Archbishop Donald W. Wuerl of Washington D.C. was included with 23 other men that Pope Benedict XVI elevated recently to the College of Cardinals, the Catholic Church’s most powerful body, at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.

Wuerl, who became archbishop of Washington D.C. in 2006, was a shoo-in to becoming a cardinal. In 2008 he organized Benedict’s highly successful visit to Washington, The Washington Post said.

Furthermore, former Washington Cardinal Theordore E. McCarrick turned 80–a cardinal must be 79 or younger to vote in papal elections, and usually, only one cardinal is permitted per diocese, The Washington Post reported.

The Washington Post said Wuerl will be the titular head of the Church of San Pietro in Vincoli, a popular tourist attraction for its marble statue of Moses, made by Michelangelo.

Wuerl told The Washington Post that becoming a cardinal was “exciting [and] humbling.” He said the three major challenges in the church are secularism, materialism and individualism.

Cardinal Wuerl told The Washington Post he would address these challenges by giving more emphasis to “new evangelization” that was begun by Benedict to “help people reconnect with their faith.”

Wuerl, who shepherded his native diocese of Pittsburgh for 18 years prior to Washington D.C., is known for being very diplomatic and gifted in mediation. Parishioner Kathleen Asdorian, 67 of Silver Spring told The Washington Post that Wuerl would bring stature to the archdiocese adding, “He is a phenomenal catechist, and very bright, a real intellectual.”

Same tailor

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette said Wuerl used the same tailor in Rome that he had as a seminarian in the 1960s, Gino Barbiconi. Although Barbiconi retired, he still made Wuerl’s scarlet vestments for consistory, or the ceremony for cardinals.

Barbiconi proudly said, “I did it when he became a priest, I did it when he became a bishop and I’m going to do it when he becomes a cardinal,” the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported.

Wuerl ordered two sets, one to remain in Rome for many anticipated cardinals’ meetings. A complete set includes two cassocks—a scarlet one for liturgical services, and a formal black one with scarlet trim for meetings with the pope and other important occasions, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported.

Consistory

During the consistory, Benedict placed a three-cornered red cardinal’s hat on the Wuerl as he pledged faithfulness to God and Church. The Associated Press said of the 24 new cardinals, Wuerl got the loudest applause from a delegation of 400 people from the U.S.

They included family, friends and Catholics who wanted to support Wuerl. When the crowd clapped appreciatively Wuerl smiled slightly, then bowed before the pope, The Washington Post reported.

Work cut out

The 24 new cardinals have their work cut out for them. In a pre-consistory meeting with the pope the issues discussed included the church’s response to clergy sexual abuse, the recent ordination by the Chinese church of a bishop not chosen by the pope, the hostage-taking and massacre of churchgoers in Iraq, and the newly-created Ordinariate for disaffected Anglicans in England, The Washington Post said.

In a statement, the Vatican said guidelines on the church’s rejoinder to the clergy sex scandal will be disseminated to all bishops’ conferences. They include prevention of clergy sex abuse, education on the protection of children, and improved screening of candidates for the priesthood, The Washington Post said.

The AP said Benedict has handpicked 40 percent of all the cardinals, who share his conservative, traditional thinking, making it likely that the future pope will continue the path set out by Benedict.

Be Sociable, Share!

• 

The Vatican decried recently the way the Belgian police handled the raids on church grounds and a cardinal’s home. They expressed outrage that the tombs of two cardinals were drilled open.

The tombs of Cardinals Van Roey and Suenenes were drilled open, and a camera was inserted to see if documents were hidden inside that may pertain to child sexual abuse by clergy, the National Post said.

Police authorities explained that they were told that work had been newly done on the external part of a tomb. The Vatican called the act a violation, the National Post said.

The Vatican summoned the Belgian ambassador to the Holy See, who met with the Vatican’s foreign minister who conveyed the Vatican’s ire and issued a formal protest, the National Post said.

The Belgian police raided and sealed two main Mechelen church offices of the Brussels archdiocese. A meeting of bishops was taking place at the time of the raid, and the bishops could not leave or make phone calls for nine hours during the raid, the National Post said.

Also raided was the home of Cardinal Godfried Danneels, who headed the Belgian Church since 1979. He stepped down in January, the National Post said.

Confiscated during the raids were several computers, files and some 475 dossiers of abuse victims who had spoken to a church commission that was investigating clerical sexual abuse of minors, the National Post said.

The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, a U.S. organization, lauded the raids and called for similar action in other countries as well. They were also critical of the Vatican response, the AP said.

Joelle Casteix of SNAP said, “Vatican officials who criticize the Belgian police raid of the Brussels church hierarchy should be ashamed of themselves. While Roman church officials talk about stopping abuse, Belgian police officials take action to stop abuse,” the AP said.

The Vatican expressed regret that the confidentiality of victims who chose to communicate with the church commission would not be respected. The church commission was charged with the church’s own investigation of clerical sexual abuse of minors, the National Post said.

It is believed that the police raids came about because of the resignation last April of Bishop Vangheluwe, 73, who left his post after admitting to have sexually abused a young boy, the Telegraph said.

Yesterday, Pope Benedict named Monsignor Jozef De Kesel as the new bishop of Bruges, replacing Roger Vangheluwe, the National Post said.

Pope Benedict XVI has met with victims of clerical abuse in the past, asked for their forgiveness and assured that the church would work for the protection of children. In a statement, the Vatican said criminal abuse of minors must be condemned and justice and change is needed, the Associated Press said.

The issue of child abuse is a sensitive one in Belgium, particularly in light of the perceived police bungling of the case of pedophile killer Marc Dutroux in the 1990s. Many still believe he had protection from higher ups, and the issue led to mass protests at the time, beliefnet says.

It is extremely rare that church offices and cardinal homes are raided. More often, many countries in Europe will work in cooperation with the church in establishing investigating bodies, the National Post said.

Be Sociable, Share!

• 

Christian schools in Mumbai demurred recently a suggestion by the Birhand Mumbai Corporation to introduce Hindu culture into their classes.

Archdiocesan Board of Education General Secretary Gregory Lobo said their 150-odd Christian schools in Mumbai promote respect for all faiths, and there is no need to focus on a particular faith, Christian Today India said.

The BMC also asked missionary schools to increase holidays for Hindu festivals and to remove a ban on students applying mehendi and bindis (decoration marks on the hands and forehead) and bangles, CT India said.

However, Lobo denied that Abe schools have such restrictions and said that students were allowed to wear bindis and bangles.

The ABE is preparing to take legal action against the proposal that is now being considered by the Maharashtra government, CT India said.

The BMC also said Abe schools do not sing the national anthem.  However, Cardinal Oswald Gracias, archbishop of Mumbai said, “All our Christian institutions inculcate the values of patriotism and religious harmony and through the apostolate of education, we are serving the country,” AsiaNews.it reported.

The cardinal noted that  some groups are fed by fundamentalist ideologies that create a climate which threatens peace and peaceful coexistence, according to AsiaNews.it.

For this reason Cardinal Gracias said their 2009 activities included seminars for the “Year of peace and harmony” where he spoke about measures to combat extremism and fundamentalism, AsiaNews.it reported.

Most Abe schools are considered prestigious and are known for their academic excellence.  They receive some financial help from the BMC, which is run by a right-wing Hindu coalition comprised of the Shiv Sena party and the Bharatiya Janata Party, BBC reported.

Be Sociable, Share!

•