Musings of a Catholic Convert

Let me tell you something, brother.  I am so very very proud of Archbishop Raymond Burke of the Archdiocese of St. Louis, Missouri.  The Holy Father has appointed him as prefect of the supreme tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura.  It's almost as if he's been made the chief justice of the supreme court, except this is the Church's court and it won't try to legislate abortion and invalid marriages.  Archbishop Burke is an expert on canon law, but more than that he is an OUTSTANDING man of God.  Not once has he backed down from the high standards of orthodoxy and virtue that our bishops are called to uphold.  His committment to the truth of the Gospel and its continuing relevance made him the target of controversy, yet he handled each situation with humility and charity.  I am a big fan of Archbishop Burke and I wish him well in his new endeavor.  

I wonder now who will be appointed to the Archdiocese of St. Louis.  Has anyone been named yet?   

In case you wanted to know what the Apostolic Signatura is, I copied this information from the Vatican website.

SUPREMO TRIBUNALE DELLA SEGNATURA APOSTOLICA  
 

Nel sec. XIII i Sommi Pontefici si servirono di officiali relatori (referendarii) per preparare la firma (signatura) delle suppliche e delle commissioni di cause di iustitia o di gratia agli uditori (cardinales auditores e cappellani auditores). Esiste un ufficio stabile della Segnatura da quando Eugenio IV (1471-84) demandò ai referendari stessi la firma di certe suppliche. La divisione di questa Segnatura, chiamata gratiae et commissionum sotto Sisto IV (1471-84), in due dicasteri era cominciata sotto Alessandro VI (4 magg. 1493) e fu compiuta da Giulio II (1503-13). Dalla fine del sec. XV ci sono dei Cardinali prefetti alle due Segnature, delle quali la Signatura iustitiae si trasformò in un vero tribunale. Il numero crescente dei referendari utriusque signaturae condusse in prassi alla formazione del gremio ristretto dei votantes, costituito da Alessandro VII (13 lu. 1659) in un collegio proprio da integrare sempre con i referendari semplici, i quali avevano soltanto voto consultivo. Con la creazione delle Congregazioni e con la crescente competenza della Rota e della Camera - le quali non avevano bisogno di commissioni speciali del Pontefice - le funzioni della Segnatura diminuirono, e diventò un tribunale anzitutto di cassazione (anche per le cause civili dello Stato pontificio: Regolamento del 10 nov. 1834 di Gregorio XVI). La Signatura gratiae, trasformata da Sisto V (22 genn. 1588) in una Congregazione, perdeva la sua importanza con lo sviluppo della Dataria, alla quale dai tempi di Clemente IX (1667-69) e nel sec. XVII passarono quasi tutte le concessioni di grazie.

San Pio X ricostituì (Cost. Sapienti Consilio e Lex propria S. R. Rotae et Signaturae Ap., 29 giu. 1909) una unica Segnatura Apostolica come Supremo Tribunale, trasformandola in un consesso di 6 Cardinali, dei quali uno fungeva da Prefetto. Ma col C.I.C. del 1917 il numero degli E.mi Membri della Segnatura è stato reso illimitato. Benedetto XV ricostituì il collegio dei votanti e quello dei referendari come organi consultivi del Tribunale (Chirogr. 28 giu. 1915).

Le competenze attuali del Supremo Tribunale della Segnatura Apostolica sono stabilite nella Costituzione Apostolica Pastor Bonus, del 28 giu. 1988, art. 121-125.

Per quanto riguarda la potestà strettamente giudiziaria la Segnatura Apostolica giudica: le querele di nullità, le richieste di restitutio in integrum contro le sentenze rotali; i ricorsi nelle cause sullo stato delle persone, che la Rota Romana rifiutò di ammettere a nuovo esame; le cause contro gli Uditori della Rota Romana per atti posti durante l’esercizio delle loro funzioni; i conflitti di competenza di cui al can. 1416. Quale Tribunale contenzioso-amministrativo dirime: le contese sorte per un atto di potestà amministrativa ecclesiastica, ad esso legittimamente deferite; in questi casi, oltre al giudizio di illegittimità, esso può anche giudicare, qualora il ricorrente lo chieda, circa la riparazione dei danni recati con l’atto illegittimo; le altre controversie amministrative ad esso deferite dal Romano Pontefice o dai dicasteri della Cura Romana; e il conflitto di competenza tra gli stessi dicasteri. In virtù della potestà amministrativa riguardante il foro giudiziario ad essa spetta: vigilare sulla retta amministrazione della giustizia; prorogare la competenza dei tribunali; promuovere ed approvare l’erezione dei tribunali di cui ai cann. 1423 e 1439. Altre attribuzioni le derivano dall’ordinamento giuridico dello Stato della Città del Vaticano e da taluni concordati (vedi ad es. Concordato con l’Italia art. 34, Concordato con il Portogallo art. 25, Concordato con la Repubblica Dominicana art. 16).

Il Supremo Tribunale della Segnatura Apostolica consta di E.mi Cardinali ed Ecc.mi Arcivescovi e Vescovi nominati dal Santo Padre. Uno dei Cardinali funge da Prefetto, e si giova dell’aiuto del Segretario.

Essa procede secondo la Legge Propria.

La funzione dei consultori è svolta dai votanti e referendari, le cui facoltà e privilegi furono determinati dalla Cost. Ap. Ad incrementum del 15 ag. 1934, poi modificata dalle Normae speciales Signaturae Apostolicae approvate da Paolo VI il 23 mar. 1968.

Did I mention they only had an Italian explanation online?  According to Catholic-Hierarchy.org, it functions as the supreme tribunal and also ensures that justice in the Church is correctly administered.  But if you know Italian, you can read the full description above.  Go ahead, Khira.

Huge congratulations, Archbishop Burke!  We're sad to see you go, but we are happy to see a good man such as yourself being appointed to such a excellent post of leadership.  I know you will do well and bring even greater honor to our Lord in your service there.

So my father-in-law was odained into the Permanent Diaconate on Saturday.  Isn't that awesome?  Sacrament of Holy Orders!  I'm real excited for him as I know he's been preparing for this day for the past five years.  So much prayer, study, and preparation went into this weekend for 22 men.  Now, God has opened the door for ministry even wider in their lives and in the lives of their parishes.  I had to miss most of the ordination because my youngest wanted to talk.  What did I expect?  She's a one-year-old, and we were on the first pew.  Hey, but you know what?  Ordination still went on, even without me.  Amazing, I know, but totally true.  I'm glad I got to celebration this ordination with my family and I look forward to seeing what this latest group of Deacons is going to do.  

Think I'll ever become a Deacon?  Not up to me of course, but if God were to call, I'd sure like to think I'd say yes.  Time will have to tell I suppose.  

I also want to say that riverboat rides are a lot of fun when you have friends and family with you. I learned that Friday night when we took a - wait for it - riverboat ride on the Mississippi River.  Loads of fun to celebrate our new Deacon.               

Bishop Johnston is the newly installed Bishop of Springfield-Cape Girardeau, Missouri.  Guess what, folks, he's from Knoxville.  Hooray!  Not only that, but (then) Father Johnston was the first priest I spoke to about becoming Catholic.  Needless to say, I'm a big fan.  He's a good priest and I know he's going to be terrific as a Bishop.  

Now check this out.

I was watching the Holy Father address the US Bishops last night, and who do I see sporting a nice aisle seat?  Bishop Johnston!  I paused the TV to show Kimberly.  "Hey, that's Father Johnston - I mean BISHOP Johnston!" Camera hit him every time it shot the main aisle.  Then came another treat.

5 Questions from the US Bishops to the Holy Father, asked after his address to the Bishops.  Who gets to ask the first question?  Hmmmm, let's see.  Bishop James Vann Johnston!!!  I'm loving this.  Newest installed Bishop gets to address the Holy Father on behalf of his brother Bishops.  How cool is that?

Listening to the Holy Father speak to the Bishops, I could sense his love for these men, even though we all know some Bishops are less than admirable in their actions and even sometimes lack of unity with the Holy Father and the deposit of faith in their teaching.  He was very pastoral with them, bringing up the key issues that must be addressed without "yelling" at them.  Pope Benedict has a lot more wisdom and patience than I do.  No question about that.  I know he has a plan in motion to help bring about the renewal the Church so desperately needs.  We see bits and pieces of it, and it is encouraging to see.  Of course, I remember that the Church is always reforming and always seeking renewal and improvement of its constituent leaders.  After  all, every one of us is called to be a canonizable saint.  

Holy Father, I'm really glad you're here in the United States.  I hope that everyone listens to what God has placed on your heart to share with us all.  We love you, and we thank God for your ministry as our pastor. 

from Reuters:

By Anthony Boadle

HAVANA (Reuters) - Ailing Cuban leader Fidel Castro said on Tuesday that he will not return to lead the communist country, retiring as president 49 years after he seized power in a revolution and became a central figure of the Cold War.

Castro, 81, who has not appeared in public since undergoing stomach surgery almost 19 months ago, said he would not seek a new term as president or leader of Cuba's armed forces when the National Assembly meets on Sunday.

"To my dear compatriots, who gave me the immense honor in recent days of electing me a member of parliament … I communicate to you that I will not aspire to or accept — I repeat not aspire to or accept — the positions of president of the Council of State and commander-in-chief," Castro said in a statement published in the Communist Party's Granma newspaper.

President George W. Bush, who has tightened a decades-old economic embargo against Castro's government, said he hoped Castro's retirement would mark a new era in Cuba.

"I believe that the change from Fidel Castro ought to begin a period of a democratic transition," Bush said in Rwanda during a tour to Africa. "Eventually this transition ought to lead to free and fair elections. And I mean free and I mean fair."

Cuba's National Assembly, a rubber-stamp legislature, is expected to nominate Castro's brother and designated successor Raul Castro as president. The 76-year-old defense minister has been running the country since emergency intestinal surgery forced his brother to delegate power on July 31, 2006.

Raul Castro has raised hopes of economic reforms but he is unlikely to make bold political changes to the one-party state. Fidel Castro will remain influential as first secretary of the ruling Communist Party.

"This is a crucial moment. Cuba wants change, the people want change," said Oswaldo Paya, Cuba's best-known dissident. He said a succession headed by Raul Castro would not satisfy Cubans and called for an end to censorship.

Cubans on the empty streets of Havana were not surprised by Castro's retirement, first announced on Granma's Web site in the middle of the night.

"Everyone knew for a while that he would not come back. The people got used to his absence," said Roberto, a self-employed Cuban who did not want to be fully named.

"I don't know what to say. I just want to leave. This system cannot continue," said Alexis, a garbage collector.

In a deserted Revolution Square, the site of many hours-long speeches by Castro to massive crowds, a lone soldier stood guard at government headquarters. The city was calm.

CHARISMATIC REVOLUTIONARY

The charismatic Castro led the bearded and cigar-chomping guerrillas who swept down from the mountains of eastern Cuba to overthrow U.S.-backed dictator Fulgencio Batista in 1959.

He then turned Cuba into a communist state on the doorstep of the United States and became the world's longest-serving head of state, barring monarchs.

Castro survived a CIA-backed invasion of Cuban exiles at the Bay of Pigs in 1961, as well as assassination attempts, the continuing U.S. trade embargo, and an economic crisis in the 1990s after the collapse of Soviet bloc communism.

He played a key role in taking the world to the brink of nuclear war in 1962 when he allowed Moscow to put ballistic missiles in Cuba, leading to a 13-day stand-off between U.S. President John F. Kennedy and Soviet premier Nikita Khrushchev.

Famous for his long speeches delivered in his green military fatigues, Castro is admired in the Third World for standing up to the United States but considered by his opponents a tyrant who suppressed freedom.

At home, supporters point to Cuba's advances in health and education for all its citizens. But critics, led by the United States and the hundreds of thousands of Cubans who left to live abroad, say he turned the Caribbean island into a police state and that his policies wrecked the economy.

Castro came close to death in 2006 but Cuba's leadership showed no sign of collapse during his health crisis.

"Fortunately, our Revolution can still count on cadres from the old guard and others who were very young in the early stages of the process," Castro said in Tuesday's statement.

He has been seen only in pictures and video film, looking gaunt and frail, since he handed over power provisionally to his brother. His health improved enough a year ago to allow him to receive visits from foreign allies and write reams of articles published by Cuba's state press.

"This is not my farewell to you. My only wish is to fight as a soldier in the battle of ideas. I shall continue to write under the heading of 'Reflections by comrade Fidel.' It will be just another weapon you can count on. Perhaps my voice will be heard. I shall be careful," Castro said in Tuesday's message.

Raul Castro has raised expectations of economic reforms to improve the daily lot of Cubans since standing in for his brother, but he has yet to deliver.

"It was logical for Fidel to quit because he has been saying that he is not well," said a musician leaving a cabaret in the early hours of Tuesday. "But nothing will change until the government makes economic reforms that Cuba needs."

(Additional reporting by Rosa Tania Valdes in Havana, Deborah Charles in Rwanda and Michael Christie in Miami; Editing by Kieran Murray)

© Reuters 2008 All rights reserved

Francis Cardinal Arinze is Prefect for the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments. He is probably my favorite Cardinal out there right now. He is totally awesome! Have you ever listened to him teach? Have you read any of his writings? Let me tell you something, brother. You need to let Cardinal Arinze drop some knowledge on you. Let me make it easy. I want you to go to Catholic Familyland and make yourself some free DVDs and CDs (totally legal and with the blessings of Catholic Familyland). Go to the link below to make it happen. www.familyland.org/content/Content.aspx?CategoryID=709 You may need to create a free account with Catholic Familyland, but that’s cool. They are a good Apostolate to know. So get going! Make some DVDs and come back so I can tell you more about His Eminence, Francis Cardinal Arinze.

Hey, we got a new plugin for the community, courtesy of our good friend, Pistos. CRE is available through your plugins menu. I’m learning how to use it myself so we’ll see how it goes.

I’m seeing new “faces” on our catholic blogging community. The word is spreading!

While I’m thinking about it, please take some time to browse the content at CatholicDestination.com, particularly the Life Issues and Politics sections of “News & Culture”. With Super Tuesday coming up we all need to be as informed as possible.

We have a moral obligation to vote. It is one way we inform the conscience of the state. It is also an opportunity for us to stand up for the lives of the innocent and against abortion. Don’t vote for pro-abortion candidates! Do not support the abortion industry of this country. Put abortion mills out of business and save the lives of THOUSANDS of babies. Support adoption and counseling programs. Teach your children about chastity and the dignity of the human person.