No Respect! No Respect?

CardinalfoleyA few years ago on a Catholic Answers cruise we were joined by Archbishop John P. Foley, head of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications.

He was a riot!

The guy has a very open demeanor and a terrific sense of humor. He talks always had the attendees in stitches.

As the head of a relatively minor dicastery in Rome, the Archbishop described himself atone point as "the Rodney Dangerfield of the Vatican," calling to mind the late commedian’s signature complaint "No respect! No respect!"

But now that’s changed.

B16 has just announced that Archbishop Foley will soon become Cardinal Foley.

John Allen comments:

Benedict XVI also showed his appreciation for loyalty today by at long last naming Archbishop John Foley to the College of Cardinals. Foley served as the President of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications since 1984 until he resigned in June, and during those 23 years, Foley watched eight consistories in which 214 other men became cardinals. Each time he endured speculation about why he had not been inducted into the college with good humor and without complaint. One of the most universally popular figures in the Vatican, it’s not difficult to anticipate that his line of well-wishers during the receptions following the Nov. 24 consistory should be especially long.

MORE ON JOHN FOLEY.

LIST OF ALL THE NEW CARDINALS.

ANALYSIS OF THE PICKS.

MORE ANALYSIS.

Author: Jimmy Akin

Jimmy was born in Texas, grew up nominally Protestant, but at age 20 experienced a profound conversion to Christ. Planning on becoming a Protestant seminary professor, he started an intensive study of the Bible. But the more he immersed himself in Scripture the more he found to support the Catholic faith, and in 1992 he entered the Catholic Church. His conversion story, "A Triumph and a Tragedy," is published in Surprised by Truth. Besides being an author, Jimmy is the Senior Apologist at Catholic Answers, a contributing editor to Catholic Answers Magazine, and a weekly guest on "Catholic Answers Live."

21 thoughts on “No Respect! No Respect?”

  1. Yep, Mrs. Quasimodo and I were on that cruise. Archbishop Foley was wonderful, funny at times – enlightening and insightful at others. He takes himself lightly. congrats

  2. He sounds like quite a character – we need more of those. A very interesting read about him. A slight side-track – how many priests (non-bishop priests) are cardinals?

  3. I was on that cruise, too, and had the privilege of having Archbishop Foley hear my confession. He gave me good advice and great comfort.

  4. Anyone who has watched ceremonies from the Vatican that were narrated by an American with a deep voice and clear enunciation has heard Archbishop Foley. As someone on the cruise remarked, he reminds us that Cath-o-lic is a 3-syllable word.

  5. @Stephen Korsman
    It’s my understanding that under the modern system, any man elevated to the Sacred College receives episcopal ordination prior to actually receiving the red hat.

  6. Episcopal ordination for Cardinal-designates is preferred, but several dispensations have been made. Henri de Lubac and Avery Dulles being two of the most notable.

  10. I remember listening to him hosting the TV coverage of Midnight Mass from the Vatican every Christmas.

  11. I’ve met Archbishop Foley briefly on a couple of occasions. The most memorable was last year when I was in Rome to cover the canonization of Mother Theodore Guerin. (I work as a reporter for a diocesan newspaper.)
    I had to go back to the offices of the Pontifical Council for Social Communication, which are back in Vatican City, in order to get part of my press credentials.
    Well, I got a priest friend of mine to accompany me to it. (I thought it would be good to have someone at my side that the Swiss Guard would have to salute.)
    We first went to a building where there was a receptionist. That person called the offices we were going to in order to let them know we were on our way.
    Well, when we got to the office building (a three-story affair, if memory serves me correctly), I opened up the main door and who was there to greet me but none other than the archbishop himself.
    A very affable man! Congratulations to him!

  13. I believe he was the commentator on EWTN when the announcement was made following the conclave that elected Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger as Pope Benedict XVI. Upon hearing the word “Josephum” by Cardinal Medina, Archbishop Foley exclaimed “YES!”
    But then, my memory may be corrupted. Like a computer that tries to archive too much information.
    Pyro

  14. J.M.J.
    I have known His Eminence since 1993. He is surely a dedicated priest and bishop. His graciousness strikes those who know him. Please join me in praying for him.

  15. I’ve never met the man but I imagine him afterwards standing up and saying, “You love me, you really, really love me”!

  16. Steve,
    Father Neuhaus was the commentator you heard on EWTN. Archbishop Foley’s voice is a little deeper, but they are pretty close come to think of it.

  17. This is not a comment about Archbishop Foley, but rather about the new slate of cardinal electors.
    I can’t for the life of me understand why the Pope picked so many more Europeans. Maybe his brilliance is overrated. There are more Christians in Africa than Muslims, and, as has been noted in the linked analyses, 2/3 of Catholics live in the developing world. Furthermore, the Catholic clergy in places like Africa tend to be thoroughly orthodox, in contrast to the milquetoast dandies throughout the US & Europe. At a time when Latino Catholics are leaving the Church in record numbers, and when Islam is making inroads in Europe, America and even Latin America, the “whitening” of the Catholic hierarchy only serves to reinforce many people’s existing opinion that Christianity – and Catholicism in particular – is “the white man’s religion”. This is especially tragic given the Church’s early history in places like Ethiopia & North Africa which precedes the introduction of Christianity to much of Europe. Jesus was not a European (all the blue-eyed paintings of him notwithstanding).
    It’s not about being “PC”. It’s about effectively witnessing to the world. Sometimes it seems like the Church isn’t even trying. They act like it’s some kind of country club. I don’t get it.

  18. Sven,
    do you think the Church should have cardinals elected by popular majority, distributed by Catholic population?
    Just curious,
    Matt

  19. Matt,
    Should the Church have cardinals elected by popular majority, distributed by Catholic population? Maybe. Early popes were elected by acclimation of the people. That might be better than elevation of one’s cronies like with the Borgheses. I’m not saying the individuals selected this time are without merit. I am saying it can be disheartening to non-white Catholics (which is to say MOST Catholics) that their countrymen seem to be perennially shunted aside.
    I figured it wouldn’t take long for someone here to make some snarky comment about political correctness. I’m surprised you didn’t decry my comments as promoting a form of affirmative action – “Heck – it’s gettin’ so’s a white man can’t hardly even get hisself a job as Pope anymore!”
    Is it really so hard to understand how the never-ending dominance of the church hierarchy by Europeans might be impeding more widespread acceptance of Christianity among non-Europeans? Or do you just want Jesus all to yourself?

  20. Sven,
    I figured it wouldn’t take long for someone here to make some snarky comment about political correctness
    I made no snarky response, although you did. I guess your response to my question didn’t surprise me, or your false accusations against me.
    So basically, you are accusing the Holy Father of at least subconcious racism? Do you assume that he has malice in his choice of cardinals?
    God Bless,
    Matt

Comments are closed.