Lots of Questions; No More Answers from the Office of Worship

Katie posed a question today, asking whether Catherine Combier-Donovan, Director of the Office of Worship, is ever going to respond to the questions about the Liturgy we asked months ago. At that time Ms Combier-Donovan seemed very open to corresponding with us through this blog. However, we have heard nothing more from her.

First of all, let me say that I realize that there are time constraints involved. There is a lot going on concerning the New Roman Missal translations and conferences to set up involving it or to attend. But beyond those issues, it would have been nice to hear from her simply to let us know that at the present time, she has no time to engage us at a blog level.

If anyone has any further information, please comment...

A different perspective ~ sexual abuse and clerical celibacy

Another good NCR article on the recent abuse scandal in Germany and Ireland. This one by Hans Küng - Ratzinger's Responsibility. Whether you like the National Catholic Reporter or not, it contains many hard-hitting articles that will cause you to think out of the box... and hopefully broaden your understanding of the issues.

Excellent NCR Article about Pope Benedict and the Sexual Abuse Crisis in Germany

This National Catholic Reporter article by John L. Allen, Jr., "Will Ratzinger's past trump Benedict's present" is a very extensive analysis of the history of the sexual abuse scandal in the Church and how the Vatican has reacted to the scandal in the past and the present. I think it is a fair article and an important one. It begins:

"Gino Burresi may sound like the name of a shortstop from the '50s, but among Vatican insiders, it marks a watershed in the sexual abuse crisis. For those with eyes to see, the fall from grace of Burresi, a charismatic Italian priest and founder of the Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, shortly after the election of Pope Benedict XVI, was taken as a signal that the days of lethargy and cover-up were over.

Burresi, 73 at the time, was barred from public ministry in May 2005, just one month after the election of Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger to the church's top job. While the decree cited abuses of confession and spiritual direction, Vatican sources were clear that accusations of sexual abuse involving Burresi and seminarians, dating to the 1970s and '80s,were a principal motive for the action against him....."

I would like to have your comments on this article...

Canon 1251 and Friday's Solemnity of St. Joseph

Can Catholics of this diocese eat meat on Friday, March 19th, the Solemnity of St. Joseph?

Here is the canon that speaks to this question:

Canon 1251 Abstinence from eating meat or another food according to the prescriptions of the conference of bishops is to be observed on Fridays throughout the year unless (nisi) they are solemnities; abstinence and fast are to be observed on Ash Wednesday and on the Friday of the Passion and Death of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

Focusing on the Liturgy

The National Catholic Reporter is focusing on the Liturgy this week. This is a very important series by Tom Roberts that should not be missed. The series began Monday with the article titled: "Battle lines in the liturgy wars"...

Subsequent articles are the following:

Tuesday: The new spin on Vatican II
Wednesday: Pope aims to 'propose' practices
Thursday: Our brains are wired for liturgy
Friday: The hermeneutic of dysfunction, an NCR editorial

Please note: I have no link to the last three articles since they will be published on the days given. Those articles will be easy enough to find by going to one of the links and scrolling down to the bottom of the article.