First thing you should know: it’s Sha-POO (a closer look at Archbishop Chaput)

Deacon's Bench ^ | July 18, 2011 | Deacon Greg Kandra

[NYer]

Not Sha-PUTT, not Sha-POOT. (N.B.: The Philly Inky has it listed as “Sha PEW” in their story…which I guess to them seems more churchy and less naughty.)

Second thing: as of tomorrow, you will be hearing his name a lot.

And here’s why:

Archbishop Charles Chaput of Denver, widely perceived both as a leader of the church’s conservative wing and a tough administrator with a strong work ethic, has been named by Pope Benedict XVI as the new archbishop of Philadelphia.

Sources confirmed the appointment to NCR, which is scheduled to be announced by the Vatican tomorrow. Chaput replaces Cardinal Justin Rigali, 76, who has led the Philadelphia archdiocese since 2003.

Chaput, 66, steps into an archdiocese in turmoil as a result of the sexual abuse crisis.

In February, a grand jury report asserted that 37 Philadelphia priests facing credible charges of sexual abuse remained in ministry in Philadelphia, despite pledges by the U.S. bishops of “zero tolerance.” Rigali immediately suspended three of those priests, then later suspended an additional 21. Rigali also commissioned a former child abuse prosecutor to conduct an investigation, which is on-going.

Also as a result of the grand jury report, a former official of the archdiocese, Monsignor William Lynn, now faces criminal charges — the first instance in the United States of a Catholic official indicted not for committing abuse, but for failing to stop it.

As Philadelphia Catholics get to know their new leader, the overall contrast with Rigali — known as a behind-the-scenes power-broker, who prefers to keep a fairly low public profile — could be jarring.

Far more outspoken, Chaput has emerged over the years as a prominent lightning rod for controversy. He’s seen as a strong voice for doctrinal orthodoxy, and he champions a robust role for people of faith in political life.

Among other battles, Chaput has clashed with pro-choice Catholic politicians, publicly rebuked the University of Notre Dame for awarding an honorary doctorate to President Barack Obama, and has been a strong force in national debates over gay marriage and embryonic stem cell research.

Chaput also has also sternly called Catholics to adhere to church teaching. In a recent address to a group of Catholic social workers, for instance, he insisted that church-affiliated charities “have the duty to faithfully embody Catholic beliefs on marriage, the family, social justice, sexuality, abortion and other important issues.”

Ahead of the 2008 elections, Chaput published a book titled Render unto Caesar, insisting that “people who take God seriously will not remain silent about their faith.” Given that Pennsylvania is a major battleground state in American politics, Chaput’s visibility and influence seems likely to grow.

Read on.

And Elizabeth has some choice thoughts on this Westerner moving East. Yee-haw.

Also: John Allen’s report indicates that Chaput will be installed on September 8th: the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

UPDATE: There seems to be some dispute about how to pronounce the Archbishop’s name. Thomas Peters has posted a video from a couple years back, when he sat down for an interview with the man himself. FWIW, Peters says “Sha-POO.” You can watch the interview below.

[NYer]

However you pronounce it, Chaput should be pictured pushing a large broom.

Congrats to the Archbishop and Philadelphia!

[VermiciousKnid]

In the immortal words of Johnny Carson....

“I did not know that.”

Regards,

[tioga]

I want him here!

[A.A. Cunningham]

Sorry Deacon but in Denver we've been pronouncing it "Sha Pew" since then Father Chaput was pastor of Holy Cross in Thornton, Colorado back in 1977. It's always pronounced "Sha Pew" whenever he's introduced at a Church function in his current Archdiocese.

There is one positive note for Denver with this announcement. Perhaps after Chaput's departure we will finally have our many requests for a weekly Extraordinary Rite Mass added to the schedule at the Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception.

[NYer]

I want him here!

Lol ... we're both too late! Bishop Clark just turned 74 ... one more year to go!!! Ditto for Hubbard. Let's commit ourselves to daily prayers for the Holy Father and two solidly orthodox bishops for Rochester and Albany.

[tioga]

Done!

[Biggirl]

Never knew that. Plus at the same time that the extreme heat that is being felt out west is heading EAST.

[Hieronymus]

Trautperson hit 75 last month—I drove through Erie early on the morning the day before his birthday. Let my people go.

[Brian Kopp DPM]

Perhaps after Chaput's departure we will finally have our many requests for a weekly Extraordinary Rite Mass added to the schedule at the Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception.

Is Archbishop Chaput not supportive of the TLM?

[old and tired]

I've been reading out on the internet about how embattled and spiritually broken the Archdiocese of Philadelphia is. I haven't sensed much anger towards Cardinal Rigali over the grand jury report. There is anger and there are withheld monetary offerings, but it tends to be over the school closings.

The schools may well have needed to close, but several large donors claim they were verbally promised (upon their donations) that the schools would be kept open. That infuriated people.

I know some of the donors. THey're not prone to misinterpreting things or to make things up. I tend to believe them. The promises were not made personally by Cardinal Rigali, but by people who report directly to him. However, he is taking the brunt of the blame here.

Does anyone know Chaput's record with regards to schools?

[marshmallow]

You say Sha-Pew............I say Sha-Poo....... :-)

[old and tired]

I'd like to share a story about Cardinal Rigali and I believe it provides a good contrast for things that are to come.

Holy Redeemer Catholic hospital was doing in vitro fertilizations. We complained, we begged, we pleaded, we protested, we were told to stop creating scandal, and still the Cardinal would not remove the evil practice from the hospital. We thought he was going to do nothing about it.

However, their lease was not renewed and the group no longer practices out of Holy Redeemer.

The Cardinal did not want to take a public stance, and ultimately, he did the right thing. It may even have been the right approach from a long term perspective - particularly in light of all the bad PR the school closings and grand jury report have garnered. However, the thought of those little souls imprisoned in their frozen cells for two long years makes me wonder if he shouldn't have done something more confrontational.

Makes me glad I'm not an Archbishop.

[JerseyHighlander]

Isn't really Cha pō

or Cha p/ō/ ?

Long O, similar to Edgar Allen Poe ?

It better be or I mispronounced my friend's last name for a decade.

http://www.dailywritingtips.com/the-eight-spellings-of-long-o/

[Salvation]

Dhaput will be good for the City of Brotherly Love.

Think back to the dim convention in Denver and how they all hated Chaput because he spoke out against their platform of abortion.

God bless him!

[Salvation]

Chaput will be good for the City of Brotherly Love.

Think back to the dim convention in Denver and how they all hated Chaput because he spoke out against their platform of abortion.

God bless him!

[SuziQ]

Think back to the dim convention in Denver and how they all hated Chaput because he spoke out against their platform of abortion.
God bless him!

Indeed, he will be good for Philly!

How are YOU?

[A.A. Cunningham]

Brian, I'll use Chaput's own words from his interview with John Allen published in NCR today to answer your question:

"As an example, I certainly want to be faithful to the Holy Father and his teaching about the traditional expression of the Roman liturgy in the Tridentine form. I supported that and will continue to support that. It isn't, however, my personal interest or direction."

When an Extraordinary Rite Mass was celebrated in the Cathedral in Denver for the first time in 40 years following the issuance of Summorum Pontificum, Archbishop Chaput was not present. His auxiliary, Bishop James Conley, however, is a proponent of the Extraordinary Rite and if he is chosen to succeed Chaput, which is not guaranteed, I expect the Latin Mass will no longer be the extremely rare exception in Denver.

[Brian Kopp DPM]

Interesting, thanks. Fortunately, the TLM is already well established in some places in Philly, and it won’t have much impact either way out here in western PA.

I sincerely hope Bishop Conley takes over the reins from Archbishop Chaput.

[Brian Kopp DPM]

A good reminder from Rorate-Caeli...

A Bishop who is not open to intellectual prostitution

It is curious to witness, in real time, the "Progressive Catholic" media trying to be "nice" to Archbishop Charles Chaput, new Archbishop of Philadelphia, as if this were going to change him, as if they could buy his conscience - after decades of covering up the lukewarm direction of the Philadelphian Church.

In order that there may be no doubt about the Archbishop's character, how about remembering his words on a most significant event, in all the symbolism it carried with it, of the Catholic Church in America in recent years? This does not look like a bishop whose conscience is for sale. (Emphases added.)

May 18, 2009

Archbishop Chaput on Notre Dame and the issues that remain 

"I have found that even among those who did not go to Notre Dame, even among those who do not share the Catholic faith, there is a special expectation, a special hope, for what Notre Dame can accomplish in the world." ~ Reverend John Jenkins, C.S.C., May 17, 2009

Most graduation speeches are a mix of piety and optimism designed to ease students smoothly into real life. The best have humor. Some genuinely inspire. But only a rare few manage to be pious, optimistic, evasive, sad and damaging all at the same time. Father John Jenkins, C.S.C., Notre Dame’s president, is a man of substantial intellect and ability. This makes his introductory comments to President Obama’s Notre Dame commencement speech on May 17 all the more embarrassing. 

Let’s remember that the debate over President Obama’s appearance at Notre Dame was never about whether he is a good or bad man. The president is clearly a sincere and able man. By his own words, religion has had a major influence in his life. We owe him the respect Scripture calls us to show all public officials. We have a duty to pray for his wisdom and for the success of his service to the common good -- insofar as it is guided by right moral reasoning. 

We also have the duty to oppose him when he’s wrong on foundational issues like abortion, embryonic stem cell research and similar matters. And we also have the duty to avoid prostituting our Catholic identity by appeals to phony dialogue that mask an abdication of our moral witness. Notre Dame did not merely invite the president to speak at its commencement. It also conferred an unnecessary and unearned honorary law degree on a man committed to upholding one of the worst Supreme Court decisions in our nation’s history: Roe v. Wade.

... There was no excuse – none, except intellectual vanity – for the university to persist in its course. And Father Jenkins compounded a bad original decision with evasive and disingenuous explanations to subsequently justify it. ... (Rest of the text: source)

Posted by New Catholic at 7/18/2011 08:13:00 PM