tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20984074628384139802024-03-12T19:11:59.303-07:00Catholic NewsAn Online News and Current Affairs service for CatholicsAnthony Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10927479707701125028noreply@blogger.comBlogger44125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2098407462838413980.post-3140226027491665742009-02-08T05:55:00.000-08:002009-02-08T05:58:54.420-08:00Catholics: Bury FOCA or pay consequencesCatholics: Bury FOCA or pay consequences<br /><br /><br />February 8, 2009<br />By DAVE GATHMAN dgathman@scn1.com<br /><br />It sounds almost unthinkable: Roman Catholic hospitals like Provena Saint Joseph in Elgin and St. Alexius in Hoffman Estates closing down their obstetrics units completely. Yet that's what Roman Catholic leaders threaten to do if the long-discussed Freedom of Choice Act is passed into law and if -- even Catholic officials admit, a big if -- courts rule that its provisions prevent a hospital OB unit or an obstetrician from refusing to allow abortions.<br /><br />But that's all much ado about nothing, backers of the FOCA respond. For one thing, they point out, no FOCA bill has even been introduced into the current Congress after previous efforts to pass the law in 2004 and 2007 died in committee.<br /><br />Susan Emery, of Prospect Heights, gives her 10-month-old daughter, Anna, a drink while participating in an abortion protest at Route 25 and 68 in 2001. Citizens for a Pro-Life Society conducted its annual Face the Truth Pro-Life Tour by distributing literature to motorists and passersby.<br /><br /><br />For another thing, backers say, the law probably would not require any hospital that felt morally opposed to abortions to start allowing them now.<br /><br />Partly to keep events from coming to such a crisis, Catholic congregations all over the United States are engaging over the past three weeks in a lobbying campaign, trying to persuade Congress not to pass FOCA. The proposed law would codify a woman's right to choose an abortion.<br />Would they close?<br />Would the church's Rockford Diocese, which includes Kane County, or even the U.S. Council of Catholic Bishops, have the power to shut down local obstetrics units if the most-feared ramifications of FOCA became reality?<br /><br />The answer seems to be, "Under the letter of the law, no. But in practice, yes."<br /><br />"Bishop Thomas Paprocki (the auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Chicago) said that if this bill passes, it could mean discontinuing all obstetrics services at Catholic hospitals," Patricia Pitkus Bainbridge, the "respect life director" for the Rockford Diocese, said.<br /><br />"We can't violate our conscience" by allowing abortions in a Catholic hospital, Bainbridge said. "Our teaching is very clear."<br /><br />Neither Provena Saint Joseph nor St. Alexius is directly owned or operated by the mother church. The Elgin hospital is part of the six-hospital Provena Health System and is controlled by three orders of Catholic nuns. The Hoffman Estates hospital is operated by an order of monks, the Alexian Brothers.<br /><br />Bainbridge said it is possible these orders could decide to keep operating a hospital even if it were forced legally to allow abortions -- or to allow other women's reproductive services now banned in Catholic hospitals, such as tubal ligations to render a woman sterile.<br /><br />"But I would be shocked if that happened," she said. "Our teaching on these issues is very clear."<br /><br />Asked for an opinion, Provena's leaders said they agree with a statement made by the nationwide Catholic Health Association that states: "We expect that, even if this bad legislation were to pass, we would not be forced to participate (in abortions), and we would fight for that. But even with strong conscience protection in the legislation, we still oppose the bill."<br /><br />"We will protect Catholic health care in this country without compromising our position on abortion ... As people of faith, the first thing we are called to do is to redouble our efforts to be sure pregnant women do not see abortion as their only option."<br /><br />Those who back FOCA say the fuss is unwarranted.<br /><br />Even if FOCA is passed, "unless they're seeing some kind of language that pro-choice groups aren't seeing, I fail to understand what they're so concerned about," Pam Sutherland, legislative director of Planned Parenthood for Illinois, said. "The only thing this act would do is to codify into law the Roe vs. Wade decision. And under that, Catholic hospitals and doctors have never been required to perform an abortion."<br />Filling the gap<br />If the Catholic OB units would close, would secular hospitals be able to fill the gap?<br /><br />In Elgin, the answer is likely "yes."<br /><br />"That's speculating on a scenario that's not the case yet," Sherman Hospital spokesman Josh McColough said. But Provena Saint Joseph spokeswoman Heather Gates said virtually all of the 12 obstetricians who can deliver babies at Provena also are on the staff at Sherman. The obstetrics departments at both Sherman and Provena are rated as Level II-Plus facilities. And the relative scale of the two operations -- Sherman already delivers about four times as many babies as Provena -- suggest that adding Provena's 25 percent to Sherman's would not create a massive overload.<br /><br />St. Alexius delivers about the same number of babies per year as Sherman, so whether it could pass all that business on to Sherman is less clear. However, because of St. Alexius's location, patients would probably shift to other suburban hospitals as well as to Sherman.<br /><br />At Delnor Hospital in Geneva, spokeswoman Deb Danner said none of Delnor's doctors are also on the staff at either Provena Saint Joseph or Sherman. But "when I asked the head of the department whether we could absorb more delivery patients, she said, 'Bring 'em on,'" Danner said.Anthony Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10927479707701125028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2098407462838413980.post-60665944536553593572009-02-06T17:53:00.001-08:002009-02-06T17:53:33.344-08:00US Bishop Protests Taxes-for-AbortionsUS Bishop Protests Taxes-for-Abortions<br /><br />Urges Congress to Maintain Current Pro-life Laws<br /><br />WASHINGTON, D.C., FEB. 6, 2009 (Zenit.org).- The United States has some "modest, common-sense" policies supported by pro-lifers and abortion advocates, and a U.S. bishops' official is urging Congress to protect them.<br /><br />This appeal came in a Feb. 5 letter written by Cardinal Justin Rigali, chairman of the bishops' Committee for Pro-life Activities.<br /><br />He noted that one of Congress' first orders of business this session is examining appropriations bills to keep federal programs funded, and in this process, the bishop warned against removing anti-abortion clauses.<br /><br />Noting the widespread lack of support for the Freedom of Choice Act, he cautioned: "While an extreme proposal like FOCA would overturn hundreds of pro-life laws at once, we are equally concerned that such laws may be overturned one at a time during Congress' appropriations process."<br /><br />"Lawmakers who disagree about the legal status of abortion have long agreed that Americans should not be forced by government to support or participate in abortion against their will," the cardinal added. "Efforts to coerce consciences in this way violate any possible definition of 'pro-choice,' and undermine our nation’s long tradition of respect for conscience and religious freedom."<br /><br />Making sense<br /><br />Cardinal Rigali went on to list several amendments to protect, legislation with aims ranging from keeping American tax dollars from funding abortions to protecting the rights of conscience for healthcare officials.<br /><br />"These and similar laws have been in effect for many years, no matter which party controlled Congress or the White House, because they are modest, common-sense policies that are widely supported even among people who disagree on the legal status of abortion," the cardinal affirmed. "In a society that often seems torn between the values of 'choice' and 'life,' it is easy to agree that we should honor the consciences of pregnant women and healthcare professionals who want to choose life. <br /><br />"In a society that wants to reduce abortions, it makes no sense for government to force its citizens to fund and promote abortion."Anthony Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10927479707701125028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2098407462838413980.post-1515710793714881142009-02-06T02:18:00.001-08:002009-02-06T02:18:39.411-08:00Scientists find embryo stem cell alternativeScientists find embryo stem cell alternative<br /><br />Posted Tue Feb 3, 2009 8:33am AEDT<br /><br />Scientists in Melbourne have created stem cells lines they say could help them to investigate diseases without destroying human embryos.<br /><br />The human induced pluripotent stem cells are an Australian first.<br /><br />Researchers at the Monash Institute of Medical Research say the breakthrough means Australian scientists can reduce their reliance on cells imported from America and Japan.<br /><br />The pluripotent stem cells are harvested from adult cells, and can be reprogrammed to respond like embryos during testing.<br /><br />Researchers now intend to use the method to study Type 1 diabetes.Anthony Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10927479707701125028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2098407462838413980.post-82362907476766007362009-02-05T14:05:00.000-08:002009-02-05T14:06:31.708-08:00Adoption rates plummet: reportA baby holds a finger of an adult<br /><br />Adoption rates down: Most babies adopted in Australia now come from overseas countries (www.sxc.hu: Jeremy Brown)<br /><br />There has been a dramatic decline in the number of adoptions in Australia over the past few decades, according to a new report by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.<br /><br />Adoptions have fallen from an annual peak of nearly 10,000 in the early 1970s to fewer than 600 in recent years.<br /><br />In the 2007-08 financial year there were just 440 adoptions.<br /><br />The report says the decline is due to a fall in the number of Australian children available for adoption.<br /><br />The majority of children who are now adopted come from overseas, with China, South Korea and the Philippines being the most popular countries.<br /><br />Report author Nicole Hunter says nearly all local and overseas adoptions were of children aged under five.<br /><br />"What we've seen is inter-country adoption, which is where children are adopted from overseas, has emerged as the most common type of adoption in Australia," she said.<br /><br />"In the 2007-08 financial year we found that 61 per cent of all children adopted in Australia were born overseas, and this is a substantial increase from 6 per cent 25 years ago."<br /><br />Most 'known' adoptions, usually by step-parents or carers, were of children older than 10.<br /><br />More than three quarters of local adoption agreements last year allowed for some form of contact with the biological parents.<br /><br />Ms Hunter says a number of factors have lead to the lower numbers of Australian children available for adoption.<br /><br />"There's been a range of broader social trends such as medical social and legislative factors that have contributed to the trend of decreasing numbers of Australian children being adopted," she said.<br /><br />"Things like more effective birth control and the emergence of family planning centres and sex education classes."Anthony Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10927479707701125028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2098407462838413980.post-87894935078970572942009-02-04T14:01:00.000-08:002009-02-04T14:02:45.575-08:00Vatican: Bishop's Holocaust statements 'strongly rejected' by popeBy John Thavis<br />Catholic News Service<br /><br />VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The Vatican said a traditionalist bishop who has minimized the full extent of the Holocaust must disavow his positions before he will be accepted into full communion with the church.<br /><br />A Vatican statement Feb. 4 said Pope Benedict XVI did not know about the controversial statements by British-born Bishop Richard Williamson when he lifted the excommunication of him and three other traditionalist bishops ordained illicitly in 1988.<br /><br />"The positions of Bishop Williamson on the Holocaust are absolutely unacceptable and are strongly rejected by the Holy Father," the statement said.<br /><br />In order to function as a bishop, Bishop Williamson must distance himself from his previous statements in "an absolutely unequivocal and public manner," the Vatican said.<br /><br />In a statement meant to deflect the increasing public outcry over the papal decree lifting the excommunication, the Vatican said the decree did not change the juridical status of the traditionalist Society of St. Pius X, which still has no canonical recognition in the Catholic Church.<br /><br />The society was founded by French Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre, who also incurred automatic excommunication when he ordained the four bishops against papal orders. The society has not accepted the liturgical reforms of the Second Vatican Council and its concepts of religious freedom and ecumenism.<br /><br />The statement from the Secretariat of State said the society would have to recognize the teachings of Vatican II and of post-conciliar popes to be in full communion.<br /><br />It said the four bishops at present do not have a canonical function in the church and "do not licitly exercise a ministry in the church."<br /><br />The Vatican has emphasized that even after the removal of the excommunications remaining problems need to be resolved before full communion can be established with the society's leadership and members.<br /><br />The Secretariat of State statement -- like a statement the previous day from the Vatican press spokesman, Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi -- reiterated the German-born pope's remarks at his Jan. 28 audience, in which he recalled the suffering of Jews during World War II and said the Holocaust should stand as a "warning to everyone against forgetting, denying or minimizing" evil.<br /><br />Father Lombardi said the pope's words at the general audience were "unequivocal."<br /><br />The spokesman said the pope had spoken about the horror of the Holocaust in his 2005 visit to a German synagogue and in his 2006 visit to the Nazi death camp at Auschwitz. He said the papal statement at the Jan. 28 audience "could not have been clearer, and from the context it is apparent that it referred to the positions of Bishop Williamson and to all similar positions."<br /><br />"On the same occasion, the pope also clearly expressed the reason for removing the excommunication, which has nothing to do with legitimizing positions denying the Holocaust -- positions which were clearly condemned by the pope," the spokesman said.<br /><br />Father Lombardi's statement was released by the Vatican press office late the same day that German Chancellor Angela Merkel said the pope and the Vatican needed to make clear there could be no denial of the Holocaust.<br /><br />At a news conference in Berlin Feb. 3, Merkel said she normally did not comment on church matters "but we are talking about fundamental questions."<br /><br />"This is not just a matter, in my opinion, for the Christian, Catholic and Jewish communities in Germany, but the pope and the Vatican should clarify unambiguously that there can be no denial" of the Holocaust, she said.<br /><br />On Jan. 21, the same day the pope lifted the excommunication, a Swedish television station aired a November interview with Bishop Williamson in which he repeated his position that the Holocaust had been exaggerated.<br /><br />The papal decree lifting the excommunication was made public Jan. 24 and Jewish groups -- especially in Germany, the U.S. and Israel --expressed shock that the Vatican would lift the excommunication against Bishop Williamson even after his comments had been televised.<br /><br />German Cardinal Walter Kasper, who coordinates the Vatican's dialogue with the Jews, said the controversy was fueled in part by a lack of communication within the Vatican and by "management errors in the Curia."<br /><br />Cardinal Kasper said he has been following the unfolding controversy "with great concern."<br /><br />He said the pope "wanted to open the discussion because he wanted unity inside and outside" the church. But the cardinal said he "would have also liked to see more communication in advance."<br /><br />ENDAnthony Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10927479707701125028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2098407462838413980.post-89357673737311907612009-01-28T04:20:00.001-08:002009-01-28T04:20:22.231-08:00Holocaust-Denying Bishop SilencedBishop Fellay Apologizes on Behalf of Pius X Society<br /><br />MENZINGEN, Switzerland, JAN. 27, 2009 (Zenit.org).- Bishop Bernard Fellay, superior-general of the Society of St. Pius X, publicly apologized for statements regarding the Holocaust made by one of the society's bishops, and reported that the prelate has been forbidden to speak further on the issue.<br />Bishop Richard Williamson, in an interview taped in November, but aired last Wednesday on Swedish television, claimed that historical evidence denies the gassing of Jews in Nazi concentration camps.<br /><br />Days later Benedict XVI lifted the excommunication of Bishop Williamson, along with Bishop Fellay and two others, who were ordained bishops by Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre in 1988 without papal permission. The act was to be a step toward healing the division between the society and the Vatican that resulted from the ordinations.<br /><br />"It is evident that a Catholic bishop cannot speak with ecclesial authority if it is not a question of faith and morals," said Bishop Fellay. "Our fraternity does not claim any authority over other questions."<br /><br />"With great sadness we acknowledge the extent to which the violation of this mandate has damaged our mission," he continued. "The statements of Bishop Williamson do not reflect in any way the position of our society."<br /><br />Bishop Fellay said that until further notice Bishop Williamson has been prohibited from speaking on these matters.<br /><br />The superior-general asked "for the forgiveness of the Supreme Pontiff, and of all people of good will, for the dramatic consequences of this act," which said were "not acceptable."Anthony Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10927479707701125028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2098407462838413980.post-53369659470102368362009-01-26T00:14:00.000-08:002009-01-26T00:19:02.820-08:00Vatican Voice calls foul on Obama<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_D63Dn2ySepA/SX1x3PGwG6I/AAAAAAAAACA/rbgIPdmS6iM/s1600-h/fisichella.jpeg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 103px; height: 115px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_D63Dn2ySepA/SX1x3PGwG6I/AAAAAAAAACA/rbgIPdmS6iM/s320/fisichella.jpeg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5295513930619165602" /></a><br /><br /><br />A senior Vatican official on Saturday attacked US President Barack Obama for "arrogance" for overturning a ban on state funding for family-planning groups that carry out or facilitate abortions overseas.<br /><br />It is "the arrogance of someone who believes they are right, in signing a decree which will open the door to abortion and thus to the destruction of human life," Archbishop Rino Fisichella was quoted as saying by the Corriere della Sera daily.<br /><br />Fisichella is president of the Pontifical Academy for Life, one of a number of so-called pontifical academies which are formed by or under the direction of the Holy See.<br /><br />"What is important is to know how to listen... without locking oneself into ideological visions with the arrogance of a person who, having the power, thinks they can decide on life and death," he added.<br /><br />Obama signed the executive order cancelling the eight-year-old restrictions on Friday, the third full day of his presidency.<br /><br />The so-called "global gag rule" cut off US funding to overseas family planning clinics which provide any abortion services whatsoever, from the operation itself to counselling, referrals or post-abortion services.<br /><br />"If this is one of the first acts of President Obama, with all due respect, it seems to me that the path towards disappointment will have been very short," Fisichella said.<br /><br />"I do not believe that those who voted for him took into consideration ethical themes, which were astutely left aside during the election debate. The majority of the American population does not take the same position as the president and his team," he added.<br /><br />The order won Obama praise from Democratic lawmakers, family planning and women's rights groups but drew angry condemnation from pro-life organisations and Republicans.<br /><br />More than 250 health and human rights organisations from around the world sent Obama a letter, thanking him for ending a policy "which has contributed to the deaths and injuries of countless women and girls."Anthony Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10927479707701125028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2098407462838413980.post-69476737299790915452009-01-18T15:50:00.000-08:002009-01-18T15:51:08.319-08:00PromiscuityLifeSiteNews.com reported on August 15, 2008:<br /><br /> A priest of Westminster, the leading diocese of the Catholic Church of England and Wales, has written that promiscuity, whether homosexual or heterosexual, can lead to dire spiritual consequences, in addition to the dangers to physical health.<br /><br /> Promiscuity, as well as homosexuality and pornography, says 73 year-old Fr. Jeremy Davies, is a form of sexual perversion and can lead to demonic possession. Offering what may be an explanation for the explosion of homosexuality in recent years, Fr. Davies said, "Among the causes of homosexuality is a contagious demonic factor."<br /><br /> Fr. Davies continues: "Even heterosexual promiscuity is a perversion; and intercourse, which belongs in the sanctuary of married love, can become a pathway not only for disease but also for evil spirits."<br /><br /> "Some very unpleasant things must be mentioned because young people, especially, are vulnerable and we must do what we can to protect and warn them," he told the Catholic Herald.<br /><br /> He also said that Satan is responsible for having blinded most secular humanists to the "dehumanising effects of contraception and abortion and IVF, of homosexual 'marriages', of human cloning and the vivisection of human embryos in scientific research." Extreme secular humanism, "atheist scientism", is comparable to "rational satanism" and these are leading Europe into a dangerous state of apostasy. "Only by a genuine personal decision for Christ and the Church can someone separate himself from it."<br /><br /> Fr. Davies' (an Oxford graduate who is also a qualified physician) comments come in conjunction with the publication of his new book, entitled, "Exorcism: Understanding Exorcism in Scripture and Practice" published earlier this year by the Catholic Truth Society (CTS).<br /><br /> In the Catholic Church, exorcisms can only be performed by a priest who has the "express" permission of his bishop. According to the Code of Canon Law, only experienced priests can be chosen who exhibit, "piety, knowledge, prudence, and integrity of life." Before the official rite of exorcism is used, the subject must also be examined thoroughly by doctors and psychiatrists to rule out any non-spiritual causes of his difficulties and physicians are often asked to assist during the course of an exorcism.<br /><br /> Fr. Davies also warns in his book against so-called New Age and occult practices, as well as trendy exercise and "spiritual healing" regimens derived from eastern religions.<br /><br /> "The thin end of the wedge (soft drugs, yoga for relaxation, horoscopes just for fun and so on) is more dangerous than the thick end because it is more deceptive - an evil spirit tries to make his entry as unobtrusively as possible."<br /><br /> "Beware of any claim to mediate beneficial energies (eg. reiki), any courses that promise the peace that Christ promises (eg. enneagrams), any alternative therapy with its roots in eastern religion (e.g. acupuncture)." Needless to say, overtly occult activities such as séances and witchcraft are "direct invitations to the Devil which he readily accepts."<br /><br /> Fr. Davies was appointed exorcist of the Westminster Archdiocese in 1986 after a four month training period in Rome. In 1993 he co-founded, with Italy's Father Gabriele Amorth, the International Association of Exorcists which now has hundreds of members worldwide. In 2000, Fr. Davies told the Independent newspaper that incidents of demonic possession are rising dramatically along with the increase of New Age beliefs and practices, ignorance of the Bible and a growth in spiritual confusion.<br /><br /> "At the centre of this is man's ever-growing pride and attempted self-reliance. Man trying to build a better world without God - another Tower of Babel," he said. In 2005, the Vatican recently made headlines around the world by publicly announcing the launch of a course on exorcism for priests<br /><br /> The Church's writings on exorcism and demonic possession say that a person can be influenced or even possessed by demonic forces when they are "hardened" in serious sin and the Church specifies that these include people who are involved in heavy drug use, violence and sexual perversions. It is also noted that the "heinous crime" of abortion exacerbates these. Italian exorcist Fr. Gabriel Amorth writes that it is particularly difficult to liberate a victim who is guilty of abortion, and that this can take a "very long time".Anthony Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10927479707701125028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2098407462838413980.post-22404554352619945072008-12-27T15:14:00.001-08:002008-12-27T15:14:46.371-08:00President congratulates Pope, Catholics on ChristmasPresident congratulates Pope, Catholics on Christmas<br /><br />TEHRAN (IRNA) -- President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in a message congratulated Pope Benedict XVI, leader of Catholics throughout the world and followers of Jesus Christ on Christmas.<br /><br />The full text of the message is as follows: “In the Name of God the Compassionate, the Merciful I congratulate Your Excellency and followers of the the prophet on birth anniversary of Jesus Christ, messenger of kindness, peace and friendship, as well as the new Gregorian year.”<br /><br />“Today humanity is tired of war, bloodshed, tension, discrimination and deception. Current challenges and incidents have distanced humanity from its originality and trapped it in a deceptive mirage, which cannot be solved except by returning to God and further attention to divine messengers’ teachings.<br /><br />“I hope that human being will be blessed with God’s graces and a world full of beauties will be established.<br /><br />“Such significant issues will not be possible except through unity among the monotheists and paving the ways for reappearance of Imam Mahdi (May God hasten his reappearance).<br /><br />“I wish blessings, happiness and health for the Pope and world Christians.”Anthony Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10927479707701125028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2098407462838413980.post-55019662329762157932008-12-26T12:45:00.001-08:002008-12-26T12:45:55.477-08:00Pre-Orders Open for Pope's 3rd EncyclicalPre-Orders Open for Pope's 3rd Encyclical<br /><br />NEW YORK, DEC. 24, 2008 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI's third encyclical -- rumored to have the title "Caritas in Veritate" -- is already on pre-sale at various online book stores, including Amazon and Ignatius Press.<br /><br />Though vendors are previewing an April '09 publication date, when Cardinal Renato Martino, president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, spoke of the encyclical this month, he was no more specific than "the beginning of next year."<br /><br />The encyclical is expected to treat issues of social doctrine. And the Holy Father's message for the World Day of Peace on Jan. 1 was said to preview some of the main points the Pope will develop in the encyclical.<br /><br />In July, Benedict XVI's secretary of state, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, said the encyclical "comes and goes from the Pope's desk, because he doesn't want to repeat common concepts of the Church's social doctrine, but wants to offer something original, according to the challenges of today."Anthony Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10927479707701125028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2098407462838413980.post-41953465685845472272008-12-24T15:55:00.000-08:002008-12-24T15:58:15.884-08:00Pope calls for sense on gendersGay rights groups and activists yesterday condemned passages in Pope Benedict XVI's end-of-year address in which the pontiff spoke about gender and the important distinction between men and women.<br /><br />Speaking to the Curia, the Vatican's central administration, the pope said that the church viewed the distinction as central to human nature, and "asks that this order, set down by creation, be respected". The church, he said, "should protect man from the destruction of himself". He said a sort of ecology of man was needed, adding: "The tropical forests do deserve our protection; but man, as a creature, does not deserve any less." He attacked what he described as "gender" theories which "lead towards the self-emancipation of man from creation and the creator".<br /><br />Father Federico Lombardi, a Vatican spokesman, claimed the pope had not wished specifically to attack homosexuality, and had not mentioned gays or lesbians in his text. Nevertheless, the speech provoked anger from campaigners, who interpreted the remarks as a papal call to save mankind from homosexuals and transsexuals.<br /><br />"What keeps the pope awake at night is the idea that human beings might be able to seek out their own sexual identity to have a happy life," said Franco Grillini, of the Italian association Gaynet. "The speech has no scientific basis," said Aurelio Mancuso, head of Arcigay. "A divine programme for men and women is out of line with nature, where the roles are not so clear."<br />Riazat Butt on reaction to the pope's speech Link to this audio<br /><br />Although Catholic doctrine is that homosexuality is not a sin, the church does condemn homosexual acts and the former Joseph Ratzinger stated in 1986 before he became pope that homosexuality "is a more or less strong tendency ordered toward an intrinsic moral evil; and thus the inclination itself must be seen as an objective disorder".<br /><br />Father Lombardi insisted, however, that there had been an overreaction to the pope's remarks. "He was speaking more generally about gender theories which overlook the fundamental difference in creation between men and women and focus instead on cultural conditioning."<br /><br />Italian newspapers widely interpreted the speech as a specific attack on sex change operations. "I would like an audience with the pope and other transgenders in order to get to know each other," said Vladimir Luxuria, a transsexual former member of the Italian parliament. "We do not want to be transgressive or provoke, we only want to pursue our own nature."<br /><br />Benedict's main target appeared to be same-sex marriages. He claimed that lifelong wedlock between a man and a woman was like "the sacrament of creation".<br /><br />Mike Egan, chair of the UK-based Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement, said the pope's position on homosexuality was a mistake. "There are much greater threats to marriage and family life. There are bishops and clergy who think the official line on homosexuality is not true and the more official pronouncements, the deeper the hole the church is digging. I would say to gay Catholics, the man is right on lots of other things and hang on in there."<br /><br />Catholic bishops in England and Wales are encouraging a more pastoral approach. Last month they issued a leaflet - entitled What is life like if you or someone in your family is gay or lesbian in their sexual orientation? ... and what can your parish family do to make a difference? - urging clergy and parishioners to welcome gay men and lesbians. "As a group that has suffered more than its share of oppression, the homosexual community has a particular claim on the concern of the church," it said. The leaflet cited comments received during a survey suggesting the church acknowledged it may have played a role in victimising and marginalising gay Catholics. These included: "The continual message from the church is that homosexuality is so, so dreadful. Our gay son just hasn't stood a chance."Anthony Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10927479707701125028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2098407462838413980.post-87544214328168668722008-12-21T00:23:00.000-08:002008-12-21T00:24:45.558-08:00Somali fighters destroying shrinesSomali fighters destroying shrines<br /><br />Somali fighters used hammers to destroy the graves of clerics and other prominent people in Kismayo<br />Al-Shabab, an armed group fighting transitional government and Ethiopian forces in Somalia, is desecrating religious shrines in the south of the country, Al Jazeera has learned.<br /><br />The ancient graves of clerics and other prominent people are among holy sites being targeted by the armed group in the port city of Kismayo.<br /><br />Al-Shabab took control of Somalia's third-largest city about four months ago and quickly announced it would not tolerate anything it deemed un-Islamic.<br /><br />Al Jazeera correspondent Mohammed Adow said Kismayo's Roman Catholic church was torn down just days after they seized power through bloody fighting.<br /><br />"The 60-year-old church had not been used for nearly 20 years and not a single Christian lives in the city - but that was not a good enough reason for the militias to spare the building, he said."<br /><br />"They are planning to replace it with a mosque."<br /><br />Graves targeted<br /><br />The fighters then turned their hammers on graves, some of which contained the remains of followers of Sufi, a mystical form of Islam.<br /><br />The sites have been revered for decades and are regularly visited by people paying homage to the dead, a practice al-Shabab has condemned as being akin to idolatry.<br /><br />"We are a chosen lot by Allah to try and correct the mystics of the people and guide them," Hassan Yaqub, a spokesman for the Kismayo administration, told Al Jazeera.<br /><br />"We have a responsibility to the people to guard the people against all evil deeds."<br /><br />In Marka, another coastal town in the south of the country, Al Jazeera witnessed the public implementation of Sharia, or Islamic law. <br /><br />Three men accused of smoking hashish were given a public flogging before the al-Shabab fighters set fire to the drugs that were purportedly found when the men were arrested. <br /><br />Such practices have become more frequent as al-Shabab has increased its influence across southern and central Somalia, taking back many of the areas which were formerly controlled by the Islamic Courts Union until late 2006.<br /><br />In October, a 13-year-old girl was reportedly stoned to death in Kismayo after she was found guilty of adultery.<br /><br />The UN later said that she had been raped.<br /><br />Last month, 32 people were whipped for taking part in a traditional dance in the town of Balad, about 30km north of the capital Mogadishu.<br /><br />Public support<br /><br />The crowds which were made to witness the flogging in Marka appeared to be overwhelmingly supportive of the new measures being taken by the new Islamist authorities. <br /><br />"We support their efforts 100 per cent. The establishment of Sharia is a source of joy for us all," one resident told Al Jazeera.<br /><br />Another said: "We are happy with the Islamists, we now have peace and the criminals have nowhere to hide."<br /><br />Somalia has had no effective government since a coup removed Siad Barre from power in 1991, leading to an almost total breakdown in law and order.<br /><br />The only relative stability areas of the country have enjoyed in recent years was during the short period of rule by the Islamic Courts Union in 2006.<br /><br />"For the Somali people the choice is really a very difficult one ... which one would they want to live with, a strict sharia or a situation with no security," Billow Kerrow, a Kenya-based regional analyst, told Al Jazeera.<br /><br />"I think in the beginning they might find it easier to implement a very strict code of Islam, but as the government responsibilities start setting in the challenges will be enormous ... to try and practice a system which will be accommodating to all."Anthony Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10927479707701125028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2098407462838413980.post-1571660511219803842008-12-18T20:43:00.000-08:002008-12-18T20:44:06.965-08:00Holy See-Israel Panel Bump Up Plenary to AprilHoly See-Israel Panel Bump Up Plenary to April<br /><br />Ahead of Possible Papal Visit to Nation in May<br /><br />By Jesús Colina<br /><br />JERUSALEM, DEC. 18, 2008 (Zenit.org).- After 15 years, negotiations between the Holy See and Israel are picking up steam just as a possible visit of Benedict XVI to the Holy Land appears to be just months away.<br /><br />A statement released today at the end of a meeting of Bilateral Permanent Working Commission between the State of Israel and the Holy See announced it would bump up the next plenary session from June to April, and that it will hold four meetings in three months for the working-level commission: Jan. 15, Feb. 18, March 5 and March 26.<br /><br />Since signing the Fundamental Agreement in 1993, which established diplomatic relations between the Holy See and Israel, the two sides have been negotiating the particulars of tax exemptions and property rights for the Church, in particular for the holy sites. Talks have crawled along at best, and stopped altogether in 2003 for several years. <br /><br />They began again in 2005, but never with the current intensity.<br /><br />With these meetings, the statement explained, both delegations want to show their willingness to "accelerate the talks and conclude the agreement at the earliest opportunity." The statement also underlined "an atmosphere of great cordiality and good will."<br /><br />While officially, the negotiations have nothing to do with Benedict XVI's visit to Israel, sources in the Vatican explained to ZENIT that Israel is interested in the good image the Pope's visit can give to the nation, and the Church is interested in consolidating its presence in the Holy Land.<br /><br />No official announcement from the Vatican has been made regarding the Pope's visit, but the mayor of Bethlehem, Victor Batarseh, announced Wednesday that the Holy Father will visit the Holy Land in May.<br /><br />The announcement confirmed reports this week by Italian newspaper Il Foglio that the papal visit would take place in May, with the Pope visiting Jordan, Israel and the territories of the Palestinian National Authority<br /><br />The Israeli government remains silent on the issue, but last week a Vatican delegation was received by President Shimon Peres to analyze a possible visit.Anthony Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10927479707701125028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2098407462838413980.post-88915427302371943772008-12-17T18:08:00.001-08:002008-12-17T18:08:32.089-08:00Malaysia denies any plan to close Catholic paperMalaysia denies any plan to close Catholic paper<br /><br />By JULIA ZAPPEI – 16 hours ago<br /><br />KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — Malaysia's Muslim-majority government denied any plan Wednesday to shut down a Catholic newspaper accused of flouting publication rules by running articles deemed political and insulting to Islam.<br /><br />The Herald, the main Roman Catholic weekly in Malaysia, has received warnings over the past year that it could lose its publishing license, which expires Dec. 31. All Malaysian publications must renew their government license every year.<br /><br />The Rev. Lawrence Andrew, editor of the Herald, said the Home Ministry has not renewed the paper's license even though it submitted an application months ago, while in past years a license was typically issued far in advance.<br /><br />"If they want to delay it like that, it doesn't give me any indication that it (the license renewal) will happen," Andrew said in a telephone interview.<br /><br />Che Din Yusoh, an official with the Home Ministry's publishing unit, however, said officials were merely bogged down with a large number of license applications.<br /><br />"We will issue it by the end of the month," he told The Associated Press. "There is nothing to worry about."<br /><br />The Home Ministry sent a letter to the Herald's publishers earlier this year warning that the newspaper had "committed offenses" by highlighting Malaysian politics and current affairs instead of Christian issues for which it has been given a license.<br /><br />The ministry also accused the Herald of carrying an article that "could threaten public peace and national security" because it allegedly "denigrated Islamic teachings."<br /><br />The Herald has said, however, the article titled "America and Jihad — Where do they stand?" was not meant to insult Islam but was an analysis of circumstances following the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks in the United States.<br /><br />The publication is also currently embroiled in a court dispute with the government over a ban on the use of the word "Allah" as a Malay-language translation for "God." The Herald has sought a court order to challenge the government's ban on its use of the word. Hearings have not begun.<br /><br />The government has said the use of the word could confuse Muslims, while the Herald insists "Allah" has been used for centuries to mean "God" in Malay.<br /><br />The Herald's problems underscore the tenuous position of minority religions amid a recent string of interfaith disputes. Many Christians, Buddhists and Hindus fear their rights are being undermined by government efforts to bolster the status of Islam, Malaysia's official religion.<br /><br />Ethnic Malay Muslims make up nearly two-thirds of Malaysia's 27 million people. Dissatisfaction among minorities over the demolition of Hindu temples, court rulings about the right to leave Islam and other religious disputes contributed to the government's poor performance in March elections.Anthony Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10927479707701125028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2098407462838413980.post-81915797944659005262008-12-14T12:24:00.000-08:002008-12-14T12:25:09.545-08:00Avery Dulles, 90; Prominent Catholic Cardinal, Theologian dies.Avery Dulles, 90; Prominent Catholic Cardinal, Theologian<br /><br />By Michelle Boorstein<br />Washington Post Staff Writer<br />Sunday, December 14, 2008; C08<br /><br />Cardinal Avery Dulles, 90, a former professor at Catholic University who was born into a family of elite Protestant diplomats and became one of the country's most prominent Catholic theologians, died Dec. 12 at an infirmary at Fordham University in New York. Stricken with polio when young, he had post-polio syndrome, which led to progressive muscular and pulmonary deterioration.<br /><br />Cardinal Dulles, who was appointed to the College of Cardinals by Pope John Paul II in 2001, was the first academic to be named to the Catholic Church's highest advisory council, as well as the first who had never served as a bishop.<br /><br />Cardinal Dulles, a very tall and thin figure, was known for his unusual spiritual journey and came to be considered a calm statesman of Catholicism during a time of great turmoil.<br /><br />Through more than 20 books and 800 articles, he articulated a conservative if tolerant case for Catholicism and the church's positions on contraception, sexuality, the role of women and clergy sex abuse. He served as a bridge between the Vatican and the more liberal American Catholic dissidents after the Second Vatican Council of the 1960s. In his later years, he was seen more as an advocate of orthodoxy and said church sanctions against priests charged in sex abuse scandals were too extreme.<br /><br />He was the son of former secretary of state John Foster Dulles, who served under President Dwight D. Eisenhower. His uncle, Allen Dulles, was CIA director from 1953 to 1961.<br /><br />Cardinal Dulles wrote and spoke often of his conversion to Catholicism, a faith still looked at skeptically by many Protestants in 1940, when he joined the church. Among the skeptics was his father, who was initially embarrassed about his son's religious path but later reconciled with him.<br /><br />Avery Robert Dulles was born Aug. 24, 1918, in Auburn, N.Y., and grew up in a patrician Presbyterian family. His grandfather was a Presbyterian minister, and a great-grandfather and great-uncle had both served as secretaries of state.<br /><br />Cardinal Dulles, who wrote about his spiritual journey in his autobiographical "A Testimonial to Grace" (1946), considered himself an agnostic when he entered Harvard College in the 1930s. He was drawn to Catholicism by his readings of the poet Dante Alighieri and the Catholic philosopher Saint Thomas Aquinas. The concept of objective moral standards appealed to him, but his spiritual quest was crystallized during a walk in Cambridge, Mass., when he looked at nature and began to see a governing purpose to the world.<br /><br />"It was a matter of becoming aware of this reality behind everything that existed," he said in a 2001 interview in the New York Times Magazine. "That evening when I got back to my room, I think I prayed for the first time."<br /><br />After graduating from Harvard in 1940, he served in the Navy during World War II and attended Harvard Law School for a few semesters before entering the Society of Jesus in 1946. He was ordained a Jesuit priest in 1956.<br /><br />He received a doctorate in theology in 1960 from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome and taught at Woodstock College, a now-closed seminary in Maryland, from 1960 to 1974. He was a theology professor at Catholic University from 1974 to 1988.<br /><br />He wrote and lectured on many topics relating to Catholicism, with a specialty in ecclesiology, or the mission of the church in the world. Through his teaching and writing, Cardinal Dulles became "the United States' preeminent theologian," Washington Archbishop Donald Wuerl said in a statement.<br /><br />Cardinal Dulles was at Catholic University when the Vatican disciplined many theologians who publicly disagreed with church authorities on a host of issues, including contraception, premarital sex, abortion, homosexuality and euthanasia. Cardinal Dulles sat on a faculty committee that defied the Vatican by recommending against the removal of a dissident theologian, but he did not speak out publicly against the church.<br /><br />He said that he was opposed to the punishment of dissidents but that he could not support theologians and priests who routinely went against the church's teachings. His goal was to unify Catholics, he wrote, and to be a liaison between the Vatican and more free-thinking theologians.<br /><br />After retiring from Catholic University, Cardinal Dulles joined the faculty at Fordham University, where he taught until last year. He served as president of the Catholic Theological Society of America and the American Theological Society in the 1970s and was also a member of the International Theological Commission, the U.S. Lutheran-Roman Catholic Dialogue and a consultant to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Committee on Doctrine.<br /><br />He had no immediate survivors.<br /><br />Staff writer Matt Schudel contributed to this report.Anthony Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10927479707701125028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2098407462838413980.post-88619036076676842172008-12-11T14:08:00.000-08:002008-12-11T14:09:26.585-08:00Constitutional change cleared to be discussed in parliament11-DEC-08 <br /><br />The potential change to Luxembourg's constitution, affecting Article 34, proposed by Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker following Grand Duke Henri's refusal to sign the Euthanasia / pallitative care bill if it is passed by parliament, has been cleared by the state's Constitutional Commission.<br /><br />It is now clear for the issue to have its first reading and be debated in parliament later today. It must be accepted by a two-thirds majority and must have a second reading after three months, or be put to the people in a referendum.<br /><br />The change would still require the Grand Duke to sign all new laws, but the wording would mean that he would no longer "enact" the laws. The article dates back to 1868.<br /><br />From The Station Network 11/12/08Anthony Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10927479707701125028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2098407462838413980.post-14577933865195402872008-12-11T13:44:00.000-08:002008-12-11T13:45:49.502-08:00Spain's Cardinal Canizares to take top Vatican liturgical postSpain's Cardinal Canizares to take top Vatican liturgical post <br /><br />Vatican, Dec. 9, 2008 (CWNews.com) - Confirming a rumor that had circulated in Rome for months, Pope Benedict XVI (bio - news) has appointed Cardinal Antonio Canizares Llovera of Toledo, Spain, to become the new prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship.<br /><br />Cardinal Canizares replaces Cardinal Francis Arinze (bio - news), who is retiring. The retirement of the Nigerian cardinal, who had held the post of prefect since 2002, was announced on December 9: his 76th birthday.<br /><br />Suggestions that Cardinal Canizares would be named to the Vatican's top liturgical post had arisen early in 2008. Because of Pope Benedict's keen interest in liturgical reform, and the intense and sometimes heated debates within the ranks of the Roman Curia on liturgical questions, the appointment has long been seen as a critical choice.<br /><br />The appointment of Cardinal Canizares, who is regarded as a strong supporter of the Pope's plans for the liturgy, could clear the way for a second switch that has been the topic of much speculation among Vatican-watchers: the appointment of Archbishop Albert Malcolm Ranjith Patabendige Don, the current secretary of the Congregation for Divine Worship, as Archbishop of Colombo in his native Sri Lanka. Archbishop Ranjith has been an outspoken advocate of liturgical reforms, and his appointment, hand-picked by the Pontiff for his current position. Tradition-minded officials within the Vatican had been loath to see Archbishop Ranjith transferred until another prelate with similar views was installed in the dicastery.<br /><br />The appointment of Cardinal Canizares provides a boost to the credibility of Andrea Tornielli, the respected Vatican-watcher for the Italian daily Il Giornale. After the Spanish cardinal met with Pope Benedict on November 20, Tornielli predicted that Cardinal Canizares would be appointed prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship, and that the appointment would be announced early in December. Tornielli-- who has accurately predicted several other recent moves within the Roman Curia-- also predicted that Archbishop Ranjith will be moved to Sri Lanka sometime in the spring of 2009.<br /><br />Cardinal Canizares, who is 63, was ordained to the priesthood in 1970. He became Bishop Avila, Spain, in 1992, then Archbishop of Granada in 1996. In 2002 he was appointed Archbishop of Toledo and primate of Spain; he was raised to the College of Cardinals by Pope Benedict XVI in 2006.<br /><br />The Spanish cardinal has been a strong voice for Catholic social teaching during a period when the country's hierarchy has clashed frequently with the Socialist political leadership. He denounced the government's moves to liberalize abortion law and said that legal recognition of same-sex unions "gos against nature, family, and a healthy society." More recently he encouraged Catholic parents to "use all legitimate means in your power to defend your right to determine the moral education of your children.”Anthony Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10927479707701125028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2098407462838413980.post-2447825585027829982008-12-09T16:36:00.000-08:002008-12-09T16:37:05.512-08:00Vietnam court convicts Catholics in land disputeBy BEN STOCKING – 1 day ago<br /><br />HANOI, Vietnam (AP) — A Vietnamese court convicted eight Catholics on Monday on charges of disturbing public order and damaging property during a series of prayer vigils to get back confiscated church land, but gave them light sentences.<br /><br />One defendant received a warning while the others were given suspended sentences ranging from 12 to 15 months. They received up to two years of probation and were sent home.<br /><br />The mostly peaceful but illegal vigils were a bold step in a country where church-state relations are often tense and the government frowns on public protests of any kind. The dispute did not focus on religious freedom but on a parcel of land worth millions of dollars.<br /><br />Hundreds of Catholics, many carrying pictures of the Virgin Mary, cheered as the defendants emerged from the Donga Da district court. Some raised one of the defendants over their heads in jubilation, while others chanted "Innocent! Innocent!"<br /><br />Scores of riot police stood guard around the building during the verdict, but no clashes were reported.<br /><br />As he left the court, defendant Nguyen Dac Hung, 31, said he would appeal his 12-month suspended sentence. "I'm totally innocent," he said. "This is an unjust verdict."<br /><br />While they decried the verdicts, Catholics were relieved by the light sentences. The defendants could have received up to seven years in prison.<br /><br />"The authorities made a concession to the struggles of our Catholic brothers and sisters," said Le Quang Uy, a Catholic who came to show his support. "This is our victory."<br /><br />The defendants were arrested several months ago during a series of prayer vigils held to demand the return of the land near the Thai Ha church.<br /><br />Hundreds of Catholics gathered at the site for several weeks. They knocked down a section of the wall surrounding the land, set up an altar and a statue of the Virgin Mary on the site and prayed for its return.<br /><br />During Monday's trial, the defendants maintained their innocence, saying they had peacefully sought the return of church land.<br /><br />"Peaceful vigils cannot be illegal," said defendant Nguyen Thi Viet, 59. "We did not disturb public order. We did nothing wrong."<br /><br />Hanoi authorities say the Thai Ha church and its surrounding land belong to the city. They say a former parish priest signed papers turning the property over to Hanoi in 1962.<br /><br />Church members insist they have documents verifying their claim on the property.<br /><br />Property laws are complex in Vietnam, where Communist authorities seized buildings and land from wealthy landowners, churches and other groups after taking power. Such properties were used by the state or redistributed to veterans or others who helped bring the Communists to power.<br /><br />Earlier this year, Catholics also held vigils at a second valuable parcel of land in central Hanoi, the site of the former Vatican embassy in Vietnam, which closed after the Communist government took power in 1954.<br /><br />In each case, the Catholics began their demonstrations after hearing rumors the government planned to sell the properties to developers.<br /><br />As the conflicts escalated, the government announced it would convert each site into a public park and open a library at the former Vatican site.<br /><br />With more than 6 million followers, Catholicism is the second most popular religion after Buddhism in the country of 86 million. Masses at Catholic churches around the country are heavily attended.<br /><br />Vietnam has often come under international criticism for its record on religious and human rights. But in recent years, relations between Catholics and the government have begun to improve, emboldening church members to assert themselves more.<br /><br />Vietnam and the Vatican have been discussing the possibility of re-establishing diplomatic relations.Anthony Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10927479707701125028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2098407462838413980.post-40283996516000836692008-12-08T20:32:00.000-08:002008-12-08T20:33:20.582-08:00The Pope's Christmas Gift: A Tough Line on Church DoctrineWednesday, Dec. 03, 2008<br />The Pope's Christmas Gift: A Tough Line on Church Doctrine<br />By Jeff Israely<br /><br />Those nicknames from the past — God's Rottweiler, the Panzercardinal — don't seem to stick anymore. After acquiring a reputation as an aggressive, doctrine-enforcing Cardinal, Pope Benedict XVI has surprised many with his gentle manner and his writings on Christian love. But with the Christmas season upon us, there is growing proof that the 82-year-old Pope is also quite willing to play the part of Scrooge to defend his often rigid view of Church doctrine.<br /><br />Benedict's envoy to the United Nations, Archbishop Celestino Migliore, has announced that the Vatican will oppose a proposed U.N. declaration calling for an end to discrimination against homosexuals. At first blush, no one should be surprised to find the Catholic Church hierarchy butting heads with gay rights activists. But this particular French-sponsored proposal, which has the backing of all 27 European Union countries, calls for an end to the practice of criminalizing and punishing people for their sexual orientation. Most dramatically, in some countries, including Iran and Saudi Arabia, homosexuality can be punished by death.<br /><br />Papal spokesman Father Federico Lombardi was forced to clarify that the Vatican continues to condemn the use of the death penalty for any crime, including those associated with homosexuality. Instead, Migliore said the Vatican's opposition to the U.N. proposal was driven by concern that countries that prohibit gay marriage would somehow be targeted. Said Migliore: "Countries that don't recognize the union between people of the same sex as marriage will be punished and pressured."<br /><br />The U.N. declaration does not in fact mention gay marriage, and most of the nations that support it themselves don't allow people of the same sex to wed. Archbishop Migliore confirmed on Tuesday that the Vatican had also refused to sign a U.N. document last May in support of the rights of the disabled because it did not include condemnation of abortion, and the rights the fetus with birth defects. Vatican officials nevertheless voiced support for the central principles of the disabled rights document, which Migliore helped craft before the final decision to withhold the Holy See’s signature.<br /><br />The Italian gay rights association Arcigay says the Vatican's opposition to the anti-discriminatory measure is "unprecedented," and the citing of gay marriage is an "excuse" to distract people from the real intent of criminalizing gays. One Rome-based priest was disappointed that the Vatican decided to publicize its opposition to what appears a rather innocuous declaration. "When you're always trying to look for new ways to make your point, you lose credibility," says the priest. "Better sometimes to keep quiet."<br /><br />Benedict has said repeatedly that the Church is forced to speak out against the tide of secularization, especially in Catholicism's home turf in Europe. His kindly manner notwithstanding, Benedict does not seem to hesitate doing or saying what he deems necessary to keep Catholicism from straying too far from its doctrinal tradition.<br /><br />And that includes revisiting the Catholic liturgy if necessary. His top Vatican deputies are now studying a change to the mass that would affect the moment when members of the congregation are asked to greet each other with a "sign of peace." Worshippers then exchange handshakes, or sometimes a hug or kiss. In 2007, writing about the exchanging of the peace, Benedict called for "greater restraint in this gesture which can become exaggerated and cause a certain distraction in the assembly before the reception of Communion." It may now be moved earlier in the service. Cardinal Francis Arinze, head of the Vatican's liturgical office, said last month that the affectionate gesture is often misunderstood. "It is thought to be a chance to shake hands with friends. Instead it is a way to tell those nearby that the peace of Christ, really present on the altar, is also with all."<br /><br />Though there is no indication if or when the proposed movement of the peace would happen, this change would respond to a desire by the Pope to rein in some of the excesses that he sees in the ways the faith is currently celebrated. And to those who wonder why not just let everyone to say 'peace' when and where they please for Christmases to come, one can imagine Benedict flashing that gentle smile, tilting his head ever so slightly and declaring: Bah Humbug!<br /><br /><br />FROM Time Magazine Online 9/12/08.Anthony Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10927479707701125028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2098407462838413980.post-50542888303224200382008-12-07T16:22:00.000-08:002008-12-07T16:25:34.130-08:00Russian Church elders choose interim leaderSat Dec 6, 2008 10:19pm IST<br /><br />By Simon Shuster and Guy Faulconbridge<br /><br />MOSCOW (Reuters) - The Russian Orthodox Church chose Metropolitan Kirill as an interim leader on Saturday after the death of Patriarch Alexiy II, a move that could open the way for more cooperation with Catholics.<br /><br />Kirill, the Metropolitan of Smolensk and Kaliningrad, is an articulate public speaker and heads the Church's department for external relations. Most Russians see him as the public face of the Church, frequently appearing on television.<br /><br />A group of 12 senior clergy, the ruling body known as the Holy Synod, selected Kirill by secret ballot at the patriarchal residence in the village of Peredelkino outside Moscow.<br /><br />"One of the most blessed decisions taken by the synod was the selection of the interim leader of the church ... the Metropolitan of Smolensk, Kirill," Father Vladimir Vigilyansky, chief spokesman for the Moscow Patriarchate, said in comments broadcast live on Vesti television.<br /><br />Patriarch Alexiy, who revived the Orthodox Church after the collapse of communism, died on Friday of heart failure at the age of 79.<br /><br />The next Patriarch has to be chosen within six months and observers said four main candidates were in the running, including Kirill.<br /><br />The main issues in choosing the new Patriarch will be Church relations with the state and the Catholic Church. Kirill, 64, has been a reformer on both matters.<br /><br />He has been relatively open to the idea of building stronger ties with the Vatican, and some observers say he is a proponent of a more independent partnership with the state. Alexiy strengthened ties with the government under former President and current Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.<br /><br />ALEXIY LAID IN STATE<br /><br />Alexiy will be laid in state on Saturday at Christ the Saviour Cathedral, where his funeral ceremony is to be held on Tuesday at 1100 Moscow time (0800 GMT), Vigilyansky said.<br /><br />He is to be buried at 1300 Moscow time at Moscow's Epiphany Cathedral, where the relics of his patron saint are stored.<br /><br />During his 18 years as leader of the world's largest Christian Orthodox church, Alexiy helped heal an 80-year rift with a rival faction, which was set up abroad by monarchists fleeing the atheist Bolsheviks.<br /><br />Another triumph was the reconstruction of Christ the Saviour Cathedral, which was demolished on Stalin's orders. The date in 1931 when authorities demolished the Cathedral -- Dec. 5 -- coincides with the date of Alexiy's death.<br /><br />Alexiy, who criticised the Catholic Church for trying to win over converts, is credited by many Russians for helping to revive Orthodoxy and boost church attendance in the moral and spiritual vacuum created by the collapse of the Soviet Union.<br /><br />Supporters said Alexiy used close ties with the state for the benefit of the Church, restoring hundreds of almost derelict churches.<br /><br />Opponents said he allowed the Church to become a minor partner of the Kremlin under Putin. Alexiy failed to shake off allegations he had links to the Soviet KGB. The Church has repeatedly denied that.Anthony Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10927479707701125028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2098407462838413980.post-36206406326604009942008-12-07T02:00:00.001-08:002008-12-07T02:00:39.587-08:00Russian Orthodox Church head diesBy Moscow Correspondent Scott Bevan and wires <p class="published">Posted <span class="timestamp">Fri Dec 5, 2008 8:36pm AEDT</span><br />Updated <span class="timestamp">Sat Dec 6, 2008 3:05am AEDT</span> </p> <p class="first">The head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Alexiy II, has died aged 79.</p> <p>A church spokesman has said the Patriarch died on Friday morning at his home in the Moscow region.</p> <p>While no reason has been given for his death, it is understood the Patriarch has been sick for some time. </p> <p>Patriarch Alexiy II was an establishment figure who restored the authority of the church after decades of Soviet repression.</p> <p>Former USSR president Mikhail Gorbachev has told the Interfax news agency he was shocked by the news. </p> <p>The patriarch was an impressive character with a benign expression and moral authority among millions of Russian believers but his personality was always locked in by the deeply hierarchical nature of his role.</p> <p>Alexiy II took stances on foreign policy issues that often matched the Kremlin line, criticising NATO strikes against Yugoslavia, the US-led war in Iraq and defending the rights of ethnic-Russians in the former Soviet Union.</p> <p>An archbishop from regional Russia has described the Patriarch as a holy man and said the country had lost its pastor.</p> <p>A date for the funeral has not been set. </p> <p>A spokeswoman for Russian President Dmitry Medvedev says he has cancelled his upcoming Italy trip after learning of the Patriach's death and is returning from India to Russia.</p> <p>- <strong>ABC/Reuters</strong></p>Anthony Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10927479707701125028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2098407462838413980.post-66519226990165480162008-12-07T01:12:00.000-08:002008-12-07T01:13:34.030-08:00Opinion: The limits of 'marriage<p class="byline">By Robert Epstein<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><!--date-->Posted: 12/06/2008 03:32:57 PM PST<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><br /> <!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br /> <!--[endif]--><!--secondary date--><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="bodytext"><script language="JavaScript"> var requestedWidth = 0; </script><script language="JavaScript"> if(requestedWidth > 0){ document.getElementById('articleViewerGroup').style.width = requestedWidth + "px"; document.getElementById('articleViewerGroup').style.margin = "0px 0px 10px 10px"; } </script>Ever since <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">California</st1:place></st1:State> voters passed Proposition 8, defining marriage in the state as between one woman and one man, my wife and I have been arguing about it. <o:p></o:p></p> <p>She was appalled by the vote, and even more appalled when I told her that I wasn't. <o:p></o:p></p> <p>"You're such a bigot," she said, "not to mention a hypocrite! How can you be for gay rights (which I am) and against same-sex marriage?" <o:p></o:p></p> <p>My wife is from the north of <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">England</st1:place></st1:country-region>, where they don't embrace that famous restraint of Londoners. <o:p></o:p></p> <p>In these kinds of situations, I've learned that written communication is best. So here, my love, is why I think <st1:state st="on">California</st1:State> voters — not to mention voters in 29 other <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">U.S.</st1:place></st1:country-region> states — did the right thing. <o:p></o:p></p> <p>First, I think everyone but the most mindless libertarians would agree that it's wise to allow the state to regulate family life to some extent, especially when children are concerned. <o:p></o:p></p> <p>Many governments also have defined and limited the way adults can partner with each other, although approaches have varied. <o:p></o:p></p> <p>During the 1800s, the then-new Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints openly practiced polygamy, emulating the common patriarchal practices of the Old Testament. Because Christian authorities had banned all forms of polygamy in the fourth century, mainstream American Christians generally frowned on the Mormon practice, and court actions and laws eventually forced the Mormon church to ban it, too. <o:p></o:p></p> <p>A unanimous Supreme Court decision in 1878 set the precedent for state interference in religious marriage practices, concluding that "laws are made for the government of actions, and while they cannot interfere with mere religious belief and opinions, they may with practices." <o:p></o:p></p> <p>Nearly 1,000 cultures around the world allow some form of polygamy, either officially or by nonregulation; in <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Senegal</st1:place></st1:country-region>, nearly half the marriages are polygamous. In the <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">U.S.</st1:place></st1:country-region>, both the Libertarian Party and the American Civil Liberties Union have opposed laws prohibiting polygamy. <o:p></o:p></p> <p>As for same-sex marriage, since 2001, seven countries have come on board, including mainly Catholic Spain, even though the Roman Catholic Church is officially opposed to the practice. <o:p></o:p></p> <p>There is no convincing evidence — absolutely none — that these various forms of romantic partnership do anyone, or any society, or any children, any harm. So I'm not really skeptical about same-sex marriage per se. If anything, I think that same-sex marriage is a shortsighted idea that doesn't go far enough. <o:p></o:p></p> <p>Most Americans insist that they want the word "marriage" to continue to mean a long-term, opposite-sex union, as it has in the Judeo-Christian world for nearly two millenniums. To put this issue into better perspective, imagine that English were more like German and that the word "marriage" had a lot more syllables: "longtermoppositesexunion." Should same-sex couples wed under that label? I say no — and that gay activists have been fighting the wrong battle. <o:p></o:p></p> <p>The real challenge is to have the state recognize the full range of healthy, nonexploitative, romantic partnerships that actually exist among human beings. Gay people are correct in expressing outrage over the fact that official recognition, the power to make health decisions, inheritance rights and tax benefits have long been granted to only one kind of committed partnership in the <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">United States</st1:place></st1:country-region>. But wanting their own committed relationships to be shoehorned into an old institution makes little sense, especially given the poor, almost pathetic performance of that institution in recent decades. Half of first marriages fail in the <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">U.S.</st1:place></st1:country-region>, after all, as do nearly two-thirds of second marriages. Is that really a club you want to join? <o:p></o:p></p> <p>Let's fight a larger battle, namely to have government catch up to human behavior. That means recognizing the legitimacy of a range of consensual, nonexploitative romantic partnerships, each of which should probably have its own distinct label. <o:p></o:p></p> <p>In the <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">U.S.</st1:place></st1:country-region>, the highest priority should be to give official recognition to "cohabitation," which is, in effect, renewable short-term marriage. Married households are now in the minority in the <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">U.S.</st1:place></st1:country-region>, and cohabitation is increasing, especially among elderly people. <o:p></o:p></p> <p>Those who cohabitate probably are wary of lifetime commitments (in part, perhaps, because such commitments so often prove to be illusory in our culture), but many might like the option of getting the same rights and benefits during their cohabitation that married people have. <o:p></o:p></p> <p>This would be a step toward stabilizing relationships as they actually occur in 21st century America, and perhaps even toward reducing our disgraceful divorce rate. Trying to force all legitimate partnerships into one defective box — longtermoppositesexunion — denies millions of caring partners the benefits of state recognition and sets up millions of others to fail. <o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><br /><br /><br />Robert Epstein is a visiting scholar at the University of California-San Diego, and former editor in chief of Psychology Today. He wrote this article for the Los Angeles Times.<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>Anthony Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10927479707701125028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2098407462838413980.post-85855070283411245442008-12-05T21:11:00.000-08:002008-12-05T21:12:07.939-08:00Monarch makes brave move.<div class="noticia_lead_imagen_container"><div class="noticia_lead_imagen"><img src="http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/images/ppenrique1041208.jpg" alt="" height="181" width="250" /></div> <div class="noticia_lead_imagen_comentario">Grand Duke of Luxembourg Henry I</div> </div> <p><span class="noticia_byline">Luxembourg, Dec 5, 2008 / 12:36 pm (<a href="http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/" target="_self">CNA</a>)</span>.- For the first time in the history of Luxembourg, the Grand Duke has opposed a decision by the country’s House of Representatives. Henry I rejected a bill that would legalize euthanasia, and government officials have announced their intention to strip the Duke of some of his powers.</p> <p>Some reports in the country are calling it a “grave constitutional crisis,” with Henry I announcing that for reasons of conscience he will not approve the controversial law, which the overwhelmingly Catholic population opposes.</p> <p>Socialist and Green party lawmakers pushed the measure through, and the Grand Duke normally would approve the measure within a period of three months, but this time he made a different decision.</p> <p>In wake of the rejection, Luxembourg’s Prime Minister, Jean-Claude Juncker, announced the country’s Constitution would be modified to reduce the Duke’s power.</p> <p>“We are going to remove the term ‘sanction’ from article 34 of the Constitution and replace it with the term ‘promulgate,’ which means only promulgating laws so that they take effect,” Juncker stated.</p> <p>Some media reports suggest the Grand Duke is repeating the crisis sparked in 1990 by his uncle, King Baldwin of Belgium, who refused to sign a law legalizing abortion that was approved by the Belgian Congress. </p> <p>Henry I of Luxembourg took the oath as Grand Duke in 2000 after his father abdicated his seat. He was born on April 6, 1955, in Berzdorf. In 1981, Henry I married Maria Teresa Mestre, who is from Cuba. They have five children and two grandchildren.</p> <p>When he became head of state, Juncker said he would be the “most decent Grand Duke” because of his “character and his deep knowledge of the people.”</p> <p>In his first remarks as Grand Duke, Henry I encouraged citizens to conserve family values, ensure equality of rights for men and women and not be blinded by their prosperity.</p>Anthony Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10927479707701125028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2098407462838413980.post-62929330094827750082008-11-27T01:23:00.000-08:002008-11-27T01:24:03.453-08:00Does FOCA mean an end to Catholic health care?<p>Melinda Henneberger looks at the threat the Freedom of Choice Act poses to Catholic health-care centers that want no part of abortion, and <a href="http://www.slate.com/id/2205326/">concludes</a> that the legislation would probably strip them of their opt-out for conscience. Henneberger believes that the bishops mean exactly what they say when warning that they will close the doors on every facility rather than be forced to perform abortions — and wonders how the Obama administration plans to replace a third of all hospitals in the nation? (via <a href="http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=Y2RjZmY2MmE1NmEzYTgzODg2ZWVmN2M0NzQxNmZhMzQ=">The Corner</a>):</p> <blockquote><p>And the most ludicrous line out of them, surely, was about how, under Obama, Catholic hospitals that provide obstetric and gynecological services might soon be forced to perform abortions or close their doors. Auxiliary Bishop Thomas Paprocki of Chicago warned of “devastating consequences” to the health care system, insisting Obama could force the closure of all Catholic hospitals in the country. That’s a third of all hospitals, providing care in many neighborhoods that are not exactly otherwise overprovided for. It couldn’t happen, could it?</p> <p>You wouldn’t think so. Only, I am increasingly convinced that it could. If the Freedom of Choice Act passes Congress, and that’s a big if, Obama has promised to sign it the second it hits his desk. (Here he is at a Planned Parenthood Action Fund event in 2007, vowing, “The first thing I’d do as president is, is sign the Freedom of Choice Act. That’s the first thing I’d do.”) Though it’s often referred to as a mere codification of Roe, FOCA, as currently drafted, actually goes well beyond that: According to the Senate sponsor of the bill, Barbara Boxer, in a statement on her Web site, FOCA would nullify all existing laws and regulations that limit abortion in any way, up to the time of fetal viability. Laws requiring parental notification and informed consent would be tossed out. While there is strenuous debate among legal experts on the matter, many believe the act would invalidate the freedom-of-conscience laws on the books in 46 states. These are the laws that allow Catholic hospitals and health providers that receive public funds through Medicaid and Medicare to opt out of performing abortions. Without public funds, these health centers couldn’t stay open; if forced to do abortions, they would sooner close their doors. Even the prospect of selling the institutions to other providers wouldn’t be an option, the bishops have said, because that would constitute “material cooperation with an intrinsic evil.”</p> <p>The bishops are not bluffing when they say they’d turn out the lights rather than comply. Nor is Auxiliary Bishop Robert Hermann of St. Louis exaggerating, I don’t think, in vowing that “any one of us would consider it a privilege to die tomorrow—to die tomorrow—to bring about the end of abortion.”</p> <p>Whatever your view on the legality and morality of abortion, there is another important question to be considered here: Could we even begin to reform our already overburdened health care system without these Catholic institutions? I don’t see how.</p></blockquote> <p>As Henneberger notes, these facilities aren’t in <em>over</em>served areas, either. Catholic facilities tend to be in places other for-profit clinics and hospitals avoid. The sudden disappearance of these clinics and hospitals would leave millions of people with much fewer choices in medical attention, or none at all.</p> <p>Would Congress pass FOCA? If the Republicans hold onto their seats in Minnesota and Georgia, they’ll have enough Senators to filibuster it, but Henneberger wonders if Obama would have enough votes to pass the bill on straight majorities. Once the bill’s sweeping nature becomes known, she believes that only the hard-Left Representatives and Senators would back the bill, leaving FOCA to die quietly as it has in every session of Congress for the last 15 years it’s been proposed.</p> <p>Obama pledged to make FOCA his highest priority, though, and his appointment of Emily’s List spokesperson Ellen Moran as his communications director sent a message that he intends to pursue it. Henneberger believes that any attempt to force FOCA through Congress will “reignite the culture war he so deftly sidestepped throughout this campaign,” as well as make fools out of pro-Obama Catholics like Douglas Kmiec. I don’t see Obama backing away from his pledge to make Planned Parenthood’s dreams come true, and I hope that Henneberger’s correct about Congress stopping those plans.</p>Anthony Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10927479707701125028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2098407462838413980.post-78409909319070665692008-11-22T03:28:00.000-08:002008-11-22T03:29:21.865-08:00Cardinal Rigali warns that FOCA makes abortion on demand a ‘national entitlement’<div class="noticia_lead_imagen_container"><div class="noticia_lead_imagen"><img src="http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/images/pprigalifca230908.jpg" alt="" height="181" width="250" /></div> <div class="noticia_lead_imagen_comentario">Cardinal Justin Rigali</div> </div> <p><span class="noticia_byline">Washington DC, Sep 23, 2008 / 05:08 pm (<a href="http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/" target="_self">CNA</a>)</span>.- Cardinal Justin Rigali, the chairman of the U.S. Bishops’ Committee on Pro-Life Activities, has written a letter to the U.S. Congress to alert them that the Freedom of Choice Act would undermine bipartisan efforts to reduce abortions and make abortion on demand a "national entitlement."</p> <p>Writing to all members of Congress on September 19, Cardinal Rigali warned that the enactment of the Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA) would “deprive the American people in all 50 states of the freedom they now have to enact modest restraints and regulations on the abortion industry.”</p> <p>“Despite its deceptive title,” he wrote, “FOCA would coerce all Americans into subsidizing and promoting abortion with their tax dollars. And FOCA would counteract any and all sincere efforts by government to reduce abortions in our country.” </p> <p>Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA), who introduced the bill, saw the legislation differently, describing it as being about “the absolute right to choose” prior to fetal “viability." Some supporters of the bill additionally argue that it would simply codify the Supreme Court’s 1973 decision in Roe v. Wade. </p> <p>However, Cardinal Rigali noted that other backers of FOCA say it “would sweep away hundreds of anti-abortion laws [and] policies.” These include bans on public funding of abortions as well as “modest and widely supported state laws” protecting women’s safety, informed consent and parental rights, he stressed.</p> <p>Further, the cardinal from Philadelphia claimed that under FOCA “abortion on demand would be a national entitlement that government must condone and promote in all public programs affecting pregnant women.”</p> <p>FOCA, the cardinal said, would militate against the work of members of both parties who have “sought to reach a consensus on ways to reduce abortions in our society.” </p> <p>Even though the Catholic Church disagrees with programs that help reduce abortion by means of contraception, Cardinal Rigali stated in his letter that, “there is one thing absolutely everyone should be able to agree on: We can’t reduce abortions by promoting abortion…. No one who sponsors or supports legislation like FOCA can credibly claim to be part of a good-faith discussion on how to reduce abortions.” </p> <p>FOCA finds Sen. Barack Obama in the midst of a major contradiction. While the Act <a href="http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d110:SN01173:@@@P">lists him as a co-sponsor,</a> this is directly contradicted by his presently stated position of desiring to reduce abortions. <br /><br />Obama’s support for the bill is not just legislative either. On July 17, 2007, Obama told the Planned Parenthood Action Fund, “The first thing I’d do as president is sign the Freedom of Choice Act. That’s the first thing that I’d do.”</p> <p>Sen. John McCain has not taken a position on FOCA, but both Deal Hudson and Fr. Frank Pavone have <a href="http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/new.php?n=13011">told CNA</a> that they strongly believe McCain would veto the bill. </p> <p>Cardinal Rigali closed his open letter by urging all members of Congress “to pledge their opposition to FOCA and other legislation designed to promote abortion,” so that “we can begin a serious and sincere discussion on how to reduce the tragic incidence of abortion in our society.” </p>Anthony Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10927479707701125028noreply@blogger.com0