Having recently graduated from LSU we have been awaiting the day my daughter begins her graduate school adventure. While school does not start for another 25 days or so the big moving van day is tomorrow; Saturday. Remarkably, I sit down to write this after successfully loading the U-haul in less than 2 hours. Of course having good friends to help made things smooth; not her friends, my friends. Go figure.
Born almost 22 years ago our daughter got to enjoy a pretty good childhood. She always was a great student and was exposed to everything from horse back riding, competitive dance and awesome vacations. I remember like it was yesterday as she hustled off to prom and high school graduation. Then it was off to college and of course the only place in the world to go to college; LSU and the fighting Tigers. Just like when my son was there in 03; my daughter experienced a LSU football national title in 07. And then in a flash she graduated with honors just 2 months ago. And like my son, who pursued his dreams in vet school, my daughter now pursues her Masters in History.
The destination is 90 miles north at USM. I know she will work hard towards scoring her masters degree and working hard at her new job for the Department of History. Wendy and I will settle back soon in our empty nest lifestyle. And a very busy husband, dad and deacon is very grateful to God for the gift of his family.
Friday, July 22, 2011
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Saint from Scripture: Apostle to the Apostles
St. Mary Magdelene
"The Penitent"
Feastday: July 22
She is called "the Penitent". St. Mary was given the name 'Magdalen' because, though a Jewish girl, she lived in a Gentile town called Magdale, in northern Galilee, and her culture and manners were those of a Gentile. St. Luke records that she was a notorious sinner, and had seven devils removed from her. She was present at Our Lords' Crucifixion, and with Joanna and Mary, the mother of James and Salome, at Jesus' empty tomb. Fourteen years after Our Lord's death, St. Mary was put in a boat by the Jews without sails or oars - along with Sts. Lazarus and Martha, St. Maximin (who baptized her), St. Sidonius ("the man born blind"), her maid Sera, and the body of St. Anne, the mother of the Blessed Virgin. They were sent drifting out to sea and landed on the shores of Southern France, where St. Mary spent the rest of her life as a contemplative in a cave known as Sainte-Baume. She was given the Holy Eucharist daily by angels as her only food, and died when she was 72. St. Mary was transported miraculously, just before she died, to the chapel of St. Maximin, where she received the last sacraments.
More about this saint: St. Mary Magdalen (Feast day - July 22) Mary Magdalen was well known as a sinner when she first saw Our Lord. She was very beautiful and very proud, but after she met Jesus, she felt great sorrow for her evil life. When Jesus went to supper at the home of a rich man named Simon, Mary came to weep at His feet. Then with her long beautiful hair, she wiped His feet dry and anointed them with expensive perfume. Some people were surprised that Jesus let such a sinner touch Him, but Our Lord could see into Mary's heart, and He said: "Many sins are forgiven her, because she has loved very much." Then to Mary He said kindly, "Your faith has made you safe; go in peace." From then on, with the other holy women, Mary humbly served Jesus and His Apostles. When Our Lord was crucified, she was there at the foot of His cross, unafraid for herself, and thinking only of His sufferings. No wonder Jesus said of her: "She has loved much." After Jesus' body had been placed in the tomb, Mary went to anoint it with spices early Easter Sunday morning. Not finding the Sacred Body, she began to weep, and seeing someone whom she thought was the gardener, she asked him if he knew where the Body of her beloved Master had been taken. But then the person spoke in a voice she knew so well: "Mary!" It was Jesus, risen from the dead! He had chosen to show Himself first to Mary Magdalen, the repentent sinner.
"The Penitent"
Feastday: July 22
She is called "the Penitent". St. Mary was given the name 'Magdalen' because, though a Jewish girl, she lived in a Gentile town called Magdale, in northern Galilee, and her culture and manners were those of a Gentile. St. Luke records that she was a notorious sinner, and had seven devils removed from her. She was present at Our Lords' Crucifixion, and with Joanna and Mary, the mother of James and Salome, at Jesus' empty tomb. Fourteen years after Our Lord's death, St. Mary was put in a boat by the Jews without sails or oars - along with Sts. Lazarus and Martha, St. Maximin (who baptized her), St. Sidonius ("the man born blind"), her maid Sera, and the body of St. Anne, the mother of the Blessed Virgin. They were sent drifting out to sea and landed on the shores of Southern France, where St. Mary spent the rest of her life as a contemplative in a cave known as Sainte-Baume. She was given the Holy Eucharist daily by angels as her only food, and died when she was 72. St. Mary was transported miraculously, just before she died, to the chapel of St. Maximin, where she received the last sacraments.
More about this saint: St. Mary Magdalen (Feast day - July 22) Mary Magdalen was well known as a sinner when she first saw Our Lord. She was very beautiful and very proud, but after she met Jesus, she felt great sorrow for her evil life. When Jesus went to supper at the home of a rich man named Simon, Mary came to weep at His feet. Then with her long beautiful hair, she wiped His feet dry and anointed them with expensive perfume. Some people were surprised that Jesus let such a sinner touch Him, but Our Lord could see into Mary's heart, and He said: "Many sins are forgiven her, because she has loved very much." Then to Mary He said kindly, "Your faith has made you safe; go in peace." From then on, with the other holy women, Mary humbly served Jesus and His Apostles. When Our Lord was crucified, she was there at the foot of His cross, unafraid for herself, and thinking only of His sufferings. No wonder Jesus said of her: "She has loved much." After Jesus' body had been placed in the tomb, Mary went to anoint it with spices early Easter Sunday morning. Not finding the Sacred Body, she began to weep, and seeing someone whom she thought was the gardener, she asked him if he knew where the Body of her beloved Master had been taken. But then the person spoke in a voice she knew so well: "Mary!" It was Jesus, risen from the dead! He had chosen to show Himself first to Mary Magdalen, the repentent sinner.
The Monks win lawsuit vs. Louisiana funeral directors; good guys win!
St. Joseph Abbey triumphs in casket sales lawsuit because state improperly shielded funeral industry, judge says
Published: Thursday, July 21, 2011, 4:13 PM Updated: Thursday, July 21, 2011, 6:14 PM
View full sizeDeacon Mark Doudrain, Attorney Evans Schmidt, Father Charles Benoit and Abbot Justin Brown, hidden at right, rear, carry simple handmade wooden caskets back to the truck following a press conference on the steps of the U.S. District Court last August, when they announced a federal lawsuit for their rights to sell the caskets."I'm not sure it has totally hit me after three years of fighting this thing," Coudrain said shortly after word of the judge's decision spread. "I'm hoping it's all over now."
Since the 1960s, state statutes carrying thousands of dollars in fines and up to 180 days' days imprisonment restricted coffin sales to those who had paid the expensive fees and met the stringent requirements necessary for a Louisiana Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors license.
However, last August, the abbey and leaders Coudrain and Abbot Justin Brown sued in U.S. District Court for the right to conduct such business without a license from state regulators.
Judge Stanwood R. Duval Jr. affirmed their case Thursday by determining that the state can no longer enforce those restrictions because they violate the American Constitution's clauses of due process and equal protection.
"Simply put there is nothing in the licensing procedures that bestows any benefit to the public in the context of the retail sale of caskets," Duval's decision read. "The license has no bearing on the manufacturing and sale of coffins. It appears that the sole reason for these laws is the economic protection of the funeral industry," which he wrote is not "a valid government interest."
State funeral industry lawyer Preston L. Hayes said that he expects his clients to appeal the decision to the federal 5th Circuit Court, also in New Orleans. If Duval's decision stands there, they can then appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court, which reviews only a very small minority of cases.
"We disagree with Judge Duval's decision," Hayes added. "We feel that the evidence introduced at (an early June) trial showed there is a rational basis for the law."
Scott Bullock, who formed part of the Benedictine monks' legal team, countered with praise for Duval's striking down an "irrational" law.
"The Abbey will be able to lawfully sell their caskets to willing consumers," said Bullock, a lawyer for the Virginia-based Institute for Justice. "That is a great victory for the monks, for the U.S. constitution, and for Louisiana consumers."
Woodshop provokes regulators
St. Joseph opened a $200,000 woodshop on All Saints Day in 2007 to sell cypress funeral boxes for $1,500 to $2,000, which is less expensive than some caskets from typical funeral homes. They counted on the sales to finance medical and educational needs for more than 30 monks.
But the state Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors mailed a cease-and-desist letter to the abbey citing Louisiana before it sold even a single casket.
The abbey defied the missive and began vending its caskets anyway. It petitioned state legislators for help, but funeral directors and their supporters convinced the Legislature to defeat any proposed measures.
The monks then launched their suit, which notably did not challenge a separate state statute preventing third-party casket sales to healthy people who are planning their final arrangements well ahead of time. Among the regulators named as defendants are Andrew Hayes, Belva M. Pichon, Craig G. Gill, Kelly Rush Williams, Louis Charbonnet III, Margaret Shehee, Patrick H. Sanders, Paul "Wes" Castille and Wall V. McKneely. State law requires almost all board members to work in the funeral industry.
Brief but decisive trial
During a half-day trial earlier this summer, Brown and Coudrain swore that they did not aspire to inherit the other main functions of a licensed funeral parlor, such as planning services or embalming remains.
An Ohio-based college economics professor testified that there seemingly was no evidence that the state's consumers were protected by being limited to purchasing caskets at licensed funeral homes.
That limitation appears to conflict with the Funeral Rule overseen by the Federal Trade Commission ensuring that consumers receive itemized price information and be told what merchandise and services are required and which are optional, justice institute co-counsel Jeff Rowes argued.
Coffins are not a requirement -- in fact, Louisiana residents opting to purchase one could do so from out-of-state discount retail stores or even online. But, if they wanted to purchase one in Louisiana, they were allowed to do so only from licensed funeral establishments.
That not only was illogical, but it also violated basic consumer rights, according to Bullock and Rowes.
The defendants' legal team of Hayes, George Recile and Michael Rasch attempted to prove with their witnesses that a victory by the monks would complicate the regulation of illegal, third-party sales to those not in immediate need of a funeral box.
Under the restrictions, grieving customers were also guaranteed to deal with expert industry professionals. Anyone dealing with nonlicensed vendors risked ending up with caskets that are too small for their loved ones' bodies; don't contain the odors or fluids produced by decomposition; or that don't fit in Louisiana's unique burial spaces, such as above-ground family tombs.
Those "sensitive" scenarios can delay funeral services, and they stand to be "pretty traumatic," veteran funeral home manager Billy Henry testified.
But it did not sway Duval, who favored the abbey several weeks after both sides filed routine post-trial briefs.
"We did not go into this trial because we wanted to make a statement or to in any way be in opposition to anyone," Abbot Brown said after the ruling was announced. "We went in simply because we felt that this was an unfair law."
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Feast of another Church Doctor
St. Lawrence of Brindisi
Feastday: July 21
Caesare de Rossi was born at Brandisi, kingdom of Naples, on July 22nd. He was educated by the conventual Franciscans there and by his uncle at St. Mark's in Venice. When sixteen, he joined the Capuchins at Verona, taking the name Lawrence. He pursued his higher studies in theology, philosophy, the bible, Greek, Hebrew, and several other languages at the University of Padua. He was ordained and began to preach with great effect in Northern Italy. He became definitor general of his Order in Rome in 1596, a position he was to hold five times, was assigned to conversion work with Jews, and was sent to Germany, with Blessed Benedict of Urbino, to combat Lutheranism. They founded friaries at Prague, Vienna, and Gorizia, which were to develop into the provinces of Bohemia, Austria, and Styria. At the request of Emperor Rudolf II, Lawrence helped raise an army among the German rulers to fight against the Turks, who were threatening to conquer all of Hungary, became its chaplain, and was among the leaders in the Battle of Szekesfehevar in 1601; many attributed the ensuing victory to him. In 1602, he was elected Vicar General of the Capuchins but refused re-election in 1605. He was sent to Spain by the emperor to persuade Philip III to join the Catholic League, and while there, founded a Capuchin house in Madrid. He was then sent as papal nuncio to the court of Maximillian of Bavaria, served as peacemaker in several royal disputes, and in 1618, retired from worldly affairs to the friary at Caserta. He was recalled at the request of the rulers of Naples to go to Spain to intercede with King Philip for them against the Duke of Osuna, Spanish envoy to naples and convinced the King to recall the Duke to avert an uprising. The trip in the sweltering heat of summer exhausted him, and he died a few days after his meeting with the King at Lisbon on July 22nd. Lawrence wrote a commentary on Genesis and several treatises against Luther, but Lawrence's main writings are in the nine volumes of his sermons. He was canonized in 1881 and proclaimed a Doctor of the Church by Pope John XXIII in 1959. His feast day is July 21st.
Feastday: July 21
Caesare de Rossi was born at Brandisi, kingdom of Naples, on July 22nd. He was educated by the conventual Franciscans there and by his uncle at St. Mark's in Venice. When sixteen, he joined the Capuchins at Verona, taking the name Lawrence. He pursued his higher studies in theology, philosophy, the bible, Greek, Hebrew, and several other languages at the University of Padua. He was ordained and began to preach with great effect in Northern Italy. He became definitor general of his Order in Rome in 1596, a position he was to hold five times, was assigned to conversion work with Jews, and was sent to Germany, with Blessed Benedict of Urbino, to combat Lutheranism. They founded friaries at Prague, Vienna, and Gorizia, which were to develop into the provinces of Bohemia, Austria, and Styria. At the request of Emperor Rudolf II, Lawrence helped raise an army among the German rulers to fight against the Turks, who were threatening to conquer all of Hungary, became its chaplain, and was among the leaders in the Battle of Szekesfehevar in 1601; many attributed the ensuing victory to him. In 1602, he was elected Vicar General of the Capuchins but refused re-election in 1605. He was sent to Spain by the emperor to persuade Philip III to join the Catholic League, and while there, founded a Capuchin house in Madrid. He was then sent as papal nuncio to the court of Maximillian of Bavaria, served as peacemaker in several royal disputes, and in 1618, retired from worldly affairs to the friary at Caserta. He was recalled at the request of the rulers of Naples to go to Spain to intercede with King Philip for them against the Duke of Osuna, Spanish envoy to naples and convinced the King to recall the Duke to avert an uprising. The trip in the sweltering heat of summer exhausted him, and he died a few days after his meeting with the King at Lisbon on July 22nd. Lawrence wrote a commentary on Genesis and several treatises against Luther, but Lawrence's main writings are in the nine volumes of his sermons. He was canonized in 1881 and proclaimed a Doctor of the Church by Pope John XXIII in 1959. His feast day is July 21st.
Jesus in a receipt; how he really comes to us
Couple sees Jesus on Walmart receipt
WYFF
Posted on July 19, 2011 at 10:30 AM
by JOHN EBY
ANDERSON COUNTY, S.C. — Going shopping usually isn't a religious experience. However, something "divine" may have happened to a South Carolina couple after a recent trip to Walmart. As John Eby reports, an image of Jesus' face appeared on the receipt.
>>>Please. How often are we subjected to seeing Jesus or Mary in a corn flake or a cloud formation or now a WalMart receipt. What did Jesus look like. Who would really know. Prayer cards, holy pictures and such often depict a long haired man from America or Western Europe. Jesus was very middle eastern, as was Mary. There is no real description of Him, physically, in Scripture.
Why do we need to see Him in these types of things? I see Jesus often. I see Him most excellently in the Eucharist, at Mass or at the Adoration Chapel, or at Benediction. I see Jesus in the Mass; the altar, the Priest, the Word proclaimed, the Sacrifice offered. I see Jesus in the Priest at Reconciliation. And I see Jesus in the lost and hurting, the marginalized, the seemingly unlovable among us. I see Jesus in the homeless, the sick, the recovering alcoholic and the inmate; in my case especially among those I see at Rayburn.
And I see Jesus too in the people in my life; the one's who care for and love me. Chief among these are my wife and children, my family and my friends. And I see Jesus in the stranger; driving past, shopping at; well, even WalMart, playing in the park.
Jesus does not need a receipt or a corn flake to come to us; although if He wants to, well, He is Jesus.
Look for Jesus in all the many ways, places and people He comes to us!
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Saint and martyr and a voice heard by Joan of Arc
St. Margaret of Antioch
Feastday: July 20
Nothing certain is known of her, but according to her untrustworthy legend, she was the daughter of a pagan priest at Antioch in Pisidia. Also known as Marina, she was converted to Christianity, whereupon she was driven from home by her father. She became a shepherdess and when she spurned the advances of Olybrius, the prefect, who was infatuated with her beauty, he charged her with being a Christian. He had her tortured and then imprisoned, and while she was in prison she had an encounter with the devil in the form of a dragon. According to the legend, he swallowed her, but the cross she carried in her hand so irritated his throat that he was forced to disgorge her (she is patroness of childbirth). The next day, attempts were made to execute her by fire and then by drowning, but she was miraculously saved and converted thousands of spectators witnessing her ordeal-all of whom were promptly executed. Finally, she was beheaded. That she existed and was martyred are probably true; all else is probably fictitious embroidery and added to her story, which was immensely popular in the Middle Ages, spreading from the East all over Western Europe. She is one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers, and hers was one of the voices heard by Joan of Arc. Her feast day is July 20th.
Feastday: July 20
Nothing certain is known of her, but according to her untrustworthy legend, she was the daughter of a pagan priest at Antioch in Pisidia. Also known as Marina, she was converted to Christianity, whereupon she was driven from home by her father. She became a shepherdess and when she spurned the advances of Olybrius, the prefect, who was infatuated with her beauty, he charged her with being a Christian. He had her tortured and then imprisoned, and while she was in prison she had an encounter with the devil in the form of a dragon. According to the legend, he swallowed her, but the cross she carried in her hand so irritated his throat that he was forced to disgorge her (she is patroness of childbirth). The next day, attempts were made to execute her by fire and then by drowning, but she was miraculously saved and converted thousands of spectators witnessing her ordeal-all of whom were promptly executed. Finally, she was beheaded. That she existed and was martyred are probably true; all else is probably fictitious embroidery and added to her story, which was immensely popular in the Middle Ages, spreading from the East all over Western Europe. She is one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers, and hers was one of the voices heard by Joan of Arc. Her feast day is July 20th.
It's official: Chaput to Philly via Denver
Denver Archbishop Chaput named to lead troubled Philadelphia diocese
By Eric Gorski
The Denver Post
Posted: 07/19/2011
Pope Benedict XVI this morning named Denver Roman Catholic Archbishop Charles Chaput, an outspoken and at times polarizing figure in the American church, to lead the scandal-ridden Archdiocese of Philadelphia.
Chaput, 66, will have the difficult task of succeeding Cardinal Justin Rigali, whose handling of clergy sexual-abuse cases has come under fire.
According to a brief statement by the Vatican, Benedict also accepted Rigali's resignation, citing reasons of age. As is required by church law, Rigali offered his resignation when he turned 75 in April of 2010.
A news conference is planned for later this morning in Philadelphia. The Archdiocese of Philadelphia includes about 1.4 million Catholics.
Chaput will be installed in the new job Sept. 8.
The move to one of the nation's preeminent dioceses puts Chaput in line to become a cardinal, joining the elite "princes of the church" who elect popes.
If form holds, it will be at least six months before a replacement for Chaput in Denver is named. The Denver archdiocese spans 24 northern Colorado counties and includes about 500,000 Catholics.
During his 14 years in Denver, Chaput has emerged as a strong voice of conservative, orthodox Catholicism very much in keeping with the vision of Pope Benedict.
Chaput has called on Catholics to follow their faith's teachings at the ballot box — especially on the topic of abortion — drawing criticism that he was not-so-subtly promoting Republican candidates.
He also has weathered a clergy abuse scandal — although on a much smaller scale than other U.S. dioceses — and oversees a successful seminary while other dioceses have struggled to recruit men to the priesthood.
"He is not compromising and he's very outspoken — and he's sometimes made enemies by being outspoken," said Russell Shaw, a former spokesman for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. "But people who get to know him soon enough come to realize they're dealing with a man of transparent goodness and integrity."
Anger lingers over abuse
Chaput's name has been floated whenever a high-profile bishop's post comes open. Even so, Chaput's appointment to Philadelphia was not anticipated. Some observers thought he was bound for Chicago to replace his friend, the soon-to-retire Cardinal Francis George.
As required, Rigali submitted his resignation to Benedict on his birthday last year. But as is often the case, the pope did not immediately accept it.
A grand-jury report in Philadelphia five months ago criticized the Philadelphia archdiocese for covering up claims of sexual abuse by priests against children. The revelations were shocking, coming after bishops passed reforms meant to root out abuse and coverup.
"Archbishop Chaput's first task, which he certainly understands, will be to address this squarely and quickly," said the Rev. James Martin, culture editor of America magazine and a Jesuit priest. "Everyone is angry — from the person in the pews to the priests in sacristy."
Martin called Chaput "a fiercely orthodox bishop, a staunch defender of the faith and an outspoken public religious figure."
Chaput was put to the test on the clergy abuse issue starting in 2005 when several men told The Denver Post they were abused as children by three priests.
The archdiocese was told about allegations against one priest — the Rev. Harold Robert White — as early as the 1960s but allowed him to serve and moved him from parish to parish, The Post reported.
The archdiocese eventually hired a former state district judge to try to settle the lawsuits. Chaput attended each mediation session. By 2008, the archdiocese had settled 36 lawsuits and seven other claims involving the priests for a total of about $8.3 million, the archdiocese said.
"He met it head on," said Robert Zarlengo, the former chairman of an archdiocesan advisory body to Chaput. "He was very apologetic about it: 'We're sorry for what happened, but what can we do to make it right?' He elevated it to a dignified playing field."
Chaput sharply attacked proposed state legislation that would have loosened or done away with time limits for filing lawsuits involving sexual abuse from years ago.
The efforts failed. David Clohessy, national director of the Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests, or SNAP, said he suspects Chaput was chosen in part because similar reforms have been proposed in Pennsylvania.
Chaput "will seem more approachable than Rigali, who has always seemed to many as somewhat of a bureaucrat," Clohessy said. "People will likely become complacent and assume Chaput will do better. Sadly, many people judge bishops by their personal demeanor."
Politics from the pulpit
Chaput gained national notice in 2004 for saying Catholic politicians who advocate for legalized abortion — a conflict with church teaching — should refrain from Communion.
He continued to speak out on politics four years later, when he clashed with Catholic backers of Barack Obama and called Obama the "most committed" abortion-rights candidate from a major party in 35 years.
"Archbishop Chaput's appointment to Philadelphia is disappointing for the millions of Catholics who care about the church's teachings on social justice and the common good," said James Salt, executive director of Catholics United, a group Chaput has criticized.
Yet Chaput also has been outspoken in favor of immigration reform and against the death penalty — underscoring the fact that Catholic social teaching does not conform to any one political party.
There is no doubt Chaput will become a cardinal as archbishop of Philadelphia, said Shaw, the former bishops conference spokesman. But it probably won't happen until Rigali, turns 80 and is no longer eligible to vote in the conclave to elect a pope.
The thinking, Shaw said, is that dioceses should not have more than one vote. Rigali is 76.
Chaput's predecessor in Denver, J. Francis Stafford, was posted to Rome in charge of a Vatican council and became a cardinal in 1996.
In a 2005 interview with The Post, Chaput brushed off speculation about a promotion, saying he would like to serve in Denver until retirement.
"It's about the right size of diocese if you really want to be a pastor," he said. "Anything bigger than that, and it's more of a bureaucracy."
Eric Gorski: 303-954-1971
or egorski@denverpost.com
Read more: Denver Archbishop Chaput named to lead troubled Philadelphia diocese - The Denver Post http://www.denverpost.com/ci_18505793?source=rss_viewed#ixzz1SbgH2iLT
Read The Denver Post's Terms of Use of its content: http://www.denverpost.com/termsofuse
By Eric Gorski
The Denver Post
Posted: 07/19/2011
Pope Benedict XVI this morning named Denver Roman Catholic Archbishop Charles Chaput, an outspoken and at times polarizing figure in the American church, to lead the scandal-ridden Archdiocese of Philadelphia.
Chaput, 66, will have the difficult task of succeeding Cardinal Justin Rigali, whose handling of clergy sexual-abuse cases has come under fire.
According to a brief statement by the Vatican, Benedict also accepted Rigali's resignation, citing reasons of age. As is required by church law, Rigali offered his resignation when he turned 75 in April of 2010.
A news conference is planned for later this morning in Philadelphia. The Archdiocese of Philadelphia includes about 1.4 million Catholics.
Chaput will be installed in the new job Sept. 8.
The move to one of the nation's preeminent dioceses puts Chaput in line to become a cardinal, joining the elite "princes of the church" who elect popes.
If form holds, it will be at least six months before a replacement for Chaput in Denver is named. The Denver archdiocese spans 24 northern Colorado counties and includes about 500,000 Catholics.
During his 14 years in Denver, Chaput has emerged as a strong voice of conservative, orthodox Catholicism very much in keeping with the vision of Pope Benedict.
Chaput has called on Catholics to follow their faith's teachings at the ballot box — especially on the topic of abortion — drawing criticism that he was not-so-subtly promoting Republican candidates.
He also has weathered a clergy abuse scandal — although on a much smaller scale than other U.S. dioceses — and oversees a successful seminary while other dioceses have struggled to recruit men to the priesthood.
"He is not compromising and he's very outspoken — and he's sometimes made enemies by being outspoken," said Russell Shaw, a former spokesman for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. "But people who get to know him soon enough come to realize they're dealing with a man of transparent goodness and integrity."
Anger lingers over abuse
Chaput's name has been floated whenever a high-profile bishop's post comes open. Even so, Chaput's appointment to Philadelphia was not anticipated. Some observers thought he was bound for Chicago to replace his friend, the soon-to-retire Cardinal Francis George.
As required, Rigali submitted his resignation to Benedict on his birthday last year. But as is often the case, the pope did not immediately accept it.
A grand-jury report in Philadelphia five months ago criticized the Philadelphia archdiocese for covering up claims of sexual abuse by priests against children. The revelations were shocking, coming after bishops passed reforms meant to root out abuse and coverup.
"Archbishop Chaput's first task, which he certainly understands, will be to address this squarely and quickly," said the Rev. James Martin, culture editor of America magazine and a Jesuit priest. "Everyone is angry — from the person in the pews to the priests in sacristy."
Martin called Chaput "a fiercely orthodox bishop, a staunch defender of the faith and an outspoken public religious figure."
Chaput was put to the test on the clergy abuse issue starting in 2005 when several men told The Denver Post they were abused as children by three priests.
The archdiocese was told about allegations against one priest — the Rev. Harold Robert White — as early as the 1960s but allowed him to serve and moved him from parish to parish, The Post reported.
The archdiocese eventually hired a former state district judge to try to settle the lawsuits. Chaput attended each mediation session. By 2008, the archdiocese had settled 36 lawsuits and seven other claims involving the priests for a total of about $8.3 million, the archdiocese said.
"He met it head on," said Robert Zarlengo, the former chairman of an archdiocesan advisory body to Chaput. "He was very apologetic about it: 'We're sorry for what happened, but what can we do to make it right?' He elevated it to a dignified playing field."
Chaput sharply attacked proposed state legislation that would have loosened or done away with time limits for filing lawsuits involving sexual abuse from years ago.
The efforts failed. David Clohessy, national director of the Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests, or SNAP, said he suspects Chaput was chosen in part because similar reforms have been proposed in Pennsylvania.
Chaput "will seem more approachable than Rigali, who has always seemed to many as somewhat of a bureaucrat," Clohessy said. "People will likely become complacent and assume Chaput will do better. Sadly, many people judge bishops by their personal demeanor."
Politics from the pulpit
Chaput gained national notice in 2004 for saying Catholic politicians who advocate for legalized abortion — a conflict with church teaching — should refrain from Communion.
He continued to speak out on politics four years later, when he clashed with Catholic backers of Barack Obama and called Obama the "most committed" abortion-rights candidate from a major party in 35 years.
"Archbishop Chaput's appointment to Philadelphia is disappointing for the millions of Catholics who care about the church's teachings on social justice and the common good," said James Salt, executive director of Catholics United, a group Chaput has criticized.
Yet Chaput also has been outspoken in favor of immigration reform and against the death penalty — underscoring the fact that Catholic social teaching does not conform to any one political party.
There is no doubt Chaput will become a cardinal as archbishop of Philadelphia, said Shaw, the former bishops conference spokesman. But it probably won't happen until Rigali, turns 80 and is no longer eligible to vote in the conclave to elect a pope.
The thinking, Shaw said, is that dioceses should not have more than one vote. Rigali is 76.
Chaput's predecessor in Denver, J. Francis Stafford, was posted to Rome in charge of a Vatican council and became a cardinal in 1996.
In a 2005 interview with The Post, Chaput brushed off speculation about a promotion, saying he would like to serve in Denver until retirement.
"It's about the right size of diocese if you really want to be a pastor," he said. "Anything bigger than that, and it's more of a bureaucracy."
Eric Gorski: 303-954-1971
or egorski@denverpost.com
Read more: Denver Archbishop Chaput named to lead troubled Philadelphia diocese - The Denver Post http://www.denverpost.com/ci_18505793?source=rss_viewed#ixzz1SbgH2iLT
Read The Denver Post's Terms of Use of its content: http://www.denverpost.com/termsofuse
Celebrating a beautiful young life amidst grief and pain
Friends, family mourn loss of 12-year-old girl
wwltv.com
Posted on July 19, 2011 at 5:50 PM
Updated today at 6:47 PM
Doug Mouton / Northshore Bureau Chief
MANDEVILLE, La. -- Friends call Samantha Vinturella a bright, happy child, and they gathered Tuesday night for a special service at Our Lady of the Lake Church in Mandeville.
Search crews found the body of Vinturella after she went missing after a boating accident last weekend.
Samantha would have been a 7th grader here at Our Lady of the Lake this fall. We talked to many people who knew her well. They called her gregarious, charismatic and well-loved.
“It has been, really a tough few days for all her friends and her family and just unbelievably sad,” said Ana Scheuermann.
Unbelievably sad was the common theme Tuesday in Mandeville, as the parents of Samantha Vinturella's friends try to help their children understand.
“As parents, we don't understand, so having children and trying to work with them through this, it's tough. It's a tough task,” said Jeanelle Scherich. “We tell them to remain prayerful. We tell them to be thankful that Samantha was a part of their lives for as long as she was, and continue to focus on the things that they can remember, the great memories that they had with her.”
The way the events played out, friends say, made it worse. It was roughly 67 agonizing hours from the time when Samantha went overboard until her body was found.
Now they can remember the girl who friends say lit up a room.
“You just never knew what was coming from Samantha. Very unpredictable, but always so positive and so light hearted in her thoughts,” Scherich said. “She was just an amazing, amazing child.”
Scheuermann said, “Samantha was the kind of kid that if she was coming to your house, you knew you were going to have a really good time. Bright. She brightened up a room when she walked in the door. She'd come in and there'd be instant conversation. You knew you were having a good time because she was such a beautiful, happy bright child. She's unbelievably special.”
This is a tight-knit community, and the Vinturellas are very popular and well loved in this community, and friends say Samantha will be very missed.
The girl’s mother, Elizabeth Vinturella, issued a statement through the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office. She thanked all those involved in the search.
“Sam was so special," Elizabeth Vinturella said. “It was very important to our family that we find her.
“We would like to thank all the people who worked together. We knew everything that could be done would be done. We knew no one here would stop until they found her. There was a spirit of commitment and cooperation."
>>>I attended this Mass tonight. What a fitting memorial of an angel. Fr. Talamo, at the end of Mass, implored children and parents alike to share your love; to say I love you and show genuine affection for one another. Hardly a dry eye in the house of God tonight.
Samantha Vinturella: rest in peace!
Monday, July 18, 2011
A tragedy unites a community, two churches in prayer for a Northshore girl
Search for missing Mandeville girl continues, but hope dies
Published: Monday, July 18, 2011, 5:57 PM Updated: Monday, July 18, 2011, 9:02 PM
Outgoing, chatty, with a perpetual smile, 12-year-old Samantha Vinturella had the type of personality that rarely went unnoticed.
Samantha Vinturella Now a stunned family and community are left to ask why tragedy would fall upon the gregarious student at Mandeville's Our Lady of the Lake Catholic School.
Samantha, who was set to enter the seventh grade next month, is missing and presumed dead after being thrown from a boat following a collision with another vessel Saturday afternoon in a canal near Shell Beach.
"We are praying that she will be brought home to her family," said longtime family friend and neighbor Beth Warwick. "We want her to come home. Our hearts are broken, and we just need to find her so we can have some sense of peace."
Parishioners at Our Lady of the Lake have been trying to lift the spirits of the family, and there will be a special Mass said for the Vinturellas on Tuesday at 5:15 p.m.
JOHN MCCUSKER / THE TIMES-PICAYUNE St. Tammany, St. Bernard and Navy personnel are continuing the search for Samantha Vinturella who disappeared after a boat collision near Shell Beach. The Mandeville girl is 12. Search for Samantha Vinturella gallery (7 photos)
"It's not an easy time for the family, we know that, and especially that the parents don't know where the child is . . . This has really struck the fabric of the parish, I must say. It has gone all the way to the core."
The search for Samantha continued throughout the day Monday by deputies from St. Tammany and St. Bernard parishes, state Department of Wildlife and Fisheries agents and Coast Guard and Navy personnel, with authorities acknowledging that the effort had moved from that of rescue to recovery.
"Realistically, we have no hope that she survived at this point," St. Bernard Sheriff's Office Chief Deputy Jimmy Pohlmann said.
Search for Samantha Vinturella The search for Samantha Vinturella continues at Shell Beach in St. Bernard parish. Watch video The search has involved high technology and more traditional, low-tech methods. As Navy teams deployed automated submersibles that use sonar to scan the beds of the waterways, other boats carried cadaver dogs on the surface in hopes that they could provide clues to divers, who have had to contend with extremely low visibility and stormy conditions since the search began.
Meanwhile, a steady stream of boats cruised in and out of Campo's Marina throughout the day, using sonar and nets to scour the bottom of the waterways.
In addition to the first responders involved in the search, St. Bernard deputies said they had received several requests from residents who wanted to aid in the operation.
The search, despite its tragic nature, does show the growing bonds between various agencies in the New Orleans area, said Capt. Ryan Clark, head of the St. Bernard Sheriff's Office Marine Unit.
"It's like you don't have parish boundaries anymore," Clark said. "If someone needs assistance, everyone comes."
Pohlmann pledged that the search would continue until officials were able "to bring her home." But he acknowledged that the nature of the waterways might make recovery difficult, particularly given the strong flow of water in the canal near the crash site.
Samantha was ejected from a 15-foot boat driven by her uncle, 48-year-old Paul Battle, on Saturday around 5:30 p.m. when it collided with a 20-foot boat driven by Marion Funchess, 61, of Folsom. Her sister and two cousins also were ejected but were rescued quickly by a third boat.
Battle was not thrown from the boat but suffered serious injuries, and he remains in the hospital.
Funchess and the other man in the 20-foot boat were uninjured, Wildlife and Fisheries spokesman Adam Enick said.
The accident occurred about a half-mile north of Campo's Marina in Shell Beach Bayou, south of Lake Borgne.
On Sunday, there were approximately 30 people on 10 vessels involved in the search. Air searches were suspended about midday because of poor weather.
Alcohol is not suspected as a factor at this time, Enick said, though the incident remains under investigation. No charges have been filed.
Enick said officials are "pretty positive" Samantha was not wearing a life jacket.
On Sunday night, as her parents and some family members waited with hope and prayers alongside the efforts at Shell Beach, others gathered in the Oak Island subdivision near Mandeville where the Vinturella family lives.
The tight-knit group of friends, family and neighbors said they were still holding out hope that Samantha will be found.
Samantha, the daughter of Elizabeth and David Vinturella, was a member of the youth group The Highway at St. Timothy on the Northshore Methodist Church in Mandeville, and was a counselor at Bible school there this summer. She also danced at Northshore Academy of Dance in Covington and studied piano.
Neighbor and friend Mark Hoff described Samantha as a loving, happy girl who "would sit down and talk to you like she was an adult. She is always talking, always outgoing. She was just so full of personality."
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