Alaskan Church "Rumors" - Priests

So I have been "sitting" on something for a few days, because I wanted to get as much info as I could.

I feel like Rocco over at Whispers, and will try and do this justice:

It appears that Archbishop Schweitz is pulling in, or at least, accepting priests into the Archdiocese over the next year. It is unclear which direction the "requests" flow, but I have it on pretty good authority that there are at least two confirmed priests coming to the diocese over the next year. Both are already ordained; one is diocesan and the other is an order priest with diocesan experience. I don't know if these will be "permanent" or "on loan" placements, but regardless of their "status" it definitely helps...number-wise.

So how does that change the scenery? Well let's look [from the Archdiocese of Anchorage]:

Two archbishops (Archbishop Roger L. Schwietz, OMI and Archbishop Emeritus Francis T. Hurley), 10 active diocesan priests, 8 priests on loan from other dioceses, and 10 religious priests serve the Church in the Archdiocese of Anchorage. These 28 priests share in ministry with 43 religious women, 13 active permanent deacons, three religious brothers, and many lay people active in various ministries in the parishes, missions and throughout the archdiocese.


Five of the eight parishes in the Anchorage urban area have two (2) priests, the others have only one. With the ordination earlier this summer of two new priests for the archdiocese, there is the luxury of having more than one priest in the larger parishes. This is only a temporary situation, however, until these new priests are mentored and experienced enough to take on their own parishes – probably within two years or less. Outside of Anchorage, only seven parishes have a resident priest. There are many parishes and missions in the Archdiocese of Anchorage without a resident priest pastor. Resident pastoral administrators who are religious women or laypeople serve six of the larger of these parishes and missions. The others are served by local volunteers and by a corps of traveling/supply priests. These parishes and missions without a resident pastor host a supply priest about twice per month. 

28 priests, 33 "churches" [or missions]. Of those 33, 3 are AFB's, and 1 is a Chapel [Our Lady of the Snows at Girdwood] which means that 29 "churches" are under FULL Archdiocesan control. (These 4 are at least partially "controlled" by other entities.)

If you add these two priests, the number of priests goes to 30, and the number of "churches" is at 29. Seems like a good direction to go in... as long as we don't have any priests "leave." Or do these incoming priests foreshadow something else?

Now these numbers are also based on a somewhat "dated" About Us page, on the Archdiocese website. I know there have been recent shuffles amongst the priests, and therefore I don't have a firm grasp on whether the numbers still add up, the way they do on the AOA website. There are also at least 1 or 2 priests nearing "retirement" age. So how will things look in a year? Well, we will have to wait and find out, but it is good to know that at least an effort is being made to get more priests. 

Will there be a Vatican Surprise during Holy Week? [Update]

 Previously, I posted about the rumors that the Vatican will be announcing some sort of surprise during Holy Week. That post can be read here: "Whispers of a Surprise"

(Image from: Sancte Pater)

Now there are various reports and rumors flying about regarding other things that may come about during Holy Week... that may be the "rumor":

An exhortation seems to be coming out, AFTER EASTER, regarding Sacred Scripture. Could this be what the rumor referenced?
There have also been quite a few SSPX talks that have quietly come and gone. When better to welcome them back than during Easter? [This is a stretch, but someone suggested it.]
Or are one of the previously stated rumors more on target?
Or... is this simply just... rumor, and there really isn't a surprise?

We shall see we are only a few days away!

-Posted by: Joe

New Cardinals?... possibly in the fall of 2010?

So this is Rumor #2 that is floating around the inter-tubes-of-web.

Rocco Palmo of Whispers in the Loggia posted about several top level 'Vaticanist' reporters that have conveniently "leaked" a report that claims that the Pope will elevate around 19 Bishops to Cardinal this fall.  The report also speculates that this could be the first of several elevations which will occur in the next year.

The logic behind this "leak" is deeper than pure speculation. Although a Pope does not set-up his successor, there are practices and traditions in place to maintain a continuity. This continuity is accomplished through a uniformity in procedure more than in thought; at least this is true on a theoretical level.

Rocco Palmo explains it, but for those unfamiliar with the process it can be quite confusing. He also goes into great detail on WHO the next Cardinals might be.

For a more basic explanation, and ramifications, here is some of the reasoning behind the rumor:

First, the "full voting compliment" of the College of Cardinals is 120. That number is the maximum. Once a Cardinal hits 80, they are no longer eligible to vote, but they may participate in Conclave. Pope Benedict is committed to keeping the number of Cardinals near 120 should the need arise for a Papal Conclave.

Second, the current number of "voting" Cardinals currently is at 111. That number gets down to 101 by November due to 10 more Cardinals reaching the age of 80. Another 12 reach 80 between January and April of 2011. That means by Easter-ish of 2011, the number of voting eligible Cardinals could be around 89. The number used to be 70, but after 1975 it was increased to 120.

Third, there are some discrepancies in the ratio between the number of Cardinals from certain areas/countries and their "rank" in terms of the number of Catholics from that area. In other words, the representation is currently askew in some places. For example there are currently 12 voting age Cardinals from the United States. This number is second only to the Italians, although the US ranks 4th in terms of the number of Catholics it purports to have. Therefore, a "thinning" of sorts might be logical, which points to the fact that if Cardinals were to be appointed, they would likely hail from lesser represented places like Asia and Africa.

Fourth, these rumors could spell the end of the "large" US contingent of Cardinals. While such places like St. Louis, Baltimore, and Detroit were once seen as "Red Hat" assignments, these places may be on the chopping block, so to speak - this is due to a combination of the Bishops being "newer" and these cities declining somewhat in their "influence" in the Catholic world if for no other way than in population. Ironically though, these are "hot-beds" of Traditional Catholicism. [For more on this situation please see: Te Deum laudamus - Red Hat Rumor Mill]

On the list of SURE things from the US seems to be Raymond Burke, ArchBishop and prefect of the Apostolic Signatura.

There should be more to come on this later....


-Posted by: Joe

Whispers of a Surprise...

So the Cathol-og-osphere is ALL a-buzz with Vatican Rumors!!

There are two major ones, swirling about. One involves an "announcement" or "surprise" that the Holy Father will be announcing during Holy Week. [The original source for this is: Sector Catolico (A Spanish Blog)] There is a lot of speculation about what it might be [My comments in red]:

• A Holy Week Mass either Ad Orientem or in the usus antiquior [This would make a very strong statement regarding the "reform of the reform."]
• The removal of the indult for Communion "in the hand" [This too would make a very important statement regarding the liturgy, Mass, and what the "reform of the reform" really means.]
• The return of the Sedia Gestatoria, some Papal vesture, or other traditional "item. [Although these are great in their own right, this would be somewhat of a let-down in comparison to the other "possibilities."]
• The announcement of some advancement in the causes of Pope Pius XII or Pope John Paul II. [There are those that weigh in heavily on these possibilities - I wonder if a Saintly causes would be addressed during Holy Week?]

Now these aren't the only possibilities but they seem the most "favored." Now to show you that this isn't just random "Catholic" gossip you can read this same story at the MAJOR blogs below:

• Rorate Caeli - Rumors
• Creative Minority Report - "I love a good surprise!" [They even supply some "vegas style" odds]
• Verbum Patris - "Pope to unveil a surprise...?"

The other rumor needs it's own post...later.


-Posted by: Joe