Ministry: August 2003 Archives

Records from the Archdiocese of Boston appear to show that even after diocesan officials started tracking the sexual-abuse problem closely in 1993, they didn't face it:

"That is a fair thing to say: It wasn't until 2002 that we came to look at the depth of the problem that we had and we really began to address it," [spokesman Rev. Christopher] Coyne said.

Even as late as 1998 or '99, there was a time to bite the bullet and expose the problem, because the jubilee year called upon us in the Church to admit faults and seek pardon before God and man. There were some such confessions and apologies, mostly for faults committed hundreds of years ago: a good thing as far as it went; but there was a spiritual opportunity to go further, to acknowledge sins and failures that affected people living now, and the Cardinal let it go by. One can only wonder how different things would be now.

As Mark Shea has noticed, the Venice (FL) diocese has a puzzling poll question on its website this week. They're asking whether bishops should be appointed by the Pope or elected by the people of the diocese.

I think the answer is obvious. In an era when 70% of U.S. Catholics don't understand the doctrine of the Real Presence, we should regard the Catholic population here as in need of mission: in need of re-evangelization, conversion, and catechesis. It makes no sense for the recipients of mission to elect the missionary.

It's not the first time, either, that the Venice web site people have stuck their neck out with a strange question. It's conceivable that they may be doing so with the aim of encouraging an interest in apologetics, but the results of these unscientific polls are not much to be sanguine about.

On the other hand, there are some really good things going on in the Venice diocese: the opening of Ave Maria University this fall, the Monks of Adoration who moved there from Massachusetts, and the scholarly and prudent fez-wearing canonists who serve in the diocesan tribunal.

If this report on the local news in Detroit is right, one priest is begging for a smackdown.

Fifteen families who complained that their pastor let his defrocked brother say Mass at his parish got letters telling them the were no longer welcome at the church.

Something tells me that correct canonical procedure was not quite followed, and parishioner Adam Nguyn seems to know that:"Whatever happened, I'm not going to leave until the pope come and say to me, Adam, you cannot participate in the church."

You tell 'em, Mr. Nguyn!

The US diocesan appointments came out on Friday this week.

The Pope has appointed Bp. Nicholas DiMarzio of Camden, NJ to succeed 75-year-old Bp. Thomas Daily in the country's largest non-archdiocese diocese. For readers wanting to get to know Bp. DiMarzio better, here's a collection of his columns for the Camden diocesan paper.

Elsewhere, Bp. Sam Jacobs is being transferred from Alexandria (LA) to Houma-Thibodaux, succeeding Bp. Michael Jarrell (now in Lafayette). Also, Msgr. Peter Jugis is being appointed to Charlotte (NC). May God prosper their work!