Cardinal Bernardin

There have been a spate of articles lately announcing the end of the “Bernardin era” in the Church in the United States. These proclamations would be amazing in themselves given the fact that the much beloved and respected Cardinal Archbishop of Chicago will in a few months have been dead for fifteen years. They are even more amazing to me in that to my mind if there ever was a “Bernardin era” it ended in 1984 when Pope John Paul II chose Bishops Bernard F. Law of Springfield-Cape Girardeau and John O’Connor of Scranton to be archbishops of Boston and New York respectively. It was then shortly after the pastoral letter on war and peace that Cardinal Bernardin’s influence with the Pope and his curia became diminished. Likewise, in 1985, his ability to influence the appointment of bishops in the United States also diminished. During the same year, Cardinals Law and O’Connor talked Cardinal John Krol of Philadelphia into hosting a meeting of the U.S. cardinals during which the newly arrived Cardinals introduced the topic of devising a strategy whereby the Cardinals might on occasion assume a larger role in American Catholic life than perhaps even the episcopal conference, might  approach the generally friendly though still bristling from the “war and peace pastoral” Republican administration and power block in Washington and, if necessary, might at times offer another voice than that of the body of bishops. In other words, redirect the political spotlight from the Conference and perhaps (following the death of Cardinal John Dearden, in the ’70′s by far the leading voice in post-conciliar ecclesiology) the leading spokesman for the Church in the United States away from the Archbishop of Chicago to others. The strategy worked to a certain extent and Cardinal Bernardin was left to lead the Church of Chicago and through both a false allegation of sexual misconduct against him and his life-ending cancer, won the hearts of the Catholic people of the Windy City who turned out in record numbers to say farewell before, during and following his funeral. Like his mentor Dearden, he could however throughout his tenure in Chicago bring the body of bishops to a hush when he rose to speak in plenary assembly. Many bishops admired him. So why bring all this up?

Yesterday’s NEW YORK TIMES devoted two full pages of print to the Catholic church in the United States, most of it negative but fair reporting. However, the lone bright spot was an article about the influence on the present Governor of Illinois, Pat Quinn, who in signing a bill from the Illinois legislature  abolishing the death penalty, attributed his difficult and soul-searching decision to whom? None other than Joseph Cardinal Bernardin. The article written by Samuel G. Freedman in a section entitled “On Religion” and in an article entitled “Faith Was On the Governor’s Shoulders” wrote eloquently and movingly how a minister of religion can influence the public square, even long after he has died. It was another victory for the “Consistent Ethic of Life” by which the Church has challenged its own members and society to end abortion, euthanasia, poverty, nuclear war, and capital punishment. Governor Quinn was the second Catholic governor to take this brave step. Several years ago in New Mexico, Governor Bill Richardson, citing his faith and the influence of present Archbishop Michael J. Sheehan, did the same thing – banned the death penalty. Governor Quinn unabashedly held up at the time of signing the death penalty ban a copy of Cardinal Bernardin’s greatest book and a  run-away best seller, THE GIFT OF PEACE which he wrote as a diary during his dying days. Literally from the grave came once again a brave and intelligent voice for life, for sanity, for consistency, for advocacy, for witness.

Full disclosure suggests that I let anyone who might not know that the Cardinal and I were somewhat close throughout my life at the episcopal conference, and he preached the homily at my ordination as bishop here at St. Jude’s Cathedral after breaking yet another rib in his hotel room the night prior to the ceremony. I admired him and have tried to model my ministry on the stronger points of his: collegiality, shared decision-making, respect for all and a commitment to the seamless garment of life issues. The Cardinal as successful as he became, could be sometimes conflicted and to this moment I think he might have wished if he could choose only one of two options: either the respect and trust of Pope John Paul II (as he had with Pope Paul VI) or solely being remembered as a true shepherd of God’s people and a voice for the voiceless, on occasion might  have preferred the former if he could not have both. When Pope John Paul II called him a few weeks prior to his death, he was like a kid at Christmas or an employee looking for any sign of approval from his/her employer. My point is that when the major era of his influence passed, long before his death, Joseph Cardinal Bernardin spent himself for God’s people, one of whom was a young Patrick Quinn. The article can be read in full by clicking on the title above. Read it and I hope you will feel good about your church, and know that biographers and  Church commentators might just need a little more time before declaring someone irrelevant or their “era ended” or maybe we should see how the present moment survives in fifteen years and whose voices or work rises from their graves. No saint to be sure, but a very good bishop for sure.

Cardinal Bernardin preaches at Bishop Lynch's Ordination as a Bishop at St. Jude's

+RNL

The law of the Church allows a bishop of a diocese a “lot of room to roam” on his own without constraints, if he is so foolish as to do so. Canon Law (the aforementioned “law of the Church”) requires the bishop to have several bodies who have limited jurisdiction over a bishop’s actions. The first of those bodies is called “The College of Consultors” and these are priests whom the bishop selects to serve as something of his senior cabinet. There are a few matters which require a positive vote of the college of consultors and these are mainly financial. “The Presbyteral Council” is also required by the Code of Canon Law in every diocese and it is made up of priests who are elected by their peers as well as appointees by the bishop. This Council meets in this diocese five times a year and is an important sounding board for me in charting a course and direction for this local Church. The third body required by the Code of Canon Law is a “Diocesan Finance Council” which here is made up of about fifteen lay women and men with expertise and personal success in finance, accounting and investing to which a few pastors are added and they advise on all things financial. They meet six times a year here. For fifteen years I have been nothing but blessed by having a wise and prudent Diocesan Finance Council. Finally, there is a “Diocesan Pastoral Council” not required by law but which is comprised of two priests and women and men from all five of our counties. Many of the matters which come before the Presbyteral Council will also be discussed by the Diocesan Pastoral Council and it was their advice that suggested that THE FLORIDA CATHOLIC might no longer be the most cost-effective and communications-effective way of remaining in contact with God’s people.

The very existence of these bodies guarantees absolutely nothing. It is up to the local bishop in his diocese to determine how, how often and what these bodies deal with. I think most of those who have been engaged with me for the last fifteen years would say that only substantive matters are brought for discussion and decision and rarely is the advice of these consultative bodies rejected by myself. Now collaboration and consultation at this level takes time. Many of the issues which the Presbyteral Council deals with are of a nature that further soundings need to be taken among the whole presbyterate and that occurs more at the local level of the seven deaneries in the diocese. When this happens, there will be two readings of something under consideration and since the Council itself meets every other month except for the summer, there is a built in delay.

I would say that the Church in the United States is moving away from the commitment to collegiality and shared responsibility which marked the ’70′s and ’80′s. Some of this movement has been occasioned by the very long and strong pontificate of Pope John Paul II and that of his successor, Pope Benedict XVI. Both have occasionally made (make) decisi0ns affecting the Church universal with minimal if any consultation with the world’s hierarchy, which is their right as our universal pastor. The Church never has been a democracy and therein is probably the reason we have lasted as long as we have despite human deficiency.

Where collegiality, shared responsibility and consultation will go in the future is pure speculation but here in the diocese of St. Petersburg if something major happens which has been initiated by myself, you can pretty much go to the bank that a lot of others have been involved in the discussion leading up to it. My admittedly biased judgment at this point is that while it might have taken a longer time period of gestation, the delivery and birth of the ideas have been and will be more happily received.

+RNL

Nearly the worst kept secret of the week was publicly revealed this morning in Rome when it was announced that Pope John Paul II would be beatified on May 1, 2011 in St. Peter’s Square, Rome, by his successor, Pope Benedict XVI. Pope John Paul joins his good friend, Mother Teresa of Calcutta as at the final step on the path to declaration that their saintly lives can be embraced by the faithful of the Church, sainthood. For both it will take yet a second miracle attributed to each but to most of the world, the Catholic world for certain, they are believed to be already among the saints. Pope Benedict was very careful to let the process of beatification run its course according to the prescribed rules of the Church but with both, it has been a quick journey. It is amazing to me personally that I have known, been in close company with, and in one case travelled with a future saint. I remember well in October of 1979 when soon-to-be Blessed Pope John Paul II came down the steps of the former Cardinal’s residence in Boston in a bathrobe at 4:30 a.m. to “beg” a cup of coffee. If I had had my camera and snapped the moment, I would not out of reverence and respect show it here but my experiences with him in Rome and here in the United States are a priceless part of my life. In the days leading up to his beatification on May 1, 2011 I will share with you some personal stories and experiences and I will begin with this one.

in 1986, a year prior to his lengthy pastoral visit to the United States, the papal advance team from Rome had come for their first visit to the proposed site the Pope would visit. In Los Angeles, Cardinal Mahony wanted to have the Holy Father meet with and speak to the media moguls and it was arranged that this opportunity would take place at the Sheraton Universal Hotel on the grounds of Universal Studios in Hollywood. Lew Wasserman, the genius behind the success of the Universal theme parks and the movie/television production company would be our host and make the arrangements to invite the giants of movies and television to the special audience. As we were preparing to leave Universal Studios Los Angeles, Wasserman asked if we could take a minute to see an attraction in the park that he thought the Pope might enjoy. Somewhat reluctantly we agreed and he took us to that spot where the “Parting of the Red Sea” in the film The Ten Commandments took place. Wasserman, Jewish, asked what we thought and we could only say we would present it to the Pope. A few weeks later I was in Rome and with the Papal Advance Team we had lunch with Pope John Paul II in his apartment. Now Cardinal but then Father Roberto Tucci, S.J., head of the Advance Team asked the Pope if when at Universal he would like to “part the Red Sea” and after a pause and a slight smile, the Pope responded: “why should I, it has already been done before!”

For the Church throughout the world, in Poland especially, and for the strong memory of this strong leader, I rejoice at today’s news.

+RNL

Last week’s Church news gave ample proof why Popes generally shy away from giving interviews to the media or anyone. In case you  missed it, Pope Benedict XVI last summer devoted a good length of time to being interviewed by a German journalist, Peter Seewald, who previously interviewed him prior to his election as Pope. The resulting book Light of the World was published in German, Italian and English [Ignatius Press] at exactly the same time as the Holy Father was creating new cardinals and excerpts from the long interview made the front pages of the world’s press. Headlines such as “Pope Approves Condoms” and “Church Allows Condom Use for Male Prostitutes” greeted us in one form or another last week. So what did the Holy Father actually say and what does it mean for the Church? First, some important points need to be made. Pope Benedict in granting this interview to a journalist he trusted made it abundantly clear that his personal opinions, much like his reflections on the life of Jesus which he is writing in book form while Pope, are not to be taken as definitive Church teaching. That is accomplished in other more formal ways. Rather, he is allowing Catholics and others who are interested to know a little more about his own thoughts on major issues of Christian living and behaving. So his comments on condoms do not change official Church teaching. But in expanding on this issue, if one takes the time to read the whole section, one sees a priest searching for a pastoral application of sound moral teaching to a difficult issue.

In response to Seewald’s question about the possible use of condoms to combat the spread of the HIV-AIDS virus, the Holy Father suggested in the interview that condom use might be justified in some very limited circumstances, “as perhaps when the male prostitute uses a condom” as a “first step in the direction of moralisation, a first assumption of responsibility on the way toward recovering that not everything is allowed and that one cannot do whatever one wants. But it is not really the way to deal with the evil of HIV infection. That can really lie only in a humanization of sexuality. . . .She [the Catholic Church] of course does not regard it as a real or moral solution, but in this or that case, there can be nonetheless, in the intention of reducing the risk of infection, a first step in a movement towards a different way, a more human way, of living sexuality.”

I was not at all surprised by this statement because in November of 1986 the Administrative Committee of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops issued its first statement on the pandemic and in that document said that applying the morally accepted principal of “the lesser of two evils”, death being the greater evil, under certain circumstances condom use could be morally permissable. A huge uproar greeted this document, even within the bishops’ conference, caused in part by a procedural issue that it had been issued by a committee of the Conference on the very eve of a plenary conference when all the bishops could have debated and decided the issue instead of fifty-two bishops. The guidance of that first document on combatting the spread of HIV-AIDS through a variety of possibilities was also a part of the ensuing uproar and debate. A year later the same conference issued a second statement on the HIV-AIDS pandemic which while it never acknowledged that there was theological error to be found in the first statement chose to drop the section on the use of condoms.

At that time I was working on the forthcoming second pastoral visit of Pope John Paul II to the United States which took place in 1987 and I accompanied the officers of the USCC-NCCB to Rome for their twice yearly visits to the Pope and Curia. They visited Cardinal Ratzinger and the officers of the conference brought up the matter of the first AIDS statement. The then head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith said that in his opinion while the moral theology contained in the first statement was defensible, he had concerns about the pastoral prudence of the condom approach at that time. In a later letter to the Papal Nuncio, Archbishop Pio Laghi, Cardinal Ratzinger expressed an opposite opinion on condom use. So it was obviously a matter even then which he was reflecting on and thinking about. Pope John Paul II in his private meeting acknowledged the uproar in the states but did not express great alarm nor was he critical of the application of moral theology in that statement.

So I for one was not surprised when Pope Benedict XVI spoke of a very limited application of the principal of the lesser of two evils in his interview with author Seewald. Does this mean that the Church is advocating condom use? No, abstinence has been and continues to be our message and the proper application and understanding of human sexuality is not threatened either. Rather, the Holy Father is speaking to a possible situation in which a precaution might be used to avoid the greater evil of death. In other words, I found the statement of Pope Benedict to be reflective of his thinking twenty-four years previous in private conversations. Struggling as many confessors might do, the Holy Father simply said there might be cases where the use of a condom can represent the first stirrings of a sense of moral responsibility, if the intent is to save the life of another person.  He does not advocate condom use and he does not generally condone condom use. There are enough nuances here to protect the long held Church teaching that condoms are not a “real or moral solution.”

For many years both Cardinal Josef Ratzinger and now Pope Benedict XVI and many bishops around the world have reflected and considered the application of the principle of the lesser of two evils and its application to the HIV-AIDS pandemic. This same Holy Father early in his pontificate asked the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith to further study the issue and that work product is not yet finished. In the new book we merely are exposed to the Pope’s reflection on a very small part of the question. He did not intend nor should he be thought of as backing off the long-teaching of the Church on artificial contraception for either of the two purposes of marriage: mutual communion of life and love leading to eternity and bringing children into the world. I feel for Pope Benedict in the context of his remarks above because he is taking it on the chin from left and right at the moment. However, he is a strong teacher and a moral force for good in the world. I feel for him that in the current controversy, right as he predicted, little attention is being given to the role which the Catholic Church around the world plays in treating persons with HIV-AIDS. My beloved Catholic Relief Services is often belittled by US-AID (a branch of the U.S. Department of State) for not distributing condoms in its response to the pandemic yet the same agency often turns to us as first providers in the government program for wider use of anti-retroviral protocols in countries experiencing major incidences of the disease. More will be written on this subject in the years to come and it seems to me that what we have here is an example of the universal pastor confronting a major global killer with thoughtful reflection. That’s my take on the condom conundrum.

+RNL

At a time when I should be spending my time reading documentation in advance of next week’s annual meeting of the bishops of the United States, I found myself totally engrossed in a book, which I highly recommend to anyone. Titled My Cousin the Saint (Harper Collins, 2008), this masterful account was written by Justin Catanoso, a professor of writing and editing at Wake Forest University and a Pulitzer nominated journalist. It details the author’s journey to faith through the unlikely path of having a member of his family, a distant cousin, proclaimed a saint by Pope Benedict the XVI in 2005. St. Gaetano Catanoso was a priest for much of the first half of the last century in the southern Italian region of Calabria. The author’s own family had emigrated from the region early in the last century and settled in Philadelphia and Wildwood, NJ. The knowledge about their uncle back in their native Italy was largely unknown to the American side of the family until Pope John Paul II declared Father Gaetano a “blessed” at one of his last beatification ceremonies prior to no longer being capable of presiding at these events.

The book actually has three distinct tributaries flowing into one stream of faith: the life of Saint Gaetano, the faith of an Italian family in Italy and the United States, and the author’s own search for the true and deeper meaning of the Catholic faith of his baptism from which he drifted following Catholic high school. Filled with poignant moments, it can serve as a primer on such diverse Catholic topics as, to name but a few, the making of a saint, the faith of our ancestors, the road home, coping with tragedy, making sense out of the seeming senseless. Just let me say that I have seldom been as captivated by a personal story as I was by this one, finding it hard to put my iPad on “off””. Every proud Italian American should read this book just to grow in love and appreciation of the absolute best of what it means to having been born Italian. Every serious adult Catholic should read this book to appreciate even more their own gift of faith. Every struggling Catholic or non-practicing Catholic should read this book for a source of hope for the journey.

I first heard of the book from a wonderful Catholic husband and father who spent summers with the author life-guarding in the Wildwood-Cape May area. He happens to be the brother of one of my priests. I downloaded it long before I got to it to read. I am so grateful to him for informing me of the work as I am to the author for the time spent in his family research and in his own struggle with the meaning of Catholicism.

As I leave to attend the annual meeting of the bishops of the United States and as I prepare to enter my seventieth year of age and fifteenth of my privilege of serving the Church as a bishop, I find far more comfort and hope for the future in a book like this than all the documentation (and there is not that much of it) for meetings such as next weeks. The real work of faith takes place not at my level of ministry in the Church but at the parish and service levels through the work of good priests, sisters, brothers, deacons, and committed loving lay people. I am indebted today to Justin Catanoso for sharing the moving life of his cousin, the priest and now a saint, with me and humbled to reflect on how far even I must travel still till facing the Lord in eternity.

When my mind is unable to focus on a single thought, it is time to share many scattered and unrelated thoughts with you. So here we go.

Cardinal-designate Donald Wuerl, Archbishop of Washington

Cardinal-designate Raymond Burke, Prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura

Pope Benedict named new cardinals yesterday including two Americans, Archbishops Raymond Burke, formerly of St. Louis and now in Rome and Donald Wuerl of Washington, D.C. Cardinals came into being in the Church in 1056 when the Emperor of the Holy Roman Emperor was a six year old boy. Until that time, the emperor and other political figures had a significant say in who was to become Pope so the Church taking advantage of a moment when the sovereign was too young to do anything about it established a new rank of prelate, namely cardinals, who would meet as needed to elect a new pope upon the death of his predecessor. The end of the eleventh century was a particularly challenging time for the Church because it did not have good control over its priests and bishops who were too often subject to outside influence and interference. Thus the birth of a group of men whose main task was to elect popes. Over time, the college took on additional meaning and duties and can be and has been called on occasion to advise the Pope on matters of concern to him. Pope Paul VI limited the number of cardinals who could vote in a papal election to 120 members under the age of eighty. Pope John Paul II while never changing that “magic” number did give it some elasticity at times and often, as did Pope Benedict XVI yesterday took into consideration the number of soon-to-reach-the-eighty age limit. Yesterday’s choices marked somewhat a return to a heavier preponderance of archbishops working in the Vatican than in the trenches but little should be made of that in my opinion since there have been a number of changes in administrative offices whose head is usually a Cardinal. In the time of Popes Pius XII and John XXIII, elevation to the cardinalate was not done that often and made significant news when done. Now it seems to happen about every three years and the secular media largely gave the moment a giant yawn except in the U.S. in Pittsburgh and Washington where Archbishop Wuerl once served and now serves. On a personal note, I was elated that Archbishop Wuerl was chosen as I regard him very highly as a churchman of great principal, good mind and a pastoral heart. I think he will serve the Church in the United States very well as a member of that special group of advisors to the Holy Father. Enough said.

If yesterday marked the coming of the “red tide”, today in this diocese we welcome Catholic women from around the state as they gather here for their once every two year statewide meeting of the Florida Council of Catholic Women. I will offer Mass for them tomorrow morning and officially welcome them and on Saturday afternoon, Archbishop Thomas Wenski of Miami will make his first visit to our diocese as our Metropolitan Archbishop to say Mass for the FCCW. Welcome ladies and enjoy your time on Florida’s west and best coast.

Like most of you, I can not wait for November’s elections to end. The bitter acrimony and charges and counter-charges which mark the Florida landscape this year is deafening and downright depressing. Visitors to this state from other countries who make the mistake of turning on the television in their hotel rooms or apartments must wonder about the nature of our form of democracy. Scare tactics rule the discourse and untruths and partial truths are the order of the day. I am early voting again this year so I can shut myself off to all the last minute diatribes and for the first time will have voted purposely without listening to a single debate – what is there to hear other than charges and counter-charges between the candidates and no plan for real recovery and hope. God help us!

Earlier this week I joined thirteen other bishops from the South in a meeting to discuss financing of Catholic education. The meeting was held in a hotel adjacent to the Atlanta airport and was organized and paid for by the University of Notre Dame’s Alliance for Catholic Education program. Our schools throughout the region, except perhaps for Atlanta where the population continues to explode with parents with good annual incomes, are in trouble and the number of students declines either due to demographic shifts, economic reality, better public school options like charter and fundamental schools, etc. The bishops listened to a number of presentations on how we might access more federal and state monies for our own children in our own schools. An outstanding advocate for parental choice in education from Tampa, John Kirtley, spoke of his experience spearheading the corporate income tax credit program (STEP UP, FLORIDA) through the legislative and administrative process and my brother bishops deeply admired his commitment, counsel and concern. Good stuff!

Finally, on Saturday I will celebrate the annual jubilee Mass for religious women and men who pass this year their 25th, 50th, 60, 70th anniversaries of religious profession. The number of jubilarians is in steep decline as the religious age and die. In my first years as bishop, fourteen years ago for example, we acknowledged annually about fifty religious passing significant anniversary dates. This year I think we are half that number and only about eighteen can be present for Mass and lunch. I would do it even if there were only one left because these women and men have given their life and love to the Church unconditionally, and sometimes that has not always been “easy street” for them. Happy Anniversary Sisters, Brother and priests. We still love you!

+RNL

Bishop Lynch gathers with a group in prayer at the 40 Days for Life Prayer Vigil

The Diocese and other sponsoring Churches have just begun the now annual “Forty Days for Life” effort which spans some of September and all of October which in our Church has traditionally been RESPECT LIFE MONTH. Father Bob Morris, our Vicar General and I have been gathering for prayer vigils within the legal distance of abortion offices throughout the diocese. Happily we are joined by ministers of other faiths who are either themselves pro-life or their Churches are. We pray, sing and hope during these vigils for an end to abortion-on-request as currently practiced in our country. Throughout these days at least two people will stand vigil on the sidewalks outside of the abortion parlors, praying that women who enter will change their mind. They know for certain that during last year’s forty days, at least four women did and their babies are now alive. It is impressive to me that every hour is covered at the Clearwater, St. Petersburg and Tampa abortion sites from eight in the morning until five at night, Monday through Saturday and from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. This principle of the exercise of free speech is peaceful and non-confrontational but highly symbolic. We are slowing changing public opinion on abortion-on-request in our country and courageous and dedicated people standing vigil aid in this educational effort.

While the 40 Days observance focuses on abortion, RESPECT LIFE MONTH from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops concentrates on many other life issues as well. These span the gamut from abortion and euthanasia to access to health care, immigration, affordable housing and care for the elderly and, of course, to the one life issue that only Popes and Bishops seem prone to talk about, capital punishment.

It is not by accident that Respect Life month comes in October because this month for generations has been the month of the Holy Rosary and second only to May, the month of the Blessed Mother. But once every two years it is also the month just prior to national elections. No political party that I am aware of is truly pro-life according to the teachings of the catechism, Pope John Paul II in his encyclical “Evangelium Vitae“ or the materials annually prepared by the Pro-Life Committee of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. And quite frankly, I for one do not find one party even more amenable to pro-life issues or any candidates for that matter. I had occasion to review last week the early responses of the candidates for Governor and Senator for and from Florida and none of them perfectly meets the matrix of the broad range of “pro-life” issues. So once again, as so often before, the voter of conscience spends these forty-days wondering  who is the lesser of two evils. The Florida Catholic Conference Candidate Questionnaire with the responses of our candidates will be published shortly and well before the election.

So you may not be joining us in the prayer service near abortion clinics or on a picket line but you can use these “run-up” days to study the issues and the stand of the candidates on the broad range of pro-life issues. Abortion is the worst of all the evils but it is not alone in its threat to “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”

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Theology on Tap is a program for interested Catholics who wish to know more about their faith. While it was begun for and principally attracts twenty and thirty somethings, it is open to any interested Church member. They are held in bars and restaurants so that those attending can combine post-wok relaxation and dining with learning more about their Church. This Spring’s four weeks of Theology on Tap are ended and since most of us missed the occasion of hearing the presentations, I wish to draw your attention to the podcasts of the speakers which can be accessed by going to our diocesan podcast http://blogs.dosp.org/podcast or to the iTunes store where you can download or subscribe for no charge. Apropos of this week, you might especially like to listen to Father John Tapp’s presentation on the Sacred Triduum.

Tomorrow at St. Jude’s Cathedral at 1130am is the annual Chrism Mass, a liturgy which takes it name from the fact that the Sacred Oils of the Sick, the Catechumens, and Chrism are blessed and consecrated during the ceremony. However, it is also the annual occasion for the priests to renew the promises and commitments which they made on the day of their ordination and they turn out in great number for this lovely liturgy. Delegations from all the parishes and missions in the diocese accompany the oils so the Cathedral is fairly full but there is always room for some more so if you have nothing to do and would like to experience the Church at its best, please join us. If, however, you are unable to be physically present, you can join us by tuning into Spirit FM 90.5 [WBVM] for a live broadcast.

This week marks the fifth anniversary of the death of Pope John Paul II (on Good Friday, April 2nd) and last week was the 30th anniversary of the martyrdom of Archbishop Oscar Romero, Archbishop of El Salvador who was wantonly murdered in his own Cathedral. We should pray for them both. The Holy Father is well along in the process of beatification prior to canonization as a recognized saint by the  Church and the latter should be further along than he is but that will come in time.

Finally, this is the last blog posting of Holy Week although my homilies throughout the week will be posted here. Easter week I am retreating “into my shell” for some R&R but will be back on the blog on or around the First Sunday of Easter (April 11th). I take this moment to extend to all my readers my prayers for a most blessed Triduum and Easter joy. Welcome to our near 1500 catechumens and candidates who will be entering the Church at the Easter Vigil and the love of Christ and my own to all of you.

Bishop Robert N. Lynch (aka “+RNL”)

Monsignor John Bolger, long time pastor of Transfiguration parish in St. Petersburg went home to the Lord just after midnight last night. He was ready, willing and at peace. A native son of Ireland, while small in stature he stood tall in his love for the people of Transfiguration parish and especially the school which was unable to out survive him. It broke his heart when it closed several years ago. With his Irish brogue and Irish accent, he was not always the easiest person to understand, but the people of the parish got used to it and took him to their hearts. They loved him. I loved him and I am very confident that the Lord loved him as well. I recall with special delight the occasion when for no apparent reason I invited him and some other priests to my house for lunch. It was then that I told him that Pope John Paul II had named  him and the others Prelate of Honor with the title, Monsignor. A small tear came to his eye and he looked at me and said, “there must be some mistake.” When the area was threatened by a hurricane (such as Charley), I would call him and the other priests who I felt were at some risk alone and ask them if they would like to join me in weathering out the storm. Monsignor Bolger would always thank me and say that we wished to remain in his retirement house as there were wonderful friends who would also look after him. To those generous and loving parishioners who cared for him, God Bless You. Rest in Peace Monsignor John – you earned it, “the old fashioned way.”

The first meeting between President Obama and Pope Benedict XVI will take place in just a few hours. I believe that this President is about the ninth U.S. President to have a meeting with a Pope. It was years before the first US President summoned up enough courage to physically be present to the Holy Father and, of course, that came after years of anti-Catholic bias and even bigotry which prevented such meetings. This meeting will be pleasant, cordial and correct. Catholics who are still out of sorts that Obama was elected President hope that the Holy Father will take the President to the woodshed on abortion, embryonic stem cell research, etc. That will not happen I can assure you. I can also assure you that the Holy Father will emphasize the Church’s teaching on beginning and end of life issues and the President expects it, but the tone of the meeting will be as it should be, a respectful exchange of ideas in conversation not at all strident. If I were the President and more so if I were the President’s staff, I would have my boss prepared to outline to the Holy Father how much the goals of his administration mirror the Holy Father’s social hopes for the world in the latest encyclical of this week, “Charity in the Truth.” My quick first reading of the encyclical leads me to believe that except for the issue of abortion, this Pope and this President share many of the same economic, environmental, and social beliefs. They certainly agree on the use of “armaments” on the world stage, the elimination of hunger in our lifetime in the world, the responsibility of the rich nations to assist the poorer, etc.

This first meeting will be “getting to know you, getting to know all about you, getting to like you, hoping that you’ll like me” (sorry Rodgers and Hammerstine but you said it best in “The King and I”.) In 1993 I ushered the relatively new President Clinton into his first private meeting with Pope John Paul II at Regis Collge in Denver at the start of World Youth Day. The papal secretary, now Cardinal Dziwisz, and I closed the door, looked at our watches and waited the thirty minutes which had been scheduled for the meeting. Precisely at thirty minutes, he opened the door and we looked in. They were locked in conversation and Pope John Paul looked at him and said in Polish, fifteen more minutes please. The predictions had been that this meeting would not last that long but I knew better because I had already experienced both men’s abhorrence of sticking to schedule when conversation was good. At the forty-five minute mark Mrs. Clinton and Chelsea were standing by with us awaiting the signal to come in for a personal moment or two with the first family. We opened the door and a third time were told they were not finished. This time we did not close the door and soon a signal was given that the conversation was ended. President Clinton said to me, “the Holy Father is amazing. I am sorry we had so little time together but we agreed to keep on talking when I come to Rome.”

Stalin was right, the Pope has no legions of soldiers except millions of believers who soldier for the faith in different ways. I will close with a reminder which some of my readers will not want to hear but it is the truth. President Obama so far has excited the minds and imagination of most people outside of the U.S. as ushering in a new day on the world stage for the mighty United States. To these people he oversees a future full of promise (whether it is realized or not only history will be able to say). I have evidence that the Roman Curia, the pope’s closest advisors like what he is doing. They acknowledge that he is not a Catholic and therefore needs time to be educated on Catholic teachings on life, justice, charity and a whole host of other things. But they believe he can be a great leader or the world stage and I would go to the bank that Pope Benedict believes the same. Today’s meeting will be only the first and it will be between two gentleman getting to know one another better.

Don’t forget, I’ll be back on the blogs on July 22nd or thereabouts and then go quiet again.

+RNL