Week 12 Blog

Lawyer’s Blog:

Week 12

In this writing I want to briefly deviate from the weekly reading and elaborate on a news report broadcast today on CNN. http://www.cnn.com/videos/world/2015/03/22/lok-nadeau-pope-naples.cnn.  The news report provided a retrospective update on some of the highlights of the activities of newly presiding Pope Francis during the first year of his tenure. The report reviewed places he travelled within the past year, the meaningfulness of his itinerary and was the media grading his performance as leader of the Catholic Church. Naples, Italy was the backdrop of it all and appears to be where he was credited for challenging the Mafia. I do not remember all the details of the report but there was one thing mentioned which I found to be absolutely baffling. While standing in what appears to be the sanctuary, the Cardinal of Naples displayed and provided to Pope Francis a sacred vessel containing the solidified preserved blood of Saint Gennero. I did some research and discovered Saint Gennero was martyred in 305 A.D. as a consequence of the Diocletianic Persecution which is another story in and of itself. Getting back to what I found so baffling. The report says when the vial of solidified blood was placed into the hands of Pope Francis the blood appeared to suddenly change its state from a solid into a liquefied substance. This sudden transformation of blood was deemed a miracle performed by Pope Francis. If I am not mistaken, it was the Cardinal of Naples who reached this conclusion. In my opinion, I think the Cardinal of Naples was too eager to appease and elevate the status of Pope Francis. So unnecessary; he is already a Pope. How much higher can the brother go?