New Advent

Fake priest infiltrates St. Peter's, faced "inquisition"

2008-07-06T20:24:00Z

A fake priest was caught trying to hear confessions in St. Peter's Basilica and was tried by a Vatican tribunal, a Vatican judge said in an interview published Saturday.

Judge Gianluigi Marrone, who is a member of the court system of the independent Vatican city-state, said the man was wearing clerical garb and carried documents alleging that he was a priest.

"Some time ago I had to deal with an unusual case -- a fake priest," Marrone told the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano.

"He was caught by surprise in the basilica while he was trying to take his place in a confessional. He was wearing clerical garb, but the expert eye of our [basilica] personnel didn't need much to sense something strange in his behavior," Marrone said without elaborating.

The man was stopped and his documents checked, and even though he had what appeared to be legitimate documents, including a Vatican pass, personnel were still suspicious, the judge recalled.

.... Last year, Italian news reports said that for the first time the Vatican court system issued a drug conviction, giving a former employee of the Holy See a four-month suspended sentence for possession of cocaine.

An interesting case, to be sure. And it looks like it was handled well. See? The inquisition has its uses. :-P

Report: Herbie Gets High-Hat; River City Erupts

2008-07-07T00:51:00Z

So the initial game-plan was to hold the news ‘til Zero Hour… but as the buzz back in Pharaohtown’s already broken the Richter scale, let's just get to it.

(As soon as) tomorrow morning, the Pope is expected to name Philadelphia's Msgr Herbert Bevard – currently episcopal vicar for the city’s northern half and pastor of St Athanasius parish in its northwestern West Oak Lane neighborhood – as bishop of St Thomas in the Virgin Islands.

Fluent in French, from Southern roots and known to the universe as “Herbie,” the 62 year-old cleric would succeed the South Jersey-born Bishop George Murry SJ, who was transferred to northeast Ohio’s diocese of Youngstown in late January 2007. Home to 30,000 Catholics served by 15 priests in eight parishes on St Thomas, St John and St Croix, the island diocese has been the longest-standing vacancy on the US church’s episcopal docket since April's appointment to Little Rock ended the Arkansas church's 24-month wait for a new head.

Pastoral in style yet traditional in taste, the born Presbyterian admired around town as a gracious gentleman, "ardent" advocate of the faith, a faithful brother to his priests and shepherd to his people would be the third adult convert named to the Stateside bench in the pontificate of Benedict XVI, the second this year alone. Ordained in 1972 (and showered with Purple Rain in 2003), the monsignor's mix of a priesthood spent in parish ministry with a modicum of responsibility at the diocesan level correlates with the mould of appointee pursued by the process' key player on these shores, the Vatican nuncio to the US Archbishop Pietro Sambi; prior to serving this last year as first troubleshooter for the 66 parishes of his "Philadelphia-North" vicariate, Bevard chaired his archdiocese's Interparochial Cooperation Commission (IPCC), the local fund-sharing organ for struggling parishes.

Long the alter ego of Archbishop Joseph Kurtz of Louisville -- a seminary classmate with whom he shares a vacation home along the shores of the diocese of Wilmington -- the presumptive bishop-elect would be the second member of the Allentown-born rainmaker's inner circle raised to the episcopacy in 2008; in January, the Bluegrass primate's top lieutenant in his former diocese of Knoxville, Vann Johnston, was sent to downstate Missouri as bishop of Springfield-Cape Girardeau. On another chessboard note, the placement of a Philadelphian in the lone suffragan seat of the nation's capital comes almost exactly a year after Washington Archbishop Donald Wuerl won the hard-fought battle to secure the homecoming of his chosen successor to the bishopric of Pittsburgh, the senior suffragan church of the City of Brotherly Love. And though the foreseen appointment would bring an end to the tradition of African-American bishops of St Thomas begun after the 1992 transfer of then-Bishop Sean O'Malley OFM Cap. to Fall River, much of Bevard's ministry (last two assignments included) has been devoted to the service of heavily Black parishes.

His name said to have been a presence on ternae for the next batch of hometown auxiliaries, the anticipated nod would instead shatter decades of tradition. Not since Dennis Dougherty ruled the universe and God's favorite fold encompassed ten counties has a Philly priest serving in the archdiocese been named a diocesan bishop without a stint as a Vice-Pharaoh; in 1937, local pastor Eugene McGuinness was named bishop of Raleigh, going on to head the diocese of Oklahoma City before his death in 1957.

(Well, the hard-core historians might argue that the last one actually came in 1956, when the cathedral rector Hubert Cartwright was named coadjutor of Wilmington. Cartwright, however, died suddenly 16 months later, without a day on the cathedra.

(Either way, it's been a really long time, OK?)

With word on the street noting Bevard to be off-radar over recent days -- ostensibly laying low in the nation's first frontier diocese, where Kurtz presided at bicentennial celebrations last weekend -- the presumed nominee would expectedly resurface at the traditional Appointment Day press conference in his new charge, his old friend said to be joining him for the journey.

Per the provision of the canons, once an appointment is formally made through its publication in the Bollettino of the Holy See Press Office, a bishop-elect must be ordained and take canonical possession of his diocese within four months.

As earlier noted, also expected in short order is the promotion of Auxiliary Bishop Fran Malooly of Baltimore to the top post of the 260,000-member Wilmington church.

PHOTO: AP/Joseph Kaczmarek

-30-

Holy Father calls the faithful to pray for the 23rd World Youth Day

2008-07-06T10:33:00Z

Vatican City, Jul 6, 2008 / 10:33 am (CNA).- Before the recitation of the Angelus on Sunday, July 6 in Castel Gandolfo, Pope Benedict XVI requested prayers for his upcoming trip to Sydney, Australia for the 23rd World Youth Day.

Body of "balloon priest" found

2008-07-05T17:32:40Z

Rio de Janeiro - The body of "flying priest" balloon adventurer Adelir de Carli has been recovered some 100 kilometres off the Brazilian coast, local media reports said Saturday.

Father de Carli went missing in April while attempting to fly with 1,000 helium-filled party balloons tied to a chair. The body was recovered by a tugboat crew off Rio de Janeiro state, reports said.

Police said clothing, a rucksack and shoes left little doubt that the body was that of the priest. DNA tests would be conducted to provide final proof.

Father de Carli, 42, had set out on April 20 on what was planned to be a 20-hour flight from the town of Paranagua, in the state of Parana, to Dourados, in neighbouring Mato Grosso do Sul, to break a 19-hour world record and "to promote religion," as he put it.

He had also been seeking to raise money to build a chapel and to contribute to the cause of long-distance lorry drivers demanding longer breaks..

Christ taken hostage?

2008-07-05T21:39:51Z

You don't often see a headline like 'Body Of Christ' Snatched From Church, Held Hostage By UCF Student

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. -- A University of Central Florida student, upset religious groups hold church services on public campuses, is holding hostage the Eucharist, an object so sacred to Catholics they call it the Body of Christ. Church officials say UCF Student Senator Webster Cook was disruptive and disrespectful when he attended Mass held on campus Sunday June 29. It was during that Mass where Cook admits he obtained the Eucharist.

The Eucharist is a small bread wafer blessed by a priest. According to Catholics, the wafer becomes the Body of Christ once blessed and is to be consumed immediately after a minister passes it out to churchgoers. Cook claims he planned to consume it, but first wanted to show it to a fellow student senator he brought to Mass who was curious about the Catholic faith.

"When I received the Eucharist, my intention was to bring it back to my seat to show him," Cook said. "I took about three steps from the woman distributing the Eucharist and someone grabbed the inside of my elbow and blocked the path in front of me. At that point I put it in my mouth so they'd leave me alone and I went back to my seat and I removed it from my mouth."

A church leader was watching, confronted Cook and tried to recover the sacred bread. Cook said she crossed the line and that's why he brought it home with him.

"She came up behind me, grabbed my wrist with her right hand, with her left hand grabbed my fingers and was trying to pry them open to get the Eucharist out of my hand," Cook said, adding she wouldn't immediately take her hands off him despite several requests. Diocese of Orlando spokeswoman Carol Brinati said she was not aware of anyone touching Cook. She released a statement Thursday: "... a Catholic Campus Ministry student representative filed a complaint with the Student Union regarding the behavior of the two young men. A Student Government Representative called Catholic Campus Ministry to apologize for this disruption."

Cook filed an official abuse complaint with UCF's student conduct court regarding the alleged physical force. Following that complaint, Brinati said church members filed their own official complaints of disruptive conduct. Punishment for either offense could result in suspension or expulsion.

"The church feels that I'm the problem here," Cook said. "The problem is actually that this is a publicly-funded religious institution. Through student government here, we fund them through an activity and service, so they're receiving student money."

Cook is upset more than $40,000 in student fees have been allocated to support religious organizations on campus for the 2008-2009 school year, according to student government records. He denied he is holding the Eucharist hostage to protest that support. Regardless of the reason, the Diocese says its main concern is to get the Eucharist back so it can be taken care of properly and with respect. Cook has been keeping the Eucharist stored in a plastic bag since last Sunday.

It is of course difficult to know what actually happened here, but if somewhat accurate kudos to the EMHC there for being so attentive. The hostage taken part is hyperbole, but let us pray for a reverse case of Stockholm syndrome.

Some Christians will find it shocking

2008-07-06T04:42:52Z

From the NYT

JERUSALEM -- A three-foot-tall tablet with 87 lines of Hebrew that scholars believe dates from the decades just before the birth of Jesus is causing a quiet stir in biblical and archaeological circles, especially because it may speak of a messiah who will rise from the dead after three days.

Michael Barber posts on this:

I've known about this for sometime, but it looks like it now is finally hitting the mainstream media.

For the record, it should be pointed out that the idea of a resurrection on the third day flows from Hosea 6:2: "After two days he will revive us;on the third day he will raise us up,that we may live before him.".

Indeed, Jesus explains to the disciples that his resurrection on the third day would take place in order to fulfill Scripture. "Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead" (Luke 24:46)..

In fact, the New Testament is clear that Jesus came to fulfill the hopes of ancient Israel..

Yet, the New York Times story seems to suggest that this tablet will somehow raise questions about the truth of Christianity. Somehow, for them, the discovery that some ancient Jews expected the messiah to suffer and rise on the third day is problematic for Christianity. I really don't see why. Indeed, scholars generally agree that finding parallels in Judaism to Jesus' teachings tends to strengthen the probability of historicity. If this inscription says what the article claims this would seem to strengthen--not weaken--the historicity of the Gospels' story about Jesus..

In fact, I actually find this hugely ironic. For some have made the opposite claim--namely, that the lack of evidence that Jews expected the messiah to suffer and rise from the dead calls into question the historical authenticity of Jesus' prediction of his passion and resurrection..

I guess this just goes to show that no matter what the evidence is some scholars will find a way to conclude that Christianity isn't true.

The NYT really does try to make this a problem for Christians. That somehow a fulfillment of a prophesy from Hosea would cast into doubt Christianity. This is more than just ironic on the NYT's part, it is just plain stupid. For example as part of their article they say:

"Some Christians will find it shocking -- a challenge to the uniqueness of their theology -- while others will be comforted by the idea of it being a traditional part of Judaism," Mr. Boyarin said.

Might these be the same Christians who often refer to the New Testament and the texts on the coming Messiah as proof that Jesus was the Messiah? I think not. Who exactly are those Christians who will find it shocking?

Given the highly charged atmosphere surrounding all Jesus-era artifacts and writings, both in the general public and in the fractured and fiercely competitive scholarly community, as well as the concern over forgery and charlatanism, ..

Funny they don't mention those forgeries or cases of bad scholarship especially since the NYT once touted them. Such as the the ossuary of James which was pure fraud and the Gospel of Judas with such an inept translation that even ICEL could not have done worse. This tablet even if authenticated will have nothing to do with the faith of Christians since all it would show is the climate of Jewish thought at the time which would not be inspired, but an indicator of thought reflected upon by scripture.

Report: Anglicans hold secret talks with Vatican

2008-07-06T03:52:00Z

This is an astonishing bit of news, and could signal the beginning of the end of the Church of England as we know it:

Senior Church of England bishops have held secret talks with Vatican officials to discuss the crisis in the Anglican communion over gays and women bishops.

They met senior advisers of the Pope in an attempt to build closer ties with the Roman Catholic Church, The Sunday Telegraph has learnt.

Dr Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, was not told of the talks and the disclosure will be a fresh blow to his efforts to prevent a major split in the Church of England.

In highly confidential discussions, a group of conservative bishops expressed their dismay at the liberal direction of the Church of England and their fear for its future.

They met members of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the most powerful of the Vatican's departments, the successor to the medieval Inquisition, which enforces doctrine and was headed by Pope Benedict XVI before his election.

The names of the bishops are known to The Sunday Telegraph, but they have asked for anonymity because the talks are of such a sensitive and potentially explosive nature.

The disclosure comes on the eve of a critical vote as members of the General Synod – the Church's parliament – prepare to decide whether to allow women to be bishops without giving concessions to staunch opponents.

Up to 600 clergy gave warning in a letter to Dr Williams that they may leave the Church unless they receive a legal right to havens within the Church free of women bishops.

In separate developments, three diocesan bishops wrote to the archbishop supporting the threat and two other bishops have said they are preparing to leave the Church. The letter from the Bishops of Chichester, Blackburn and Europe – seen by The Sunday Telegraph – argues that traditionalist clergy will not be able to "maintain an honoured place" in the Church without sufficient legislation.

"Clearly the ordination of women as bishops would divide the Church of England even more fundamentally than the ordination of women as priests," it says.

"This issue is one which touches all members of the Church of England and not just those with synodical voting rights. In the light of this we are convinced that some form of separate identities will be required to enable the holders of mutually incompatible convictions about the faith and order of the Church to remain in as high a degree of continuing fellowship as possible."

However, while the letter shows that there is deep disquiet in the most senior ranks of the Church, the meetings with Rome will be of far greater concern to Dr Williams.

One bishop involved in the talks, who wished to remain anonymous, said he was left with no option. "The Church of England is becoming more and more like the American Church. Those of us who hold to traditional orthodoxy are very concerned about the direction it seems to be moving in."

Check out the link for more details.

Churches Retool Mission Trips

2008-07-05T04:00:00Z

Not long ago, the families of Fairfax Presbyterian Church spent thousands of dollars to fly their teens to Mexico for eight days of doing good. They helped build homes and refurbish churches as part of an army of more than 1 million mostly Christians who annually go on short-term international...

St. Therese parents to be beatified.

2008-07-04T17:48:57Z

Blog by the Sea reports:

La-Croix (through AFP) has reported that Pope Benedict XVI today signed the decree of the "miracle of the child" allowing the beatification of the parents of St. Thérèse of Lisieux. The announcement was made in a statement released today by the Diocese of Séez. The diocesan announcement says that the announcement appeared at 2:00 p.m. this afternoon in L'Osservatore Romano. St. Thérèse's parents' bodies were exhumed in Lisieux on May 28 in preparation for placing them in the basilica in September. They were previously declared to be venerable in 1994. According to the diocese, which apparently is drawing from the Vatican's article in L'Osservatore Romano, the time and place of the beatification will be announced on July 13. That is the 150th anniversary of the marriage of St. Thérèse's parents, Louis and Zélie Martin.

This is great news. Some years ago another member of the Carmelite group I was attending lent me a book on Louis Martin and so I came to have a devotion to him. One of my favorite stories in the book is that he had a devotion to the Desert Fathers and would constantly read up on him. His daughters would sometimes hide his book on the Desert Fathers our of concern that he would run off to emulate them. This of course was never any threat of this since he was a true father devoted to his children. The irony is that it was all of his daughters that ended up becoming nuns and leaving him. He was not one to begrudge God anything and the gift of his daughters to God was a full offering.

Missionary who wore disguises to evangelize Indian state dies

2008-07-05T10:35:00Z

Colombo, Jul 5, 2008 / 10:35 am (CNA).- Brother Prem Bhai, a Benedictine missionary who endured repeated arrest, imprisonment, beatings and wore disguises to evangelize in the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh, died on June 28 in Colombo, Sri Lanka after suffering a heart attack the previous day.

Neocatechumenal Way’s new statutes are a ‘landmark,’ spokesman says

2008-07-05T06:07:00Z

Denver, Jul 5, 2008 / 06:07 am (CNA).- The Neocatechumenal Way has reached a new milestone in the history of their community with the recent approval of their statutes. Despite some changes to the statutes that were submitted to the Vatican in 2002, Giuseppe Gennarini, the group’s U.S. spokesman, told CNA that the new guidelines are important because they guarantee the permanence of the movement within the Church and recognize the spiritual good that comes from the Way.

Obama defenders ignore his support for infanticide, Deal Hudson says

2008-07-04T16:27:00Z

Washington DC, Jul 4, 2008 / 04:27 pm (CNA).- Political analyst Deal Hudson has argued that supporters of Sen. Barack Obama, the presumptive Democratic nominee, are misrepresenting or even denying Obama’s support for “infanticide.” Hudson charges the Senator with supporting infanticide through his opposition to protections for infants who survive abortion attempts.

Pope "Changing the Mass"?

2008-07-04T18:28:00Z

A report from today's Italian mag Panorama that's been making the rounds sends a notable bit of buzz: it might not just be the translation of the current Order of Mass that changes, but if B16 has his way, the form of the celebration itself.

Written by the mag's oft-reliable Ignazio Ingrao, here's a full translation of the brief:

BENEDICT CHANGES THE MASS - THE STUDY OF THE NEW LITURGY ASSIGNED TO THE CONGREGATION FOR WORSHIP

The rite of the Mass could change. According to some indiscretions [i.e. leaks], Benedict XVI has charged the Congregation for Divine Worship to study some modifications in the liturgy. In particular, the Pope is said to have the intention to restore Latin for the formula for the Eucharistic consecration within the Mass in the "vernacular language", i.e. the one celebrated in the different national languages. The same could happen to the formulae of Baptism, Confirmation, Confession and of the other sacraments. In addition, the exchange of peace among the faithful during the Mass, which today takes place prior to the distribution of the Eucharist, could be anticipated (as in the Ambrosian rite) to the offertory so as not to disturb the recollection that precedes Communion.

These would be changes which would be added to the changes in the liturgy and regarding sacred vestments which the Pope, together with his Master of Ceremonies, Monsignor Guido Marini, has made in recent months, to recover ancient traditions: the restoration of the crucifix at the center of the altar, the distribution of Communion to the faithful in the mouth while kneeling, the recovery of the pastoral staff of Pius IX (the ferula), the changing of the style of pallium (the strip of white wool with red crosses worn by the Pope), the restoration of the papal throne used in the Consistory and the celebration of Mass with the back to the assembly, as happened in January in the Sistine Chapel.

Of course, the top post at Divine Worship is in for a change-up in the short-term; the current prefect of the dicastery that oversees the liturgy, Nigerian Cardinal Francis Arinze, reached the retirement age last November.

SVILUPPO: For the record, the above translation was received via e.mail without a source cited; to give credit where it's due, a belated tip to NLM.

-30-

Pope weighing changes in Novus Ordo?

2008-07-04T21:37:38Z

Pope Benedict XVI is considering changes in the Mass, according to an Italian publication. The weekly Panorama reports that the Holy Father has asked the Congregation for Divine Worship ...

"What if God is calling me to be a priest?"

2008-07-04T18:37:00Z

You can never know where vocations will come from, or how they'll grow, as this story from a paper in Phoenix reminds us:

Matt Lowry was starting out as an electrical engineer at Motorola and being nurtured for management. And he was actively dating. But the sparks that were flying were neither electrical nor romantic. Lowry was feeling the attraction to the Catholic priesthood.

When he opted for seminary, it meant cutting off a relationship with a woman. “I counted once — I had five relationships that lasted for six months or more and I was approaching marriage a couple times, and so I was seriously considering that,” he said. “It was only those times of deep discernment with a woman that really helped me discern that I realized I wasn’t to give myself away yet because I wasn’t sure who 'myself’ was.”

He chose a seminary education. Now, he is embarking on a career where marriage is out of the question. On June 7, Lowry was one of three men ordained priests by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix in rites at Ss. Simon and Jude Cathedral.

“For a long time, and even now, I would love to be married, but I think I love being a priest, and I think God led me this way,” said Lowry, 29, whose first parish assignment is Holy Cross parish in east Mesa. The other two new priests, the Rev. Arthur Nave Jr., 27, and the Rev. José Jesús López, 34, have been assigned to parishes in Avondale and Cave Creek respectively. All three started work Tuesday.

Born in Columbus, Ohio, Lowry was 7 when his father was transferred in 1986 to Arizona by the IRS. He grew up in St. Theresa parish in Phoenix and later graduated from Camelback High School. “I was really good in math and science, and my brother went into electrical engineering, and I said, 'Well, that sounds good to me.’ ”

He enrolled at Arizona State University. During college, Lowry helped the youth group at St. Theresa. Later, he took over as youth leader. That experience, including retreats, helped guide him toward ministry. Lowry went to World Youth Days in Rome (2000), Toronto (2002) and Cologne, Germany (2005), where young Catholics are challenged to recommit themselves to deeper spirituality.

He regrets he cannot attend the next Youth Day July 15-20 in Sydney, Australia. “I would have loved to go to Australia, just to recognize the universality of the church, that there is something bigger going on than just looking at my particular church,” he said. “There were people from countries all over the world who couldn’t speak the same language, but yet, we were unified in the Eucharist ... It was just a great spirit of joy and peace and being one.” His Youth Day trips especially “got me really excited about the Catholic Church.”

During his senior year of the electrical engineering program, Lowry interned at Motorola. After he earned his engineering degree in 2000, he was offered two jobs. He was put into a rotation program “to grow me as a manager and to try to give me a big vision of the company,” he said. “I kind of joked that my 'final placement’ was outside the company,” when he opted for seminary.

“To be honest, I never really considered being a priest until going on a retreat after high school,” he said. When a priest made the appeal, Lowry experienced a what-about-me? feeling. “I thought, 'What if God is calling me to be a priest?’ ”

"What if?," indeed. Check the link for the rest. It's a great story.

Photo: by Ralph Freso, East Valley Tribune

George Will: The Valuable Self-Validating Tradition

2008-07-04T04:01:00Z

MECKLENBURG COUNTY, N.C. -- The impatient patriots here had splendidly short fuses in 1775. Those who tilled the startlingly red clay or who lived in the town named for George III's wife Charlotte might...

The ’60s Begin to Fade as Liberal Professors Retire

2008-07-03T23:09:27Z

Hired during an expansion in higher education, baby boomers are being replaced by a new generation.

Catholics' View of the Candidates

2008-07-03T14:10:00Z

With the economy and Iraq topping voter concerns, abortion has receded into the political background. That puts Catholics up for grabs - and Obama is winning some converts.

McCain visits Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe

2008-07-04T04:43:00Z

Mexico City, Jul 4, 2008 / 04:43 am (CNA).- Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain on early Thursday morning visited the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe before meeting with Mexican President Felipe Calderon at the end of his three-day Latin America visit aimed at promoting free trade.

Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati

2008-07-03T21:01:00Z

July 4 is the memorial of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati! He was born to a rich and politically influential family and his mother was the painter. His father was an agnostic and the founder and editor of the liberal newspaper La Stampa. He later became the Italian ambassador to Germany. Pier Giorgio was a pious boy, average student, outstanding athlete and mountain climber. He was extremely popular with his peers, known by the nickname "Terror" due to his practical jokes. He was tutored at home for years with his younger sister Luciana. He studied minerology in an engineering program after graduating high school. He worked often with Catholic groups like Apostleship of Prayer and the Company of the Most Blessed Sacrament that ministered to the poor and promoted Eucharistic adoration, Marian devotion, and personal chastity. He became involved in political groups like the Young Catholic Workers Congress, the Popular Party, the Catholic Student Federation, Catholic Action and Milites Mariae that supported the poor, opposed Fascism and worked for the Church's social teachings. He enrolled as a Dominican tertiary on 28 May 1922, taking the name Girolamo (Jerome). He was especially devoted to the teachings of Saint Catherine of Siena and Saint Thomas Aquinas. He spent his fortune on the needy and visited the sick; during this ministry he contracted the disease that killed him.

Blessed Pier Giorgio's human remains were found incorrupt in 1981 and were transferred from the family tomb to the Cathedral of Turin. His remains will be brought to Sydney, Australia to be venerated by the young people for World Youth Day2008.