Gloria.TV News on the 8th of April 2013

Pope Francis’ First Appointment Within the Roman Curia

Pope Francis has made his first appointment within the Roman Curia, choosing his friend, the Minister General of the Order of Friars Minor, Father José Rodríguez Carballo to be an archbishop and the secretary of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life. Yesterday, in an interview with La voz de Galicia Carballo state that it is – quote – “meaningful for him that a pope in the stile of John XXIII was elected to the cathedra of saint Peter exactly 50 years after this pope had passed away. I think that we will witness a new spring in the Catholic Church.”

The Mainstream and the Popes

The blog Rorate Coeli has recalled what the mainstream media had to say about this picture taken during the Good Friday ceremony with Pope Benedict XVI:
“What on earth is that Hitler Youth member doing with those ridiculous red shoes?”
“Hopefully, the old man fell down on his face… Wait, is he mocking the way Muslims pray?”
“Is he hiding pedophiles under that rug!?”
Here a picture of the same ceremony with Pope Francis. He was luckier: “Humble” – was the mainstream comment.

Don’t Miss the Festivities of the Angels

Yesterday, Fr John Zuhlsdorff quoted a commentary of Pope St. Gregory the Great (+604) on yesterday’s gospel. Listen to what Gregory says: “These Easter-days are celebrated with great pomp and magnificence; yet our duty is to make ourselves worthy of arriving at the eternal Festivals. You endeavour to be present at these feastdays, which pass and disappear; try, then, your utmost to be one day present, all together, at the never-ending celebration in heaven. What would it profit you to assist at our festivals now, were you never to be admitted to the festivities of the angels in heaven?

What Would They Do, If the End of the World Were Announced

In a brilliant article Fr Tim Finigan has imagined what would happen in and around the Church if the Second Coming of Christ were to be announced. Father writes among other things: “Various journalists around the world would ask whether Jesus Christ, coming on the clouds of heaven, would in fact approve gay marriage, women priests and an end to priestly celibacy. The Vatican Press Office would leave it to the bloggers to go in to bat on those questions, and would concentrate instead on scotching rumours from "informed sources in the Vatican" that Pope Francis had planned to take some homeless people and sit on the top of a mountain awaiting the Day. It would confirm that he intended to remain in the Domus Sanctae Marthae and put himself at the disposal of the Lord, particularly if He wanted breakfast.” Or: “Quietly in the background, Mgr Marini would arrange a Pontifical Celebration Pro Fine Huius Mundi with whatever vestments he had been asked to put out this week. (His courteous warning about the flammable nature of polyester would go unheeded.)”

Why the Pope is so Recollected and Prayerful

The blog Abbey-Roads has given one reason why Pope Francis is so recollected and prayerful. The answer is a from Sandro Magister - quote: "He has never used the internet, not even for e-mail."