A Few Musings When I Should Be Working!

A post after another long day.   A few good pieces to look at on the net. A marvellous article by Cardinal-designate Dolan on Obama's attack on the freedom of conscience, published in the Wall Street Journal.  He makes a very good point about the selective nature of the present administration in the US when it comes to religious liberty:

"The Catholic Church defends religious liberty, including freedom of conscience, for everyone. The Amish do not carry health insurance. The government respects their principles. Christian Scientists want to heal by prayer alone, and the new health-care reform law respects that. Quakers and others object to killing even in wartime, and the government respects that principle for conscientious objectors. By its decision, the Obama administration has failed to show the same respect for the consciences of Catholics and others who object to treating pregnancy as a disease."

As someone once said to me: "They will respect every other religion except the Catholics, to be anti-Catholic is still part of being respectable in the US".  As Philip Jenkins once called it: anti-Catholicism is the last acceptable prejudice.  Too true.  I see that the White House is in denial: typical.

Talking with some people here, I asked if Obama would lose the election: they think not.  People here, they say, care little for his foreign policy and the issues such as abortion and freedom of religion and conscience are just too conceptual for many: the economy and people's personal situations tend to decide whether a candidate is elected or not.  The economy is improving little by little, if it gets better before November Obama will get the credit. 

The lack of a good opponent will also ensure Obama's re-election, they say. None of the Republicans seem promising, and many Americans do not trust them when it comes to economics and jobs.  The elderly are fearful that the Republicans will tamper with their healthcare - Obama's plan insures they will have cover - so they will vote for him to protect themselves.  While no Republican has come out and said they will not touch the elderly's cover, none of them have reassured the elderly either.

What about the Catholic votes? I asked. The Church has been too close to the Democratic Party for too long, many will vote Obama because of that connection.  Many Catholics cherish the unions, Obama and the Democrats have supported the unions, the GOP has a tense relationship with them.  Many Catholics have no problem with Obama's HHS bill - they contracept, they abort, they sterilise: their consciences are fine with that - the bishops will be unable to rally them in a fight for religious freedom.

What about the Afro-American community.  Despite their support for Obama, they are worse off now than they were before he was elected.  Many of them are torn, I'm told: some will vote for him because he is black, but those who have lost faith in him will not turn out to vote at all. 

Many Americans will not vote for Obama, but they will not vote for a Republican either.  I asked these people to predict: they couldn't: it's too close to call - just don't presume Obama will lose.

Other news.  According to newspaper reports, the new Nuncio has arrived in Ireland.  God bless him in his mission to the Church in Ireland.  I got some texts today which tell me that a Papal visit to Ireland may again be on the cards.

And some good news; the Causes of five Catholics have been opened and are being filed with the Congregation of the Causes of Saints.  The new Servants of God are:

Fr Pedro Arrupe (1909-1991) former Superior General of the Jesuits [biography].

Benigna Cardoso da Silva (1928-1941) a Brazilian child who was murdered as she tried to defend her chastity - she is being proposed as a martyr.

Sr Mary Rosina Gladman (1922-1964), a professed sister of the Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart - she was beheaded while working as a teaching sister in Papua New Guinea, perhaps a  martyr also [article]. 

Maria Elizabeth de Oliveira (1951-1965), a Brazilian child renowned for her holiness.

And Maria Rachele Ventre (1939-1995), a lay woman from Bologna in Italy.  She was a musician and singer, renowned for her work among young people [biography, her foundation].

Back to work - more prep for tomorrow's shoot. We are also on Fr Mitch Pacwa's live show tomorrow night (Wednesday) - say a prayer that all will go well.  Thanks.

Report On New Nuncio's Ordination

Nuncio Ordained, New Cardinals Announced

Cardinal-designate, Archbishop Timothy Dolan of New York

As I mentioned earlier, Mgr Charles Brown, our new Nuncio, was ordained Archbishop in St Peter's Basilica today, by Pope Benedict - EWTN covered the ceremony, and it was beautiful.   May the Lord grant him every grace as he prepares for his mission to Ireland.

The Vatican have also just annouced the names of those who are to receive the red hat in February - the Consistory is to be held on the 18th.  Among the future Cardinals is Archbishop Tim Dolan of New York: there will be great celebrations there.  He is a regular visitor to Ireland and often visited us in Drogheda.  He is also one of the Apostolic Visitators to Ireland, investigating the seminaries, which was no easy task.  May the Lord bless him as he is raised to the Cardinalate.   Here is his reaction to his elevation: as always - humble, self-effacing and practical. 

Here is the list of Cardinals designate. 

First the Curial/Roman Appointments:

1. Msgr. Fernando Filoni, Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples;
2. Msgr. Manuel Monteiro de Castro, Major Penitentiary;
3. Msgr. Santos Abril Y Castellò, Archpriest of the Basilica of Saint Mary Major;
4. Msgr Antonio Maria Veglio, President of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People;
5. Msgr. Giuseppe Bertelli, President of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State and President of the Governorate of the same State;
6. Msgr Francesco Coccopalmerio, President of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts;
7. Msgr JOÃO Braz de Aviz, Prefect of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life;
8. Msgr Edwin O'Brien, Pro Grand Master of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem;
9. Msgr. Domenico Calcagno, President of the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See;
10. Msgr Giuseppe Versaldi, President of the Prefecture for Economic Affairs of the Holy See.

The Metropolitan Archbishops, Primates, etc:

11. His Beatitude GEORGE Alencherry, Major Archbishop of Ernakulam-Angamaly of the Syro Malabar (India);
12. Msgr Thomas Christopher Collins, Archbishop of Toronto (Canada);
13. Msgr Dominik Duka, Archbishop of Prague (Czech Republic);
14. Msgr Willem Jacobus Eijk, Archbishop of Utrecht (Netherlands);
15. Msgr. Giuseppe Betori, Archbishop of Florence (Italy);
16. Msgr Timothy Michael Dolan, Archbishop of New York (United States);
17. Msgr. Rainer Maria Woelk, Archbishop of Berlin (Federal Republic of Germany);
18. Msgr John Tong Hon, Bishop of Hong Kong (China).

The Holy Father is also raising another prelate and three priests to the Cardinalate, all of whom are over eighty:

1. His Beatitude Lucian Muresan, Major Archbishop of Fagaras and Alba Julia of the Romanians (Romania);
2. Rev. Julien Ries, priest of the Diocese of Namur and professor emeritus of history of religions at the Catholic University of Louvain;
3. Fr. Prospero Grech, OSA, Professor Emeritus of various Roman universities and Consultant to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith;
4. Fr. Karl Becker, SJ, Professor Emeritus of the Pontifical Gregorian University, Consultant for many years the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.