Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Rest In Peace, Fra Pietro




Late this evening came word of the death of Archbishop Pietro Sambi, the Vatican Nuncio (Ambassador) to the United States for the past 6 years. The Archbishop had been suffering from a lung condition and was being treated at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore. Earlier in the week, his family had been called to his bedside, and dioceses throughout the U.S. had asked the faithful for prayers for him.


Archbishop Sambi was a good priest, an eminent diplomat, and very interested in the vibrant pastoral life of parishes in the United States. I had the wonderful occasion to meet him at the "Enthronement" of Bishop Gerald Dino of the Eparchy of Van Nuys a few years ago. Bishop Dino is a longtime friend, and so I was thrilled to be invited to his Enthronement. Archbishop Sambi who "recommended" Bishop Gerald to Pope Benedict XVI to be made bishop, was very much present at the ceremonies, and the wonderful eparchial reception afterward. I was very impressed at how, as I said at the time, "He worked the room like a Jersey City politician!" He went to every table of lay people, priests, deacons, et. al. I'm not sure that he actually ate any food, he was so busy greeting everybody! Even after the reception, he came down to the lounge in the hotel where most of us were staying, and continued visiting with all of Bishop Gerry's friends and family members.


I will remember this very friendly priest, Archbishop, ambassador, and man at Mass tomorrow. Let us pray for each other!

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

A new Archbishop for Philadelphia

The Archdiocese of Philadelphia will announce tomorrow that Pope Benedict has appointed Archbishop Charles Chaput, OFM as the new archbishop of Philadelphia. He succeeds Cardinal Justin Rigali, who reached the mandatory retirement age of 75 last year.

Archbishop Chaput is coming to the East Coast from Denver, Colorado. He has a very big job ahead of him, especially in the area of healing hurts from the massive mishandling of the clerical sex abuse crisis. Hopefully, the Lord will aid the new archbishop with Grace to heal the massive wounds that the people of Philly are suffering. Let us pray for the people of Philadelphia.