Bishop Hubbard shares with Catholics of the Albany Diocese the experiences, sights and sounds of his 'ad limina' visit to Vatican City

Every five years, each bishop in the world makes an "ad limina" visit to the Holy See. "Ad limina" means "to the threshold," mainly to the threshold of our Roman Catholic community: the tombs of the Apostles Peter and Paul.

The visits to these tombs remind us that, as bishops, we are successors of the Apostles, and, more significantly, that we are in communion with the successor of Peter, who was the first bishop of Rome -- Pope John Paul II.

Bishops generally make their ad limina visits by nation and with other bishops from a given region of the country. Our region consists of the bishops from the eight dioceses in New York State, under the leadership of the Archbishop of New York, Cardinal Edward Egan.

Seven-year gap

Actually, our last such visit was nearly seven years ago, in February 1998. The reason for the unusually lengthy gap between visits is because our Holy Father cancelled all ad limina visits during the Jubilee Year 2000, given the manifold special events conducted at the Vatican as part of the observance of the New Millennium. For example, our diocesan pilgrimage in October 2000 was but one of hundreds of such spiritual tours from all over the world.

So much has occurred in our Church and world in the course of these seven years: the terrorist attacks of 9/11, the horrendous scandal of clergy sexual abuse, and the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. There have been the continued and escalating tensions between the Israelis and the Palestinians, the genocide in Sudan, the brutal terrorism in Chechnya, and the hurricanes that have devastated the Caribbean nations, Florida and other parts of the South.

Unfortunately, this century, which was ushered in with such hope and optimism, has already experienced its share of the natural and man-made disasters that have plagued humankind throughout history. Certainly, we will have much to discuss and pray about during this visit.

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 1

Rome in October is generally graced with much sun and pleasant temperatures, but I must confess that I will miss being in upstate New York at the peak of the fall foliage season.

I will also have to content myself with getting the scores for Notre Dame, the Giants and the baseball playoffs from the international version of CNN or USA Today, rather than viewing these games on live TV.

The overseas flight from Philadelphia to Rome is a seven-plus-hour voyage. On the way from Albany to Philadelphia, I met four women from our Diocese also heading for Rome. They were very excited about their journey to the Eternal City and their two-week tour of the Italian peninsula.

In the Philadelphia airport, I rendezvoused with my good friend, Bishop Matthew Clark of Rochester. One new experience on this trip will be dealing with the Euro rather than the Italian lire. I suspect it will be easier to calculate the cost of meals and souvenirs, knowing that one Euro amounts to about 75 cents in U.S. currency, compared to the lire. During my last visit, it had an exchange rate of $1.50 for every 1,000 lire.

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SATURDAY, OCTOBER 2

The plane landed at Rome's Leonardo Da Vinci airport on a sun-splashed morning. The trip through customs was surprisingly easy to navigate with no forms to be filled out and no baggage inspection.

My home for the next eight days will be the North American College, where I studied from 1960 to 1964. It is hard to believe that it was 40 years ago this past summer that I completed my degree in theology and returned to the United States.

It became immediately obvious that the college itself has gone high-tech. At the porter's gate, we were issued swipe cards and instructed that such had to be utilized to enter the gate, the seminary itself and our individual rooms.

The college is located in one of Rome's famous hills, the Gianiculum, which oversees the ancient city and the Alban Hills on one side, and the Vatican on the other. I was assigned the Joseph Cardinal Bernardin suite, a spacious apartment with a living room, office, mini-kitchen, jacuzzi, shower, bedroom and balcony overlooking the dome of St. Peter's Basilica.

That's a far cry from the bed, desk and sink of my student days here! In fact, at that time, the part of the building where my apartment is located was still an uncompleted rooftop.

It is both ironic and profoundly meaningful to me personally that I was assigned the apartment named in honor of the late Cardinal Bernardin of Chicago, since he also was accused falsely of sexual misconduct, and the book "The Gift of Peace," his writings about that ordeal and other subjects, has been my constant companion and source of inspiration over the past six months.

Off to Vatican

After lunch, I picked up our schedule for the week as well as a letter from the papal household, informing me that my meeting with the Holy Father will be at 11 o'clock on Monday in the aula of Pope Paul VI.

This invitation reminded me that my first ad limina visit was with Pope Paul VI in April 1978. I was present in St. Peter's Square in the summer of 1963 when then-Cardinal Martini was installed to the papacy and viewed from afar as he was crowned with the silver tiara, the last pope to have such a formal coronation.

The following December, I was privileged to see him up closer when he received my fellow seminarians and our families in an audience a few days after our ordination to the sacred priesthood.

Final days

On the occasion of our 1978 audience, I was struck by how frail he had become. It was obvious that he was suffering from the burdens of office, the infirmity of age and the cancer he was rumored to be battling. Four months later, he was called to his eternal reward.

Although Paul VI did not have the personal magnetism of his predecessor, Pope John XXIII, nor the physical prowess and stamina of his successor, Pope John Paul II, he was still a man of great stature who will be remembered as one of the great popes in history. He brought to fruition the Second Vatican Council and gave flesh and blood to its norms and reforms. I have a cherished photo from that audience that captures me receiving a tray of rosaries from Paul VI, which was held by his English-speaking secretary, Msgr. Justin Regali, now the Cardinal Archbishop of Philadelphia.

Also, I treasure the group photo taken on that occasion with Pope Paul, Cardinal Terence Cooke and the other bishops from New York State, many of whom sadly have since passed away: Bishops John McGann of Rockville Centre, Francis Mugavero of Brooklyn, Joseph Hogan of Rochester, Stanislaus Brzana of Ogdensburg and Frank Harrison of Syracuse, just to mention a few.

Evening events

I got only a few winks on the transatlantic flight; so, on Saturday afternoon, I bowed to the delightful and time-honored Roman tradition of the siesta. It was most enjoyable!

On Saturday evening, Bishop Clark and the moderator of his Curia, Father Joseph Hart, treated me to dinner at the Trattoria Polese on the Via Corso Vittorio Emanuele across from the Chiesa Nuova, the church where the great post-Reformation saint, Philip Neri, exercised his marvelous ministry of pastoral renewal.

This is the same Trattoria where I hosted a dinner for Bishop Clark, a native priest of our Diocese of Albany, following his ordination as bishop of Rochester at St. Peter's Basilica by Pope John Paul II in May 1979.

John O'Connor, later to become the Cardinal Archbishop of New York, was also ordained as a bishop for the military ordinariate at that same ceremony. We shared pleasant memories of that happy occasion over a bowl of pasta and some delicious gelato (ice cream) for dessert.

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SUNDAY, OCTOBER 3

Praise God, a full night's sleep! Usually, it takes me four or five days to recover from jet lag as my biological clock either does not adjust to fall asleep at bedtime or I wake up in the middle of the night, unable to resume sleep. I hope this is a good omen.

Refreshed, I did my morning exercise around the grounds of the College. I noticed a few new monuments and plaques erected since my last visit. I was pleased to spot a very elegantly designed scroll in honor of the founders of this new building, which was erected in the early 1950s.

Featured prominently in this acknowledgement was Msgr. Edward Glavin, the long-tenured Vicar for Religious in our Diocese and the beloved pastor of St. Mary's parish in Amsterdam. After World War II, he returned to his alma mater, the North American College, to obtain his doctorate in canon law. One of the first Americans to study in Rome during post-war Italy, he was of great assistance to the rector, Archbishop Martin J. O'Connor, in overseeing the construction of this jewel of a seminary on the Gianiculum Hill, no small feat in an economy still reeling from the ravages of Fascism and the devastation of defeat at the hands of the allies.

Built to house nearly 300 students, which was the population during my seminary years, the college is now home to 147 students, a reflection of the decline in priestly vocations in our country. The college also serves as a home for the Theological Institute, which offers a three-month sabbatical program of theological, pastoral and spiritual updating for about 35 priests from throughout the United States.

Special shrine

In my round of exercise, I also noted a new shrine to the immediate left of the college's main entrance. It's titled Courtyard of the Remembrances. At the center of the Courtyard is a sculpture of Holocaust victims, memorializing the six million Jews who perished under Nazi rule in those dark days from 1933 to 1945.

I am most pleased that my alma mater has the sensitivity to the Shoah because, as Pope John Paul II has stated frequently, it is only through remembrance that this atrocity will never be repeated.

Returning to my room, I read Morning Prayer on the balcony of my apartment overlooking the dome of St. Peter's. As I prayed the Divine Office, I heard beautiful chants and hymns emanating from St. Peter's piazza, sure evidence that a papal ceremony of some nature was in progress. Upon inquiry, I learned our Holy Father was beatifying five persons, the penultimate step on the road to sainthood.

Although it was too late to vest for the beatification ceremony itself, I decided to amble down to the piazza and observe some of the festivities.

Another surprise discovery! There is an elevator-escalator combo as part of the new underground parking system developed to handle the traffic associated with the Jubilee Year. It connects directly from the North American College to St. Peter's piazza.

Where was this innovation 40 years ago on those many sweltering days I trod the steep Gianiculum Hill as I returned from classes, shopping or visiting churches and museums? I guess it's more important to have this convenience in my years of Social Security than in my youth.

Beatifications

The piazza was filled with pilgrims gathered for the beatifications. The "oom-pah" of an Austrian band greeted my ears as I approached the square.

The Pope had just finished Mass and the "pezzi grossi" (the relatives and friends of the beati and the vested concelebrants) were ascending the ramp to the papal throne to greet him personally. Tapestries bearing images of the new beati adorned the front portico of the Basilica:

* Charles I, the last Austro-Hungarian Emperor;

* the German mystic Anne Catherine Emmerich, whose visions inspired Mel Gibson's film "The Passion of the Christ";

* an Italian nun, Maria Ludovica De Angelis, who worked with children in Argentina; and

* two Frenchmen, Joseph Marie Cassant, a monk, and Pierre Vigne, who founded an order of nuns.

Scene of faith

What a magnificent sight! Pilgrims from every corner of the earth were gathered in the vast piazza, which is embraced by the magnificent Bernini elliptical colonnade and set against the background of the magnificently domed Basilica, sparkling in its recently restored luster.

At the center of the piazza stands an Egyptian obelisk, which originally graced the circus of Nero. It was placed in the piazza in 1586 and is flanked by two fountains, built respectively by Maderno and Bernini. Swiss Guards, with their distinctive blue, red and yellow garb, capped by their black helmets and flowing red plumes, held their posts at the entranceways and around the papal altar.

The solemnity of the moment was broken as Pope John Paul II was lifted into his popemobile and began the winding drive through the crowd. Cries of "viva il Papa" emanated from the pilgrims, and applause crescendoed like a wave as the vehicle moved slowly and snake-like through the square.

Roman sites

As I took the escalator back to the college, I ran into Father Robert Evans, the director of the Theological Institute at the North American College. He told me he spends his summers as an associate at my sister Joan's parish -- Our Lady of Mercy in East Greenwich, Rhode Island. I guess it's a small world!

After lunch, as I stood by my apartment door waiting to take a walk with Bishops John Dunne and Emil Wcela of the Rockville Centre Diocese, I had the city of Rome at my feet: the Colosseum, the Forum, the Pantheon, the Quirinale Palace, the Palace of Justice, the Castel Sant'Angelo and the Vittorio Emanuele monument, just to mention a few of the well-known architectural masterpieces that were strewn before me like bright shining diamonds.

On our walk, we passed the Carmelite church on the Via Conciliatione. A marching band from Brazil was gathered on its steps, and a crowd had assembled to listen to their rendition of the Frank Sinatra standard, "My Way." Talk about the influence of American culture: a Brazilian band, serenading an Italian audience with an American classic!

Later in the afternoon, I was privileged to concelebrate Mass at the college chapel. Later in the week, 11 seminarians from the college will be ordained as deacons. Many of their family members and friends had already arrived in Rome and attended this liturgy. In his homily, the rector of the college, Msgr. Kevin McCoy, expressed profound gratitude to the parents and family members for the gift of their sons and brothers to the service of the Church.

Bishops together

After Mass, all the bishops from New York State met at the Domus Sanctae Marthae, a 150-room hotel sandwiched in Vatican City State behind the Paul VI papal audience hall and across from the sacristy entrance to St. Peter's Basilica. Twelve of the New York delegation are staying at the Domus and seven at the North American College.

Formerly, the cardinals who met in conclave to elect a new pope would be locked into the Sistine Chapel until the white smoke emerged. They ate and slept in the chapel for the duration of the conclave.

With the erection of the Domus Sanctae Marthae, however, the cardinal-electors will now reside in this new facility, even though the conclave sessions themselves will still be held in the Sistine Chapel. I guess it has been concluded that the fact the Domus Sanctae Marthae is located inside the Vatican gates is sufficient to protect the electors from any outside influence, which is the purpose of the lock-down.

After dinner, we made final preparations for our meetings with the various Vatican officials during the forthcoming week.

***

MONDAY, OCTOBER 4

Today is the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, perhaps the most well-known and beloved of all the saints in Christendom. It was his radical commitment to the evangelical counsels that launched major reform within the Church of the Middle Ages.

His love for the whole of creation and his special predilection for the poor continue to make him a prophetic voice in our day of environmental pollution, and a growing gap between the haves and the have-nots.

Our group of one cardinal, 18 bishops, six priests and about 80 lay pilgrims from New York and Brooklyn gathered for Mass at the tomb of the Apostle Peter.

As we entered the Basilica shortly after dawn, I was reminded again of what an extraordinary edifice this center of Roman Catholicism truly is. It is the most grandiose sacred building in Christendom: a building vast in scale, awe-inspiring in effect, fusing the best in Renaissance and Baroque architecture. No matter how often I have crossed its porticos, I never cease to be amazed and inspired by its grandeur -- and by the wonderful works of art it contains, including Michelangelo's breathtaking "Pieta" and gigantic dome, Bernini's gilt bronze Chair of Peter and Baldacchino, and Maderno's magnificent Confession Chapel in front of the main altar and over the Tomb of Peter.

Peter's presence

The present Basilica, stemming from the early 16th century, is the third church to be erected on this site. In the early 1950s, archaeologists determined definitively that this is the burial place of St. Peter. During excavations under the present Basilica, researchers found remnants of an ancient chapel with the following inscription on its wall: "Peter is here."

It is precisely because Peter is here that we bishops have come to Rome for this ad limina visit and stand at the altar erected over his tomb to pray for his successor John Paul II and for ourselves that we will be worthy successors of the Apostles.

During the liturgy, we recited together the Nicene Creed, professing our belief in the fundamental truths of our faith, sacred truths that we are solemnly bound to uphold and pass on to all entrusted to our care.

Cardinal Egan presided at the liturgy and preached the homily, reminding us of our duty as bishops to embrace and witness to the apostolic faith. I also prayed at this liturgy for our teachers, administrators and religious education leaders, who will be meeting later today for the annual Catholic Schools Convention.

Meetings begin

Immediately following Mass, we made the short walk from the Basilica to the Holy Office of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. Unfortunately, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, the prefect of this Congregation, was not present; he was presiding over the opening meeting of the International Theological Commission.

That meeting was an historic one, since it was the first time a woman, Sister Sarah Butler, a professor at St. Joseph's Seminary in Yonkers, New York, has ever served as a member of this prestigious and influential body.

Three major topics were discussed at our meeting with Cardinal Ratzinger's deputy, Archbishop Amato, and his associates:

* the crisis of clergy sexual abuse and how the Congregation is overseeing the canonical process of removing from ministry priests guilty of misconduct;

* the Catholic identity of our healthcare facilities and how they can remain faithful to their mission in the face of growing secularizing trends that have the potential to erode their prime purpose of promoting and enhancing the dignity of the human person; and

* how best to communicate to our faithful the magisterial teaching contained in various papal documents.

Off to meet Pope

Mid-way through the meeting, I had to excuse myself to keep my appointed audience with His Holiness, John Paul II.

In my five previous ad limina visits, the papal audience took place on the third floor of the Apostolic Palace. Today's audience, however, for both myself and Bishop Robert Cunningham of Ogdensburg, was scheduled in the audience hall of Pope Paul VI, immediately adjacent to St. Peter's Basilica.

This building was erected during the pontificate of its namesake to accommodate the growing number of tourists journeying to the Eternal City. While spacious and gracious, it is now too small to serve its initial purpose of housing the weekly general papal audience, which currently is conducted in St. Peter's piazza. However, this aula (hall) is still used for smaller groups (2,000 to 3,000), and today the Pope is receiving the pilgrims who came to Rome for the beatification ceremony conducted yesterday.

As I entered the aula, I caught the sight of many people dressed in traditional native garb, along with hundreds of others carrying banners and singing songs as they awaited the Pope's arrival.

The Pope and me

Bishop Cunningham and I were escorted by one of the pope's plain-clothes security guards to the rear of the audience hall, where there are several small reception rooms. We were greeted warmly by Archbishop James Harvey of the Milwaukee Archdiocese, who serves as a prefect of the papal household. He informed us that we would be accorded our audience individually in a few moments.

True to his word, in about three minutes, I was ushered into a large room where our Holy Father sat at his desk. He greeted me cordially, but because of his deteriorating Parkinson's disease, he did not stand, as has been the case at previous audiences.

It was obvious that he is suffering greatly from the progressive nature of this disease, as well as from age and infirmity. But there remained a fiery zeal and staunch determination in his eyes and demeanor.

Our talk

He inquired about vocations to the priesthood and religious life in our Diocese. I shared with him the efforts we are making to combat the decline in vocations to the ordained and vowed life, a decline that is mirrored in almost every nation in the western world. I also explained to him how many religious communities are forming lay associates to perpetuate their mission, spirit and charism.

While his speech was labored, our Holy Father listened intently, and it was very clear that the reversal of this vocation shortage remains a priority for him and his pontificate.

At the end of our conversation, His Holiness gave me a packet of rosaries and holy cards, and I offered him a donation from the people of our Diocese as a tangible expression of our loyalty, support, respect, esteem and love.

As I left the audience, I was mindful of the great personal sacrifice the Holy Father makes to fulfill the duties of his apostolic office and, especially, to forge bonds with the bishops of the world with whom he has the perennial mission "of proclaiming the Good News to the ends of the earth."

More meetings

After waiting for Bishop Cunningham to finish his audience, I walked with him across St. Peter's piazza, sprinkled as always with camera-toting tourists, to the Congregation for Religious, located at the head of the Via Conciliazione.

There, we discussed with the Slovak prefect, Archbishop Roche, and his staff, such issues as how best to incorporate into our dioceses the religious immigrating to the United States from other nations, how to ensure proper care for aging and retired religious, and the possibilities for mergers and consolidations of religious communities with similar charisms, as their numbers decline.

Ambassador's reception

Late Monday afternoon, our group was hosted by Ambassador Jim Nicholson and his wife Susanne at the Villa Richardson, the home of the American Ambassador to the Vatican.

The Villa was owned by an expatriate American who came to Rome to teach at the Academy of the Arts and fell in love with the city. It is now leased by the U.S. government and provides a beautiful setting of home and gardens for embassy receptions.

Ambassador Nicholson made an impressive presentation on his goal to foster a strong partnership between the United States and the Holy See in promoting the dignity of the human person. Over the past few years, he has been working closely with Vatican officials and others to address human trafficking in the sex industry, genetic food production for Third World countries, AIDS research and treatment, religious freedom as a basic human right, and issues of international terrorism.

He also gave a brief overview of the ofttimes stormy history between the Vatican and the United States, about which he has written in a book, "The United States and the Holy See: The Long Road." Upon our departure, he gave each of us a copy and gave me an extra one to be shared with his classmate from West Point -- Albany County Executive Mike Breslin. Again, it's a small world!

***

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 5

Our day began with a meeting held at the Congregation for Bishops by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re. Along with his staff and members of the Congregation, he has responsibility for the appointment of bishops throughout the world. He stated that the ad limina visit is meant to be an exchange of gifts: the visiting prelates sharing their vision, suggestions, concerns and pastoral experiences, and the representatives of the Holy See doing the same.

Cardinal Re complimented us on the thoroughness of the quinquennial reports we had submitted, sections of which were distributed to the various other Vatican congregations. He also noted that a brief summary of each diocesan report was presented to the Holy Father. (The Evangelist did an article on these reports; search at www.evangelist.org to read it.)

These reports range from the financial status of the Diocese to statistics on the number of children baptized and confirmed over the past five years. The report also includes information about Catholic schools and colleges, faith formation programs, health care, Catholic charities, liturgy, family life, evangelization, and a host of other subjects.

Report book

Our Albany diocesan report was supervised and collated by our Vicar for Religious, Sister Nola Brunner, and was a little more than a foot thick.

In addition to statistical and factual data about our Diocese, the report lists some of the challenges confronting us:

* the growth of secularization and religious indifferentism,

* keeping our schools viable,

* increasing Sunday Mass attendance,

* connecting with youth and young adults,

* doing a better job in adult faith formation,

* strengthening family life, and

* increasing vocations to the priesthood and religious life.

Cardinal Re expressed great concern for our priests and their needs, especially in the wake of the clergy abuse crisis that has rocked the Church in the United States. He encouraged each bishop to make a special effort to inform and support the priests in our dioceses as a father, brother, friend and Good Samaritan.

He also reminded us bishops of the imperative to make prayer the foundation of our apostolic ministry. He also commented that as bishops in the world's only super-power, we should be conscious of the fact that our fidelity to the Gospel message affects not only the people of the United States but the entire Church.

More meetings

We had about an hour break before our next appointment, so several of us stopped for coffee or Coke at one of the many cafes on the Via Conciliazione.

Just as we were about to depart, I heard a voice call out, "Aren't you Bishop Hubbard?" Acknowledging my identity, the man introduced himself as Jim Kennedy from Clifton Park, who along with his wife was on a tour of Italy. Once more the old axiom, "isn't it a small world?" seems most appropriate.

The second meeting of the day was with Archbishop Lajolo of the Vatican Secretariat of State, which oversees diplomatic relationships between the Holy See and other nations. He would be the Vatican's equivalent of Colin Powell.

The archbishop is of Italian birth but both his parents lived in New York City and ran a restaurant in the Big Apple before returning to their native land. He had just returned from New York City, where he had addressed the United Nations.

Global issues

He discussed with us an overview of the Holy See's positions on a wide range of issues: the war in Iraq, the Israeli-Palestinian controversy, the European union. and the tensions between the Roman Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church in Russia.

Archbishop Lajolo also spoke about the unique responsibility that the United States has as the world's only surviving superpower and about his concern of growing anti-Americanism across the globe.

While he stressed that our government needs to do a better job of developing collaborative relationships and coalitions, he also praised the people of the U.S. as being more generous to those beyond our national borders, both as a Church and as a country, than any other nation.

Unfortunately, he noted, while we are the greatest donors, our generosity is not always accepted with love.

The office for the Secretariat of State is located in the Apostolic Palace, the floor below the Pope's library and reception rooms. As we left the meeting, I was captivated by the beautiful works of art that adorn the walls or are displayed in the hallways and rooms of the palace. There is so much history and so much beauty that is contained within this edifice.

My father's love

Later in the afternoon, several of the bishops residing in the North American College gathered to celebrate Mass in the Immaculata Chapel of the College.

I always look forward to the celebration of the Eucharist, but today is extra special because it marks the 105th anniversary of my father's birth. Born in 1899, he passed away in 1961, my first year as a student here at the North American College.

I remember how devastated I was that permission was not granted to return to the States for his funeral. Nevertheless, my mother assured me that he would have wanted me to do whatever was necessary to pursue my vocation to the priesthood. For all that my father did to mold and form me, my faith and value system, and for his unending love, I give thanks today.

Reception and prayer

All the bishops were invited to attend a reception and evening prayer at the Casa Santa Maria, the residence for priests from the United States who are pursuing graduate studies. It also houses the office for U.S. pilgrims in Rome seeking tickets to papal liturgies and audiences.

Before entering the Casa, I took a one-block stroll to the Trevi Fountain, the architectural masterpiece made famous by the movie "Three Coins in a Fountain." Now a "must-visit" site for tourists to Rome, in my student days it was largely unknown and served as a favorite destination point for seminarians studying at the nearby Gregorian University during our 15-minute breaks between classes.

Amidst an enormous throng of tourists, I edged my way to the fountain to fulfill my pledge to all to whom I promised I would throw a coin in the Trevi with the hope that they, too, might come for a "Roman Holiday."

The reception was held in the Casa's beautiful courtyard, which is filled with gorgeous trees and flowers. Evening prayer was in the baroque chapel dedicated in honor of Our Lady of Humility, the patroness of the College.

Memories

The Casa holds many fond memories for me from the days I spent there in 1983, attending the continuing education program for bishops, and when I traveled to Rome for meetings with the Vatican Commission for Non-Believers.

At that time, my good friend, Father Tom Powers, the present pastor of St. Teresa of Avila parish in Albany, was director of the Casa. He was always a most gracious host, and we enjoyed many a fine meal together. Sadly, an old friend from those days, Paulo Pucerelli, has passed from the scene.

After evening prayer, a number of us bishops slipped out the rear door of the Casa for a wonderful supper at the Trattoria Abbruzzi, enjoying their "to die for" rigatoni carbonara. (I'm sure Father Mike Farano, pastor of St. Pius X Church in Loudonville, will be very envious when he reads this entry.)

***

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6

The breaking of another day was made all the more pleasant by the news that the Red Sox had won and Yankees lost in the first games of the American League Division Championships.

Our first meeting today was with Cardinal Francis Arinze, from Nigeria, who presides over the Congregation for Sacraments and Divine Worship. He spoke to us at some length about the recent apostolic letter, "Redemptio Sacramentum," which emphasizes the respect due the Eucharist and proper observance of the liturgical norms for sacramental celebrations.

A question was raised about the appropriate practice to be followed by laity in seeking to address perceived violations of these norms. Some have been writing directly to Cardinal Arinze or Cardinal Ratzinger, bypassing their pastor or local bishop. Cardinal Arinze made it quite clear that such matters should be discussed first between the parishioner and his or her pastor. If unresolved at that level, the diocesan bishop should be informed. It is only after these local communications have taken place that redress to the Holy See is appropriate.

We also discussed the concerns expressed recently about access to the Eucharist by those suffering from celiac disease, which makes them intolerant of wheat products. The Cardinal reminded us that the Holy See has been monitoring this celiac problem for many years and, in a recent instruction, has offered norms that respect both the reality of the disease and the option for the type of gluten-free hosts which can be consecrated validly.

Anointing

Another perennial issue raised by our delegation was the possibility of deacons or non-ordained pastoral ministers celebrating the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick.

While recognizing the pastoral issue involved, Cardinal Arinze indicated that since this sacrament involves the forgiveness of sins, only ordained an priest can be the celebrant. He did note, however, that there are many appropriate prayers and non-sacramental rituals that deacons and other pastoral ministers can utilize in ministering to the sick and their family members.

Cardinal Arinze also underscored how important it is that we bishops ensure that there are appropriately trained personnel and supportive diocesan offices for prayer and worship in our respective dioceses.

Still more meetings

Crossing the street from the Congregation for the Sacraments of Divine Worship to our next session at the Congregation for the Clergy, we had the opportunity to gaze upon the 30,000 to 40,000 pilgrims assembled in St. Peter's piazza for the Holy Father's general audience.

One of the striking features of this weekly Wednesday event is the number of recently married couples bedecked in bridal gowns and tuxedos who are granted the opportunity to greet the Pope personally. Although he is plagued by illness, his magnetism and selfless availability are as evident as ever.

The Congregation for Clergy has the responsibility for overseeing not only priests and deacons throughout the world, but also for faith formation programs and regulations about the prudent stewardship of Church properties. The head of this congregation, Cardinal Castrillon-Hoyos (like Cardinal Re from the Congregation for Bishops), expressed great concern that bishops seek to be supportive of our priests in the face of the scandal of clergy sexual misconduct. He stated that the overwhelming majority of priests have never offended and live celibate lives, and that their holiness of life and faithful commitment should be celebrated in these difficult days.

Cardinal Castrillon-Hoyos also spoke about the great challenge that confronts the clergy in seeking to proclaim the faith in a culture that is increasingly dominated by individualism.

In what will be good news for the deacons of our Church, he indicated that he expected the New Directory for the Diaconate in the United States to be promulgated by the time we bishops gather for our annual November meeting.

Luncheon

At noontime, Cardinal Egan and the other seven diocesan bishops were invited to dine with Cardinal Edmond Szoka, the president of the Government for the Vatican City State.

His office and apartment complex are located in a building at the rear of the Basilica, across from the Vatican gardens. Most visitors to St. Peter's never have the opportunity to view these beautiful buildings and gardens.

Cardinal Szoka has been a bishop for 33 years, first as bishop of Gaylord, Michigan, and later as the Cardinal Archbishop of Detroit. In 1990, he was asked by Pope John Paul II to bring his administrative and fiscal acumen to bear upon the finances of the Holy See. He soon was able to change the ink of the annual Vatican fiscal report from red to black. More recently, he has been the governor of the Vatican, the first American to hold this particular post that oversees the 1,400 employees and all the administrative dimensions of this City State.

The Cardinal boasts that he has the best cook in Rome, and the splendid meal we were served did nothing to belie this claim. We also enjoyed the opportunity to exchange pastoral concerns in a very cordial and candid manner.

Author, author

Later that afternoon, I met with John Allen, the Rome correspondent for the National Catholic Reporter. I first had the pleasure of meeting him two years ago when he delivered a lecture at the Chapel and Cultural Center at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy.

He has just authored a critically acclaimed book, "All the Pope's Men," and kindly presented me with an autographed copy. (A review of this book appeared in the Oct. 14 issue of The Evangelist.) I find John's writings and lectures to be very nuanced and balanced, seeking to portray fairly the thinking of people who view complex theological and ecclesialogical issues from different perspectives.

His weekly newsletter, "The Word from Rome," and articles in the NCR offer careful, critical analysis on the multiplicity of pastoral and theological issues facing the Church at the onset of the 21st century.

John is very committed to finding common ground, or at least better understanding, among people holding diverse theological views. He is a leading "handicapper" on who will be elected to serve as the next pope. Two of the cardinals we visited this week are on his short list: Cardinals Re and Arinze.

This day ended in a delightful walk along the Tiber, capped by a wonderful light supper in a trattoria near the old Roman synagogue.

(Next week: The bishops meet the Pope for a second time, more discussions with Vatican officials and additional memories of the Eternal City.)

(10/21/04)