Free Republic

"The title "Cardinal Sean" just doesn't sound right to me."

It seems to me that the use of one's baptismal name is typical to the "Franciscan Tradition". The priests and brothers do not not typically use their surnames in their nominal titles. It may sound foreign to many, but it is customary for that particular Religious Order.

"...another strong, lucid column by Cal Thomas"

Which was the other one?

"The liberals are scared. They don't want to lose what they think they have."

Not really.... call us cautiously optimistic. You're right about the Church moving slowly. I am comforted by the reality that "sea-change" is not the sort of thing that I lose sleep over.

As long as the Bruskewitzs and Vasas are in such places as Lincoln NB and Baker OR ;-)

....not to worry.

"A minor league Archbishop Tutu..." Wouldn't mind that appellation on my tomb-stone... Eat your hearts out.

"Schumer got close to 80% in his last Senatorial election and Hillary, even though she won, ran WAY BEHIND Gore in 2000. Why would Democrats want to nominate a candidate who had half the margin of victory of Gore in 2000 and close to 20% less of the vote than Schumer?" Just to piss you off... maybe?

"He has no real power except to make news in this fashion, he excels at this sort of thing. He is an auxiliary bishop and I'm wondering how the Vatican will proceed."

He's really an auxiliary bishop in name only these days. He "resigned" his adminstrative diocesan responsibilities some 15 years ago, and became the pastor of an inner-city parish. About the only episcopal duties he still performs are ceremonial ones and conferring Confirmation as his turn comes up in "rotation".

There's really no point to the Vatican accepting his resignation, since they'll probably feel obligated to appoint another auxiliary in his place. I'm sure they would much rather utilize their declining number of available bishop-candidates for vacant sees and growing dioceses with greater needs than Detroit. I'm pretty sure this is much the same reason that they have delayed accepting the resignations of Cardinal Maida and Bishop Mengeling in Lansing.

The "rust-belt" dioceses are not exactly a high priority for the Vatican. The historical precedent of the Detroit ordinary being named a Cardinal is likely to end with Maida in favor of the Archbishop of either Houston-Galveston or San Antonio.

"I was NOT impressed when I attended a conference in San Francisco in the 90s and visited Levada's new cathedral there. The building is an atrocity, built at huge expense, one of the worst examples of modern architectural vandalism in the church that I have ever seen. I have heard that Levada considers it his legacy to the city."

You really have to become more discerning as to whom you listen to, or from whom you hear things.

From the archdiocesan web-site:
"Ground was broken in August 1965 and Apostolic Delegate Luigi Raimondi blessed the cornerstone on December 13, 1967. The building was completed in 1970. The new cathedral was formally blessed on May 5, 1971, again with Cardinal Raimondi presiding, and ceremonies completing its dedication took place on October 5, 1996 with Archbishop William J. Levada presiding."

It would seem well-nigh impossible for one's "legacy" to include events which occurred almost 20 years prior to the beginning of his episcopate. It seems to me that Archbishops McGucken and Quinn might have something to say about that. The ceremony completing the dedication took place about 8 months after Levada took office.

Your disdain for Levada is patently obvious, but you're going to have to come up with something a tad more significant than the putative architectural shortcomings of the cathedral when it comes to justifying your position.

"That is indeed good news. I hope you'll keep us updated on a possible successor."

A good time for Bob Vasa to leave Baker (Oregon) and come back to the midwest. He's been there for 6 years now and is still young enough to take on the responsibilities of a major diocese.

"Again, with slime like Rocco Palmo, and yes I do mean that, I would not take any of his opinions at face value"

Sounds like a personal problem... my deepest sympathies.

By the way, other than "at face value", how is one to evaluate any opinion?

"...the Summa is dragged out of the closet for these inspections"

and summarily replaced by any and all suspected gays.

"The days of letting American bishops choose their buddies are, for the moment, over."

Somebody get that memo to Cardinal Stafford! Quick!!

He's managed to "pipeline" 3 of his Denver proteges to the fullness of the priesthood in less than 4 years: Aquino to Fargo ND, Gomez to San Antonio, and today, Nickless to Sioux Falls.

For some, the "days" are just now starting....

"...the suits are making headway in Rome."

"Headway in Rome" usually translates realistically to somthing like 5-10 years. By the time these are resolved it's likely that none of the "defendants" will be in office any longer. It's not as if their Catholic affiliation has ever had any significant impact on the number of votes they have received.

On the other hand, if the matter is adjudicated, does anyone honestly think that the Kerrys and the Kennedys are actually going to change their political positions or behavior, merely because thy will no longer have the name "Catholic" appended to their resumes? In the real world of American politics, pragmatism will always trump faith.

This will be a hollow victory at best in terms of the purported objective. It's not as if the Catholic Church in America has a stronghold on the moral high-ground, given the rampant clericalism which now characterizes its presence.

I foresee the mountain roaring and bringing forth a massive yawn amongst the populace. But it should succeed in becoming a "talking point" for about 16-20 hours.

"...when you cross the line there is just going to be a credibility loss. Credibility, once lost, is very hard to regain."

So what. Are we now looking to race car drivers for "credibility"? Credibility with regard to what, exactly? She manages to qualify consistently and race on a reasonably competitive level. What more does she need to do in order to have "credibility"?

"So, why is Ann Coulter's opinion to be valued over President Bush's?"

...much better legs.

Estimates of the numbers of gays in the priesthood vary from 25 percent to 50 percent

..and all of them in the U.S.

Have you conveniently overlooked the problems of pedophilia by the Catholic clergy in Canada, Ireland, and Australia?

Are you conveniently ignoring the fact that there are more homosexuals-per-square-foot in the Vatican City than in any other country in the world?

These priests have apparently been living at the Stritch House (Mundelein). When the Chicago Tribune newspaper presented the Chancellor with a list, he confirmed the following priests have been removed from public ministry: Revs. R. Peter Bowman, Daniel Buck, Daniel Mark Holihan, Walter Huppenbauer, Robert Kealy, John Keehan, Donald Mulsoff, James Ray, John Robinson, Raymond Skriba and Anthony Vader.

He also confirmed that Rev. Marion Snieg, who also could have faced sanctions, had died. Revs. Thomas Swade and John Calicott await the conclusion of canonical trials.

Chicagoland can stop guessing.

"Joliet, from what I understand, is still hostile territory for the straight male seminarian..."

I don't know that "hostile" would be the right way to characterize it. Maybe "non-existent"?

There is no seminary located in or affiliated with the Diocese of Joliet. They send their candidates to seminaries in Missouri, Minnesota and Michigan, as well as Mundelein.

I remember the good ol' days when Holy Orders conferred extraordinary, sacramental graces upon the candidate. I guess these graces are no longer all that extraordinary (or even sacramental) in that they can no longer overcome "evil tendenicies" and allow an otherwise qualified candidate to live a life of chastity.

Whoda' thunk that SSA would someday trump Holy Orders?

"How do they propose to measure and regulate 'same-sex attraction' exactly?"

Penile plesmythography

"When last did your Bishop appear on television looking and acting as a decisive, manly, virile, authoritative teacher"

How manly and virile can he be while dressed in the episcopal garb forced on him by medieval convention? Get rid of the lace rochets, cappa magnas, mitres and such, and you might give him a fighting chance.

Elsewhere someone mentions the feminization of America being a problem; the Catholic Church has been struggling with that burden for centuries. Short of the Broadway stage, a homosexual couldn't find a better costuming option than Holy Mother Church.