The following comes from a Jan. 2 story on Vatican News.
“He appointed Twelve, to be with Him and to Send Out to Preach” is the theme of the week-long retreat that the US Bishops begin on Wednesday according to a statement released by the US Bishops Conference (USCCB) on 21 December. Preacher to the Papal Household, Capuchin Father Raniero Cantalamessa, is leading it. Pope Francis proposed the retreat to USCCB President, Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, during a visit to Rome in October.
In the October statement announcing the retreat, Cardinal DiNardo expressed gratitude to Pope Francis for allowing Fr Cantalamessa to preach during the retreat. A December statementsays that Cardinal DiNardo is also grateful to the Pope for the invitation to “step back and enter into this focused time of listening to God as we respond to the intense matters before us”.
Catholic News Service quotes Fr Cantalamessa in December as saying that Pope Francis asked him to lead the spiritual exercises for the US Bishops. He explains that these days will allow the Bishops to reflect, “far from their daily commitments, in a climate of prayer and silence and in a personal encounter with the Lord”. In this way, Fr Cantalamessa continues, the Bishops “can receive the strength and light of the Holy Spirit to find the right solutions for the problems that afflict the U.S. church today”.
Cardinal DiNardo also asked for prayers for the bishops as they “seek wisdom and guidance from the Holy Spirit” and for “survivors of sexual abuse”. For the former, that they might receive strength from the sufferings of the latter “for the hard task of rooting out a terrible evil from our Church and our society”.
In addition to receiving the insight of Fr Cantalamessa, the Bishops’ days during this week of retreat will contain moments for silent reflection and meditation, daily Mass, personal prayer and prayer together before the Blessed Sacrament, and confession.
The retreat is taking place on the grounds of the University of St Mary of the Lake in Mundelein Seminary north of Chicago. Mundelein Seminary is the largest US seminary. Currently there are about 200 seminarians studying for about 40 dioceses both in the US and abroad.
All paid for by you and me.
Grounds? Looks like a lake to me. Grounds are actually beautiful. Chicago Cardinals have long made certain seminarians had great surroundings. But why meet near Chicago in January? Nothing available in warmer climates?
Very scary– Illinois Catholic dioceses publicly reported that 185 priests were found guilty of child sex abuse– but after a big D.A. investigation– a total of 690 priests were found to be guilty of this horrific crime!! Wonder if the bishops plan to do anything about this?? Will their big retreat bring about any results??? And all those poor, suffering victims, in Illinois– how awful!!!
“Found guilty” means a jury convicted a plaintiff or a plaintiff plead guilty. And all convictions are already public, so there would be nothing to a diocesan public report. I think you might have meant to say that there were credible claims against hundreds of priests. Not a whole lot better, but it helps to stick strictly to the facts.
It is all too, too horrible, too shocking– no matter what! What kind of church do we really have— that gives us 690 Illinois priests, with credible child sex abuse charges?? How many went to Mundelein Seminary— where the Bishops are meeting?? How many hundreds of suffering victims are there, in our churches, in Illinois??
I’m sorry you are opposed to prayer and reflection. It seems to me to be a good start.
YFC– Of course I am not opposed to prayer and reflection! It is simply shocking, the huge number of Illinois priests, who may have destroyed the lives of countless Catholics in the pews, plus seminarians, too! 690 of them! Very scary, any possible filthy sex abuse crimes committed right in the seminary– with no justice, for poor, suffering victims!
I erred by confusing the plaintiff with the defendant. To repost: “Found guilty” means a jury convicted a defendant or a defendant pleaded guilty. I think you might have meant to say that there were credible claims against hundreds of priests. Not a whole lot better, but it helps to stick strickly to the facts.”
Thank you to those who corrected my confusion of the terms defendant with plaintiff. That’s what I meant to say, and we still need to stick strictly to facts. Including me!
This further shows the bishops are out of touch. If corporate managers were guilty of the cover ups and crimes that bishops are, they wouldn’t go on retreat and keep their jobs. They would be fired. But the bishops aren’t accountable.
Let us hope and pray that the beauty of “Mundelien,” as it is referred to by the locals, rubs off, has some effect on the Bishops.
Archtectturally it is a place of serenity and peace. Let us hope and pray the enviromnent has an effect on the procedures and outcome.
Prayer by us, the Faithfu, will also help.
Pray for the bishops while on retreat! Bishops praying is a very good, and needed, “thing!” And, thanks be to God, they have a wise and holy priest like Fr. Cantalamessa leading them.
We can start with this prayer, asking for the intersession of our Blessed Mother to ask tje Holy Spirit guide and convert the bishops:
“Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thine intercession was left unaided.
Inspired by this confidence, we fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins, our mother; to thee do we come, before thee we stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not our petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer us.
Amen.”
I am uncomfortable that Bishop McGrath of San Jose (whom is not known as a conservative) pulled his seminarians OUT of St. Patrick’s Seminary ( which is conservative) and run by a wonderful Jesuit Father George Schultze and AB Salvatore Cordileone!!! And sent them off to Chicago where Cardinal Supich (SUPER LIBERAL) is in charge!!
It’s no wonder why PJ did that. Orthodoxy is not valued in the Diocese of San Jose. I know. Unfortunately I have to live and go to Mass here, and my grandchildren attend the “Catholic” in name only hyper liberal high school Mitty. Our Lady of Peace is the best parish in the diocese.
we don’t refer to bishops with monikers like “pj”, if we have respect for the episcopacy.
A bit of terminology from a non-attorney. A plaintiff is the person who brings a civil suit. A defendant is one against whom civil suit or criminal charges are brought.
Dear mike m: A plaintiff is the person bringing a complaint before a court. It can be civil or criminal complaint. The person bringing the complaint can be the “People” or it can be a particular aggrieved person. FYI.
The error I made, which I think is what you were getting at, is that it is the defandant who is found guilty or pleads guilty.
LOVE the Shrine of Our Lady of Peace! Bishop “PJ” McGrath will soon retire, and Bishop Cantu will replace him. Don’t know anything about Bp. Cantu, though.