"Pope bestows pallium on Archbishop Gustavo"

Pope Benedict's cryptic response to Archbishop Gustavo's expressing his own desire for unity:

"San Antonio, Texas, yes!"


Snippets from Catholic News Service's John Thavis' report published in Today's Catholic. Friday, July 15, 2011.


"VATICAN CITY -- Celebrating Mass with archbishops from 25 countries, Pope Benedict reflected on his 60 years as a priest, calling it a demanding and awe - inspiring minstry that brought him closer to God.

"The pope's unusually personal recollection came June 29, the anniversary of his priestly ordination in Bavaria in 1951 and the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul, the patron saints of Rome.

"During the three - hour - long Mass, he gave 41 archbishops the woolen pallium as a sign of their communion with the pope and their pastoral responsibility as shepherds.

"Among them were four prelates from the United States, including Archbishop Gustavo García - Siller, MSpS, of San Antonio, Archbishop José H. Gómez of Los Angeles and one from Canada.

"Archbishop García - Siller said the pope's words rightly underlined the joyful task of building unity in the church, adding, I hope I will be an instrument of the unity that Jesus wanted.

"He said that when the pope laid the pallium on his shoulders, he told the pope of this desire for unity..."

Now, in Archbishop Gustavo's own voice:

"The pope rsponded, 'San Antonio, Texas, yes!'

"Few words but very meaningful..."

Oh, really?

Humm ... Archbishop Gustavo ...?

Your Excellency?

Supposing just maybe the pope was gently warning you, "Beware of letting apostate Christians in roman collars continue to run amok in the pages of your very own newspaper!" (heh, heh, heh!) :)