Carlo Maria Viganò

Leonard P. Blair installed as archbishop of Hartford

The papal nuncio to the United States, Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, representing Pope Francis in installing Archbishop Leonard Paul Blair, STD, as the 13th bishop and the 5th archbishop of Hartford today, the Constitution State.

The Archdiocese of Hartford is made up of three counties with more than 700,000 Catholics worshiping in 213 parish churches. As a diocese it was created on 28 November 1843 and elevated to be an archdiocese on 6 August 1953.

Paraphrasing the Nuncio, the season of Advent is a fresh beginning for a new journey of the people of God guided by the Good Shepherd. We pray that God will keep us firm in faith, joyful in hope and active in charity.

Archbishop Leonard Paul Blair, who spent 10 years in Toledo until now, generously accepted the work to be a new shepherd in Hartford, Connecticut.

Pope Francis writes to Archbishop Blair saying, that he is elected the new metropolitan archbishop of Hartford following what Jesus Christ exhorted Saint Peter to do, “feed my sheep.” Now walking in the path of St Peter Blaire is to have zeal for the flock, reading and hearing the voice of the Master in order to nourish this local part of God’s Kingdom in the same manner.

In his homily, Archbishop Blair said some things we could keep in mind,

memory: we are given the grace of memory of the Lord’s presence, of one’s personal journey, of how the Lord sought us out, and of our family. “I have seen much, learned, fear the Lord, for the Lord is our hope” (Sirach). Memory is at the service of mission.

mission: the installation of a bishop in the local church is lived in communion with the Church of Rome, and with all the baptized. Our mission is about the sharing of the Good News with others, it is a work of evangelization according to St Peter’s letter in which we read about the baptized who are called to a holy priesthood; that what we have been given is what we have received from the Lord. Our mission is to show the light of Christ to the world. Our faith is not about self preservation: be salt for the world, be an active member of the priesthood of the faithful lived in joy.

ministry: quoting Pope Francis who said that the Church is a field hospital where the Holy Spirit is active in each one of us; the struggle today has a lot of spiritual darkness, disorientation, and isolation; tenderness is absent. Our spiritual lack is a result of a flattering of the world, or its stress, a lack of care lived in mercy. Ministry is an expression of a life lived in holiness and hope. Ministry is service of the Gospel for all people.

We need to work on conversion, sinners who love much because they are loved first by the Lord. Are we witnesses to the love of Jesus Christ in concrete ways?

The crosier with which Blair is installed belonged to Bishop Lawrence S. McMahon, the 5th bishop of Hartford who served 1879-1893.

Five cardinals are present for the Mass today, along with other bishops, priests, deacons, religious and the great laity of the archdiocese.

May Saint Joseph’s courage and tenderness be with us, and pray for us.

Medjugorje visionaries not permitted to speak, Church advocates

The Catholic faithful ought to avoid all connections with the alleged visionaries connected with Medjugorje. This is the current judgement of the Church due to a lack of final judgement of experts for the good of the faithful.

In March 2010, Pope Benedict XVI formed a commission to investigate the veracity of Our Lady’s apparitions in Medjugorje. The Holy See said, “An international investigative commission on Medjugorje has been constituted, under the presidency of Cardinal Camillo Ruini and dependent upon the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. Said commission – made up of cardinals, bishops, specialists and experts – will work privately, submitting the results of its work to the authority of the dicastery.”

Cardinal Ruini’s report to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith will be studied and the findings given to the Pope. You’ll recall that Ruini is the former vicar of Rome’s diocese.

Millions of pilgrims have visited this shrine every year and claim to have received many graces of conversion.

In question the truthfulness of the six people have witnessed the Virgins apparitions since 1981.Controversy has circled the alleged Marian apparitions in Medjugorje with local bishops, the Franciscans and the various visionaries who have greatly profited from the fame.

The legitimate investigation of the Holy See continues as you can see from this letter of October 21, 2013 of the US Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò to the General Secretary of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, Monsignor Ronny Jenkins. Archbishop Viganò writes on behalf of Archbishop Gerhard Ludwig Müller, Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. The letter reiterates an April 10, 1991, directive not to adhere to unverified proposals.

The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith is clear: “clerics and the faithful are not permitted to participate in meetings, conferences or public celebrations during which the credibility of such ‘apparitions’ would be taken for granted.”

Matters like these required a well researched assessment of what’s claimed for the good of all the faithful. Hence, the final judgement of the Holy Father is sought and we ought to follow.

Carlo Maria Viganò, America’s New Nuncio, to arrive soon

His Excellency, Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, 70, was appointed by Pope Benedict XVI to be his personal representative to the Church in the United States and to the US government, on 19 October 2011. As ambassador he’ll have to recommend to the Pope the new bishops, handle ecclesial matters of significance and work with the US politicians. Archbishop Viganò met with the Pope this morning. He is set arrive in time for the general meeting of US Bishops, 14-16 November in Baltimore.

David Kerr of The National Catholic Register has a story relating these diplomatic events and more of Viganò’s history.

You may also want to read Cindy Wooden of the Catholic News Service’s October 19th article for a another perspective.

Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò was born in Varese, Italy (Lombardy) and was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Pavia (the place where St Augustine of Hippo is buried) but since 1973 Viganò has been in the service ot the Holy See. Since 1992, he’s been a bishop. His past postings have been as Apostolic Nuncio to Nigeria, and since 1998 he’s been an official in the Secretariat of State. Recently, recently he’s been the Secretary to the Governate of Vatican City State.

Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò’s appointment to the office of Nuncio fills the gap left when Pietro Sambi died on 27 July 2011. His Excellency is the 14th representative of the Pope on US shores.

The United States of America has had a delegation from the Holy See since 24 January 1893; the delegation became a full-fledged Nunciature on 10 January 1984.

May the Blessed Virgin Mary, Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, pray for Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò.