"Caritas" 101

In prep for tomorrow's release of B16's first major contribution to the church's "social magisterium," the Mothership's Don Clemmer has posted a useful primer of background on (and links to) the long line of texts that form the meat-and-potatoes of Catholic social teaching, and the US bishops' longtime peace-and-justice guru John Carr has outlined some of what he expects to see come Roman Noon (6am Eastern).

In the meantime, some might likewise find it worthwhile to brush up on the Holy See's 2004 Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church... not just to see what it says, but how Caritas in Veritate might just "develop" some of its threads even further.

Busy week, gang -- more on that in a bit... 'til then, though, welcome to it.

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"Proclaim Liberty Through All the Land...."

To all the gang on these shores -- and all the expats abroad -- every good wish for a Happy 4th from this, the place where it all began.

In keeping with the custom of the house, here's a re-run of a the "Prayer for the Nation" first delivered in 1791 by the "father-bishop" of the United States, John Carroll of Baltimore, a cousin of the lone Catholic signer of the Declaration adopted in this River City 233 years ago today:

We pray, Thee O Almighty and Eternal God! Who through Jesus Christ hast revealed Thy glory to all nations, to preserve the works of Thy mercy, that Thy Church, being spread through the whole world, may continue with unchanging faith in the confession of Thy Name.

We pray Thee, who alone art good and holy, to endow with heavenly knowledge, sincere zeal, and sanctity of life, our chief bishop, Pope Benedict, the Vicar of Our Lord Jesus Christ, in the government of his Church; our own Bishop, N., all other bishops, prelates, and pastors of the Church; and especially those who are appointed to exercise amongst us the functions of the holy ministry, and conduct Thy people into the ways of salvation.

We pray Thee O God of might, wisdom, and justice! Through whom authority is rightly administered, laws are enacted, and judgment decreed, assist with Thy Holy Spirit of counsel and fortitude the President of these United States, that his administration may be conducted in righteousness, and be eminently useful to Thy people over whom he presides; by encouraging due respect for virtue and religion; by a faithful execution of the laws in justice and mercy; and by restraining vice and immorality. Let the light of Thy divine wisdom direct the deliberations of Congress, and shine forth in all the proceedings and laws framed for our rule and government, so that they may tend to the preservation of peace, the promotion of national happiness, the increase of industry, sobriety, and useful knowledge; and may perpetuate to us the blessing of equal liberty.

We pray for his excellency, the governor of this state, for the members of the assembly, for all judges, magistrates, and other officers who are appointed to guard our political welfare, that they may be enabled, by Thy powerful protection, to discharge the duties of their respective stations with honesty and ability.

We recommend likewise, to Thy unbounded mercy, all our brethren and fellow citizens throughout the United States, that they may be blessed in the knowledge and sanctified in the observance of Thy most holy law; that they may be preserved in union, and in that peace which the world cannot give; and after enjoying the blessings of this life, be admitted to those which are eternal.

Finally, we pray to Thee, O Lord of mercy, to remember the souls of Thy servants departed who are gone before us with the sign of faith and repose in the sleep of peace; the souls of our parents, relatives, and friends; of those who, when living, were members of this congregation, and particularly of such as are lately deceased; of all benefactors who, by their donations or legacies to this Church, witnessed their zeal for the decency of divine worship and proved their claim to our grateful and charitable remembrance.

To these, O Lord, and to all that rest in Christ, grant, we beseech Thee, a place of refreshment, light, and everlasting peace, through the same Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Savior. Amen.

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Curial Chairs, Summer Edition

Sure, B16's social encyclical might be three days away... but beneath the top line of Caritas in Veritate, a good bit else is well in motion behind the Vatican walls.

This morning, the latest round of Curial chair-shifting continued with the outbound transfer of Bishop Giampaolo Crepaldi, #2 at the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, to the Italian border-diocese of Trieste.

Holder of the secretary's post since 2001, when he succeeded then-Bishop Diarmuid Martin (now archbishop of Dublin) on the Irishman's transfer to the UN mission in Geneva, no Vatican successor was named to replace the veteran social worker, who'll be one of four top prelates to lead the presentation of the new encylical on Tuesday morning in the Holy See Press Office.

Likewise today, the Pope named the vicar-general of Toledo, Msgr Juan Miguel Ferrer, as a "second under-secretary" at the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments. While the English Marist Fr Tony Ward already holds the #3 post at Culto Divino, the Spaniard's appointment is worth noting as it reunites Ferrer with his past and future boss, Cardinal Antonio Cañizares -- the "Little Ratzinger" who took the reins of the global church's "liturgy office" late last year.

(Of course, the other top transition at CDW will be completed a week from today in Washington with the ordination of the office's new secretary, the Bronx-born Archbishop-elect Gus DiNoia OP, in the capital's the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.)

Today's twin moves follow yesterday's promotion of the longtime secretary of the Congregation for Bishops, Archbishop Francesco Monterisi, to the archpriest's post at the papal Basilica of St Paul's Outside the Walls. With that shift, the 75 year-old Italian is now placed in line to become a cardinal, keeping with the longstanding tradition for former seconds-in-command at the dicastery overseeing episcopal appointments for the global church's non-mission dioceses. Named to succeed Monterisi in the critical post was Archbishop Manuel Montiero de Castro, 71, who had served since 2000 as the papal nuncio to Madrid and, as a result, was the Holy See's lead voice to the Socialist government of Premier Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, whose efforts to liberalize Spain's abortion laws and legalize same-sex marriage have met with ferocious criticism from the country's hierarchy.

Most of the already-announced moves were foreseen last week by the most reliable of the current Curia's court scribes, Il Giornale's Andrea Tornielli, who likewise lifted the veil on several other shifts supposedly at hand.

Among the yet-unannounced bunch are two that'd be of special interest to North Americans: according to Tornielli, the highly-regarded nuncio to Ottawa, Archbishop Luigi Ventura, is likely bound for the papal nunciature in Paris (whose occupants traditionally end up with the red hat) and, with the Secretariat of State's #3 official said to be in line for a return to the field, the post of Assessore is reportedly headed toward Msgr Peter Wells, a priest of Tulsa and the current head of Stato's English Desk.

The top aide to the all-important Sostituto -- the archbishop who, in essence, serves as the Roman Curia's "chief of staff" -- past Assessori have customarily gone on even higher: among others, both the current overseer of the Eastern churches Cardinal Leonardo Sandri and Cardinal Crescenzio Sepe of Naples once held the job, as did another American, then-Msgr James Harvey of Milwaukee, who John Paul II named to run his Household in 1998.

As the official responsible for arranging the pontiff's audiences and visits, the Midwesterner will return to his usual place in the San Damaso courtyard next Friday afternoon, this time to welcome President Obama to the Vatican and escort the visitor through the Apostolic Palace to the Papal Apartment.

PHOTO: AP

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Scenes from an Interview

As the dust settles from yesterday's reporter-roundup with President Obama, the takes of several outlets in attendance are now on the wire:

• America
• National Catholic Reporter
• Washington Post
• From Catholic News Service... one, two, three pieces
• And from the National Catholic Register, a full multi-post roundup, with a link to the Italian transcript published in Avvenire, the daily paper of the country's episcopal conference, under the headline "With the Pope, a collaboration to help the world"
  

...and, well, everyone who wasn't invited has, so it seems, taken to griping about it.

On a related note, word broke late in the day that the President would nominate Doug Kmiec -- the former CUA Law dean and longtime pro-lifer/Republican operative whose support for Candidate Obama at last year's election infuriated many on the Catholic right -- as ambassador to Malta.

PHOTO: The White House

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Pope: "Bless" Newman

And now, finally, it's official: at an audience with his lead saint-maker this morning, Pope Benedict formally affirmed the miraculous healing of a Massachusetts deacon attributed to the intercession of Cardinal John Henry Newman, clearing the last procedural hurdle to the beatification of the famed English convert.

Approved last month by the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, the decree of the Newman miracle was one of 12 advancements for canonization cases ratified by the pontiff, including one of a German priest judged to have been martyred "in odium fidei" -- "out of hatred for the faith" -- in the Nazi concentration camp at Dachau in 1942.

With the Newman miracle now formally sanctioned, plans can begin in earnest for a Beatification Mass -- which, if the recently restored custom holds, would be held in England and presided over by a papal legate.

Given the likely global turnout for the event, smart money would seem to indicate a date either late this year or early in 2010.

Late last year, Newman's remains were moved from their original resting place to the Birmingham Oratory with an eye to the cardinal-convert's reaching the last step before sainthood.

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Meet the Press

Earlier this morning, President Obama welcomed eight senior church journalists to the White House for an "unprecedented" listening session in advance of his first meeting with Pope Benedict next Friday.

According to early word, among the group were Jesuit Fr Drew Christiansen, editor of America; National Catholic Reporter ed-in-chief Joe Feuerherd, Legion of Christ Fr Owen Kearns, publisher of the National Catholic Register, Washington Post religion writer Jacqueline Salmon, and Catholic News Service's lead DC correspondent Pat Zapor, who's filed the first post-meet brief, promising "more to come":

President Barack Obama told a morning round table with religion writers July 2 that he was profoundly influenced by the late Cardinal Joseph Bernardin of Chicago when he worked in community organizing there in a project partially funded by the Catholic Campaign for Human Development.

Obama said his encounters with the cardinal continue to influence his approach to social issues that are important to the church.

He also told reporters to expect a conscience clause protection for health care workers that will be no less protective than what existed previously.

Again, "more to come."

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Bishops to G8: "Bring a Light of Hope"

With next week's G8 Summit in L'Aquila soon to dominate the news-cycle, the heads of the episcopal conferences of the eight industrial superpowers sent a joint letter to their nations' leaders calling for the group to "take steps" toward concrete action on "reduc[ing] poverty and address[ing] climate change":

Our moral tradition commits the Church to protecting human life and dignity, especially of the poorest, most vulnerable members of the human family. In the faces of poor persons the Catholic Church sees the face of Christ whom we serve in countries throughout the world.

Ironically poor people have contributed the least to the economic crisis facing our world, but their lives and livelihoods are likely to suffer the greatest devastation because they struggle at the margins in crushing poverty. In light of this fact, the G8 nations should meet their responsibility to promote dialogue with other powerful economies to help prevent further economic crises. In addition, they should meet their commitments to increase Official Development Assistance in order to reduce global poverty and to achieve the Millennium Development Goals, especially in African countries. This requires deepening partnerships with developing countries so that their peoples can be active agents in their own development, participating in political, governmental, economic and social reforms that serve the common good of all. In a particular way it is important to strengthen peacekeeping so that armed conflicts do not continue to rob countries of the resources needed for development.

In a similar way, poor countries and peoples who have contributed the least to the human factors driving global climate change are most at risk of its harmful consequences. As Catholic pastors and teachers, we have a special concern for how climate change impacts the poor. Concrete commitments should be agreed upon and mechanisms should be created to mitigate additional global climate change and to help poor persons and developing nations adapt to its effects as well as to adopt appropriate technologies for sustainable development. Protecting the poor and the planet are not competing causes; they are moral priorities for all people living in this world.

The G8 Summit takes place in the shadow of a global economic crisis, but its actions can help bring a light of hope to our world. By asking first how a given policy will affect the poor and the vulnerable, you can help assure that the common good of all is served. As a human family we are only as healthy as our weakest members.

Among the church-chiefs signing the note were Cardinals Andre Vingt-Trois of Paris (France), Angelo Bagnasco of Genoa (Italy), Francis George of Chicago (US) and Keith O'Brien of St Andrews and Edinburgh (Scotland), and Archbishops James Weisgerber of Winnepeg (Canada), Robert Zollitsch of Freiburg (Germany) and Vincent Nichols of Westminster (England and Wales).

On the eve of the three-day summit -- and, indeed, B16's social encyclical -- updated UN figures reported last week that the ranks of the world's hungry had reached a record 1 billion, one-sixth of the global population.

PHOTO: AP

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Per "Caritas," Six Days' Notice

This morning, the Holy See announced next Tuesday, 7 July, as the release date for B16's social encyclical "Caritas in Veritate."

First slated for publication in 2007, the long-delayed text will be formally presented that day by the Vatican's Peace Czar Cardinal Renato Martino and German Cardinal Paul Josef Cordes, the Holy See's top official on humanitarian aid, at an 11.30 Sala Stampa press conference prior to the text's appearance a half-hour later.

For all the snags along the way, it's indeed conspicuous that this pontificate's first major foray into questions of capital, labor and development is to drop on the eve of the G8 Summit in the Pope's backyard -- the leaders of the world's eight economic superpowers will open their three-day meeting in L'Aquila a day after the encyclical's release.

* * *

On another note, even though the title of B16's first encyclical was translated as "God is Love," the return of caritas atop the pontiff's latest major text has already sparked rows over whether the word would emerge as "love" or "charity" in English.

Now, we seemingly have our answer.

In its Monday report that the Professor Pope had signed Caritas in Veritate earlier that morning, Vatican Radio rendered the title as "Charity in Truth" on its English broadcast.

PHOTO: Getty

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NOLA Meets Papa

As the wire didn't run a shot of Archbishop-elect Greg Aymond of New Orleans getting his pallium earlier in the day, best to give the newly-surfaced photo its own post.

Of the five US metropolitans who received the lambswool band on this feast of Rome's patrons, the incoming Crescent City prelate is the first native son of NOLA's 14 archbishops, one of two in this year's American class given the reins of his home church. (The other is Detroit's Allen Vigneron, likewise the first local to become the Motor City's ordinary.)

Bishop of Austin from 2001 until his transfer home earlier this month, Aymond will be installed in St Louis' Cathedral-Basilica on Jackson Square on August 20th.

PHOTO: L'Osservatore Romano

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Hotlanta: "Grain Once Scattered"... Now a Juggernaut

In a recent list of the Stateside church's "hot spots," the archdiocese of Atlanta topped the bunch -- and not just alphabetically, either.

"The diocesan staff are openly disciples," the cite read, "orthodox, wonderfully creative and not driven by fear."

Suffice it to say, the fruit is considerable -- in the heart of the Bible Belt, the North Georgia church has seen a more than fivefold increase in membership over the last two decades, exploding from 150,000 in 1990 to within striking distance of 800,000 today... and -- as if that wasn't enough -- a concurrent increase by half of the diocesan presbyterate (121 in 1990 to 181 today), with eight more priests ordained last weekend... and, what's more still, they can't build or expand the schools quickly enough.

Oh, and -- while we're at it -- over 2,700 adults were received into the local church there over the last year.

If all keeps up -- and by the looks of it, the rate of the rise just keeps accelerating -- it won't be long before a red-bird comes home to Peachtree Street. In the meantime, though, earlier this month the Southeast's second-largest local church (after Miami) hosted another edition of what's become its marquee event: the Eucharistic Congress, which (again) grew by half this year to an estimated attendance of some 30,000 and, in its 14th year, has entered the rarified realm of Stateside Catholicism's largest gatherings alongside Los Angeles' Religious Education Congress (40,000 yearly) and the 100,000-plus who throng to suburban Chicago's Maryville Shrine every 12 December for the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

In its last edition, the local Georgia Bulletin devoted the entire shebang to the weekend-long event -- its closing Eucharist presided over by the patron saint of the press -- so read up....

Meanwhile, in an even more recent development, against his protests, The Wilt has gone a-Twitter.

PHOTO: Archdiocese of Atlanta

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Timmy and the Mets

(From left: Archbishops Timothy Dolan of New York, Gregory Aymond of New Orleans,
Robert Carlson of St Louis, George Lucas of Omaha, and Allen Vigneron of Detroit)

So, gang, here's a group shot of your Big Five, taken last night during a reception for the Pallium Class at the home of the American Ambassador to the Holy See, Villa Richardson -- which, of course, currently awaits its next occupant.

All thanks to our sometime content partners at Gotham's "hometown paper" for providing the pic.

PHOTO: Joanna Molloy/New York Daily News

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Pope to POTUS: "Thank You"?

In a normal year, today's feast of Saints Peter and Paul would be the Vatican's "last hurrah" before the summer exodus.

Suffice it to say, this ain't a normal year -- there's a good bit more to come before Pope & Co. skip town.

For one, early July will (at long last) see the release of the new encyclical, a "fire sale"-style clearout of Curial and diplomatic moves (including, so they say, some of interest to North Americans) is also reportedly at hand... and -- maybe the most awaited moment of all -- the Pope will receive President Obama in a rare afternoon audience on 10 July.

While no shortage of opinion's circulated from all sides on what the pontiff will (actually, more like should) tell the Commander-in-Chief since their first meeting was confirmed early last week, Joseph Ratzinger's mind on Barack Obama is largely a mystery, and even the usually omniscient Italians are left wondering whose leanings among the Apartment's inner circle will shape B16's talking points with his impending guest.

That said, quite possibly the first authoritative glean into the day's message comes from none other than Benedict's hand-picked choice for the States' most prominent ecclesial post:

[The New York Daily News] asked [Archbishop Timothy Dolan] what he thought Pope Benedict might say to President Obama when he meets him during the G-8 economic summit in Rome on July 10.

"When we preach, we say you're supposed to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable," Dolan said. "We believe in what you call the via media, the middle way. We would always condemn unbridled cutthroat capitalism as well as socialism. So we think, as Aristotle said, in the middle you find virtue.

"So, with President Obama, I think Pope Benedict will say, 'Thank you for trying to see that health care will be expanded. Thank you for the overtures you are making for peace and justice, particularly the bridges you are building with the Islamic world.'

"He would say, never forget the needs of the poor. But while you're at it, let's not forget the virtues of private capital.

"Economic freedom, the freedom that comes from a man or woman's opportunity to make his or her own living, to take care of their families and others.

"It's tough to achieve, the balance. It's a tightrope. But you'll always hear the Pope calling us back to the middle, to virtue."

And, well, there you have it.

PHOTO: Getty

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Live from Rome... of Sorts

Now streaming via CatholicTV -- Pallium Mass Part One.... and Part Two (beginning with the Rite of Conferral itself).

PHOTO: Reuters

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"Love" Is On the Way

At the noontime Angelus following this morning's Pallium Mass, the Pope announced that, as expected, he had signed his third encyclical earlier in the day -- a long-awaited, long-delayed text which, indeed, bears the title Caritas in Veritate ("Love in Truth").

"Recalling the social themes contained in Populorum Progressio" -- the 1967 encyclical of Paul VI -- B16 said that "this document... intends to focus on some aspects of the integral developments of our time, in the light of love in truth.

"I entrust to your prayers this latest contribution the church offers to humanity in its task of sustainable progress," he added, "with full respect for human dignity and the real circumstances of all."

Leaking what it claimed to be some of the document's key grafs, a weekend report in Italy's Corriere della Sera said the text is expected to drop on either 6 or 7 July, just before the Bel Paese hosts the G8 Summit in L'Aquila, at whose close the pontiff will receive President Obama in a private audience on the late afternoon of the 10th.

PHOTO: Reuters

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Behold the Lamb(swool)....

While waiting on video, let's start with the shots, fresh off the wire.

(In order of seniority, by date of appointment.)

Archbishop Allen Vigneron of Detroit (who's blogging his pilgrimage)....

Archbishop Tim Dolan of New York....

Archbishop Robert Carlson of St Louis....

Archbishop-elect George Lucas of Omaha....

But sorry, N'Awlins -- no shot of Archbishop-elect Greg Aymond getting his moment.

Blame the wire.

PHOTOS: Archdiocese of Detroit(1); AP(2,3,4)

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Plus Ça Change....

Well, they did it... again.

In a move deemed "illegitimate" by the Vatican that especially raised the ire of the German bishops, the Society of St Pius X completed its global cycle of ordinations earlier today with the making of eight priests and ten deacons at the fraternity's home-base of Econe in Switzerland.

Earlier in the week, the SSPX -- whose four bishops were recently de-excommunicated by Rome, but remain barred from ministry in the Catholic church -- ordained 13 at its seminary in Winona, Minnesota, and another three at its German house near the pontiff's hometown of Regensburg. In the latter instance, Society leaders lamented the "bullying" of the German bishops,

The ordinations brought the number of SSPX priests over 500 -- in its announcement, the group maintained that the clerics "hand down the Catholic priesthood of Our Lord Jesus Christ in all its doctrinal purity."

While the SSPX claims "emergency" faculties to carry out its ordinations, by accepting the sacrament outside the bounds of canon law, all the ordinands are automatically suspended.

With the lead traditionalist group soon to undertake reconciliation talks with the Holy See, the Society's German superior, Fr Franz Schmidberger, recently said that the Lefebvrites would likely enjoy a "personal prelature" status following its readmission to full communion.

Presently enjoyed only by Opus Dei, the unique canonical status would render the SSPX independent of any local church in which it chooses to operate, answerable only to its superior and the Vatican.

Despite the Holy See's clarification on the recent rites, the Society's top prelate recently turned aside the German bishops' view that the move was "a provocation"; in an interview with an Austrian newspaper, Bishop Bernard Fellay said that "in Rome, there is sympathy for these ordinations, even if they say it is illegal."

The move comes on the 21st anniversary of Archbishop Marcel Lefevbre's ordination of Fellay and three other prelates to the episcopacy -- the act that garnered the now-revoked excommunications.

PHOTO: Reuters

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Ite Missa Est

Mornin', gang... and away we go.

PHOTO: Getty

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"A Bond of Love, An Incentive to Courage"

So, church, welcome to Palliumfest '09 -- at 9.30 Rome time tomorrow (3.30 Eastern, 0730GMT), the 34 metropolitan archbishops named from across the globe this year will receive the symbol of their new office from Pope Benedict on the feast of Saints Peter and Paul (for which, as you can see, the famous statue of the first pontiff traditionally gets all decked out).

Thanks to this year's contingent of five Americans -- the highest this decade -- interest is running especially high on these shores... and, with the archbishops of Westminster, Vancouver, Rio, Bangkok and Florence among others in the mix, well beyond, too.

Regardless of where you are, though, a front-row seat is yours... and even if you don't get up in the middle of the night.

While it'll join its friendly competitors in livestreaming the Mass, CatholicTV plans to have the two-hour liturgy viewable at your on-demand pleasure as soon as possible afterward.

Following the rite, early word from Rome adds that the Yanks might just be holding a press conference... but word'll more likely filter out on that one.

A buona festa to one and all... as always, stay tuned -- and a domani, enjoy the sights and sounds.

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The Great Gotham Road Show

In the morning, 34 metropolitan archbishops from across the globe will receive the pallium from the Pope on the solemnity of Ss. Peter and Paul, the patrons of Rome.

That said, guess who brought the party to town.

Detroit might have over 100 pilgrims for Archbishop Allen Vigneron and some 40 St Louisans made the trip with Archbishop Robert Carlson, but the "spiritual conga line" following the archbishop of New York runs closer to 300.

(Just wait -- when the red hat comes, the over-under's already set at 10,000... and smart money says "over.")

Returning to the city where he held court for seven years as "the ultimate host" -- officially, rector of the Pontifical North American College -- it's Tim Dolan's first appearance in the Urb since his appointment to the "capital of the world"... and so it seems, the Pope's man in Midtown is making the most of it.

From the ground, the Daily News' Joanna Molloy sends a dispatch:

Dolan played pied piper to nearly 100 New Yorkers and others who followed him through the streets of Rome on an impromptu - and hilarious - walkabout [tour]....

Dolan's audience, many of whom traveled from New York City, Ireland and Dolan's hometown of Ballwin, Mo... turned to leave [after Mass in St Mary Major].

But the jovial, outgoing cleric in his vestments and bishop's miter, called out from the altar: "It's a beautiful day! It's about a 45-minute walk back, but that's what I'm going to do if anybody wants to join me!"

About half did, and what a time they had.

"This is the Trastevere neighborhood," Dolan called out to the group as it wended its way through cobblestoned alleys, pointing out the super-secret nooks and crannies.

"It's got so many great places to eat, but watch for pickpockets! It's not as safe as New York!"

"Hey! Let's go across the Tiber," said Dolan, who lived in Rome for years as a young priest. Stopping on the ancient bridge, he pointed north.

"See that big circle in the archway? When the water rose up to there, Romans knew the river was about to flood and it was time to flee."

The cleric then asked the modern-day pilgrims, here to see Pope Benedict honor him in St. Peter's Square Monday, "Should we all stop for ice cream? No, be strong, be strong!"

He continued the tour.

"Every piazza has a painting of the Blessed Mother in glass in one corner," Dolan noted. Stopping in front of an obelisk built on a giant carved elephant, he added, "There are nine obelisks in Rome, so remember them. I'm giving a pop quiz at the end."

Dolan so exulted like a lark with his flock and passersby that we expected him to poke his head into taxis and start talking to the drivers.

"Hey, I've been looking for these hats!" Dolan exclaimed to one street vendor as he grabbed a white straw fedora. He refused one pilgrim's offer to pay for it, forking over 20 euros.

Then he immediately held it out, "I'll pass the hat to pay for it!"

"He's never known a stranger," said Sister Rosario from Missouri. "I've known him for 40 years."...

"He's charismatic," said young lawyer Natalia Murphy, whose husband Daniel Murphy, also a lawyer in Manhattan, added to the pilgrim look, hobbling around on crutches.

"I tore a ligament, but had to come anyway."

In another report, Molloy wrote that the tenth archbishop was kicking around the idea of writing a blog.

Sure, that'd be lovely... as of last report, though, Dolan was still trying to figure out how to get these pages into his morning briefing.

PHOTO: New York Daily News

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Discovering Paul

Earlier tonight, the yearlong celebration of St Paul's 2,000th birthday closed with Vespers in Rome's major basilica dedicated to the "Apostle of the Gentiles."

Presiding at the rites, B16 ended the global Pauline Year with a bang by making an "historic" announcement:

With “great emotion” [the Pope] announced that a recent scientific probe confirmed what Catholic tradition has always held, namely that the body of the Apostle Paul is located under the papal altar in the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls....

The Pontiff said that recently the tomb was “subject to a scientific investigation. A small hole was drilled in the sarcophagus, unopened for centuries, and a probe was introduced. It found traces of a valuable purple fabric, in linen and gold layer-laminated, and a blue fabric with linen threads. Red incense grains and substances containing proteins and limestone were also discovered. Small fragments of bone were found and radiocarbon dated by experts who did not know their place of origin. Results indicate that they belong to someone who lived between the 1st and 2nd century A.D. This seems to confirm the unanimous and undisputed tradition according to which these are the mortal remains of the Apostle Paul. All this fills our soul with deep emotion.”

And homily snips:

“In the last few decades the expression ‘grown-up faith’ has spread,” Benedict XVI said. “It is often used in relation to the attitudes of those who no longer pay attention to what the Church and its Pastors say—which is to say, those who choose on their own what to believe or not believe in a sort of ‘do-it-yourself’ faith. Expressing oneself against the Magisterium of the Church is presented as a sort of ‘courage’, whereas in fact not much courage is needed because one can be certain that it will get public applause. Instead courage is needed to adhere to the Church’s faith, even if it contradicts the mould of today’s world. Paul calls this non-conformism a ‘grown-up faith’. For him following the prevailing winds and currents of the time is childish. For this reason dedicating oneself to the inviolability of life from its beginning, radically opposing the principle of violence, in the defence precisely of the most defenceless; recognising the lifetime marriage between a man and a woman in accordance with the Creator’s order, re-established again by Christ is also part of a grown-up faith. A grown-up faith does not follow any current here and there. It is against the winds of fashion.”

A grown-up faith is the one that grows by living the truth in love (cf Ephesians, 4:15). Both are necessary because God is both. “The Apostle told us that by living the truth in love, we can make the whole—the universe—grow by aiming for Christ. . . . The ultimate purpose of Christ’s work is the universe—the transformation of the universe, of mankind’s entire world, of the whole of creation. Those who with Christ live the truth in love contribute to the world’s progress. Yes! Here it is clear that Paul is aware of the idea of progress. Through his life, suffering and resurrection, Christ was the real great leap of progress for humanity and the world. Now the universe must grow in view of Him. Where the presence of Christ grows, there is real progress in the world.”

In order for this renewal to occur it is necessary to strengthen the inner self (Ephesians, 3:16). “Men are often empty inside and thus must grasp for promises and drugs, which end up adding to their inner sense of emptiness,” the Pope explained. “This inner emptiness, man’s inner weakness, is one of today’s great problems. The inner self—the heart’s perceptiveness, the capacity to see and understand the world and man from within, with the heart—must be strengthened. We need reason enlightened by the heart to learn to act in accordance to the truth in love. This cannot be done without an intimate relationship with God, without a life of prayer. We need to meet God, something which is given to us in the Sacraments. And we cannot speak to God in prayer if we do not let Him speak first, if we do not listen to him in the word he gave us.”

In his final thoughts the Pope turned to the cosmic dimensions of the mystery of Christ, about its “breadth and length and height and depth” (Ephesians, 3:18). “The mystery of Christ has a cosmic vastness. He does not belong only to a given group. The crucified Christ embraces the whole universe in all its dimensions. He takes the world in his hands and raises it towards God . . . . In the Cross Christ’s love has embraced the lowest depth—the darkness of death—and the supreme height—God’s own nobility. He has taken in his arms the breadth and the vastness of humanity and the world in all their distances. He always embraces the universe—for all of us.”

Of course, the calendar already has its orientation for the year ahead: to observe the 150th anniversary of the death of the priestly patron St John Vianney, the Pope opened a Year of the Priest last week at the Vatican.

Intended to focus on and enhance the clergy's commitment "toward spiritual perfection" and renewal in ministry, the celebration will run through June 2010.

PHOTO: Getty(1); AP(2)

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