US Nuncio, Archbishop Pietro Sambi dies

Prayers for the Archbishop and his family.

US Nuncio, Archbishop Pietro Sambi dies

2011-07-28 Vatican Radio

Archbishop Pietro Sambi, the Apostolic Nuncio to the U.S., died Wednesday evening in Baltimore. 73 years old, he had suffered complications following lung surgery two weeks ago.

His family had travelled to the US to be with him and have asked bishops priests and lay faithful for their prayers.

Archbishop Sambi was appointed by Pope Benedict in 2005 as the Apostolic Nuncio to the United States. He began his duties in Washington, D.C. in February of 2006. Previously he was Apostolic Nuncio to Indonesia and Israel and Apostolic Delegate to Jerusalem and Palestine.

His funeral will be at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington DC on Saturday August 6th –feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord.

US bishops praise updated Vatican norms dealing with sex abuse :: EWTN News

US bishops praise updated Vatican norms dealing with sex abuse :: EWTN News

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops lauded a move by the Vatican to update its norms on dealing with sex abuse, saying they “welcome” the new changes.

On July 15, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith updated the 2001 Apostolic Letter, “The Safeguarding of the Sanctity of the Sacraments” (Sacramentorum sanctitatis tutela), to include the new norms which state that the abuse of a mentally disabled adult and the downloading of child pornography are now in the same category as abusing a minor.

Also included in the changes is extending the statute of limitations for sexual abuse to 20 years after the victim turns 18.

Bishop Blase Cupich of Spokane, Washington praised the updates on Thursday, saying that the “Vatican action is a welcome step forward as we deal with the terrible crime and sin of sexual abuse by a cleric.”

“What we read today from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith is heartening,” said Bishop Cupich, who is also chairman of the USCCB Committee on Protection of Children and Young People.

“The bishops in this country felt the support of the Holy See in 2002 with the establishment of the Essential Norms and we are strengthened even more as the measures outlined in this document build on and go beyond what has been particular law for the Church in the United States since then,” he added.

Bishop Cupich also noted that the “seriousness with which the church views sexual abuse of a minor by a cleric cannot be understated. By putting child sexual abuse by clergy in the same context as the safeguarding of the sacraments, the Church is making it clear that such misconduct violates the core values of our faith and worship.”


“Today the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith notes that the abuse of the mentally impaired, no matter what the person’s age, is horrific. Abuse of someone who cannot defend himself or herself is craven, cowardly behavior.”

“Welcome, too,” he added, “is the recognition that the crime of child pornography damages not just those who pursue it, but any child degraded in the making of it. Child pornography is a degradation of any child of God. A priest’s involvement with it is particularly offensive.”

“The document makes law of measures that have already been in use by the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith to facilitate handling of cases brought to the Vatican,” the prelate explained. “This is an important step in the continuing effort to achieve justice for innocent people whose trust in a cleric was violated.”

Bishop Cupich concluded that the new modifications further “our strong resolve to do all that is possible to see that children are protected and safe, especially in the Church. We apologize to those who have been hurt in the past. We are doing everything possible to prevent such harm in the future.”

Archbishop Carlson condemns casual attitude towards abortion :: EWTN News

Archbishop Carlson condemns casual attitude towards abortion :: EWTN News

Explaining the Commandment “you shall not kill,” the Archbishop of St. Louis has said that human life is sacred because “it involves the creative action of God.” He condemned abortion, saying those who view it as merely “a political issue” violate this Commandment and those who are “pro-choice” cannot remain Catholics in good standing.

Archbishop Robert J. Carlson also condemned avoidable war, euthanasia, and the ordinary use of capital punishment while also warning of the dangers of hatred, anger and vengeance.

Writing in a July 6 column in the archdiocesan paper the St. Louis Review, the archbishop began: “God's law in the Old Testament is clear and unambiguous: You shall not kill. Jesus is even more demanding: Every one who is angry is liable to judgment.”

Sins against this commandment are “easy to commit,” he continued, explaining that anytime we think, speak or act out of “anger or hatred or jealousy or revenge” we violate respect for life, God’s “most precious gift.”

“Human life is sacred because, from its beginning until its natural end, it involves the creative action of God,” he continued, noting that all direct and intentional killing is “gravely sinful.”

“God alone is the Lord of life. No one has the right to end arbitrarily what God has begun, and sustained, through the gift of His love,” Archbishop Carlson wrote.

Recounting the murder of Abel by Cain in the Book of Genesis, he noted God’s question to Cain: “What have you done?”

“Today this question is asked not only of those who kill someone, but also of those responsible for violence, anger, hatred and vengeance in any form,” he continued.

Archbishop Carlson also condemned abortion, describing it as “the killing of a defenseless baby in the womb.”

“People who are casual about the sin of abortion and who choose to view it as a political issue rather than the serious moral issue that it is are guilty of violating the Fifth Commandment,” he continued, quoting the Second Vatican Council document Gaudium et Spes: “ … human life must be protected with the utmost care from the moment of conception: Abortion and infanticide are abominable crimes.”

“You cannot be 'pro-choice' (pro-abortion) and remain a Catholic in good standing. That's why the Church asks those who maintain this position not to receive holy Communion. We are not being mean or judgmental, we are simply acknowledging the fact that such a stance is objectively and seriously sinful and is radically inconsistent with the Christian way of life,” the St. Louis archbishop wrote.

He also noted that “Abortion is so grave a sin that the Church penalizes it with excommunication.”

The archbishop said it was “a shame” that so many violent words are daily expressed between family members. He warned of anger and intolerance being “pervasive in our Church and our society.” These attitudes are destructive and sinful and are “of the Evil One.”

He acknowledged that the Fifth Commandment does not bar legitimate self-defense, which can be “not only a right but also a grave duty for someone responsible for another’s life.” However, the Commandment also directs Christians to work “for justice and peace,” to avoid war “whenever possible,” and to limit capital punishment to “the most extreme (and rare) circumstances.”

Explaining the immorality of euthanasia, he noted the need for ordinary care for a sick person though “extraordinary” procedures are not necessary. Those with questions about such situations should contact their pastor, he advised.

“Taking proper care of our health, respecting others and showing respect for the dead are all matters covered by the Fifth Commandment's demand that we reverence God's most precious gift — human life,” his St. Louis Review column concluded.

Some Protestant churches construe the Commandments differently, placing “You shall not murder” as the Sixth Commandment.

Illinois Bishop Issues Directive on Tabernacle Location

Please Bishop LeVoir? Please?

Overheard in the Sacristy » Blog Archive » Illinois Bishop Issues Directive on Tabernacle Location

April 1, 2010
+Holy Thursday

Dear Priests, Deacons, Religious and Faithful of the Diocese of Peoria,

The Mass, of course, is our most important act of worship—the very source and summit of all we do as a Church. A profound reverence for the Reserved Sacrament is also intrinsically related to the Eucharistic liturgy.

The Reserved Sacrament must therefore be treated with the greatest possible respect, because at all times the Blessed Sacrament within that tabernacle, as in the Eucharistic Liturgy, is to be given that worship called latria, which is the adoration given to Almighty God. This intentional honor is incomparably greater than the reverence we give to sacramentals, sacred images, the Baptistry, the Holy Oils, or the Paschal Candle. The Sacrament is reserved not only so that the Eucharist can be brought to the dying and to those unable to attend Mass, but also as the heart and locus of a parish’s prayer and devotion.

There is a kind of bundle of rituals in our Catholic tradition with which we surround the Tabernacle. As we enter or leave the church, we bless ourselves with holy water, we genuflect towards the Tabernacle, we prepare for Mass or give thanks after Mass, consciously in the presence of the Most Blessed Sacrament. At prayers and devotions, during the Liturgy of the Hours, in any private prayer which takes place in a Catholic Church, we truly pray before the Risen Christ substantially and really present in the Sacrament reserved in the Tabernacle.

These core Catholic convictions and their architectural ramifications have recently been reaffirmed by many Bishops in the United States. As bishop of this Diocese, I am also convinced that where we place the Tabernacle—and how we ritually reverence the Reserved Sacrament—is as important for the continuing Eucharistic catechesis as is all our preaching and teaching. With Jesus truly present in the Blessed Sacrament at the physical center of our places of worship, how can He not also more firmly become the center of our spiritual lives as well?

After consultation with my Presbyteral Council, I am therefore asking that those few parish churches and chapels where the tabernacle is not in the direct center at the back of the sanctuary, that these spaces be redesigned in such a way that the Reserved Sacrament would be placed at the center. In some cases, this change can be easily achieved, but given financial and design restraints, plans for redesign may be submitted to the Office of Divine Worship at any time during the next five years. Monastic communities whose chapels are open to the faithful as semi-public oratories may also request a dispensation from this general regulation according to the norms of their particular liturgical tradition. There may also be some very tiny chapels where a change could be impossible. These requests should be submitted in writing to my office.
I would also like to remind everyone in our Diocese that at Mass, in accord with the General Instruction of the Roman Missal, the Tabernacle should only be reverenced at the beginning and end of the liturgy or when the Sacrament is being taken from or returned to the Tabernacle. At all other moments and movements in the liturgy it is the Altar of Sacrifice that is to be reverenced.

It is my conviction that Eucharistic Liturgy and Eucharistic devotion are never in competition but rather inform and strengthen our shared worship and reverence. May all in our Diocese grow in greater love and appreciation of the gift of the Eucharist.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Most Reverend Daniel R. Jenky, C.S.C.
BISHOP OF PEORIA

Archbishop John Nienstedt Comments On Clergy Sex Abuse Cover Up Charges

Stella Borealis, "The Star Of The North"

Archbishop John Nienstedt Comments On Clergy Sex Abuse Cover Up Charges

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Saint Paul, MN. April 8, 2010 – The Most Reverend John C. Nienstedt, Archbishop of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, comments in his column in today’s issue of the Archdiocese’s newspaper, the Catholic Spirit, that he believes attempts to involve Pope Benedict XVI in allegations of clergy sex abuse cover ups are “misguided and unfair.”

Writing about widespread media reports that the “cover up” extends all the way to the Vatican, Archbishop Nienstedt agrees with New York Archbishop Timothy Dolan, who has stated that “no one was more helpful to the American Catholic hierarchy and the Church at large in 2002 than Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger”. In today’s column, Nienstedt write, “He (then Cardinal Ratzinger) understood the depths of the crisis facing the American Church at the time and helped provide the canonical assistance we needed in order to address the terrible scourge of sexual abuse in the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People.”

In his column, Nienstedt also states that “Since 2002 (when the Charter was adopted) the Catholic Church in this country has worked harder than any other organization I can think of to put into place measures to protect young people as well as to reach out to former victims.”

Nienstedt backs up that claim by stating that Catholic dioceses around the U S have invested more than $21 million for child protection efforts, including training programs, background checks and salaried positions. He notes that “almost six million students in Catholic schools or religious education programs have participated in Safe Environment training and that over two million priests, deacons, seminarians, educators, employees and volunteers have had background checks.

“Here in this Archdiocese, over 76,000 background checks have been made and 12,000 Church employees, including clergy and 30,000 volunteers have gone through safe environment training. Thus, the situation today is far different and safer than it was 30 or 40 years ago,” he contends.

Yet, in his column, the Archbishop makes no attempt to minimize the past existence of sex abuse within the Church. Let me be clear when I again state that sexual molestation of any kind is indefensible,” he writes. “It is a sin that cries out for forgiveness. We can perhaps never apologize enough for what has taken place. We must direct ourselves to the healing of victims.”

In his conclusion, Archbishop Nienstedt writes, “Whatever was the case 30 years ago, which affected Church-related and non-related organizations, the bishops today, as well as the Pope, have a much different understanding of what needs to be done. I wish we could go back to undo the harm that was done years ago. But unfortunately, we cannot. What we can and must do is to make sure it doesn’t happen today.”

UN Judge Says Pope Should be Prosecuted at International Criminal Court » Catholic Family and Human Rights Institute

This is some of the dumbest stuff I have ever read. This UN Judge should be removed from his duties. This would be like Japan trying President Obama for the US dropping the bomb on Japan during the war. What a bunch of rubbish. Please pray for our Holy Father that he may not flee for fear of the wolves....even the stupid wolves.

UN Judge Says Pope Should be Prosecuted at International Criminal Court » Catholic Family and Human Rights Institute

By Susan Yoshihara, Ph.D.

(NEW YORK – C-FAM) In London last Friday, a high ranking United Nations (UN) jurist called on the British government to detain Pope Benedict XVI during his upcoming visit to Britain, and send him to trial in the International Criminal Court (ICC) for “crimes against humanity.”

Geoffrey Robertson touted his status as a UN judge in an article he published last week claiming that jurists should invoke the same procedures that have been used to indict war criminals such as Slobodan Milosevic. To try the Pope as head of the Roman Catholic Church who is ultimately responsible for sexual abuse of children by Catholic priests.

Robertson is one of five select jurists in the UN’s internal justice system responsible for holding UN officials accountable for corruption and mismanagement. His article was published in both the United States and Britain and reported on by the Associated Press.

Professor Hurst Hannum of the Fletcher School at Tufts University told the Friday Fax that it would be a “real stretch” to use the ICC since that court’s jurisdiction is mainly reserved for crimes during war. More likely, Hannum said, is that Robertson and likeminded experts would invoke the principle of “universal jurisdiction” so that national courts all over the world could detain the pope whenever he stepped foot on their soil. Critics say the principle, already used in practice, is a violation of sovereignty as it is enshrined in the UN Charter.

Yet Robertson insisted that the ICC could be used as long as the Pope’s sovereign immunity was waived and as long as jurists can show that the sex abuse scandal was carried out on a “widespread or systematic scale,” the way that child soldiers were used in the wars in Sierra Leone and the way that sex slaves are traded internationally.

Robertson, a tort lawyer, argued that prosecution at a higher level of the Church is necessary to get more money for victims of clergy sexual abuse in cases where dioceses have gone into bankruptcy. He specifically pointed out the fact that the diocese of Los Angeles has already paid $660M in damages and Boston has paid $100M.

One prominent law professor told the Friday Fax, “Without in any way minimizing the seriousness of the alleged offenses of Catholic priests, it would be a grave mistake to the laws of human rights to permit a trivializing of the responsibility to protect, and to play into the hands of American contingency-fee lawyers.”

Another human rights lawyer told the Friday Fax that the article could be part of a broader campaign. Robertson has long campaigned to strip the Holy See of its permanent observer status at the UN, and has publicly referred to the Holy See “the world’s largest NGO.”

When a campaign was launched to oust the Holy See from its status in 1999, UN Member States rallied around the Vatican, and in 2004 the General Assembly voted unanimously to expand that status. It is unclear whether UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon knew about Robertson’s leanings before appointing him to his current position.

The New York Times

I found this on Fr. Z's blog.

Bishops Tobin cancels hospital's CHA membership

Bravo Bishop Tobin! It's time for our Bishops to start standing up for the teaching of the Church and reminding people just who has the responsibility for passing on that teaching.

Bishops Tobin cancels hospital's CHA membership :: EWTN News

Bishop Thomas Tobin of Providence, Rhode Island, recently denounced the Catholic Health Association (CHA) for causing “scandal” with its endorsement of the health care bill and asked that a local diocesan Catholic hospital be removed from its membership list.

In a March 29 letter to Sr. Carol Keehan, director of CHA, Bishop Tobin wrote that he was “very disappointed that the Catholic Health Association, under your leadership, publicly endorsed the recent health care legislation that was passed and signed into law.”

“This action was taken,” the bishop lamented, “despite the fact that the legislation will very possibly provide additional public funding for abortion and threaten the freedom of conscience of Catholic individuals and institutions.”

“Your enthusiastic support of the legislation, in contradiction to the position of the Bishops of the United States, provided an excuse for members of Congress, misled the public and cause serious scandal for many members of the Church,” Bishop Tobin charged.

“Accordingly,” he added, “I am writing to request that St. Joseph Health Services of Rhode Island, sponsored by the Diocese of Providence, be removed from the membership list and mailing list of the Catholic Health Association.”

Bishop Tobin further stated that “even the association with CHA is now embarrassing, and for that reason I request that our name be removed.”

The Rhode Island bishop concluded his letter telling Sr. Keehan he hopes “that the future of the Catholic Health Association will review its mission and will find new opportunities to renew its commitment to human life, including that of unborn children. I also hope that the Association will clearly support the teaching mission of the Church as expressed by the Bishops, whose obligation it is to preach the Gospel of Christ and apply the teachings of the Church to the important moral issues of our time.”

Handmaids of the Heart of Jesus

Look what I found on the Diocese of New Ulm website. Good News!

UPDATE: More info can be found in the Prairie Catholic on page 5.


Historic day for the Diocese of New Ulm!
New religious order of women religious is established:
Handmaids of the Heart of Jesus



(Above: front, l-r): Sr. Regina Marie of the Holy Sacrifice of the Altar, Sr. Miriam Rose of the Incarnate Word, Sr. Magdalena Marie of the Trinity, and Mother Mary Clare of the Heart of the Father. With Bishop John M. LeVoir (center) are visiting bishops and friends of the Handmaids, Bishop Paul D. Sirba, Diocese of Duluth (far left), and Bishop Peter F. Christensen, Diocese of Superior, Wisconsin (far right) and Fr. Andrew Cozzens (far left), who assisted the Handmaids in their discernment of becoming a religious order.



Mother Mary Clare takes her solemn vows as the foundress of the order.




Handmaids of the Heart of Jesus: Four Sisters received the habit and a new name on March 24 at the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in New Ulm.

Pray for the Holy Father

It seems to me that the Holy Father is being unjustly harassed about this abuse case of Fr. Lawrence Murphy.
Please read the article below by Fr. Raymond de Souza for a more accurate accounting of that happened using the
very same source documents that were used by the New York Times in their initial hatchet story.

http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=ZDkxYmUzMTQ1YWUyMzRkMzg4Y2RiN2UyOWIzNDVkNDM=

A Response to the New York Times [Fr. Raymond J. de Souza]


The New York Times on March 25 accused Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVI, of intervening to prevent a priest, Fr. Lawrence Murphy, from facing penalties for cases of sexual abuse of minors.

The story is false. It is unsupported by its own documentation. Indeed, it gives every indication of being part of a coordinated campaign against Pope Benedict, rather than responsible journalism.

Before addressing the false substance of the story, the following circumstances are worthy of note:

• The New York Times story had two sources. First, lawyers who currently have a civil suit pending against the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. One of the lawyers, Jeffrey Anderson, also has cases in the United States Supreme Court pending against the Holy See. He has a direct financial interest in the matter being reported.

• The second source was Archbishop Rembert Weakland, retired archbishop of Milwaukee. He is the most discredited and disgraced bishop in the United States, widely known for mishandling sexual-abuse cases during his tenure, and guilty of using $450,000 of archdiocesan funds to pay hush money to a former homosexual lover who was blackmailing him. Archbishop Weakland had responsibility for the Father Murphy case between 1977 and 1998, when Father Murphy died. He has long been embittered that his maladministration of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee earned him the disfavor of Pope John Paul II and Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, long before it was revealed that he had used parishioners’ money to pay off his clandestine lover. He is prima facie not a reliable source.

• Laurie Goodstein, the author of the New York Times story, has a recent history with Archbishop Weakland. Last year, upon the release of the disgraced archbishop’s autobiography, she wrote an unusually sympathetic story that buried all the most serious allegations against him (New York Times, May 14, 2009).

• A demonstration took place in Rome on Friday, coinciding with the publication of the New York Times story. One might ask how American activists would happen to be in Rome distributing the very documents referred to that day in the New York Times. The appearance here is one of a coordinated campaign, rather than disinterested reporting.

It’s possible that bad sources could still provide the truth. But compromised sources scream out for greater scrutiny. Instead of greater scrutiny of the original story, however, news editors the world over simply parroted the New York Times piece. Which leads us the more fundamental problem: The story is not true, according to its own documentation.

The New York Times made available on its own website the supporting documentation for the story. In those documents, Cardinal Ratzinger himself does not take any of the decisions that allegedly frustrated the trial. Letters are addressed to him; responses come from his deputy. Even leaving that aside, though, the gravamen of the charge — that Cardinal Ratzinger’s office impeded some investigation — is proven utterly false.

The documents show that the canonical trial or penal process against Father Murphy was never stopped by anyone. In fact, it was only abandoned days before Father Murphy died. Cardinal Ratzinger never took a decision in the case, according to the documents. His deputy, Archbishop Tarcisio Bertone, suggested, given that Father Murphy was in failing health and a canonical trial is a complicated matter, that more expeditious means be used to remove him from all ministry.

To repeat: The charge that Cardinal Ratzinger did anything wrong is unsupported by the documentation on which the story was based. He does not appear in the record as taking any decision. His office, in the person of his deputy, Archbishop Bertone, agreed that there should be full canonical trial. When it became apparent that Father Murphy was in failing health, Archbishop Bertone suggested more expeditious means of removing him from any ministry.

Furthermore, under canon law at the time, the principal responsibility for sexual-abuse cases lay with the local bishop. Archbishop Weakland had from 1977 onwards the responsibility of administering penalties to Father Murphy. He did nothing until 1996. It was at that point that Cardinal Ratzinger’s office became involved, and it subsequently did nothing to impede the local process.

The New York Times flatly got the story wrong, according to its own evidence. Readers may want to speculate on why.

Here is the relevant timeline, drawn from the documents the New York Times posted on its own website.

15 May 1974

Abuse by Fr. Lawrence Murphy is alleged by a former student at St. John’s School for the Deaf in Milwaukee. In fact, accusations against Father Murphy go back more than a decade.

12 September 1974

Father Murphy is granted an official “temporary sick leave” from St. John’s School for the Deaf. He leaves Milwaukee and moves to northern Wisconsin, in the Diocese of Superior, where he lives in a family home with his mother. He has no official assignment from this point until his death in 1998. He does not return to live in Milwaukee. No canonical penalties are pursued against him.

9 July 1980

Officials in the Diocese of Superior write to officials in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee about what ministry Father Murphy might undertake in Superior. Archbishop Rembert Weakland, archbishop of Milwaukee since 1977, has been consulted and says it would be unwise to have Father Murphy return to ministry with the deaf community. There is no indication that Archbishop Weakland foresees any other measures to be taken in the case.

17 July 1996

More than 20 years after the original abuse allegations, Archbishop Weakland writes to Cardinal Ratzinger, claiming that he has only just discovered that Father Murphy’s sexual abuse involved the sacrament of confession — a still more serious canonical crime. The allegations about the abuse of the sacrament of confession were in the original 1974 allegations. Weakland has been archbishop of Milwaukee by this point for 19 years.

It should be noted that for sexual-abuse charges, Archbishop Weakland could have proceeded against Father Murphy at any time. The matter of solicitation in the sacrament of confession required notifying Rome, but that too could have been done as early as the 1970s.

10 September 1996

Father Murphy is notified that a canonical trial will proceed against him. Until 2001, the local bishop had authority to proceed in such trials. The Archdiocese of Milwaukee is now beginning the trial. It is noteworthy that at this point, no reply has been received from Rome indicating that Archbishop Weakland knew he had that authority to proceed.

24 March 1997

Archbishop Tarcisio Bertone, Cardinal Ratzinger’s deputy at the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, advises a canonical trial against Father Murphy.

14 May 1997

Archbishop Weakland writes to Archbishop Bertone to say that the penal process against Father Murphy has been launched, and notes that the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith has advised him to proceed even though the statute of limitations has expired. In fact, there is no statute of limitations for solicitation in the sacrament of confession.

Throughout the rest of 1997 the preparatory phases of penal process or canonical trial is underway. On 5 January 1998 the Tribunal of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee says that an expedited trial should be concluded within a few months.

12 January 1998

Father Murphy, now less than eight months away from his death, appeals to Cardinal Ratzinger that, given his frail health, he be allowed to live out his days in peace.

6 April 1998

Archbishop Bertone, noting the frail health of Father Murphy and that there have been no new charges in almost 25 years, recommends using pastoral measures to ensure Father Murphy has no ministry, but without the full burden of a penal process. It is only a suggestion, as the local bishop retains control.

13 May 1998

The Bishop of Superior, where the process has been transferred to and where Father Murphy has lived since 1974, rejects the suggestion for pastoral measures. Formal pre-trial proceedings begin on 15 May 1998, continuing the process already begun with the notification that had been issued in September 1996.

30 May 1998

Archbishop Weakland, who is in Rome, meets with officials at the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith, including Archbishop Bertone but not including Cardinal Ratzinger, to discuss the case. The penal process is ongoing. No decision taken to stop it, but given the difficulties of a trial after 25 years, other options are explored that would more quickly remove Father Murphy from ministry.

19 August 1998

Archbishop Weakland writes that he has halted the canonical trial and penal process against Father Murphy and has immediately begun the process to remove him from ministry — a quicker option.

21 August 1998

Father Murphy dies. His family defies the orders of Archbishop Weakland for a discreet funeral.

— Father Raymond J. de Souza is a chaplain at Queen's University in Ontario.

CNSNews.com - Obama Excludes Private and Catholic School Children From Easter Egg Roll Ticket Giveaway

CNSNews.com - Obama Excludes Private and Catholic School Children From Easter Egg Roll Ticket Giveaway

(CNSNews.com) – The Obama administration announced on Tuesday it has reserved 3,000 free tickets to the annual White House Easter Egg Roll for students in D.C.-area public and charter schools, but not for children who attend private or parochial schools.

Why exclude children in private and parochial schools, asked the father of a parochial school student at Tuesday’s press conference where U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan and District of Columbia Mayor Adrian Fenty announced the ticket giveaway.

“These tickets are from the White House to public schools, and we’re appreciative, but there may be other things unrelated to this press conference,” Fenty responded. “That’s a great question.” [But a bad answer!]

The 3,000 reserved tickets will be distributed to students at 11 public schools in D.C. and a few others in Virginia and Maryland. Children at private or parochial schools in the Washington metropolitan area may attend the April 5 event, but only if they are among the people who registered for an online lottery system, by which the remaining free tickets -- an estimated 27,000 -- will be distributed.

That lottery is now closed, however. “All entries will have an equal chance of being selected if your application was submitted by Sunday, February 28,” the White House Web site says. Lottery results were announced on March 4.

Robert Brannum’s 17-year-old son Nicholas attends St. John’s College High School, a Catholic school in the District. Brannum told CNSNews.com he believes the 3,000 tickets reserved for public school students should be available to all students.

“The White House is a public building,” Brannum said. “The tickets are essentially being paid for with public dollars. So it should be open to everyone, not just going to select categories of students.”

Brannum said he not only supports D.C. public schools, he attended and taught at those schools. But, he added, “There are students in the District of Columbia who attend private schools, parochial schools, or even (are) home schooled, and their parents pay taxes and they should be able to participate in some of the benefits of being citizens of the District of Columbia.”


U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan, D.C. Public Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee and D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty watch D.C. public school students cheer about the upcoming White House Easter Egg Roll at a press conference in Northeast Washington on Tuesday, March 23, 2010. (CNSNews.com/Penny Starr)
Mayor Fenty and D.C. Public School Chancellor Michelle Rhee accepted the 3,000 tickets in an Easter basket from Education Secretary Arne Duncan. Children from the city’s J.O. Wilson Elementary School cheered and jumped up and down when they were asked if they wanted to go to the Easter Egg Roll at the White House.

There’s no guarantee that the children at the press conference will get tickets, however. Rhee said it was up to each of the public schools chosen by the Obama administration to decide which students will get the reserved tickets.

The Obama administration has been criticized for failing to support programs to help low-income and minority children attend some of D.C.’s top private and parochial schools, including the Sidwell Friends School where the Malia and Sasha Obama attend classes.

Early in his administration, President Barack Obama called for an end to the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program, which since 2004 has provided vouchers for thousands of low-income and minority children to attend private schools. Following widespread protest, Obama said the program would be funded to allow those children already enrolled in the program to graduate from the school of their choice, but that no funding would be provided to bring new children into the program.

On March 16, the Senate voted down a measure that would have reauthorized funding for the program.

The Easter Egg Roll dates back to 1878 when President Rutherford B. Hayes held the event after Congress banned egg rolling on the grounds of the U.S. Capitol building.

The theme of this year’s event is “Ready, Set, Go,” and the White House says it will “promote health and wellness.”

“All of the activities will encourage children to lead healthy and active lives and follow the First Lady’s ‘Let’s Move!’ initiative, a national campaign to combat childhood obesity,” the White House said.

The event will feature live music, sports courts, storytelling, egg rolling – and cooking stations. [But it will not be about Easter!]

The sedia gestatoria would protect the Pope - Catholic Herald

The sedia gestatoria would protect the Pope - Catholic Herald

Security expert Dominic Scarborough urges the Vatican to draw on tradition to prevent a repeat of the Midnight Mass attack on Benedict XVI

8 January 2010

Many years ago there was a joke doing the rounds of the pubs and clubs about two Irishmen on pilgrimage in Rome who ask at a bar near the Vatican what the Pope likes to drink. Upon being told he likes Crème de Menthe the two intrepid drinkers order two pints of the stuff.

Several hours and a lot of pints later both are lying comatose in the street. When they eventually come around one says to the other: "No wonder they carry him around in a chair!"

On a more serious note, the attack on Pope Benedict during the entrance procession of Midnight Mass by Susanna Maiolo, a mentally ill woman who once again, as she did last year, vaulted over the barriers before lunging at the Pope, poses serious questions about the Holy Father's safety.

Since 1970 alone there have been three documented attempted assassinations of the Pope. In 1970 Pope Paul VI was attacked by a man with a knife at Manila Airport, in 1981 there was the shooting of Pope John Paul II in St Peter's Square and only a year later, when the same Pope visited Fatima to give thanks for his survival, he was attacked yet again by a deranged knife-wielding priest.

Aside from Pope Benedict's annual Christmas encounters with Miss Maiolo there was the attempt by a German man to get into his Popemobile during an audience in 2007. After these incidents and the rise of Islamic terrorism since 9/11 there have been many noticeable changes to the security surrounding the Pontiff.

Long gone are the days when it was deemed enough for Archbishop Marcinkus to stand next to the Pope as a kind of clerical "heavy". On all his travels around the world now the Pope is accompanied by armed close-protection officers from the 130-strong Vatican Corps of Gendarmes who accompany him and work with the close-protection teams afforded by the Italian state and the particular host country. His Popemobile is fitted with bullet-resistant glass and his movements by limousine are handled in exactly the same way as any head of state, with armed officers travelling with him and in a support vehicle. When the Pope visited Turkey he was even asked to wear body armour under his overcoat.

At every papal ceremony in St Peter's when the Pope is required to walk through the crowded basilica to reach the sanctuary it is possible to see not only his personal protection officer Domenico Giani, (who has been Inspector General of the Corpo della Gendarmeria since 2006), walking nearby but also other black-suited, close-protection officers walking at the sides of the procession. Indeed, the Pope's close-protection team are to be congratulated that one of their number seized Miss Maiolo as she leapt the barrier but the distance between the barrier and the Pope was so small that, ironically, it was the force of this officer tackling her at the very moment she grabbed at the Pope's vestments that actually brought the Pontiff crashing to the floor.

For these protection officers the security of their principal can never be guaranteed particularly when, like the Pope, he wants to be visible to the crowds who have turned out to see him and a degree of compromise is always required. Unlike a president or prime minister whose close-protection officers are usually found within an arm's reach of their principal, as any press photograph taken during a walkabout will show, the Pope is frequently engaged in liturgical acts which have no rubrical provision for an armed suited man wearing an ear-piece to be in the midst of things. That said, as with much of this pontificate the answer to this particular problem might just be found from recovering something from the past.

One only has to look at old black and white footage of pontiffs prior to Paul VI to see how popes always used to enter the basilica being carried shoulder high in the sedia gestatoria. Not only that, but there was always a throng of people around the chair, not only the actual bearers but numerous chamberlains and nobility and a large number of guards: Swiss Guards, uniformed Gendarmes, the Palatine Guard and Noble Guard. These comprised the old papal court which Pope Paul VI abolished and which formed a kind of buffer zone between the Pope and the crowds, no doubt as much a practical defence measure as a piece of ceremony.

The use of the sedia continued until very recently and many are unaware that the last pope to use the sedia was actually Pope John Paul I. While the abolition of this ancient form of transport may have since been considered appropriate in the context of the late 20th century and the need to democratise the appearance of papal ceremonies, the reality has left the Pope an isolated and vulnerable figure separated from the deacons ahead and the MCs behind, one who appears all too often like the figure in the Third Secret of Fatima: a victim walking alone simply waiting to be attacked.

While there are bound to be some who would see the return of the sedia as yet another example of this Pope "turning the clock back", in fact not only would it save an elderly man's tired legs but it would allow more of the crowd to see him. Most importantly, it would actually insulate him from the kind of physical assault we saw at Christmas by virtue of the mob of people surrounding it (who could these days be swelled by Swiss Guards and the gendarme officers in suitably formal garb) to work alongside the suited officers at the perimeter.

Naturally, the risk of attack from a gunman or explosive device would still be present and indeed potentially magnified by the sedia but the use of X-ray machines at the entrance to the basilica and physical searches of congregants should by now be mandatory at such events to confront these risks which are no more heightened by the Pope presiding at Mass from an elevated platform, as he does, than from being carried in a chair.

It was being reported earlier in the year on several Catholic blogs that the Vatican was actively considering a return for the sedia gestatoria for ceremonies in St Peter's, more because of the Pope's age than as a protection against attack. Perhaps the latest incident will persuade them that what tradition hands down frequently has a practical origin beyond merely the visually impressive spectacle that to sceptical modern eyes it had appeared to have become.

Dominic Scarborough is a regular commentator in the press and internet on Catholic affairs. His company, Proteus Risk, advises companies on security issues

Urbi et Orbi Message of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI

Urbi et Orbi Message of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Rome and throughout the world,
and all men and women, whom the Lord loves!

“Lux fulgebit hodie super nos,
quia natus est nobis Dominus.
A light will shine on us this day,
the Lord is born for us”
(Roman Missal, Christmas, Entrance Antiphon for the Mass at Dawn)

The liturgy of the Mass at Dawn reminded us that the night is now past, the day has begun; the light radiating from the cave of Bethlehem shines upon us.

The Bible and the Liturgy do not, however, speak to us about a natural light, but a different, special light, which is somehow directed to and focused upon “us”, the same “us” for whom the Child of Bethlehem “is born”. This “us” is the Church, the great universal family of those who believe in Christ, who have awaited in hope the new birth of the Saviour, and who today celebrate in mystery the perennial significance of this event.

At first, beside the manger in Bethlehem, that “us” was almost imperceptible to human eyes. As the Gospel of Saint Luke recounts, it included, in addition to Mary and Joseph, a few lowly shepherds who came to the cave after hearing the message of the Angels. The light of that first Christmas was like a fire kindled in the night. All about there was darkness, while in the cave there shone the true light “that enlightens every man” (Jn 1:9). And yet all this took place in simplicity and hiddenness, in the way that God works in all of salvation history. God loves to light little lights, so as then to illuminate vast spaces. Truth, and Love, which are its content, are kindled wherever the light is welcomed; they then radiate in concentric circles, as if by contact, in the hearts and minds of all those who, by opening themselves freely to its splendour, themselves become sources of light. Such is the history of the Church: she began her journey in the lowly cave of Bethlehem, and down the centuries she has become a People and a source of light for humanity. Today too, in those who encounter that Child, God still kindles fires in the night of the world, calling men and women everywhere to acknowledge in Jesus the “sign” of his saving and liberating presence and to extend the “us” of those who believe in Christ to the whole of mankind.

Wherever there is an “us” which welcomes God’s love, there the light of Christ shines forth, even in the most difficult situations. The Church, like the Virgin Mary, offers the world Jesus, the Son, whom she herself has received as a gift, the One who came to set mankind free from the slavery of sin. Like Mary, the Church does not fear, for that Child is her strength. But she does not keep him for herself: she offers him to all those who seek him with a sincere heart, to the earth’s lowly and afflicted, to the victims of violence, and to all who yearn for peace. Today too, on behalf of a human family profoundly affected by a grave financial crisis, yet even more by a moral crisis, and by the painful wounds of wars and conflicts, the Church, in faithful solidarity with mankind, repeats with the shepherds: “Let us go to Bethlehem” (Lk 2:15), for there we shall find our hope.

The “us” of the Church is alive in the place where Jesus was born, in the Holy Land, inviting its people to abandon every logic of violence and vengeance, and to engage with renewed vigour and generosity in the process which leads to peaceful coexistence. The “us” of the Church is present in the other countries of the Middle East. How can we forget the troubled situation in Iraq and the “little flock” of Christians which lives in the region? At times it is subject to violence and injustice, but it remains determined to make its own contribution to the building of a society opposed to the logic of conflict and the rejection of one’s neighbour. The “us” of the Church is active in Sri Lanka, in the Korean peninsula and in the Philippines, as well as in the other countries of Asia, as a leaven of reconciliation and peace. On the continent of Africa she does not cease to lift her voice to God, imploring an end to every injustice in the Democratic Republic of Congo; she invites the citizens of Guinea and Niger to respect for the rights of every person and to dialogue; she begs those of Madagascar to overcome their internal divisions and to be mutually accepting; and she reminds all men and women that they are called to hope, despite the tragedies, trials and difficulties which still afflict them. In Europe and North America, the “us” of the Church urges people to leave behind the selfish and technicist mentality, to advance the common good and to show respect for the persons who are most defenceless, starting with the unborn. In Honduras she is assisting in process of rebuilding institutions; throughout Latin America, the “us” of the Church is a source of identity, a fullness of truth and of charity which no ideology can replace, a summons to respect for the inalienable rights of each person and his or her integral development, a proclamation of justice and fraternity, a source of unity.

In fidelity to the mandate of her Founder, the Church shows solidarity with the victims of natural disasters and poverty, even within opulent societies. In the face of the exodus of all those who migrate from their homelands and are driven away by hunger, intolerance or environmental degradation, the Church is a presence calling others to an attitude of acceptance and welcome. In a word, the Church everywhere proclaims the Gospel of Christ, despite persecutions, discriminations, attacks and at times hostile indifference. These, in fact, enable her to share the lot of her Master and Lord.

Dear Brothers and Sisters, how great a gift it is to be part of a communion which is open to everyone! It is the communion of the Most Holy Trinity, from whose heart Emmanuel, Jesus, “God with us”, came into the world. Like the shepherds of Bethlehem, let us contemplate, filled with wonder and gratitude, this mystery of love and light! Happy Christmas to all!

Woman Knocks Down the Pope

As always I am a little late on the news. It seems that the Holy Father was knocked down during the procession for Christmas Eve Mass. A woman jumped the barrier knocked him down and eluded caputure long enough to plow into 87 year old cardinal, Roger Etchegaray and break his leg. Please pray for the pope, the cardinal, and this woman.

Pope John Paul II a Step Closer to Sainthood

Pope John Paul II a Step Closer to Sainthood - FOXNews.com

Posted using ShareThis

Holy orders

THis is an article from the
MarshallIndependent.com

Zachary Peterson and Matthew Wiering had felt the call to the priesthood for a long time, but both fought it.

Peterson was "born and raised" at Holy Redeemer and attended Holy Redeemer School in Marshall.

"I really felt God calling me to do this over a number of years," he admitted. "And the more I said no, the louder He seemed to call."

Wiering grew up on a farm outside of Tyler and graduated from RTR High School.

"I always say that I did not choose the priesthood but that God chose me," Wiering said. "For many years I have felt this call from God, to serve Him in a special way by being a priest. While I felt God's invitation to be a priest for a long time, I certainly did not always want to accept it."

While the two men resisted, God kept calling, they said.

"All throughout college at Southwest, I went to daily Mass," Peterson said. "After college, I couldn't go and realized how much I relied on it."

Even as Peterson was saying no, God was preparing him.

"For a long time, I felt I wouldn't be able to get up in front of people and give a homily and over the course of time and courses in college, I learned the necessary skills to get up in front of people and give public presentations," Peterson said.

"In high school if anyone ever asked me if I had thought about becoming a priest, I would answer with a firm and passionate 'no.' But I just wasn't very open then," Wiering said. "It took me much prayer and discernment before I began to experience a change of heart and to desire the priesthood. I began to realize, only through God's grace, what a beautiful gift it is - to live for God alone and to give my life in service of His people. Once I realized that God was really calling me, how could I say 'no?'"

The two men have taken a step on their way to becoming priests as they were recently ordained as deacons in the Catholic Church.

"It's the last important step before entering the priesthood, the biggest step," said Peterson, who was ordained Nov. 7 in his home church of Holy Redeemer in Marshall.

"It's necessary to be ordained a deacon in the Catholic Church before one can be ordained a priest," said Wiering, who was ordained Oct. 8 in St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, Italy.

"It's actually at a man's diaconate ordination that he promises to be obedient to the bishop of his diocese (in my case to the Bishop of New Ulm) and to remain celibate for the rest of his life," Wiering said. "So we're talking about very serious promises, similar in gravity to the promises that spouses make on their wedding day."

While the two are in different places physically, they both know what is ahead for them.

"For the rest of this academic year, I'm in Sleepy Eye, doing an internship at St. Mary's Parish," said Peterson, who graduated from Southwest Minnesota State University in 2002 with a degree in elementary education. He teaches at the K-12 school and assists at the church with homilies and visiting the home-bound and sick. "They are extremely happy to have me," he said.

"In August, I'll go back to seminary at St. Meinrad, Ind.," said Peterson, who has a year left to study after his internship. His ordination to become a priest is scheduled for June 4, 2011.

Wiering is half a world away, in the heart of Roman Catholicism.

"I live at the Pontifical North American College, which is operated by the Catholic bishops of the United States," Wiering said. "The College is located in Rome within the territory of Vatican City. About 225 men, from all parts of the United States, are currently living here, all of whom are studying to become Catholic priests. I am studying dogmatic theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome.

"I wound up here because then-Bishop (John) Nienstedt, the previous bishop of the Diocese of New Ulm, asked me to come here in order to study to become a priest," Wiering said. "Mostly, I pray and study, both of which are essential for the period of formation that a man must go through in order to be ordained a Catholic priest. I also work as a chaplain for the University of St. Thomas's study abroad program. When I am not doing these things I am probably enjoying one of Italy's greatest treasures, pasta."

"Provided that I pass my classes this year and the seminary evaluation this spring, I will be ordained a priest in July 2010 in New Ulm," Wiering added. "After that I will return to Rome for one last year of academic studies in theology, after which I will return to the Diocese of New Ulm for full-time ministry."

Peterson said it's been a while since a local boy went into the priesthood.

"The last we can remember is Monsignor Bob Wyffels, celebrating his 50th year. He's currently the pastor in Morgan," he said.

While the two men may have originally resisted a call to be priest, they can't envision another vocation.

".. since I finally began to embrace this vocation and to appreciate it as a real gift, I have been very happy, in fact I cannot imagine being happier. I guess that's what happens when we listen to and accept God's call," Wiering said.

U.S. Bishops Voice Disappointment in Abortion-Funding Provisions in Senate Health Bill, Urge Better Care for Immigrants and Affordability

USCCB - (Office of Media Relations) U.S. Bishops Voice Disappointment in Abortion-Funding Provisions in Senate Health Bill, Urge Better Care for Immigrants and Affordability: "U.S. Bishops Voice Disappointment in Abortion-Funding Provisions"

WASHINGTON—The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops urged the Senate to make essential changes its health reform bill in order to keep in place federal law on abortion funding and conscience protection on abortion, protect access to health care for immigrants and include strong provisions for adequate affordability.

The bishops called the Senate health care bill an “enormous disappointment” that creates new and unacceptable federal policy for funding and coverage of abortions, as well as rights of conscience. Bishop William Murphy, Cardinal Daniel DiNardo and Bishop John Wester voiced their wish for better health care reform legislation in a November 20 letter to the Senate. They chair the bishops’ Committees on Domestic Justice and Human Development, Pro-Life Activities and Migration, respectively.

The letter, which was accompanied with a fact sheet on the House Stupak Amendment (http://www.usccb.org/mr/mediatalk/StupakAmendmentFactsheet.pdf), urged Senators to improve the Senate health care bill in the key areas of affordability, immigration, federal funding and coverage of abortion and conscience rights.

According to the bishops, the bill “does not live up to President Obama’s commitment of barring the use of federal dollars for abortion and maintaining current conscience laws.” They cited an “abortion surcharge” that would force insurance purchasers to pay for other people’s abortions, provisions that would allow the HHS Secretary to mandate unlimited abortion coverage nationwide, and that the bill does not even allow for religious institutions to offer their own employees coverage that conforms to their institution’s teaching.

“The Catholic bishops have advocated for decades for affordable and accessible health care for all, especially the poor and marginalized,” the bishops said. “The Senate bill makes great progress in covering people in our nation. However, the Senate bill would still leave over 24 million people in our nation without health insurance. This is not acceptable.”

The bishops encouraged expanding Medicaid eligibility for those living at 133 percent or lower of the federal policy level. They also urged an end to the five-year ban on legal immigrants for accessing federal health benefits programs and said that undocumented persons should not be barred from purchasing insurance plans with their own money.

“Providing affordable and accessible health care that clearly reflects these fundamental principles is a public good, moral imperative and urgent national priority,” said the bishops.

The text of the letter can be found online at http://www.usccb.org/sdwp/national/2009-11-20-ltr-usccb-health-care-to-senate.pdf.

The Manhattan Declaration

Several Catholic Bishops including The Most Rev. John Nienstedt
Archbishop of Saint Paul and Minneapolis has signed the Manhattan Declaration. Find out more about it here.

Christians, when they have lived up to the highest ideals of their faith, have defended the weak and vulnerable and worked tirelessly to protect and strengthen vital institutions of civil society, beginning with the family.

We are Orthodox, Catholic, and evangelical Christians who have united at this hour to reaffirm fundamental truths about justice and the common good, and to call upon our fellow citizens, believers and non-believers alike, to join us in defending them. These truths are:

1. the sanctity of human life
2. the dignity of marriage as the conjugal union of husband and wife
3. the rights of conscience and religious liberty.

Inasmuch as these truths are foundational to human dignity and the well-being of society, they are inviolable and non-negotiable. Because they are increasingly under assault from powerful forces in our culture, we are compelled today to speak out forcefully in their defense, and to commit ourselves to honoring them fully no matter what pressures are brought upon us and our institutions to abandon or compromise them. We make this commitment not as partisans of any political group but as followers of Jesus Christ, the crucified and risen Lord, who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

Venerable Solanaus Casey Relic In Marshall

Today a relic of Venerable Solanus Casey came to Holy Redeemer Church in Marshall Minnesota. The relic was used in at the 8 AM Mass as the whole church prayed for Venerable Solanus Casey's intercession for the healing of John Verly, a young man who is fighting a very rare form of brain cancer. The church was full of people praying for his intercession. I wish that I could have been there.

Venerable Solanus Casey pray for John Verly, that he may be healed.

Information about John's battle with cancer:
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/johnverly/journal

Information about Venerable Solanus Casey and his cause for beatification:

http://www.solanuscasey.org/

Solanus Casey on Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=2224144568&ref=ts

Bishop LeVoir joins the Cause for Beatification of the Servant of God Archbishop Fulton J Sheen

[NOTE: I'm a bit late with this. Sorry]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 1, 2009
Media Contact: Sara Worrell
309.671.1550 x 309
sworrell@cdop.org


BISHOP LeVOIR TO AID IN THE CANONIZATION OF A SAINT:
HIS EXCELLENCY JOINS THE ARCHBISHOP FULTON J SHEEN FOUNDATION

PEORIA, IL-- The Archbishop Fulton John Sheen Foundation is pleased to welcome His Excellency Bishop John M. LeVoir to the Episcopal Advisory Board for the Cause for Beatification of the Servant of God Archbishop Fulton J Sheen. Bishop LeVoir joins bishops from around the US in supporting the cause. Fulton Sheen (1895-1979) was a universally popular evangelist, radio/TV personality, writer and missionary. In 2002, his cause for beatification and canonization was officially opened by the Diocese of Peoria, IL, Sheen’s birthplace. The Sheen Foundation is the official promoter of the beatification cause. The Foundation welcomes Bishop LeVoir and encourages the Diocese to visit the Foundation’s website, www.archbishopsheencause.org to learn more about Archbishop Sheen’s Canonization and how to help the Cause.

About the Fulton John Sheen Foundation:

The purpose of the Sheen Foundation is to make known the life, works and thoughts of Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, to educate people in the values that he taught, to assist the missions to which he dedicated his life, to assist others in seeking his intercession, and to undertake and pursue all acts ancillary thereto, including, but not limited to, the advancement of the Cause of Canonization of Archbishop Sheen in the Catholic Church, according to the process prescribed in the Code of Canon Law under the supervision of the bishop of the Diocese of Peoria, Illinois.