Thank you for featuring Abp. Chaput. I was pleased to have him as my Archbishop and I think it's shameful that he was not made a Cardinal. He clearly had the skills and background for the job, and as the first Native American Archbishop, he would also have been the first Native American Cardinal. But he criticized Pope Francis so he didn't get a red hat. Sad.
Aren't, uh, most Hispanics "Native Americans" since they are descendants of indigenous peoples? It's a weird term, and I know what you mean (North American Native American Ancestry, but not Mexican), but its weird we don't have a better way of saying that :)
I believe you are referring to a North American Native American Non-Hispanic American National Ancestry. Commonly known as NA-NA-NA-NA (or "Batman!" for short).
Didn’t Archbishop Chaput say before he was glad he didn’t become a Cardinal? I thought I read that somewhere, He along with, Abp Gomez in LA, are very deserving.
This is good to remember on today's memorial of St Catherine of Siena - "saints" seems distant and like somebody else's job, but it is the job of each of us to allow God to make us holy (and if we seem to be a "nobody" and therefore, in our own minds, off the hook and inconsequential, we are not thinking with the mind of God and should just stop thinking about the matter and get out of His way; let Him do whatever He wants in you, tell Him to do it with a free hand).
But really I am making a comment on the first public post I see this morning to say that I am apparently making a nine day retreat from "wasting time on the internet". You the reader should either do the same or if that is not your job, be discerning of how you use time and what your emotional state is (to have passions is not bad and in fact is necessary, you just have to know what they are and then direct them properly, like you are leading a young bouncing-off-the-walls youth group on a service project instead of on aimless vandalism: the *feeling* is still there with all of its energy but you deftly like a stage magician or Indiana Jones substitute something for what the feeling was originally directed at: I am sorrowful, not because I dropped an ice cream cone, but instead *for my past sins*; I am excitedly hopeful *for seeing God face to face when I die*, when tempted to despair (perceiving an unattainable good - not a useful passion) I recall one of Christ's promises to us in Scripture (perceiving a difficult to attain good) to convert it to a different passion *and* redirect it, etc), and recollect yourself before posting on the internet (someone has to post fervorinos and it is probably you).
+Chaput is a gift to the Church. I've gotten to ask a young bishop and some priests what bishop(s) they admire, and he's always on the shortlist they give, if he's not first out of the mouth. I wonder who among the U.S. bishops possess his attributes of intelligence, fidelity, courage, and pastoral concern--a tall ask, for sure--can take up his mantle of leadership for the next couple of decades.
As Archbishop of Philadelphia, Chaput was not only a good leader, he was also just a great guy with a good sense of humor. He lived at the seminary and made a fantastic effort of knowing the seminarians' names, including those outside his diocese!
Another great attribute to add to Nathan's list is how good a writer he is. His prose was concise and clear, not unlike Pope Benedict's writing IMO.
One thing people who are not from the dioceses of Philadelphia or Denver (etc.) might not realize is that +Chaput was one of the more synodal bishops on the American episcopate. He would widely consult with many people before making a big decision, and was not afraid to delegate a lot when possible. There has been this puzzling narrative of how non-synodal he was. Nothing was further from the truth. I am sure JD could offer some examples when he worked for him.
My favorite of my personal moments with him: At my son's Confirmation Mass, he started his homily by saying, "Please don't call me 'Your Excellency.' I'm really not that excellent!"
Yes, he is one of the best Catholic writers today, and has been for quite a while. His prose is at once crystalline and muscular, and he pulls very few punches.
By the definition of Sunday Mass attendance, I believe most "Real Catholics" support gay marriage and think that abortion should be legal if it's early enough in the pregnancy. Hopefully most are merely in error, but they still probably have concerns besides the 4 you listed.
There really are quite liberal people who go to Mass every Sunday, and are heavily involved in various parish ministries. Having heard plenty of fluff sermons, and also ignored my fair share of questionable teachings, I don't see why they wouldn't also be capable of hearing what fits with their idea of Catholicism, and dismissing the rest as not really Christian/Catholic. Or, as I did, migrating to a church where the preaching fits and reinforces and builds on what they believe.
How on earth could the catechesis and the liturgy have been so bad, for so long, if only orthodox, conservative/traditional Catholics went to Mass every Sunday? Plenty of progressive Catholics have been showing up regularly, putting in the time, and doing the work.
Absolutely none of the polling I have seen indicates that every-Sunday Catholics are anywhere close to majority support for abortion at any stage or gay "marriage." It all shows very much the opposite (see Pew, et al).
The very liberal people who go to Mass every Sunday no doubt exist, but they are dying Boomers and are very much in the minority if the pool we are talking about are the most active Catholics. Frankly, they are over-represented already in Catholic opinion making, and need to make way for the more conservative/traditional supermajority.
The reason that the catechesis and liturgy have been so bad, and yet the majority of active Catholics are conservative/traditional has to do with selection bias. Mass attendance has shrunk to about 20% of the baptized. Those who were going to leave have mostly left. For anyone Gen X or below, weekly mass attendance is a choice, not an obligation or a habit. They are the survivors.
Just as there are almost no liberal priests under 40, there are relatively few pro-abortion/pro-gay marriage laity under 40 who are at Mass every single Sunday.
So much of what is written refers to the organizational church. I choose to be among the living stones. Like any organization we deal with good and poor leaders. My prayer is that we,the church,be imitators of our Founder and our new organizational leader will mirror His life as did Francis.
"Be not ye conformed..." Exactly so. But how difficult it is!
Thank you for featuring Abp. Chaput. I was pleased to have him as my Archbishop and I think it's shameful that he was not made a Cardinal. He clearly had the skills and background for the job, and as the first Native American Archbishop, he would also have been the first Native American Cardinal. But he criticized Pope Francis so he didn't get a red hat. Sad.
Aren't, uh, most Hispanics "Native Americans" since they are descendants of indigenous peoples? It's a weird term, and I know what you mean (North American Native American Ancestry, but not Mexican), but its weird we don't have a better way of saying that :)
I believe you are referring to a North American Native American Non-Hispanic American National Ancestry. Commonly known as NA-NA-NA-NA (or "Batman!" for short).
You have condemned me to forever thinking of Chaput as Batman. I hope you are pleased with yourself.
With great power comes great responsibility…uh Spider-Man.
I hope he reads this and gets a laugh out of it. He seems like a good guy.
Didn’t Archbishop Chaput say before he was glad he didn’t become a Cardinal? I thought I read that somewhere, He along with, Abp Gomez in LA, are very deserving.
The last Archbishop of Los Angeles not made a cardinal was, in fact, the first Archbishop of Los Angeles, John Cantwell, who died in 1947.
Similarly, the last Archbishop of Philadelphia not made a cardinal was Edmond Prendergrast who died in 1918.
I pray that the Lord blesses the Church with a Pope who has the intellect and heart of Archbishop Chaput.
> God raises up the saints to renew his Church
This is good to remember on today's memorial of St Catherine of Siena - "saints" seems distant and like somebody else's job, but it is the job of each of us to allow God to make us holy (and if we seem to be a "nobody" and therefore, in our own minds, off the hook and inconsequential, we are not thinking with the mind of God and should just stop thinking about the matter and get out of His way; let Him do whatever He wants in you, tell Him to do it with a free hand).
But really I am making a comment on the first public post I see this morning to say that I am apparently making a nine day retreat from "wasting time on the internet". You the reader should either do the same or if that is not your job, be discerning of how you use time and what your emotional state is (to have passions is not bad and in fact is necessary, you just have to know what they are and then direct them properly, like you are leading a young bouncing-off-the-walls youth group on a service project instead of on aimless vandalism: the *feeling* is still there with all of its energy but you deftly like a stage magician or Indiana Jones substitute something for what the feeling was originally directed at: I am sorrowful, not because I dropped an ice cream cone, but instead *for my past sins*; I am excitedly hopeful *for seeing God face to face when I die*, when tempted to despair (perceiving an unattainable good - not a useful passion) I recall one of Christ's promises to us in Scripture (perceiving a difficult to attain good) to convert it to a different passion *and* redirect it, etc), and recollect yourself before posting on the internet (someone has to post fervorinos and it is probably you).
Bridget, I feel compelled to say that your comments on this website frequently build up the body of Christ!
Yeah, they do
+Chaput is a gift to the Church. I've gotten to ask a young bishop and some priests what bishop(s) they admire, and he's always on the shortlist they give, if he's not first out of the mouth. I wonder who among the U.S. bishops possess his attributes of intelligence, fidelity, courage, and pastoral concern--a tall ask, for sure--can take up his mantle of leadership for the next couple of decades.
As Archbishop of Philadelphia, Chaput was not only a good leader, he was also just a great guy with a good sense of humor. He lived at the seminary and made a fantastic effort of knowing the seminarians' names, including those outside his diocese!
I certainly look up to him as a model pastor.
Rhoades.
Another great attribute to add to Nathan's list is how good a writer he is. His prose was concise and clear, not unlike Pope Benedict's writing IMO.
One thing people who are not from the dioceses of Philadelphia or Denver (etc.) might not realize is that +Chaput was one of the more synodal bishops on the American episcopate. He would widely consult with many people before making a big decision, and was not afraid to delegate a lot when possible. There has been this puzzling narrative of how non-synodal he was. Nothing was further from the truth. I am sure JD could offer some examples when he worked for him.
My favorite of my personal moments with him: At my son's Confirmation Mass, he started his homily by saying, "Please don't call me 'Your Excellency.' I'm really not that excellent!"
Yes, he is one of the best Catholic writers today, and has been for quite a while. His prose is at once crystalline and muscular, and he pulls very few punches.
The minute the Church stops persecuting Trads, half the American issues go away.
I’m not even a trad but I agree with your take on this.
Thanks. FWIW, I think there are several American Catholic beefs with Rome, in no particular order:
1. Financial mismanagement
2. Taking sex abuse too lightly
3. Doctrinal fuzziness
4. TLM and TLM adjacent hostility
I think the progressive American Catholics would have a different take on it, but that's accurate for everyone else.
I’m talking people who go to Mass every Sunday.
“I was raised Catholic” libs who maybe go on Christmas Eve don’t count. Real Catholics.
By the definition of Sunday Mass attendance, I believe most "Real Catholics" support gay marriage and think that abortion should be legal if it's early enough in the pregnancy. Hopefully most are merely in error, but they still probably have concerns besides the 4 you listed.
There really are quite liberal people who go to Mass every Sunday, and are heavily involved in various parish ministries. Having heard plenty of fluff sermons, and also ignored my fair share of questionable teachings, I don't see why they wouldn't also be capable of hearing what fits with their idea of Catholicism, and dismissing the rest as not really Christian/Catholic. Or, as I did, migrating to a church where the preaching fits and reinforces and builds on what they believe.
How on earth could the catechesis and the liturgy have been so bad, for so long, if only orthodox, conservative/traditional Catholics went to Mass every Sunday? Plenty of progressive Catholics have been showing up regularly, putting in the time, and doing the work.
Absolutely none of the polling I have seen indicates that every-Sunday Catholics are anywhere close to majority support for abortion at any stage or gay "marriage." It all shows very much the opposite (see Pew, et al).
The very liberal people who go to Mass every Sunday no doubt exist, but they are dying Boomers and are very much in the minority if the pool we are talking about are the most active Catholics. Frankly, they are over-represented already in Catholic opinion making, and need to make way for the more conservative/traditional supermajority.
The reason that the catechesis and liturgy have been so bad, and yet the majority of active Catholics are conservative/traditional has to do with selection bias. Mass attendance has shrunk to about 20% of the baptized. Those who were going to leave have mostly left. For anyone Gen X or below, weekly mass attendance is a choice, not an obligation or a habit. They are the survivors.
Just as there are almost no liberal priests under 40, there are relatively few pro-abortion/pro-gay marriage laity under 40 who are at Mass every single Sunday.
Bring back the good old days where a holy Deacon could become Pope!
Well they’d have to know who he was first!
So much of what is written refers to the organizational church. I choose to be among the living stones. Like any organization we deal with good and poor leaders. My prayer is that we,the church,be imitators of our Founder and our new organizational leader will mirror His life as did Francis.
Should have been a Cardinal. ☹️