Podcasts about cardinal marc ouellet

LINKS Vatican bio of Cardinal Lacroix https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/documentation/cardinali_biografie/cardinali_bio_lacroix_gc.html       Gérald Cyprien Lacroix on FIU's Cardinals Database (by Salvadore Miranda): https://cardinals.fiu.edu/bios2014.htm#Lacroix   Cardinal Lacroix on Gcatholic.org: http://www.gcatholic.org/p/24599      Cardinal Lacroix on Catholic-Hierarchy.org: https://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/blacrgc.html       Archdiocese of Québec on Gcatholic.org: http://www.gcatholic.org/dioceses/diocese/queb0.htm?focus=24599&tab=info       Archdiocese of Québec on Catholic-Hierarchy.org: https://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/diocese/dqueb.html ISPX website: https://ispx.org/en-assemblee-pour-sengager-totalement/  National Catholic Register abuse allegation coverage: https://www.ncregister.com/cna/canadian-cardinal-lacroix-named-in-sexual-abuse-lawsuit  Reuters abuse allegation coverage: https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/canadian-cardinal-temporarily-steps-down-after-lawsuit-alleging-abuse-2024-01-26/  America Magazine coverage of abuse investigation and Cardinal Lacroix's return to ministry: https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2024/07/23/quebec-cardinal-vatican-abuse-248430  2020 Salt and Light interview with Cardinal Lacroix (English): https://youtu.be/SvPhxY34AuA?feature=shared    IMAGE CREDIT: CNS photo/Philippe Vaillancourt, Presence, via America Magazine. Imaged cropped. IMAGE SOURCE AND DESCRIPTION: Cardinal Gerald C. Lacroix of Quebec walks with his crosier following a Dec. 12 Mass for the opening of the Holy Door in Notre-Dame Cathedral. https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2017/06/21/canadian-cardinal-spent-9-years-colombian-war-zone-now-he-serves-new-periphery Thank you for listening, and thank my family and friends for putting up with the time investment and for helping me out as needed. As always, feel free to email the show at Popeularhistory@gmail.com  If you would like to financially support Popeular history, go to www.patreon.com/Popeular. If you don't have any money to spare but still want to give back, pray and tell others– prayers and listeners are worth more than gold!   TRANSCRIPT Welcome to Popeular History, a library of Catholic knowledge and insights.   Check out the show notes for sources, further reading, and a transcript.   Today we're discussing another current Cardinal of the Catholic Church, one of the 120 or so people who will choose the next Pope when the time comes.   Before we do, I have a note from last week's episode, courtesy of attentive listener Christine de Pizan, who asked about the fifteenth century Cardinal Louis de Luxembourg when I described Cardinal Höllerich as Luxembourg's first Cardinal. After getting over my elation that someone as cool as Christine listens to my podcast, and apparently listens closely, I dug into the matter and quickly found not one not two but three and nearly four such “de Luxembourg” Cardinals, all listed as French by my sources. The question is fair, where did they get the de Luxembourg thing? Well, if you go back through the generations, according to Christine who was kind enough to help answer her own question, they're all descendants of  Henry V, Count of Luxembourg, who looms fairly large in Luxembourger history, and who I reckon could fairly be called Luxembourgish himself. The de Luxembourg Cardinals are certainly worth mentioning when talking about the history of Catholic Cardinals in connection to Luxembourg, and I look forward to diving into their stories eventually. But by their day, well, I am comfortable continuing to count them as French for now, given their strong connections and daily life in France. The question of national equivalency gets fuzzier and fuzzier the further back you go, enough that I've considered dropping it as a focal point, but in the end people do pay close attention to the national makeup of the College of Cardinals, so it's worth discussing, even if it gets murky. So thank you again Christine for drawing the de Luxembourg Cardinals to my attention, you inspired me to spend a fair amount of time working on my Cardinals database this week, which is always a pleasure, so thank you for that and for listening as well. I also should note that an accusation of abuse of a minor was made against today's Cardinal, Cardinal Lacroix, after I wrote my original summary of his life..Cardinal Lacroix, who categorically denies the allegations, temporarily stepped aside from his duties as a result in January of this year, returning to duty just last month, in July of 2024, after an investigation by a retired judge concluded with no evidence being found to support a canonical trial. The judge did note that the investigation should be considered incomplete, given that Cardinal Lacroix's accuser refused to participate, I'm guessing there's a trust issue, though the investigating judge also described Cardinal Lacroix;s record as “impeccable”.   Anyways, without further ado, let's get into it.   Gérald Cyprien Lacroix was born on July 27th, 1957 in Saint-Hilaire de Dorset, a community in the far south of Canada's Québec Province. His parents were farmers who moved the family to New Hampshire when he was 8 years old, and he finished his childhood in New England. In 1975, presumably after turning 18 though possibly a bit before, he joined the Secular institute Pius X, or ISPX. Presumably he heard about it in part because it was founded in Manchester, New Hampshire, where he went to high school. The ISPX should not be confused with the SSPX, which we'll talk about sometime in the future. As for the Secular Institute part, we're basically talking following the evangelical counsels–you know, poverty, chastity, and obedience–that you normally see in a monastic setting without the monastery part, so there's a focus on living in the world rather than in community.   The ISPX is headquartered in Québec, the land of Gérald's birth, and he went back that way about this time. He didn't jump immediately into seminary though, taking the “secular” part of “secular institute” to heart and working for a restaurant, then as a graphic designer at a publishing house. In 1980 he took a year to do missionary work at a clinic for the poor in Columbia–service to the poor being a special focus of the ISPX. On his return he began studying at the Université Laval, a public university rather than the seminaries you may have come to expect.   The ISPX must have liked what he was doing, because in 1982 they made Gérald their Secretary-General when he was a 25 year old college student who made his perpetual vows that same year. It's not clear what his duties were as Secretary-General, normally as we've seen when it comes to Church stuff secretary is actually a fairly high posting, but I don't get the sense that this was like being Secretary-General at, say, the UN. It definitely wasn't the top post, I can say that much.    He held other posts in the Institute, becoming counselor of the General Counsel in 1985. Presumably that was an advancement, and soon he was Director General of one of their centers for spiritual formation.   In 1988, he was ordained a deacon in New Hampshire, then a few months later a priest in Québec, so very much a two-worlds scenario. Or rather, three worlds, because from 1990 to 2000 he was back serving in Columbia, carrying out tasks from assisting at a local parish to acting as a radio host, presumably in Spanish, though Gérald was also comfortable in English and French because of his background. While in Columia he also established nine houses for the ISPX, and yeah I know I said what made the ISPX a secular institute was a focus on living in the world rather than in community but, well, it's complicated. You still want to have a stable situation and base of operations, so even secular institutes still have religious houses. It goes back to that constant Martha and Mary discussion, as it always does.   Nine houses sounds like good growth for the order, and it seems they agreed, because in 2001 Father Lacroix became the top man for sure, the Director General, and that's how I know Secretary General was apparently not the top job.   Usually I can have more confidence about the inner workings of the religious orders we're discussing because, frankly, they're older and bigger. In the case of the ISPX, I mean, the Church has only formally recognized the concept of a Secular Institute since 1947-which is an odd thing to read on the website of a Secular Institute founded eight years before that in 1939, but hey, these things usually do start at the local level and then bubble up.   In 2008, deep into his second four-year term running the ISPX, Father Lacroix was established as a member of the Executive Council of the World Conference for the Secular Institutes. The following year, 2009, he was made an Auxiliary Bishop of Québec, becoming Titular Bishop of Ilta because as you may recall auxiliary bishops tend to become titular bishops of defunct diocesesA as a way of emphasizing the one-diocese one-bishop model while still allowing for additional admin help in larger sees.   At the time, the Archbishop of Québec was Cardinal Marc Ouellet, though not for much longer as Cardinal Ouellet was made Prefect of the Congregation for Bishops, a Curial post of sufficient intensity that he left the Archdiocese for Rome full time. You won't be surprised to learn that the conveniently placed Auxiliary Bishop Lacroix was chosen to succeed him in the post, nor will you be surprised that Pope Francis made him a Cardinal in 2014, during his first consistory. That same year, he was made a member of the Congregation for the Institutes of Consecrated Life and the Societies of Apostolic Life, which makes sense given his background, as well as the Pontifical Councils for Interreligious Dialogue and for Culture. Later, in 2020, he was added to the Council for the Economy, and finally, just last year,, Pope Francis added him to both the Dicastery for Culture and Education and his elite Council of Cardinals. Considering Cardinal Hollerich also made his way onto the Council of Cardinals at the end of our last episode, you'd be forgiven for thinking everyone and their brother is a member, but no, there are only nine members, all Cardinals. Considering there are currently 236 Cardinals, it's an exclusive club within an exclusive club, though I'm sure Pope Francis wouldn't call it that. An advisory body within an advisory body, is that better?   Anyways, unless he resigns early or something, which I am not predicting, Cardinal Lacroix is eligible to participate in future conclaves until he turns 80 in 2037.   Today's episode is part of Cardinal Numbers, and there will be more Cardinal Numbers next week. Thank you for listening; God bless you all!

This lecture was given at the Catholic University of America on May 16, 2023 as part of the Thomistic Institute symposium titled "Toward a Fundamental Theology of the Priesthood." For more information on upcoming events, please visit our website at www.thomisticinstitute.org. About the speaker: Cardinal Marc Oullet served as prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops and president of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America from 2010 to 2023. He was Archbishop of Quebec and Primate of Canada from 2003 to 2010. He was made a cardinal by Pope John Paul II in 2003. He holds licentiates in theology and philosophy, and a doctorate in dogmatic theology.

Nouvelle ce matin: le cardinal Ouellet, au centre de controverses (et de poursuites) remet sa démission à titre de préfet du Dicastère des évêques. L'observateur de la scène religieuse Alain Pronkin nous en parle.

The late Cardinal George Pell is now the confirmed author of the once-secret memorandum that sought to discredit the papacy of Pope Francis. This, read in concert with a letter by the cardinal, published posthumously—which characterizes Pope Francis' succession to the chair of St. Peter as a “catastrophe”—offers stark insight into the dueling forces present within the ranks of the church's most senior figures. On this episode of “Inside the Vatican,” Ricardo da Silva, S.J., and Gerard O'Connell dive into the revelations since the cardinal's death and recall Cardinal Pell's anti-Pope Francis actions over the years, which date back to the conclave that elected the present pope.  “As one Vatican official said to me,” Gerry says, “maybe he saw quite clearly what direction Pope Francis was leading the church and didn't like what he saw; especially in terms of the position on moral questions but also in the position of moving away from clericalism, giving more responsibility to the laity in the church.” In the second half of the show, they discuss the latest developments in a class-action lawsuit filed in Quebec, Canada, last summer. The case implicates at least 88 clergy members and notably includes Cardinal Marc Ouellet, the prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, which is the Vatican office that manages the selection process of the world's bishops.  In a shocking move this December, which Gerry believes is “unprecedented,” Cardinal Ouellet filed a $100,000 countersuit for defamation against “Ms. F.” He alleged his accuser had tarnished his name by bringing false accusations against him and claimed he did not even know her. Last Friday, Jan. 13, Ms. F. chose to respond to the cardinal's escalated action by publicly revealing herself as Pamela Groleau, saying she intends by this move to reclaim her dignity and bring the church to acknowledge the crimes of its clerics. “I think something else we can expect,” Ricardo says, “which undoubtedly will happen, and which Pamela Groleau herself says in the statement that she made when she revealed her identity, is that this, she hopes, will inspire others to come forward and tell their stories. And so this will open the floodgates.” And the floodgates have already started to crack. Shortly after recording the episode, Golias Hebdo, a French news magazine revealed that a second woman, known only as “Marie,” had also brought accusations of sexual misconduct against Cardinal Ouellet.  Links from the show: Explainer: Cardinal Pell's complicated (and critical) relationship with Pope Francis Cardinal Pell blasts Pope Francis in secret memo: ‘This pontificate is a disaster' Cardinal Ouellet announces lawsuit against woman who claimed sexual assault  Pope Francis says not enough evidence to try Cardinal Ouellet, a close adviser, for sexual assault Podcast: Vatican issues new universal laws on sexual abuse (listen around 11:50) Pope Francis issues new rules for accountability and response to allegations of sexual abuse This page will be updated to include a link to the article mentioned in this episode, about allegations of sexual misconduct against Cardinal Ouellet, as soon as it is published. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On "EWTN News Nightly" tonight: CatholicVote is releasing an ad that slams the Biden Administration over its response to recent church attacks. At the same time, the White House will be holding a “United We Stand Summit” to “counter the corrosive effects of hate-fueled violence on our democracy and public safety…” And this week marks the 1 year anniversary of the US military withdrawal from Afghanistan. President of the Vulnerable People Project, Jason Jones, joins to give us an update on how many people remain in Afghanistan who want to leave. Meanwhile, the Vatican says it will not hold a trial against Cardinal Marc Ouellet, the former archbishop of Quebec who was accused of sexual assault in a civil trial suit filed earlier this week in Canada. Vatican Bureau Chief for EWTN News, Andreas Thonhauser joins to tell us more about this case. Tomorrow in France, the Taize community will celebrate 82 years since its formation. A member of the Taize community, Brother Emile, joins to tell us more about the community and about the principles they have been carrying out for over 80 years. Finally this evening, a Catholic organization outside the nation's capital recently asked the public to vote on the all-time Catholic baseball all-star team. And the results are in! President of Catholic Athletes for Christ, Ray McKenna, joins to share whether he was surprised by how many great baseball players were Catholic. Don't miss out on the latest news and analysis from a Catholic perspective. Get EWTN News Nightly delivered to your email: https://ewtn.com/enn

Dans un communiqué, le cardinal Marc Ouellet rejette les accusations qu'il qualifie de diffamatoires. Le gouvernement Legault et la Fédération des transporteurs par autobus ont conclu une entente de principe. Vaccin de Pfizer-BioNTech contre la COVID-19 pour les enfants de 5 à 11 ans. Aux États-Unis, Joe Biden organisera un sommet contre l'extrémisme politique et la violence raciste le 15 septembre. | Nathalie Babin-Gagnon (journaliste-présentatrice)

Caroline Quach, pédiatre microbiologiste-infectiologue, épidémiologiste et présidente du Comité sur l'immunisation du Québec, nous parle de la nouvelle campagne de vaccination contre la COVID-19; la journaliste de l'émission Enquête Sylvie Fournier fait le point sur les allégations d'agression sexuelle visant le cardinal Marc Ouellet; et la mairesse de Rouyn-Noranda, Diane Dallaire, réagit à l'annonce des nouvelles exigences de 15ng d'arsenic dans l'air par mètre cube que devra respecter la Fonderie Horne.

Le nom de l'homme fort du vatican est rendu public dans le cadre d'une action collective. Une nouvelle campagne de vaccination contre la COVID-19 s'amorce au Québec. Ottawa va tripler les indemnités versées au personnel infirmier dans les communautés éloignées où vivent des membres des Premières Nations. De fortes pluies se sont abattues sur Paris.

Le cardinal Marc Ouellet, qui avait été pressenti pour devenir pape, est visé par une allégation d'agressions sexuelles dans le cadre de recours collectifs contre les Frères des écoles chrétiennes du Canada francophone et le Diocèse de Québec. Le gouvernement a lancé la campagne de vaccination automnale en prévision de la rentrée scolaire et d'une éventuelle 8e vague de la pandémie. L'inflation continue d'affecter nos dépenses au quotidien. C'est le cas du panier d'épicerie qui coûte de plus en plus cher.  L'actualité racontée autrement également sur: Noovo Info : https://www.noovo.ca/noovoinfo​​​ Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/noovo.info​​​  Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/noovo.info   Twitter : https://twitter.com/NoovoInfo​  TikTok : https://www.tiktok.com/@noovo.info

Priestly Celibacy & Lady Deacons w/ Steve SkojecTim discusses the upcoming summit on the priesthood being heralded by Cardinal Marc Ouellet, which promises to re-address priestly celibacy and a female diaconate.  Because Tim and Steve have an outstanding wager about the likelihood of the progressive faction of the Church "changing" these practices, Mr. Skojec was the perfect conversation partner for this episode.Show Notes:https://www.google.com/amp/s/cruxnow.com/vatican/2021/04/vatican-event-on-priesthood-to-explore-topic-of-celibacy/amp/________________________________________________

Last week, Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò was back in the spotlight after President Donald Trump tweeted promoting an open letter that Viganò had written to him. The letter praised Mr. Trump for “defending the right to life” and expressed Archbishop Viganò’s belief in a number of conspiracy theories, including the idea of a “deep state” group undermining the American government and a parallel group within the Catholic church. Archbishop Viganò has published many such letters since his original 11-page “testimony,” published in 2018, accusing a number of top church officials of knowing about abuse by former Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, blaming a “homosexual network” in the Vatican for the abuse crisis, and calling on Pope Francis to resign.  The Vatican has been relatively tight-lipped in response to the archbishop: When journalists asked Pope Francis about the “testimony,” the pope refused to comment beyond saying, “Read that statement attentively and make your own judgment,” adding, “I think the statement speaks for itself, and you have a sufficient journalistic ability to make a conclusion.” Many of the archbishop’s claims have since been called into question, and the Vatican is conducting its own investigation into Mr. McCarrick. On this episode of “Inside the Vatican,” veteran Vatican reporter Gerard O’Connell and producer Colleen Dulle discuss why the Vatican has remained quiet in response to Archbishop Viganò and whether that is likely to change following President Trump’s endorsement. The hosts also discuss Pope Francis’ message for the World Day of the Poor, along with the new fund he established with the mayor of Rome and the governor of Lazio to aid workers who had not previously been eligible for government assistance. Links from the show: President Trump tweeted about Archbishop Viganò. So, who is he? Archbishop Viganò is aligning with Trump to stay in the spotlight. Pay him no attention. From 2018: Cardinal Marc Ouellet responds to Viganò charges, accuses him of blasphemy From 2018: It is time for Archbishop Viganò to meet the press Pope Francis’ message for the World Day of the Poor amid pandemic: We are all responsible Pope Francis sets up new fund for workers left out of coronavirus support

Fr. Jenkins comments on Cardinal Marc Ouellet’s ‘Open Letter’. The ‘Open Letter’ is a response to Abp. Viganò’s appeal to Cardinal Ouellet to confirm that the allegations made in Viganò’s letter of 22 August 2018 are true. Ouellet writes to disprove Viganò’s allegations but in fact ends up in confirming them as demonstrated by Fr. Jenkins. Please visit wcbohio.com for more content.

Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, in his second testimony against Pope Francis called upon Cardinal Marc Ouellet to confirm Vigano's claim that Pope Benedict XVI had placed sanctions on exCardainl McCarrick. Cardinal Ouellet recently responded with an agg...

Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, in his second testimony against Pope Francis called upon Cardinal Marc Ouellet to confirm Vigano’s claim that Pope Benedict XVI had placed sanctions on exCardainl McCarrick. Cardinal Ouellet recently responded with an aggressive open letter to Viganò – but oddly enough confirmed Vigano’s claim against Pope Francis that “restrictions” had been […] The post 165: Vigano attacked by Cardinal Ouellet: Why? [Podcast] appeared first on Taylor Marshall.

Is it Okay to Criticize Pope Francis? Archbishop Vigano issued his SECOND testimony addressing the silence of Pope Francis, the investigation of Cardinal Murphy O'Conner, and the role of Cardinal Marc Ouellet.

Is it Okay to Criticize Pope Francis? Archbishop Vigano issued his SECOND testimony addressing the silence of Pope Francis, the investigation of Cardinal Murphy O’Conner, and the role of Cardinal Marc Ouellet. Dr Taylor Marshall examines the importance of Cardinal Ouellet and how Cardinal Muller has recently validated the account of Pope Francis canceling the […] The post 163: Is it OK to Criticize Pope Francis? VIGANO Part 2 [Podcast] appeared first on Taylor Marshall.

Summary of today's show: Cardinal Timothy Dolan set the tone for the semi-annual US Bishops Conference meeting in Baltimore this week in his president's address when he exhorted his brother bishops to greater personal conversion and reconciliation and maintained that the New Evangelization is dead in the water without personal conversion and a striving for holiness by all the people, led by our bishops. Scot Landry and Fr. Chris O'Connor take Cardinal Dolan's speech in-depth and discuss its implications, which include the newsworthy suggestion of the renewal of Friday abstinence throughout the year. Listen to the show: Watch the show via live video streaming or a recording later: Today's host(s): Scot Landry and Fr. Chris O'Connor Links from today's show: Today's topics: Cardinal Dolan calls his brother bishops to repentance for the New Evangelization 1st segment: Scot welcomed listeners to the show and thanked veterans for their service on the day after Veterans Day was observed. Fr. Chris O'Connor related his day yesterday, taking advantage of the beautiful weather. He said he will be at St. Julia in Weston tomorrow at 7pm talking about our faith and what it is we believe, based on the first part of the Catechism. Throughout the rest of the Year of Faith, there will be talks on the three other parts of the Catechism. They also discussed St. Julia's and the beautiful renovations they've done there. Scot said every November all the bishops of the US gather to vote and discuss current issues in the Church and administrative issues. This general assembly has been moderately newsworthy. Earlier today the bishop unanimously agreed to advance the cause of canonization for Dorothy Day. Fr. Chris said she epitomizes the struggle for holiness and the difficulties. She opened soup kitchens throughout the United States and pioneered the social justice movement. He said she showed how the poor that we care for may not be pleasant to our eyes, ears, or nose, but still are Christ among us. The bishops also approved a document on better preaching in our Sunday homilies and a new special collection for the Archdiocese of the Military Services. Scot said many of our servicemen and women can go months without seeing a Catholic chaplain and these mainly young people need to be able to receive the sacraments more often as they are separated from everything they know and love and are often confronted with the great questions of life. Scot said Cardinal Seán briefed his brother bishops yesterday on the defeat of Question 2 and assisted suicide in Massachusetts. The bishops were moved by the fact that despite very long odds, we are able to turn back assisted suicide. On Sunday about 45 bishops and about 50 or so Catholic bloggers talked about how new media and social media have changed how people receive information about the Church. One of the leaders of the event was Bishop Christopher Coyne, who is originally from the archdiocese. Many of the bishops had questions for the bloggers on how to start and what they as bishops should be doing themselves. How can they use Twitter and stay within the propriety of the office of bishop. Fr. Chris said this is part of a larger conversation where our society recognizes that people aren't watching TV or reading newspapers, but are getting information through new media. The message is the same—Jesus is Lord—but the way we spread it changes. The two most discussed addresses at the general assembly are those by the apostolic nuncio, the pope's representative to the US, and that of the president of the USCCB, who is currently Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York. Scot said he was surprised by the tone that Dolan took on the sacrament of penance as a wonderful tool for the New Evangelization. Fr. Chris said it's a return to the basics and the essentials. Cardinal Dolan laments in the decline in the sacrament of the Second Vatican Council. Now Scot played the beginning of his address to his brother bishops: My brother bishops, Yes, we have “a lot on our plate” as we commence our meeting, urgent issues very worthy of our solicitude as pastors — the suffering in vast areas not far from here caused by the Hurricane of two weeks ago, the imperative to the New Evangelization, the invitation offered by the Year of Faith, and our continued dialogue, engagement, and prophetic challenge to our culture over urgent issues such as the protection of human life, the defense of marriage, the promotion of human dignity in the lives of the poor, the immigrant, those in danger from war and persecution throughout the world, and our continued efforts to defend our first and most cherished freedom — all issues calling for our renewed and enthusiastic commitment. But I stand before you this morning to say simply: first things first. We gather as disciples of, as friends of, as believers in Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, “the Way, the Truth and the Life,” who exhorted us to “seek first the Kingdom of God.” We cannot engage culture unless we let Him first engage us; we cannot dialogue with others unless we first dialogue with Him; we cannot challenge unless we first let Him challenge us. Scot said that last line is one of the most quoted from this speech so far. Scot said this suggests that the first step of our ongoing conversion of the New Evangelization is to go deeper in our own relationship with Jesus Christ. Even the bishops. Fr. Chris said what's most convincing is not what people say, but how they live their lives. We want to see lives rooted in Jesus Christ and given over to Him. Scot said as the entire Catholic Church in the United States we need to seek first the kingdom of God and we're all called to be holy in our relationship with Jesus Christ. Fr. Chris said we are all on a journey as a Church moving toward the Lord. We're all called to sanctity. The Venerable Servant of God, Fulton J. Sheen, once commented, “The first word of Jesus in the Gospel was ‘come'; the last word of Jesus was ‘go'.” Fifty years ago, on October 11, 1962, Blessed John XXIII courageously convened the Second Vatican Council “the greatest concern of which,” he insisted, “is that the sacred deposit of Christian doctrine should be guarded and taught more efficaciously.” (Allocution on the occasion of the opening of the Second Vatican Council, Gaudet mater ecclesia). We gather for our plenary assembly in our nation's premiere see, at the close of the XIII Ordinary General Synod of Bishops, still near the beginning of the Year of Faith. Both occasions have the same origin, the same goal expressed by Blessed John XXIII: the effective transmission of the faith for the transformation of the world. A year ago we began our visits ad limina Petri et Pauli. I know you join me in expressing deep gratitude for the extraordinary affection, warmth and fraternal care with which our Holy Father welcomed us. But Pope Benedict did not stop with his gracious hospitality. No. He also gave us plenty of fatherly advice — for our ministry as pastors of the Church and our personal role in the New Evangelization. Here's an especially striking example from his first ad limina address: “Evangelization,” the Successor of St. Peter noted, “… appears not simply a task to be undertaken ad extra; we ourselves are the first to need re-evangelization. As with all spiritual crises, whether of individuals or communities, we know that the ultimate answer can only be born of a searching, critical and ongoing self-assessment and conversion in the light of Christ's truth.” Scot said he was surprised by the emphasis to his brother bishops that the bishops are the first to need to re-evangelization. Fr. Chris said he's making it clear that holiness is contagious but must start with the bishops. on the Fulton Sheen reference, Christ wants you to come to recognize the Lord and live like Him and then go and bring Christ to others. Scot said we can't be sent until we know Jesus Christ. Fr. Chris said Cardinal Dolan is reminding the bishops that people need to know the faith and the bishops are the premier teachers of the faith. As we bishops at the just concluded Synod of Bishops confessed in our closing message: “We, however, should never think that the new evangelization does not concern us as Bishops personally. In these days voices among the Bishops were raised to recall that the Church must first of all heed the Word before she can evangelize the world. The invitation to evangelize becomes a call to conversion.” “We Bishops firmly believe that we must convert ourselves first to the power of Jesus Christ who alone can make all things new, above all our poor existence. With humility we must recognize that the poverty and weaknesses of Jesus' disciples, especially us, his ministers, weigh on the credibility of the mission. We are certainly aware – we bishops first of all – that we can never really be equal to the Lord's calling and mandate to proclaim His Gospel to the nations. We… do not hesitate to recognize our personal sins. We are, however, also convinced that the Lord's Spirit is capable of renewing His Church and rendering her garment resplendent if we let Him mold us.” (Final Message of the Synod of Bishops to the People of God, October 28, 2012) The New Evangelization reminds us that the very agents of evangelization – you and me — will never achieve that abundant harvest Blessed John XXIII described unless we are willing and eager to first be evangelized themselves. Only those themselves first evangelized can then evangelize. As St. Bernard put it so well, “If you want to be a channel, you must first be a reservoir.” I would suggest this morning that this reservoir of our lives and ministry, when it comes especially to the New Evangelization, must first be filled with the spirit of interior conversion born of our own renewal. That's the way we become channels of a truly effective transformation of the world, through our own witness of a penitential heart, and our own full embrace of the Sacrament of Penance. Scot said Cardinal Dolan was one of the six principal drafters of the final document of the synod. He says right up front that “we do not hesitate to recognize our personal sins.” The bishops are calling on each other to recognize their own sins and Scot called on all listeners to recognize in humility our weakness and sin to be better prepared for the New Evangelization. Fr. Chris said every saint has a past and every sinner a future. Our sins do not define us. What defines us is the call to holiness. The synod was about the transmission of the faith for the transformation of the world. Dolan said the way we do that is through our own witness of a penitential heart and our own full embrace of the sacrament of penance. Fr. Chris said confession should be a regular part of our Christian life to reconcile us and tell us we are not defined by our sins. “To believers also the Church must ever preach faith and penance,” declared the council fathers in the very first of the documents to appear, Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy. (SC, n. 9) To be sure, the sacraments of initiation - - Baptism, Confirmation, the Eucharist - - charge, challenge, and equip the agents of evangelization. Without those sacraments, we remain isolated, unredeemed, timid and unfed. But, the Sacrament of Reconciliation evangelizes the evangelizers, as it brings us sacramentally into contact with Jesus, who calls us to conversion of heart, and allows us to answer his invitation to repentance — a repentance from within that can then transform the world without. What an irony that despite the call of the Second Vatican Council for a renewal of the Sacrament of Penance, what we got instead was its near disappearance. We became very good in the years following the Council in calling for the reform of structures, systems, institutions, and people other than ourselves.That, too, is important; it can transform our society and world. But did we fail along the way to realize that in no way can the New Evangelization be reduced to a program, a process, or a call to structural reform; that it is first and foremost a deeply personal conversion within? “The Kingdom of God is within,” as Jesus taught. The premier answer to the question “What's wrong with the world?” “what's wrong with the church?” is not politics, the economy, secularism, sectarianism, globalization or global warming …none of these, as significant as they are. As Chesterton wrote, “The answer to the question ‘What's wrong with the world?' is just two words:'I am,'” Vatican II called for a renewal of the sacrament of penance and what we got is a near disappearance. Fr. Chris said it's one of the most profound sacraments. Scot said after the Council we took our eye off the ball, losing sight of what's really important. We failed to recognize that the New Evangelization is a deeply person conversion within. Fr. Chris recalled instances in Scripture when we hear God say, I am. It is to the great I am that we return for forgiveness of our sins. I am! Admitting that leads to conversion of heart and repentance, the marrow of the Gospel-invitation. I remember the insightful words of a holy priest well known to many of us from his long apostolate to priests and seminarians in Rome, Monsignor Charles Elmer, wondering aloud from time to time if, following the close of the Council, we had sadly become a Church that forgot how to kneel. If we want the New Evangelization to work, it starts on our knees. Remember a few years back, when Cardinal Cahal Daly led us in our June retreat? Speaking somberly of the Church in his home country, he observed, “The Church in Ireland is in the dirt on her knees.” Then he paused, and concluded, “Maybe that's where the Church is at her best.” We kneel in the Sacrament of Penance because we are profoundly sorry for our faults and our sins, serious obstacles to the New Evangelization. But then we stand forgiven, resolute to return to the work entrusted to us - as evangelizers of the Gospel of Mercy. Scot said if we want the New Evangelization to work, it starts on our knees in utter humility before our God. Fr. Chris said Cardinal Sean when he came to Boston spoke of the life of St. Francis and how his ministry took off when he heard from his knees Christ call him to rebuild His Church. Scot said people tell him they love Cardinal Sean because he's so humble and prayerful. Scot said the Church is at her worst when she's arrogant and not acting out of love. The Church on her knees is at her best because she's in prayer and most connected with Christ in humility and open to being his vessel to the world. Fr. Chris said we kneel when we approach royalty. How much more should we kneel before our Lord. He said a priest told him that whenever he enters the church he kneels and prays an act of contrition. I recall a conversation about a year ago with one of our brother bishops, newly ordained, attending his first plenary assembly. I asked his impressions of the meeting. “Well organized, informative, enjoyable,” he replied, but he went on to observe that it was one moment in particular that had the greatest impact on him. It was during our closing Holy Hour, as he entered the large room next to the chapel, to see dozens and dozens of bishops lined up to approach the Sacrament of Penance. This new Bishop told me that he felt that moment had more of an influence upon him than anything else at the meeting. Who can forget the prophetic words of repentance from Blessed John Paul II, during the Great Jubilee, as he expressed contrition – publicly and repeatedly - for the sins of the past? He mentioned the shame of the slave trade, the horrors of the holocaust, the death and destruction wrought by the crusades, the injustices of the conquest of the new world, and the violence of religious wars, to name only a few. I remember during the celebration of the 50th International Eucharistic Congress in Ireland last June, when Cardinal Marc Ouellet, the Papal Legate, expressed this so forcefully as he spoke on behalf of the Holy Father at the penitential shrine of St. Patrick's Purgatory: “I come here with the specific intention of seeking forgiveness, from God and from the victims, for the grave sin of sexual abuse of children by clerics… In the name of the Church, I apologize once again to the victims, some of which I have met here in Lough Derg.” And so it turns to us, my brothers. How will we make the Year of Faith a time to renew the Sacrament of Penance, in our own loves and in the lives of our beloved people whom we serve? Once again, we will later this week approach the Sacrament of Penance. And we'll have the opportunity during this meeting to approve a simple pastoral invitation to all our faithful to join us in renewing our appreciation for and use of the Sacrament. We will “Keep the Light On” during the upcoming Advent Season! The work of our Conference during the coming year includes reflections on re-embracing Friday as a particular day of penance, including the possible re-institution of abstinence on all Fridays of the year, not just during Lent. Our pastoral plan offers numerous resources for catechesis on the Sacrament of Penance, and the manifold graces that come to us from the frequent use of confession. Next June we will gather in a special assembly as brother bishops to pray and reflect on the mission entrusted to us by the Church, including our witness to personal conversion in Jesus Christ, and so to the New Evangelization. We work at giving our people good examples of humble, repentant pastors, aware of our own personal and corporate sins, constantly responding to the call of Jesus to interior conversion. Remember the Curé of Ars? When a concerned group of his worried supporters came to him with a stinging protest letter from a number of parishioners, demanding the bishop to remove John Vianney as their curé, claiming he was a sinner, ignorant, and awkward, St. John Vianney took the letter, read it carefully … and signed the petition! Scot noted that Dolan mentioned dioceses would embrace a program like The Light Is On For You in the Archdiocese of Boston. Fr. Chris said we can't say to folks that confession is important and only offer it during 15 minutes on Saturday. That's why he's so grateful for places like St. Anthony Shrine in Boston for frequent confession. How great would it be to say that in every parish in the United States a priest is available on every Tuesday at the same time. One of the more newsworthy items has been the idea of re-instituting Friday abstinence every week of the year, not just Lent. When we lost this tradition, we lost a weekly reminder of our need for repentance. Fr. Chris said it also serves to make us one body, making a regular communal act of penance together. As I began my talk this morning, my brothers, so I would like to end it, with Blessed John XXIII. It was the Sunday angelus of October 28, 1962.The message the Holy Father delivered on that bright Roman afternoon never even mentions the phrase New Evangelization.But it strikes right at the heart of the mission entrusted to each of us as shepherds. “I feel something touching my spirit that leads to serenity,” Good Pope John remarked. “The word of the Gospel is not silent.It resonates from one end of the world to the other, and finds the way of the heart. Dangers and sorrows, human prudence and wisdom, everything needs to dissolve into a song of love, into a renewed invitation, pleading all to desire and wish for the establishment of the Kingdom of Christ. A kingdom of truth and life; a kingdom of holiness and grace; a kingdom of justice, love and peace.” How could we not see it alive in those holy men and women of every time and place, the heroic evangelizers of our faith, including most recently St. Kateri Tekakwitha and St. Marianne Cope? We have beheld it in the Church's unrelenting corporal and spiritual works of mercy, in the heroic witness of persecuted Christians, in the Church's defense of unborn human life, the care of our elders and the terminally ill, advocacy for the unemployed, those in poverty, our immigrant brothers and sisters, victims of terror and violence throughout our world, of all faiths and creeds, and in our defense of religious freedom, marriage and family. And, I have suggested today, that as we “come and go” in response to the invitation of Jesus, we begin with the Sacrament of Penance.This is the sacrament of the New Evangelization, for as Pope Benedict reminds us, “We cannot speak about the new evangelization without a sincere desire to conversion.” (Homily for the Opening of the XIII Ordinary General Synod of Bishops). With this as my presidential address, I know I risk the criticism. I can hear it now: “With all the controversies and urgent matters for the Church, Dolan spoke of conversion of heart through the Sacrament of Penance. Can you believe it?” To which I reply, “You better believe it!” First things first! Scot said it was classic Dolan. Despite the expected criticism, he knows the bishops and all Catholics need to hear it and to focus first on the spiritual, not temporal problems in the Church. Fr. Chris said people thronged to see Pope John Paul or Mother Teresa because people wanted to see and be near holiness. If we want to be evangelizers, then we need to seek holiness in ourselves first. Scot said he's not surprised that so many of the bishops recognize the need for confession but that they would make the time in their meetings to prioritize this communal act of repentance. Just like at men's or women's conferences where the organizers have created an opportunity for people to act on the movement of the Holy Spirit to repentance and confession. Fr. Chris said it was said that Pope John Paul was the most frequent visitor to reconciliation. The more that the saints became holy, the more they recognize their need to confess their sins. Fr. Chris said Cardinal Dolan wanted to use the opportunity to get all the bishops of the US to think about this topic and how central it is to the New Evangelization. Without repentance, the New Evangelization is dead in the water.

The Show Notescombover & mid-air collisionIntroPoint of Inquiry interview“old” actorsInteresting Fauna     - Pinocchio frog et al from Jason Shmidt & David NanceMinoishe Interroberg’s "To Make With The Good English"     - depricate vs depreciate from Deepgeek     - ain’t & shouldn’t’ve from Heather van de SandeA letter from ScottReligious Morons of the Week     - Dadeus Grings from Richard Lane & Mike Eloranta-     - Integrity Bank Execs from Paul Fischer     - Christopher Daniels from Rob Hinkley     - Tony Abbot from Richard Lane     - Two Gospel Thieves from Peter Sosna     - Cardinal Marc Ouellet from Jenni Merrifield     - Dr. Ergun Caner from Jason SchmidtNerdapaloozaAsk George        - hearing protection? from Bill Camarata     - expensive gear? from Åsmund Skjæveland     - robot musicians? from Don Hoverson     - circumcision? from Danielcongrats to Andy WeinerShow close........................ Mentioned in the showPinocchio frogNerdapalooza  Geo's Point of Inquiry interview with Dr. Karen Stollznow........................ Geo's Music: stock up! The catalog at iTunes The catalog at CD Baby ........................ Sign up for the mailing list: Write to Geo! Score more data from the Geologic Universe! Get George's edition Non-Coloring Book at Lulu, both as download and print editions. Have a comment on the show, a Religious Moron tip, or a question for Ask George? Drop George a line and write to Geo's Mom, too!