Today, Cardinal William Baum, former Archbishop of Washington, the second in the line of our Archbishops, celebrates a major birthday. 80 years ago he came into our world. Today he achieves the age that automatically excludes him from the casting a ballot for a new pontiff and of holding office in the Holy See.
When not at his apartment in Rome, Cardinal Baum is truly our neighbor. He resides at the Archbishop's residence which is located on Warren Street just off Nebraska Avenue. Fr. Patrick Dempsey who served here for a few months prior to my arrival serves as his secretary along with the long-time but now retired secretary, Msgr. James Gillan.
Somewhere today, either in Rome or DC, no doubt there are a number of glasses being raised to honor this man who has so wonderfully served the church in Catholic Education and the Sacred Penitentiary (no doubt Sue and Lill, winners of the most frequent commentator award, will search the definition of this office) after serving in Washington and prior to that as Bishop in Springfield-Cape Girardeau (IL).
When not at his apartment in Rome, Cardinal Baum is truly our neighbor. He resides at the Archbishop's residence which is located on Warren Street just off Nebraska Avenue. Fr. Patrick Dempsey who served here for a few months prior to my arrival serves as his secretary along with the long-time but now retired secretary, Msgr. James Gillan.
Somewhere today, either in Rome or DC, no doubt there are a number of glasses being raised to honor this man who has so wonderfully served the church in Catholic Education and the Sacred Penitentiary (no doubt Sue and Lill, winners of the most frequent commentator award, will search the definition of this office) after serving in Washington and prior to that as Bishop in Springfield-Cape Girardeau (IL).
