Denver Catholic

2 I CATHOLIC LIFE JULY 31, 2013 I DENVER CATHOLIC REGISTER Archbishop Aquila names Rome Pope gives surprising in-flight press conference news editor to key chancery post WORLD/NATION PHOTO BY LAUREN CATER/ CNA POPE Francis waves to a crowd on July 15. ROME (CNA/EWTN News)— Pope Francis finished off his trip to Brazil with one last unscripted moment by holding a 1 hour and 20 minute press conference during the flight back to Rome. The July 28 meeting with journalists covered everything from the canonization of Blessed John Paul II to an investigation of a Vatican monsignor who allegedly lived in a homosexual relationship. Msgr. Battista Ricca was recently made secretary of the commission of cardinals that oversees the Vatican bank. He was the target of an internal investigation after Italy's L'Espresso magazine accused him of improprieties while working at the papal nunciature in Uruguay from 1999 to 2001. Further inquiry "found nothing," said the pope. "I'd like to add," the pontiff said according to news reports, "that many times we seem to seek out the sins of somebody's youth and publish them. We're not talking about crimes, which are something else. The abuse of minors, for instance, is a crime. "But one can sin and then convert, and the Lord both forgives and forgets. We don't have the right to refuse to forget … it's dangerous," he said. Pope Francis also revealed that the date for the canonization of Blesseds John XXIII and John Paul II will probably not be this coming Dec. 8., due to the winter weather that would make travel from Poland difficult at that time of year. Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz of Krakow, Poland, suggested that the late November feast of Christ the King or next spring's feast of Divine Mercy are two possibilities, the pope explained. Among other important issues the Holy Father addressed were: the reform of the Vatican's Institute for Religious Works, commonly called the Vatican bank, the need to develop a deeper "theology of women" in the Church, and whether or not he would accept someone with a homosexual tendency as a priest in his diocese. Pope Francis reiterated the Church's belief that having a homosexual orientation is not sinful but engaging in homosexual acts is. "Who am I to judge a gay person of goodwill who seeks the Lord?" he said in response to a question about whether he would accept a celibate, homosexual priest in his diocese. "It (the Catechism) says they should not be marginalized because of this but that they must be integrated into society," he added, according to the BBC. The pope made his remarks as he addressed the possibility of a "gay lobby" within the Vatican, which has been the subject of discussion in the Italian press. "There's a lot of talk about the gay lobby, but I've never seen it on the Vatican ID card!" he joked, according to John Allen of the National Catholic Reporter. "You have to distinguish between the fact of a person being gay, and the fact of a lobby," the pope told journalists. "The problem is not having this orientation," the pontiff stated. "We must be brothers. The problem is lobbying by this orientation, or lobbies of greedy people, political lobbies, Masonic lobbies, so many lobbies. This is the worse problem." As for the Institute for Religious Works, known by its Italian acronym IOR, Pope Francis said his decision about how to reform it is still up in the air. Among the options he listed are turning it into an aid fund, making it an "ethical bank" or closing it down. "I don't know how this story will end. "But the characteristics of the IOR—whether it's a bank, an aid fund or whatever it is— are transparency and honesty," the pope said, according to the Associated Press. Pope Francis also mentioned the need to delve more deeply into the role of women in the Church. "The role of women doesn't end just with being a mother and with house work … we don't yet have a truly deep theology of women in the Church," he said, while underscoring that the ordination of women is not possible. NEW chancellor for the Denver Archdiocese David Uebbing holds his son Joseph, 2, while his wife, Jenny, holds their son John Paul, 1. PHOTO BY JENNY HANLON PHOTOGRAPHY BY ROXANNE KING On July 29, the Denver Archdiocese announced it has a new chancellor. David Uebbing, 33, Rome bureau news director for the Catholic News Agency and EWTN, will start his position on Aug. 19. In the Denver Archdiocese, the chancellor serves as a special assistant and senior counselor to the archbishop. Previous chancellor, James Daniel "JD" Flynn, who had served in the position for about a year and a half, recently accepted a job as communications director for the Diocese of Lincoln, Neb. Uebbing, a native of South Bend, Ind., has been an editor with CNA/EWTN since 2007. Prior to that, he worked in the banking industry for a couple of years and served as a FOCUS (Fellowship of Catholic University Students) missionary for three years. He also worked one year teaching religion at a Catholic college-prep boarding school for boys. He has a bachelor's degree in theology from the University of Steubenville in Ohio and a master's degree in theology from the Augustine Institute in Denver. "I'm really looking forward to working for the Archdiocese of Denver," he told the Denver Catholic Register from Rome. "I first moved to Denver in 2005 to begin my studies at the Augustine Institute and ever since then I've thought of Denver as home." Uebbing and his family— sons Joseph, 2, John Paul, 1, and wife, Jenny, 30, who is expecting the couple's third child—had just relocated from Denver to Rome in January so Uebbing could serve as CNA's first Rome-based editor. He had planned to be there for at least a couple of years, but when he got a call a few weeks ago inviting him to Denver to consider the chancellor's position, his plans changed. "I had a great talk with the archbishop," he said. "By the time we finished I had accepted the job and was bracing myself for the 13-hour flight back to Rome two days later. "I think I still have a crick in my neck from how fast things moved," he joked. Uebbing's journalism background has kept him current with cultural, religious and political issues, which should prove beneficial in advising the archbishop, he said. "I hope to be able to help Archbishop Aquila effectively carry out the new evangelization within the archdiocese," Uebbing said. "Since Denver is a younger city when compared with other metropolises, it seems to me that the number of young people who have been impacted by the increasingly secular culture is higher. That makes proclaiming the Gospel in a fresh, engaging and invigorating way all the more important. "In addition, I will work with the director of communications and other departments in the chancery to ensure that the Church is offering a clear and compelling explanation of what she believes." While he never aimed for chancellor as a career target, Uebbing said he has always sought to serve Christ and the Church. "So you could say that in that sense," he mused, "the position is one that I've aspired to." His goal for his new role? "I want to assist Archbishop Aquila as he builds upon the solid foundation that was laid by his predecessors in Denver," Uebbing said. "The archdiocese is strong and vibrant— and I hope to be able to make it even more so." Roxanne King: 303-715-3215; editor@archden.org; www.twitter. com/DCRegister DENVER CATHOLIC REGISTER CIRCULATION CUSTOMER SERVICE: 303-722-4687 OR CIRCULATION@ARCHDEN.ORG Published by the Archdiocese of Denver, 1300 S. Steele St., Denver, CO 80210 General Manager Karna Swanson Denver Catholic Register (USPS 557-020) is published weekly except the last week of December and the first week of January, and in June, July and August when it goes bi-weekly. The Register is printed by The Denver Post LLC in Denver. Periodical postage paid in Denver, CO. Editor Roxanne King Subscriptions: $35 a year in Colorado; $42 per year out of state. Foreign countries: $42 surface, all countries, 6-8 weeks for delivery; $135 air, all other countries (average). Mexico, $48 air; Canada, $55 air. Postmaster: Send address changes to: Denver Catholic Register, Circulation Dept., 1300 S. Steele St., Denver, CO 80210 or e-mail circulation@archden.org. Advertising Sales Manager Michael O'Neill Editorial: 303-715-3215 or editor@archden.org Advertising: 303-715-3253 or dcrads@archden.org Circulation: 303-715-3211 or circulation@archden.org Online: www.DenverCatholicRegister.org

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