back to little Lucy (or Luce, if you will)
a priest has been compiling some fanart: (don’t worry about anything too nasty)
a few of my faves:
and Halloween costume
Before I learned this was a Vatican thing, I had been seeing it circulate as an LGBTQ icon - “every enby/ace shoved into one chibi”.
But the reason I dropped in here as a non-Catholic: We had a local Catholic church who just fired a longtime, iconic employee because somebody tattled that a few years ago he’d gotten married to his partner of decades.
The congregation is deeply divided, with some saying that this is a travesty, others correctly pointing out that it’s against their religion and that their denominational policy is to fire openly gay employees.
Personally, I think it sucks for him, especially because many knew for a long while that he was romantically involved with his husband. But he worked for a religious organization where he knew the risks of living semi-openly.
I grew up catholic and went to one of these catholic schools before it became coed.
My general take on the abuse thing is this. If you ask someone to not get married as part of thier vows you have a greater chance of selecting those that didn’t want to get married to begin with because of thier preferences. I am not saying that most are gay just that they probably don’t want to get married anyway. So I generally don’t understand why the church is not a bit more honest about these things.
In one of the places I lived at that school it was well known that the German priest in charge was gay. I have a lot of gay friends from that school. I have friends that sued the church too.
Just learned about a new-to-me beatified: Francis Venimbeni – his feast day is April 22, my birthday. Was a Franciscan priest
- Assigned as Guardian (superior) of a new friary in Fabriano, Francis oversaw construction of a new library, the first Franciscan library. He also had a great devotion to the Holy Souls in Purgatory and would often offer Mass for them.
Happy All Souls Day!
Digital twin of St. Peter’s Basilica
Well look at this
Pope warns of ‘serious’ imbalance in Vatican pension fund, names sole administrator
Letter:
https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2024/11/21/241121d.html
With this letter, I intend today to draw your attention to another issue that is particularly close to my heart, since we are faced with serious and complex problems that risk worsening if not dealt with in a timely manner. I refer to the management of our Pension Fund, already considered among the central issues of economic reform, being a subject of “concern” to successive Popes since its establishment.
All of those who over time have examined this matter have been responsibly inspired by the concern to ensure a fair pension model for the community in the service of the Holy See and the State, and to fulfil the moral responsibility to provide decent benefits to those who are entitled to them, compatibly with the economic resources available. To this end, various studies have been carried out from which it has been derived that the current pension management, taking into account the available assets, generates a significant deficit.
Unfortunately, the figure that now emerges, at the conclusion of the latest in-depth analyses carried out by independent experts, indicates a serious prospective imbalance in the Fund, the size of which tends to increase over time in the absence of intervention: in real terms, this means that the current system is not able to guarantee in the medium term the fulfilment of the pension obligation for future generations. We are now all fully aware that we need urgent structural measures, which can no longer be postponed, to achieve sustainability of the Pension Fund, in the more general context of the limited resources available to the entire organization, and appropriate pension coverage for present and future employees, in a perspective of justice and equity between the different generations. These are not easy decisions that will require particular sensitivity, generosity and willingness to sacrifice on the part of all.
In light of this and all things considered, I wish, therefore, to inform you of my decision, taken today, to appoint His Eminence, Kevin Cardinal Farrell, as sole administrator for the Pension Fund, believing that this choice represents, at this time, an essential step towards meeting the challenges that our pension system faces in the future. While I have appreciated the thoughtful contributions made by those who have dealt with this delicate matter over the years, I now believe that it is imperative that we move through this new phase, which is fundamental to the stability and well-being of our community, with promptness and unity of vision so that the necessary steps are taken with urgency.
How many actuarial exams does His Eminence have?
Ima burn in the hot place for this one!!! 
He may have gotten expert opinion.
Let me revise: he has gotten multiple expert opinions on the matter. It’s in the letter:
To this end, various studies have been carried out from which it has been derived that the current pension management, taking into account the available assets, generates a significant deficit.
Unfortunately, the figure that now emerges, at the conclusion of the latest in-depth analyses carried out by independent experts, indicates a serious prospective imbalance in the Fund, the size of which tends to increase over time in the absence of intervention: in real terms, this means that the current system is not able to guarantee in the medium term the fulfilment of the pension obligation for future generations.
I would like to see these studies/reports
???
The Cardinal being put in place:
Some relevant info:
On June 7, 2022, Francis appointed Farrell as chair of the Pontifical Committee for Investments.[25] According to Praedicate Evangelium, the committee is responsible for "guaranteeing the ethical nature of the Holy See’s equity investments in accordance with the Church’s social doctrine and, at the same time, monitoring their profitability, propriety and degree of risk.[26]
…and the Vatican website is down. Again.
Aquinas is on tour!
November 29 – St. Dominic Church, Washington, D.C.
November 30 – Dominican House of Studies, Washington, D.C.
December 2 – St. Thomas Aquinas Church, Charlottesville, Va.
December 4 – St. Pius V Church, Providence, R.I.
December 4 – Providence College, Providence, R.I.
December 6 – St. Gertrude Church, Cincinnati, Ohio
December 7-8 – St. Patrick Church, Columbus, Ohio
December 10 – St. Louis Bertrand Church, Louisville, Ky.
December 12 – St. Rose Church, Springfield, Ky.
December 13 – Church of St. Catherine of Siena, New York, N.Y.
December 14 – Church of St. Barnabas, Bellmore, N.Y.
December 14-15 – St. Vincent Ferrer Church, New York, N.Y.
December 16 – St. Patrick Church, Philadelphia, Pa.
December 18 – Saints Philip & James Church, Baltimore, Md.
Hmmm, maybe I should go when the skull is in NY.
