Real Catholic Blog

I have a confession to make. Last week, when I wrote about iPadre Father Jay Finelli, something didn’t feel right. Not about him. He seems an outstanding priest.

I got the idea about the “iPadre” from I saw something on television a few days before. I caught it in the middle, and didn’t get the whole story, but I did see where this priest was a Apple aficionado and had developed an iPad app for the Roman Missal and used it rather than the actual Missal at Mass.

I heard the reporter use the moniker “iPadre” for him. So, I Googled “iPadre” and only one news article registered, much less any television reports (the one I found was from a local station and buried on his Web site), and that article was from the The Georgia Bulletin (Archdiocese of Atlanta) — strange, since I also thought the iPadre was in Italy. Stranger still since the article was about a priest in Diocese of Providence.

Oh, well, what do I know. The “Heat Index” has hovered around 110 degrees for about two months. Maybe I was suffering from heat fatigue and thought “Italy” because I heard an Italian name, which Father Finelli has. I further researched Father Finelli, found more information, was quite impressed and wrote a blog about him. I’ve heard from some people and have had interesting discussions about the use of technology in bringing the Word to more people.

But something still stuck in me. I’m the type that simply cannot go unfulfilled in the pursuit of a story and my instincts are pretty good. I’m the type that just has to know. I’m not satisfied until I’m satisfied all avenues are exhausted to confirm or deny any hunch I have. Yesterday, I was still thinking about it. Then, it hit me: Although one might think it specific enough, instead of “iPadre,” Google instead, “priest uses iPad at Mass.”

Thank you Saint Anthony! (Don’t laugh, he helped me find deleted blog posts on another blog, once — Google and Yahoo! cache them.) So, today, here’s a post about the real iPadre!

He happens to be Father Paolo Padrini, 36, an Italian priest who consults with the Vatican, (indeed, from Italy) and another Mac head (see boing boing). Now that I know his name, there’s miles of info on him. He created the Roman Missal app for the iPad and it became available for free in July in English, French, Spanish, Italian and Latin. He created it with his own money and mind — the Vatican, though approving, had no role in its initiation or creation. According to Rebecca Boyle at PopSci.com, via the AP, an audio version with suggestions for homilies will be available before too long. But it wasn’t his first Apple app. He also invented an iPhone app called the iBreviary, which contains the book of daily prayers used by priests. More than 200,000 people have downloaded it (AP/PhysOrg.com).

All of this is seen by both the Vatican and Father Padrini, who serves as an advisor, fittingly, to the Vatican on social communication, as a plus, both in reaching young people and logistically for priests, especially for those who travel much. Having the Bible, Missal, Breviary and more at the their finger tips, in one piece of technology, rather than several bound editions, is convenient.

So, we have iPadres on two continents. Doubtless, the American iPadre is one of those 200,000 downloaders. Both priests are doing creative, yet labor intensive, work in the Lord’s vineyard to bring the Faith to more people. It wasn’t by design, but I was happy to learn about both. Confession is, after all, good for the soul.

It looks like U.S. Representative Patrick Kennedy (D-R.I.) is in a bit of a bind. In an attempt to embarrass his bishop last fall — His Excellency Thomas Tobin of the Diocese of Providence, Rhode Island — to cover himself for his shameless advocacy of abortion-on-demand despite his professed Catholicism, he has seen his poll numbers drop. According to one cited on a cable news show last night, it’s down to 37 percent.

Mr. Kennedy has become so weak that the normally deep, deep blue Congressional district he represents is now competitive. Republican State Rep. John Loughlin (EastBayRI.com) now is on the National Republican Congressional Campaign Committee’s “watch list” (Providence Journal Blog) as a possible target race. Not only that, but Representative Kennedy seems to have invited primary opposition (Los Angeles Times) as well.

It’s too early to tell, but maybe Mr. Kennedy will learn a bit of a lesson: Keep private conversations private and learn your Catechism before you do spout off. Perhaps most importantly, despite assertions to the contrary, it’s the Left that uses the Church for political gain; so now, perhaps, he and others  will learn the pitfalls of such cynical ploys that attempt to belittle and demean others and their reputations.

Ever since U.S. Representative Patrick Kennedy (D-R.I.) (see A Catholic View) made public the private discourse between he and Bishop Thomas Tobin, of the Diocese of Providence, R.I., the mainstream media has had a field day, snidely belittling the Bishop and any clergy, for that matter, who stands up against abortion, especially the abortion-on-demand and conscious clause removals from the current health care “reform” legislation now in Congress. One rare fair interview was with Bill O’Reilly on the Fox News Channel (see previous post and video, here).   

Now the media is after Rhode Island Governor Donald Carcieri, a rare New England Republican, because he had the audacity to voice his support for his Bishop rather than his congressman (see LifeSiteNews.com). In a local radio interview Governor Carcieri said (from the Providence Journal):

“I think the Bishop had no choice … because if you go back to how this all started, it was basically Congressman Kennedy making pretty outrageous statements about the Catholic Church” and the church’s position on “protecting the sanctity of innocent human beings. So I think the bishop had no choice except to come back and defend the church, which I think he did very well.” 

Good on the governor! Perhaps more refreshing than the Bishop himself, who does not have a political class to appease, Governor Carcieri had no fear, despite an electorate much to the left of him on this issue. A real profile in courage. It shows that confidence in the courage of one’s convictions, convictions grounded in the Truth, will serve you well in the long run. Even in the short run. (See Deacon Keith Fournier’s commentary at Catholic Online.) So far, there seems to have been no backlash on the governor. Right now, the Bishop and the governor are standing tall.

As almost all Catholic media have, we’ve been tracking the public dispute (first here) between Bishop Thomas J. Tobin of the Diocese of Providence, R.I., and U.S. Representative Patrick Kennedy (then here). Now, NBC10 television in Providence has posted an online poll question asking who the public supports in this debate between two of that state’s most well known public figures. Here’s the question:

Do you agree with Providence Bishop Thomas Tobin that Rep. Patrick Kennedy is “less Catholic” because of his political beliefs?  

As of this post, Bishop Tobin has an almost 2-1 lead. Just goes to show that the Truth always wins. Oh, if only more politicians knew that. To vote, click here. I did. Can you guess which way I voted?

Bishop Thomas Tobin of the Diocese of Providence, R.I., has called one of his flock “irresponsible and ignorant” — and not just any member: U.S. Representative Patrick Kennedy, son of the late U.S. Senator Edward Kennedy (see EWTN).

Bishop Tobin’s comments were in response to the congressman’s allegations that the U.S. Catholic Bishops were fanning “the flames of dissent and discord” because of their principled opposition to the proposed “health care reform” legislation, which will allow the public funding of abortion and strip away conscience protections for medical professionals.

Bishop Tobin issued a statement on the Diocese’s Web site, which read, in part:

Congressman Patrick Kennedy’s statement about the Catholic Church’s position on health care reform is irresponsible and ignorant of the facts. But the Congressman is correct in stating that “he can’t understand.” He got that part right.

As I wrote to Congressman Kennedy and other members of the Rhode Island Congressional Delegation recently, the Bishops of the United States are indeed in favor of comprehensive health care reform and have been for many years. But we are adamantly opposed to health care legislation that threatens the life of unborn children, requires taxpayers to pay for abortion, rations health care, or compromises the conscience of individuals.

While I admire the U.S. bishops for their adamant stand against the monstrosity of a government run and dictated health care system — and Bishop Tobin’s courageous stand against a powerful member of Congress — I have always wondered what, when they advocate for “comprehensive coverage” did they expect, especially from this reckless and leftist crew now running the show in Washington?

I pray this is a wake up call to the bishops. They must now realize that their panacea for each and every social justice cure — exclusive government intervention — only leads to bigger and more grave consequences for society. Unfortunately, the increase in poverty despite the Great Society and its legacy programs, has not opened their eyes. Now, however, maybe they see.