Calendar notes for 23 July

Posted on 23 July 2011 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

First, today is the Feast of St. Bridgit of Sweden, who is a Patroness of Europe.   May I suggest today prayers to St. Bridgit for graces for the people who have suffered attacks in Oslo, Norway?

Also, today is the feast of the Old Testament prophet Ezekiel.  Many Old Testament figures are considered saints.

From the Martyrologium Romanum 2005:

2. Commemoratio sancti Ezechielis, prophetae, qui filius Buzi sacerdotis, tempore exsilii in terra Chaldaeorum visione gloriae Domini insignitus et speculator domui Israel praepositus, infidelitatem populi electi improbavit, civitatem sanctam Ierusalem in ruinas eversurum iri populumque in deportationem missum prospexit; in medio captivorum ipse positus, spem eorum aluit iisque arida ossa ad vitam surrectura prophetavit.

Who wants to do the translation for us today?

It is interesting that on the Vatican calendar, Ezekiel was listed on 21 July.

Closer.

And this isn’t, as one might expect, an old calender v. new calendar thing.  In the pre-Conciliar Martyrologium, Ezekiel was commemorated on 10 April.

In other words, the Vatican calendar is just wrong.

So much for infallibility.

In the meantime, I hope you are preparing to celebrate tomorrow the Feast of St. Christine the Astonishing!

Posted in Saints: Stories & Symbols |
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Patriotic Church in China reps met with… ?

Posted on 22 July 2011 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Just as the Patriotic (state run) Church in Communist China is planning to consecrate a few more bishops, here, I read at CWN that …

Leaders of Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association meets with Brazilian bishops, propose dialogue

A delegation from China’s government-backed Catholic Patriotic Association met with the secretary of the Brazilian bishops’ conference last week — on the very day that the Patriotic Association defied the Vatican by installing a new bishop without the Pope’s approval.  [Odd time for a meeting.  Trying to broker a deal or… something else?]

The Chinese delegation met with Archbishop Leonardo Steiner in order to “propose a dialogue” with the Brazilian bishops. A statement by the Chinese visitors was briefly posted on the web site of the Brazilian bishops’ conference and then removed, hinting that the Brazilian prelate may not have been informed that he was meeting with a group whose existence Pope Benedict has decried. [Ummmm…  ?!?] The Chinese delegation was in Brazil in response to an invitation from another group.

The Patriotic Association has refused to recognize the authority of the Holy See in the affairs of the Church in China, and has vowed to appoint its own bishops without Vatican approval. In response the Vatican has announced that the bishops who are thus ordained are excommunicated, and have no authority over the Church in their Chinese dioceses.

UCAN has this.

Posted in The Drill | Tagged , ,
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Transit of Venus

Posted on 22 July 2011 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

I mentioned in a post the transit of the Sun by the Space Shuttle, and in the course of that post the Transit of Venus, which is coming in 2012.

No sooner but… the blogosphere is so cool… but I get a note from a reader about a blog called

Transit of Venus.

Another cool blog to put in my RSS.

I saw the last Transit of Venus through a telescope set up near St. Peter’s Square. Some teens from England had come to Rome (fewer clouds) and set up a very spiffy telescope with the proper filters and letting everyone see.

I wonder if I still have photos from that… hmmm…

Did you know that John Philip Sousa wrote not only the unparalleled Minnesota March but also the Transit of Venus March?

[wp_youtube]t08ZXaA_0z0[/wp_youtube]

Posted in Look! Up in the sky! | Tagged
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Transit of the Sun

Posted on 22 July 2011 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Too bad about the ending of the Space Shuttle program.

But on the way back to earth, the Shuttle made a transit of the Sun which was caught on film.  You can see the images at spaceweather.com.

Small versions.. but get the big ones over there.

I believe there is going to the second of two transits of Mercury Venus pretty soon.  No?

Posted in Just Too Cool, Look! Up in the sky! | Tagged , ,
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Ed Peters on attack on the Seal of Confession

Posted on 22 July 2011 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

The Canonical Defender, Prof. Ed Peters, canonist extraordinaire, has on his blog In The Light Of The Law, …

A note on proposals to require priests to violate the seal of confession

Concerning recent Irish and Australian proposals to require priests who, through their ministry in sacramental confession, learn the identity of child sexual abusers (or of any other malefactors, for that matter), to disclose such information to civil authorities, I have little to say because, well, because there is little to say, canonically, at any rate. Such proposals, even if they become law, will have absolutely no effect on a priest’s obligation to preserve the seal of confession. Absolutely none.

The seal of confession is a not creature of civil law, rather, it rests on divine law and is articulated by canon law (see cc. 983 and 1388). Because the state has no authority over the seal of confession, it can exercise no authority over the seal by way imposing, regulating, or revoking it, in whole or even in part.

What states can do, and indeed what enlightened states in fact do, is to accommodate the seal of confession within theirs laws (typically, in their laws of criminal evidence procedure). The benefits to states making such accommodations are many, and the “benefits” of disregarding the seal can be shown, upon a few moments’ consideration, to be nugatory, but such prudential points are better made by others. I speak only as a canonist, and I write only to say that any civil laws attempting to break the seal of confession would have no force whatsoever against the sanctity of the seal of confession.

Posted in The Drill, The Last Acceptable Prejudice | Tagged ,
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Ireland and the Primacy of Primates

Posted on 22 July 2011 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

On ZENIT there is an article on Archbp. Martin of Dublin, the sexual abuse scandal, and Church and state relations.

In the course of the article Archbp. Martin is called “Primate of Ireland”.

“But Father! But Father!”, some will say.  “Isn’t the Archbishop of Armagh the Primate of Ireland? What gives?”

It seems the Archbishop of Dublin is, in fact, the Primate of Ireland while the Archbishop of Armagh is the Primate of ALL Ireland.

The dispute over who had the distinction was decided by Pope Innocent VI in 1353.  The Archbishop of Armagh, Primate of All Ireland, has the seniority.

In England there is something similar.  There was the Primate of England, the Archbishop of York, and the Primate of All England, the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Posted in Just Too Cool, The Drill | Tagged , , ,
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Video interviews with Archbp. Chaput

Posted on 22 July 2011 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Thomas Peters posted a couple of youtube videos of a sit down interview with the new Archbishop of Philadelphia Most Rev. Charles Chaput.

[wp_youtube]E1tIqBzBlJM[/wp_youtube]

[wp_youtube]I2NXRaBrsJE[/wp_youtube]

In some ways this interview was a bit more revealing than that which Archbp. Chaput did with John Allen.

In the first part Chaput says that the USCCB statement on responsible voting should be clarified or scrapped.  Peter’s question drew forth an interesting answer.

In the second part he deals in part with IRS bullying of the Church.

This interview focuses more on things Chaput is interested in, rather then Mr. Allen’s focus.

I would refer you also back to Archbp. Chaput’s excellent lecture at the Baptist University in Houston some time ago.  See HERE and HERE.

WDTPRS kudos.

Posted in Fr. Z KUDOS, The Drill | Tagged , ,
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Bomb explodes in Oslo

Posted on 22 July 2011 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

I am sure many of you have seen this news, which I picked up from FNC:

OSLO, Norway –  DEVELOPING: A powerful bomb tore open several Oslo buildings, including the prime minister’s office, on Friday, killing at least one person, a Norwegian news agency said. Several people also were injured, as the blast shattered windows and coated the street with documents.

Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg is safe, government spokeswoman Camilla Ryste told The Associated Press. A senior adviser to the prime minister, Oivind Ostang, said Stoltenberg was working at home Friday and was not in the building.

Norwegian news agency NTB says police confirm the Oslo explosion was caused by a bomb. The country’s public broadcaster, NRK, said one person was confirmed killed.

[…]

Posted in SESSIUNCULA | Tagged ,
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The Sensible Bond asks questions about a conference in London

Posted on 22 July 2011 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

A friend over a the excellent The Sensible Bond has been asking some questions about a conference to take place at Colney All Saints Pastoral Centre in London.  Here is his latest lament:

At least according to the publicity, London Colney All Saints Pastoral Centre 22-24 July will be the venue for the Quest conference this weekend. In brief, Quest states that its first purpose is to ‘associate lay men and women who are seeking ways of reconciling the full practice of their Catholic faith with the full expression of their homosexual natures in loving Christian relationships.’ I wrote about this matter on Sunday and Wednesday. Someone in the comments below suggested that whatever happens, they will not stop the conference. But that was never my target. Target have to be credibly achievable! My target has simply been to get information from the diocese about whether this event is approved. More precisely, I wanted to know, indeed I still want to know, if the Archdiocese of Westminster is happy for this event to take place in a pastoral centre which it owns, and whether Archbishop Nichols gives his backing to the conference.

As I stated on Wednesday, I wrote twice very courteously to the administrator of London Colney, Alan Johnstone, and the Archbishop’s office, seeking this information. I didn’t ask them to cancel it, I didn’t state my own opinion, other than to call myself a concerned Catholic. I simply asked them – am I sounding repetitive? It’s my Jeremy Paxman impersonation – if this event was diocese approved and whether it had the backing of Archbishop Nichols. I wrote for a third time on Thursday, this time copying in the CDF (a blank email address, for all I know, but why not widen the loop a bit?):

Dear sirs,

This is now the third time I have emailed you (previous emails copied below) to inquire about the Quest conference to be held this weekend 22-24 July at London Colney Pastoral Centre.

http://www.questgaycatholic.org.uk/conferences/conf2011.asp

I will be very happy if you will just confirm two things for me:

1) Does the diocese approve of Quest being allowed to hold their conference in a centre which it owns?

2) Does Archbishop Nichols lend his support to this conference?

If you do not reply, then I will conclude that the answer to these questions is in the affirmative.

Yours faithfully, etc.

And answer came there none. A simple yes or no would have sufficed, but neither was given. Need I explain to this readership: qui tacit videtur consentire? He who is silent is seen to give consent.

So, I’m now making the diocesan press office aware of my campaign to get some answers. Let us hope in the course of the day that they manage to provide them.

You can read more at The Sensible Bond.

Posted in One Man & One Woman, The future and our choices | Tagged , ,
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Australia: A bill to force priests to break the Seal of Confession

Posted on 22 July 2011 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

After I posted the story on a legislative attempt in Ireland to force priests to break the Seal of Confession, I had a few emails suggesting that I was panicking, that such a thing would never happen, that this was an isolated instance of people in anger lashing out, etc…

A reader sent a story from The Courier Mail in Australia.

Nick Xenophon urges government to force priests to report confessions of child abuse
From: AAP
July 21, 2011 7:29PM

THE federal government is being urged to follow the lead of Ireland and force priests to report confessions of child abuse to the authorities.

Ireland has announced it will change the law so that Catholic clerics will be prosecuted if they don’t report crimes disclosed during confession.

It follows outrage there over the long-running cover-up of child sex abuse cases within the Church.

Independent senator Nick Xenophon said Australia should legislate accordingly, and argued it was unacceptable for priests to hide behind religious practice.

“There is no contest when it comes to protecting the innocence of a child or maintaining a religious practice,” he told reporters in Canberra today.

“Why should someone be absolved of their sins … when it comes to child abuse because they’ve got a pat on the back from their priest?”  [What an ignorant and evil thing to say.]

Senator Xenophon introduced a private bill on the same matter when he was a member of the South Australian parliament in 2003, but it wasn’t backed by the big parties.

He said it was time for the government to stop the confessional being abused and denied a suggestion it would only prevent criminals from telling all to their priests.

Mark my words, dear readers.  Times are changing, and I hope you are ready for those changes.

This sort of thing is going to increase in frequency and ferocity.

My fear is that the Catholic identity of so many Catholics has been eroded to the point that they will either a) not understand why these attacks should be resisted or b) not have the will to resist them.

St. John Nepomuk, pray for us.

Posted in Biased Media Coverage, Clerical Sexual Abuse, Our Catholic Identity, The future and our choices, The Last Acceptable Prejudice | Tagged , , , , , ,
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