Canadian Catholic TV network interviews CNS Rome bureau chief
Canada’s Salt + Light Television network this month broadcast an interview with the CNS Rome bureau chief, John Thavis, which we highly recommend. Click here to view it online.
Thavis, you may recall, earlier this year won the Catholic Press Association’s St. Francis de Sales Award for his contributions to Catholic journalism. He has been a firsthand and close-up witness to the workings of the Vatican since before the election of Pope John Paul II. One of the best parts of the interview is toward the end when Thavis recalls the electric evening in St. Peter’s Square when Pope John Paul was introduced to the world as well as the pontiff’s 2005 death and funeral and the election of Pope Benedict XVI. In the Salt + Light interview, Thavis also provides keen insights into Benedict’s papacy, insights that he shares regularly with Catholic News Service readers.
Salt + Light Television is itself an interesting story. Canada’s first Catholic television network, Salt + Light broadcasts 24/7 via Canadian cable and satellite TV outlets, and much of its work is also available on the Internet. Its interview with Thavis was part of of an ongoing, in-depth interview series called “Witness” with distinguished leaders both inside and outside the church. Another recent Salt + Light interview was with Philadelphia’s own Cardinal-designate John P. Foley, best-known to many perhaps as the off-camera voice every year of the pope’s Christmas Midnight Mass telecasts. Click here to view that interview, which is also well worth your time.
Rating George Bush; support for Hillary?
National political issues are prominent in the current editions of two national Catholic publications this week. First, Our Sunday Visitor features a column by commentator Russell Shaw that asks how Catholics should rate the presidency of George W. Bush. And the National Catholic Register 
publishes an article by the president of the pro-life Susan B. Anthony List on whether Hillary Clinton can count on women to back her bid to be the first woman president.
Story of the day (so far) …
Today’s stories on the 23 new cardinals named by Pope Benedict XVI include one memorable anecdote: Cardinal-designate John P. Foley was incognito in St. Peter’s Square when his name was called out:
He said a pilgrim standing next to him asked him if he knew any of the men the pope had just named to be cardinal.
“I said ‘Yes, I know quite a few of them.’ And I said ‘I am one of them,’ Well, I don’t think he believed me,” he said laughing.
Click here for the entire story.
Pope’s next encyclical — the real story
At CNS, we’re not above tooting our own horn when we have information no one else has reported. That’s definitely the case today with our story this morning that Pope Benedict XVI’s next encyclical has been completed and that it will be a meditation on Christian hope.
That, of course, contradicts the rumors that the next encyclical would be on economic issues and would declare tax evasion “socially unjust.” But why not? The subject of Pope Benedict’s first encyclical, on Christian love, surprised many observers who thought the former head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith would address more hard-hitting doctrinal issues.
But what about the encyclical on social issues? Our story says that is the topic for the pope’s third encyclical. Stay tuned.
Thanks for the plug!
Nothing like a nice blog plug for a CNS article: In case you missed our story yesterday on what parishes can do to support people with mental illnesses, a “30-something novice sister with the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace” blogs about it and her friendship with one of the experts quoted in the story. Susan Rose Francois, CSJP, calls the article “a good read and a very important issue — for parishioners as well as clergy.” Thanks!
Diocese’s first permanent deacons reach 25-year mark
Members of the first deacon class in the Diocese of Orlando, Fla., were honored for 25 years of service to the church. The Florida Catholic interviewed some of the deacons, who recalled how they were steered toward the diaconate and what they’ve liked about their service.
The tragedy of mountaintop removal
St. Anthony Messenger magazine’s current issue includes a report on how the Catholic Committee of Appalachia is working with interfaith leaders to expose the full cost of coal-generated electricity.
Archdiocesan paper profiles local Catholic radio station
Catholic radio programming has been expanding, as we reported last year, but in the Archdiocese of Portland, Ore., a station that’s been on the air for 18 years is described as one of Portland’s best-kept secrets. The Catholic Sentinel in Portland profiles KBVM Radio and notes that one of its current challenges is reaching out to the Northwest’s growing Hispanic community.