Friends of Vatican Library mark 25th with Mass, dinner
Joe Kohn of The Michigan Catholic
Published September 29, 2006
Detroit – The American Friends of the Vatican Library, an organization that raises awareness for and funds aspects of the Vatican's library, is celebrating its 25th anniversary with a Mass and dinner on Oct. 8.
The celebration, at Sacred Heart Major Seminary, will begin with 4 p.m. Mass in the seminary chapel. Vatican Library Archivist Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran will speak at the 6 p.m. dinner about the impact the Vatican Library has had on world religious scholarship.
Friends of the Vatican Library was co-founded in 1981 by two librarians from the Archdiocese of Detroit – Sr. Claudia Carlen, IHM, and Msgr. Francis Canfield.
On a sabbatical to the Vatican, Sr. Carlen noticed that the Vatican Library could use some improvements. Enlisting Msgr. Canfield's help, the two founded a "friends" group similar to groups that fund and promote public libraries in the United States. The group was given the approval of Pope John Paul II on Oct. 9, 1981.
Now, says Msgr. Charles Kosanke, who's been president of the American Friends since 1997, the organization to help the Vatican's libarary has 600 members across 35 states.
Over the past two-and-a-half decades, American Friends has helped improve lighting in the library, add equipment, and computerize the card catalogue. It's also funded studies and scholarly work.
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When: Sunday, Oct. 8
Where: Sacred Heart Major Seminary 2701 Chicago Blvd., Detroit.
Schedule: Begins with 4 p.m. Mass, followed by a reception; dinner at 6 p.m.
Guest: Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, Vatican Library archivist, will be speaking at the dinner.
Cost: $125 per person, $800 per table of 8.
For information: Call Msgr. Charles Kosanke at (248) 683-0311.
Web site: www.afvl.org. | For American Friend's silver jubilee, Msgr. Kosanke said, the group is focusing on the library's importance both in and outside of the Church.
"The library has an impact on Catholics and non-Catholics alike, because even though it's a Church-operated library, it goes beyond philosophy and theology," said Msgr. Kosanke, who also is rector of SS. Cyril and Methodius Seminary in Orchard Lake. "It's really a renaissance library…scholars from all around the world can come and use manuscripts that exist nowhere else."
In fact, the library has 150,000 manuscripts – many of them unique, he added.
Cardinal Tauran's talk, "Contributions of the Vatican Library to Christian, Jewish and Islamic studies: A mission of peace" will address how the library's resources have contributed to understanding among world religions.
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