...The source of Mother Angelica's Olympic-level diligence
was the fiercely protective love a woman bears her husband --
especially when he suffers innocently for others. She couldn't bear to
see her Beloved mocked, and she wouldn't stand idly by. So when that
network flippantly questioned the Resurrection, she did found
her own network. When U.S. bishops greeted a visit of Pope John Paul II
with a show that featured Christ as a female mime, she stopped accepting
their programming, despite their string-pulling and threats. When Roger
Cardinal Mahony of Los Angeles issued a pastoral letter she thought watered down the Real Presence,
she critiqued him, point-by-point, on television -- and refused to
offer a false apology, even when Cardinal Mahony's machinations got her
threatened with interdict (the loss of the Sacraments) and the closure
of her community. When still other bishops tried to gain control of EWTN
and stifle her loudly orthodox voice, she famously said, "I'll blow the
damn thing up before you get your hands on it." Her eyes always focused
on the eyes of her Beloved, she was almost blind to the worldly
obstacles thrown in her way. She stepped right over them...
(BBC) A retired Los Angeles
cardinal accused of mismanaging a child sex abuse crisis has been
stripped of all administrative and public duties by his successor.
Retired Cardinal Roger Mahony, 76, has apologised for his "failure", Archbishop Jose Gomez said on Thursday.
The Los Angeles archdiocese, the largest in the US, has
released thousands of pages of files on priests accused of child
molestation.
Cardinal Mahony retired in 2011, having run the archdiocese for 25 years.
In 2007 Los Angeles paid $660m (£415m) to alleged victims of abuse, the largest sex abuse payout on record.
Cardinal Mahony has publicly apologised for mistakes he made handling the clerical sex abuse issue.
'They failed'
"I find these files to be brutal and painful reading," Archbishop Gomez said in a statement. "The behaviour described in these files is terribly sad and evil.
"There is no excuse, no explaining away what happened to
these children. The priests involved had the duty to be their spiritual
fathers and they failed."
He added that Bishop Thomas Curry, former vicar of the clergy
who handled the cases of accused priests, had stepped down from his
post as bishop of Santa Barbara.
The 12,000 pages of documents were released after Church records on 14 priests were unsealed as part of a civil case.
They showed both Bishop Curry and Cardinal Mahony had helped to shield accused priests from investigation in the 1980s.
A Church expert said the "very unusual" punishment showed how seriously the US Catholic hierarchy was taking the case.
"To tell a cardinal he can't do confirmations, can't do
things in public, that's extraordinary," Jesuit scholar the Reverend
Thomas Reese, a Georgetown University fellow, told the Los Angeles
Times.
But a victims' support group said Cardinal Mahony's reprimand was too little, too late.
"When [Cardinal Mahony] had real power, and abused it
horribly, he should have been demoted or disciplined by the Church
hierarchy, in Rome and in the US," said David Clohessy, director of the
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests.
"But not a single Catholic cleric anywhere had the courage to even denounce him. Shame on them."
The Catholic Church in the US has been embroiled in a series of child sex scandals over the past two decades.
A Church-commissioned report said more than 4,000 US priests
had faced sexual abuse allegations since the early 1950s, in cases
involving more than 10,000 children - mostly boys.
My brothers and sisters in Christ,
This week we are releasing the files of priests who sexually abused children while they were serving in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.
These files document abuses that happened decades ago. But that does not make them less serious.
I find these files to be brutal and painful reading. The behavior described in these files is terribly sad and evil. There is no excuse, no explaining away what happened to these children. The priests involved had the duty to be their spiritual fathers and they failed.
We need to acknowledge that terrible failure today. We need to pray for everyone who has ever been hurt by members of the Church. And we need to continue to support the long and painful process of healing their wounds and restoring the trust that was broken.
I cannot undo the failings of the past that we find in these pages. Reading these files, reflecting on the wounds that were caused, has been the saddest experience I’ve had since becoming your Archbishop in 2011.
My predecessor, retired Cardinal Roger Mahony, has expressed his sorrow for his failure to fully protect young people entrusted to his care. Effective immediately, I have informed Cardinal Mahony that he will no longer have any administrative or public duties. Auxiliary Bishop Thomas Curry has also publicly apologized for his decisions while serving as Vicar for Clergy. I have accepted his request to be relieved of his responsibility as the Regional Bishop of Santa Barbara.
To every victim of child sexual abuse by a member of our Church: I want to help you in your healing. I am profoundly sorry for these sins against you.
To every Catholic in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, I want you to know: We will continue, as we have for many years now, to immediately report every credible allegation of abuse to law enforcement authorities and to remove those credibly accused from ministry. We will continue to work, every day, to make sure that our children are safe and loved and cared for in our parishes, schools and in every ministry in the Archdiocese.
In the weeks ahead, I will address all of these matters in greater detail. Today is a time for prayer and reflection and deep compassion for the victims of child sexual abuse.
I entrust all of us and our children and families to the tender care and protection of our Blessed Mother Mary, Our Lady of Guadalupe and Our Lady of the Angels.
(CNSNews.com) - The Los Angeles City Council is urging all residents to observe "meatless Mondays" from now on.
A
resolution adopted on Oct. 24 reads: "Be it resolved, that the Council
of the City of Los Angeles hereby declares all Mondays as 'Meatless
Mondays' in support of comprehensive sustainability efforts as well as
to further encourage residents to eat a more varied plant-based diet to
protect their health and protect animals."
Councilwoman Jan Perry, who introduced the resolution, also wants to ban new fast-food restaurants in South Los Angeles.
"While
this is a symbolic gesture, it is asking people to think about the
food choices they make. Eating less meat can reverse some of our
nation's most common illnesses," press reports quoted Perry as saying.
The
resolution makes 15 points in support of meatless Mondays, including
U.N. recognition that "livestock are one of the most significant
contributors to today's most serious environmental problems."
And
if that's not enought, the resolution also mentions the growing
obesity epidemic, the importance of reducing "our carbon footprint,"
health disparities in low-income communities, and animal cruelty.
The
resolution plugs a vegetarian diet, noting that a nonprofit group in
Los Angeles called Compassion Over Killing "encourages people to choose
vegetarian foods as a way to help build a kinder, cleaner, and
healthier world, and works with businesses throughout Los Angeles
County to ensure vegetarian meals are readily available to consumers."
Los
Angeles now becomes the largest city to endorse "meatless Mondays."
The Washington, D.C., City Council also has designated "Meat Free
Mondays," San Francisco has designated every Monday as "Veg Day," and a
number of colleges and public schools also have adopted meatless
Monday policies.
The text of the resolution endorsing "Meatless Mondays" in Los Angeles is printed below.
RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, in 2007, the City of Los Angeles adopted GREEN LA: a progressive action plan to
lead the nation in fighting global warming, which includes the goals of
reducing greenhouse gas emissions, promoting clean technology, reducing
air pollution, conserving water, and more;
WHEREAS, the United Nations recognizes that "Livestock are one of the most significant contributors to today's most serious environmental problems"; and
WHEREAS, recent studies and reports have demonstrated that we can lower our carbon footprint simply by reducing the amount of animal-based foods we eat; and
WHEREAS, more than half of the adult population is overweight or obese in Los Angeles County.
Statistics show that low-income areas in Los Angeles are at higher risk
for preventable diseases linked to obesity, including, heart attacks,
strokes, diabetes and even cancer; and
WHEREAS, poorer communities around Los Angeles have less access to healthy foods; and
WHEREAS, health disparities exist in various groups, with African-Americans and Hispanics at a higher risk of diseases linked to poor nutrition habits; and
WHEREAS, the American Dietetic Association recognizes that reduced meat consumption decreases
the risk of various health problems, stating, "Scientific data suggests
positive relationships between a vegetarian diet and reduced risk for
several chronic degenerative diseases and conditions, including obesity,
hypertension, diabetes mellitus and some types of cancer"; and
WHEREAS, a growing number of people are reducing their meat consumption to help prevent animal cruelty; and
WHEREAS,
in 2008, Californians overwhelmingly supported Proposition 2, the
Prevention of Farm Animal Cruelty Act, which banned some of the cruelest
forms offarmed animal confinement; and
WHEREAS, Compassion Over Killing, a nonprofit organization with an office in Los Angeles, encourages
people to choose vegetarian foods as a way to help build a kinder,
cleaner, and healthier world, and works with businesses throughout Los
Angeles County to ensure vegetarian meals are readily available to
consumers; and
WHEREAS, several colleges and universities in California and nationwide have added
Meatless
Monday menus in their cafeterias including the University of
California-Davis and the University of California-San Diego; and
WHEREAS, the Baltimore City Public School System in Maryland, became the first school district
in the U.S. to adopt a 100% Meatless Monday policy in 2009, the Oakland
Unified School District adopted this policy in 2010, along with other
school districts in Arlington, VA, Oneida, NY, and Longmont, CO; and
WHEREAS, the Council of the District of Columbia has designated Mondays as "Meat Free Mondays" highlight the benefits of diets high in fruits and vegetables; and
WHEREAS, the City of San Francisco has designated every Monday as "Veg Day" to encourage
restaurants, grocery stores, and schools to offer a greater variety of
healthier and more sustainable plant-based options; and
WHEREAS, a growing number of cities, including Takoma Park, MD, Annapolis, MD, and Marin
County, CA, have passed resolutions encouraging residents to explore
vegetarian eating to help protect their health, the environment, and
animals and the Green Cincinnati Plan recommends going meatless one day a
week; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Council of the City of Los Angeles hereby declares
all Mondays as "Meatless Mondays" in support of comprehensive
sustainability efforts as well as to further encourage residents to eat a
more varied plant-based diet to protect their health and protect
animals.
RESENTED BY JAN C. PERRY Councilwoman, 9th District SECONDED BY:
CO-PRESENTED BY ED P .REYES Councilman, 1st District OCT 24 2012
The “tolerant” same-sex marriage left has struck again – this time,
at the popular hangout The Grove, in Los Angeles. The owner of The
Grove, Rick Caruso, tweeted
that iconic boxing great and Philippines Congressman Manny Pacquiao
would not be allowed “on the premises” thanks to Pacquiao’s outspoken
opposition to same-sex marriage. “Boxer Manny Pacquiao is not welcome
@TheGroveLA,” he tweeted. “@TheGroveLA is a gathering place for all
Angelenos, not a place for intolerance.” Pacquiao was supposed to do an
interview today with “Extra” at The Grove.
What did heretofore-Obama-supporter Pacquiao do to earn the ban? He
did an interview with the National Conservative Examiner in which he
said, “God’s words first … obey God’s law first before considering the
laws of man. God only expects man and woman to be together and to be
legally married. It should not be of the same sex, so as to adulterate
the altar of matrimony, like in the days of Sodom and Gomorrah.” In
other words, like the vast majority of religious people of all
persuasions around the world, Pacquiao is against same-sex marriage.
That now earns him a ban from a public area in Los Angeles. And make
no mistake – while Caruso is the owner of the complex, he relies heavily
on public funding in his projects.
The left wants to claim intolerance here, but it is surely the
highest form of intolerance not to allow a religious person who openly
expresses him or herself onto the premises of an outdoor shopping mall.
In fact, The Grove features a kosher hot dog stand frequented by
Orthodox Jews, virtually all of whom oppose same-sex marriage. Will
Caruso ban them? Are all of those who believe in traditional scriptural
interpretation, and who oppose same-sex marriage, no longer welcome at
Caruso’s myriad establishments?
Caruso is an emissary of the leftist thought police who say that you
don’t deserve the privileges of decent treatment if you "haven't
evolved." Pacquiao has done nothing to harm or mistreat gays or
lesbians; he actually says he has a gay relative, and that gays and
lesbians can’t do anything about their orientation because they were
born that way. But that’s not enough – he has to bow to the politically
correct same-sex marriage crowd or be barred from the premises.
There is a question as to whether Caruso legally can bar Pacquiao
from the premises based on statements Pacquiao has made outside The
Grove. In fact, even were Pacquiao to “reasonably exercise” his right to
free speech at The Grove, it is likely that the California Supreme
Court would uphold his right to do so without being kicked off the
premises.
Caruso is in the wrong both morally and legally here. But don’t
expect the leftist press to call him out on it. When it comes to
bullying, the true bullies are the leftists who maintain that in order
to be treated as a normal human being, you must agree with them. And
even the best pound-for-pound fighter on the planet can’t avoid their
heavy fist.
Fisher announced that on Saturday, March 24, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., his group will protest the annual REC, the world's largest training event for Catholic schoolteachers. (The REC is slated for the Anaheim Convention Center, March 22-25. The Saturday leafleting will take place outside the Center's main exhibit hall.)
"The REC will have speakers with long track records of dissent," Fisher noted. "They'll tell Catholic educators what to teach. Then the teachers will infect countless innocent Catholic children with their errors."
Fisher said CRCOA members will hand out flyers that expose speakers who dissent from the Church's teachings.
The 185 REC speakers include:
A priest who's said he's "not anti-choice," has publicly discussed his genitals, and has criticized the idea that truth is superior to dissent.
A priest who says the Church needs "public models" of "healthy gay priests for Catholics to reflect on," to counter "the stereotype of the gay priest as child abuser."
A professor who subtly undermines Church teachings on papal authority, sodomy, contraception and women's ordination.
A nun who's taught that "ordinary genital self-touch can be very important" for children.
A laicized priest who wants not only women priests but also women bishops.
Fisher invited faithful Catholics to join CRCOA's leafleting by calling him at 714-491-2284 or e-mailing him at crcoa@dslextreme.com.
Meanwhile, in a surprise move, B16 has accepted the early resignation of LA Auxiliary Bishop Gabino Zavala, who turned 60 last September.
While rumors of unspecified Roman concerns over Zavala have circulated for some time, and have intensified over recent months, Catholic News Servicereported this morning via Twitter that the bishop submitted his resignation after he confessed to having fathered two children.
Since sending his resignation to Benedict shortly thereafter, Zavala "has not been in ministry and will be living privately," the archbishop said. Gomez added that the LA church has offered to assist the teens with "spiritual outreach" as well as their college costs.
Named by Blessed John Paul II at age 43 to assist Cardinal Roger Mahony in the nation's largest diocese, the Mexican-born Zavala -- until now the senior auxiliary of the 5 million-member LA fold -- had been in the final year of his term as Chair of Communications for the US bishops.
The longtime bishop-president of the Stateside branch of Pax Christi, he previously made national headlines for advocating a more progressive stance on church teaching in the public square during the 2008 elections, and with a high-profile speech that lambasted "blogs" that "engage in attacks and hurtful, judgmental language... assume the role of Magisterium and judge others in the church" during the 2010 Catholic Press Convention in New Orleans.
Reacting to the news, all one longtime friend of Zavala's among the Angeleno crowd could say was, "I'm numb."
Here below, the fulltext of Gomez's letter detailing the situation, sent this morning to the LA church's clergy and staff:
Dear Brothers and Sisters:
I have some sad and difficult information to share with you. Bishop Gabino Zavala, auxiliary bishop for the San Gabriel Pastoral Region, informed me in early December that he is the father of two minor teenage children, who live with their mother in another state.
Bishop Zavala also told me that he submitted his resignation to the Holy Father in Rome, which was accepted. Since that time, he has not been in ministry and will be living privately.
The Archdiocese has reached out to the mother and children to provide spiritual care as well as funding to assist the children with college costs. The family's identity is not known to the public, and I wish to respect their right to privacy.
Let us pray for all those impacted by this situation and for each other as we reflect on this letter.
May the Lord Jesus, through the intercession of Mary, grant you peace.
The Bishops of eleven English-speaking countries have completed a new English translation of the Latin Roman Missal, Editio tertia, and the new English Roman Missal is under final review at the Vatican.
The new Missal will be the first new translation since the current Missal was published in 1974--some 36 years ago.
It is anticipated that the new English Roman Missal will begin full use on the First Sunday of Advent, 2011--less than two years from now.
Since the 1974 version was translated in haste, there were many errors in the translation which rendered the Missal inaccurate in many places.
The Archdiocese of Los Angeles just completed a series of Workshops for all of our priests to inform them about the coming new Missal, reasons for changes, and a good grounding in the efforts taken to produce a Missal which is more theologically correct.
A whole series of Workshops are being planned for everyone involved in the planning and celebration of the Eucharist: permanent deacons, parish liturgy committees, members of the various ministries, and the like. As we get closer to the launch of the new Missal, we will have several weeks of catechesis for all our people about the new Missal and the changes which will affect them in their responses at Mass.
There are two websites which contain a lot of background and information on the new English Missal. I recommend these two:
The coming months will be very important to the life of the Church in the English-speaking world, and I encourage all of us to become as informed as we can about the new English Roman Missal.
Priest: The Lord be with you. People: And also with you.
Priest: The Lord be with you. People: And with your spirit.
Penitential Act, Form A (Confiteor)
I confess to almighty God, and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have sinned through my own fault, in my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done, and in what I have failed to do;
and I ask blessed Mary, ever virgin, all the angels and saints, and you, my brothers and sisters, to pray for me to the Lord, our God.
I confess to almighty God and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have greatly sinned in my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done and in what I have failed to do, through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault; therefore I ask blessed Mary ever-Virgin, all the Angels and Saints, and you, my brothers and sisters, to pray for me to the Lord our God.
Penitential Act, Form B
Priest: Lord, we have sinned against you: Lord, have mercy.
People: Lord, have mercy.
Priest: Lord, show us your mercy and love.
People: And grant us your salvation.
Priest: Have mercy on us, O Lord.
People: For we have sinned against you.
Priest: Show us, O Lord, your mercy.
People: And grant us your salvation.
Gloria
Glory to God in the highest, and peace to his people on earth. Lord God, heavenly King, almighty God and Father, we worship you, we give you thanks, we praise you for your glory.
Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, Lord God, Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world: have mercy on us; you are seated at the right hand of the Father: receive our prayer. For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord, you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. Amen.
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to people of good will. We praise you, we bless you, we adore you, we glorify you, we give you thanks for your great glory, Lord God, heavenly King, O God, almighty Father.
Lord Jesus Christ, Only Begotten Son, Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us; you take away the sins of the world, receive our prayer; you are seated at the right hand of the Father, have mercy on us. For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord, you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. Amen.
Nicene Creed
We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is seen and unseen. We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, one in Being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit he was born of the Virgin Mary, and became man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered, died, and was buried. On the third day he rose again in fulfillment of the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshipped and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.
I believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God, born of the Father before all ages. God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father; through him all things were made. For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven, and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate, he suffered death and was buried, and rose again on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead and his kingdom will have no end. And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets. And one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church. I confess one baptism for the forgiveness of sins and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.
On Saturday Rocco Palmo announced on his blog that he has learned that the terma, the final three names submitted to Pope Benedict for the job of Shepherd of Los Angeles, includes both Hispanic and Anglo candidates. Palmo writes: "again, the demographics of the archdiocese are an immense consideration here, but so is the skill-set of a candidate given the Holy See's assessment of the place" ("Back Page" live discussion, posted at 10:27).
In the last post, I looked at the Hispanic bishops most frequently named in connection with this story. But what if it's not a Hispanic?
Obviously, if, as Rocco suggests, the pope is also considering Anglo candidates, the list of possible names becomes much longer.
One possible way to narrow it down a bit might be to look to bishops of larger dioceses. Obviously, given the enormous size of the LA diocese, it would seem Cardinal Mahony's successor is likely to be someone with experience running a large see.
We also might look at some of Pope Benedict's other appointments to high profile posts. In fact, church-watchers have noted certain trends in Benedict's episcopal placements:
1. Experience in Priestly Formation
One of the most pressing challenges facing many dioceses in the US (and for that matter those throughout the world) is that of an aging presbytery. Put simply, there is a crisis in vocations to the priesthood. According to the last study which was done, the average age of a Catholic priest in the U.S. is 60 (source). In many places, the situation is dire (see more statistics here).
Pope Benedict's concern for the state of the presbytery in the world has especially come to the limelight this year, which he has proclaimed as the "Year for Priests."
Because of this it should probably be no surprise that church-watchers have noted that Pope Benedict's top episcopal choices typically have an extensive history in priestly formation; many are even former seminary rectors (see, e.g., here and here). For example, Archbishop Timothy Dolan (New York City), the Holy Father's most high profile American appointment to date, was the rector the North American College in Rome. Likewise, Daniel DiNardo, whom the Pope named to the Houston diocese and even made a cardinal--the first cardinal ever from the American southwest!--also worked in a seminary: he served as spiritual director to seminarians at St. Paul Seminary. This is also true of the Holy Father's appointment to the Diocese of Detroit, Archbishop Vigneron. Archbishop Vigneron is the former Dean of the prestigious Sacred Heart Seminary. The new bishop of Omaha, Bishop George Lucas (yes, a different George Lucas!), also once served as a seminary rector and professor before becoming bishop. Still also, Dennis Marion Schnurr, recently appointed the coadjutor bishop of Cincinnati, had a reputation for his focus on priestly formation. The list goes on.
The trend, therefore, seems to favor the notion that the new bishop in LA will have had experience in training priests.
2. A Roman Background
If you look at many of the the major recent appointments in the United States you'll also note that the Holy Father often seems to look to men who have had experience working in Rome. I noted that Archbishop Dolan was not only a seminary rector, but that the school which he oversaw was in fact the North American College in Rome. We can also add that both Archbishop DiNardo and Archbishop Vigneron also have a Roman background. Archbishop Dinardo worked as a secretary to the Congregation for Bishops from 1986-1989 in the Roman Curia, while also teaching at the North American College. Similarly, from 1991-1994 Archbishop Vigeron worked at the office of the Vatican's Secretary of State, while also teaching in at the Pontifical University of the Gregorian. Still also, Bishop Salvatore Cordileone, the freshly minted bishop of Oakland, also served in Rome, working as assistant in the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura office. And while Bishop Schnurr never held a post in Rome--though he did study there--he did work closely with the Apostolic Nuncio and led the International Commission for English in the Liturgy (ICEL). One could say that while he did not work in Rome he at least worked closely with Roman representatives.
Why is experience in Rome helpful? Obviously, those who have worked in Rome--or with Rome as it were--are much better known to the decision-makers in the Vatican. Given that the Pope's other major appointments in the U.S. have fallen to men with a Roman background, we might expect to see a person with a Roman connection appointed to Los Angeles.
3. An Academic Background
Yet another characteristic of many of the bishops the Holy Father has recently appointed to key posts is that they often have an academic background. Pope Benedict, a scholar himself, tends to appoint people who have advanced degrees and/or are former seminary professors.
Again, consider some of the major appointments in the U.S.: Archbishop Dolan earned a Licentiate in Rome and a doctoral degree from Catholic University. He also served as a professor. Archbishop Vigneron also earned an advanced degree in theology and taught at a seminary. The same can also be said about Archbishop DiNardo. Bishop Cordileone and Bishop Schnurr has a doctoral degree in canon law. Bishop George Lucas (yes, a different George Lucas!), also holds an advanced degree (Church History) and taught at a seminary. Et cetera.
Some Speculation
The trends for major U.S. appointments then seem to favor someone with a history working in priestly formation, Roman experience, and an academic background.
In addition, note what Rocco said: ""again, the demographics of the archdiocese are an immense consideration here, but so is the skill-set of a candidate given the Holy See's assessment of the place".
Given all of this, there's one person who might get serious attention.
Before I go on though let me stress this: I am not weighing one bishop's strength and skills against another. Each have unique abilities. Any of the men I have covered here would make excellent shepherds. And there are many, many others I have not even mentioned.
But if we were simply to speculate based on the kinds of picks already made by Pope Benedict, there's one man who especially seems a likely contender. I, of course, could be wrong. Pope Benedict has much more prudence and knowledge about church affairs than I do. I am confident that he will pick the best man for the job.
Nonetheless, just for the fun of it, consider the following. . .
Bishop Olmsted, age 63, was born in Kansas and raised on a family farm on the Kansas-Nebraska border. He received his education at a one-room school house. He studied at St. Thomas Seminary in Denver and was ordained a priest in the Diocese of Lincoln in 1973.
The Catholic Sun reports, "Since 1974, Bishop Thomas James Olmsted has been a member of the Jesus Caritas fraternity of priests, and thus has been deeply influenced by the witness and wisdom of Charles de Foucauld and by the prayers and encouragement of many brother priests."
His personal page at the Diocese of Phoenix neatly lays out his career. It would be very difficult to reproduce his biography in a more readable way, so I'm going to simply reproduce it as it is laid out there.
1973 – 1976: First assignment as a priest: Associate Pastor at the Cathedral of the Risen Christ (Lincoln, Nebraska) 1976 – 1979: Doctoral Studies at the Gregorian University (Rome, Italy) 1979 – 1988: Assistant at the Secretariat of State of the Holy See, and Assistant Spiritual Director at Pontifical North American College (Rome, Italy) 1989 – 1993: Pastor of St. Vincent de Paul Parish (Seward, Nebraska) 1993 – 1997: Dean of Personal Formation at the Pontifical College Josephinum (Columbus, Ohio) 1997 – 1999: Rector / President of the Pontifical College Josephinum (Columbus, Ohio) 1999 – 2001: Coadjutor Bishop of the Diocese of Wichita, Kansas 1999 – 2007: USCCB Committee on Priestly Formation 2000 – 2003: Board of Directors, Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. 2000 – 2003: USCCB Committee on Consecrated Life 2001 – 2003: Bishop of the Diocese of Wichita, Kansas 2003 – present: Bishop of the Diocese of Phoenix, Arizona 2005 – 2007: USCCB Administrative Committee 2005 – 2007: Chair of USCCB Committee on Priestly Formation 2005-2008: Member, USCCB National Advisory Council 2008 – 2009: Apostolic Administrator of Diocese of Gallup 2008 – 2011: Member USCCB Committee on Ecumenical and Inter-Religious Affairs
Bishop Olmsted has an incredibly impressive history. Let me highlight a few things.
First, Bishop Olmsted has experience dealing with immigration issues. As noted above, he has sat on the Board of Directors of the Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. Obviously, as I mentioned in part one, any Archbishop of Los Angeles would need to be knowledgeable about such matters.
Second, Bishop Olmsted has a deep commitment to priestly formation: he served as Assistant Spiritual Director at the North American College (a.k.a.: "the NAC"), he was Dean of Personal Formation at the Josephinum and then became the the Rector/President there, he served for many years on the USCCB's committee for Priestly Formation--he even became Chair of that Committee in 2005-2007!
Third, Bishop Olmsted has a Roman history.
Fourth, Bishop Olmsted has a doctoral degree in canon law.
Fifth, Bishop Olmsted has had a great deal of experience as a bishop running a large diocese, serving as the ordinary of both Wichita and Phoenix. In fact, both of these are large dioceses. In fact, according to the latest data, Phoenix is the fifth largest city in the United States! The list runs as follows: 1. New York, 2. Los Angeles, 3. Chicago, 4. Houston, 5. Phoenix, 6. Philadelphia, 7. San Antonio, 8. Dallas, 9. San Diego, 10. San Jose. It should be noted that Wichita (51), Bishop Olmsted's previous assignment, out ranks other notable cities such as St. Louis (52), Cincinnati (56), New Orleans (59), and Pittsburgh (60).
What is especially striking to me is that Bishop Olmsted was also appointed Apostolic Administrator of Diocese of Gallup for a short time in 2005. In a sense, he ran this diocese and Phoenix at the same time! This bishop is an administrator extraordinaire. Apparently, his skill in this area is known to Rome. After all, when Gallup suddenly found itself without a bishop, the Pope turned to Olmsted--even though he was already running the diocese in the fifth largest city in the U.S. which happened to be in another state!
Another thing we might add about Bishop Olmsted is that he is quite media savvy, something which might be important for the bishop running the diocese in which Hollywood is located. Bishop Olmsted used video media successfully to help promote donations to the Catholic Tuition campaign--an effort which brings a solid Catholic education to children in economically depressed areas. I'll let the Bishop tell you about it all:
That's just the tip of the iceberg! Bishop Olmsted has brought his media ministry right into people's homes via TV spots. That's right, the bishop got his message on the broadcast networks via commercials. Let me explain.
Last year the Catholic world was buzzing with the news about the television commercials that ran in the city of Phoenix, which were produced by the organization Catholics Come Home. Of course, now the effort has exploded and other cities have run similar campaigns. Yet it all started under Bishop Olmsted in Phoenix. The ads were very compelling--take a look (by the way, the YouTube quality doesn't do them justice):
Here's one called "Movie":
Here's my favorite:
And, by the way, when I say the effort exploded, I mean it. Catholics who had left the Church came back in droves. The initiative involved more than just TV commercials, but careful planning at the parish level. As a result of this incredibly well orchestrated and successful program, a shocking 95,000 fallen away Catholics returned to actively practice their faith. That's no typo: 95,000! Here's the full story.
Bishop Olmsted and the Diocese of Phoenix also partnered with Virtue Media to run some pro-life commercials which ran on major television networks. These ads, like the Catholics Come Home spots, were a huge success. Once again, I'll let the bishop explain:
Bishop Olmsted was also present for the launching of Immaculate Heart Catholic Radio (KXAM AM 1310) earlier this year. Incidentally, this fine station (here comes the shameless plug!) carries my own radio show, Reasons for Faith Live--which airs every Friday on the EWTN radio network at 2pm East Coast Time!
Bishop Olmsted is clearly a remarkable shepherd.
Could he be the next shepherd of the flock in Los Angeles?
"(Los Angeles Cardinal Roger Mahony's) diocesan spokesman Tod Tamberg declared: “Mel Gibson is not a Roman Catholic and is not subject to the canons of Catholic law.”
And he added tersely: “Repeat – he’s not a Roman Catholic and is not subject to our process regarding marriage and annulment.”
Devout Gibson, 53, has adopted a traditional or “Old -Roman” form of the faith.
This includes the celebration of the Tridentine Mass in its original Latin format.
Followers are not recognised by the modern church. Gibson’s friends are furious over Cardinal Mahony’s public attack.
One said yesterday: “It’s like taking a sledgehammer to crack a nut or, in this case, pointing the finger of God at a famous guy who is an easy target.”
Mel’s wife Robyn, 52, filed for divorce last week.
The couple married in 1980 and have one daughter, six sons and one grandchild."
"At Karen Dawn's Thanksgiving feast, there will be yams and stuffing with cranberries and a dessert of pumpkin-pecan pie, all set out on a table for eight.
And there will be turkeys, two of them actually -- Emily and Bruce (or possibly Brucilla -- it's a little unclear). The two 20-pounders will have most of the privileges of Dawn's other sentient guests -- a Pacific Palisades patio, a view of the ocean and vegetarian nibbles.
At Dawn's vegan holiday dinner, guests will ooh and aah over live birds. The only turkey plunked down on her table will be Wild Turkey bourbon..."
Los Angeles, May 19, 2008 / 07:10 pm (CNA).- Cardinal Roger Mahony has denied an Australian bishop permission to speak in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles after the Australian Catholic Bishops’ Conference issued a statement warning of “doctrinal difficulties” present in the bishop’s writings.
In 2007 Bishop Geoffrey Robinson, the retired auxiliary bishop of Sydney, published a book titled “Confronting Power and Sex in the Catholic Church: Reclaiming the Spirit of Jesus.” Bishop Robinson argued in his book that because the Church refuses to reexamine Catholic teachings on extramarital sex, women priests, homosexuality, and papal power, the Church is not serious about responding to clerical sexual abuse but is only “managing” it.
In a May 8 statement, the Australian bishops said that Bishop Robinson’s questioning of the authority of the Catholic Church to teach the truth definitively is connected to the bishop’s “uncertainty about the knowledge and authority of Christ himself.”
Bishop Robinson is presently on a U.S. lecture tour sponsored by Voice of the Faithful, an activist group formed in response to the clerical sexual abuse scandal. He responded to the Australian bishops’ statement in a May 15 letter, which is posted on the web site of Voice of the Faithful. He said the statement was “disappointing,” and continued:
“In their statement, the bishops appear to be saying that, in seeking to respond to abuse, we may investigate all other factors contributing to abuse, but we may not ask questions concerning ways in which teachings, laws, and attitudes concerning power and sex within the church may have contributed.
“This imposes impossible restrictions on any serious and objective study, and it is where I have broken from the Bishops Conference. We must be free to follow the argument wherever it leads.”
Pope Benedict XVI in his April visit to the U.S. had encouraged academics “to search for the truth wherever careful analysis of evidence leads you,” but he also said “any appeal to the principle of academic freedom in order to justify positions that contradict the faith and the teaching of the Church” would obstruct the academic duty to teach the truth.
Archbishop of Los Angeles Cardinal Roger Mahony in a May 9 letter asked Bishop Robinson not to speak in his archdiocese.
Saying he was “once again” writing regarding Bishop Robinson’s scheduled June 12 speaking engagement in the archdiocese, Cardinal Mahony said, “Your letter informing me of your coming appearance made it clear that you were not seeking my permission or approval, that you were planning to come regardless.”
In his letter, Cardinal Mahony said he had recently learned of the Australian bishops’ statement about the bishop’s book. He also said he had learned that Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, the Prefect for the Congregation of Bishops, has urged Bishop Robinson to cancel his U.S. visit.
Cardinal Mahony requested Bishop Robinson to cancel his visit, citing Canon 763 of Canon Law. The canon pertains to a bishop’s duty to safeguard the teachings of the Church in his diocese.
“Under the provisions of Canon 763, I hereby deny you permission to speak in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles,” the cardinal wrote. He also urged Bishop Robinson to cancel his entire speaking tour and to work with the Australian bishops’ conference, saying he would expect him to “follow exactly” their recommendations.
Dan Bartley, president of Voice of the Faithful, criticized Cardinal Mahony’s refusal of permission to Bishop Robinson’s Los Angeles lecture.
“Why is a loyal Catholic bishop prevented from asking honest questions in his search for the truth in the aftermath of the worst scandal in the modern Church?” Bartley said.
A statement from Voice of the Faithful said the ban would harm the Church, saying Bishop Robinson “obviously loves the Church.” The statement suggested that the Australian bishops’ statement was questionable in its conclusions about Bishop Robinson’s doctrinal stands.
Bishop Robinson’s lecture tour has scheduled events in Boston, Seattle, San Diego, and Los Angeles.
...The source of Mother Angelica's Olympic-level diligence
was the fiercely protective love a woman bears her husband --
especially when he suffers innocently for others. She couldn't bear to
see her Beloved mocked, and she wouldn't stand idly by. So when that
network flippantly questioned the Resurrection, she did found
her own network. When U.S. bishops greeted a visit of Pope John Paul II
with a show that featured Christ as a female mime, she stopped accepting
their programming, despite their string-pulling and threats. When Roger
Cardinal Mahony of Los Angeles issued a pastoral letter she thought watered down the Real Presence,
she critiqued him, point-by-point, on television -- and refused to
offer a false apology, even when Cardinal Mahony's machinations got her
threatened with interdict (the loss of the Sacraments) and the closure
of her community. When still other bishops tried to gain control of EWTN
and stifle her loudly orthodox voice, she famously said, "I'll blow the
damn thing up before you get your hands on it." Her eyes always focused
on the eyes of her Beloved, she was almost blind to the worldly
obstacles thrown in her way. She stepped right over them...
"Why," Fisher asked, "does L.A.'s new, reputedly orthodox Archbishop José Gomez bring back the same dangerous speakers whom his predecessor Cardinal Roger Mahony brought in year after year? Jesus commanded us not to doubt but to have faith (Mt 14:31, 21:21). The Bible warns against people who sow doubts in Christians' minds (I Tim 4:1; II Tim 4:3, 4)." 
The Archdiocese of Los Angeles just completed a series of Workshops for all of our priests to inform them about the coming new Missal, reasons for changes, and a good grounding in the efforts taken to produce a Missal which is more theologically correct.
