Church (ecclesiology): August 2012 Archives

Carlo Maria Martini, SJ.jpgThe famed Jesuit Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini, 85, died today following a long battle with Parkinson's disease. He had been living at a Jesuit retirement home near Milan.

Born in Turin, Carlo Maria Martini entered the Society of Jesus in 1944, was ordained a priest in 1952, professing solemn vows as a Jesuit in 1962, a bishop in 1980 and created a cardinal in 1983. He retired in 2002 and participated in the conclave that elected Benedict.

By training Martini earned two doctorates and he is known as a Scripture scholar (working on the Gospel of Luke)  having been the head of the Biblicum at the time of his appointment to the archbishopric of Milan. A man of great sensitivity for the spiritual life and sacred Scripture, Martini, in his healthy years, was sought after as a retreat master. His insight in Ignatian spirituality has aided many people.

With Cardinal Martini's death the College of Cardinals numbers 206 members, 118 of whom are able to enter a conclave to elect a new pope.

Saint Ambrose and Blessed Ildefonso, pray Cardinal Carlo Maria, and for us.
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SC detail.jpegYou know Salvatore Cordileone's name --he's the new archbishop of San Francsico. A high profile appointment made several weeks ago by Pope Benedict XVI. He was arrested for a DUI charge on August 25. He's admitted wrong-doing, spent 11 hours in jail, paid the bail and is due in court on October 9, just 5 days following his scheduled installation in SF.

He made a serious error in judgement. His Excellency needs to attend not only to his public persona but also to his spiritual life to make sure he's not abusing alcohol, his authority and power. No doubt he's brought on the Church and his person unwanted attention for such a matter as DUI where he could have injured or killed others. BUT this act in no way defines the man --it opens a new door for his conversion, that of others. The test of his acceptance of this grace will depend on him. By all reports Archbishop-designate Salvatore has cooperated with civil authorities.

The Christian community prays for Archbishop Cordileone. We pray for his recovery and for his witness.
In March, 60 Minutes ran a story on the archbishop of Dublin, Diarmuid Martin, and the response to the sex abuse crisis in Ireland. On August 19, 60 Minutes is running the story again. It is a slow news time of the year, but I think the story is worth seeing again.

All Saints of Ireland, pray for us.

What is the Church for?

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We inundate Him with problems, with demands for information, for clues, for an easier path, forgetting that in his Word he has given us the solution to every problem and all the details we are capable of grasping in this life.

Hans Urs von Balthasar

About the author

Paul A. Zalonski is from New Haven, CT. He is a member of the Fraternity of Communion and Liberation, a Catholic ecclesial movement and an Oblate of Saint Benedict. Contact Paul at paulzalonski[at]yahoo.com.

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This page is a archive of entries in the Church (ecclesiology) category from August 2012.

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