Vatican Chief Astronomer: "The extraterrestrial is my brother"

Okay, that's how the headline of the article read, reportes the Associated Press.

Hmm, can we say "slow news day"?

CNA has a good summary of what happened:

The Director of the Vatican's Observatory, Fr. José Gabriel Funes, said in an interview with the Vatican daily, L'Osservatore Romano, that believing in the possible existence of extraterrestrial life is not opposed to Catholic doctrine.

.... The astronomer began the interview titled, "The Alien is my Brother," by saying that, "Astronomy has a profound human value. It is a science that opens the heart and the mind. It helps us to put our lives, our hopes, our problems in the right perspective. In this regard, and here I speak as a priest and a Jesuit, it is an apostolic instrument that can bring us closer to God", said Fr. Funes in the interview.

Fr. Roderick translates the portions of the article that treat the implications of extraterrestial life:

Do you refer also to beings similar to us, or even more evolved?

It’s possible. However, so far we haven’t got any proof. But in such a big universe, this hypothesis can’t be excluded.

And that wouldn’t be a problem for our faith?

I don’t think so. Just like there is an abundance of creatures on earth, there could also be other beings, even intelligent ones, that were created by God. That doesn’t contradict our faith, because we cannot put boundaries to God’s creative freedom. As saint Francis would say, when we consider the earthly creatures to be our “brothers” and “sisters”, why couldn’t we also talk about a “extraterrestrial brother”? He would still be part of creation.

And what about redemption?

Let’s borrow the image from the gospel about the lost sheep. The shepherd leaves the 99 of the sheepfold to search for the one that got lost. Let’s imagine that in this universe there are 100 sheep, corresponding to the different forms of creatures. We who belong to the human race, could very well be the lost sheep, the sinners that need the shepherd. Got has become man in Jesus to save us. In that way, even when other intelligent beings exist, it’s not said that they would need redemption. They might have stayed in full friendship with their Creator.

I insist: when they would, on the contrary, be sinners, would redemption also be possible for them?

Jesus incarnated once and for all. The incarnation is a unique and non-repeatable event. However, I am certain that they too, in one way or another, would have the possibility to experience God’s mercy, just like we men have.

I think Curt Jester has the perfect response to this .... "The Star Wars Ewok Gospel":


Well, whatever happens, just keep a towel handy on Thursdays, eh?

Pope Benedict plans Australian holiday prior to WYD

Sharp-eyed readers noted on this post that Pope Benedict will actually be in Australia a few days before he is scheduled to publicly appear at the 2008 World Youth Day activities in Sydney.

Now we know why - looks like he wants to make sure he's rested and ready for the youth:

Pope Benedict XVI will holiday at a secret location in Australia before World Youth Day in Sydney in July, event organisers said Friday.

Sydney Archbishop George Pell said the pope would arrive in Australia on July 13 and leave on July 21, taking three days vacation before attending World Youth Day.
Event organisers said the 81-year-old pontiff "has decided to spend several days preparing for his encounter with young people" following the lengthy flight to Australia from Rome.

"The trip to Australia will be the longest journey the Holy Father has ever undertaken," World Youth Day coordinator Anthony Fisher said, adding organisers had selected a holiday destination for the Pope that was "beautiful and suitable for the leader of the world's Catholics."

"He will have the opportunity to see some of Australia's beautiful flora and fauna," Fisher said.

"We cannot, of course, disclose the location; he is a head of state seeking private time and has asked that that privacy be respected." (AFP)

Lucky guy. Flora and fauna - what's not to love about that?!

(... and I hope someone manages to sneak a picture of Papa Benny in a hammock).

Papist Quote of the Day (iPods)

Newly-installed Bishop Earl Boyea of Lansing:

“Their life is centered on iPods, and it's a problem all over the world,” he said.

Looks like he can sling zingers.

Local Bishop claims no responsibility for "balloon priest"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Brazilian balloon priest missing at sea; feared apostasized, raptured

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

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

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

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

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

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

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!

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.

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.

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.

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)

(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.

Toyota Facebook ad: "While priests break bread, this nun breaks it down."

Facebook now features regular, annoying sponsored advertisements. This one caught my eye today:

The 15-second ad indeed features a (very masculine) nun breakdancing to the beat coming from the car.

The ad campaign slogan: "Get in touch with your dark side." *sigh*

I guess "While priests transubstantiate, this nun liturgical dances" didn't have the same ring to it.

I tried (unsuccesfully) to embed the video.

Offbeat: Reuters enjoys vilifying "baby dinosaur-eating devil frog"

The article was published in the science section, but probably belongs in the "oddly enough" (or humor) page:

"Ancient "devil frog" may have eaten baby dinosaurs"

"...It was the biggest, baddest, meanest froggy ever to have hopped on Earth..."

" ... [it] was so nasty it may have eaten newborn dinosaurs."

"... This brute was larger than any frog living today."

"... the biggest frog ever to have existed."

"...Its name, Beelzebufo ampinga, came from Beelzebub, the Greek for devil." (this etymology is incorrect: "Beelzebub" is a Hebrew-derived term. Anyway, back to the quotes.)

"... It probably didn't dine daintily." (oooo, understatement of the week I bet!)

"It's not outside the realm of possibility [oh, of course not!] that Beelzebufo took down lizards and mammals and smaller frogs, and even -- considering its size -- possibly hatchling dinosaurs." (the third reference to its apparent proclivity for eating baby dinosaurs, mind you.)

"... It would have been quite mean."

"... the scientists think Beelzebufo also may have had horns -- a fitting touch for the 'devil frog.'"

"...Beelzebufo lived during the Cretaceous Period [until] ... a huge space rock clobbered Earth." (funny that they didn't blame the clobbering huge space rock on the devil frog, hmm.)

" ... Beelzebufo did not live an aquatic lifestyle, hopping among lily pads." (oh no, that would be far too idylic a lifestyle for our bone-crushing, baby-dinosaur-snacking terror frog of doom!)

" ... [they liked to] camouflage themselves and jump out at prey." (boo! poor baby dinosaur.)

" ... it was the king of frogs." (just like the king of apes, only "even more scarier" I bet.)

Now, If you aren't too frightened - behold! The terrifying visage of the demon frog....

... Oh come on people - work with me here! Be scared. It's totally going to eat that frog and the pencil!

Seriously now, I'm all for paleontology. But is this how they have to sensationalize scientific findings in order to get the public interested and/or merit research grants? The entire basis for all this speculation quoted above is some bone fragments that prove ... a very large frog once existed.

So, unless they find a complete skeleton of the "devil frog" with a baby triceratops hanging out of its mouth, I'm not going to consider it a pre-historic monster. The worst it could do, I'm betting, was give you big warts.

I had to laugh when I saw this

This ad appeared on National Catholic Reporter. Gerard's comment: "Talk about penance." Priceless!

Diogenes, meanwhile, points out some other deviant examples of lenten spirituality.

Finally, at least one use for chemistry in my life

I bet most of us never anticipated having to learn about hydrazine.

Now we do, with the news that the U.S. will try to shoot down a spy satellite.

Because, as you might have guessed, it is full of toxic hydrazine, and earthbound.

"Miraculous medal? Nuns say medal might have helped Giants win"

"Ursuline Sister Kathleen Finnerty, superintendent of schools for the Archdiocese of New Orleans, knows the limitations of Catholic theology as well as anyone.

So when she mailed a small medal of Our Lady of Prompt Succor to the New York Giants president, John Mara, before Super Bowl XLII, she knew there was no way she could "guarantee" his team a victory over the heavily favored New England Patriots.

"I never guaranteed him anything, but I wrote in the note that I thought he could use a little extra divine intervention," Sister Kathleen said. "I sent it off and completely forgot about it."

During the game-winning drive, Mara was caught on TV pacing in the owner's suite of the University of Phoenix Stadium and reaching into his shirt pocket.

It turns out he was praying silently and touching the religious medal sent to him by the former principal of Resurrection Grammar School in Rye, N.Y., where Sister Kathleen got to know the Maras and their three young children from 1984 to 1991."

... When Pope John Paul II visited Giants Stadium in 1995, the Maras allowed Resurrection parishioners, teachers and students to use their luxury box." - CNS

I'd take a miraculous medal over a super bowl ring anyday, and twice on Sunday.

Papist tip: Catholics *cannot* eat chicken on Fridays during Lent

For the 43 people who have visited AmP in the past couple days through web searches asking the question "Can I eat Chicken during Lent?" (don't ask how I know this), let's be clear:

1. Chicken = Meat.

2. Observant Catholics are only required to give up meat during Fridays in Lent.

3. Therefore, no chickens on Fridays during Lent.

There you go. If you've already had chicken today, don't next week. It's not worth it!

And honestly, with images like this floating around the internet, I can see why there's been some confusion.

What are some likely reasons why people are looking to AmP for Lenten culinary guidelines?

• 2/22/2007: "KFC offers new fish sandwich to Vatican for B16's blessing" (a fine post, I might add)
• 3/6/2006: "Eat chicken during Lent!" says French bishop (note, during Lent, not Fridays)

Now if only I could dig up a YouTube video of that Bless Me Father episode where Fr. Duddleswell tells a poor penitent woman in the confessional that "the Pope has declared infallibily that chicken is meat." Classic.

Papa Benny is a Fanta Junky! (update: or is he?)

I remember hearing about the pop's prediliction for the orange bubbly before now but wasn't aware of the raw numbers until today:

"Vatican spokesman Father Tim Finigan admitted that Benedict XVI prefers Fanta, and that he goes through at least three to four cans a day.

“[Pope Benedict] always has it with his evening meal.”

A spokesman for Coca Cola, who produce the Fanta range, admitted that the company was flattered to have the pontiff as a fan of their beverage. However theyve ruled out using the leader of the Catholic church in any ad campaigns.

“We are very flattered to have the Pope as a fan of our beverages,” he said.

“We will send him a few cases to ensure he doesn’t run out. But I don’t think we’ll use him in any ad campaigns.” - ANI

Hmm, if he likes it that much, I wonder if he is giving it up for lent?

It'd be a sacrifice: fanta is *really* tasty, and goes great with fresh Italian bread, as memory serves.

update: for a healthy "sed contra," see the H of C. I should have caught "Vatican spokesmen Father Tim Finigan" (who?!), but I think it's at least safe to say that the pope likes fanta. I mean, right?!

Offbeat: "India Catholics set world record for 40 hour singing marathon" (+ pics)

Time for a bit of Friday fun (note the underlining):

Catholics in southwestern India have set a new world record by singing non-stop for 40 hours, UCA News reports.

Priests, religious, and laypeople started singing on January 27, managing to eclipse the previous 36-hour record set by a Brazilian Christian group in 2004. - CNA

Does this count as an ecumenical competition? I wonder.

The previous world record was held by the group "Communidade Evangelica Luterana" in San Paolo, Brazil.

I discovered this page which has dozens of hilarious photos of the crazy event. What a world.

Looks like the whole town was in on the fun!

Pope Benedict Receives "Holy Grail" of Gifts: Beer.

Of course, it took an Anglican to have enough guts (and circumspection) to go through with the idea. Shame on us papists for not thinking of it first!

It could have been the moment the world was waiting for - the Holy Grail being hand-delivered to the Pope.

But that is exactly what the Archbishop of York did when he made his historic visit to Pope Benedict XVI in the Vatican.

Dr John Sentamu took the Pontiff some quintessentially Yorkshire gifts - including a bottle of Holy Grail beer and Black Sheep Ale from the Black Sheep Brewery.

The Archbishop also presented the Pope with an illustrated history of York Minster, and a cut-glass beer tankard from the Minster. He said the gifts were chosen to reflect the Pope's appreciation of Bavarian beer. - UK York Press

The UK Daily Mail adds more:

Following their 15-minute chat in the Basilica di San Paolo Fuori le Mura, believed to be the burial place of St Paul, Sentamu said: "I told the brewery I was meeting the Pope and they made a special brew for him. I heard he'd been given some Black Sheep ale and liked it. So I brought that and the Holy Grail."

The gifts pleased the Pope, who is Bavarian by birth and prefers beer to wine and water.

"I was very impressed by the Pope," Sentamu said. "He cares about human beings. He is such a deep theologian, it drives him to compassion. He is not a starchy person, but people look at his writings, they are very precise, and think he is like that ... but he is very warm."

... no doubt. In case you were wondering, "The Archbishop of York is the second-highest-ranking prelate in the Church of England, second only to the Archbishop of Canterbury", says CNA.

I'm guessing this must have been a nice change of pace from the usual dignitary gift exchange.

Pope Benedict, of course, as Cardinal Ratzinger, was no stranger to the suds:

In fact, not only is there an (unofficial) German Papst-Bier ("Pope Beer"), there is an (official) blessing for beer in the Roman Rite of Blessings .... prost!

This episode got me thinking that it would be nice to have a one-stop web source for all the captured images of Cardinal Ratzinger/Pope Benedict enjoying the lesser-known fruit of human hands....: Voila!

(Submissions welcome. While you must be over 21 to drink in the U.S., all ages can enjoy the photos.)

And finally, while we're ostensibly on the topics of beer and ecumenical dialogue, I submit for your consideration the following Facebook group: "Evangelicals and Catholics [Drinking] Together"

I'm a member.