Here’s Archbishop Niederaurer’s homily at his installation Mass as Archbishop of SF
Here is where misunderstandings and conflicts can arise. In the many moral dilemmas that face them today, Catholic look to their Church, to their faith, to be a compass, not a weathervane. The Church must point toward the true North of God’s loving will, and not merely track where the winds, or the polls, are blowing. This is not a new issue. About seventy years ago, the poet T. S. Eliot indicated why many people in our modern world aren’t’ particularly fond of the Church: “She is hard where they would be easy, and easy where they would be hard.” “Hard where they would be easy:” think of abortion and euthanasia; “Easy where they would be hard:” think of capital punishment and immigration law.
What then are citizens to do, when they disagree? Well, first of all, disagree without being disagreeable. Presume good faith until it is proven otherwise. At the end of one of his poems, Robert Frost famously suggested his own epitaph: “I had a lover’s quarrel with the world.” I believe that is a richly helpful image. God often had a lover’s quarrel with his people, Israel, and the prophets were his spokespersons. Please presume that if the Church challenges an action, a policy or a program it is because she loves the world around her, and wants what is best for it. All around you here in the Cathedral today you can see evidence of the Church’s lifelong love for the arts: Architecture, painting, sculpture, and music. Always presume that it is love that led to a quarrel, and that love will endure when the quarrel has passed.
After a year, Bishop Carlson of Saginaw has made some changes
In recent weeks, Carlson admits he has ruffled feathers by enforcing church guidelines set by the Vatican forbidding lay ministers from preaching at Mass celebrations.
The preaching "controversy" is one of a number of protocol issues Carlson is bringing back in line with Rome dictates. Other areas of concern include how Communion bread is prepared and when parishioners will kneel and stand during worship services.
"It’s the most controversial thing I’ve done, according to what I’m hearing, because it impacts women," the bishop said.
"The thing is, Rome has clearly said that the only people who can preach the homily at the Eucharist are priests, deacons or bishops — (ordained) people who can consecrate the elements. I don’t have the authority to allow a lay minister, whether that person is a male or female, to preach.
New Reno bishop installed last night. Very classy lede in the local paper’s story:
When the Rev. Randolph Calvo becomes bishop of Reno tonight, he will literally take it by the seat of his pants.
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