Good news!
Pope Francis has named Bishop Robert McElroy of San Diego among new cardinals announced May 29. McElroy gave a keynote address to the AUSCP Assembly in 2018, and has invited the AUSCP to hold its 2023 Assembly in San Diego.
Greg Barras, chair of the AUSCP Leadership Team, and Steve Newton, executive director, sent the following congratulatory message:
The Association of United States Catholic Priests and Friends joyously celebrates with you upon being chosen Cardinal designate of the Diocese of San Diego. As a consistent supporter of AUSCP and a presenter in Albuquerque, N.M., at our Assembly, we pray for your continued good health and inspiration through the Holy Spirit in your pastoral leadership. We are grateful to God to walk with you through the twenty-first century as the Mystical Body of Christ grows, learns, loves in service.
New Ways Ministries also congratulated McElroy, saying,
He represents the kind of prelate our church needs, one who will stretch out a hand, not a fist, to the LGBTQ community.
At the National Catholic Reporter, Michael Sean Winters said the pope’s choice is “an unmistakable sign” for the U.S. church.
Bishop McElroy has become known for his stance, that “The Eucharist is being weaponized for political ends. This must not happen.”
On Catholic women deacons, McElroy is ‘in favor of it’
Gun Violence
AUSCP calls for state and federal action following Texas school shooting
Among many who commented on the murders in Uvalde were the Sisters of Providence,
The Leadership Conference of Women Religious,
and Black Catholic leaders, as reported by the Black Catholic Messenger.
A new poem from former National Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman tackles the recent mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas, the latest in a series of strong reactions from the young Catholic-raised activist to gun violence.
There is international reaction too. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government introduced legislation Monday that would put a freeze on importing, buying or selling handguns.
Tabernacle stolen, Eucharist desecrated
An historic tabernacle was taken by thieves last week in Brooklyn.
Pope Francis
In addition to naming new cardinals, the 85-year-old Pope Francis is making more news. He recently said the elderly must resist temptation to accumulate knowledge without action,
and that society needs to move “in step” with the elderly.
In July, the pope plans an interfaith visit to Africa.
Also in the news . . .
Religion News Service has an updated report, that the “SBC list includes hundreds of abuse cases since 1960s.”
The presiding bishop of the largest Lutheran denomination in the United States has asked its first transgender bishop to resign amid criticism over their removal of the pastor of a Hispanic congregation on the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe in December. Also from RNS.
It seemed true, and yes it is: In examining media coverage of Muslims over a 21-year period, in the US, UK, Canada and Australia, scholars found that articles mentioning Muslims were far more negative than other faith groups.
For your reading list
A memoir you might like, from Rabbi James Rudin. Probably no other rabbi has traveled as widely or met with as many global religious leaders as Rudin, who for 32 years worked at the American Jewish Committee, retiring as its national interreligious affairs director in 2000.
Fr Josh Johnson’s new book, “On Earth as It Is in Heaven: Restoring God’s Vision of Race and Discipleship”, was released by Ascension Press earlier this month, addressing the racial divide in the Catholic Church and in the nation at large, exploring the relationship between the two.
And now . . . the Gospel according to Dolly
Dolly Parton has been hailed as a “secular country-pop saint” and the “Jesus of Appalachia – with a proposal to replace statues of Confederate figures with her image. And over the past few weeks, Dolly Parton has been the subject of a five-part sermon series at Church of the Three Crosses in Chicago’s Old Town neighborhood.