From Yahoo! News - Pope Worries About 'Soulless' U.S. Life:
"The American church 'is called to respond to the profound religious needs and aspirations of a society increasingly in danger of forgetting its spiritual roots and yielding to a purely materialistic and soulless vision of the world,' John Paul said.
'Taking up this challenge, however, will require a realistic and comprehensive reading of the 'signs of the times,' in order to develop a persuasive presentation of the Catholic faith and prepare young people especially to dialogue with their contemporaries about the Christian message and its relevance to the building of a more just, humane and peaceful world.' "
Friday, May 28, 2004
Thursday, May 27, 2004
Cardinal Law Given Job
From Tuscaloosa News:
Pope John Paul II on Thursday gave Cardinal Bernard F. Law an official position in Rome, naming the former Boston archbishop who resigned in the sex abuse scandal as head of a basilica.
Law will have the title archpriest of St. Mary Major Basilica, a largely ceremonial post often given to retired prelates.
The 72-year-old Law resigned Dec. 13, 2002, to quell an outcry over his handling of sex abuse cases.
He moved from Boston and became resident chaplain at a convent in Maryland, although he retained his membership on nine Vatican congregations and councils, traveling frequently to Rome. He attended a number of the events during celebrations for John Paul's 25th anniversary as pontiff in October.
Pope John Paul II on Thursday gave Cardinal Bernard F. Law an official position in Rome, naming the former Boston archbishop who resigned in the sex abuse scandal as head of a basilica.
Law will have the title archpriest of St. Mary Major Basilica, a largely ceremonial post often given to retired prelates.
The 72-year-old Law resigned Dec. 13, 2002, to quell an outcry over his handling of sex abuse cases.
He moved from Boston and became resident chaplain at a convent in Maryland, although he retained his membership on nine Vatican congregations and councils, traveling frequently to Rome. He attended a number of the events during celebrations for John Paul's 25th anniversary as pontiff in October.
Wednesday, May 26, 2004
Meet 'God's little hobo'
From Meet 'God's little hobo' - The Catholic Moment:
"Disabled, abandoned, institutionalized and molested.
Who would fault Virginia Cyr if she had become bitter toward life and angry at God?
She was neither.
Friends marveled how Virginia was full of love and joy, known for her wide smile and rich deep faith, despite the cerebral palsy that kept her in a wheelchair, and despite her mother abandoning her as a little girl.
In her quietest of times, Virginia poured out her heart in daily "letters to Mother" -- to Mary, the Mother of Jesus.
"Mother, here at last I may be with you. I just love typing letters to you, seeing your sweet smile, cuddling close to your heart, being with you in the silence of God. Thank you for being always here to embrace all that is heaven, and earth, in me," she once typed.
Mary became the mother Virginia never had.
In her letters from 1962-66, before Virginia's death on Feb. 3, 1967, at age 24, Virginia reveals her love to the Blessed Mother, along with her prayers, hopes and dreams to join a religious order.
Life as a sister was never meant to be."
"Disabled, abandoned, institutionalized and molested.
Who would fault Virginia Cyr if she had become bitter toward life and angry at God?
She was neither.
Friends marveled how Virginia was full of love and joy, known for her wide smile and rich deep faith, despite the cerebral palsy that kept her in a wheelchair, and despite her mother abandoning her as a little girl.
In her quietest of times, Virginia poured out her heart in daily "letters to Mother" -- to Mary, the Mother of Jesus.
"Mother, here at last I may be with you. I just love typing letters to you, seeing your sweet smile, cuddling close to your heart, being with you in the silence of God. Thank you for being always here to embrace all that is heaven, and earth, in me," she once typed.
Mary became the mother Virginia never had.
In her letters from 1962-66, before Virginia's death on Feb. 3, 1967, at age 24, Virginia reveals her love to the Blessed Mother, along with her prayers, hopes and dreams to join a religious order.
Life as a sister was never meant to be."
Archdiocese of Boston to Close 18% of Parishes
From Boston.com / News / Local / Mass. / Archdiocese announces that 65 parishes,
60 churches will close:
"The Boston Archdiocese will lose 65 of its 357 parishes in a massive restructuring brought on partly by the sex abuse scandal that aggravated already shrinking Mass attendance and weekly collections.
Archbishop Sean O'Malley announced the parish closings Tuesday, completing a process that began in December when he said the archdiocese would be forced to undergo a major downsizing.
He said the reduction was needed because of declining Mass attendance, a shortage of priests and the inability of the archdiocese to support struggling parishes -- many in older buildings in desperate need of repairs -- in the midst of a financial crisis caused in part by the abuse crisis.
60 churches will close:
"The Boston Archdiocese will lose 65 of its 357 parishes in a massive restructuring brought on partly by the sex abuse scandal that aggravated already shrinking Mass attendance and weekly collections.
Archbishop Sean O'Malley announced the parish closings Tuesday, completing a process that began in December when he said the archdiocese would be forced to undergo a major downsizing.
He said the reduction was needed because of declining Mass attendance, a shortage of priests and the inability of the archdiocese to support struggling parishes -- many in older buildings in desperate need of repairs -- in the midst of a financial crisis caused in part by the abuse crisis.
Terrorist Alert
From Mountain Wings:
Recently we have received credible intelligence that
there have been seven terrorists working in your office.
Fortunately, six of the seven have been apprehended.
Bin Sleepin, Bin Loafin, Bin Goofin, Bin Lunchin, Bin Drinkin
and Bin Behind-Kissin have all been taken into custody.
At this time, no one fitting the description of the seventh
cell member, Bin Workin, has been found at your office.
We are confident that anyone who looks like he's Bin Workin
will be very easy to spot.
You are OBVIOUSLY not a suspect at this time.
My mother sent this to me...
Recently we have received credible intelligence that
there have been seven terrorists working in your office.
Fortunately, six of the seven have been apprehended.
Bin Sleepin, Bin Loafin, Bin Goofin, Bin Lunchin, Bin Drinkin
and Bin Behind-Kissin have all been taken into custody.
At this time, no one fitting the description of the seventh
cell member, Bin Workin, has been found at your office.
We are confident that anyone who looks like he's Bin Workin
will be very easy to spot.
You are OBVIOUSLY not a suspect at this time.
My mother sent this to me...
Tuesday, May 25, 2004
Bishop Sullivan--If Audits End Our Credibility is Zilch
From CNS STORY::
"Auxiliary Bishop Joseph M. Sullivan of Brooklyn said May 21 that if the bishops do not continue with their sexual abuse audits 'our credibility will be zilch.'
He noted that some bishops thought the audits, undertaken as part of the implementation of the 2002 'Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People,' were too burdensome and wanted to end them now.
One audit has been completed. The U.S. bishops' Ad Hoc Committee on Sexual Abuse and the National Review Board reached an agreement May 17 on proposals for conducting a second diocesan audit of child sex abuse prevention policies and on doing a study of the causes and context of the crisis.
The bishops will discuss the proposals during their June 14-19 meeting in Denver."
"Auxiliary Bishop Joseph M. Sullivan of Brooklyn said May 21 that if the bishops do not continue with their sexual abuse audits 'our credibility will be zilch.'
He noted that some bishops thought the audits, undertaken as part of the implementation of the 2002 'Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People,' were too burdensome and wanted to end them now.
One audit has been completed. The U.S. bishops' Ad Hoc Committee on Sexual Abuse and the National Review Board reached an agreement May 17 on proposals for conducting a second diocesan audit of child sex abuse prevention policies and on doing a study of the causes and context of the crisis.
The bishops will discuss the proposals during their June 14-19 meeting in Denver."
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