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With apologies for another vanity posting…
I’m often asked, as both a journalist and a canon lawyer, how Boston has affected the Church in North America. In some ways it has been for the good – sexual abuse is no longer covered up in the Church. In other ways, not so good. Young priests get nasty stares whenever they wear their collar in public.
Anyway, a number of my colleagues in the canon law world agreed to go on record with me for a story in today’s Washington Times.

This is just going to be rambles. I loved the man as much as I loved Pope John Paul II.
Fr. Arnaud Devillers alerted me this morning that Dom Gerard Calvet, the former abbot of Le Barroux, passed away yesterday. For those who are traditionalist in communion with Rome, Dom Gerard became our spiritual leader after the split with Archbishop Lefebvre in 1988. As founder of the traditionalist movement’s Benedictine branch, Dom Calvet had been a close collaborator with Lefebvre up until the split, and always hoped and prayer that Lefebvre would die reconciled with Rome.
His book Demain la Chretiente was a blue-print for the traditionalist movement. And it was an honour to assist on the English translation. Most importantly, Calvet was a man of deep prayer.
Calvet was also a pro-life example. He was the source of riots in France after spending Christmas in jail one year, because he and his monks had walked into the local abortuary one morning and, with reinforced chains, chained themselves to the machine. It took firemen and police something like twelve hours to unchain them.
May Father Abbot’s soul, and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) – In the days after Mormon Church president and prophet Gordon B. Hinckley is laid to rest, the men who served as his closest advisers will begin the process of choosing a successor.
But the deliberations after Saturday will not hold the intrigue of the election of a Roman Catholic pope, during which geography, politics and other factors combine in a process that ends with white smoke puffing from a chimney.
At least in modern days, choosing the leader of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has come down to the simple matter of who is next in line for an office unique among religious traditions. …full story

After a long wait, our foster (and very soon to be adopted) baby was baptized earlier this month. Our joy is beyond measure. One of these days I’ll post the whole foster baby story – but for now, just enjoy the beautiful kid with the rosy cheeks.
From left to right: Jean DiPaolo, Teresa, Asya, Msgr. Tom Cassidy, Me, Dr. Tony DiPaolo. Dr. Tony and his wife Jean are the happy God parents.

Lift up, O gates, your lintels; reach up, you ancient portals, that the king of glory may come in!
– Offertory antiphon, Christmas Vigil Mass
May you and yours find the peace and joy the infant Jesus brings!