Theodore McCarrick dead at 94
Purple Catholic Saturday Post
Good morning and happy Saturday.
I appreciate you continuing to stick with me as a took a few weekends off while I was traveling. Fortunately during that time Pope Francis has returned to his home in the Vatican and continues to recover there.
As was reminded to me the other day, we are now over halfway through Lent and it is never too late to try and get back on track.
I want to use this first part this morning to encourage you to think about almsgiving during Lent. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church says, “the goods of creation are destined for the entire human race” (2452). During Lent, it is a particularly important practice as we strive to grow closer to and follow our Lord’s commands. As we know, the second greatest commandment (only behind love God) is to love our neighbors.
There are many obvious ways to give alms. There are those that are hungry in our country and around the world. There are those who need homes. There are women who need crisis pregnancy care.
There are also those who are spiritually hungry. If you are looking for an opportunity to support those, there is a prime chance for you next week. Ave Maria Radio is holding their spring membership drive. They have strived for over twenty-five years to feed the the spiritually hungry by sharing the truth of the Gospel on the radio.
Ave Maria Radio has several radio stations in southeast Michigan and northwest Ohio but they also provide a large amount of the daytime radio content to EWTN and radio stations across the country at no charge. When you listen to Dr. Ray Guarendi, Fr. John Riccardo, the Popcaks, or my friend Dr. Marcus Peter on SiriusXM or one of more than 300 radio stations in the United States, know that Ave Maria Radio gives those programs to those stations for free.
Support from donors is crucial and Ave Maria Radio relies on membership drives to fund their operations. Because of support from people like you, they can operate large radio stations in Ann Arbor/Detroit, Saginaw, Toledo, a new radio stations in Lansing, plus their podcasts and internet streams.
Giving is easy. You can go online to AveMariaRadio.net and click the banner on the home page. You can also call 877-288-1077 between 8a-6p next week and speak to employees and producers.
I thank you in advance for supporting this great mission both with your treasure and prayers.
Theodore McCarrick dead at 94
Yesterday afternoon, it was reported that former-Cardinal Theodore McCarrick had passed away on Thursday.
McCarrick’s role in the American Church is conflicting (to say the least). Following the reports of wide spread coverup of sexual abuse within the Church published by the Boston Globe in 2002, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops adopted the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, more commonly known as the Dallas Charter. McCarrick was a leading participant in establishing those norms.
Later, however, reports began to emerge that McCarrick himself had groomed and abused seminarians. The “McCarrick Report” published by the Holy See in 2020 revealed that the first anonymous reports that McCarrick may be a predator were shared with Church hierarchy in the United States as early as the mid-1980s. Priests began reporting abuse in the 1990s.
Following a guilty finding in a Vatican investigation, Pope Francis laicized him in early 2019.
That McCarrick himself was so involved in the Dallas Charter while he and others had successfully ignored (perhaps covered up) his behavior for years presents a real philosophical challenge as we reckon with abuse in the Church.
The Dallas Charter and its norms, I believe, have, for the most part, ended the practice of ignoring abuse claims in the United States. As several reports from attorneys general in recent years have shown, dioceses have been very cooperative with law enforcement and ensured that those credibly accused are removed from ministry.
Recent reforms have worked. We should be proud of that, and we should continue to strive to do better (e.g., removing artwork from Fr. Marko Rupnik). McCarrick has faced his account of his life, and someday we will too; our actions and inactions will be noted in front of our Lord.
We should never forget that building a holier Church begins with the conversion each and every one of us.
The Stations of the Cross with St. Thomas Aquinas
Dino Piccinini and Matthew Handley
$5.99 paperback / $1.99 Kindle
Meditate upon Jesus' passion and death on the cross with selections from Scripture and St. Thomas Aquinas's writings. Each station features a scripture passage that shares the story of Jesus' walk to Calvary, a reflection on that station from the Summa Theologiae, and a scriptural meditation. Proceeds earned from purchases during Lent will be donated to Aid to the Church in Need.
Fifth Sunday of Lent
Tomorrow is the Second Sunday of Lent. At Mass we will hear from Isaiah 43:16-21; Psalm 126; Philippians 3:8-14; and John 8:1-11.
“Yet even now,” says the Lord,
“return to me with all your heart.” …
Return to the Lord, your God,
for he is gracious and merciful.
Joel 2:12-13
In the news:
The United States
Requiescat in pace: Father Raj "Arul" Carasala murdered in his Seneca, Kansas rectory - OSV News
The enduring legacy of Flannery O’Connor at 100 - The Irish Catholic
What the third Luminous Mystery is all about - Matthew A. Tsakaniks in Catholic460
The Vatican
Pope Francis’ condition continues to show improvement - National Catholic Register
Holy See and Russia discuss initiatives aimed at ending the war in Ukraine - Vatican News
The World
Hatian mob hunts down and murders religious sisters - The Catholic Herald
Missionaries must tell their stories - L’Osservatore Romano
Have a good weekend,
Matthew