VATICAN INSIDER: MICHAEL WARSAW, THE GROWTH OF A NETWORK

Saturday, April 27 marks the 10^th anniversary of the canonization of Popes St. John Paul II and St. John XXIII.  April 27 also marks the 181^st birthday of Servant of God Joseph Dutton, born on that day in 1843 in Stowe, Vermont. The diocesan phase of his cause for canonization was closed in Honolulu, Hawaii in January and all relative documentation is now at the Dicastery for Cause of Saints in the Vatican.

VATICAN INSIDER: MICHAEL WARSAW, THE GROWTH OF A NETWORK

Welcome to Vatican Insider on this final weekend of April. I don’t know about you but I find it kind of scary how fast time flies! Tempus fugit, as my Mom used to say, especially at the end of summer vacation!

In the interview segment this week, I feature Part II of my conversation with Michael Warsaw, Chairman of the Board & Chief Executive Officer of EWTN. As you heard in Part I last week, we spoke when he was in Rome recently for the blessing of the new, additional EWTN office space. I reprise a little of that conversation by talking about the history of the EWTN Rome bureau, from a humble office in my home as the first bureau chief to the latest premises. Michael then goes on tell us about the future of EWTN. You will be amazed and delighted at what’s on the horizon!

As I mentioned last week, Bishop Steven Raica of Birmingham, AL, blessed the new office space on Via della Conciliazione. We’ve known each other for about 25 years, meeting during his years in Rome before being named the bishop of Birmingham. Such a joy to have that reunion and to share some great memories.

So, stay tuned for that informative and interesting conversation after the news highlights and the Q&A on Canon law.

Very often, as background information for something I post on my blog, Joan’s Rome, or on Facebook – or when I answer a question on Facebook – I quote official Church sources such as the Catechism of the Catholic Church and Canon Law. I want you to have – you deserve! – the facts from an official source, not an opinion on an important topic. This week I explain the basics of Canon Law.

IN THE UNITED STATES, you can listen to Vatican Insider (VI) on a Catholic radio station near you (stations listed at www.ewtn.com) or on channel 130 Sirius-XM satellite radio, or on http://www.ewtn.com. OUTSIDE THE U.S., you can listen to EWTN radio on our website home page by clicking on the right side where you see “LISTEN TO EWTN.” VI airs at 5am and 9pm ET on Saturdays and 6am ET on Sundays. On the GB-IE feed (which is on SKY in the UK and Ireland), VI airs at 5:30am, 12 noon and 10pm CET on Sundays. Both of these feeds are also available on the EWTN app and on www.ewtnradio.net ALWAYS CHECK YOUR OWN TIME ZONE! For VI archives: go to https://www.ewtn.com/radio/audio-archive and write the name of the guest whom you are searching in the SEARCH box. Below that, will appear “Vatican Insider” – click on that and the link to that particular episode will appear.

 

IN BRIEF

IN BRIEF

POPE TO HUNGARIAN PILGRIMS: ‘THE GIFT OF PEACE BEGINS IN OUR HEARTS’ – Meeting Hungarian pilgrims in the Vatican, Pope Francis encourages them to be men and women of peace and to continue to safeguard their Christian identity, and thanks the Hungarian Church for welcoming Ukrainian refugees fleeing the war. 1,200 pilgrims from Hungary, accompanied by several bishops and Hungarian authorities visited the Vatican on Thursday morning for a special encounter with Pope Francis, marking the first anniversary of his Apostolic Journey to the nation.  The Pope visited Hungary 28-30 April 2023, where he had already been for a brief stop on his way to Slovakia on 12 September 2021 to close the 52nd International Eucharistic Congress in the country’s capital Budapest. Pope to Hungarian pilgrims: ‘The gift of peace begins in our hearts’ – Vatican News

POPE TO CATHOLIC ACTION: EMBRACING ONE ANOTHER CAN PREVENT WARS – Pope Francis addresses Italian Catholic Action and emphasises the importance of embracing others through reflections on missing, saving, and life-changing embraces. He greeted some 50,000 members of Italian Catholic Action in St Peter’s Square on Thursday 25 April as they gathered for their meeting between parents, grandparents, and children.  Speaking of the theme of the meeting, “With Open Arms,” the Pope noted that “embrace is one of the most spontaneous expressions of human experience” and that it is through an embrace that life begins.

For this reason, the Pope introduces three points of reflection: three types of embrace: the missing embrace, the saving embrace, and the life-changing embrace. Pope to Catholic Action: Embracing one another can prevent wars – Vatican News

POPE: ‘A NEGOTIATED PEACE IS BETTER THAN AN ENDLESS WAR’ – In an interview with CBS, Pope Francis calls for an end to the wars in Ukraine, Gaza, and around the world. He says there is room for everyone in the Church pointing out that if a parish priest doesn’t seem welcoming, one can look elsewhere: “There is always a place, don’t run away from the Church.” Referring in particular to the wars in Ukraine, in Gaza and others that continue to ravage the world, Pope Francis said ” Please, countries at war, all of them… Stop the war. Look to negotiate. Look for peace. A negotiated peace is better than a war without end.”

The Pope was speaking during an interview granted to the US radio-television broadcaster CBS, Wednesday afternoon at Casa Santa Marta. Some excerpts from the hour-long interview conducted by Norah O’Donnell, director of “CBS Evening News,” were broadcast shortly after. An extended version of the conversation will be aired on Sunday, May 19, on the eve of World Children’s Day, which will take place in Rome on May 25 and 26. Pope: ‘A negotiated peace is better than an endless war’ – Vatican News

 

 

 

CISCO SIGNS THE “ROME CALL FOR AI ETHICS”

A fascinating story that involves something that, if it is not already pervasive in our lives, soon will be and that is AI. The Vatican, the Catholic Church, must be involved and, indeed, must be at the forefront of anything and everything involving AI. And the key words must always be ethics, ethical!

Teresa and I discussed this today on “Catholic Connection” and we will surely return to this topic on future Wednesdays. The Holy Father today received Cisco CEO Chuck Robbins.

Cisco develops, manufactures and sells networking software and hardware and other technology services and products.

For more info, you might want to visit http://www.romecall.org

CISCO SIGNS THE “ROME CALL FOR AI ETHICS”

Cisco, the multinational digital communications technology company, signs the Pontifical Academy for Life’s “Rome Call for AI Ethics” committing to an ethical approach to artificial intelligence in the areas of Ethics, Education and Rights.

By Linda Bordoni (Vatican news)

Expressing satisfaction that the Multinational Digital Communications Technology – Cisco – has joined other major companies involved in AI, in pledging to adhere to ethical guidelines, Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, underscored the fact that artificial intelligence is “no longer a topic just for experts” and that the ethics of its development is more urgent than ever.

The President of the Pontifical Academy for Life (PAV) was speaking at an event on Wednesday morning during which the CEO of Cisco System Inc., put his signature to The Call for AI Ethics, a document promoted by the Pontifical Academy and by its RenAIssance Foundation (that supports the anthropological and ethical reflection of new technologies on human life) and has already been endorsed by the likes of Microsoft, IBM, FAO and the Italian Ministry of Innovation.

The signing ceremony in the Vatican followed the audience of Cisco CEO and President, Chuck Robbins and a delegation, with Pope Francis before the General Audience.

Rome Call to Ethics

The document aims to promote a sense of shared responsibility among international organizations, governments, institutions and the private sector to create a future in which digital innovation and technological progress- and in particular AI – respect the dignity of the human person so that every individual can benefit from the advances of technology.

“We are very pleased that Cisco has joined the Rome Call because it is a company that plays a crucial role as a technological partner for the adoption and implementation of artificial intelligence (AI), by offering expertise in infrastructure, security, and protection of AI data and systems,” said Archbishop Paglia, adding that “From now on, we will look at how this can further grow to combine the already present corporate commitment with the ethical principles of the Rome Call.”

The President of PAV recalled how in 2020, understanding that the time was ripe, the Academy brought to the attention of the world “the need and urgency to call for ‘algorethics,’ that is ethics in the design of the algorithms that underlie artificial intelligence”.

 Today we know that AI is no longer a topic just for experts, and reflecting on the ethics of its development is more urgent than ever.

He said this new endorsement of the Rome Call demonstrates this and noted that the document has already been endorsed by international technology players, government and UN institutions, universities worldwide, companies and individuals, as well as by representatives of the three Abrahamic religions.

New opportunities and new challenges

On his part, Chuck Robbins noted how AI is changing our world and “presenting vast opportunities but also new challenges.”

He described his company as having built the networks that connect people and organizations around the world, and said that today it is “building the critical infrastructures and security solutions that will power the AI revolution.”

“The principles of the Rome Call are in line with Cisco’s core belief that technology must be built on a foundation of trust at the highest levels, in order to power an inclusive future for all,” Robbins said.

Transparency, accountability, human values

Also present at the event was Father Paolo Benanti, extraordinary professor of Ethics of Technologies at the Pontifical Gregorian University, and scientific director of the RenAIssance Foundation, who pointed to the necessity of acting in multiple directions.

“Developing large, high-quality, unbiased data sets to train AI models; providing access to cyberinfrastructure; building AI competencies; establishing governance frameworks to manage AI development; and providing AI systems that are transparent, accountable, and aligned with human values.“

Cisco’s endorsement of the Rome Call for AI Ethics, he concluded, and its commitment to “proactive governance and risk mitigation, and to a broad perspective on the transformative impact of AI across industries and society, “represents a step forward in this process.

 

 

 

“HAPPY NAME DAY”: WELL-WISHERS GREET POPE ON FEAST OF ST GEORGE

There are many Italians who celebrate their name day – their ‘onomastico’- with greater fervor than their birthday.  Often it might be a family name, male or female, handed down from generation to generation.

So today, we say, “Buon onomastico, Santo Padre,” “Happy Name Day, Pope Francis!”

“HAPPY NAME DAY”: WELL-WISHERS GREET POPE ON FEAST OF ST GEORGE

Friends and supporters from around the world offer prayers and best wishes to Pope Francis on the feast of his heavenly patron, St George.

By Salvatore Cernuzio

Messages of support and gratitude for Pope Francis are pouring in from all over the world on the feast of St George, the Pope’s Name Day.

St. George

Baptised Jorge [George] Mario Bergoglio, the pontiff takes his name from the Christian martyr born in Cappadocia and martyred, according to some sources, in 303 A.D. in Lidda, now Lod, Israel. The saint suffered for refusing to deny the faith during the anti-Christian persecutions unleashed by the Roman Emperor Diocletian.

The reigning Pope’s “Name Day” is customarily a public holiday in the Vatican, with Pope Francis himself instituting the current holiday in April 2016, in Article 50 of the General Regulations of the Roman Curia.

Well-wishers from around the world are sending their greetings to the Santa Marta (residence), while also expressing feelings of affection and gratitude and assuring the Pope of their prayers on social media.

Italian president sends greetings

Sergio Mattarella, the president of Italy, joined those who are offering the Pope their best wishes, sending Pope Francis a message in which he conveys “the most fervent and sincere good wishes of the Italian people and my own personal best wishes, together with affectionate desires for the health and wellbeing for your person.”

President Mattarella’s message continues, “As you recently declared, ‘No one must threaten the existence of others’,” citing the Pope’s words in at a recent Angelus in reference to the war in the Middle East. “Even this fundamental rule, this ‘minimum level’ of human coexistence, is called into question in the dramatic context of an international and, in particular, Middle Eastern juncture marked by violence, conflicts, and impulses of revenge,” the Italian president stressed.

“Your appeals to safeguard the inescapable bonds of fraternity are therefore timely and pressing – appeals that do not cease to challenge the consciences of millions of women and men on every continent and that constitute fertile seeds of justice and peace for believers and non-believers alike,” he continued.

Finally, President Matterella took the occasion of the feast of Saint George, to renew “the expressions of the closeness of the Italian people and my highest consideration for your exalted apostolic mission.”

Previous celebrations

In past years, Pope Francis has celebrated this day with a variety of initiatives, including the Mass in the Pauline Chapel with the cardinals in 2013, the first year of his pontificate; the distribution of ice cream in 2018, through the Apostolic Elemosineria to food centres in Rome and the surrounding area where the most needy eat; and the gift, during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, of medical equipment to hospitals in Spain, Romania and Italy, which were particularly affected by the spread of the virus, again through the Cardinal Almoner, Konrad Krajewski.

The covid pandemic was still raging on the feast of St. George in 2021, when the Pope decided to celebrate his name day by making a surprise visit to greet about 600 poor and homeless people, who were waiting to receive the vaccine in the Paul VI Hall, which had become a small outpatient clinic since January of that year. After greeting those present, the Pope went to the counters where packets of biscuits, snacks and fruit juices, along with portions of an enormous, traditional chocolate egg, were distributed by volunteers, in accordance with the health regulations in place at the time.

 

VATICAN INSIDER: MICHAEL WARSAW: EWTN PAST AND FUTURE

Joseph Ratzinger was elected Pope and took the name Benedict XVI on this date in 2005.

VATICAN INSIDER: MICHAEL WARSAW: EWTN PAST AND FUTURE

Welcome to Vatican Insider on a special weekend here in the Eternal City. Sunday is April 21st and that is the Natale di Roma, the birthday of Rome. This year marks the 2,777th anniversary of the city’s legendary foundation by Romulus (of Romulus und Remus) on April 21, 753 BC! Lot of great events planned for Sunday!

The interview segment this week on VI features a really special guest, Michael Warsaw, Chairman of the Board & Chief Executive Officer of EWTN. We spoke when he was in Rome for the blessing of the newest EWTN offices. In Part I we talk about the history of the EWTN Rome bureau, from a humble office in my home as the first bureau chief to the large, beautiful new premises. Next week we will look at the future of EWTN.

Bishop Steven Raica of Birmingham, AL, blessed the new offices at Via della Conciliazione, 3. We’ve known each other for about 25 years, meeting during his years in Rome before being named the bishop of Birmingham. Such a joy to have that reunion and to share some great memories. Photos of the blessing ceremony by EWTN’s Daniel Ibanez:

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Bishop Raica blessing the new EWTN offices:

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IN THE UNITED STATES, you can listen to Vatican Insider (VI) on a Catholic radio station near you (stations listed at www.ewtn.com) or on channel 130 Sirius-XM satellite radio, or on http://www.ewtn.com. OUTSIDE THE U.S., you can listen to EWTN radio on our website home page by clicking on the right side where you see “LISTEN TO EWTN.” VI airs at 5am and 9pm ET on Saturdays and 6am ET on Sundays. On the GB-IE feed (which is on SKY in the UK and Ireland), VI airs at 5:30am, 12 noon and 10pm CET on Sundays. Both of these feeds are also available on the EWTN app and on www.ewtnradio.net ALWAYS CHECK YOUR OWN TIME ZONE! For VI archives: go to https://www.ewtn.com/radio/audio-archive and write the name of the guest whom you are searching in the SEARCH box. Below that, will appear “Vatican Insider” – click on that and the link to that particular episode will appear.

PAPAL CATECHESIS ON FOURTH CARDINAL VIRTUE OF TEMPERANCE – POPE FRANCIS ASKS RELEASE OF PRISONERS OF WAR, DECRIES TORTURE

PAPAL CATECHESIS ON FOURTH CARDINAL VIRTUE OF TEMPERANCE

During his Wednesday general audience in St. Peter’s Square, Pope Francis focused on the fourth and final cardinal virtue of temperance, saying that our ability to have power over ourselves will help us savour all we have in life, in a much more meaningful and joyful way, akin to sipping a glass of wine, rather than drinking it all at once.

(Vatican news)

Faced with pleasures, the Pope said, the temperate person acts judiciously.

“The free course of impulses and total license accorded to pleasures end up backfiring on us, plunging us into a state of boredom,” the Pope said. “How many people who have wanted to try everything voraciously have found themselves losing the taste for everything!”

Given this, he explained, we should enjoy moderately.

“For example, to appreciate a good wine,” the Pope observed, is “to taste it in small sips,” rather than drinking it all at once.

The temperate person, Pope Francis said, knows how to weigh words and dose them well. “He does not allow a moment’s anger to ruin relationships and friendships that can then only be rebuilt with difficulty,” especially, the Pope said, “in family life, where inhibitions are lower, we all run the risk of not keeping tensions, irritations and anger in check.”

He acknowledged that they know the time to speak and to be silent, both in the right measure, knowing how to control their own irascibility.

“This does not mean we always find him with a peaceful and smiling face,” the Pope said, recognizing that at times it is necessary to be indignant, “but always in the right way.”

A word of rebuke, he said, is at times healthier than a sour, rancorous silence. “The temperate person knows that nothing is more uncomfortable than correcting another person, but he also knows that it is necessary.”

Moreover, the Catechism says that temperance “ensures the will’s mastery over instincts and keeps desires within the limits of what is honorable,” noting the temperate person “directs the sensitive appetites toward what is good and maintains a healthy discretion, and does not follow the base desires, but restrains the appetites.”

POPE FRANCIS ASKS RELEASE OF PRISONERS OF WAR, DECRIES TORTURE

Pope Francis turns his attention to prisoners of war, prays for their freedom and denounces the tortures many of them are subjected to.

By Linda Bordoni (vatican news)

Pope Francis on Wednesday highlighted the plight of prisoners of war in conflict-stricken countries.

“Our thoughts, at this moment, [the thoughts] of all of us, go to the peoples at war,” he said, speaking off-cuff at the end of the General Audience.

“We think of the Holy Land, of Palestine, of Israel. We think of Ukraine, tormented Ukraine. We think of the prisoners of war…”

And raising an appeal for their liberation, the Pope said:

“May the Lord move wills so they may all be freed.”

Adding to his appeal Pope Francis had special thoughts for those prisoners who are subjected to torture.

The torture of prisoners is a horrible thing, it is not human,” he decried, “We think of so many kinds of torture that wound the dignity of the person, and of so many tortured people… May the Lord help everyone and bless everyone.”

“We think of so many kinds of torture that wound the dignity of the person.”

PRESS OFFICE COMMUNIQUE ON C9 CARDINALS MEETING

Released just minutes ago in Italian by the Holy See Press Office. This is a google-aided translation with a few grammar tweaks by yours truly.

PRESS OFFICE COMMUNIQUE ON C9 CARDINALS MEETING

The April session of the Council of Cardinals took place on 15 and 16 April at Casa Santa Marta.

The Cardinals who are members and the Council Secretary were joined by the Pope.

On the 15th the reflection on the female role in the Church continued. Contributing to the conversation were  Sister Regina da Costa Pedro of the Congregation of Missionaries of the Immaculate, who brought some concrete stories and thoughts of some Brazilian women, and Prof. Stella Morra, who teaches at the Faculty of Theology of the Pontifical Gregorian University, who examined the role that cultures play in recognizing the role of women in diversity places on the planet.

April 16th began with a report by Cardinal Mario Grech and Mons. Piero Queue on the Synod in progress and concluded, after a reflection on the implementation of the Apostolic Constitution Praedicate evangelium in the diocesan curias, with the reports of each cardinal on the social, political and ecclesial situation of the various regions of origin.

During the session there were references and, on several moments, prayers dedicated to scenarios of war and conflict that are experienced in many places in the world, particularly in the Middle East and Ukraine. The cardinals – and with them the Pope – have expressed concern about this happens and the hope that efforts aimed at identifying negotiation and communication paths will increase peace.

The next Council session will be held in June 2024.

 

 

 

THE C9 MEETING CONTINUES IN THE VATICAN

THE C9 MEETING CONTINUES IN THE VATICAN

The April session of the Council of Cardinals began on Monday in the presence of Pope Francis. The last one was in February and saw the participation of three women who offered the cardinals and the Pontiff a contribution on the theme of the role of women in the Church.

By Vatican News

Tuesday, April 16, saw the continuation of Council of Cardinals meetings in the presence of Pope Francis. The session kicked off on Monday.

February Meetings

The last session took place from 5 to 7 February 2024 and involved the participation of three women who contributed on the topic of the role of women in the Church. They were Sister Linda Pocher, a Salesian Sister and lecturer in Christology and Mariology at the Pontifical Faculty of Educational Sciences Auxilium in Rome; Giuliva Di Berardino, a consecrated member of the Ordo Virginum of the Diocese of Verona, a teacher, and responsible for spirituality courses and spiritual exercises; Jo Bailey Wells, a bishop of the Church of England and the Deputy Secretary General of the Anglican Communion. The February meetings of the cardinals with the Pope and the secretary of the Council also focused on the synodal processes underway in the Church and on the theme of evangelization, with contributions from Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle and Archbishop Rino Fisichella, pro-prefects of the Dicastery for Evangelization.

Vatican file photo

The “New” C9

Following the renewal of the Council by the Pope on 7 March 2023, the Council of Cardinals is composed by Cardinals Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State; Fernando Vérgez Alzaga, President of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State and Governorate of Vatican City State; Fridolin Ambongo Besungu, Archbishop of Kinshasa; Oswald Gracias, Archbishop of Bombay; Seán Patrick O’Malley, Archbishop of Boston; Juan José Omella Omella, Archbishop of Barcelona; Gérald Lacroix, Archbishop of Quebec; Jean-Claude Hollerich, Archbishop of Luxembourg; Sérgio da Rocha, Archbishop of São Salvador da Bahia. The secretary is Monsignor Marco Mellino, titular bishop of Cresima. The first meeting of the new C9 was held on 24 April last year.

Establishment of the Council of Cardinals

Pope Francis established the Council with a chirograph on 28 September 2013 to assist him in the governance of the universal Church and study a project for the revision of the Roman Curia. This task came to fruition with the new Apostolic Constitution Praedicate Evangelium published on 19 March 2022. The first meeting of the C9 was held on 1 October 2013.

 

ON THIS DAY IN 2019 FIRE ENGULFED NOTRE DAME CATHEDRAL! – NEW MODERN STAINED-GLASS WINDOWS TO BE INSTALLED IN NOTRE DAME

ON THIS DAY IN 2019 FIRE ENGULFED NOTRE DAME CATHEDRAL!

Before you read the Vatican news story on the “new modern” stained glass windows to be installed in Paris’ landmark Notre Dame cathedral following the 2019 fire that caused so much damage, you will want to click on the following link and also take the virtual tour of the cathedral that is provided in the second link: The Stained-Glass of Notre-Dame de Paris (friendsofnotredamedeparis.org)

The above link ends with these words:

The Stained-Glass Windows after the Fire

Fortunately, all the stained-glass windows survived the fire in April 2019. They will undergo much needed restoration to repair smoke and lead damage, and wear-and-tear incurred over decades of weathering.

When Notre-Dame Cathedral reopens to the public, these windows will once again cast a vibrant glow over the cathedral’s interior.

(And I ask: will that come true?)

This virtual tour (pre-2019 fire) link is absolutely fascinating! Exclusive Notre Dame Virtual Tour | Tour from Home now (friendsofnotredamedeparis.org)

You can tour the interior and the exterior and both are wonderful. I spent more time on the interior because I wanted to see the pre-fire interior, especially the stained glass windows. You can literally go from ceiling to floor, from right to left of the cathedral, of the side chapels, etc. virtually. I have not been to Notre Dame in many a year and have no recent photos. And I have no idea where my pre-digital camera photos might be!

The word “modern” regarding new windows for Notre Dame does put the fear of the Lord in me but I will wait to see the “new” windows before making any judgement. For now, I will only say that I have been hoping and praying, like many, that Notre Dame is restored to its original, historical beauty, not re-invented by modern man.

NEW MODERN STAINED- GLASS WINDOWS TO BE INSTALLED IN NOTRE DAME

As the restoration of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris continues at a steady pace after the devastating fire that ravaged the Gothic masterpiece on April 15, 2019 the French Government appoints a committee of experts to select projects of new modern-style stained-glass windows to replace the existing ones in six of its chapels.

By Vianney Groussin and Lisa Zengarini

It is an iconic symbol of France’s religious, artistic and cultural heritage worldwide, and the image of this masterpiece of Gothic architecture engulfed in flames has remained impressed in our collective memory.

The fire broke out just before 6:20 pm of April 15, 2019, bringing down the cathedral’s famous spire (“la flèche”), destroying most of the wooden roof and severely damaging the cathedral’s upper wall.

However, the bell towers – whose collapse would have almost certainly brought down the facade – were saved from the blaze by firefighters along with the Grand Organ and its stained-glass rosette windows. The bee hives on the roof also survived the fire and many works of art, ancient books and religious relics were saved in extremis, firefighters, police and city council workers though others suffered smoke damage.  Two days after the disaster, French president Emmanuel Macron vowed to reconstruct the medieval cathedral within five years. By September 2021, donors had contributed over €840 million to this huge rebuilding effort.

The cathedral to be solemnly reopened on 8 December 2024, after five years of work

Five years on, the reconstruction is well on schedule and the cathedral is set to be solemnly reopened on December 8, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, with a Mass of consecration of the altar presided over by the Archbishop Laurent Ulrich of Paris. In December 2023 he announced that the event will be preceded and followed by a number of initiatives running until the Pentecost in June 2025, during the Jubilee year.

New modern-style stained-glass windows in six chapels

Meanwhile, the French Government has recently appointed a special committee of experts chaired by Bernard Blistène, former director of the National Museum of Modern Art at the Pompidou Centre, to select the projects presented by artists for some of the modern style stained-glass to be installed in some of its windows.

The idea of replacing the old glass with stained glass designed by contemporary artist was launched last year by Archbishop Ulrich to leave a mark of the restoration work, The proposal has been endorsed by President Emmanuel Macron, although it has met with some criticism.

The government-appointed committee will have time until the end of May 2024 to examine the various projects which will have to meet very specific criteria.  According to the specifications of the public tender, the glass works will have to produce a “neutral light, of the same nature, colour and intensity, as that currently provided by the current windows”.

However, unlike the current arrangement, where only one of the seven chapels on the south side has “an historical” stained-glass window (the “Saint Thomas Aquinas” chapel housing a window depicting the Tree of Jesse, which will remain as it is), the six new stained-glass windows should be figurative, whereas those produced in the late 19th century under the direction of French architect Eugène Viollet-le-Duc only represented floral and geometric motifs.

Stained-glass windows under the sign of the Holy Spirit

The directives also require that the windows which will adorn the “Pentecost alley” formed by the south aisle, be consistent with this theme and offer a “sober representation” of the biblical event.

In choosing the colours, artists are also advised to take into account the stained-glass window of the Tree of Jesse (representing the human genealogy of Jesus from King David’s father to Mary, ed.) which will be placed in the middle between the contemporary stained-glass windows, as well as the “light blondness of the stone of Notre-Dame”.

New windows to be installed in 2026

A first selection will take place in June 2024, before the final choice in November. The new windows will not be installed before 2026, but a prototype will be presented for the reopening of Notre-Dame on December 8.

 

 

POPE MOURNS VICTIMS OF VIOLENT ATTACK IN SYDNEY – HOLY SEE SENDS NOTE TO FRENCH EMBASSY DECRYING CONDEMNATION OF CARDINAL OUELLET

POPE MOURNS VICTIMS OF VIOLENT ATTACK IN SYDNEY

Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin today sent the following telegram in Pope Francis’ name to Archbishop Anthony Fisher of Sydney on the occasion of those killed in an attack in a popular shopping mall:

His Holiness Pope Francis was deeply saddened to learn of the violent attack in Sydney, and he sends the assurance of his spiritual closeness to all affected by this senseless tragedy, especially those who are now mourning the loss of a loved one. He likewise offers his prayers for the dead, the injured, as well as the first responders, and invokes upon the nation the divine blessings of consolation and strength. (ANSA photo)

Vatican news reported that local police told Australian media that the victims at the Westfield Shopping Centre in Bondi Junction were a man and five women, including the mother of a nine-month-old baby who was injured and taken in serious condition to hospital where he later underwent surgery. The perpetrator of the attack was a 40-year-old man known to police who is awaiting formal identification. Law enforcement officials believe that the act was not motivated by an ideological motive or terrorism, although investigations are continuing.

HOLY SEE SENDS NOTE TO FRENCH EMBASSY DECRYING CONDEMNATION OF CARDINAL OUELLET

From the Holy See Press Office:

Answering questions from some journalists, Holy See Press Office Director Matteo Bruni confirmed that the Secretariat of State has sent a Verbal Note to the French Embassy to the Holy See, highlighting the following:

– The Holy See learned only from the press of the alleged decision of the Court of Lorient, in France, regarding a civil dispute concerning the resignation from a religious institute of Mrs. Sabine de la Valette (formerly Sister Marie Ferréol);

– His Eminence Cardinal Marc Ouellet has never received any summons from the Court of Lorient;

– Cardinal Marc Ouellet actually conducted an apostolic visit to the Institute of the Dominicans of the Holy Spirit (Dominicaines du Saint Esprit), in compliance with a pontifical mandate; at the conclusion of this visit, a series of canonical measures were adopted against Mrs. Sabine de la Valette, including her dismissal from the religious institute;

– A possible ruling by the Court of Lorient could raise not only relevant questions regarding immunity, but if it had ruled on internal discipline and membership of a religious institute, it could have given rise to a serious violation of rights fundamental to religious freedom and freedom of association of the Catholic faithful.

(JFL NOTE: News media have reported that Cardinal Marc Ouellet, prefect emeritus of the Dicastery for Bishops, was ordered on April 3 by the Lorient judicial court to pay more than 100,000 euros in damages to a nun who had been dismissed from her congregation.)