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There is one other aspect of the story that I alluded to yesterday and which was confirmed for me by several bishops. The attacks on Bishop Kicanas in the last week before the election worked. These attacks focused on Kicanas’ service as a seminary rector, when he recommended for orders a man who went on to be a child molester. Kicanas had answered the charges at the time and there was nothing to them, but on the eve of the election, when the CNN ticker had an item about “Top bishop denies promoting child molester,” I knew there was trouble for Kicanas. Survivors’ groups unwittingly did the bidding of the most conservative bishops by joining in the attacks. If that were not enough, the gay activists in the Rainbow Sash movement sealed Kicanas’ fate when they “endorsed” him, a classic case of failing to anticipate the opposition. Still, I had anticipated there might be a sympathy backlash for Kicanas, not least because – whatever the bishops intended – some on the right now think they possess a “heckler’s veto” over USCCB elections. Throw enough mud at the last minute, and they can stop someone they do not like from winning. They sent text messages to bishops. They called the bishops’ rooms at the hotel. It was ugly. But, no bishop wanted to return to his diocese and be pummeled with questions about Kicanas’ treatment of a sexual abuser. There was enough smoke to suggest a fire, and the bishops have no desire to be burned on that score anymore.
One other thing about the USCCB. Was anyone else surprised that the two candidates on the final possessed doctorates in educational psychology and church history, but not in theology? This, in the pontificate of Pope Benedict XVI? Mind you, I will go with the church historian every time. Still, I kept looking around the room and wondering how many of the men gathered really grasped what Pope Benedict means when he talks about the New Evangelization.
So, that is my take on the election. I am a huge fan of Dolan’s, which does not mean I agree with him on everything. But, his election is not, as has been suggested, a vote for culture war. His mission is to bring the USCCB together, to move past the divisions that exist. The closeness of the vote yesterday indicates how great a challenge he faces, but there are many ways to reach out and bring people together and he is a gifted and able leader.

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Dolan, 60, was installed as archbishop of New York just last year, after leading the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. Born in St. Louis, he was ordained in 1976. In 1985, he earned a doctorate in church history from Catholic University.

After working as a parish priest and professor, Dolan spent seven years as rector of the North American College in Rome, considered the West Point for U.S. priests, where he had studied for his own ordination. He is considered a talented public speaker and is very popular among his fellow bishops and priests.

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Yesterday the Vatican announced the visitation would begin with the four Catholic archdioceses as well as St Patrick’s Seminary at Maynooth and the Irish College in Rome.It said: “Through this visitation, the Holy See intends to offer assistance to the bishops, clergy, religious and lay faithful as they seek to respond adequately to the situation caused by the tragic cases of abuse perpetrated by priests and religious upon minors.“It is also intended to contribute to the desired spiritual and moral renewal that is already being vigorously pursued by the church in Ireland.”The Vatican said the visitation would explore the past handling of cases of abuse and the assistance owed to victims.It would also monitor the effectiveness of current procedures for preventing abuse and seek possible improvements.

The visitors named yesterday by the pope were Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor, retired archbishop of Westminster and primate of England and Wales, for the Archdiocese of Armagh; Cardinal Seán Patrick O’Malley, Archbishop of Boston, for the Archdiocese of Dublin; Archbishop Thomas Christopher Collins, Archbishop of Toronto, for the Archdiocese of Cashel and Emly; and Archbishop Terrence Thomas Prendergast, Archbishop of Ottawa, for the Archdiocese of Tuam. The apostolic visitor to Maynooth and the Irish College in Rome will be Archbishop Timothy Dolan, Archbishop of New York.

O'er there, o'er there
cause the Yanks are coming
and it aint over till its over over there

"Winning is a habit, unfortunatly so is losing .
It's not whether you get knocked down. It's whether you get up again." .

Lombardi

Over Pasen.

Of was 't nu toch Desmond TuTu over fufuzelas?

Waarop vervolgens de gehele Tiltenberg zich nog verder in het bos terug trok om zich olv Hendrikx te storten op de vraag kan Obdam een schadeclaim kan indienen wegens maanden het bos ingestuurd zijn van haar oranje priester.