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	From the Floor, Vol. I Whispers in the Loggia June 16, 2011 http://whispersintheloggia.blogspot.com/ [with video] 2011 USCCB Summer Meeting -- Day One, Morning Session Wednesday June 15, 20119:48 +Dolan's opening word on dais: "Brothers, can I call the meeting to order?" 9:49 ...and with that, a new era begins. 9:51 Just hearing that, in his preach at this morning's ballroom Mass for the bishops, Dolan played off the hymn "We Need a Little Christmas," telling bench, "We need a little Ash Wednesday" 9:53 Introducing a larger-than-usual crop of new bishops named since November -- 13 present, 2 Chicago auxes-elect named Monday not here.... 9:58 Conference sends customary telegram of homage to the Pope, anticipates B16's 60th anniversary of priesthood on 29th of this month, and the USCCB's ad limina visits (their first of this pontificate) which begin in November 10:02 National Review Board on abuse being introduced, and Deacon Bernard Nojadera, incoming head of national church's child/youth protection efforts 10:07 Dolan: "Let the record show I'm five minutes ahead of where Cardinal George would've been at this time"... 10:07 ...and with arms waving and fists raised at points, to boot. 10:09 (any questions out there? feel free to send 'em in the box below....) 10:16 on a backdrop-note, SNAP holding press conference outside hotel during lunch; survivors' group planning to call for the bishops' National (Lay) Review Board to conduct investigations on conduct toward cases/victim assistance in Philadelphia, Kansas City, Gallup 10:20 and now, preliminary presentations.... 10:22 Cupich takes podium to intro debate on Charter changes 10:24 Cupich notes that modifications as footnotes wouldn't require a new recognitio from the Holy See 10:26 "The Charter has served the church well -- the Charter works." 10:26 Recent Vatican actions prove decisions made by US bishops in 2002 "are having a positive impact on the universal church." 10:27 now, questions: Rockville Centre's Murphy first, then Twin Cities' Nienstedt 10:31 back on the Floor, Card George asks whether "Essential Norms" can be brought into discussion.... 10:33 "difference in nuance" from Holy See's interp; Rome's line had was more canonical "so we'd have the legal support for it"... 10:34 George: "nuance" over when suspension can take place, before or after prelim investigation 10:36 Bransfield: given passage on review boards w/ bishops determining "gravity" of an act, "isn't [bishops'] job to determine credibility and gravity of the act?" Cupich says it's both, but credibility mentioned earlier in text 10:36 Dolan to Cupich: "We see no more requests for clarification, so that means you've been exceptionally clear." 10:38 Charter Prelim done, Floor turns to Spanish Missal texts... 10:39 Someone here just asked whether there's anything further to discuss on new English Missal translation... in a word, nope -- it's a done deal, slated for universal implementation in the States on 30 Nov. 10:43 This might be historic: first time that all liturgy items at a US bishops' meeting pertain to Spanish-language worship.... 10:44 And now, Pro-Life Chair "Cardinardo" presenting early brief on committee's physician-assisted suicide document 10:44 "brief policy statement" requested by bishops at 2010 Nov. Meeting 10:46 Given the locale of this meeting, the doc's an even more interesting one -- Washington State voters legalized assisted suicide in a 2008 referendum, 58-42% 10:49 Skylstad notes absence of Scripture quotes from text.... DiNardo: "Scripture is implied." 10:50 Dolan: now "one of the more sensitive and delicate moments of our meeting -- the explanation of electronic voting." 10:54 Speaking of the President, his blog-post yesterday on looming NY state push to legalize same-sex marriage is making waves.... 10:56 A Milwaukee native about to head home, departing General Secretary Malloy nods to Brewers' tie with Cards for NL Central lead in voting explanation... 10:57 Now, St Louis' +Carlson introduces proposed statement on preaching 10:57 cites B16's Sacramentum Caritatis -- "quality of homilies needs to be improved" 10:58 echoing B16's call for "new ways of communicating God's word..." 11:00 ("Will the papal conclave ever use electronic voting?" a reader asks. No -- the system could be compromised... plus, how'd you get white/black smoke? That comes from the burning of the ballots, you know) 11:02 Proposed preaching doc to focus on preach @ Sunday Mass; 50 pages in length 11:04 Just checking agenda again... no morning coffee-break, it seems. Odd. 11:05 (Keep in mind here that Dolan joked of "promising" Dunkin Donuts at morning coffee-breaks after his election as conf. president....) 11:07 Reader asks if bishops sit by order of seniority... No, they sit wherever they please -- makes for an interesting dynamic. 11:09 (The Canadians are relatively small enough in numbers to do things by seniority, and they actually employ it... here, it'd take hours simply to arrange.) 11:10 Marquette's +Sample, age 50: "I consider myself part of the first 'lost generation' following the Council" who went uncatechized. 11:13 At his ordination in 2006, Sample was 45, and the youngest US bishop... now, of course, the youngest is Detroit's new aux +Cepeda, who's 41. In other words, at its younger limit, the bench's age has fallen twice as fast as time's gone by these last five years... 11:14 ...and no shortage of folks have wondered whether they'll break the "40" barrier -- i.e. a bishop 39 or younger.... hasn't happened in the States in nearly 25 years. 11:15 In remarks on preaching document proposal, Card Wuerl notes Synod on New Evangelization coming late 2012 in Rome 11:16 Retired Hartford aux Rozassa asks whether the doc could "consider different styles" of preaching, esp. differing cultural contexts within US church 11:17 Cordileone: "I don't hear funeral homilies anymore -- I hear eulogies & canonization speeches.... We need better formation here." 11:19 Lots of interest in preaching document... but concerns veering in numerous directions..... 11:20 Next up on the agenda: a presentation on the 100th anniversary of Maryknoll from the community's Superior General, Fr Edward Dougherty 11:21 Ted speaks. 11:21 "there is a generational process within the conference..." 11:22 25 years ago, "some of us always rose to say we need to have something [document-wise] on homilies, because our people need this..." 11:22 "I'm so happy you're doing this now." 11:23 "homily's supposed to do 3 things: break open the Scriptures, call the people to holiness, and ultimately it has to... give them a reason for the faith that is in them." 11:27 Bransfield: "this document needs to come packaged with modern technology... if it doesn't, it'll have a long shelf-life" -- by which he seemed to mean life on the shelf, collecting dust. 11:27 proposal for preaching document passes 187-3 11:30 Looks like there'll be a lot of conversation over lunch about retired Anchorage Abp Francis Hurley's line earlier that church has to "forgive" accused priests, conflating said forgiveness with restoration to ministry.... 11:32 That said, gotta duck out for some calls. Headlined by Card Wuerl briefing on US Anglicanorum Ordinariate, afternoon session begins at 2 Pacific time (5 Eastern)... hope you're enjoying so far; stay tuned.
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