We have recently been made aware of Governor Quinn’s decision to present a Pro-Choice Leadership Award at an upcoming event for a political organization known as Personal PAC. This organization describes itself as a “political action committee (PAC) dedicated to electing pro-choice candidates to state and local office in Illinois.” Personal PAC has raised and spent millions of dollars in this effort and supports the lobbying efforts of Planned Parenthood in Springfield.

We deeply regret the Governor’s decision to present this award, which so closely associates him with a political action group whose purpose is contrary to the common good. With this action, Governor Quinn has gone beyond a political alignment with those supporting the legal right to kill children in their mother’s wombs to rewarding those deemed most successful in this terrible work.

The next two paragraphs are even stronger (emphasis mine):

Pope John Paul II asked in his Letter to Families (1994), “How can one morally accept laws that permit the killing of a human being not yet born, but already alive in the mother’s womb?” Governor Quinn not only accepts these laws, he promotes them and publicly presents awards to their advocates. This approach is irreconcilable with any honest profession of the Catholic faith. While we deeply regret and oppose his actions, we continue to pray for his conversion and the protection of unborn human life.

To our Catholic institutions statewide, we reaffirm our desire and policies that those acting in the manner of the Governor should not be given special recognition on Church property or at functions held in support of Church ministry.

A local reporter followed up with the Archdiocese about whether this statement means Gov. Quinn is now barred from receiving Communion. A spokesperson responded (again, emphasis mine):

The Catholic dioceses in the state have policies prohibiting any politician who has voted in favor of policies that go against the Church’s teaching from speaking at or receiving an award from a Catholic institution, like at a school.

The bishops have not banned Quinn from receiving Communion. An individual priest could make the decision not to give Quinn Communion.

I’m curious to see how canon lawyers react to this statement. My simple question is, what more could Gov. Quinn possibly do for the bishops to officially bar him from receiving Communion? (UPDATE — my father, canon lawyer Ed Peters, has posted his comment.)

Governor Quinn also has signed into law Illinois’ bad same-sex civil unions bill which is directly responsible for excluding Catholic adoption agencies in the state from caring for foster kids. So when it comes to the Church’s fundamental teachings, he’s a repeat offender.

Good for the bishops of Illinois!

First, Bishop Aquila is clearly referencing Matthew 18:15-18:

“If your brother sins [against you], go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have won over your brother. If he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, so that ‘every fact may be established on the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ If he refuses to listen to them, tell the church. If he refuses to listen even to the church, then treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax collector. Amen, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

Caravaggio's depiction of the calling of Matthew, a tax collector, to be one of the Twelve.

But if the wayward brother remains at odds even after all these reasonable steps have been taken, then the wayward brother, by his own actions or beliefs, has put himself outside the community, and thus is rightly regarded as the Jews regarded gentiles and tax collectors: outside the covenant community.

In this context, the power to bind and loose which Christ gives to the Apostles follows on the tradition of rabbinical Judaism. The rabbi’s power to bind and loose included the authority to establish membership in the community: to excommunicate and to restore to membership. By including binding and loosing in the discussion of how unrepentant dissenters are to be treated, Christ clearly indicates the Apootles’ (and thereby their successors’) authority to do likewise in such cases. (For more, see pages 210, 230-233 of Curtis Mitch and Edward Sri’s volume on the Gospel of Matthew from the Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture series.)

And this has a pastoral, not punitive, purpose. For one, it prevents further scandal of the faithful who may use the unrepentant dissenter’s dissent as cover or justification for their own heterodoxy. “If the bishops do not publicly rebuke public dissenters, then they must not disapprove of the heterodox position—qui tacet consentire videtur—therefore I am justified in my dissent.” Second, it demonstrates to the unrepentant dissenter the gravity of their dissent more sharply and thus gives a greater chance of public repentance. Third, if Communion is withheld (which it ought to be, since one who is not in communion ought not receive Communion), it is withheld for the dissenter’s own good, since to receive Communion unworthily is a sacrilege and therefore mortally harmful to one’s soul.

Or, as Rob put it, “Oh look, you’ve doused yourself with gasoline. Let’s get you cleaned up. But if you persist in remaining doused in gasoline, then—don’t take this unkindly—I’m going to withhold lit matches from you. No offense.”

None taken. I hope.

Christ did personally minister to public sinners, but He did so to call them out of their sin. Christ did send the Apostles to preach to all nations—gentiles and tax collectors included—and St. Paul certainly preached to the gentiles. But the point of all that was to bring the whole world into actual communion with the body of Christ and not the other way around. The one flock of Christ is shepherded by the Apostles and their successors, primarily Peter and the popes, who hold the keys.

I hope that helps people understand a little more what Bishop Aquila was saying.

• Letter from Archbishop O’Brien (PDF)
• Letter from Governor O’Malley (PDF)

===

Over the weekend Catholic Governor of Maryland Martin O’Malley released private letters he had exchanged with Archbishop of Baltimore Edwin O’Brien over the issue of same-sex marriage (an effort to pass same-sex marriage in Maryland earlier this year failed because it lacked the votes, now O’Malley has signed on to a renewed effort to redefine marriage in the next legislative session).

An important part of the backstory here is that Gov. O’Brien probably feels encouraged by the adulation heaped on Catholic governor Andrew Cuomo of New York after he ignored the Catholic bishops to push same-sex marriage into law there.

There’s a lesson here: when one Catholic governor gets away with ignoring the warnings of his bishops, other Catholic governors and elected officials feel emboldened to do the same.

Anyway, Archbishop O’Brien is intent to avoid the same result happening in Maryland.

I’m searching for the original letters exchanged between O’Malley and O’Brien. In the meantime, here is what’s filtered through the press:

Two days before Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley (D) announced plans to sponsor a same-sex marriage bill, a Catholic archbishop strongly urged that he reconsider the move, suggesting the governor was acting out of “mere political expediency.”

Edwin F. O’Brien, the archbishop of Baltimore, said in a letter late last month that sponsoring the bill would “deeply conflict” with O’Malley’s Catholic faith and that he should resist pressure to do so after New York’s recent legalization of same-sex marriage.

“Maryland is not New York,” O’Brien wrote. “We urge you not to allow your role as the leader of our state to be used in allowing the debate surrounding the definition of marriage to be determined by mere political expediency. The people of Maryland deserve no less.”

O’Malley responded to O’Brien on Thursday, citing a litany of issues on which he shares the church’s views. But, O’Malley wrote, “when shortcomings in our laws bring about a result that is unjust, I have a public obligation to try to change that injustice.”

More:

O’Brien’s appeal to O’Malley was made in starkly personal terms.

“I am well aware that the recent events in New York have intensified pressure on you to lend your active support to legislation to redefine marriage,” O’Brien wrote. “As advocates for the truths we are compelled to uphold, we speak with equal intensity and urgency in opposition to your promoting a goal that so deeply conflicts with your faith, not to mention the best interests of our society.”

O’Brien continued: “It is especially hard to fathom your taking such a step, given the fact that our requests last year for you to sponsor legislation to repeal the death penalty and support students in Catholic and other nonpublic schools went unheeded.”

A sample of Gov. O’Malley’s response:

“I do not presume, nor would I ever presume as governor, to question or infringe upon your freedom to define, to preach about and to administer the sacraments of the Roman Catholic Church,” O’Malley wrote. “But on the public issue of granting equal civil marital rights to same-sex couples, you and I disagree. . . . I look forward to working with you on other issues of mutual agreement. And I respect your freedom to disagree with me as a citizen and as a religious leader without questioning your motives.”

Right now I’m relying on what the Washington Post found most interesting to copy. I’m sure I would probably highlight different parts of the letters.

I think O’Malley’s line about “never presuming … to preach about or administer the sacraments of the Roman Catholic Church” is particularly revealing.” The issue, after all, isn’t who wears a miter vs. who was elected governor. The issue is the pre-political institution of the family, and the right of the Church to defend the family when it comes under attack in the public square. Natural law, in other words, not theology.

I also doubt O’Malley realizes that being personally warned about why he should not attack the family by redefining marriage could also serve as a necessary precursor to canonical penalties since he has chosen to ignore the advice and firm admonition of his Archbishop.

I also find it fascinating that Governor O’Malley chose to release these letters. Abp. O’Brien was performing a courtesy by keeping the correspondence private. Now that O’Malley has chosen to bring the public in on the conversation, I wonder how Abp. O’Brien will respond.

UPDATE — forgot to include this factoid: O’Malley “often attends weekday Masses” according to WaPo.

The movie is much on my mind because it tells the story of a man who commits a grave crime, but is miraculously spared being caught and punished for it. As the movie concludes, we realize the man has actually been punished, in the worst way: in rationalizing his evil act, and having no earthly justice visited upon him, he is forced to kill his conscience, otherwise he knows he will go mad with guilt and self-hatred.

That’s what I see played out again as I read Maureen Dowd’s triumphalist interview with New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, who just succeeded in legalizing same-sex “marriage” in that state despite the lobbying and warnings of the Catholic Church:

I FIGURED I’d get straight to it.

“So, Governor,” I asked, “are you afraid you’re going to hell?”

… “It’s troubling for me as a Catholic to be at odds with the church,” he began, before dissolving into a wry laugh. “Having said that, it seems that my entire political life, the tension with the church has come up again and again.”

Maureen editorializes:

Just as his father seized a social issue and established himself in opposition to the church with his Notre Dame speech on abortion, now the son has seized a social issue and established himself in opposition to the church with gay marriage.

“In opposition to the Church.” What a haunting phrase. What an honest phrase. The question I have to respond with is, why on earth do Dowd and Cuomo insist on remaining Catholic, when they happily grasp the mantle of being in “opposition to the Church” on abortion and marriage? Really, why be part of a Church which one has to be in opposition to? There are plenty of denominations that have given up Christ’s teaching on life, marriage and family. Why not be part of one of those churches instead?

It gets worse:

“I have a portrait of Saint Thomas More in my office,” the governor said, calling from the statehouse in Albany. It is a picture Mario Cuomo once kept in his office. He gave it to Andrew as a present when he graduated from Albany Law School, and the younger Cuomo has kept it with him for 30 years as he moved from job to job and city to city. “It’s not the first time there is a tension between the teachings of the church and the administration of the law, for my father and for myself.” Dryly, he adds: “I haven’t lost my head yet.”

… maybe that’s a bad thing. I mean, does Cuomo have the faintest idea about what St. Thomas More’s life (and martyrdom) was all about? If he knows the story, does he see himself in Thomas More’s shoes, or King Henry’s (or Will Roper’s? or Richard Rich’s? or Thomas Cromwell’s?). Does he believe he will die the King’s good servant, but God’s first?

Maureen again:

Far from it. The New York governor says he still goes to church with his three teenage daughters. He received Communion at his Inaugural Day Mass, but mostly abstains. He has managed to stay on good terms with New York’s pugnacious archbishop…

Cuomo is trying to keep the lie up that he’s a faithful Catholic, although his conscience may be somewhat piqued because he “mostly abstains” from Communion. That means he still receives at times, with no public recanting of his public “opposition to the Church.” It’s hard for me to see how Cuomo’s being on “good terms” with Abp. Dolan is true for anyone besides Cuomo.

Now, on to the concubinage:

When I asked if the archbishop would preside over the ceremony if the governor decides to tie the knot with the Food  Network glamour girl Sandra Lee, Cuomo says it couldn’t happen “because I’m divorced.”

He shrugged off the shrill complaint of Vatican adviser Edward Peters that he’s living in “public concubinage” with his girlfriend in their Westchester home.

“He was a blogger, not from my state,” Cuomo  said of Peters. “I didn’t want to give it too much credibility.”

As for whether Lee was hurt by the crude, archaic term, he conceded, “It was not a pleasant conversation for anyone.”

A lot to point out here: a) Dowd seriously thinks +Dolan would celebrate Mass for Cuomo’s wedding? Does she know absolutely nothing about the Church? b) As for Sandree Lee being “hurt” by the “crude, archaic” term, my father responds: “It’s not a likeable word, it’s not a likeable thing.” c) If you read carefully, Cuomo dodges the question about my father’s point. “[He's] not from my state” is no answer at all. My father’s arguments (most recently today) are about the Church, which is very much in Cuomo’s state.

I could go on, but I think the more effective thing would be for me to just say the hard truth: Governor Cuomo needs a wake-up call, in the form of a public rebuke by the bishops of New York, which begins with informing him that his public actions against innocent unborn life, against the institution of marriage and the family (and the Church), and his choice to live in, yes, public concubinage with his girlfriend, prohibit him from presenting himself for the Eucharist in New York until he recants and does penance.

Andrew Cuomo’s soul is at stake. And his interview with Dowd demonstrates that he knows he is in public, personal, profound opposition to the Church, and yet because he has not yet “lost his head” he believes he can continue to present himself as a Catholic in communion with the Church. Cuomo is in danger of becoming the main character of Woody Allen’s movie Crimes & Misdemeanors, who absent earthly punishment, does violence to his conscience and puts his eternal soul in jeopardy thereby.

That’s why Christ came and died for us: to forgive us of the sins He shows us we have. The Church needs to help Cuomo see his sins, for he can no longer see them himself. God have mercy on him.

Here is the NYT news story the above tweet points to: “Pelosi Questions Legal Cost on Marriage Law.”

I really thought Pelosi had reached the point where she could no longer surprise me, but I was wrong. Pelosi’s complaint that defending DOMA will cost too much surprises me.

After all, when Pelosi took over the gavel the national deficit was $162 billion. When she was ousted at the beginning of this year it was $1,290 billion (= $1.2 trillion).

Nancy Pelosi's Private Jet

On the personal side, Pelosi spent tens of thousands (if not hundreds of thousands of dollars) on travel, parties, entertainment, etc. during her tenure as Speaker.

I’m not saying this makes her unique among other Speakers of the House and politicians, but it really begs the question: is Pelosi such a spendthrift as to think there is no money lying around to defend marriage? And yet she wrote this after it was announced that Congress would intervene in the lawsuits against DOMA to defend the law Congress passed to define marriage in 1996:

“It is important that the House receive an estimate of the cost to taxpayers for engaging private lawyers to intervene in the pending DOMA cases.”

Does Pelosi seriously expect us to believe she is worried about the cost to taxpayers?

If Pelosi believed in defending marriage, she could afford the DOMA lawyers out of her own pocket.

The fact that she has suddenly “got religion” on the taxpayer expense of running government tells us something about her political views, and everything about her calculated malice against marriage.

The Diocese of Phoenix has been in continuing conversation with Catholic Healthcare West about their Catholic identity and adherence to the teachings of the Church regarding their facilities within the Diocese of Phoenix. Late on Thursday, Dec. 16, Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted was in receipt of further communication from Catholic Healthcare West officials.

Given the ongoing communication and attempts to rectify the situation, Bishop Olmsted is extending his deadline until Tuesday, Dec. 21.

UPDATE – On a related note, it appears that CHW is getting very poor canonical advice. My father, canon lawyer Ed Peters, comments:

Lisa Fullam has offered authorities at Catholic Healthcare West / St. Joseph’s Hospital in Phoenix similarly myopic, even dangerous, advice when she suggested that, because the word “Catholic” is not copyright-able, the enterprise should continue to call itself “Catholic” despite Bp. Thomas Olmsted’s threatened prohibition of such use, and simply “let the canonical chips fall where they may.” Apparently Fullam believes that, since men with badges will never show up to enforce a cease-and-desist order (that will never be issued) by a civil court regarding the word “Catholic”, Catholic hospital officials need not worry about bishops tossing a few “canonical chips” their way.

I strongly suggest that St. Joseph’s seek advice from another expert. [Continue Reading "Lisa Fullam's dangerous advice should be ignored"]

Also see my previous posts on this topic:

1. Action: Support Bishop Olmsted and Promote Catholic Identity at Phoenix Hospital

2. Update: CHW responds to our social campaign in support of Bishop Olmsted

We’ve all heard the debate on how to handle pro-abortion Catholic politicians in regard to the reception of Holy Communion.  And I’m sure we all heard about the now famous dust-up (covered extensively by CatholicVote and AmericanPapist) between Bishop Tobin and Rep. Patrick Kennedy a couple of months ago.

This latest column is a great example of a strong movement among Catholic bishops in America – the movement to really step-up and teach the Faith, even in the face of negative coverage from the media.  It’s a wonderful thing to see a shepherd truly teaching all of us, why the Church teaches what she teaches.

Bishop Vasa writes:

“The press would undoubtedly accuse Bishops who talk or even think about excommunication as being tyrannical power mongers but this is unfair. Excommunication is a declaration, based on solid evidence, that the actions or public teachings of a particular Catholic are categorically incompatible with the teachings of the Church. It is intended primarily as a means of getting the person who is in grave error to recognize the depth of his error and repent. A second reason, while somewhat secondary but no less important, is to assure the faithful who truly are faithful that what they believe to be the teaching of the Church is true and correct. Allowing their faith to be shaken or allowing them to be confused when Catholics publicly affirm something contrary to faith or morals, seemingly without consequences, scandalizes and confuses the faithful. This is no small matter. The Church, and particularly bishops, have an obligation to defend the faith but they also have an obligation to protect the faithful. We do not generally see the dissidence of public figures as something that harms the faithful but it has a deleterious effect upon them.”

Could this be laying the groundwork for future “official” actions by bishops throughout the U.S.?

Who knows?  But with another national election cycle looming large, it will be very interesting to see how America’s prelates continue to educate their flocks leading up to November, 2010.

In the Light of the Law tries to clean things up:

Prescinding for a moment from who said it, a recent interview with a conscientious priest on the subject of abortion, excommunication, and denial of the Eucharist, illustrates well just how widespread is the confusion in this area. In my opinion, these fundamental points must be sorted out, once and for all, so that those who must apply the norms to real cases can do so responsibly.

I make some suggestions toward that goal here (the analysis chart is easier to read on my website).

Phil Lawler of CWNews has his own comments here (subscriber access – which I don’t have – needed to read the full story).

NB: Complete roundup of my coverage here, the best photos from the trip are available here.

Sunday’s papal itinerary (all times EST):

9:00AM – Holy Mass in the square in front of the Shrine of Aparecida [Homily of the Holy Father] + Recitation of the Regina Caeli [Address of the Holy Father]
3:00PM - Arrival at the Conference Hall & Inauguration session of the Fifth General Conference of the Latin American and Caribbean Bishops’ Conferences [Address of the Holy Father]
6:40PM - Farewell ceremony at the Airport of S?lt;/span> Paulo [Address of the Holy Father]

Top News & Breaking Reports:

• Photos: The best three pictures from Pope Benedict’s final day in Brazil (AmericanPapist selections).
• Breaking: Pope leaves Brazil after “intense and unforgettable” visit (Extra)
• Breaking: Pope assails Marxism, capitalism (AP)
• Revealing: “Benedict ignored security measures to approach the recovering addicts, in an unexpected move that alarmed security agents and even Stapel. ‘Police tried to stop him, and I did not agree either. But the pope is an authority. He can do whatever he wants,’ Stapel told reporters. Later, Benedict again ignored security protocols by rolling down the windows of his bullet-proof ‘popemobile,’ seeking closer contact with the faithful as he travelled through Aparecida.” [More...]
• Information: Primer explaining the consequences in canon law for being a pro-abortion politician
• Noteworthy: Vatican tones down papal remarks on pro-abortion Catholic politicians (CNS): “Pope Benedict XVI’s comments on excommunication for pro-abortion Catholic politicians touched on huge and sensitive issues — so sensitive that the Vatican issued a toned-down version of his remarks the following day.”
• Humor: Today’s Papist-picture-of-the-Day.

Important general links:

• AP Photo feed
• EWTN’s video coverage (begins 8:30 AM & 3PM)
• Vatican video feed
• Vatican complete itinerary of the journey
• Vatican overview page of the journey
• Official Latin American Bishops’s conference page (spanish)
• Official Archdiocese of San Paolo welcome page (some english)
• PapaRaziForum coverage thread
• AmericanPapist(this blog)’s complete pre-visit coverage.

Papal texts and transcripts:

• New: Pope’s Address at Rosary Meeting
• New: Pope’s Address to “Fazenda da Esperan?
• Benedict XVI’s Address to Brazil’s Bishops
• Pope’s Address at Canonization of 1st Brazilian
• Text of Pope’s Meeting with Youth
• Welcome ceremony at the International Airport of S?lt;/span> Paulo/Guarulhos – Address (May 9, 2007)
• Greeting and blessing from the balcony of the Monastery of S?lt;/span> Bento in S?lt;/span> Paulo – Greeting (May 9, 2007)
• John Allen’s transcript of the Pope’s conference aboard his plane

Notable St. Blog’s coverage:

• Whispers: “This Is Our Home!” // The Word as “Staple Diet”

Catholic media coverage/analysis:

• Zenit: Pope: Faith Is Latin America’s No. 1 Resource //Be Open to Christ’s Light, Urges Pope //Benedict XVI Rebukes Drug Dealers //
• CNS: Pope says Latin America needs ‘courageous, effective missionaries’
• CNA: Parents, pray with your children, Pope says // Church grows by attraction, not proselytism, Pope says // Holy Father extols Br. Galvao as example for evangelization
• John Allen: Day Four: Facing dramatic losses, Benedict says: ?It?s worth it to stay Catholic!?
• CathNews: Green pope says save Amazon

Mainstream coverage (linked not necessarily for accuracy, but to remain informed):

• NYT: The Pope Denounces Capitalism and Marxism
• WashingtonPost: Pope Cites Church’s Regional Challenges
• AP: Pope assails Marxism, capitalism
• The Australian: Pilgrims celebrate pope’s open-air mass
• AP: In Brazil, Pope Urges Bishops to Action
• O.C.Register: Bishops to reflect on future of the faith

The rest:

Special thanks to Amy Welborn, Domenico Bettinelli, Gerald Augustinus and Rocco Palmo for inviting their readers to my coverage. Special thanks also to Teresa Benedetta and the other regular contributors of the PapaRatzingerForum for their incredible industry and dedication to all things Papa Benny!

Note: For the especially-motivated, even more interesting facts, photos & video here.

Note: I will try to watch EWTN’s live coverage of the Pope inaugurating the conference of bishops at 3pm, and “liveblogging” some of my reactions in the combox below.

[photo credit & captions: (1) Pope Benedict XVI blesses the crowd as he arrives for the opening mass of the V Latin American Episcopal Council in Aparecida, Brazil, Sunday, May 13, 2007. (AP Photo/Dado Galdieri) (2)Pope Benedict XVI blesses faithful catholic wearing an Arab headscarfduring the opening mass of the V General Conference of Latin American Bishops in Aparecida, Brazil, Sunday, May 13, 2007. (AP Photo/Dado Galdieri) (3) General view of the grounds of the Aparecida Basilica during the opening mass for the V General Conference of Latin American Bishops celebrated by Pope Benedict XVI in Aparecida, Brazil, Sunday, May 13, 2007. (AP Photo/Ricardo Mazalan)]

NB: Complete roundup of my coverage here, the best photos from the trip here.

Highlights of Saturday’s papal itinerary (all times EST):

10.30AM – Arrival at the Fazenda da Esperan?in Guaratinguet?Greetings & Address of the Holy Father]
11.45AM – Luncheon with the representatives of the Fifth General Conference of the Latin American and Caribbean Bishops’ Conferences at “Bom Jesus” Seminary in Aparecida
5PM – Arrival at the Shrine of Aparecida; Recitation of the Holy Rosary and meeting with Priests, Men Religious, Women Religious, Seminarians and Deacons at the Basilica of the Shrine of Aparecida [Address of the Holy Father]
7:30PM – Transfer by car from the Shrine of Aparecida to “Bom Jesus” Seminary

Top News & Breaking Reports:

• Breaking: Pope Benedict XVI summons Latin American bishops to stem church’s decline (AP)
• Breaking: Pope praises ‘thirst for God’
• Revealing: “Benedict ignored security measures to approach the recovering addicts, in an unexpected move that alarmed security agents and even Stapel. ‘Police tried to stop him, and I did not agree either. But the pope is an authority. He can do whatever he wants,’ Stapel told reporters. Later, Benedict again ignored security protocols by rolling down the windows of his bullet-proof ‘popemobile,’ seeking closer contact with the faithful as he travelled through Aparecida.” [More...]
• Photos: L’Osservatore Romano gets the best shots // Waiting for the Pope in Rural Brazil
• Information: Primer explaining the consequences in canon law for being a pro-abortion politician
• Noteworthy: Vatican tones down papal remarks on pro-abortion Catholic politicians (CNS): “Pope Benedict XVI’s comments on excommunication for pro-abortion Catholic politicians touched on huge and sensitive issues — so sensitive that the Vatican issued a toned-down version of his remarks the following day.”
• Humor: Today’s Papist-picture-of-the-Day.

Important general links:

• AP Photo feed
• EWTN’s video coverage (starts 5pm, encore 9:30PM)
• Vatican video feed
• Vatican complete itinerary of the journey
• Vatican overview page of the journey
• Official Latin American Bishops’s conference page (spanish)
• Official Archdiocese of San Paolo welcome page (some english)
• PapaRaziForum coverage thread
• AmericanPapist(this blog)’s complete pre-visit coverage.

Papal texts and transcripts:

• Benedict XVI’s Address to Brazil’s Bishops
• Pope’s Address at Canonization of 1st Brazilian
• Text of Pope’s Meeting with Youth
• Welcome ceremony at the International Airport of S?Paulo/Guarulhos – Address (May 9, 2007)
• Greeting and blessing from the balcony of the Monastery of S?Bento in S?Paulo – Greeting (May 9, 2007)
• John Allen’s transcript of the Pope’s conference aboard his plane

Notable St. Blog’s coverage:

• WDTPRS: Brazil: Benedict beats brother bishops black n? blue //Brazil: Benedict beats brother bishops black n? blue

<
li>Whispers: A Canonization… and a Challenge

Catholic media coverage/analysis:

• CNS: Pope ask priests, consecrated to remain in ?the school of Mary?
• AsiaNews.It: God will call drug dealers to account, says Pope // Pope tells priests to always have a missionary fervour in their hearts
• CNA: Family, human life, fallen away Catholics priorities of the Pope for Church in Brazil // Pope encourages addicts to recover ?meaning of life,? slams drug traffickers
• CNS: Pope tells Brazil’s bishops to be clear on family, faith, justice

Mainstream coverage (linked not necessarily for accuracy, but to remain informed):

• NYT: Pope to Meet Latin Clerics in Brazil
• Reuters: Pope hears drug addicts’ tales, scolds traffickers
• AP: Pope warns drug dealers of divine retribution

From this morning’s Vatican Information Service:

VATICAN CITY, MAY 12, 2007 (VIS) – Today, Saturday May 12, having celebrated Mass privately in the chapel of the “Bom Jesus” seminary, the Pope will visit the church of the “Fazenda da Esperanca” in Guaratingueta.

He will then go on to meet members of the “Fazenda da Esperanca” community, which is dedicated to the rehabilitation of people with problems of drug abuse.

At midday he will return to the “Bom Jesus” seminary for lunch with representatives of the presidency of the Fifth General Conference of the Episcopate of Latin America and the Caribbean.

At 6 p.m. (11 p.m. in Rome), he will travel to the shrine of Aparecida to pray the Rosary and meet with priests, religious, seminarians and deacons of Brazil.

The rest:

Special thanks to Amy Welborn, Domenico Bettinelli, Gerald Augustinus and Rocco Palmo for inviting their readers to my coverage. Special thanks also to Teresa Benedetta and the other regular contributors of the PapaRatzingerForum for their incredible industry and dedication to all things Papa Benny!

Note: For the especially-motivated, even more interesting facts, photos & video here.

Note 2: tba

[photo credit & captions: (1) Faithful greet Pope Benedict XVI at the ‘Fazenda da Esperanca’ or ‘Farm or Hope’ drug rehabilitation center in Guaratingueta, Brazil, Saturday, May 12, 2007. (AP Photo/Victor Caivano) (2) Pope Benedict XVI hugs children during a visit to a drug rehabilitation center called ‘Fazenda da Esperanca’ or Farm of Hope in Guaratingueta, Brazil, Saturday, May 12, 2007. (AP Photo/Ricardo Mazalan) (3) People attend an event with Pope Benedict XVI at a drug rehabilitation center called ‘Fazenda da Esperanca’ or Farm of Hope in Guaratingueta, Brazil, Saturday, May 12, 2007. (AP Photo/Victor R. Caivano)