News

Peace requires elimination of corruption, injustices, pope tells Sudan

Catholic News Service — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 13:29:05 -0700

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Corruption, ethnic tensions, indifference and injustice must be tackled to bring lasting peace to Sudan, Pope Benedict XVI told the country's bishops.

"Treaties and other agreements, indispensable building blocks in the peace process, will only bear fruit if they are inspired and accompanied by the exercise of mature and morally upright leadership," the pope said.

CHA backs health bill; bishops reiterate objection to abortion wording

Catholic News Service — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 13:17:11 -0700

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- As the head of the Catholic Health Association called on House members to quickly pass the Senate-approved health care reform bill and make changes later, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops reiterated its long-held position that the Senate language on abortion is unacceptable.

A House vote on the health reform legislation was expected by March 20, with Senate and House action to follow on a separate bill containing a set of "fixes" proposed by President Barack Obama.

Irish cardinal defends actions in handling allegations against priest

Catholic News Service — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 10:25:50 -0700

DUBLIN, Ireland (CNS) -- Cardinal Sean Brady of Armagh, Northern Ireland, chairman of the Irish bishops' conference, insisted he will not resign after it was revealed that he failed to report allegations of child abuse by a priest to the police in 1975.

Speaking with reporters March 14, Cardinal Brady said it was not his responsibility at the time to report the allegations involving Norbertine Father Brendan Smyth to the police.

Obama tells immigration advocates he's committed to quick reform

Catholic News Service — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 15:09:10 -0800

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Just over a week before tens of thousands of people were expected in Washington for a rally in support of immigration reform, President Barack Obama told grass-roots and faith leaders that he remains firmly committed to passing legislation this year.

Chicago Archdiocese begins sainthood process for first black US priest

Catholic News Service — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 15:03:33 -0800

CHICAGO (CNS) -- Father Augustine Tolton was the first U.S. priest of African descent and may one day be a saint from the Archdiocese of Chicago.

The archdiocese is introducing the priest's cause for canonization, according to an announcement by Chicago Cardinal Francis E. George.

"It is appropriate that, during this Year for Priests, we recall our forebears who were holy men in the presbyterate" of the archdiocese, the cardinal told the Catholic New World, Chicago archdiocesan newspaper.

Council's report reveals complexities of faith-based collaboration

Catholic News Service — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 15:01:24 -0800

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Offering both philosophical and tangible recommendations for the Obama administration, the President's Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships marked its first year with a detailed report that highlights the complexities of trying to enable religious and community groups to provide government-funded programs.

Chileans unite as earthquake survivors struggle to rebuild their lives

Catholic News Service — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 09:44:57 -0800

LIMA, Peru (CNS) -- While news reports highlighted the looting and violence that followed Chile's massive earthquake, they overlooked the solidarity among ordinary people struggling to rebuild their homes and lives, church workers said.

For two days after the magnitude 8.8 earthquake struck Chile's central coast Feb. 27, people were seen breaking into supermarkets and hauling away not just food and necessities but goods such as televisions and washing machines.

Abuse cases show need for greater women's role, Vatican newspaper says

Catholic News Service — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 09:43:45 -0800

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- A greater presence of women in decision-making roles in the church might have helped remove the "veil of masculine secrecy" that covered priestly sex abuse cases, a front-page commentary in the Vatican newspaper said.

The article said that despite calls by popes and others for welcoming women into equal, though diverse, roles in the church, women have generally been kept out of positions of responsibility.

Archbishop defends Boulder school's decision on children of lesbians

Catholic News Service — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 09:42:00 -0800

DENVER (CNS) -- The decision to refuse re-enrollment at a Boulder Catholic school to two children of lesbian parents was the only outcome that was fair to the children, their teachers, school parents and "the authentic faith of the church," said Denver Archbishop Charles J. Chaput.

Vatican expects bishops to comply with civil laws on reporting abuse

Catholic News Service — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 14:23:25 -0800

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Vatican officials are concerned that the church's longstanding insistence on confidentiality in its treatment of priestly sexual abuse cases is being misinterpreted as a ban on reporting serious accusations to civil authorities.

As past episodes and accusations of abuse have come to light recently in Germany, Austria and the Netherlands, media attention has focused in part on what kind of guidance or instructions local bishops received from the Vatican on how to handle such cases.

Maryland governor supports business tax credit benefiting all schools

Catholic News Service — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 14:22:13 -0800

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (CNS) -- A business tax credit benefiting public and nonpublic schools received a major boost when Gov. Martin J. O'Malley threw his public support behind the long-sought measure.

The Senate Budget and Taxation Committee voted 10-5 to send the proposal to the Senate, but discussion on the floor planned for March 10 was held up a day so one Democratic lawmaker could prepare an amendment to ensure that special needs children have access to private schooling.

Recovery from earthquake moves forward in rural Chilean communities

Catholic News Service — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 14:18:01 -0800

LIMA, Peru (CNS) -- As Salvador Pinera takes office as president of Chile, his main task will be to oversee the country's recovery from the strong earthquake Feb. 27 that left a large area of the country in shambles.

With quake damage estimated at $15 billion or more, Pinera's March 11 inauguration was planned without the elaborate celebrations that usually accompany such events.

Meanwhile, church workers say the economic figures do not reveal the human tragedy of the disaster.

Arizona bishops criticize bills increasing immigration enforcement

Catholic News Service — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 12:27:23 -0800

PHOENIX (CNS) -- The Catholic bishops of Arizona have expressed concern that new legislative proposals requiring greater enforcement of immigration laws by local police could harm public safety and separate families.

"Arizona would become the first state in the nation to codify its own 'illegal immigration' law by requiring persons who are here unlawfully in terms of federal law to be charged with trespassing under Arizona law," said the three bishops who make up the Arizona Catholic Conference in a March 8 statement.

Pope's brother apologizes to abuse victims at his former school

Catholic News Service — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 11:23:01 -0800

WARSAW, Poland (CNS) -- The brother of Pope Benedict XVI apologized to child victims of sexual abuse at his former school even though he said he was unaware of the alleged incidents.

"There was never any talk of sexual abuse problems and I had no idea that molestation was taking place," Msgr. Georg Ratzinger said, recalling his 30 years as choirmaster at the school that trains the elite boys' choir of the Regensburg Cathedral.

His comments came during an interview with the German newspaper Neue Passauer Presse March 9.

100 traditionalist Anglican parishes seek to join Catholic Church

Catholic News Service — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 10:59:20 -0800

ORLANDO, Fla. (CNS) -- About 100 traditionalist Anglican parishes in the United States have decided to join the Catholic Church as a group.

Meeting in Orlando, the House of Bishops of the Anglican Church in America voted to seek entry into the Catholic Church under the guidelines established in Pope Benedict XVI's apostolic constitution "Anglicanorum Coetibus" ("Groups of Anglicans"), said a March 3 statement.

Chaput: Kennedy's 1960 speech damaged believers' role in public life

Catholic News Service — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 14:24:15 -0800

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Although John F. Kennedy's famous speech in Houston nearly 50 years ago could be seen as "a passionate appeal for tolerance," the candidate's remarks about how his Catholicism would affect his presidency "profoundly undermined the place ... of all religious believers in America's public life," said Archbishop Charles J. Chaput of Denver.

Different laws on same-sex marriage bring different church responses

Catholic News Service — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 14:22:54 -0800

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- When San Francisco passed an ordinance more than 13 years ago requiring agencies that contract with the city to provide spousal benefits to employees' domestic partners, then-Archbishop William J. Levada asked for a religious exemption, arguing that it imposed "an unconstitutional condition" on religiously affiliated organizations like Catholic Charities.

Vatican supports German bishops' probe into priestly sex abuse

Catholic News Service — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 14:20:26 -0800

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The Vatican fully supports the efforts of German bishops to investigate claims of child sexual abuse in Catholic institutions, even if the cases are decades old, L'Osservatore Romano reported.

"Full disclosure regarding abuse in Germany," said the front-page headline of the March 7 edition of the official Vatican newspaper. "The church is working rigorously to shed light on what happened in religious institutions," it said.

More abuse allegations against Legionaries' founder surface in Mexico

Catholic News Service — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 08:23:53 -0800

MEXICO CITY (CNS) -- Many in Mexico -- and beyond -- know Father Marcial Maciel as the founder of the Legionaries of Christ, an influential Catholic order famed for its elite schools and well-heeled followers.

Blanca Estela Lara Gutierrez came to know him in Tijuana by the alias "Raul Rivas," who, she said, "wanted to have a family" and, at various times, masqueraded as either a private detective or a CIA agent.

Her three sons, Jose Raul, Omar and Cristian, came to know Father Maciel as "Dad."

No greater love: Speakers say celibacy mirrors Jesus' love for all

Catholic News Service — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 08:20:04 -0800

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Exceptions to celibacy for priests in the Roman Catholic Church can be puzzling, including for young priests enthusiastic about their vocation.

The Pontifical University of the Holy Cross, run by Opus Dei in Rome, held a theological conference on priestly celibacy March 4-5 and while no one challenged mandatory celibacy, there were repeated questions about the exceptions made in some of the Eastern Catholic churches and for clergy coming from the Anglican Communion.