Quebec bishop set to become a cardinal

Archbishop Marc Ouellet, born in Lamotte, Quebec, is one of only two Canadians whose careers included both heading up a diocese at home and holding a major position at the Vatican.

Pope John Paul is likely to name Quebec City's Archbishop Marc Ouellet a cardinal this weekend.

According to Vatican rumours widely reported in Italian and Catholic media, the Pope will announce tomorrow the names of Catholic archbishops to be elevated on October 22 to fill vacancies in the College of Cardinals that will someday elect his successor.

All of the world's current cardinals are already scheduled to be in Rome Oct. 16 to celebrate John Paul's 25th anniversary as Pope, as well as Mother Teresa's beatification Oct. 19, and are now expected to stay on for the consistory of cardinals necessary to install its new members.

Philip Lawler, editor of the San Francisco-based Catholic World News service and Catholic World Report magazine, says Archbishop Ouellet, Boston's Archbishop Sean O'Malley, and Philadelphia's Archbishop Justin Rigali are the only three North American bishops on the list he sent out yesterday of the bishops likely to be named cardinals this weekend. All three have been in office a year or less.

Archbishop Ouellet is a prime candidate for a cardinal's red hat. A year ago, he was named to head North America's oldest diocese, a position that carries the largely ceremonial title of Primate of Canada, and makes him nominally the Canadian church's chief ecclesiastic.

Largely because of this, six of his eight predecessors over the past 130 years have all been named cardinals, and Archbishop Ouellet, 59, is unusually qualified for a top post. Along with Cardinal Edouard Gagnon, now retired, he is one of only two Canadians whose careers included both heading up a diocese at home and holding a major position at the Vatican.

Archbishop Ouellet is a member of the Sulpician teaching order and was the rector of seminaries in Colombia, Edmonton and Montreal, before going to Rome in 1997 to teach at the Lateran University. Three years later, he was appointed secretary of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity and vice-president of the Commission for Religious Relations with the Jews, positions he held until being named archbishop of Quebec.

Other new archbishops who have been named as likely to be named cardinals on Sunday include another former Vatican official, Genoa's Archbishop Tarcisio Bertone; as well as Venice's Archbishop Angelo Scola; Manila's Archbishop Gaudencio Rosales; and Glasgow's Archbishop Mario Conti.

The Vatican never confirms the date a consistory is to be held until the Pope actually makes the announcement, but Italian media suggested yesterday that the new cardinals' names will likely be announced after the Pope delivers his traditional noon blessing on Sunday from his apartment window above St. Peter's.

Cardinals lose their right to elect the next Pope at the age of 80, and, due to many recent retirements, the number of cardinal electors currently sits at 109, 11 less than the nominal upper limit of 120, and 28 less than the actual all-time high number of 137 potential electors in 2001. Among the current cardinal electors are only two Canadians: Toronto's Aloysius Cardinal Ambrozic and Montreal's Jean-Claude Turcotte.

Philip Lawler, editor of both the Catholic World News service and Catholic World Report magazine, says Archbishop Ouellet, Boston's Archbishop Sean O'Malley, and Philadelphia's Archbishop Justin Rigali are the only three North American bishops that he has suggested will likely be named cardinals this weekend. All three have been in office a year or less.

Archbishop Ouellet was born in Lamotte, Quebec,and is a member of the Sulpician teaching order. He was the rector of seminaries in Colombia, Edmonton and Montreal, before going to Rome in 1997 to teach at the Lateran University. Three years later, he was appointed secretary of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity and vice-president of the Commission for Religious Relations with the Jew, positions he held until being named archbishop of Quebec.

Rev. Thomas Reese, editor of the Jesuits' America magazine and author of such books as Inside the Vatican, is one of the few experts who is skeptical about the rumors that new cardinals will be named on the weekend.

"It all started with rumors reported in one Italian newspaper, and then everybody else picked it up," he said.

"It could be simply some wanna-be cardinals in the Vatican starting the rumor in hopes the Pope will name them," said Father Reese.

From Archbishop Ouellet's homily at his installation as Archbishop of Quebec, January 26, 2003:

Enstranged from the values which were the strength and the glory of its ancestors, Québec is languishing. Its rightful will to survive culturally is dramatically hampered by its minimal birthrate and by the catastrophic suicide rate of its adolescents. What do these suicides mean? They tear up our hearts and give an alarm signal about the situation of contemporary families, and the absence of values which would give meaning to their lives. They signal indeed the gravest impoverishment of Québec society: it is forgetting its spiritual heritage; it is forgetting its martyrs and saint. Most people seem to recognize the need to safeguard our cultural heritage; but let us not forget to take care of educating our youth in those virtues and spiritual attitudes which shape the soul and the destiny of a people.

This is the first time in nearly 40 years that a Quebec bishop has ever publicly attacked the legacy of La revolution tranquille, which sent Quebec from the altar of God to that of a dead nationalism.

Does the Catholic hieracrchy in Canada ever try to discipline Catholic politicians who openly advocate
such anti-Catholic policies as abortion and gay marriage? I agree with everything he says, but without at least speaking out and publically naming the politicians who are doing so, words like this are meaningless.

O should clarify: By Spritual charity, I mean recognizing spiritual poverty; recognizing the need for the spiritual acts of mercy, including admonishing sinners, etc. So often, Catholic leaders emphasize material charity so much, that it conflicts directly with spiritual charity. I.e., rewarding "living in sin" by insisting of family Earned Income Credit programs, etc.

I was just in Quebec last month... what a spiritual wasteland. Some of the most beautiful Churches... physical tradition (secular and religious) preserved beautifully, but the bishops and priests there have just wreaked havoc over the past 40 years. They capitulated to the women's liberation movement and have capitulated to every new idea that comes down the block... they've sown so much doubt and confusion there that people just threw up their hands and said "why bother" - and the fruits of that are amply evident.

So tragic when you consider the rich Catholic history of that area.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.