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At Minnesota Public Radio, a report on efforts by Archbishop John Nienstedt, then the archbishop of St. Paul, and Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, then the nuncio, to frustrate an investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct made against +Nienstedt. The most disturbing allegation, one long rumored but one I could not confirm until now, is that +Vigano ordered church officials to destroy documents. I would remind readers that destroying documents in the midst of an investigation is probably illegal. I would also remind readers that by the time these events occurred, it was obvious to everyone except the nuncio and very few others, that +Nienstedt needed to resign for the good of the Church. And I would remind readers that +Vigano had the nerve to show up at the installation of Archbishop Bernie Hebda as the new archbishop and read the papal bull of appointment! Lastly, I would remind readers of George Weigel's verdict that Vigano was the best nuncio we have ever had.
According to this report at Politico, the GOP delegates are complaining that the Obama years were awful, but not for them, at least not when it came to the economy. I am all for wealthy people showing concern for the less fortunate but this is not how noblesse oblige usually sounds, is it?
Georgetown University's "Religious Freedom Project" announces it is now forming a "Religious Freedom Institute." Perhaps they can explain why Gov. Pence last night did not mention the words "religious liberty"? After his tribute to the 2nd Amendment, he made a vague and passing reference to our "other freedoms" but there was nothing about the "first freedom." Not sure who is funding this or why Georgetown is doing it, but it should be obvious to the leaders of the Church that the Becket Fund, Georgetown Religious Freedom Project crowd, the Knights of Columbus and the USCCB ad hoc committee are, with great effort, ruining their own brand. I am beginning to think that those of us who care about religious freedom should solicit the advice of these groups, and then do the opposite.
E.J. Dionne, in this morning's Washington Post, on the GOP convention. The money quote:
The journey into what once would have been written off as the land of the lunatic fringe explains how Trump has seized control of the GOP and forced traditional Republicans such as Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) and House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (Wis.) to bend to his will. Far from being an intermeddling alien force, Trump represents the true center of gravity in a party that has spent a quarter-century defining itself through extravagant shows of opposition first to the Clinton family and then to Barack Obama.
