A Pen for the President

WITL ^ | May 7, 2008 | Rocco Palmo

[NYer]

Shortly after his historic victory in Paraguay's mid-April elections, President-elect Fernando Lugo -- the retired bishop suspended from ministry after he declaring his run for office -- received a courtesy call from the papal nuncio to the Latin American country, Archbishop Orlando Antonini.

While the Paraguay church's initial reaction to Lugo's expected defeat of its long-reigning Colorado party was little more than acknowledgment that it happened, Antonini called on the president-elect bearing a gift from B16: not a decree of excommunication, but a pen adorned with the papal coat of arms. The prelate-politico was reported to be emotional as he greeted the Vatican legate at his campaign headquarters.

As local media blared headlines that Lugo would use the Pope's gift in the exercise of his office, the bishop-emeritus of the country's poorest diocese appeared on a Catholic radio station to ask "sincere forgiveness" of those for whom his actions caused "sorrow." He likewise sought "pardon" from the Pope.

Zenit recently reported that "a unique solution" for Lugo is under consideration in Rome, as other sources held out the possibility that the onetime provincial of the Divine Word Fathers could return to ministry following the end of his five-year term in office.

The prelate will receive the presidential sash on August 15, Paraguay's patronal feast of the Assumption.

[NYer]

Ping!

[NYer]

And from Thomas Peters at American Papist blog ...

Developments on Lugo: contrite or obstinant?

The current president-elect of Paraguay is a suspended Catholic bishop. I blogged about the story here.

On Monday, he asked for pardon from Pope Benedict:

Fernando Lugo asked forgiveness particularly to Benedict XVI on Monday after having been elected Sunday as Paraguay's next president. "If my attitude and my disobedience of canon law caused sorrow, I sincerely ask forgiveness to the people of the Church. In particular, I ask pardon to Pope Benedict XVI," Lugo said on the radio channel Fe y Alegria (Faith and Joy). According to canon law, clerics cannot run for political offices.

Lugo told the radio station that he is ready to dialogue to find a "satisfactory solution" for himself and the Church. Sources in the Holy See confirmed that the unique situation is being studied, though time is needed. (Zenit)

Rocco reports that "other sources held out the possibility that the onetime provincial of the Divine Word Fathers could return to ministry following the end of his five-year term in office."

Unfortunately, things are not so simple. In Cardinal Re's words as quoted by Zenit:

Lugo was named a bishop in 1994. He had since asked Benedict XVI to be able to "renounce his ecclesial ministry […] to take up again the condition of a layperson in the Church."

The petition was not accepted because, as Cardinal Re noted, "the episcopacy is a service accepted freely forever."

If Lugo wants to return to ministry, he needs to give up his political office first. It's hard to argue that he is truly contrite and obedient to the discipline of Rome if he is only willing to give it up the presidency when it is taken from him by the next election process years down the road.

[sinanju]

As far as I’m concerned, it depends on what kind of a president he is. I know nothing about him. Tell me he’s not a “liberation theology” lefty.

[neb52]

He is a LT lefty. I have no problem with him still being a Bishop, its his theology that bothers me.