the U.S.

Pope Trip: "Bush to greet pope at airport in unusual gesture"

AP:

Pope Benedict XVI will be greeted by President Bush at Andrews Air Force Base next month at the start of the pontiff's weeklong U.S. trip, the Vatican said Monday.

... The president traditionally greets visitors at the White House. The most elaborate welcome has been a South Lawn ceremony with trumpet salutes, booming cannons and the Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps, dressed in 18th-century uniform, parading by the reviewing stand and invited guests.

Does anyone know where John Paul II was greeted when he visited the United States each time?

Pope Trip: Breakdown of DC Papal Mass ticket figures

From WaPo:

More than 100,000 requests have been submitted to the Archdiocese of Washington for tickets to Pope Benedict XVI's Mass in the District on April 17. Dioceses across the country were told how many tickets each parish would get at the end of last month. Nearly 45,000 seats are available for the Mass, which will be at the new Nationals Park.

About 16,000 tickets will go to 148 parishes and missions in the archdiocese, and nearly 13,000 tickets will go to clergy, Catholic high schools and campus ministries in the Archdiocese of Washington, Catholic organizations, volunteers and others. Parishes are distributing tickets through free lotteries, letter submissions and other methods.

Some parishes are asking those interested to write letters saying why they would like a ticket. Tickets are free, non-replaceable and may not be sold.

Confirmed: Kelly Clarkson to perform "Ave Maria" for Pope

I know, this reads like a spoof headline, but it's legit!

Singer Kelly Clarkson is best known for being the first American Idol winner and then going on to become a "pop superstar". She will sing Ave Maria to Pope Benedict XVI on April 19 at St. Joseph's Seminary in Yonkers, which is a gathering for 20,000 Catholic Youth (primarily of the Archdiocese of New York).

I've read claims that she is Catholic, but that fact almost never gets any mention, so I don't know if she is practicing or not.

It's hard to find a good picture of Kelly because she appears to change her style every couple weeks (this photo at left is from one of her American Idol apperances). I'm sure for her performance with the pope she'll be wearing something a bit more sedate than her normal concert wardrobe.

It's notable that in the artist's rendering (photo) of the stage in Yonkers there are two walkways, although I don't think Ave Maria is exactly a "get the crowd involved" song, now that I think about it.

Oh yeah, an AmP Shout-Out to the person who writes the best re-written Kelly Clarkson lyrics for the event.

Some suggestions:

• "Because of Benedict"
• "Since Heresy Been Gone!"
• "Behind These Papal Eyes" (Rocco)

First look at the Pope's Yankee Stadium stage & St. Joseph's Seminary stage

Tim Drake at Pope2008 gets us the goods (click images for full-size version).

Here's an artist's rendering of what the Papal Mass at Yankee Stadium will look like:

Some notable details:

• This will be the fourth papal Mass produced by Seg Events.
• Because of the baseball season, they have 48 hours from the start of when they can begin building to when the event begins (that's going to be tight!).
• Prior to the Mass, many artists will be performing, including Cirque Du Soleil. Wow.

My observations:

• I like the royal purple, if they choose to stay with that color.
• I like the prominant position of Pope Benedict's and the papal coat-of-arms.
• Contrary to some rumors, Pope Benedict will *not* be saying Mass from far right field (*wink*) but from center field. Hopefully no attending deacons try to play shortstop during the liturgy.

And here's what the St. Joseph's Seminary (Youth Gathering) stage will look like:

More information from Pope2008 here.

Who is going to be using those walkways? That news coming next! update: Kelly Clarkson.

My comments on the "Seven Deadly Social Sins" published at Inside Catholic

Read my latest piece for Inside Catholic, this one on the so-called "Seven Deadly Social Sins" here.

Open Thread: Obama's speech

Quote: "I Can No More Disown [Rev. Wright] Than I Can Disown the Black Community"

CNN coverage.

Here is video (runs about 35 minutes):



Here is the full text of his speech.

Huge live-blogged post from MM.

My comments when I get a chance to watch it later tonight.

(Road)Sign of the Times: "drive thru" churches

Proving the adage, "Where there's a market, there's a way"....:


From the UK Times' Faith Central:

.... we are happy to present a selection of drive-thru churches, all nicely unselfconscious, including a unique (sadly closed) funeral parlour in Pensacola where mourners can say their farewells through a glass window without troubling to get out of the car.

CS Lewis would not approve. In the Screwtape Letters he points out that "we are animals, and what our bodies do affects our minds". I.e. if you kneel to pray (or at least get out of your car) you might pray better.

These are protestant initiatives, which take place in the United States. I'm proud of the author for the classic C.S. Lewis reference, which is highly applicable to the situation.

An example of these "drive thru" outfits:

This drive-in Christian Church is a converted drive-in movie theatre in Daytona Beach. The minister delivers his message from a high balcony just below where the movie screen once hung. According to National Catholic Reporter, the congregation attracts an average of 700 people every week. To hear the service, worshipers must tune 88.5 FM. As you can see .... churchgoers receive a packaged Communion kit where they can find some wine for the worship.

Sure enough, the beginning of the report filed in 2003 by the National Catholic Reporter:

"Ever get to church and wish you could just stay in the car? Here, you can."

Blech, I can't read anymore. I feel like I'm getting car sick.

Humor: A little piece of American history

I though this would be appropriate enough for AmP's 2,800th post....

From The Charter of Massachusetts Bay (Colony) - 1691:

“[T]here shall be a liberty of Conscience allowed in the Worship of God to all Christians (Except Papists) Inhabiting or which shall Inhabit or be Resident within our said Province or Territory.”

This was forwarded to me by Matthew Balan who works for MRC and blogs for NewsBusters.

Search for "papist" and this blog appears 1st on Ask!, 2nd on Google, 3rd on Yahoo!, and 4th on MSN.

Tip: Get a *free* copy of Dapple Things!

Dappled Things, a journal I am very impressed with, has made this generous offer:

Haven't subscribed to the print edition of Dappled Things yet? Or are you a subscriber who would like to share Dappled Things with a friend?

Write to us by March 20th and receive a FREE issue of Dappled Things!

Send the name and mailing address of the lucky recipient to "dappledthings [dot] cybulski [at] gmail [dot] com" no later than March 20th to receive a complementary, no obligation copy of the Easter 2008 issue. Please write "FREE SAMPLE" in your subject line.

Free copies are available while supplies last, and are offered on a first-come, first-serve basis.

In the future, I would like to advertise catholic tips similar to this one more often.

So, drop me a line and I'll give you a shout-out! "thomas [at] americanpapist [dot] com."

Picture: Little Child Speaks (Pro-Life) Truth to Power

... at a St. Patrick's Day march where Hillary Clinton was participating.

Report: "Fertility Treatment is Hugely Successful but Largely Ignored by Medicine"

Yes, there are ethic alternatives to in vitro fertilization, and people should know about them:

NaProTECHNOLOGY (Natural Procreative Technology or NPT) is a dramatically successful, but not well known or practiced method of diagnosing and treating gynecological diseases and infertility in women. It is a morally acceptable and very cost effective method of restoring fertility, using a fertility-care based medical approach, rather than a fertility-control approach.

...

When used to treat infertility alone, NaProTechnology has a success rate of 76% in assisting couples to achieve pregnancy - remarkably superior to the 10-15% success rate of in vitro fertilization, and without the enormous financial cost and adverse emotional and other psychological effects of in vitro fertilization.

[Read more.]

Take a look at those numbers again. And yet proponents of IVF will go around claiming that it's practically the only way for couples to get pregnant who are experiencing difficulty. Think again.

Popemobile routes for upcoming visit revealed

For those who don't have tickets, or who just can't get enough of il papa, here's when and where you have a good chance of getting a road-side glimpse of him when he visits, via the CNS News Hub:

1) The first use of the popemobile on this trip will be when the pope leaves the White House at noon April 16 en route to the apostolic nunciature, a distance of about three miles. A major traffic nightmare is certainly a possibility since the White House is smack in the middle of downtown. The precise route was not announced.

2) Later that same day, according to the schedule, he’ll arrive at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in the popemobile for his meeting with the U.S. bishops. Again, no precise route was given.

3) The next afternoon, after he meets with Catholic education officials at The Catholic University of America in Washington, he’ll use the popemobile to go to the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center for his meeting with representatives of non-Christian religions. That trip will be fairly short, since the university and the JPII center are more or less across the street from one another.

4) The lone New York popemobile trip will be on Saturday, April 19, after a noon lunch with Cardinal Edward Egan. That trip from the cardinal’s residence to the residence of the Vatican’s permanent observer to the United Nations is about a mile.

Trips #1 & #2 provide the best opportunity. #3 will be practically impossible, as they plan to seal-off the CUA campus to outsiders. More on that if I hear it. #4 in NYC will be very congested.

Hmm, I wonder if the pope is going to bring his new Mercedes-Benz?

More here, and to follow.

Last day to vote for AmP in the 2008 Blog Awards!

AmericanPapist is in the running for nine awards this year!

I've provided some reasons for supporting AmP in each category....

• Best Individual - 2nd (AmP is a one-man operation, with almost 2,800 individual posts to date)
• Best Design - 2nd (AmP has integration with Facebook, Flickr, YouTube, etc.)
• Best Political/Social Commentary - 2nd (Today I present an exclusive post on McCain's position on embryonic stem cell research. I've also covered the 2008 presidential race extensively).
• Best Insider News - 3rd (Recent scoops include details on the pope's upcoming visit to the U.S.)
• Best Overall - 3rd (I strive to provide all the important news of interest to Catholics, often within the hour)
• Best Written - 3rd (I've written a series of bioethics essays, I've also published in Catholic Exchange, etc.)
• Smartest - 3rd (In humility there's no way for be to claim this, that's purely your conclusion).
• Most Informative/Insightful - 4th (I try, and I get plenty of daily assistance from my readers!)
• Funniest - 5th (I just posted my 100th Papist Picture of the Day, Photo Caption Calls, All these, etc.)

So, if you were thinking of voting for AmP, but weren't sure or didn't want to take the time - please - it doesn't take that long and there are many fine Catholic blogs that would love to see you participating! I sure would.

Vote today!

AmP Spotlight: Mike Mangione Band

Last night I saw Mike Mangione and his band perform at the Quincy House in Brookland, DC (which is quickly becoming the hot spot for local Catholic/Christian musicians - check it out if you are in the area).

After their instruments were safely stowed, I talked with Mike, his brother Tom, and learned more about their inspirations and plans. They are not only impressive men personally, they are fantastic musicians, and it's my pleasure to introduce them to AmP readers.

Mike told me about studying theology of the body and the writings of John Paul II, and (if I'm allowed to give it away), the story of him proposing to his wife at World Youth Day. His brother Tom mentioned that they often play for Catholic students at Newman centers as well as listening rooms across the country. Their song lyrics reveal their understanding of Catholic theology, and their song topics show their sensitivity to issues especially important to Catholic youth.

And as you can see, they also put some serious heart and soul into their music:

These guys work hard (Mike's performed over 150 times a year in the past three years), and it's paying off:

Born in Illinois, and now residing in Milwaukee, Mike Mangione is quickly becoming a familiar name throughout the city's growing music scene. Bringing an organically subtle, yet expressive sound, Mangione has drawn comparisons to such songwriting heavyweights as Ryan Adams and Elliott Smith.

In the past three years, Mangione has averaged 150 shows per year, performing in countless venues and festivals including SXSW and Milwaukee's own Summerfest. Needless to say, Mike Mangione has been putting in more than his fair share of work, and has a large mass of live experience. His previous album, "There And Back," charted as high as No.16 on the CMJ countdown, proving his following has grown to respectable lengths.

Now touring behind his new opus "Tenebrae," Mangione feels ready to spread that following to even greater amounts with much-deserved confidence in the album. "Tenebrae" is a classic-sounding piece full of beautifully arranged acoustics and Mangione's vocals can be heart-breakingly delicate at times, comparable to how James Blunt only wishes he could sound. [source]

I think it's clear that Mike is a very promising up-and-coming artist.

So how can you get involved?

Listen to tracks from his latest album, Tenebrae on his MySpace page (for free).

His website has a list of upcoming shows; he'll be criss-crossing the nation in the coming months - so check it out! His website also has more information about him, including some fun facts that I thought I'd share:

Tom Mangione took guitar lessons from a teacher with a glass eye who didn't realize Tom was playing upside down until three months into lessons. When the mistake was discovered Tom figured he had learned way too much on the instrument and the information was irreversible. Arguably the best and worst decision he ever made.

Mike was cast as "Mail Boy" in the Will Ferrell movie "Anchorman" and can be seen through out the movie in the office scenes. Can you find him?

Mike is a firm believer in the Theology of the Body.

Mike's song "It's Me, Not You"was just picked up by Burger King for licensing!

Finally, Mike mentioned to me that he and his bandmates have been invited to perform at World Youth Day in Sydney Australia. They do, however, have to find a way to pay their way, so once the setup an easy online way to assist them, I'll post on that as well. In the meantime, buying their music is a great way to start!

As for me, I'll be dropping the tracks from Tenebrae and There and Back Again on my mp3 player tonight.

As a final treat, here's a short video of his performance the night I heard him at Quincy House:

If the sound quality is poor, it's the fault of my camera - not the Quincy House or Mike.

Bottom line: I believe Mike Mangione is exactly the combination of real artistic talent and positive Catholic values that I hope and trust will flourish as part of the ongoing second spring of Catholic culture.

(I should add: other Catholic artists who will be in Washington DC are welcome to drop me a line.)

100th Papist Picture of the Day! - 3/16/08

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

"The pope's lenten penance: hearing confessions of liturgical abuse."

(... and yes, looking through the archives, I noticed this is the 100th Papist Picture of the Day!)

[source: AP Photo/GIUSEPPE GIGLIA, POOL]

AmP Exclusive: Sen. Browback on John McCain's support of stem cell research + an overview of his true position

This week I attended a book launch hosted by InsideCatholic in Washington DC that included a Q&A with author Deal Hudson and Senator Sam Browback.

I posed a queston for both men which went like this (according to my memory, their responses are also according to my memory):

Recently, in a conference call with Catholic representatives, John McCain restated his support embryonic stem cell research, but also said that he was open to further dialogue on the topic. Do we know if this dialogue is in fact taking place, and is there any chance McCain will change his position before the general election?

A paraphrase of Hudson's response:

I believe McCain is hoping that scientific progress [on alternative sources of pluripotent stem cells] renders the question academic [in other words, irrelevant in terms of policy]. One of the things about McCain is that once he takes a position he's very persistent about keeping it.

A paraphrase of Senator Brownback's response:

I can personally assure you that dialogue is ongoing with McCain about this issue [i.e., he is one of the persons doing it], but it is true that right now McCain supports the research.

The video of my question and the two responses it received will be aired on C-SPAN in the next 2-3 weeks. When it is aired, I will provide a link to it and update this post with the exact quotes.

More research on John McCain and federal funding of embronic stem cell research:

It is important to note that, from my research, McCain supports the use of fetal stem cell lines that would otherwise be discarded but opposes the creation of new fetal stem cell lines.

Pew Forum on the issues:

McCain opposes embryonic stem cell research that uses cloned human embryos, but supports research using human embryos left over from fertility treatments. In 2006, McCain supported a trio of Senate bills designed to increase federal funding for adult stem cell research, ban the creation of embryos for research and offer federal support for research using embryos slated for destruction by fertility clinics.

McCain's all-important statement on the question at the May 3, 2007 GOP primary debate:

Q: Would you expand federal funding of embryonic stem cell research?

A: I believe that we need to fund this. This is a tough issue for those of us in the pro-life community. I would remind you that these stem cells are either going to be discarded or perpetually frozen. We need to do what we can to relieve human suffering. It's a tough issue. I support federal funding.

CNN provides video of his expanded response, in which he again states that he hopes new scientific breakthroughs make this question "academic." He also mentions his 24-year pro-life voting record.

John McCain's position from an article published on his official campaign website last year:

"John McCain opposes the intentional creation of human embryos for research purposes. To that end, Senator McCain voted to ban the practice of 'fetal farming,' making it a federal crime for researchers to use cells or fetal tissue from an embryo created for research purposes. Furthermore, he voted to ban attempts to use or obtain human cells gestated in animals. Finally, John McCain strongly opposes human cloning and voted to ban the practice, and any related experimentation, under federal law. As president, John McCain will strongly support funding for promising research programs, including amniotic fluid and adult stem cell research and other types of scientific study that do not involve the use of human embryos. Where federal funds are used for stem cell research, Senator McCain believes clear lines should be drawn that reflect a refusal to sacrifice moral values and ethical principles for the sake of scientific progress, and that any such research should be subject to strict federal guidelines."

To recap:

• From what I've found, John McCain opposes federal funding for the creation of new embryonic stem cell lines, but supports the use of embryonic stem cell lines already in use.

Readers should not take this post to necessarily mean that I support McCain's position on this issue, nor that I support John McCain for president, but these remain the facts, as I've discovered them.

I've often heard the claim made by some that "McCain supports embryonic stem cell research." That claim, however, ignores the distinction between killing further unborn human life through the creation of new stem cell lines, and using stem cell lines derived from embryos already destroyed.

Both forms of research are objectionable, but the former kind is far more objectionable because it entails the willful killing of human embryos, which one can never do nor support.

The use of already-derived embryonic stem cell lines, on the other hand, is closer to the moral category of using vaccines derived from research done on embryos, which can (I would argue) be legitimately done in some circumstances, but in general should be avoided, if possible, as a witness to the dignity of human life.

AmP Report: Onward Christian Soldiers book launch

On Wednesday I attended an official book launch hosted by InsideCatholic of Deal Hudson's new book "Onward Christian Soldiers," in downtown Washington DC, and which featured a short speech by Senator Sam Browback.

About the book:

Many books have been written about the so-called Religious Right in American politics. Deal Hudson's new book, Onward, Christian Soldiers: The Growing Political Power of Catholics and Evangelicals in the United States, published by Simon & Schuster, documents the surprising role of Catholics in the creation of the religious conservative movement. Hudson conducted dozens of interviews with religious and political leaders to explore the history and significance of Catholics in the conservative movement. He looks not only at Catholic contributions beginning in the 70s but also the specifically Catholic controversies that arose along the way.

Bill Donohue's endorsement:

Hudson has written an insider's jewel on the political and cultural dynamics that have affected presidential politics over the past several decades. It is an invaluable resource for anyone interested in understanding the intersection of politics and religion in the twenty-first century. Professors and pundits alike will repair to this book for years to come."

The event was recorded by C-SPAN, and I'm told that the video will be aired as part of their Book TV series in the next 2-3 weeks. In the meantime, here is a short video of Hudson answering a question about John McCain and the religious right:

I've uploaded a few photos from the event to the AmP Flickr page.

For the response to a question I posed to Senator Browback during the Q&A session about John McCain's continued support of embryonic stem cell research, click here.

Deal reports on the IC blog that they sold all the books which were available for purchase and signing. I hope to read the book once I get some spare time from classes and preparations for the pope's visit.

Alert: Presumed Islamic Extremists Hack Knights of Holy Sepulchre website

Will Cubbedge sent the alert:

As of right now (3:42pm on Palm Sunday) it would appear that someone has hacked and uploaded insulting images onto the American website of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem.

As of 8:30pm EST, the website is still comprimised. Here is an image of what the homepage looks like:

I would recommend to not visit the website until control of it has been restored. Hackers can also upload viruses and trojans onto compromised web pages, and they might upload offensive images.

More from Will:

The pictures of the Jerusalem cross have been replaced by the face of some Muslim cleric (the Ayatollah?), and the pictures of the Cardinal Grand Master replaced by those of a donkey.

Get that? They replaced the Cardinal Grand Master's image with a picture of a donkey.

As for the phrase "al sana kardinal", I do not speak Arabic, but I was able to find that "sana" means "illustrious splendor". It would be helpful if someone could help us with an accurate translation.

Finally, it goes without saying that this is an offensive act of internet terrorism, and that because such acts are becoming more and more frequent, it is important that the culprits be brought to swift justice.

The Knights of the Holy Sepulchre should not only notify their ISP, they should notify the U.S. government.

Photo: Pope uses Cross Staff of Pius XI, XII & John XXIII today

Papist bloggers are buzzing about the Pope's Cross Staff seen today at the Palm Sunday Mass:

Ken88 found this photo, and has several more of similar high-quality. Fr. Z has more from the Mass.

It appears that this is the same papal cross staff used by Popes Pius XI & XII, as this photo suggests. update: and now TNLM notes that Pope John XIII used the "conciliar cross" as well.

Pope Benedict also strongly decried the atrocities in Iraq, saying "enough with massacres, enough violence, enough hatred in Iraq!" This week, Iragi Archbishop Rahho was found dead after being kidnapped.

Confirmed: Pope approves 'heroic virtues' of Knights of Columbus founder

From the Canadian Press, Vatican City press office:

Pope Benedict on Saturday set the founder of the Knights of Columbus, one of the world's largest lay Catholic groups, on the path to possible beatification and sainthood, the Vatican said.

The Pope recognized the "heroic virtues" of reverend Michael McGivney, who in 1882 created a fraternal society for Catholic men who suffered discrimination because of their religion and immigrant origins.

...

The effort to canonize him was opened in 1997. That process received important support last year, when the Vatican's No. 2 official, Tarcisio Cardinal Bertone, celebrated mass at the Knights of Columbus annual meeting in Tennessee and said he would work to have the priest declared a saint.

update: the Hartford Courant has more. The KofC have issued a press release and a news release with the reminder that Father McGivney would be the first American born priest to be declared a saint.

The KofC has a website dedicated to Father McGivney info, including a page on his sainthood cause:

... Only one who has lived the Christian life in an extraordinary manner, who has manifested "heroic virtue," can be seriously considered for canonization.

The Holy Father looks to a sign from God as confirmation of God's positive judgment concerning beatification or canonization. Miracles are a positive sign that God indeed confirms the decision of the Church.

The chief postulator of Father McGivney’s cause for canonization is the Dominican priest Fr. Gabriel O'Donnell, O.P., who serves as my Academic Dean at the Pontifical Faculty of the Immaculate Conception.

update 2: from the Vatican Bulletino (March 17):

"The Holy Father today received in private audience Cardinal Jose Saraiva Martins C.M.F., prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, and authorised the promulgation of decrees concerning the following causes ... Servant of God Michael McGivney, American diocesan priest and founder of the Knights of Columbus (1852-1890).

Photo Caption Call - 3/14/08

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

"Unfortunately, agent smith style evangelization-by-replication is forbidden by Church Law."

[credit: Flickr user "maryaben"]

Guess what percentage of Catholics will abstain from meat today.

Georgetown's Center for Applied Research on the Apostolate (CARA) says:

60% of Catholics abstain from meat on Fridays in Lent.

Actually, that's higher than I would have guessed.

The percentage jumps far higher if you also regularly attend Mass on Sundays - 89%.

44% of Catholics try to "undertake some special spiritual effort" during Lent. Sunday-goers? 85%.

Standing in line at one of Catholic University's cafeterias today, and watching all the kids order chicken, I wondered how many Catholics under 30 abstain from meat. I'd like to see the CARA findings by age.

Breaking: Abp. Burke excommunicates *two more* persons today

Wow. Archbishop Burke is on a roll:

I have communicated with both Mr. Rozanski and Ms. Krauze that the Board of Saint Stanislaus Kostka Corporation is in schism, the parish had been suppressed, and that if they joined the board, they would be knowingly joining a sect that held and professed views outside the communion of the Catholic Church. Because they joined the board knowing this information, they excommunicated themselves from the Catholic Church. Church law requires me to publicly declare the excommunication.

The situation of Mr. Rozanski and Ms. Krause is sad for the whole Church. It is cause of great concern for me as archbishop. Please join me in praying that both will be reconciled with the Church and that the great harm which has been caused to the Church, with the help of God’s grace, will be healed.

A Q&A for this set of excommunications has been available here.

That brings it up to five excommunications in two days. Someone decided to clear off his desk before Easter.

Ph/t: TheTimman of St. Louis Catholic, who has much more on the story.

Quick reminder: Last weekend to vote for AmP in the 2008 CBA!

Just a quick reminder that the 2008 Catholic Blog Awards end this coming Monday, March 17th at 12:00 EST, so this is your last weekend to vote for your - *cough* - favorite blog.

Yes, an email address is required, but they promise not to spam you and I'm sure it's to prevent abuse.

AmP is currently competitive in nine categories (pretty much every category it is eligible to win).

Thank you so very much.

Also, I'm happy to say the AmP Facebook fanpage has almost 300 fans. Join up and invite your friends!

LA Gov. Bobby Jindal for Republican VP?

MM points out that James Lucier at The American Spectator has endorsed Bobby Jindal for VP.

I agree with MM that it's too early, and we'd prefer to see him at the top of the ticket in 2012.

My previous defense of and praise for Bobby here. (He's Catholic. That's a good start).

Personal Papal Preparations Proceed aPace

It's Friday, so I figure I'm permitted some blog title levity.

Anyway, a couple exciting recent developments and observations:

First, I've been included as a spokesperson available to field media requests through the Maximus Group, "the leading Catholic communications agency in the United States," for the pope's visit. It's a non-exclusive agreement, so if anyone else is interested in my services, I can be contacted at "thomas [at] americanpapist [dot] com." I'm particularly interested in pursuing pre-visit agreements for the rights to articles, photos and videos I'll be providing. If you want my resume, drop me an email.

Second, earlier this month I received an email notification from the USCCB granting me pre-approval media credentials for the papal visit. Final approval will come down March 24, so in the meantime I'd appreciate some prayers. It's truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and I've been preparing for it considerably. And really, there couldn't have been a more opportune time to re-locate to Washington DC. God works in wonderful ways.

Finally, online content related to the pope's visit is quickly proliferating now that we are only five short weeks away from his visit. I'll be posting more often as I find items of interest, so it's best to check this link regularly because it compiles and updates instantly.

Okay then, off we go!

Video: Religious Education Congress Closing Liturgy 2008

I blogged at-length about this topic here:

The AmP postmortem on "Mahoneyfest '08"

As of today, we have videos of the complete concluding liturgy, in four parts....

Part One (liturgical/ethnic song/dance and mahony's entrance):

Part Two (beginning with gospel reading and incense bowl):

Part Three (beginning with liturgical dance and altar prep):

Part Four (concludes with liturgical dance, communion, etc):

ph/t: reader "Susan".

Abp. Burke excommunicates three women involved in attempted ordination

update: Archbishop Burke has excommunicated two more persons today, more on that story here.

original story: Archbishop Raymond Burke of St. Louis has today excommunicated three women of the archdiocese who participated in an attempted ordination on November 11th, 2007.

Burke, as his info page describes, is truly "one of the world’s foremost authorities on Roman Catholic Canon Law," and he has chosen to use the medicinal penalty of excommunicaton to "safeguard the unity of the Catholic Church and protect the souls of the faithful."

From the Archdiocese of St. Louis website:

As Archbishop of St. Louis, it is my responsibility to safeguard the unity of the Catholic Church and protect the souls of the faithful.

I have communicated with Ms. Fresen, Ms. Hudson, and Ms. McGrath, and informed them that if they participated in an attempted female ordination, they would be excommunicating themselves from the Catholic Church. In the apostolic letter Ordinatio Sacerdotalis, Pope John Paul II reaffirmed that the Catholic Church has no authority to confer priestly ordination on women. This teaching is to be held definitively by all the faithful as belonging to the deposit of faith. Because they participated in the attempted ordination, Church law requires me to publicly declare the excommunication.

The situation is sad for the whole Church. It is cause of great concern for me as archbishop. Please join me in praying that both will be reconciled with the Church and that the great harm which has been caused to the Church, with the help of God's grace, will be healed.

• Declaration of Excommunication of Patricia Fresen, Rose Hudson, and Elsie McGrath (621.44 Kb PDF file)
• Questions and Answers Regarding Excommunication of Those Involved in Attempted Ordinations

update: expert commentary from Canonist Ed Peters:

I would like to say that Abp. Raymond Burke's excommunication of three women who recently participated in a pseudo-ordination in Saint Louis is a "text-book illustration" of how (non-judicial) excommunication is supposed to be applied in the Church today, but I can't say that: Why not? Because Abp. Burke's attention to juridic detail and his provision for the pastoral care of the people in his care so exceeds what the textbooks teach, that it is the textbooks that must copy from him, not him from the textbooks.

[Read why here]

Peters (my father) has also published a book on excommunication, entitled "Excommunication and the Catholic Church: Straight Answers to Tough Questions."

The Archbishop almost immediatly placed the women in question under interdict (AP) after the mock ordination.

He is also taking canonical action against renegade local priest Marek Bozek, who on March 5th refused to show at his hearing, opening him up to be dismissed from the clerical state by Rome. It's a long story.

St. Louis Catholic beat me to the punch on this story by about an hour, and with good coverage.

update: more background....

A picture of Fresen simulating an ordination of Hudson and McGrath:

The event took place, St. Louis Jewish Light reports, at a Jewish synagogue by the name of "Central Reform Congregation." However, "The Jewish Community Relations Council .... released a statement that CRC's decision to host the ceremony does not represent the greater Jewish community." Indeed, they've done everything they can to distance themselves from it.

Not so Pamela Schaeffer of the National Catholic Reporter, who was all agog at the development. Hudson and McGrath are listed on the "Roman Catholic WomenPriests" website as "ordained." At the time, Womens Ordination issued a press release which read: "Over 600 Cheer at Ordination of Two Roman Catholic Women Hosted by a Synagogue in St. Louis."

Finally, Bridget Mary, herself a "woman priest", notifies us that each of the excommunicated women received a decree at their respective homes by a courier. Some justifications for women's ordination she lists?

Recent scholarship affirms that women were ordained in the first twelve hundred years of the church’s history. The first half of the church’s history provides us with images and accounts of the inclusion of women in Holy Orders that contradict the later prohibition. The evidence provides a tradition we reclaim.

With facts like this one, I wonder how they can claim that the Catholic Church is out of touch.

In all seriousness, we should pray for these women that they may realize the gravity of their actions, the peril of their souls, and joyfully be reconciled to the Church. What's really going to get me is when the media reporters chime in and support their delusion. That's no help.

We should support Archbishop Burke because he is bravely performing the duties of his office.

update: the first AP "breaking news" report is accurate and balanced. We'll see what follows it.

Rumor: Third Papal Encyclical by May 1st, "Caritas in veritate"

CWNews:

A new papal encyclical on Catholic social teaching will be released on May 1, according to the Italian ANSA news agency.

The Vatican has not commented on the timing of the encyclical's appearance.

In an interview carried on February 29 by the Italian daily La Repubblica, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone confirmed reports that the Pope would soon release his third encyclical, and that it would be dedicated to "international social problems, with special focus on developing nations."

ANSA said that the encyclical will be entitled Caritas in Veritate ["Charity in Truth"], and will build upon the previous encyclicals Populorum Progressio by Pope Paul VI and Sollicituod Rei Socialis by Pope John Paul II.

The ANSA report said that the publication of the encyclical could possibly be delayed by difficulties in translating the document into Chinese.

Fr. Z reproduces the main points of Marco Tosatti writing for the daily La Stampa on the same topic.

Personally, I'd be very surprised to see this one released before mid-summer.

Video: Winner of the first-ever Pro-Life film festival

The first-ever Pro-Life film festival has taken place, "Cinema Vitae: Films for Life."

The winner of the Open category is "A short film related to society's confused views about life, choice, and abortion. Specifially, this film questions issues relating to the abortion pill, RU-486."

"Mad World" by Brooke Burns & Trent Horn:



Other winners:

• Able - Honorable Mention Open Category
• The Poet - Winner College Category
• Wrinkles in Time - Winner High School Category
• Blood Out - Honorable Mention High School Category

Ph/t: Ignatius Insight.

CNN tries, fails, to talk about "online confession" intelligently

CNN has published a typically-incompetent attempt to discuss the points-of-comparison between the traditional Catholic sacrament of confession and the fake, trendy online substitutes that have appeared in recent years across the web.

The article,"Forgive us father, we'd rather go online," begins with the line: "If you can pay for your bills online, why not pay for your sins?"

Hmm, can you guess what's coming next?

Most of the article is standard fare explaining how these websites do business by letting people "confess" their sins anonymously, but then it gets to talking about the Catholic Church:

"The Georgetown University study, which came out in 2005, found a significant decline in Catholics who go to confession. Although the Roman Catholic Church officially opposes online confessions, the Archdiocese of Washington used radio advertisements last year to encourage sinners to return to the sacrament. And in Chicago, Illinois, five parishes hosted "24 Hours of Grace" with rotating priests."

You've got to be kidding me. Did the author really just try to claim a contradiction between the Church's opposition to "online confessions" and the fact that the Church advertises traditional confession on the radio ("Although...")?! Even the next sentence about penance services in Chicago do nothing to support the author's conclusion. Yes, the Church is against online confessions; yes, the Church is attempting to make traditional Confession more available. What's so hard about that?

I'm similarly dissapointed by what the interviewed priest either had to say, or what the interview left out. There is no mention of Jesus or God, or that forgiveness actually happens through the sacrament. Instead we get words like "accountability", "responsibility" and "impact." Please.

Bottom line: people are still sinning (surprise) and online substitutes for confession aren't helping people, emotionally or actually (surprise). Oh yeah, and CNN wouldn't know a confessional from a fancy phone booth.

Breaking: Kidnapped Iraqi Abp. Rahho has been killed

Reuters breaking news alert:

Paulos Faraj Rahho, the Chaldean Catholic archbishop in Iraq who was kidnapped last month, has been found dead, an Italian Catholic news agency quoted an Iraqi bishop as saying on Thursday.

"Archbishop Rahho is dead. We found his lifeless body near Mosul. The kidnappers had buried him," Bishop Shlemon Warduni of Baghdad was quoted as telling SIR, the news agency of the Italian Bishops' Conference.

Rahho was seized on Feb. 29 after gunmen attacked his car in eastern Mosul, 390 km (240 miles) north of Baghdad, killing his driver and two guards.

Initial response from the Vatican:

Pope Benedict is "profoundly moved and saddened" by the death of Paulos Faraj Rahho, the Chaldean Catholic archbishop in Iraq who was kidnapped last month, a Vatican spokesman said on Thursday."

All of us had continued to pray and hope for his release, which the Pope had repeatedly urged," Father Federico Lombardi said in a statement shortly after news of the death.

Excerpt from the Holy Father's telegram to Iraqi Catholics:

Pope Benedict on Thursday condemned the death of the kidnapped Chaldean Catholic archbishop in Iraq as "an act of inhuman violence that offends the dignity of the human being".

The Pope made his comments in a telegram sent to Iraqi Catholic Church leaders after the discovery of the body of Paulos Faraj Rahho, who was abducted last month.

Updating Google news feed.

Zadok: "I've heard that Archbishop Rahho died in captivity due to necessary medication being denied to him."

God rest his soul - and those of his captors.

update:

• Vatican bulletino: "PAIN OF POPE FOR DEATH OF ARCHBISHOP OF MOSSUL"
• CNS: Pope calls death of Iraqi archbishop 'act of inhuman violence'
• CWNews: Kidnapped Iraqi archbishop is dead
• CNN coverage talks mostly about other things happening in Iraq
• AsiaNews is better

update 2: the latest...

• HotAir: "the body .... had gunshot wounds."
• CNS: "Chaldean bishop says U.S. accountable for death of Iraqi archbishop"

[picture 1: AP via BBC.] [picture 2: REUTERS/Osservatore Romano (VATICAN):]

Requiscat In Pace.

Photo Caption Call - 3/12/08

"The Papist Two-Step had a brief but glorious spot on the 1950s pop charts."

[credit: Flickr user "alisonheryer"]

Humor: AmP campaign responds to vicious underhanded slander

My esteemed colleague in papist punditry, Curt Jester, has also been voted into the top 10 of the 2008 CBA’s “Funniest Catholic Blog” category. In his ingenious (tongue-in-cheek) style, he has launched a “negative campaign ad” against myself and the other top 10 nominees.

I urge you to go read through his list to make sense of what follows....

I have decided to respond in similar (light-hearted) kind.

Please read the following text while imagining it is being read aloud by a certain noted Democratic presidential nominee candidate from Illinois at a campaign stop:

=======================================

[begin transcript]

“I wanna thank you’all for coming out this evening. I know most of you have jobs and obligations, but have still managed to be here, and I appreciate that. But folks, I want to set the record straight on a few matters. I want to give you some strait, frank talk.

You’ve all probably heard the claims made by a notable opponent of mine recently. And while I respect this individual, I don’t think he’s being quite fair to me, or honest with you.

*boos and hisses heard in crowd.*

Now, now. It’s all right. We’re used to this sort of thing. It’s the same tired politics that some individuals are unable to avoid. That’s not the way I choose to operate, or conduct my campaign. But that’s a separate issue. For now, let’s get to my first point.

You’ve heard it said, for instance, by some, that word order makes a difference. Some people see fit to cast an aspersion on my character because I may choose to proceed one word – Papist – with another word – American. Well let me say right back: word order does indeed make a difference.

We all know that. But more important is what words you use. Now I think all of us would agree that I am both a Papist and an American. And to anyone who’s tried to say “PapistAmerican” and felt it to be a tongue-twister, well, that’s the only reason I’ve chosen to use the phrase “AmericanPapist.” I stand on my record in supporting Papists before Americans, and have done so for a long time, back when some other individuals in this race could barely spell either word, or find the Vatican on a map of Italy.

*wild cheers and applause.*

Thank you! Now on to my last point - bear with me, bear with me here – this is important, too:

You’ve maybe heard it said that I’m a prideful person, going around claiming to be not your average Catholic.

*scattered laughter.*

I know, it’s pretty comical, isn't it? But folks, let me just say, without a moment's hesitation, that I am not your average Catholic – and neither are you! The people down inside the St. Blog’s beltway want to practice “Catholicism as usual.” To them I say, we won’t stand for “Catho