Rome approved!

The election of Br. Wayne Fitzpatrick as the First Consulter on the U.S. Regional Council has been approved by Rome, according to U.S. Regional Superior Father Michael Duggan.

This means we Maryknollers here in the States may now proceed to choosing the second and third consulters to fill out our regional council.

The approval by Rome was needed since canonically and according to Maryknoll's Constitutions, a Brother cannot serve as a major superior in Maryknoll.  We are by definition a "clerical Society."

Channel 15 Milestone

Last Friday's record-breaking attendance at the Christmas concert wasn't the only first. The entire concert, from beginning to end, was televised live on Channel 15 from a permanent camera mounted next to the clock atop the wooden arches in the back of the chapel. (Special mention in my blog will go to anyone who can tell me what that piece of wordwork separating vestibule from nave is called. Even Google the Great failed me.)

Ms. Kathy Brophy, from her remote position in the VCR/DVD room next to the Africa Room, was able to remotely control camera angles, zoom and focus throughout the concert, which was shown live in our main building as well as at St. Teresa's. The concert was also recorded for replay at later times so I will be able to check if she captured my good side during my 30-second solo! More than one Maryknoller, seeing the overflow crowd, either gave up his seat so a guest could be seated or simply gave up trying to get into the chapel, and returned to watch the concert in the comfort and privacy of their own rooms.

This permanent camera situated in an unobtrusive spot on top the (word for those wooden arches) will serve us well during our planned Centenary Masses next year, as well as future ordinations, sending ceremonies, Jubilees and funerals.

Br. Wayne Fitzpatrick must be credited and thanked for successfully and persistently shepherding this project through many complicated bureaucratic hurdles and budgetary setbacks. His perseverance paid off with our men in St. T's able to enjoy the concert and witness the first of many historic gatherings.

Spinning our wheels?

There are more variations on the latest Maryknoll Brothers vs. the Vatican vs. Father Dougherty vs. the Maryknoll Constitutions (note plural) story than different melons in the fruit salad at our famous salad bar, source of grist for the mill and posts for this blog. I shall attempt to distill their common elements.

Apparently whoever is in charge of putting up with us at the Vatican, grew weary of our continually asking for exceptions and variances to our Constitutions. Br. Frank ten Hoopen, for example, some years back was allowed to serve on the regional council in Africa. As was Br. Mark Gruenke after that. But then followed the election of Br. Wayne Fitzpatrick, not as advisor or consultant but as U.S. Regional Superior and we all remember how that turned out. So apparently the recent election of Br. Mark Huntington to serve on the Africa Regional Council was too much for somebody. (Here the stories vary as to who exactly said, "Basta con tutta questa sciocchezza!" but since there are only two actors in this drama who speak fluent Italian, it kind of narrows it down. Now the question is, what does "questa sciocchezza" refer to, the continual election of Brothers or this blog?) Btw, I intentionally did not translate that, so you have a reason to talk to our members of Italian descent and find out who really understands the mother tongue.

The upshot of all this is, apparently, a moratorium on electing Brothers to any leadership roles until we take a look at our Constitutions and revise or amend them accordingly. The Brothers will be meeting soon to discuss this amongst themselves (and they have every reason to feel "verklempt"---go ask a Maryknoller from NYC) and will run their ideas past Fr. Joe Everson, our canon lawyer, to submit these either to ELB or to this blog or to the Food Committee, whichever seems to carry the most weight, authoritatively if not physically.

As it stands, we are a clerical Society of Apostolic Life with auxiliary lay Brothers. Do we need to rethink our identity? (Now THERE'S a project worthy of our Centenary!) Or perhaps a simple sentence or two will suffice, to the effect that "Only a cleric can be elected as major superior and no consultant shall have automatic right of succession." In the event of a "sede vacante" (ask someone ordained before 1965 or after 2005), a clerical member of the General Council will assume responsibility of leadership until another election can take place. Or something.

Perhaps ELB (Extended Leadership Board) later this month will take up the all-important task of discussing vision, directions and priorities. Or perhaps they will simply gather to watch PowerPoint presentations, flip charts and pie graphs of mind-numbing statistics and reports until they run out of time to consult on anything of substance.

Wayne's In!

BR. WAYNE FITZPATRICK'S ELECTION as first consultor to the U.S.
Regional Superior (Fr. Mike Duggan) has been approved by Rome,
according to Super G. Ed Dougherty.

Congratulations (again!) to Wayne. Ballots for the second consultor
will go out immediately. God willing, we'll have the full slate in
place by the time of our regional assembly in May.

Speaking of which, when he was still candidate Duggan last August and
there was a movement afoot to suppress, eliminate and otherwise
abolish the U. S. Region, Mike urged caution. Such a change, he said,
would best be handled by the entire region in person at our next
assembly.

Well, surprise, surprise, now Regional Duggan says there won't be time
for this discussion in May and such a change were best handled by
Chapter.

And around we go.

Sent from my most excellent iPhone

On the feast of Stephen

AT LAST I AM BACK (sort of) from my Christmas hiatus which had me scurrying about the Korean Church in Queens. I am sure all of you had nothing better to do this past week than sit in front of your computers waiting for another Knollnews post. Even now I prepare to go Upstate to celebrate the Third through the Sixth Days of Christmas, but up in the Adirondacks it will be more like Five Dogs a' Barking.

Still, I have been at Mother Knoll long enough to glean a few tidbits here and there. Alas, some are of such a personal, ad hominem nature that, absent a good canon lawyer, or a good cannon for that matter, I would do well to let the proverbial fit hit the shan and simply report on any future public fallout. That comment alone should entice all y'all to check in often. But head's up: I won't be physically back to MK till the 30th, so things I do post I've picked up via email or the all-subversive Facebook pages.

That being said, here are some public bits of knowledge of which you are free to read between the rather spacious lines:

In addition to the bizarre and unfortunate incident during the Midnight (i.e. 10:00 p.m.) Mass at the Vatican in which a deranged woman knocked His Holiness down and sent French Cardinal Roger Etchegaray to the hospital, Cardinal Ivan Dias, our boss in the Vatican, has been in and out of the hospital recovering from an undisclosed illness (at least to me) for the past several weeks.

Subsequently, much of the Super G's official business in his trip to Rome earlier this month has had to be put

in abeyance. (Don't you love that word?) Not the least, and certainly not the last of which is Brother Wayne's

election as First Assistant. U.S. Regional Mike Duggan has had to manage the region by himself until Rome

decides what to do. It hasn't been easy on Wayne, Mike or for that matter Doc. There is a ripple effect

(here are the lines you are supposed to read between) in that Cardinal Dias won't decide on this and

other matters until he feels better, Doc can't act until Dias decides, and Wayne is not the only one whose

future in in the hands of the Cardinal. (Who needs The Young & the Restless when we have

The Old and The Nervous?)

Will Brett and Scarlett make up? Will Tiffany change

her mind and have the baby, even though,

unbeknownst to her, her boyfriend Chad

had a vasectomy last year?

Tune in tomorrow for another episode of

As the Knoll Turns.

Gathering of Centenary Eagles

WITH THE CLOCK TICKING, nine members of the 11-member Centenary Committee finally gathered from around the world to finalize (?) plans for Maryknoll's 100th. The prize for traveling farthest goes to Fr. Jim Kroeger from the Philippines, with Fr. Joyalito Tajonera from Taiwan coming in a close (or is that a distant?) second. Fr. Steve Judd migrated north from Peru; Karibu sana to Fr. Ken Thesing from Africa, but Br. John Beeching stayed behind to escort very ill Fr. Doug Venne back to Bangladesh from Thailand. (Please keep Doug in your prayers.)

Mr. Greg Darr came in from the Chicago Promotion House. Fr. Jack Sullivan is rumored to be around. Mr. Dave Brown (former MKer) also arrived this morning. These will join the Executive Committee: Fr. Bob Jalbert, Ms. Diane Bernadini (Donor Services) and Ms. Bernadette Price (Orbis).

Rumor has it they will find a HUGE folder of proposals awaiting them.

In the meantime, there are somethings that luckily don't require a Committee or C-3 to put into practice. Br. Kevin Dargan and I will proceed with the relatively inexpensive project to post relevant Maryknoll historical dates on the stand outside the foodline. He and I will go through a mission chronicle put together by the late Fr. Larry Vaughan. We hope eventually to have a few anniversary dates posted each week.

In other news, Rev. Mr. Stephen DeMartino, Vocations Coordinator, has taken wing to Jamaica (the one in the Caribbean, not the one in Queens) to reconnoiter Fr. Leo's Shea's mission as the proposed site for next Holy Week's Vocation Discernment Retreat. Four NEW prospects have already signed up. Five men are applying for admission next year.

NEWLY ORDAINED Fr. Stephen Taluja is due in today to celebrate his first Mass at his home parish, Holy Spirit in Cortlandt, this Sunday and meet with Father Superior.

Speaking of whom, Doc was unable to meet with Cardinal Ivan Dias in Rome because the prelate took sick and had to be hospitalized.

Still no word on Br. Wayne's election as First Assistant U.S. Regional.

Awaiting Roman largesse

FATHER GENERAL left for Rome yesterday where he will, among other things, petition the Sacred Congregation for Maintaining Clerical Supremacy At All Times and In All Circumstances to accept the election of Br. Wayne Fitzpatrick as the first consulter to the U.S. regional superior. Just like the first time, Fr. Ed Dougherty expressed optimism that this time things will be different because there is precedent and if there's anything that gives the prelates in Rome warm tingles up their leg it's precedent. Unfortunately there is also a precedent, recently invoked, for giving us and the democratic process the Roman shaft.

Of concern, apparently, is what would happen should newly elected U.S. regional Fr. Mike Duggan be unable for whatever reason to finish his term. It clearly states in our rarely read Constitutions that the first assistant becomes regional, but I'm sure we can work things out so that under no circumstances can Miss Congeniality become Miss America.

Until such time as Rome settles this matter, ballots for the second assistant will not go out. At this rate, the election of the entire regional council could drag on well into the new year, just in time for our regional assembly in May to take up the question of whether we really want or need to be a region at all.

But the Dockster is up to other business in Rome as well and, God willing, Maryknoll's star may yet rise over the Eternal City.