Updates: No changes in canon law, Vatican now says; Rudy takes communion; the Pope gets “Sirius”
At a news briefing just ended, Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi sought to quell speculation in news reports (including yesterday’s posting here) that Rome was considering changes in the canonical statute of limitations to make it easier to laicize future clergy abusers.
Reports, especially a front-page story in The New York Times today and from the Associated Press, wrote that Levada said changes were in the offing. Levada told AP’s Eric Gorski (who has a recording) and Laurie Goodstein of the Times and myself that “There are some things under consideration that I’m not able to say.” He indicated they referred to changes in the statute of limitations.
At today’s news briefing, Lombardi said Levada told him the reports are incorrect and that “there is nothing to to expect.” Levada was only referring, Lombardi said, to “changes already in place and which will be in effect in the future.” He reiterated several times that Levada was talking about changes already enacted.
How that squares with what the cardinal told us yesterday remains unclear, unless he misspoke. Perhaps he was speaking about changes that have been enacted but not made public. Or perhaps the Vatican saw the headlines and grew nervous that the reports ginned up expectations that would not be met.
In other news (pardon the delay–internet went out in the press room), reporters at today’s mass noted that Rudy Giuliani–former New York mayor, GOP prez candidate, thrice-married, pro-gay rights, pro-choice Catholic–took communion, though Lombardi noted it was not from the pope. It would seem that this development, along with the fact that other pro-choice pols have taken communion at papal masses, would make it harder for advocates of refusing communion to such public figures.
Lombardi said the pope was “very happy” with the visit so far and not too tired. “Sta bene,” was his phrase. The Jesuit spokesman did note that at Day Four of the visit, everyone was a bit fatigued, but “when things go well, one feels this a bit less.” One especially uplifting moment for the pope, Lombardi said, was when he went outside the Vatican embassy to the UN (where Benedict is staying in New York) last evening to greet about 100 people who had gathered to sing for him. “There are not many moments for direct contact with people on these visits,” Lombardi said, acknowledging the tight security and tightly-scripted program. Last evening was “a very moving moment of direct contact with people.”
Lombardi said the pope has not read his own press (smart move) but said he was encouraged that “people understand his message.” He added: “We had the impression of a real good acceptance by the simple people, not only the important authorities.” He said the pope wants to stay positive, even while recognizing “the reality” of issues like sexual abuse.
Lombardi did say there was concern among Vatican officials that the media was not paying sufficient attention to the pope’s more complex speeches, in particular his address to the United Nations yesterday. “It was a discourse in a very Ratzinger style,” Lombardi said of the dense address, “very rich in concepts.”
Yet Benedict also seems to recognize that not everyone will dwell on those talks. Immediately after the cathedral mass he went into a small studio near the sacristy where the Sirius satellite radio network’s Catholic Channel broadcasts various events. He recorded a brief message, Lombardi said, to greet “all those who have joined us by radio and other media, especially those who have followed us on the Catholic Channel.” Not a bad plug. (Or, “Now a word from our sponsor”?)
As far as observing this, the third anniversary of Benedict’s pontificate, Lombardi said he had only a low-key lunch after the mass at the cathedral rectory. “He [the pope] is not one to spend a long time at table. He’s a very austere and moderate person.”
Finally, the Vatican spokesman confirmed reports that Benedict will meet with Cardinal Avery Dulles this afternoon before (I believe) the youth event at St. Joseph’s Seminary. That is close to the Fordham campus where Dulles, whose health has grown precarious in recent months, is living. It is likely to be a poignant moment between two renowned theologians. Dulles has difficulty speaking now, due to complications from childhood polio.
Cross-posted with “Benedictions.”
In other news (pardon the delay–internet went out in the press room), reporters at today’s mass noted that Rudy Giuliani–former New York mayor, GOP prez candidate, thrice-married, pro-gay rights, pro-choice Catholic–took communion, though Lombardi noted it was not from the pope. It would seem that this development, along with the fact that other pro-choice pols have taken communion at papal masses, would make it harder for advocates of refusing communion to such public figures.
Why would Lombardi have mentioned that Giuliani did not receive from the Pope if it were significant in some way? Did anyone ask him?
If the pope is really infallible, shouldn’t he have said “Sto bene,” rather than “Sta bene?”
Why anyone should be surprised at Levada’s and Lombardi’s back-pedalling is beyond me. Any layperson who thinks that the clericalist mindset of the church hierarchy will change is smoking the wrong stuff! Entrenched absolutists always ensure that they remain so entrenched. The “pray, pay and obey” have holy and sacred permission to do just that. However, anything that remotely smacks of Americanism, Republicanism, Modernism or Lay Trusteeism (aren’t they 4 of the sins that cry out to heaven for vengeance?) will NEVER be allowed. Roma locuta, finita est. So just sit back, put up with being an observer and watch the Barque’s deck chairs being rearranged but never replaced.
The more time I spend in this church, the more my sense of disgust increases.
Actually, I may have been unclear. Lombardi was decribing the pope when he said “Sta bene,” he is well. The pope remains truly infallible. As does Lombardi.
Jean: Lombardi just wanted to note that the pope didn’t do it. Of course, those taking from the pope are vetted first. Security. The state of their souls too, perhaps.
Thank god for America’s free press. The Vatican spoke persons have got to get all of their p’s and q’s and lies together before they open their mouths while they are here in the USA.
“It would seem that this development, along with the fact that other pro-choice pols have taken communion at papal masses, would make it harder for advocates of refusing communion to such public figures.”
Highly doubtful. “I took communion from the pope” would indeed make it harder, if not impossible. “I took communion from some priest who happened to be in the same stadium as the pope” is nothing.
and they all cried crucify him!
Paul Madrid: In Italy politicians pro-choice took Communion by the Pope. Both JPII and BVI.And Vatican’s Cardinal officials celebrated their weddings and baptised their children.
We Italian people have a special standing in the Universal Church, I guess.
David notes: Lombardi just wanted to note that the pope didn’t do it [Give Giuliani communion]. Of course, those taking from the pope are vetted first. Security. The state of their souls too, perhaps.
Jean replies: I thought as much. So I’m not sure that this really makes it any harder for bishops to put the kibosh on communion for pro-choice pols. I’m interested in why you think so.
BTW, thanks for cross posting here from your beliefnet. Last time I looked, the anti-papal fundies were cluttering up some of the threads. For all that I don’t feel Catholic enough to share in the excitement of a live and in-person visit from the Holy Father, neither am I Protestant enough to fall in line with that anti-clerical “no intermediaries between me and Jesus” claptrap.
Mary: That kind of evidence of receiving communion (not the baptism or the wedding as canon 915 doesn’t apply to those situations) is good evidence. Thanks for bringing that up.
Again, though, getting communion from a random priest is not.
As a canon and civil lawyer, former Dean of Duquesne Law School and also an original member of the National Review Board, Nicholas P Cafardi, J.D.,J.C.D. lays out in straightforward yet chilling fashion the failure of the ecclesiastical legal system and its ‘leader-bishops’ whom it serves to protect the “least among us.”
His book “Before Dallas: The U.S. Bishops Response to the Clergy Sexual Abuse of Children” details the failure of the bishops and the inability of the canon lawyers advising them to effectively devise means for using the Church’s penal system in investigating those charged and bringing the guilty to book.
Cafardi explains what the bishops did from 1984 to Dallas via a ‘Treatment Option’ and the whys and wherefores of drifting into that approach in addressing their problem. In a concluding chapter “Canonical Lessons to Be Learned” Cafardi asks: “How could so many bishops get it so wrong? How could the crisis of sexual abuse of children by clergy spin out of control to the point of doing irreparable damage to the Church in the United States? (146)”
One point in his analysis especially struck me, namely that bishops omitted acts of ecclesiastical power leading to the harm of others. The rights of the faithful – and the least among us – were not and will not be vindicated. “Shifting the burden to Rome allowed the bishops to temporize, all the while saying,’We can’t do anything. We are waiting for Rome.’ The effect of the squandered opportunity of those ten years (1992-2002) on the eventual dimensions of the crisis was immense. It allowed its negative consequences to propagate exponentially (151).”
Rome has come and gone. Not to worry about statutes of limitation. Despite Pope Benedict’s praise for “The Declaration of Human Rights before the UN General Assembly no Bishop will be removed for failure to stand up for the rights of the “least among us.” And every Bishop knows it.
Great evils in history are often executed not by fanatics and sociopaths but rather by quite ordinary folks accepting the premises of their state in life with the consequence that they participate in affairs with the view that their actions are normal – even prudential.
Now that Rome has left us, the victims might well award them all ‘in absentia’ the latest Hannah Arendt (Eichmann in Jerusalem) “Banality of Evil Award.”