ABC NewsPosted on 04/03/2005 6:56:32 AM PDT by bd476
ABC News
Cardinals attend a Mass for the late Pope John Paul II celebrated by the Vatican secretary of State, Cardinal Angelo Sodano, not seen, on the steps of St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Sunday April 3, 2005. (AP Photo/Massimo Sambucetti)
The Associated Press
Apr 3, 2005 — When the cardinals enter their secretive conclave to pick the new pope, the 11 Americans voting will be the second-largest national group behind the Italians. But don't expect an American pope Vatican experts are absolutely convinced it won't happen.
"The economic, political and military power of the United States leads to resentments, and that's part of the human dynamic," George Weigel, John Paul II's biographer, said before the pope's death.
An American would be "virtually impossible," he said.
The Rev. Richard John Neuhaus of First Things magazine agreed. An American pontiff "would give not only the appearance but perhaps the substance of increasing what is perceived by many as the inordinate hegemony of American power."
The Rev. Thomas Reese of America magazine noted that in past centuries "the church always tried to keep (the papacy) out of the hands of the superpower" of the day, whether the Holy Roman Empire, Spain or France. The exception, the 14th century French popes who moved the Holy See to Avignon, proved disastrous.
There are other factors that make Americans unattractive papal candidates.
Popes need to be the masters of many languages but most Americans are fluent only in English, Reese said.
The country's clerical sex abuse scandal also hasn't helped America's reputation within the church and in Rome, and the U.S. church already had a reputation for being troublesome.
Observers also predict the American cardinals won't form any united bloc to work effectively for a particular policy, candidate or region such as neighboring Latin America.
The U.S. cardinals "are not as united as they were 10 or even five years ago," Neuhaus said, and lack the "common mind and approach that has characterized the American cardinals at some points in the past."
They range from staunch conservatives like Francis George of Chicago and James Stafford, head of a Vatican tribunal, to Los Angeles' Roger Mahony and Washington's Theodore McCarrick, regarded as rather more flexible and pragmatic.
;^)
yw!
Angelo Scola. PepsiCo is spending serious lobbying coin behind the scenes to get him elected.
You're really into this St. Malachy stuff. I think it's all baloney.
If Cardinal Scola of Venice is elected Pope (and many consider him a leading candidate) then he will change his name, as all Popes do, so he will not be Pope Scola.
Just one question - how did these experts do last time around? Did any of them pick a Pole to be the Pope in 1978?
wow, that's interesting. what was the reaction then when the Pole was chosen in 1978?
The "pattern of life" for St. Theodore House is found in a variety of monastic communities in Greece, particularly the "missionary monastics" of the Holy Community of St. Michael at Tharri on the island of Rhodes, and in the life of our Holy Father, St. Theodore the Studite. St. Theodore was a great ascetic, defender of the Orthodox Faith, and a major organizer of monastic life. He was abbot if the great urban monastery of St. John in Constantinople (modern day Istanbul) in the 8th century.
and
Theodore the Studite ( ca. 758 - ca. 826 ) was a Christian monk widely known for his zealous opposition to iconoclasm, for his personal asceticism and monastic rule, and for the many liturgies he composed, particularly the Lenten Triodion which is still widely used in Eastern Orthodoxy. He was born in Constantinople, and argued bravely in defense of icons in the capital of the Byzantine Empire during the emperor's opposition. He famously allowed his monks to sprinkle nutmeg (an expensive spice at the time) on their pease pudding when they were required to eat it. At several later times in his life, he publicly criticised the reigning emperor. At various times this earned him banishment and torture. Today he is widely regarded as a saint; his feast day is November 11.
Knowing Card. Lubomyr, he is the olive that has not fallen far from that tree. I think he would be worthy follower of his predecessors, familar with evil around the world and uplifting for Eastern churches that were earmaked for destruction by communism. Having lived in America he also knows where the evil winds blow from and how to counter them. Ukrainian prayers for him!
more info about Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church is at their official web site http://www.ugcc.org.ua/eng/
Tom Dashel is very disapointed.
He told barney frank so...
Thank you for the clarification - I did not get it at first.
Kate
Faithfully they attended parochial school from kindergarten through their senior year in high school.
They took their vows to enter the priesthood early in college, and upon graduation, became priests.
Their careers had come to amaze the world, but it was generally acknowledged that Antonio Secola was just a cut above Timothy Murphy. In all respects.
Their rise through the ranks of Bishop, Archbishop and finally Cardinal was swift to say the least, and the Catholic world knew that when the present Pope died, it would be one of the two who would become the next Pope.
In time the Pope did die, and the College of Cardinals went to work. In less time than anyone had expected, white smoke rose from the chimney and the world waited to see whom they had chosen.
The world, Catholic, Protestant and secular, was surprised to learn that Timothy Murphy had been elected Pope!
Antonio Secola was beyond surprise. He was devastated, because even with all of Timothy's gifts, Antonio knew he was the better qualified. With gall that shocked the Cardinals, Antonio Secola asked for a private session with them in which he candidly asked, "Why Timothy?"
After a long silence, an old Cardinal took pity on the bewildered man and rose to reply. "We knew you were the better of the two, but we just could not bear the thought of the leader of the Roman Catholic Church being called Pope Secola."
Not busy?? Last I checked he's the junior Senator from New York..
Ha! As soon as he heard any roman catholic could be pope, he rushed off to St. Johns for a conversion ceremony and dispatched James Carville to the Vatican to begin the campaign.
Exactly. It doesn't make the Church evil. It means that there are men, good and evil, within it. Ignoring the evil to "protect the Church" is what the evil ones count on and exploit.
From what I understand one of the good things about Jesuits, despite being fantastic educators, is that if one of their own crosses the line, they take care of it, in house. That doesn't mean shuffling a bad egg off to another unsuspecting parish. It means they TAKE CARE OF IT. I hope that's true.
Opus Dei, the "bad guys" in Browns laughable Da Vinci Code, are apparently the same way. That's probably why Brown singled them out as the "bad guys." That's a man with some deep hatred to deal with. Not healthy at all. Nor is he able to research his way out of a paper bag. What's really sad is the mewling masses who think he's accurate.
I'm personally fond of the pre-schism era, like the Church of Saint Columba at Iona. More primative, but there is an appeal there. Most of the studying I've been doing the last few years is all first mellinium stuff. That's a period that get's entirely overlooked, historically, yet it is full and rich. It just has multiple and often contradictory sources and versions. So be it. I read and listen with my heart, as well as my head. I always make sure I try to find at least as many "anti" points of view as "pro" and then try to weigh the tone and supporting information and then form my own opinion.
James in Jerusalem and Paul in Antioch. The Council of Nicea. Leo 1 creating the Papacy and the doctrine of Papal supremecy, as well as facing down the Hun with words and faith alone. Saint Gregory and the worldly power of the Papacy. The collapse of Rome and the rise of Byzantium (along with the overwhelming corruption of Byzantium). I'm particularly fond of reading Saint Augustine, though it amuses me how much of what comes from him is derived not from the Gospel but from pagan intellectuals, like Plato and Aristotle. Misunderstanding his teachings caused 1,000 years of problems, and some even linger till today.
The fallacies of men, even good men, are never to be ignored.
hehe! Yep.And apparently France's history of screwing things up goes WAY back:
The Rev. Thomas Reese of America magazine noted that in past centuries "the church always tried to keep (the papacy) out of the hands of the superpower" of the day, whether the Holy Roman Empire, Spain or France. The exception, the 14th century French popes who moved the Holy See to Avignon, proved disastrous.
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