Dr. Anne Hendershott Become a fan Professor, Franciscan University of Steubenville

                          

Another Catholic Scandal?

New York City's faithful Catholics were disheartened yet again as they picked up their daily newspapers December 11th to read the front page headlines--replete with pictures--of a priest accused of involvement in a sex scandal. Sensational banners like New York Post's "Hot Under the Collar," and "Sex Slave Priest's $50 Shades of Pray," along with the New York Daily News headline: "Exclusive: Bronx Priest Stole More than $1 million from Two NYC Churches, Used the Cash on Wild S & M Romance with Beefy Boyfriend," cannot help but demoralize the faithful.

The revelations surfaced last week when a lawsuit was filed by parishioners from St. Frances de Chantal Church in Throgs Neck naming their pastor, the Rev. Peter Miqueli of theft and misconduct. They were joined in the lawsuit against the pastor by parishioners from his former parish, St. Francis Cabrini, on Roosevelt Island. The lawsuit also names the Archdiocese of New York for failing to protect parishioners from the theft. Also named is a Bronx doctor, who is also a Church trustee, who allegedly provided the pastor and his alleged partner with more than $60,000 worth of Dilaudid, club drugs, and other illegal drugs.
According to Michael Dowd, the attorney representing the parishioners, "These charges of theft and misconduct have been made for at least 10 years...It is unbelievable that the diocese can't come to a conclusion about the misconduct of Misqueli when there is money missing that may be a million dollars."
The lawsuit suggests that the Archdiocese has been reluctant to respond to their complaints--Timothy Cardinal Dolan and the Archdiocese of New York are also named as defendants in the Manhattan court papers. Jack Lynch, a Bronx parishioner told a reporter , "We can't understand it. It seems they are going out of their way to protect him, and for years. We suspect a scandal behind the scandal."
Continuing the story, December 12th's front page New York Post article ("Sermon of the Mount") reveals claims by Tatyana Gudin, a spurned ex-girlfriend of Keith Crist, Fr. Miqueli's same sex paramour, that she sent emails to Cardinal Dolan last summer detailing the lurid details of the scandalous affair and suggesting that Fr. Miqueli was stealing money from the parishes he pastored. Fr. Miqueli finally resigned later that day.
Defending the Archdiocese, Joseph Zwilling, media director for the New York Archdiocese issued a statement to parishioners claiming that: To date we have found nothing to substantiate the allegations that have been raised and in fact with regard to parish finances, we know that the allegation that Fr. Miqueli stole $1 million from each parish, as was alleged by the plantiff's [sic] attorney, is completely false. We did find that Father Miqueli had deficient management and administrative practices, and have put forward several directives to remedy those deficiencies." Zwilling concluded his letter to parishioners to ask that "if anyone has information or documentation to substantiate the allegations, we would invite them to bring that information forward, or to contact the D. A."
Cardinal Dolan has acknowledged receiving the emails last summer--and turning them over to the prosecutor's office. But, he did not remove Fr. Miqueli from his position as pastor. According to the Post, Cardinal Dolan said he was "upset the allegations against Miqueli were outed before a probe could be completed. What distresses me, is the innuendo that the archdiocese is taking this with anything less than the gravity it deserves...We've been cooperating with these people. We've had a number of audits. And we're prepared to arrive at a resolution within the first of the year."
It is becoming ever more difficult for Catholics to know what to believe about these kinds of issues--especially when some Catholic leaders seem so reluctant to share information. Just last summer, a popular and highly respected priest, Monsignor Michael F. Hull, the pastor of the Church of the Guardian Angel in Chelsea, Professor of Sacred Scripture at St. Joseph's Seminary, and Executive Director of the Sheen Center, a 25, 000 square foot arts center in New York City abruptly left the priesthood. In March, 2014, Hull had been the subject of a laudatory Wall Street Journal article on the magnificent Sheen Center. Several bloggers have reported on what they called his "disappearance," including Matt C. Abbott at RenewAmerica, and Maureen Mullarkey at First Things. In "The Case of the Missing New York Monsignor," Abbott writes that phone calls to the the Seminary at Dunwoodie and the parish "elicited only the comment that Monsignor Hull was no longer there." In First Things on July 27th, 2015, Mullarkey charged that "Monsignor Hull misspent parish funds on a palatial renovation of his rectory only to go AWOL with a young intern at the newly created Sheen Center. Now, married, he is a priest in the Scottish Episcopal Church. Once the darling of Cardinal Egan, Hull was sheltered behind institutional silence. No word of his canonical status appeared in letters to priests or in Catholic New York, the Archdiocesan house organ."
Unfortunately, during the same month that Mullarkey published her column on Monsignor Hull in First Things, and Tatyana Gudin was sending the incriminating emails to the Archdiocesan offices, Cardinal Dolan began his Annual Report (published in Catholic New York on July 23, 2015), with the statement that: "The Archdiocese of New York is joyful, alive, and growing."
Indeed, it is what Mullarkey has called the "institutional silence" that has most angered faithful Catholics in these cases. While we all understand the need for confidentiality, and appreciate the willingness of Archdiocesan offices to fully investigate these kinds of horrific allegations, it is difficult for Catholics to understand the lack of communication from Church officials on issues that directly affect them. Faithful Catholics understand sinners--we are all sinners. Our Church will survive our sinfulness. But, the Church cannot continue the silence surrounding the kind of allegations that have been made against Fr. Miqueli for more than ten years. A lawsuit is not the way to begin the conversation. But, it is clear that parishioners believed there was no other way; and that is the real sadness surrounding this story.

Did NY Archdiocese buy silence?

 

Blackmail? Cover-Up?

Did the New York archdiocese buy Fr. Miqueli's silence?

December 16, 2015  219 Comments

          The tabloid press having field day in New York on this story.   The parishioners' lawsuit is available at:  https://docs.google.com/document/d/12yp-3ZDvMecdw_bjz4_Oa4VhfI59Ww-V2noaZhT_SWI/edit.                          

TRANSCRIPT

The case involves what we have been reporting on the past few days: that a lawsuit has been filed against Cdl. Timothy Dolan, the archdiocese, and a homosexual priest and his gay-for-pay male prostitute. The priest and prostitute are accused of ripping off over a million dollars from two New Yotk parishes and using it on their homosexual fantasy sex life. The archdiocese and Cdl. Dolan are accused of being negligent and non-responsive in addressing the continued concerns of parishioners. And ChurchMilitant.com has learned of one possible reason for the lack of concern and desire to keep the story under wraps by the archdiocese.
Keep in mind that the archdiocese has known about this for a very long while, but it was only after massive press coverage, including a series of reports from ChurchMilitant.com, that the archdiocese finally sprung into public action. Father Miqueli is no longer the pastor. A resignation statement purported to have been written by him was read before every Mass over the weekend, with archdiocesan spokesman Joe Zwilling lurking around at the back of the church.
So the question: What would be the case now had the lawsuit by parishioners and subsequent media reports these past few days not happened? Answer: likely nothing. How can we say that? Because prior to the suit and coverage, the archdiocese and Cdl. Dolan already knew all of this. No new information to them has been revealed in the past few days. Without that lawsuit and coverage by ChurchMilitant.com and local New York media, parishioners would still be screaming and their cries ignored. Amazing what happens when the spotlight gets shined on corruption.
What ChurchMiltant.com has also learned is that Fr. Miqueli felt a sense of invincibility in his life of larceny and lust, because, according to people close to the story, he witnessed a child molestation by a priest on Staten Island back around 2002 and went to the archdiocese. They told him to keep silent about it, and, according to reports, arranged for him to become pastor of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini parish on Roosevelt Island in exchange for his cooperation.
If this is true — and sources are standing by their story — it would fit a certain pattern here on the part of the archdiocese and Cdl. Dolan to fully investigate faithful Catholics' claims against Miqueli.
First, very little has been done about this by archdiocesan officials despite knowing about it for at least two years. Second, when one of the auxiliary bishops was told about the story by a church worker, the whistleblower was fired. Third, communications between the parishioners and the archdiocese reveal a cavalier attitude on the part of the archdiocese, so much so that parishioners thought they had no other option other than to go to court.
And then there is the reality that without the current media coverage and lawsuit, there isn't one thing to suggest that Fr. Miqueli would not still be pastor and supposedly thieving from the collection basket to fund his drug-fueled sex romps with a live-in gay prostitute.
So the larger question begins to be asked: Did Fr. Miqueli witness a child molestation and report it to the archdiocese? He has told that story to more than one person. If he did, is it true that officials back in 2002 — just at the exact time the whole homosexual priest sex abuse scandal was breaking open — bought his silence?
This scenario would explain his cavalier comments that he has powerful friends in the archdiocese who "protect him." This would all lead to a very plausible reason that the archdiocese would seek to ignore this whole story in the face of various complaints and meetings with parishioners over the course of years.
It was only after the girlfriend of the gay-for-pay prostitute stepped forward recently and told everything about the nearly 10-year-long sadomasochistic sexual relationship between Miqueli and Keith Crist that a motive for the million-dollar embezzlement came into focus.
But with that now clearly on the table, so is the prospect of criminal charges — which would almost certainly swamp the archdiocese as well — with the Bronx district attorney now waiting in the wings. The problem is the D.A. is waiting for the archdiocese of New York to finish its internal audit before making a decision whether to pursue a criminal investigation. That is a classic case of the fox guarding the hen house because the archdiocese has every reason for this not to go criminal.
However, there is still the question of a civil lawsuit hanging out there — and if that ends up unfavorably for the cardinal, the D.A. may have to pursue the case, regardless of any lackluster search for the truth on the part of Church officials.

Above story is from:  http://www.churchmilitant.com/video/episode/blackmail-cover-up


The New York Post also supplies coverage:
The Rev. Peter Miqueli was intensely jealous of his S&M boy toy — and it was that jealousy that led to his ouster from the pulpit, The Post has learned.
Miqueli flew into a rage after discovering that his bought-and-paid-for “master,” Keith Crist, had a longtime girlfriend he secretly shacked up with in the Harlem apartment for which the priest was paying rent.
The randy rev eventually forced Crist to pick between him and the woman earlier this year, spurned girlfriend and whistle-blower Tatyana Gudin told The Post.
When Crist picked Miqueli, kicking her out of the apartment, it helped set off a chain of events that has led to the priest’s downfall at St. Frances de Chantal Church in The Bronx.
It was “the straw that broke the camel’s back,” Gudin said of getting tossed into the street by both Miqueli and Crist, prompting her to reach out to a lawyer, church parishioners and even Cardinal Timothy Dolan to tell them the priest was leading a secret life of lust and larceny.
“When [Miqueli] found out — it was late March — he got really mad and really jealous,” Gudin said. “He [Miqueli] conspired with my boyfriend to illegally lock me out.”
Gudin, 45, claimed Crist, 41, and a pal of the priest changed the locks at their East Harlem pad on April 16, knowing she would be out for several hours having oral surgery.
The New York Archdiocese and Bronx prosecutors are investigating whether Miqueli stole church funds to pay for his sinful relationship with Crist.

Modal Trigger

Keith Crist (right) was living with his girlfriend, Tatyana Gudin, when the Rev. Peter Miqueli forced him to choose and Crist kicked her out, the spurned woman told The Post.

Parishioners have filed a lawsuit against Miqueli — largely informed by Gudin’s statements — for allegedly stealing up to $1 million in church funds.
The disgraced priest was nowhere to be found on Sunday — not at his New Jersey home nor at St. Frances de Chantal Church, which announced that Miqueli was stepping down.
“What can I say? I’m embarrassed,” the priest’s brother, Joseph Miqueli of Pasadena, Md., told The Post.
The brother declined to get into any specifics, but hinted that he and other loved ones knew something was wrong after meeting Rev. Miqueli’s musclebound pal.

The Rev. Peter Miqueli’s alleged bodybuilding sex “master,” Keith CristPhoto: Foursquare

“It was kind of obvious,” said Joseph Miqueli. “I know that’s terrible. He’s got to ask for forgiveness. He’s in a mess. He’s in a pretty big mess. This thing is huge.”
Meanwhile, Dolan said after Mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral on Sunday that he “admired’’ Miqueli’s decision to step down.
“It’s horrible, isn’t it?” he said. “It’s dark, it’s somber, it’s dreary. I’m sad for the good people at that parish.
“I’m sad for my priests who once again are tarnished,’’ added Dolan, who took heat while in Missouri over accusations he didn’t do enough to address priest sex scandals.
Upon his promotion from auxiliary bishop in St. Louis to succeed the archbishop in Milwaukee, Dolan said that he had learned his lesson about slow response.

St. Frances de Chantal Church in The BronxPhoto: Christopher Sadowski

“I’ve learned some very hard-won lessons. We can’t do business as usual . . . We’ve got to be more open, more transparent,” he said in 2002.
A rep for the Bronx District Attorney’s Office said Sunday that prosecutors are waiting for the archdiocese to complete its internal audit of Miqueli before pursuing any criminal charges.
Meanwhile, worshippers at St. Frances de Chantal broke into applause Sunday when a letter from their disgraced priest was read before each Mass announcing he was stepping aside.
Additional reporting by C.J. Sullivan, Khristina Narizhnaya and David K. Li


New York Post:   http://nypost.com/2015/12/14/jealous-priest-forced-boy-toy-to-choose-its-me-or-your-girlfriend/



The above tabloids are making much of the problem, but it does indeed to appear to be a scandal.

Update: 

New York City priest at the center of a sordid sex scandal resigned Saturday after outraged parishioners accused him of embezzling at least a million dollars in donations to, among other things, pay a male hustler for $1,000-a-session sadomasochistic encounters.
Among Father Peter Miqueli’s kinky fantasies, according to The New York Post, was being humiliated in front of a “nice Jewish girl” in the Orthodox Borough Park, Brooklyn enclave.
Tatyana Gudin, the ex-girlfriend of the male hustler, dished about a lot more of the priest’s alleged peccadillos in a letter to the New York Archdiocese.
Angry parishioners are suing the church, the priest, the alleged hustler (identified as Keith Crist), and Cardinal Timothy Dolan in a lawsuit filed in New York State Supreme Court.
“Since 2003 the defendant Father Peter Miqueli used his position of trust and confidence as a pastor, as a man of God, to misappropriate and divert hundreds of thousands of dollars of donation funds from parishioners at the St. Frances Xavier Cabrini Church on Roosevelt Island and the St. Frances De Chantal Church in the Bronx,” the suit says.
“Rather than use parishioner donations for religious and charitable purposes, Father Miqueli used the donations to grow his personal wealth, purchase a house in New Jersey, take dozens of international vacations, purchase and use illegal drugs, and pay for the weekly services of his homosexual prostitute and “sex master” Keith Crist.”
The suit also accuses the church of knowing about the activities. A spokesman for Dolan said an investigation is underway and Dolan has reportedly admitted seeing Gudin’s allegations, which have been turned over to prosecutors.
Miqueli announced Saturday night he was stepping down from the Bronx parish as the story spread like wildfire online.
“I have made the decision to step aside from my position as pastor of this parish while this unfortunate and regrettable situation is investigated,” he said. “It is in the best interests of the parish that this matter be resolved without me serving as your pastor.”
Miqueli denies any wrongdoing.


Read more: http://forward.com/news/breaking-news/326826/the-priest-the-hustler-and-the-nice-jewish-girl/#ixzz3uZsSysTe

 

Are conservatives at high-stakes Vatican summit overplaying their hand? - Religion News Service

 

VATICAN CITY (RNS) Ever since a Vatican summit last year raised the possibility of making the church more open to those whose family lives may not mirror the Catholic ideal, conservative foes have been in uproar, waging an intense campaign to block any reforms from being adopted.

Yet as a follow-up meeting this month has progressed, the enthusiasm of the traditionalists could be overwhelming their tactical judgment — annoying and even angering  enough of their fellow bishops they may have weakened what was once considered a strong position.

Still, the conservatives may also have created enough disarray and disagreement to ice any significant moves toward change, or taint any proposals they may offer to Pope Francis when the meeting, called a synod, concludes on Oct. 25 after three intense weeks.

The most public, and, for the conservatives, embarrassing episode came earlier this week with the leak of a private letter to the pope from 13 cardinals opposed to reforms.

In the letter, the senior churchmen complained that Francis had set up this meeting of 270 bishops from around the world in a way that would favor reformers who want, for example, to adopt a new approach to gays and lesbians or find a way that divorced and remarried Catholics could receive Communion.

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READ: Thousands visit human remains of youngest Catholic saint near Chicago

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Several cardinals quickly denied signing the letter, and others said the letter they signed was a bit different from the leaked version, though they did not say how.

That sent synod delegates and Vatican-watching media into a frenzy of speculation, until it was reported that there were in fact 13 signers, only some of them were different from those originally claimed.

Moreover, one of those newly revealed to have signed was Houston Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, a top official of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

DiNardo’s participation in the secret campaign was seen as a knock at Washington Cardinal Donald Wuerl. That’s because Wuerl is a member of the committee named by Francis to draft the synod’s final report — a group whose composition had irked the conservatives.

New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan was also a signer, and after initially declining to comment, Dolan gave a radio interview, set for broadcast Saturday (Oct. 17), that offers a circuitous rationale for the letter. At the same time, Dolan pegs conservative Australian Cardinal George Pell — a top Vatican official and outspoken opponent of reforms — as the ringleader of the effort:

“Cardinal Pell in his good shrewd way said, ‘Am I correct in summing up some of the concerns?’” Dolan says in the interview. “And some of us, myself included, said, ‘Boy, that sounds good to me. If you have a letter to the pope, count me in.’ And, sure enough, I signed it.”

• LISTEN: Cardinal Dolan interviewed about the letter he signed:

But, Dolan added, the letter was in Italian, and he said he “had forgotten about it” and was stunned when it emerged.

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READ: Who rules in Rome: Pope Francis or the Roman Curia? A papal blueprint faces red tape

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With all these twists and turns the saga was quickly becoming as absurd as it was convoluted, and it might have been seen as just another chapter in the legacy of Vatican intrigue that stretches from the era of the Borgia popes to the novels of Dan Brown — except that the plot seemed so backhanded it made the synod look faithless as well as foolish.

“The general opinion I detected among the bishops was a sense of disgust,” Bishop Marcello Semeraro, an Italian who is on the final drafting committee along with Wuerl, told Vatican Insider.

Another synod delegate, Archbishop Mark Coleridge of Australia, called the leaked letter affair a “typically Roman melodrama” that was “not untinged with psychodrama.”

The problem, Coleridge wrote on his blog, is that episodes like this tend to “aggravate the sense that the Synod is not much more than a political caucus, with ideological riptides swirling around us and the odd stinger drifting by.”

Already, he said, the deliberations are struggling to battle against “a fear that can become a kind of paranoia.”

“My reading of all this is that the ploy has backfired,” wrote veteran Vaticanista John Thavis. “I suspect most synod participants are not amused at this rather obvious attempt to pre-emptively discredit the synod’s outcome.”

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READ: Pope Francis asks forgiveness for scandals at the Vatican, Rome

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The synod participant who counts most, of course, is Pope Francis, and he, too, was apparently not happy.

Pell had delivered the protest letter to Francis on Oct. 5, the first day of the synod meetings, and apparently made reference to it in comments on the synod floor.

The next morning, Francis made a brief, unscheduled speech in which he warned the bishops against buying into “the hermeneutic of conspiracy” — basically, conspiracy theories. Such fears, the pope said, are “sociologically weak and spiritually unhelpful.”

The pope’s rebuke, as well as details of the letter, only emerged days later.

But those aren’t the only examples of potential overreach by the right.

Shortly after the synod began, for example, the Polish bishops at the meeting — a solidly conservative bloc that has vocally opposed any suggestion of changes to church practices — began publishing on their website summaries of the speeches of individual participants along with each bishop’s name.

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READ: NJ archbishop sets rules for barring Catholics from Communion

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That was a clear violation of synod rules on privacy that Francis expressly wanted to allow the bishops to speak freely. The Polish bishops took down the postings after Vatican officials complained.

At the same time, nearly every day conservative churchmen or their allies are holding press conferences to denounce their opponents or their arguments in the strongest terms, or are delivering hard-line speeches in the synod hall that seem to provide little space for compromise.

And those moves follow a year of public lobbying against changes and regular charges that the reformers are manipulating or “rigging” the synod to achieve a desired outcome.

In lectures and interviews, in columns and blog posts, traditionalist churchmen and conservative Catholic pundits have also warned darkly of schisms and heresies if any changes are made, and leading cardinals, some from within Francis’ own Roman Curia, have written books blasting the reformers or rejecting proposals to lighten the off-putting language the church often uses to refer to gay people or cohabiting couples.

Ultimately, it’s unclear whether the irritation over the pressure tactics will lead enough delegates to try to move ahead without the hard-liners on board.

They probably don’t have enough support, or the desire, to go it alone. And as the synod enters its final and decisive week, there appears to be little consensus on reforms and no clear path to a resolution.

In the end, if the bishops cannot agree on opening pathways to change, as may well happen, then the status quo camp can claim victory. And if the reformers do manage to win some victories, then the prebuttal complaints by the right may serve to discredit any compromise — or leave a mess for Francis to sort out.

YS/MG END GIBSON

Are conservatives at high-stakes Vatican summit overplaying their hand? - Religion News Service

LeMoyne president proud of students for speaking out against commencement speaker, Cardinal Dolan : News : CNYcentral.com

 

SYRACUSE -- A majority of the 2015 graduating class doesn't want him to speak, but the president of Le Moyne College says Cardinal Timothy Dolan will speak at this year's commencement regardless.

Dolan is the leader of the Roman Catholic archdiocese of New York. Some say he has some controversial views, specifically his stance on gay marriage and his handling of allegations of child sexual abuse against priests. However, the Le Moyne administration is thrilled to have him speak, saying he's arguably the most influential leader within the U.S. Catholic Church.

The students aren't nearly as thrilled. More than 300 signed a petition on change.org. There are roughly 600 students in the graduating class. While not every person who signed the petition is a senior, it's fair to say a majority of students who will be attending commencement will not be happy to hear it's star speaker.

Le Moyne president, Linda LeMura says it doesn't bother her. In fact it makes her proud.

"In reality I see it as a great call for celebration. Our students are questioning decisions we've made. They want to understand the rationale at a deeper level. They're indicating concern for members of society that are historically marginalized. I think Cardinal Dolan will take some joy in the fact that our students are well educated and want more questions answered. It's a sign of engagement," says LeMura.

LeMura says Cardinal Dolan has been informed of the petition, but it hasn't deterred him from speaking.

LeMoyne president proud of students for speaking out against commencement speaker, Cardinal Dolan : News : CNYcentral.com

Pope Francis Names Rabbi Arthur Schneier Papal Knight Cardinal Dolan Confers the Papal Knight of Saint Sylvester to Founder and President of The Appeal of Conscience Foundation and Senior Rabbi of Park East Synagogue

 

Rabbi Arthur Schneier has been conferred the title of Papal Knight of Saint Sylvester by Cardinal Timothy Dolan in the presence of top religious leaders and elected officials.

According to Archbishop Bernardito C. Auza, the Apostolic Nuncio, and Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations, who hosted the ceremony, “Pope Francis is bestowing the honor on Rabbi Arthur Schneier who has worked unceasingly to promote peace and mutual understanding, in the firm conviction that respect for fundamental human rights, including religious freedom, are indispensable values for all peoples of the world to enjoy peace, security and shared prosperity. A Holocaust survivor, Rabbi Schneier has always held this conviction in his heart and made it a principle of life.”

Born in Vienna in 1930, Rabbi Schneier survived the Holocaust in Budapest, Hungary in 1945 and arrived in the United States in 1947.  Rabbi Arthur Schneier has been the Senior Rabbi of the 125-year old Park East Synagogue, one of New York City’s historic landmark houses of worship since 1962; he founded the Appeal of Conscience Foundation in 1965.

“The rare honor bestowed upon me by Pope Francis as Knight of Saint Sylvester marks the 50th anniversary of my meetings in the Vatican and the beginning of the cooperation between the Holy See and the Appeal of Conscience Foundation in helping advance religious freedom and human rights,” said Rabbi Arthur Schneier. “It is also the year that we celebrate the 50^th anniversary of Nostra Aetate, a turning point in Catholic Jewish relations.”

According to Rabbi Schneier, “The visit of Saint Pope Paul John Paul II to the Rome synagogue, Pope Benedict XVI’s visit to synagogues in Europe as well as Park East Synagogue, the first papal visit to a synagogue in the United States, are historic events that have contributed to the evolving relationship between Catholic Church and the Jewish people. With great joy I helped welcome Pope Francis at the Wall in Jerusalem. I am greatly honored to be recognized by His Holiness, a voice of conscience who has embraced humanity with his outreach, compassion, love and mercy to all of God’s children.”

Rabbi Schneier also stated that, “As we remember the 70^th anniversary of the end of WWII in Europe, sadly, the hope for a new world order of peace has not materialized. We face once again a volatile world in conflict with radical extremist having hijacked religion to legitimize their barbarism inflicted on religious minorities particularly, Christian minorities who are in the front line of persecution being oppressed, uprooted and decapitated.”

Rabbi Arthur Schneier renewed his plea to stop those who abuse their role as religious leaders, “We clearly must rebut the preachers of hate who incite violence, demonize other faiths and help spread anti-Semitism, Christianophobia, Islamophobia. ‘A crime perpetrated in the name of religion, is the greatest crime against religion.’ Join me in awakening a public in the slumber of indifference and apathy to these heinous crimes. May God protect and shield us and help our joint efforts in pursuit of peace and security.”

Rabbi Arthur Schneier was awarded the U.S. Presidential Citizens Medal for “his service as an international envoy for four administrations, devoting a lifetime to overcoming the forces of hatred and intolerance by encouraging interfaith dialogue and intercultural understanding and promoting the cause of religious freedom around the world.” Rabbi Schneier has also received the U.S. Department of State Special Recognition Award and has been nominated for the Congressional Gold Medal.

Rabbi Arthur Schneier was named as one of the 100 most trustworthy people in the U.S. by the Readers’ Digest magazine poll and listed as one the most influential rabbis in the U.S. by Newsweek Magazine. He is the recipient of eleven honorary doctorates from U.S. and European universities and was awarded the Legion of Honor, high awards from Germany, Austria, Russia, Hungary, Croatia, Italy, Poland and Spain .

The ceremony was attended by former United States Secretary of State, Dr. Henry Kissinger. Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney (D- NY). Former New York City Mayor, David Dinkins. Former New York City Police Commissioner, Ray Kelly. Archbishop Demetrios of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. Archbishop Barsamian, of the Armenian Church of America. The Reverend Dr. Fred R. Anderson, of the Madison Avenue Presbyterian Church-Trustees of the Appeal of Conscience Foundation-Rabbi Joseph Potasnik, The Executive Vice President of the New York Board of Rabbis and Imam al-Hajj Talib Abdur-Rashid, The Mosque of Islamic Brotherhood, Abraham Foxman, The National Director of the Anti-Defamation League and Rabbi Michael Miller, The Executive VP & CEO of The Jewish Community Relations Council of New York.

Pope Francis Names Rabbi Arthur Schneier Papal Knight Cardinal Dolan Confers the Papal Knight of Saint Sylvester to Founder and President of The Appeal of Conscience Foundation and Senior Rabbi of Park East Synagogue

Looking Past Cardinal Dolan's Hearty Smile | Michael D'Antonio

 

In Rome, Vatican watchers like to say that the institutional Catholic Church measures time not with a clock, but with a calendar, and that its memory is as durable as the records in its archives, where Galileo's signature, preserved in the documents from his famous trial, looks like it was penned yesterday. In America the one institution that might match the Vatican when it comes to memory and deliberative care is our system of justice where, according to the reliable cliché, the wheels grind slowly. But grind they do and they are gradually revealing the character behind the façade of New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan's hearty smile and twinkling eyes.
In the most recent turn in the struggle for justice by victims of clergy sexual abuse, a federal judge found that the Archdiocese of Milwaukee cannot stash $55 million in a trust devoted to cemeteries and deny litigants access to the money as they sue for compensation. Victims of predator priests have used the courts to seek both the documented truth and financial compensation for more than a decade.

The architect of the trust fund idea was then Archbishop of Milwaukee Dolan, who was subsequently made cardinal of New York by Pope Benedict XVI.

Before he shocked the Church by resigning, Benedict stood as the symbol of the Vatican's immoral and schizophrenic response to abuse as he spoke empathetically but acted to shield both clergy and the Catholic treasury. Dolan practiced the same duality, posing as a Christ-like figure of compassion in meetings with victims but acting as if he never heard the admonition to the greedy contained in the gospel of Luke. Indeed, after establishing the trust he then sought the protection of the bankruptcy court for the rest of the assets of the archdiocese. This strategy was replicated elsewhere in the country as bishops, who understood that victims had won billions of dollars in compensation, recognized in Dolan's example a way to evade claims.

Created just as the state of Wisconsin was moving to permit victim lawsuits against the official church, Dolan's enormous trust fund was described by the archdiocese as a vehicle for the care of eight burying grounds. For the care of clergy victims Milwaukee church officials proposed $4 million, less than 10 percent of the sum earmarked for the dead, to be split by 128 claimants. An additional 450 people who came forward to accuse priests of sexual abuse would have been given nothing because they failed to meet certain legal, not moral, criteria.

Although it was explained in straight-faced seriousness, the notion that this much money would be required for a cemetery trust is hard to square with the experience of leaders at local churches who manage to cut the grass and plow pathways at their cemeteries with the aid of volunteers and revenues from the sale of plots. Court documents show that indeed, the cemeteries of the archdiocese actually operated at a profit of roughly $500,000 per year and the trust gave almost four times as much -- $1.95 million annually -- to headquarters in downtown Milwaukee.

So far, the archdiocese has spent more than $11 million in legal fees to wage its battle with victims in bankruptcy court. The cemetery excesses, since the trust was established, have totaled almost $8 million. Add these moneys to the $55 million secreted away by Dolan and you get an amount -- $74 million -- that would approach a reasonable settlement figure. These facts, revealed by the grinding wheel of American justice, represent the truth behind the hail-fellow-well-met image Dolan has cultivated. Although he has seemed a bit out of step since his sponsor, Benedict, was replaced by the more humble Francis I, Dolan has insisted that he has made no effort to change his style or practice. In view of how this vicar of Christ chose to represent Jesus when he managed the money in Milwaukee, that's too bad for New Yorkers.

Looking Past Cardinal Dolan's Hearty Smile | Michael D'Antonio

NYC St. Patrick’s Parade rejects pro-life group as gay activists prepare to march | News | LifeSite

 

As if it wasn’t controversial enough that a homosexual activist group will be marching under its own banner in the New York St. Patrick’s Day parade led by New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the parade has refused a pro-life group’s request to participate.

When Cardinal Dolan was appointed Grand Marshal of the parade, he excused the decision to allow Out@NBCUniversal to march under their banner by saying they were merely Catholics who were homosexually inclined, rather than advocates for sinful behaviour.  The group, however, is an overt promoter of same-sex ‘marriage.’

The controversy heightened January 22, though, when the parade officially rejected a pro-life adoption advocacy group’s application to march this year.

“It’s absolutely been a double-cross,” Dr. Elizabeth Rex, president of the Children First Foundation (CFF), told LifeSiteNews. Not only was the group refused, they had to get a lawyer to pursue the parade committee to find out the result of their application. And even then the parade committee waited until the very last day before the launch of legal action to respond.

When the parade committee announced in September that the homosexual group could march in the 2015 parade, it came with a policy change allowing groups to march under their own banner, which organizers called a “gesture of goodwill” toward the LGBT community.

But the change in policy was supposed to also mean a pro-life group could march, and after many months, and this year’s parade looming, one has yet to be announced.

Rex’s pro-life group first applied to march in the 2015 parade last September, just after the policy change was made known.

Rex, an adjunct bioethics professor for Holy Apostles College and Seminary in Cromwell, CT, founded CFF in 2001. The group promotes and supports adoption, and sponsored “Choose Life” license plates in Connecticut, New Jersey, and Washington, D.C.  

The controversy with the parade committee’s allowance of the homosexual group to march in the parade was compounded last fall when New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan deviated from his predecessors, who had stood firm in regard to Church teaching as it relates to the Irish Catholic-themed parade, by saying he had no problem with the decision, and in fact, calling it a wise one.

Cardinal Dolan was shortly thereafter named the 2015 grand marshal, causing considerable disappointment among many Catholics.

The Catholic Church teaches that people with same-sex attractions must be treated with respect and dignity as children of God. However the Church also teaches that homosexual activity is intrinsically disordered and gravely immoral, and just as all children of God, those suffering with same-sex attractions are called to live chaste lives.

Catholics worry that the media will use the approval of the homosexual activist group by Dolan and the parade organizers to undermine Church teaching on marriage, especially by playing up Dolan’s participation in the parade.

At least one Catholic leader initially gave parade organizers a pass on the decision allowing the homosexual group in the parade.

Catholic League President Bill Donohue had said he was consulted by the parade committee prior to its announcement that the homosexual activist group could march with its banner in the 2015 parade, and he told them he could only support the decision if there were an official revision in the parade's rules on marching units.

NYC St. Patrick’s Parade rejects pro-life group as gay activists prepare to march | News | LifeSite

New York Archdiocese Parishioners See System of Secrets as They Fight Church Closings - NYTimes.com

 

For aggrieved parishioners at churches ordered closed or merged by Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan last November, it seemed like a simple task: Get a copy of the formal decree of his decision on their parishes, so they could properly appeal to the Vatican.

So across the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York, they began calling and writing letters to Cardinal Dolan and his senior aides, asking for the decrees. Some seven weeks later, a definitive answer came back: No, they could not have copies.

But archdiocesan officials said they would allow parishioners to view the documents — under certain conditions.

There could be no photographs and no transcriptions. Notes could be taken, but sometimes only after the document was out of sight. Viewings were by appointment, monitored by archdiocesan officials, parishioners who saw their decrees said.

The rules bewildered parishioners, who feared they might be stymied in filing their appeals. And several leading canon lawyers interviewed this week said they represented a highly unusual departure from church norms.

The following is from:  New York Archdiocese Parishioners See System of Secrets as They Fight Church Closings - NYTimes.com

Cardinal cuts ties with Priests for Life, says reforms in group needed | Catholic Globe

 

NEW YORK (CNS) — New York Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan said he wants “nothing further to do” with Priests for Life, which has its headquarters on Staten Island, which is in the New York Archdiocese.

Cardinal Dolan said he had been asked by the Vatican Congregation for the Clergy to assist its national director, Father Frank A. Pavone, with “several necessary reforms,” but he said the priest has not cooperated.

The changes have mostly to do with an audit and the need to establish an independent board “to provide oversight and accountability,” according to Religion News Service and Catholic World News.

Cardinal Dolan made the comments in a letter to his fellow U.S. bishops dated Nov. 20. The letter was not made public. But Catholic World News obtained a copy and reported on it in a story posted on CatholicCulture.org.

“Although Father Pavone initially assured me of his support, he did not cooperate,” Cardinal Dolan wrote.

In a statement sent to Catholic News Service Dec. 16, Priests for Life said it is “working with the Vatican to fully implement all the church’s expectations. The Vatican has been consistently supportive and favorable toward Priests for Life, which is an international private association of the faithful.” It also said the issue was “about control,” not financial accountability.

Priests for Life was founded in California in 1991 “to train, motivate and encourage priests to effectively advance the Gospel of life.”

 Renee Webb

Cardinal cuts ties with Priests for Life, says reforms in group needed | Catholic Globe

 

Priests For Life (PFL) is a Roman Catholic pro-life organization based in Staten Island, New York. It functions as a network to promote and coordinate pro-life activism with the primary strategic goal of ending abortion and euthanasia and to spread the Gospel of Life according to the encyclical of the same name written by Pope John Paul II.

Contents

 

History[edit]

Priests for Life came about in 1990 through the work Father Lee Kaylor,^[1] a Roman Catholic priest serving in the Archdiocese of San Francisco; Fr Kaylor found out about a new piece of legislation being proposed in Sacramento, California which he felt went against the pro-life cause - his response was to write to all the other Roman Catholic priests in California, along with his two friends Fr. Frank Felice and Fr. Voight Emmerick, trying to galvanize further opposition to the legislation.^[2] Sending the letter turned out to be an auspicious move, as Fr. Kaylor received in response a large number of positive letters and financial contributions to his cause.^[2] Encouraged by this, he decided to establish a group which would serve to co-ordinate pro-life action by the clergy both nationally and more effectively^[1] - this too met with highly positive feedback, so much so that Fr. Kaylor went to Archbishop John R. Quinn to seek canonical approval for the group.^[2] Priests for Life was subsequently approved and granted official approbation as a Private Association of the Faithful on 30 April 1994 and listed in the Official Catholic Directory.^[1][2]

In 2003, it was granted non-governmental organization status by the United Nations.

Status[edit]

While primary membership is for Catholic bishops, priests and deacons, there is also a lay auxiliary membership, as it has the canonical status of a Private Association of the Christian Faithful.^[3] It has about 60 full-time paid employees. Its national director is Father Frank Pavone. Priests for Life exists primarily in order to show the clergy how to fight the culture of death.^[4]

On August 1, 2012, there was a Special Order on the floor of the United States Congress headed by Representative Michele Bachmann, noting the 20th anniversary of Priests for Life and the importance of Priests for Life in the world today. There were six members of Congress who spent 35 minutes (collectively) speaking about the work of Priests for Life. These six Representatives of Congress included Rep. Chris Smith, Rep. Jeff Fortenberry, Rep. Jean Schmidt, Rep. Louie Gohmert, and Rep. Tim Walberg. C-SPAN broadcast the Special Order live. ^{[5][6][7][8][9][10][11]}

HHS Mandate Lawsuit[edit]

On February 15, 2012, Priests for Life became the fourth group in the nation to file a lawsuit against the HHS mandate and the Obama Administration because the organization (Priests For Life) feels that the HHS ruling is unconstitutional on many levels.^[12][13][14] The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York.^[15]

Timeline of Events:

• April 12, 2013 The court dismissed the lawsuit without prejudice, allowing Priests for Life to file a new lawsuit once the revised regulations are finalized. The same was being done with most of the other religious non-profit cases.^[16]
• August 19, 2013 Priests for Life filed a federal lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, challenging the HHS mandate as applied to nonprofit religious organizations.^[17][18][19]
• September 19, 2013 Priests for Life filed a motion for a preliminary injunction, seeking to halt the enforcement of the HHS mandate while the case proceeds through litigation. The district court consolidated Priests for Life’s motion for a preliminary injunction with a ruling on the merits, directing Priests for Life to also file a motion for summary judgment.^[19]
• October 1, 2013 Priests for Life filed its motion for summary judgment, requesting that the court permanently halt the enforcement of the HHS mandate.^[20]
• October 17, 2013 The government opposed Priests for Life’s motion and filed its own motion to dismiss.
• December 9, 2013 The district court heard oral argument on the parties’ motions.^[21]
• December 19, 2013 The district court issued its decision denying Priests for Life’s motion and granting the government’s motion to dismiss.^[22]
• December 19, 2013 Priests for Life filed its notice of appeal with U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit (“D.C. Circuit”).
• December 20, 2013 Priests for Life filed an emergency motion for an injunction, seeking to halt the enforcement of the HHS mandate while the case proceeds through the appeal process.^[23]
• December 31, 2013 The D.C. Circuit granted Priests for Life’s emergency motion, halting the enforcement of the HHS mandate pending resolution of the appeal. The D.C. Circuit also expedited the appeal.^[23]
• February 28, 2014 Priests for Life filed its opening brief in the D.C. Circuit.^[24]
• April 11, 2014 Priests for Life filed its reply brief in the D.C. Circuit, thereby completing the briefing.^[24]
• May 8, 2014 Oral argument scheduled before a three-judge panel of the D.C. Circuit.^[25][26][27]

Graphic images[edit]

The Priests for Life organization provides an extensive collection of photos of live babies as well as aborted babies, via the internet.^[28] Its photos have also appeared in print.^[29] According to Pavone: "There is no single thing that I have seen more powerful to change people on abortion than simply showing them the pictures....When people see what abortion does to a baby, they are stung to the heart and their consciences are awakened."^[30]

Catholic Archdiocese to Close St. Thomas More | Joe Peyronnin

 

there is a $100 million shortfall in donations for the restoration of New York's St. Patrick Cathedral, which is scheduled for completion next December. The Archdiocese has raised $75 million of the $175 million that was first budgeted for the project according to its website. Many suspect that the intention of the Archdiocese is to sell St. Thomas More, which would be worth millions of dollars, in order to bolster its finances.

St Thomas More has been an important part of the community since it was first constructed as an Episcopal Church beginning in 1870 to "serve the spiritual needs of St. Luke's Home for Indigent Christian Women." That home has been replaced by a 40-story apartment building. In 1925, the church merged with the nearby Church of Heavenly Rest Episcopal Church. Four years later the church was rededicated as the Reformed Church of Harlem.

In 1950, the Archdiocese of New York, then under Francis Cardinal Spellman, sought to acquire the church to meet the needs of the local Catholic community. Since July 9, 1950, St. Thomas More has been serving the local community, including many prominent New Yorkers, such as the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.

Read the entire article by clicking on the following:  Catholic Archdiocese to Close St. Thomas More | Joe Peyronnin

Cardinal O’Malley’s warning shot about Bishop Finn is just the start (ANALYSIS) - Religion News Service

 

…In September, Francis also sent a Canadian archbishop to investigate Finn, which is seen as a prelude to Finn’s possible dismissal, and senior Vatican officials have said such a dismissal would be justified.

Earlier this month, the Vatican issued a statement clarifying when and why bishops must resign or retire, but also stressing that the pope “may consider it necessary to ask a bishop to present the resignation of his pastoral office, after letting him know the motives for such a request and after listening attentively to his justifications, in fraternal dialogue.”

Essentially, Francis is putting underperforming bishops on notice.

But some church leaders still want further clarity, and a better system. In September, New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan said Francis needed to find “some way of putting teeth” into a process for punishing bishops that go beyond “fraternal exhortations” delivered by back channels.

“I would find it immensely helpful and see it as part of Pope Francis’ long-range plan to flesh out how bishops can hold one another more accountable,” Dolan told the Catholic news site Crux…..

Click on the following to read the entire article:  Cardinal O’Malley’s warning shot about Bishop Finn is just the start (ANALYSIS) - Religion News Service

Tale of two synods’

‘Tale of two synods’ emerged from Vatican, says USCCB president November 11th, 2014

By Mark Pattison -

 

….Those differences were highlighted by Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York in remarks delivered during the assembly’s morning session.

“There must have been two synods,” he said, and the participating U.S. bishops “happened to be at the wrong one.”

From what he said he had heard and read about the synod, one synod was “confrontational and divisive,” “hijacked by left-wing dissenters intent on eluding doctrine,” with proceedings “smothered by new Ottavianis, dug in to resist the fresh breeze” of change, Cardinal Dolan said, referring to Italian Cardinal Alfredo Ottaviani known for his opposition to the changes being brought about in the church during the Second Vatican Council.

“Too bad we missed that one,” Cardinal Dolan added. “The one we were at was hardly as spicy (and) juicy.”

The synod Cardinal Dolan said he attended “was a synod of consensus. This synod was led by a pope with a radical charism for attentive listening,” he said of Pope Francis, adding the only time the pope spoke was in “reciting the Angelus – twice.”

At this synod, “we listened to married couples who found God’s love in one another and their kids,” Cardinal Dolan said. “At this synod, we listened to bishops from Africa who said the (church’s) teaching on marriage, so widely dismissed in the First World, was enhancing their culture. ... We saw brother bishops asking how we can expedite and simplify marriage (annulment) cases.”

It was at this synod, Cardinal Dolan said, that “life-giving marriage” was the focus of “meeting the most urgent vocation crisis of the times.”

Archbishop Kurtz, in addressing his fellow bishops, noted that each one of the 62 paragraphs that constituted the final “relatio,” or report, of the synod met with majority approval – and all but three of the paragraphs with approval by at least two-thirds of those voting.

Cardinal Donald W. Wuerl of Washington, at a news conference following the morning session, said Pope Francis had asked that the “votation” be published along with the text to indicate the degree of accord shared at the synod.

Archbishop Kurtz said there were 12 documents in all to be considered at the synod before the final “relatio” was discussed: the first two “relatios” – one offered at the synod’s beginning and a second draft issued mid-synod – plus separate documents produced by each of 10 small working groups.

“The work of the second ‘relatio’ was the work of the small groups,” Archbishop Kurtz told reporters….

See more at: http://www.catholic-sf.org/ns.php?newsid=1&id=62937#sthash.WdBrTEvu.dpuf

Sheen’s sainthood cause suspended September 10th

By Catholic News Service

The canonization cause of Archbishop Fulton Sheen has been suspended indefinitely, according to a statement issued Sept. 3 by the Diocese of Peoria, Illinois, where the archbishop was born. The suspension was announced “with immense sadness,” the diocese said. “The process to verify a possible miracle attributed to Sheen had been going extremely well, and only awaited a vote of the cardinals and the approval of the Holy Father. There was every indication that a possible date for beatification in Peoria would have been scheduled for as early as the coming year.” Archbishop Sheen, who gained fame in the 1950s with a prime-time television series called “Life Is Worth Living,” died in New York in 1979. The diocesan statement said the Archdiocese of New York denied a request from Bishop Daniel R. Jenky of Peoria, president of the Archbishop Sheen Foundation, to move the archbishop’s body to Peoria. Deacon Greg Kendra, in a Sept. 3 posting on his blog The Deacon’s Bench, said the reason for the request was for “official inspection and to take first-class relics from the remains.” A Sept. 4 statement from Joseph Zwilling, communications director for the New York archdiocese, said Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York “did express a hesitance in exhuming the body” absent a directive from the Vatican Congregation for Saints’ Causes and family approval. The statement added that Archbishop Sheen’s “closest surviving family members” asked that the archbishop’s wishes be respected and that he had “expressly stated his desire that his remains be buried in New York.” -

 See more at: http://www.catholic-sf.org/ns.php?newsid=1&id=62683#sthash.pDdlTB1l.dpuf

Billionaire threatens charity donations if Pope continues support for the poor

David PhillipsLas Vegas Democrat Examiner

 

Billionaire Ken Langone, the founder of Home Depot issued a warning to Pope Francis during an interview with CNBC which was published this past Monday. In the interview he said that wealthy people such as himself are feeling ostracized by the Pope’s messages in support of the poor, and might stop giving to charity if the Pope continues to make statements criticizing capitalism and income inequality.

Mr. Langone described the Pope's comments about a "culture of prosperity" as "exclusionary" statements that may make some of the rich "incapable of feeling compassion for the poor."

The billionaire, who’s a major donor to the Republican Party, is currently working with Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the Archbishop of New York, to raise $180 million for the restoration of St. Patrick's Cathedral. Langone said that he told the Archbishop about a wealthy donor who could give millions of dollars to the Cathedral project but was worried about the Pope's "exclusionary" remarks

Read more by clicking on the following:  http://www.examiner.com/article/billionaire-threatens-charity-donations-if-pope-continues-support-for-the-poor

Cardinal Timothy Dolan warns of bad publicity coming his way : Lifestyles

By Lilly Fowler

"My home archdiocese of St. Louis just complied with a court order to release the documents regarding cases there of sexual abuse of minors...

Anyway, since I was an auxiliary bishop in St. Louis for a year (2001-02), and vicar for priests for nine of those twelve months, I would anticipate that my name will again be highlighted in the press.  I sure have nothing to hide..."  

The reason it's a bit peculiar Dolan should warn of bad publicity is because as the Post-Dispatch's reporting has highlighted, the files he refers to are under court seal, available only to the judge and lawyers involved. And the trial date for the case that spurred the release of the files has been pushed back -- to July.

Read the entire story by clicking on the following:  Cardinal Timothy Dolan warns of bad publicity coming his way : Lifestyles

New York's cardinal, new mayor discuss shared wish for pope to visit - Catholic Sentinel - Portland, OR

 

Mayor Bill de Blasio of New York paid an afternoon visit to New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan at his residence Jan. 13 and both leaders promised to work together on a number of issues including the shared desire to have Pope Francis visit New York City.
"If the pope would come, it would be extraordinary for our city. We'll work together for that goal," said the mayor as he and the cardinal spoke to reporters after their 45-minute meeting.
The mayor said social services and affordable housing are two issues the city and the archdiocese are concerned about and he promised to work toward a "deep and constant relationship" with the cardinal and the archdiocese.

For the entire story click on the following:  New York's cardinal, new mayor discuss shared wish for pope to visit - Catholic Sentinel - Portland, OR

Australian nun makes list of women cardinal candidates

 

The Australian nun named as a candidate to be the first woman cardinal would be willing to serve if the Pope asked her, but does not expect a call.

Sister Maryanne Loughry, assistant director of the Jesuit Refugee Service, was one of eight women listed as strong possibilities by American Jesuit priest James Keenan in a recent Facebook post that has gone viral.

Read more:  Australian nun makes list of women cardinal candidates

Irish woman could be Catholic Church’s first female cardinal, some scholars say - NY Daily News

 

Irish theologian Linda Horgan, left, is rumored to be a possible surprise pick when Pope Francis taps 14 new cardinals in February.

She’s married and a feminist to boot, but Irish theologian Linda Hogan is being touted as a candidate to become the first female “prince” of the Catholic Church.

Hogan, 49, has become the subject of widespread speculation that Pope Francis will someday choose her to break the Holy See’s stained-glass ceiling.

Read the entire article:  Irish woman could be Catholic Church’s first female cardinal, some scholars say - NY Daily News

Archbishop Thomas Wenski among nominees for Catholic leadership role - Breaking News - MiamiHerald.com

 

Howard Cohen

hcohen@MiamiHerald.com

Archbishop Thomas Wenski of the Archdiocese of Miami is on the shortlist for nomination to the presidency of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

The position would make Wenski the face and the voice of the Catholic Church in the United States.

But first, Wenski has to get the nod over nine other religious leaders during an election process to be held at the bishops’ annual fall General Assembly Nov. 11-14 in Baltimore.

The position currently is held by Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York.

Presidents and vice presidents serve for a period of three years.

Wenski faces competition from other church leaders in regions including New Orleans, Washington, Los Angeles, Detroit and Cincinnati.

Archbishop Thomas Wenski among nominees for Catholic leadership role - Breaking News - MiamiHerald.com

Archdiocese of Milwaukee releases depositions, offender priest files in sex abuse cases - JSOnline

 

The following 45 men appear on an Archdiocese of Milwaukee list of diocesan priests removed or restricted from ministry because of substantiated allegations of sexual abuse of at least one minor.

Most have been defrocked (laicized) or fully restricted from ministry, meaning they may not celebrate the sacraments publicly or present themselves as priests. One was dismissed from ministry and one was excommunicated. Nearly half are dead.

Three priests’ files are not being released at this time — James Godin, Donald Musinski and Roger Schneider. Godin and Schneider are not being released because information could identify their victims. Musinski was added too recently for his records to be compiled.

Click on the following to see these records:  Archdiocese of Milwaukee releases depositions, offender priest files in sex abuse cases - JSOnline