Posts

Ice Cream and “The Last Acceptable Prejudice”

Neil MacCarthy, Comms director for the Archdiocese of Toronto, writing in the Huffington Post in part about the “Sweet Jesus” ice cream store controversy:

In speaking with clarity and charity, Cardinal Collins regularly reminds us that the name of Jesus and sacred symbols of Christianity hold great meaning for the faithful. He would have told Sweet Jesus executives that the upside-down cross that has been used on many of their products is a reminder to Christians that St. Peter, one of the 12 apostles in Jesus’ inner circle and the first pope of the Catholic Church, was crucified upside down. The Cardinal would have emphasized that calling their bottled water “Holy Water” has a sensitive meaning for the family members of a child who is baptized, or for all those who bless themselves with holy water as they enter a church.

In his recent pastoral letter, “The Holy Name of Jesus,” Cardinal Collins wrote, “We ask our friends who do not share our faith to respect the name of Jesus, as we are equally committed not to treat disrespectfully what is sacred to others.”

Imagine the outcry that would ensue, even in liberal media circles, if another major world religion was insulted and denigrated in this fashion in the public square. Once again, the adage of writer Philip Jenkins holds true: Anti-Catholicism is  the last acceptable prejudice.

/by

Seeing Red: Archbishop Collins Named Cardinal

After celebrating morning Mass at the Vatican, Pope Benedict announced that Toronto Archbishop Thomas Collins will be made a member of the College of Cardinals. Archbishop Collins will be given the famous red hat and garments (signifying the readiness of the cardinals to shed their blood, if necessary, in defence of the truth of Catholicism) at a consistory (gathering of bishops) in Rome which will take place February 18-19. By far the most important task of the cardinals is, following the death of a pope, to elect a new pontiff. All cardinals under the age of 80 are eligible to vote in the conclave, the closed meeting in which a successor is chosen. You can check out the mini-site from the intrepid Communications Director for the Archdiocese, Neil MacCarthy, here.

Archbishop Collins, who hails from Guelph, Ontario, was ordained a priest in 1973, and previously served as the Bishop of St. Paul, Alberta, and also as Archbishop of Edmonton. He was named the 10th Archbishop of Toronto in 2006.

On a personal note, I’m absolutely overjoyed for His Grace. He’s a dynamic preacher and teacher, well-known for his Lectio Divina scripture lessons here in Toronto at St. Michael’s Cathedral. For a taste of that teaching, check out the clip below. It’s uncanny how his charism of spiritual fatherhood comes across – one feels as if he is in the presence of the head of a household, imparting precious life lessons to his children. Archbishop Collins also gave invaluable support to me in giving his endorsement to The New Mass app, which I created for the new English translation of the Mass. I’ll be forever grateful for his blessing on the project.

/0 Comments/by