Month: May 2020

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, May 7, 2020 / 07:55 am (CNA).- Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Bishop Joseph Binzer, Cincinnati’s auxiliary bishop, who was accused in August of failing to act on allegations made against a priest. 

A statement from the Holy See press office May 7 said the pope had accepted the 65-year-old bishop’s resignation but gave no reason for the decision. 

In a statement released by the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, Archbishop Dennis Schnurr said the pope accepted Binzer’s resignation after conversations between the bishop and the Holy See. 

The archdiocese also included a brief statement from Binzer in which he said he was “deeply sorry for my role in addressing the concerns raised about Father Drew, which has had a negative impact on the trust and faith of the people of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati.”  

“In April, having studied this matter since last summer, the Holy See informed me that it agreed with this assessment. As a result, and after much prayer and reflection, I offered my resignation from the Office of Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati,” said Binzer. ”I believe this to be in the best interest of the archdiocese.”

Archbishop Schnurr said that although retired, Binzer will continue to serve in the archdiocese with the title of “Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus.” 

“What exactly that ministry will look like will be determined after discussions between Bishop Binzer, the Priest Personnel Board, and me,” Schnurr said. “In this difficult and unfortunate time, please keep Bishop Binzer and all the people of the archdiocese in your prayers.”

Archbishop Schnurr removed Binzer from his position as head of priest personnel in August, after CNA presented officials with its investigation into claims that Binzer failed to pass on reports that a priest had engaged in inappropriate behavior with teenage boys.

In August last year, Schnurr told CNA that “We obviously made serious mistakes in our handling of this matter, for which we are very sorry.”

While Schnurr’s public comments did not address Binzer’s role directly, senior sources in the archdiocese told CNA in August that Schnurr had “gone nuclear” when he discovered the situation.

“The archbishop was as mad as I have ever seen him. When he was told that Bishop Binzer had withheld information, well, he used words I have never heard him use before,” one senior source told CNA, saying Schnurr called Binzer’s actions a “firestorm” for the archdiocese.

In September, 2019, an archdiocesan spokesperson told CNA that Schnurr had sent a “full report to Rome on the whole case and he is waiting for the Vatican’s response,” and he expected “a full investigation” to be conducted by the Vatican.

Binzer later resigned as a member of the U.S. bishops’ conference committee for the protection of children and young people, on which he represented Region VI.

CNA reported in August last year that Binzer was told in 2013 about allegations concerning a recently suspended priest, Fr. Geoff Drew, and failed to disclose them to Cincinnati Archbishop Dennis Schnurr and other archdiocesan officials.

While the archdiocesan victims’ assistance coordinator, who reported to Binzer, was aware of the allegation, the information was not made known to the diocesan priest personnel board or Archbishop Schnurr. 

In 2015, similar allegations were again made against Drew. The matter was forwarded to Butler County officials, who determined that the activity was not criminal. Again, Binzer reported neither the complaints nor the investigation to the archbishop or informed the priest personnel board.

Sources in the archdiocesan chancery told CNA in August that Binzer met with Drew twice, was assured by him that he would reform his conduct, and considered this sufficient.

In early 2018, Drew applied for a transfer to St. Ignatius of Loyola Parish in Green Township, which is attached to the largest Catholic school in the archdiocese.

As head of priest personnel, Binzer was in charge of the process that considers requests and proposals for reassignment, in conjunction with the priest personnel board.

Neither the board nor the archbishop were made aware of the multiple complaints against Drew, and the transfer was approved.

The allegations were also reportedly not recorded by Binzer in the priest’s personnel file that would have been available to the archdiocesan personnel board as part of the process.

A month after Drew’s arrival at St. Ignatius, a parishioner at Drew’s former parish resubmitted the 2015 complaints about the priest, but this time it was also brought to the attention of Archbishop Schnurr.

Also in 2018, Binzer received an additional complaint of similarly inappropriate contact by Drew, dating to his time as a high school music teacher, before his ordination as a priest. 

Following a diocesan investigation, Drew was ordered to attend counselling with a psychologist.

On July 23, Drew was removed from ministry, when it emerged that he had sent a series of inappropriate text messages to a 17-year-old. 

Chancery sources told CNA in August that it was only after the recent incident at St. Ignatius that archdiocesan officials discovered that the otherwise undisclosed complaints about Drew had been made to Binzer, and that the auxiliary bishop had failed to report them to other diocesan officials, or raise them during the decision to approve his transfer in 2018.

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Denver Newsroom, May 6, 2020 / 09:45 pm (CNA).- Catholic families can respond to the coronavirus epidemic through prayer, connection with each other, and care for their spiritual, mental and physical health, Archbishop Jose Gomez of Los Angeles and several guests said in a Wednesday town hall.

“As we all know we are going through great challenges with the coronavirus pandemic,” the archbishop said. “This is so challenging for all of us, priests and bishops, and to you all the faithful, not to be able to participate in the celebration of the Mass and receive holy communion and also participating in the other sacraments.”

Gomez said it has been very sad for him to celebrate Mass but see the church “totally empty.”

“No matter where we are,” he said, “Jesus Christ is in our lives. We are brothers and sisters in the family of God.”

The town hall, based on the theme “Better Together,” was conducted by phone and livestreamed May 6. Several guest speakers gave practical advice and helped address challenges.

“I see a lot of blessings in what is happening, just by the fact that we are able to communicate more and in different ways,” Gomez said.

The event aimed to discuss various issues, including the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on Catholics and their families, how to pray as a family, how to build community through prayer, and how to face other challenges of the epidemic.

Archbishop Gomez had opened the town hall with a Hail Mary and other prayers for those affected by the coronavirus

“In my own personal experience, there is time to really work on my own prayer life and the way in which I try to serve God and the people of God in the archdiocese,” he said.

The archbishop pointed to important events of prayer, like the Good Friday Litany to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the U.S. bishops’ May 1 consecration of the United States to Mary Mother of the Church

Helen Alvare, a law professor based at George Mason University who advocates for women and families, said the lack of a long commute under the coronavirus restrictions has given her time to pray, to communicate with loved ones, and to share a glass of wine with her husband.

She encouraged parents to ask themselves why they want their children to be practicing Catholics. It should be motivated by “an actual desire to have Christ in your life” and to have a faith that helps explain the world.

Alvare said she takes care to narrate and share what she is doing in her spiritual life with her children and her husband. Catholicism is not “just in the air” anymore and Catholics “have to be explicit” about what they believe and why.

Participants in the town hall could ask questions and answer several poll questions about how they practice the Catholic faith.

One caller asked Alvare about advice for her situation, where four adults in her home with different political views.

“There’s so much information you don’t know what to believe,” the caller from Whittier, Calif. said.

“This should not be political but it has come political,” she said. “We’re all over the place with information. It’s confusing, it’s stressful. We’re arguing over what is real, not real, what is true news, what is not true news. It’s messed up.”

Alvare replied that while one cannot dismiss politics as unimportant without proving further disagreement, you can say something like “there is a lot of misinformation on both sides” and “it would be a shame if politics gets in the way of family.” She suggested acknowledging that there are big questions that a family won’t be able to solve, but families should realize “we were given to one another in some particular way.”

“Our children were given to us. It was not to argue about politics. It was to love and care for one another,” she said. “Don’t let it divide us.”

In her remarks Christina Lamas, executive director of the National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry, suggested parents reflect on the question “What kind of faith do you want your children to have 30 years from now?” She also had another question for parents: “Knowing what you know now, thinking 30 years into this future, what would you like to be remembered?”

Lamas’ own mother did everything possible to nurture a religious vocation in Lamas and her sister. While her mother’s desire was not fulfilled, Lamas said, “I give thanks to my mom for that desire. The seed that she planted in my heart allows me to have a strong relationship with Christ right now.”

Holiness is found in the family, a “domestic church,” with parents “the first teachers of the faith,” through their words, their actions and examples, said Lamas

With many families now forced to communicate remotely, Lamas stressed the importance of reaching out to family members, including those who are not necessarily devout. She herself took a risk and encouraged everyone to gather together to pray and to connect. They all responded positively to the idea, and the family now has a Bible study every Sunday even though they live on different coasts.

“It’s a beautiful experience to see each other break open the Scriptures, and to turn to a six-year-old, or a five-year-old, and be catechized by them. They have an entirely different way of looking at things. It moves us to know that this is how we are passing on the faith,” said Lamas.

In addition to Bible study, her family members play games like Simon Says and Bingo over internet video. Technology provides “ways to connect and interact that we haven’t done before,” she said.

Lamas asked parents to ask how their families continue to embrace their faith and welcome Christ into their families. When epidemic restrictions are lifted, they should think how parishes can support this “domestic church.”

According to Lamas, families should “nurture faith in homes so that they can share it outwards, evangelizing so that Christ can be known to others as Christ has been revealed to us.”

Archbishop Gomez addressed a question on reopening churches for Mass.

“We want to do it as soon as possible but our main concern is the protection of our brothers and sisters,” he said, citing the importance of the advice of public health experts. He counseled patience and the need to pray to God to end the threat.

Those who have time should “really take advantage of this moment” and think how they can be “true disciples” faithful to their vocation, the archbishop said. “What is our call? What is our vocation?” he asked.

Another speaker at the town hall was Dr. Aaron Kheriaty, a psychiatrist, Catholic ethicist, and professor at the University of California Irvine School of Medicine who specializes in children and families

Half of Americans say in surveys that the coronavirus epidemic is harming their mental health in some way, he reported.

“If you’re dealing with challenges, you’re not alone. What we’re going through is not normal for human beings,” commented Kheriaty.

He encouraged parents to continue “loving your children very much.” Children could be absorbing secondary stress from overhearing the news or phone conversations. Children need help to come to an understanding of events within their own ability. They also need a sense of security and safety.

“Look at this as an opportunity to grow closer as a family,” he said. “the fact that they’re worried or concerned is a good sign, it’s a sign they care.”

He encouraged parents to help children pray for the world, for the sick, and those who died. This will help remind them of God’s providence and of “the loving, caring presence of God in their life.”

Kheriaty warned against destructive patterns he had observed, as when someone stays up until 2 a.m. to binge on Netflix movies and snack, then rolls out of bed at 11 a.m. and stays home, isolated, with no face-to-face conversations, “much less meaningful work.”

There is an “unhealthy recipe” of disruptions in sleep and physical activity, too much screen time, misuse of alcohol or drugs to manage stress, boredom, or the anguish of unemployment or financial strain. These have a long-term risk to physical and mental health.

He recommended reintroducing structure to one’s life, including a daily or weekly schedule. He emphasized the importance of good sleep, mealtimes, work or a hobby of some kind, regular prayer, regular physical activity, maintaining social connections, and work in service to others.

He said a family meal should be a “centerpiece” under the epidemic.

“The most important school that your children will attend is the family dinner table,” Kheriaty said.

[…]

CNA Staff, May 6, 2020 / 04:54 pm (CNA).- Leaders of the U.S. bishops’ conference have denounced acts of racial prejudice against Asian Americans as the world continues battling the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Our hearts go out to all those who have been victims of these vile displays of racism and xenophobia,” said a May 5 statement by Archbishop Nelson Pérez of Philadelphia, chair of the bishops’ Committee for Cultural Diversity in the Church; Bishop Oscar Solis of Salt Lake City, head of the Subcommittee on Asian and Pacific Island Affairs; and Bishop Shelton Fabre of Houma-Thibodaux, chair of the Ad Hoc Committee Against Racism.

“These dreadful occurrences are a reminder that, in an environment of increased anxiety and fear, racial profiling and discrimination continue to negatively impact the lives of certain populations, adding to the pain and suffering already caused by the pandemic,” they said.

The bishops said that the COVID-19 pandemic, which originated in Wuhan, China, has prompted acts of charity and courage, but has also led to tension, impacting social interactions and racial perceptions.

“The pandemic resulting from the new coronavirus continues to sweep across the world, impacting our everyday behavior, practices, perceptions, and the way we interact with one another,” they said.

“We are also alarmed to note the increase in reported incidents of bullying and verbal and physical assaults, particularly against Americans of Asian and Pacific Island heritage.”

As examples, the bishops pointed to a significant percentage of Asian Americans who work in health care, risking their lives to do so. In some cases, they said, these people have experienced rejection as patients request to be treated by health practitioners of a different race. They also noted some large cities, prior to the economic shutdown, saw a sharp decrease in patronage toward business operated by Asian Americans.

“These are only a few painful examples of the continuing harassment and racial discrimination suffered by people of Asian and Pacific Islanders and others in our country,” they said.

“As Catholic bishops, we find these actions absolutely unacceptable. We call on Catholics, fellow Christians and all people of good will to help stop all racially motivated discriminatory actions and attitudes, for they are attacks against human life and dignity and are contrary to Gospel values.”

The bishops pointed to the 2018 pastoral letter Open Wide Our Hearts, which condemns racism as a failure to acknowledge others as children of God.

In their May 5 statement, Archbishop Pérez, Bishop Solis, and Bishop Fabre warned that given the United States’ history of racial prejudice, if the current acts of unjust discrimination are uncontested, it could lead to “normalization of violence and abuse against particular groups.”

“It would be a tragedy for the United States to repeat this history or for any American to act as if it is appropriate to do so,” they said.

In response to the recent incidents of racism throughout the country, the bishops urged Americans to reject racial categorizations, verbal assaults, and all forms of violence. They also challenged elected officials and public institutions to promote peace.

“We encourage all individuals, families and congregations to assist in promoting a greater appreciation and understanding of the authentic human values and cultural contributions brought by each racial heritage in our country,” they added.

The bishops voiced their hope that the pandemic will become an opportunity for Americans to build solidarity by embracing acts of harmony and compassion, contributing to a stronger and more unified country.

“The reality of the times and all the suffering caused by this pandemic call for a stronger resolve towards unity, demonstrated through acts of solidarity, kindness and love toward one another, so that we can emerge from this crisis renewed and stronger as one American people; a people that places value in every human life, regardless of race, ethnic origin, gender or religious affiliation,” they said.

[…]

Denver Newsroom, May 6, 2020 / 04:49 pm (CNA).- Because of the ongoing pandemic, most Catholic parishes in the United States have had to forgo a treasured spring tradition this year: crowning Mary with flowers to honor her during the Marian month of May.

But planting a Mary garden can be another way of honoring the Blessed Virgin Mary with flowers this spring and summer while staying at home.

The tradition of planting Mary Gardens goes back centuries. In the Middle Ages, when much of the population was illiterate, priests and religious brothers and sisters would plant gardens and give the flowers and herbs religious names and symbolism in order to teach people about the faith, in the same way they would use stained glass windows to tell stories of the bible or the saints.

Katrina Harrington, a Catholic artist and mother living in California, has always loved flowers and her middle name – which is Rose. While she doesn’t consider herself a master gardener, she is a watercolor artist, and for a long time, flowers have been her favorite subject.

But several years ago, Harrington was seeking new inspiration and meaning for her art.

“I was trying to find some hidden meaning that I could add to it,” she said. “I have always loved hidden meanings, that’s one of the things I love about Catholic churches. For example, on the altar at the church I grew up in, I remember seeing that there were five marks, for the five wounds of Jesus.”

Harrington also remembered that, when she had been in high school, there was a club for Mary gardens – but it was one of the few activities she wasn’t involved in. She decided to do some research to see what Mary gardens were all about.

“I googled Mary gardens, just thinking, ‘What was that club even about? Is there anything that I can learn from it?’ And it turns out that the University of Dayton has a library focused just on Mary gardens. Their archives are full of so much information about Mary gardens. And I went down that rabbit hole – or I guess flower hole – and I’ve read so much about Mary gardens through that.”

Harrington said she also ordered about every book on Mary gardens that she could find.

“It’s really helped my faith, and it’s helped me to teach our faith to my children when we’re out walking.”

There are many different kinds of flowers and herbs that take on Marian significance that can be planted in a Mary garden, Harrington said.

Perhaps the most obvious flower associated with Mary is a rose.

“Our Lady is called The Mystical Rose. And also, when you hear about the beginnings of the rosary that was given to Saint Dominic, you hear about different legends where, as different saints prayed, roses would float up to Our Lady and she would gather them. So, every time we pray a rosary, I tell my children that ‘you are giving Our Lady a beautiful bouquet. We’re giving our Blessed Mother a crown of flowers,’” she said.

Columbines are another flower that can be planted in Mary gardens. Depending on their color, they can take on different religious meanings.

“Columbines that are red can often be called the Pentecostal Holy Spirit flower because, if you’ve ever seen them, they kind of point upside down with petals that look like…tongues of fire pointing up. So they look like the Holy Spirit coming down at Pentecost upon the Apostles’ heads,” she said.

But if the columbines are white, they are called “Our Lady’s Shoes”

“Another legend associated with the columbine is when Our Lady found out that her cousin Elizabeth was expecting Saint John the Baptist, and she walked to go take care of her,” Harrington said.

Legend has it “that everywhere Our Lady’s shoes or her slippers touched, little white columbines sprouted out of the earth marking her path. So, the other name for columbine would be ‘Our Lady’s Shoes,’” she explained.

Pansies have been given the Marian name “‘Our Lady’s Delight,’ and with that, we can tell our kids to think of how Our Lady delighted in Christ, in having him so close in her life,” Harrington explained.

Sunflowers have also been called “Mary’s Gold,” and can be reminiscent of Mary’s golden crown as Queen of Heaven and Earth, she said.

In her home state of California, bright fuchsia bougainvillea flowers grow abundantly on bushes, and have the religious name of “trinitaria, for Trinity, because in the middle of those flowers are three little white petals, and that’s surrounded then by the three pink pedals,” Harrington said.

“So when we walk by, I tell my children, ‘Oh, this is trinitaria. What prayers should we pray?’ And they know that then, we’ll pray the Glory Be. That’s been really great, to always be pointing my children to the Divine and having fun stories that could help them really lock in that image” and lead them into prayer, she said.

Rosemary and lavender are two herbs that have traditionally been called “Our Lady’s drying plants,” Harrington noted.

“The legend goes that when Our Lady was doing laundry for the Christ child, she laid his swaddling clothes upon the rosemary plant or the lavender bush and that is how they dried. And then that’s also how they got their sweet heavenly scents.”

Harrington paints and sells prints of various Marian flowers, including prints that have specific flowers representing the various mysteries of the rosary.

While her grandmother and parents have been the true gardeners of the family, Harrington said this year, because of the extra time at home due to coronavirus, she was inspired to start planting her own Mary garden.

“I am just very much a novice, but I’m excited to try during this shelter in place, social distancing time. I’m really excited to plant a Mary garden for my kids to help tend to and for us to be inspired by the beauty of God’s creation,” she said.

And she’s not the only one. Harrington said this year, she has noticed an uptick in interest in Mary gardens from followers of her social media and art website.

“Since the pandemic and the accompanying shelter in place that has led to an extraordinary amount of time at home, I think people are paying more attention to what surrounds them in their home,” she said.

“They want their home to be a place of refuge, a place of harboring health, and a place that points them to the divine. A Mary garden is a way to tend to beauty and is a perfect conduit to Jesus as the Blessed Mother always leads us to her Son. There have been many questions as to where to purchase a Mary statue for their garden and what flowers to include,” she said.

Harrington said to start a Mary garden, she advises people to look up what plants and flowers are native to their area, and which of those have Marian meanings. She then recommends that people either order seeds online or call their local nurseries to see what plants are available. It’s important to take into account factors like sunlight, and whether the plants will be indoors or outdoors, she said.

Harrington added that anyone could start a Mary garden, even if they don’t own land.

“It’s important to remember that when you’re trying to use flowers as a prayer guide, to not be so stuck on the word ‘garden’ and that you have to have land. My family and I, we rent. We don’t really actually have a big yard. We don’t have any grass. But we can plant in pots,” she said.

“If you have only an indoor space or a small outdoor space, I would try to find a great plant that doesn’t need a ton of sunlight that can be on a windowsill,” she said. “And if you can, just put your statue of Our Lady next to that.”

Harrington said she hopes to publish guides to Marian gardens sometime soon, and more information on those or her art can be found on her website.

She said now in particular is a good time for people to slow down and enjoy the leisure of gardening, since most people have to stay at home much more than they are used to due to the pandemic, and she hopes that Mary gardens can be a source of joy and rest for those who plant one.

“As Saint Paul of The Cross said: ‘Let everything in creation draw you to God. Refresh your mind with some innocent recreation and needful rest. If it were only to saunter through the garden or the field, listening to the sermon preached by the flowers, the trees, the meadows, the sun, the sky, and the whole universe, you will find that they exhort you to love and praise God, that they excite you to extol the greatness of the sovereign architect who has given them their being.’”

[…]

CNA Staff, May 6, 2020 / 04:11 pm (CNA).- The New Orleans archdiocese’ recent declaration of bankruptcy will freeze a court case alleging executives for the New Orleans Saints football team helped the archdiocese, through public relations efforts, “conceal” the crimes of abusive clergy.

The Archdiocese of New Orleans declared bankruptcy May 1, a move which Archbishop Gregory Aymond said will allow funds to be given directly to sex abuse victims rather than being tied up in prolonged litigation efforts.

The Chapter 11 bankruptcy declaration also freezes the numerous sexual abuse lawsuits the archdiocese currently is facing, including the suit involving New Orleans Saints executives. There is no concrete timeline for the reorganization to take place.

At the center of the suit in question is George Brignac, a deacon of the Archdiocese of New Orleans who was removed from ministry in 1988 after being accused of sexually abusing minors in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

The New Orleans archdiocese has already settled several lawsuits involving Brignac, and in September 2019 Brignac was arrested on a count of first-degree rape.

Attorneys representing an alleged victim of the abusive deacon say the archdiocese failed to protect the minor from Brignac. Brignac was listed among a November 2018 report of New Orleans archdiocesan clergy who were removed from ministry for an allegation of sexual abuse of a minor.

As part of the case, the attorneys accused Greg Bensel, the Saints’ Senior VP of Communications, and other employees, of assisting the archdiocese in its “pattern and practice of concealing its crimes so that the public does not discover its criminal behavior” by means of advising Church officials on “messaging” related to the clerical abuse of minors.

The plaintiff’s attorneys say that Bensel helped the archdiocese craft its list of accused clergy.

Lawyers for the Saints “acknowledged in a court filing that the team assisted the archdiocese in its publishing of the credibly accused clergy list, but said that was an act of disclosure,” the AP reported.

The football team’s lawyers called the assistance “the opposite of concealment” and called claims it had abetted the coverup of crimes “outrageous.”

The plaintiffs in the case are seeking to have the communications between the Saints and archdiocese made public, a move both parties oppose. The AP has filed a motion in support of the communications’ release.

Judge Carolyn Jefferson, a retired judge of the Civil District Court for Orleans, during February 2020 presided over a hearing on whether email correspondence between the two parties should be made public.

A separate lawsuit against the archdiocese, also frozen, alleges that Aymond and his three predecessors systematically concealed the crimes of Father Lawrence Hecker, an 88-year-old priest removed from active ministry in 2002 after accusations that he abused “countless children,” the Associated Press reports.

[…]