Sweden’s Cardinal Arborelius praises liturgical translation reform

“There are so many different issues and we have to look upon every case as a single, unique case,” said the cardinal. “So it’s very difficult to give general rules.”

“I think if we understand the message of the pope, it means we have to look upon every single case with the eyes of Christ,” he said, asking: ” ‘How would you, Lord, have solved this issue in this case?’

“Of course, we have a lot of help from tradition, from canon law,” said Arborelius. “But it’s a pastoral situation that is also very different and very unique.”

He brought up the work of his canonical tribunals in the context of the demographics of the Catholic Church in Sweden, which includes many converts from other religions and also many Catholic refugees who have been part of the continuing migration from the Middle East into Europe.

In 2015, at the height of the migrant crisis, Swedish authorities said they took in more than 160,000 refugees fleeing from Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq.

Arborelius said his tribunals often encounter cases of converts who had been married before becoming Catholic and wish to have clarity about their first, non-Catholic unions, and also cases of refugees who had arranged marriages in their home countries.

“Half the cases in our tribunals come from people from the Middle East, because many marriages there were arranged between families,” he said. “And when they come to Sweden, the position of the woman is totally different.”

“We live in a very, very mixed situation where there are so many different kinds of cases and problems, that it’s very difficult to give general rules,” he said. “We just have to try to help people to sort things out.”

‘Just listening to people is important’

Arborelius also addressed the reaction to a suggestion he had made in a June NCR interview that Francis consider creating a special advisory body of women akin to the College of Cardinals to offer more opportunity for women’s leadership in the church.

The cardinal said he had received some negative feedback to that idea. “Some women were against it,” he said. “They said, ‘We have to be on the same level.’ “

“Some people say it’s good, but some women say we have to be equal with the men, we have to have a mixed group of people, not only women,” said Arborelius. “It’s a question [to be] discussed.”

Asked about an address Francis gave to new bishops from around the world in September, when the pope told the prelates to listen to laypeople and consult with them in how their dioceses should be run, Arborelius responded: “In our countries, it’s quite natural because we live in a very democratic society and you rely a lot upon the help of laypeople.”

“It’s important to listen to … people,” said the cardinal. “And a lot of my time is to speak with all kinds of laypeople.”

“Of course, I cannot satisfy all their wishes, but just listening to people is important, I think,” he said. “Because so many people feel that there is no one who listens to me. You cannot make them all happy, but you can try to find out what is good.”

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Russian social media exec reached out to Scavino, Trump Jr. during campaign: report

An executive at a Russian social media company reached out to Donald Trump Jr. and another official in President TrumpDonald John TrumpHouse Democrat slams Donald Trump Jr. for ‘serious case of amnesia’ after testimony Skier Lindsey Vonn: I don’t want to represent Trump at Olympics Poll: 4 in 10 Republicans think senior Trump advisers had improper dealings with Russia MORE’s campaign during the 2016 campaign, according to a new report.

The Washington Post reports Konstantin Sidorkov, who works at Russia’s VK social network, emailed Trump Jr. and Trump social media director Dan Scavino in January and November 2016, telling the two men that Trump should create a profile on the Russian social network.

“It will be the top news in Russia,” Sidorkov wrote in a November 2016 email to the two men, according to the report.

The original outreach from VK was reportedly set up by British music publicist Rob Goldstone, who also played a part in setting up a June 2016 meeting at Trump Tower between Trump Jr. and a Russian lawyer promising damaging information on then-Democratic candidate Hillary ClintonHillary Diane Rodham ClintonGrassley blasts Democrats over unwillingness to probe Clinton GOP lawmakers cite new allegations of political bias in FBI Top intel Dem: Trump Jr. refused to answer questions about Trump Tower discussions with father MORE.

According to the Post, Goldstone reached out to Trump Jr. in January 2016 about Trump creating a profile on the Russian social media network.

An attorney for Trump Jr. told the newspaper that he received the email from Goldstone and forwarded it to Scavino.

Scavino replied to Goldstone’s email, telling the publicist to “send me whatever you have.”

“Thank you so much for looking out for Mr. Trump and his presidential campaign,” he wrote, according to the Post.

Trump Jr.’s attorney told the Post that forwarding the email to Scavino was the last VK discussion he recalled.

“He did nothing more with the information and had no recollection of or involvement in any further discussion about the matter,” Alan Futerfas said.

Goldstone later emailed Scavino that his client, Emin Agalarov, wanted to create a promotional page on VK for Trump titled “Vote Trump 2016.”

Sidorkov was set to oversee the page and was copied on the message, according to the Post.

“At the time, Paul had said he would welcome it, and so I had the VK folks mock up a basic sample page, which I am resending for your approval now,” Goldstone wrote, according to the Post. “It would merely require Mr. Trump to drop in a short message to Russian-American voters or a generic message, depending on your choice, and the page can be up and running very quickly.”

A U.S. representative for Agalarov said the page “did not come up” at the June 2016 meeting at Trump Tower.

CNN also reported on the existence of some of the emails Thursday showing Goldstone followed up with Scavino after the meeting.

Trump Jr. on Wednesday declined to tell the House Intelligence Committee details about his conversation with President Trump regarding the meeting, citing client privilege.

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