happy birthdays

By Diogenes ( articles ) | Nov 23, 2007

Remember the derisive chuckles that greeted a Vatican document that included traffic-safety tips, released in June by the Pontifical Council for Migrants and signed by that group's president, Cardinal Renato Martino?

Do you recall how the same Cardinal Martino expressed sympathy for Saddam Hussein after the Iraqi dictator was captured in December 2003?

Were you edified by his March 2006 statement that Italian schools should provide for Islamic religious instruction, all religious leaders should work together against fundamentalism, whether Muslim or Christian?

Then how about his claim that building a wall on the US-Mexican border would be an inhuman program…

… or his June 2006 announcement that it is morally wrong to detain illegal immigrants?

Still not terribly happy? Then you may be pleased with a document that Cardinal Martino was expected to sign today. Having reached the age of 75, in accordance with current Church policy, the Italian cardinal was required to submit his resignation.

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Also today, Cardinal Angelo Sodano celebrates his 80th birthday, and in theory he should give up his spots on various influential Vatican dicasteries. But since the former Secretary of State took several extra months to move out of his office in the apostolic palace, we're not banking on a quick exit.