Thursday, May 31, 2012

Bishops denounce 'horrors' suffered by immigrants in the West

Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, May 31, 2012 / 02:45 pm (CNA).- Bishops from North, Central, South America and the Caribbean denounced the "horrors" suffered by immigrants throughout the Western hemisphere.

"Poverty forces thousands of people to emigrate and seek their daily bread outside their native countries," they said.

"As long as this causal structure is not resolved, even though immigration laws are made stricter, the flow of immigrants will continue with the consequences that have repeatedly been pointed out."

The bishops released their statement at the end of the 2012 Regional Bishops' Consultation on Migration, held May 28-30 in Santo Domingo.

In their remarks, they also denounced the situation faced by many immigrants from Central America who cross Mexico to reach the United States and endure terrible suffering not only at the hands of false guides but also! of organized criminal gangs.

"Across Central America and Mexico, the members of organized crime take immigrants as prisoners especially through the crime of kidnapping in order to extort their families," the bishops said. 

"When these immigrants refuse to cooperate or do not come up with the entire ransom money, they are brutally tortured and killed, as demonstrated by the events related to the massacre of 72 immigrants in San Fernando Tamaulipas, the discovery of hundreds of bodies in clandestine graves and the latest massacre of 49 people killed in Cadereyta, Nuevo Leon," they noted.

The bishops also denounced the continual increase in sex trafficking and slave labor, especially involving children, in order to reap "criminal profits."

They also expressed concern for immigrant children who travel unaccompanied and separated from their families, as well as the drastic increase in deportations from the United States and Mexico, whi! ch has led to more family separations."

The current U! .S. government "has broadened the role of the State in the application of immigration laws, which leads to abuses of fundamental rights," the bishops said.

"Unjust laws in states like Arizona and Alabama, which are the result of a fear of immigrants, lead to xenophobia and are an attack on the Church's right to serve immigrants," they continued.

The bishops also denounced the suffering of Haitian immigrants in the Dominican Republic.

"Amid this scene of pain and suffering, we thank God for the innumerable gestures and acts of solidarity offered to immigrants" by local support groups and shelters and for efforts to achieve more just immigration laws, they said.

The bishops also expressed their commitment to promote specific initiatives, including comprehensive immigration reform in the United States that respects the rights of immigrants, avoids separating families and reduces deportations, and approval by the Mexican Senate of a t! ransitory visa that grants protection and safety to Central Americans who are passing through on their way to the US.

Bishop Anthony Taylor of Little Rock, Arkansas, told CNA the issue of immigrants moving from Central America to the United States is complex. "What happens here (in the Dominican Republic) is very different from what happens on the border between the United States and Mexico," he said.

The president of the Committee on Human Mobility of the Bishops' Conference of Cuba, Bishop Marcelo Gonzalez Amador of Santa Clara, expressed his satisfaction for the chance to meet with other bishops from Latin America and the Caribbean and share their experiences involving immigrants, "whose sufferings, sorrows, concerns, and hopes as well, we make our own."



Courtesy: CNA Oringinal Post

Huge expectations in Latin America over 'For Greater Glory' opening

Lima, Peru, May 31, 2012 / 04:06 pm (CNA).- Latin Americans are greatly anticipating the release of "For Greater Glory" on June 1 in the U.S., as weekend box office numbers could determine its distribution in Central and South America.

The movie tells the story of the Cristero War in Mexico during the religious persecution carried out by President Plutarco Elias Calles against the Catholic Church in the 1920s. It stars Andy Garcia, Eva Longoria, Peter O'Toole, Panamanian singer Ruben Blades and Mexican actor Eduardo Verastegui.

Many Latin Americans are hoping that the Hispanic community in the U.S. turns out in large numbers to see the film during its opening weekend June 1-3.

"Catholics ought to go to theaters so that the movie can reach more people in Central and South America, where distribution depends on the outcome in the United States," the film's producer, Pablo Jose Barroso, said during an EWTN program on May 10.

Barroso noted that the movie is not only for Hispanics or Mexicans, but for everyone, because it clearly speaks of the defense of religious freedom. The persecution by the regime of Plutarco Elias was "bloodier than the Mexican Revolution," he said.

CNA has received numerous emails from people in Peru, Argentina, Panama, Colombia and other countries in Latin America, who hope the film is shown where they live. 

"For Greater Glory" has already been shown in Mexico, where it topped the box office on its opening weekend, surpassing films such as "Titanic" in 3D and "Wrath of the Titans" in 3D.

For a list of theaters where the film can be seen in the U.S., visit: http://www.forgreaterglory.com/



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Family groups say anti-DOMA decision threatens marriage

Washington D.C., May 31, 2012 / 05:00 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- The legal definition of marriage nationwide is at risk because of a federal appeals court decision that declared part of the Defense of Marriage Act unconstitutional for restricting federal benefits to married opposite-sex couples, pro-family leaders say.

Brian Brown, president of the National Organization for Marriage, asserted May 31 that the judges realized that legal precedent does not allow them to redefine marriage "so they are making up new standards to justify imposing their values on the rest of the nation."

"They dismiss the centuries-old understanding of marriage as a critical social institution that exists for the benefit of couples and their children, and which has served society well for thousands of years. Instead, they want their own politically-correct views to be imposed, and they are making up new law to do so," Br! own said.

On May 31 a three-judge panel of the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston unanimously ruled that the law deprives homosexual couples of the rights and privileges of heterosexual couples.

The Defense of Marriage Act passed in 1996 by a Senate vote of 85-14 and by a House vote of 342-67. It defines marriage in federal law as "a legal union between one man and one woman as husband and wife." It also defines a spouse as referring "only to a person of the opposite sex who is a husband or a wife."

The court did not overturn provisions protecting states which do not recognize gay "marriage" from being forced to recognize same-sex unions contracted in other states.

However, the ruling agreed that the law interferes with a state's right to define marriage and denies legally married same-sex couples the federal benefits given to married heterosexual couples, such as the ability to file joint tax returns.

The case will ! most likely proceed to the U.S. Supreme Court, a move that Bro! wn said he hopes will happen.

"It's time for the U.S. Supreme Court to step in and establish once and for all that preserving marriage as the union of one man and one woman is not only completely constitutional, it is profoundly in the public good," he said.

Tony Perkins, President of the Family Research Council, said the decision is "disappointing" but also saw cause for hope that the legislation will be upheld after Supreme Court review.

Dale Showengert, legal counsel for the Alliance Defense Fund, also criticized the decision.

"Society should protect and strengthen marriage, not undermine it," he said May 31. "The federal Defense of Marriage Act provides that type of protection, and we trust the U.S. Supreme Court will reverse the 1st Circuit's erroneous decision."

The court ruling was the result of lawsuits from Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley and another from the Boston-based legal group Gay & Les! bian Advocates & Defenders.

Plaintiff Jonathan Knight, who is in a legal same-sex marriage, told the Associated Press the case is "about having equality and not having a system of first- and second-class marriages."

He said the legislation costs him and his same-sex partner an extra $1,000 a year because they cannot file a joint federal tax return.

Perkins noted that the federal court's decision did not rely upon the contention that the legislation's dominant purpose was "hostility to homosexuality."

At the same time, Perkins lamented how it has become "too common for courts to show great disrespect to the American people and their representatives in arguing that efforts to defend marriage have been motivated by bias, bigotry, or animus."

Perkins then pointed out that voters in 32 states have voted to define marriage as the union of a man and a woman.

Showengert said that the federal court's decision allows one! state to hold the federal government, and possibly other states, as a ! "hostage" to "redefine marriage."

He questioned whether the court's rationale means that if one state decided to accept polygamy, the federal government and perhaps other states would be forced to accept it as well.



Courtesy: CNA Oringinal Post

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Knights of Columbus to hold global prayer for Pope

Rome, Italy, May 29, 2012 / 01:45 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- On the 35th anniversary of Pope Benedict XVI's episcopal ordination, the head of the Knights of Columbus has asked all 1.8 million members of the Catholic fraternal order to pray for the pontiff.

"At this important moment in the history of the Church and in the life of Pope Benedict XVI, it is
important that we commit ourselves in prayer and solidarity to our Holy Father in a special way," Supreme Knight Carl Anderson said May 28.

He asked every Knight of Columbus to pray an Our Father, a Hail Mary and a Glory Be before or after Mass this coming Sunday, June 3, for the Pope's intentions and "in honor of his 35 years as a bishop."

Pope Benedict was consecrated a bishop on May 28, 1977.

There are Knights of Columbus councils throughout North and Central America, the Caribbean, the Philippines and Poland.

Members of the c! haritable fraternity donated 70 million hours and nearly $155 million to charitable causes in 2011. The 130-year-old organization has a long history of working with the Church from local parishes to the Vatican.



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Global event hails family as solution to modern crises

Madrid, Spain, May 29, 2012 / 04:02 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Over 3,000 participants at the sixth annual World Congress of Families in Madrid, Spain issued a declaration calling the family essential in solving present-day crises.

"We assert that the lasting solutions to human problems, including the current economic crisis, come from families and from small communities," reads the statement titled, the Declaration of Madrid.

Ignacio Arsuaga, president of the civil rights organization Hazteoir.org, told CNA that the closing of the May 25-27 congress was "one of the most moving" of all the events.

During the closing ceremony, Fernando Benzo Saiz – Spain's undersecretary for the Ministry of Education – was interrupted by applause "three times" during his speech, in which he denounced modern attacks on the family, Arsuaga recalled.

Members of the international committee of the World Congress of Families also called this year's event in Madrid one of the best organized since the first was held in 1997.

The declaration, read aloud by Allan Carlson, president of the Howard Center, first underscores the "sanctity of human life from conception to natural death."

"Each newly conceived person has the right to live, to grow, to be born and to share a home with his or her natural parents united in marriage," it says, adding that "Abortion, euthanasia and all forms of manipulation of human beings in an embryonic or fetal state, therefore, are attacks against human life."

The World Congress of Families' document also criticized population control efforts, arguing that "the world is abundant in resources."

"The weakening of the traditional family and moral and political failings, not human 'overpopulation,' have cause poverty, hunger and the decline of the environment," the statement asserts.

"The real demographic danger that the earth faces in this new century is the crisis of births and the aging of the population. Our societies need more people, not less."

After affirming the rights of parents to educate their children without interference from the State, the declaration states that all human beings have the right to religious freedom, which must be respected by politicians.

The World Congress of Families was held in anticipation of the 7th World Meeting of Families, which will take place May 30-June 3 in the Milan. Pope Benedict XVI is slated to attend the event.



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Monday, May 28, 2012

Pope suffering but serene as Vatileaks investigation continues

Vatican City, May 28, 2012 / 09:06 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Pope Benedict is "suffering" but serene, despite the prosecution of his butler for stealing sensitive papal documents and the continuing police hunt to find any accomplices.

"He is aware of the delicate situation that the Roman curia is going through, but he is keeping up his serenity with great faith and moral superiority as you saw in yesterday's celebrations," papal spokesman Fr. Federico Lombardi said May 28.

Paolo Gabriele is still in custody after being charged on Saturday, May 26 with the "aggravated theft" of confidential Vatican documents found in his apartment.

The 46-year-old Italian, a father of three, has worked in the Papal Household under both Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI. He is one of very few individuals who have daily access to the Pope.

In a statement issued May 28, Gabriele's atto! rney said his client would offer "the most comprehensive collaboration" in all subsequent legal proceedings. He also said that the Pope's butler had been "very peaceful and tranquil" during their recent discussions.

Fr. Lombardi confirmed that the Vatican's chief prosecutor, Nicola Picardi, has now completed the first phase of the investigation into Gabriele's activities, which resulted in the decision to bring charges.

Vatican magistrate Piero Antonio Bonnet will now carry out a second phase of the investigation to decide whether those charges should be tried in court or dropped. 

While the criminal investigation continues, Fr. Lombardi played down speculation in the Italian media that Vatican police are about to swoop in on a wider network of conspirators, of which Gabriele is only a junior member. 

"The notion that an Italian Cardinal is being investigated is completely false," said Fr. Lombardi. "I also categ! orically deny that a woman is being questioned in this case.�! �

The Vatican spokesman also added that it seemed both "exaggerated" and "unfounded" to ascribe recent events to power struggles within the Vatican.

The arrest of Gabriele followed several months of so-called "Vatileaks" in which numerous confidential documents about the internal workings of the Vatican were passed on to the Italian media.

Earlier this month, Italian journalist Gianluigi Nuzzi released a new book entitled "Sua Santita" (His Holiness), which contained a series of leaked letters addressed personally to Pope Benedict XVI. The author claimed to have more than one source of information from inside the Vatican.

In April, Pope Benedict responded to the spate of leaks by establishing a special commission of three cardinals, chaired by the Spanish Cardinal Julian Herranz, to investigate their source.

Fr. Lombardi confirmed that cardinals are continuing their work in parallel with the ongoing police investigatio! n.



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Sunday, May 27, 2012

Vatican conference to examine 'language of the body' in marriage

Vatican City, May 27, 2012 / 05:15 pm (CNA).- This coming September an international colloquium in Vatican City will consider how men and women become "one flesh" in marriage, and examine the "language of the body" from Christian perspectives.

"What type of union is the conjugal union, which comes about when a man and a woman become 'one flesh'?" asks the conference announcement.

The Vatican City-based Pontifical John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family is hosting the Sept. 20-21 colloquium, titled "'One flesh: the Language of the Body and the Conjugal Union."

The colloquium's title draws from Pope Benedict XVI's May 13, 2011 address to the institute in which he reflected on the creation of Adam and Eve.

"The flesh received from God is required to make possible the union of love between man and woman and transmit life," he said. "Before the Fall the bodies of Adam and ! Eve appear in perfect harmony. There is a language in them that they did not create, an eros rooted in their nature which invites them to receive one another reciprocally from the Creator, so as to be able to give themselves."

The conference will examine and deepen the understanding of the "one flesh" union in both its "biblical and patristic richness" and in theological reflection.

The conference announcement said it is necessary to distinguish the conjugal union from "substitutes" in a society that has lost the sense of what it means to become "one flesh."

This union "consummates love," unites the persons "in a unique way" and opens "a fruitful journey towards the total unity of life."

Colloquium topics include marital intercourse as an "interpersonal" union, the "one flesh" union and the Creator, and how fruitfulness relates to the "one flesh" of marriage. Speakers will consider the topic from theological and psychological perspectives as well! as from the perspective of canon law.

Professor David ! Crawford of the Pontifical John Paul II Institute in Washington, D.C. will speak on the topic "The 'one flesh' in time: mutual promotion of the spouses."

Colloquium sessions will have simultaneous translation into English, Italian and French.

Online registration is available through the Vatican City John Paul II institute's website at http://www.istitutogp2.it



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Thursday, May 24, 2012

Pope says personal conversion is first step of New Evangelization

Vatican City, May 24, 2012 / 03:48 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Pope Benedict XVI told the bishops of Italy today that personal holiness is an indispensable first step to reconverting their country and the Western world to Christianity.

"The fundamental condition in order to be able to speak about God is to speak with God, increasingly to become men of God, nourished by an intense life of prayer and molded by his grace," the Pope said on May 24.

He encouraged his fellow bishops to allow themselves "to be found and seized by God so as to help the people we meet be touched by the Truth."
 
Pope Benedict made his remarks to the participants of the 64th General Assembly of the Italian Episcopal Conference, which is being held May 21--25.

The Italian bishops gathered in the Vatican's Synod Hall, where they heard the Pope lament how for many people in the West, God has "become the g! reat Unknown and Jesus is simply an important figure of the past."
 
The Pope said that this is resulting in people no longer understanding the "profound value " of the "spiritual and moral patrimony" that the West's roots are in and that "is its lifeblood." What was once "fertile land," he said, is now at risk of "becoming a barren desert and the good seed (is in danger) of being suffocated, trampled on and lost."
 
Even many baptized people in the West "have lost their identity" and "do not know the essential contents of the faith, or they believe they can cultivate faith without ecclesial mediation," he warned the bishops.
 
The practical impact of this, Pope Benedict said, is that while many baptized "look doubtfully at Church teaching," others have reduced "the Kingdom of God to certain broad values, which are certainly related to the Gospel but which do not touch the central nucleus of Christian fa! ith."

But the Pope did not finish his remarks withou! t offering a solution to the Italian bishops.
 
He pointed them to the New Evangelization, which has its roots in the prophetic words of Pope John XXIII. At the opening of the Second Vatican Council in 1962, John XXIII said that the council would help "transmit pure and integral doctrine, without any attenuation or misrepresentation" but in a new way "according to what is required by our times."

This, explained Pope Benedict, is the key or "hermeneutic" of "continuity and reform" required to properly understand the council today.

He repeated, though, that any new evangelization will not be achieved simply by "new methods of announcing the Gospel" or by "pastoral activity" but only through personal conversion.
 
"We must begin again from God, celebrated, professed and witnessed," said the Pope. "Our primary task, our true and only task, remains that of dedicating our lives to the one thing that is truly depe! ndable, necessary and ultimate."
 
Before concluding with a prayer to the Holy Spirit, Pope Benedict assured the bishops that the Catholic faith preached by word and example still has the power to draw all people to Christ.

"Where space is given to the Gospel, and therefore to friendship with Christ, man realizes he is the object of a love which purifies, warms, renews, and makes us capable of serving mankind with divine love," he said.



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Bolivian bishops urge against passage of gay union law

La Paz, Bolivia, May 24, 2012 / 04:05 pm (CNA).- The bishops of Bolivia told the country's lawmakers that the State has the duty to protect marriage between a man and a woman, urging them to not adopt a that a bill allowing same-sex unions.

In a statement issued May 23, the bishops warned that the bill is "a grave threat to the family" as it has been understood throughout Bolivian history and society. The proposed bill is currently in committee and no date has been set for it vote before the full congress.

In their remarks, the bishops noted that the country's Constitution recognizes marriage as "only between one man and one woman."

Marriage is defined by the fact that it is "a social institution based on sexual complimentarity.  This makes the fulfillment of the two equal ends of marriage possible: the mutual love between the spouses and the procreation of children." 

In addition, they added, Christ raised it "to the level of a sacrament, as a sign of his love for the Church."

Homosexual unions, on the other hand, are incapable of "generating life, ensuring the full development of children and ensuring the continuity of society," the bishops said.

"Allowing children to live with such couples poses a danger to their normal psycho-social development and is an attack on their rights."

The bishops also noted that the fact that same-sex relationships are not recognized as marriage does not equal discrimination.

"The civil rights of homosexuals should be regulated by common law, like those of any other citizen.  Every human being, as a child of God, deserves to be recognized and respected in his or her dignity and fundamental rights," the bishops said.

They encouraged Bolivians to "defend the principles and values of marriage and the family as institutions" that bring "true human happiness and contribute to the stability and continuity of society."



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Religious freedom caucuses planned for every state legislature

Washington D.C., May 24, 2012 / 04:12 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Advocates of religious liberty have announced plans to launch religious freedom caucuses in all 50 state legislatures in order to fight against the erosion of religious liberty at the local level.

The caucuses will be "a focal point for those who are working on religious freedom in the states to direct and generate their efforts," said Brian Walsh, executive director of the American Religious Freedom Program at the Ethics and Public Policy Center.

Working alongside a wide variety of faith communities and other groups, the American Religious Freedom Program is helping form and support the caucuses, which will allow state legislators to share information and connect with religious and public policy organizations as they focus on threats to religious liberty.

The caucus initiative was announced at the 2012 National Religious Freedom! Conference in Washington, D.C. on May 24.

Concerns over religious freedom have escalated in recent months, reaching a peak with the Obama administration's federal mandate that will require employers to offer health insurance plans covering contraception, sterilization and abortion-inducing drugs, even if doing so violates their consciences.

The mandate has been widely criticized as an attack on religious liberty. Catholic bishops from every diocese in the U.S. have spoken out against it, warning that it could force Catholic hospitals, schools and charitable agencies to close their doors.

Organizers of the state caucus initiative said that many threats to religious freedom being or are found at the state level.

These attacks include attempts to require individuals to perform health care procedures that violate their beliefs, censure of policy arguments that incorporate religious beliefs, and efforts to weaken religious groups' ability to ch! oose their own leaders.

Concerns have also been voiced! over the threat to religious freedom posed by a redefinition of marriage so that it includes homosexual couples. In states that have legalized "gay marriage," lawsuits have already been filed against those who object to cooperating with them, threatening the conscience rights of adoption agencies, church halls and photographers, as well as other individuals and organizations.

Walsh described the developing caucuses as "a place for religious freedom expertise to reside."

He explained that the creation process has already begun in a dozen states, including Colorado, Pennsylvania, Florida, Missouri, Virginia, Kentucky, Delaware, Idaho, Kansas, Tennessee, Oklahoma and Utah. 

Walsh expects these caucuses to be up and running soon. He said that a total of about 25 caucuses are anticipated by the end of this year, and nearly every state is expected to have a caucus by the end of 2013.

The effort has drawn praise from a diverse group of r! eligious leaders, many of whom will be helping create and support the caucuses.

"Since the founding of our Nation, we have never before witnessed threats of this magnitude from all levels of government," said Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore, who chairs the U.S. bishops' religious freedom committee. "Citizens who care about this fundamental American right must take action to protect it."   

"Blessed by two centuries of First Amendment protections in the United States, Jews must speak up when the liberties of conscience afforded their fellow Americans are being threatened," added Rabbi Dr. Meir Soloveichik, director of the Straus Center for Torah and Western Thought at Yeshiva University.

"The Religious Freedom Caucuses will be a central tool in addressing these threats to religious rights before the courts are left as the only recourse," said Dr. Richard Land of the Southern Baptist Convention.

Walsh expl! ained that the effort to build caucuses has received strong support at ! the state level.

This is not "a partisan issue," but "an American issue," he said. "Religious freedom is at the core of what it means to be American."



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Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Archbishop urges peace in El Salvador amid rival gangs

San Salvador, El Salvador, May 23, 2012 / 04:03 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Archbishop Jose Luis Escobar Alas of San Salvador supports efforts to mediate a local truce between two rival gangs, stressing that the country must work together to achieve peace.

"We are now at a stage in which society as a whole needs to take action in order to guarantee that the progress achieved with the gangs is not frustrated," Archbishop Escobar Alas said.

The two gangs, known as Mara Salvatrucha and Mara-18, are considered the main instigators behind the violence that has plagued El Salvador in recent years. With 65 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants, El Savaldor has become the second most violent country in Latin America.

In recent comments to reporters, Archbishop Escobar Alas praised the work being carried out by Archbishop Fabio Colindres of the Military Archdiocese, who worked with former guerilla leader Raul Mijango on March 9 to achieve a truce between the gangs. 

However, while the rate of violence in the country has declined, he said, this does not mean that both gangs have disappeared.

"The efforts of Archbishop Colindres, with all due respect, were only an act of mediation," Archbishop Escobar Alas added.

"I sincerely don't think the solution to the problem of gangs is in the Church's hands. Society as a whole and the government, with the support of various social sectors, have the responsibility."



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Bishops say HHS lawsuits represent broad Catholic interest

Washington D.C., May 23, 2012 / 04:18 pm (CNA).- Bishops nationwide have voiced support for a wave of recent lawsuits against the federal contraception mandate, explaining that the dioceses that did not take legal action are represented by those that did.

Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory of Atlanta explained that the lawsuits "represent a concerted effort to exemplify the broad spectrum of Catholic institutions that are directly impacted by the HHS mandate."

He said that while many other Catholic organizations "would certainly seek to join this legal action," the most important actions are prayer and support for initiatives to protect religious liberty.

In a May 23 statement, Archbishop Gregory emphasized his full support for several recent lawsuits challenging the Obama administration's contraception mandate.

Forty-three Catholic dioceses and organizations across the country announced legal action against the federal government on May 21.

The lawsuits, which are being filed in 12 dozen different jurisdictions across the country, challenge a federal regulation that will require employers to offer health insurance plans covering contraception, sterilization and abortion-inducing drugs, even if doing so violates their consciences.

Bishops from every diocese in the U.S. have spoken out against the mandate, warning that it poses a serious threat to religious liberty and could force Catholic schools, hospitals and charitable organizations to shut down.

The Archdiocese of Atlanta is not one of the plaintiffs in the new lawsuits, but Archbishop Gregory made it clear that he supported the efforts of his brother bishops.

A member of the religious freedom committee for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, he explained that the conference "has tried negotiation with the Administration and legislation with the Congress. No resolution has been made as of this date."

Now, he said, the bishops must turn to the court "to protect our valuable ministries and fundamental right to practice religion without government interference."

Known for his work in the African American community and for the critical leadership he provided in developing the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, Archbishop Gregory served as the president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops from 2001 to 2004.

As the archbishop of Atlanta, he will be hosting the bishops' upcoming Spring General Assembly in June.

Pat Chivers, communications director for the Archdiocese of Atlanta, explained that while the archdiocese is not being legally represented in the newest wave of lawsuits, its interests are being represented by the dioceses that are filing the suits.

Archbishop Gregory has written a letter that will be read at all Masses next weekend "to show that we are in support" of the legal action taken by several dioceses across the country, she told CNA.

Chivers explained that Jones Day, the law firm that is filing the lawsuits, has an office in Atlanta, and the archdiocese has therefore been "part of the legal strategy" behind the effort.

The goal was not to have every diocese in the U.S. to file a lawsuit, she said. Rather, the dioceses that did file them offer a broad and diverse representation of the concerns, situations and interests of dioceses across the country.

Bishop George V. Murry of Youngstown, Ohio agreed.

"The particular plaintiffs in this lawsuit were chosen by legal counsel at the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops," he explained. "They are representative of dioceses and Catholic institutions across the nation."

Bishop Murry explained that his diocese "unambiguously supports" the legal action to defend religious freedom, which "is a cornerstone of basic human rights and is necessary for the flourishing of a just society."

Archbishop Dennis M. Schnurr of Cincinnati echoed his remarks. The Archdiocese of Cincinnati has not filed a lawsuit, but it is unnecessary "for every diocese to join the suits in order for them to be effective," he said. 

"The various plaintiffs reflect a broad cross-section of Catholic institutions, and together they represent the wide variety of issues, impacts, economic consequences, and divergent facts that exist among Catholic organizations nationwide," Archbishop Schnurr observed.

He voiced support for the recently-announced lawsuits, saying that litigation has become "the only way left to fight for our constitutionally guaranteed freedom of religion."



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Vatican delegate insists on respect for faith-based health care

Geneva, Switzerland, May 23, 2012 / 07:59 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- The Vatican's head delegate to the World Health Assembly said that while the Church supports universal health care access, states must respect and welcome the efforts of the private sphere in achieving that goal.
 
In each nation, "the progress towards universal coverage cannot be the effort of the state machinery alone. It requires support from the civil society and communities, whose contribution to health service delivery is fundamental," Archbishop Zygmunt Zimowski said in his May 23 address to the World Health Assembly.
 
The assembly is the forum through which the World Health Organization is governed by its 194 member states. It is the world's highest health policy setting body, and is composed of health ministers from member states.
 
In his address, Archbishop Zimowski said that states should "generous! ly acknowledge and support initiatives" aimed at helping those in need, including those that come from faith-based organizations.
 
The Catholic Church, he noted, is helping to provide affordable, universal health coverage all around the world and, most often, in an amicable partnership with the state.

At the same time, Archbishop Zimowski cautioned governments to respect the principle of subsidiarity and called on them to respect the legitimate autonomy of Church's health care institutions and the freedom of conscience of Catholic healthcare workers.
 
"The efforts and contribution of such organizations and institutions towards universal access, merit the recognition and support of both the state and the international community, without obliging them to participate in activities they find morally abhorrent," he stated.
 
At the global level, the Catholic Church is a major provider of health care, a fact that the archbishop n! oted comes from a commitment to charity. He informed the assem! bly that the Church runs "over 120,000 social and health care institutions worldwide," and is in "many developing countries, one of the key partners of the state in health care delivery, providing services in remote areas to rural low-income populations."
 
According to the Catholic Health Association, the Church operates 12.6 percent of U.S. hospitals and accounts for 15.6 percent of hospital admissions and 14.5 percent of all hospital expenses. In addition, more than 400 health centers and 1,500 specialized homes are operated by the Catholic Church.
 
However, the U.S. Catholic Church is fighting a mandate from the Obama administration that requires employers to offer insurance plans that cover contraception, sterilization and abortion-causing drugs, even if doing so violates their religious beliefs.



Courtesy: CNA Oringinal Post

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Group launches tour to end abortion in Canada

Denver, Colo., May 22, 2012 / 12:59 pm (CNA).- A Canadian pro-life group is retracing the steps that abortion activists took in the country during the 1970s, but with the goal of repealing local abortion laws.

"We want to take the language for choice and then expose it," Stephanie Gray, executive director of the Canadian Center for Bio-ethical Reform, told CNA May 16.

The group, which is dedicated to "making abortion unthinkable" by engaging the public in discussions about the reality of abortion, will undertake its most ambitious campaign yet on May 29 with a cross-country educational tour.

The New Abortion Caravan will follow in the footsteps of abortion activists who engaged the public with a nearly identical campaign, called the Abortion Caravan, in the summer of 1970 to gain free abortions on demand and repeal pro-life laws.

By using disturbing imagery, having women to ! share emotional accounts of their experience with illegal abortion and presenting the act as a fundamental women's right, the abortion advocates were able to achieve their goal.

The original Abortion Caravan, which visited provinces from Ottawa to Vancouver, significantly contributed to the repeal of anti-abortion laws 18 years later, resulting in free abortions on demand, paid for with Canadian taxes, through all nine months of pregnancy.

Gray is confident that the new tour – which follows the same route and is part of the organization's larger campaign called End the Killing – will contribute to Canadians overturning abortion laws in the year 2030, precisely 18 years from now.

"We can end the killing and we can end it in our lifetime," Gray said.

She noted that using similar rhetoric as abortion advocates is key, adding that the New Abortion Caravan hopes to "shift the debate from an abstract notion of choice" to the reality of ab! ortion as "an act of violence which kills a baby."

! During their tour, the group will use graphic imagery, give educational talks and provide testimonies from women who have had abortions to expose the reality of the violence of the procedure.

Whereas the original campaign ended on Mother's Day in order to present the movement as a women's rights issue, the new campaign will end on July 1, Canada Day, to frame abortion as a violation of human rights.

"If someone would harm a toddler, wouldn't you intervene to stop that act of injustice from occurring?"

In the same way, abortion, is simply the killing of children who "are just a little bit younger, less developed and more dependent than toddlers," Gray explained.

Although the tone and imagery of the campaign may seem extreme, Gray said that her staff must be "good ambassadors" of the truth and love.

Above all, they need to, "communicate that harshness, which can't be changed, because abortion is harsh," while at the same t! ime practicing empathy, compassion and being good listeners.

Founded in 2001, the center now employs a team of 19 young Canadians who are dedicated to "making abortion unthinkable in our lifetime." To that end, the group sponsors talks, demonstrations, and campaigns throughout the year that are meant to "engage the culture directly about who the pre-born child is."

The organization has had surprisingly favorable feedback from various programs, especially with their high school talks.

"We find that we get such a positive, transformative response from students because they typically haven't been exposed to the pro-life message."



Courtesy: CNA Oringinal Post

Ecuador judge won't register British lesbian as 'father' of child

Quito, Ecuador, May 22, 2012 / 04:06 pm (CNA).- Temporarily ending a heated debate over the legal recognition of a British lesbian couple as "father and mother" of a baby girl, a judge in Ecuador ruled on May 22 that only the biological mother can be affirmed as a legal parent.

The baby girl, Satya Amani, was born in Ecuador to Nicola Susan Rothon by artificial insemination. Rothon lives in Quito –Ecuador's capital – with Helen Louis Bicknell. Both are British citizens who legalized their union as a same sex "marriage" in England in 2010.

Last December, with the support of international Gay and Lesbian organizations, the couple sued Ecuador's Civil Registry, demanding the right to register Satya Amani under both last names.

In Ecuador, as in most Latin American countries, children are legally registered under the father's and mother's last names, in that order. 
On Tuesday, however, Judge Vicente Altamirano issued a ruling stating that the legislation in Ecuador "does not contemplate a double maternal affiliation."

"The laws pertaining civil registry specifically speak of 'father and mother,' 'paternity and maternity,' 'man and woman' in the Civil Code and even the Constitution."

Altamirano's ruling also stated that the decision does not translate as discrimination against the lesbian couple, since "no civil servant or public official has denied the right of  Nicola Susan Rothon, mother of Satya Amani, to register the child under her name."

"The minor is the daughter  of Nicola Susan Rothon, meaning that the two, mother and child, share the same blood, so they must share the same last name, as clearly expressed by our legislation."

"But what does Helen Louise Bicknell represent to the child that will be named Satya Amani?" the ruling added. "The answe! r is: nothing, since this British citizen has no kinship of af! finity or blood."

The judge's ruling can now only be appealed by the couple to the Constitutional Court, the highest judicial authority in the country.



Courtesy: CNA Oringinal Post

Pope Benedict thanks God for 'dark nights' in his life

Vatican City, May 22, 2012 / 05:14 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Pope Benedict XVI has revealed to his closest collaborators in the Sacred College of Cardinals how the "dark nights" of his life have brought him closer to Christ.

"In this moment my words can only be a word of thanks; firstly gratitude to the Lord for giving me so many years; years with many days of joy, wonderful times, but also dark nights," he said May 21.

"But in retrospect one realizes that even the nights were necessary and good, a cause for thanksgiving."

Pope Benedict made his unscripted remarks at a private lunch at the Vatican with several dozen cardinals. The gathering was held to mark the 7th anniversary of his pontificate and also his 85th birthday. The comments were only officially released to the media May 22.

During lunch, the Pope told the cardinals that "we see how evil wants to dominate in the world and that it is necessary to enter into the fight against evil."

He added that although the term "the Church Militant" is deemed "a bit out of fashion" these days, it is actually the phrase that best "possesses the truth."

This evil, he said, manifests itself in many obvious ways through "different forms of violence" but, more subtly, it can also be found "masquerading as goodness, and thus destroying the moral foundations of society."

Pope Benedict reminded the cardinals of St. Augustine's maxim that "all of history is a struggle between two loves." Either we love of ourselves and have contempt for God or we love God and have contempt for ourselves in martyrdom.

"We are in this fight and in this struggle it is very important to have friends," he told them before thanking them personally for their friendship over the past seven years.

"Thank you for the communion of joys and sorrows. Let us go forward," said the Pope, reminding them of the Christ's promise "Courage, I have overcome the world."

"We are in the Lord's team, therefore in the winning team," he concluded before proposing a toast.

Yesterday's remarks are in keeping with several recent comments by the Pope in which he has alluded to the difficulties he has faced during his pontificate.

Earlier this month he used a Wednesday General Audience to thank people for their prayers and support since he election as Successor of Peter in 2005.

"From the first moment of my election as the Successor of St. Peter, I have always felt supported by the prayers of you all, by the prayer of the Church, especially by your prayers at moments of greatest difficulty, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart," he told pilgrims in St. Peters Square May 9.

"Unanimous and constant prayer is a precious instrument in overcoming all of the trials that may arise in the path of life, because it is our being deeply united with God that allows us to also be deeply united to others," the Pope said, before thanking everyone again.



Courtesy: CNA Oringinal Post

After Fr. Williams scandal, Legion head stresses accountability

Rome, Italy, May 22, 2012 / 07:25 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Father Alvaro Corcuera, the general director of the Legion of Christ, has asked forgiveness for his failure to act firmly enough towards a prominent Legion priest who fathered a child and has insisted that the Legion is improving its efforts to hold wayward clergy accountable.

The general director wrote a May 21 letter to the Legionaries of Christ and Regnum Christi members in North America about the situation "not to excuse my ineffectiveness, but to explain it -- and beg your forgiveness."

Father Thomas Williams, a television broadcaster, prolific author, and theology and ethics professor at the Legion's Regina Apostolorum University in Rome, issued a May 15 statement admitting that he had a relationship with a woman "a number of years ago." He apologized for the "grave transgression" and said he will leave active public ministry for a year.
Fr. Corcuera, the Regina Apostolorum University's former rector, provided new information about the timeline of the events. He said that he had heard rumors about Fr. Williams' misbehavior during his time as rector and inquired about them, but he believed Fr. Williams' denial.

After Fr. Corcuera became the Legion's general director in 2005, "early" in his assignment, he learned that Fr. Williams in fact had a relationship with a woman and fathered a child.

"I reviewed the situation with Fr. Williams, asking him to start withdrawing from public ministry," Fr. Corcuera said.

The general director placed restrictions on the priest's ministry in May 2010, but in his recent letter Fr. Corcuera said these restrictions were "not firm enough" because he was not asked to leave teaching. Fr. Williams was told to "fully withdraw" from all public ministry in March 2012.

"I also must admit that, in the midst of all that was happening I was not diligent i! n setting proper restrictions and enforcing them," the general! director said.

His comments follow a May 15 Legion of Christ statement saying the general director and his council are "deeply sorry for not having acted earlier and more firmly."

Fr. Corcuera's May 21 letter stressed the need to reassure Legion and Regnum Christi members that "things are handled differently now."

He said that precautionary measures, possibly including removal from public ministry, are now taken when a "serious charge" is brought against any member of the Legion of Christ.

If there is a legal issue, it is reported to the authorities and the Legion cooperates with them "completely." Relevant issues are also reported to the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

Fr. Corcuera said that changes in the Legion's governance structure  are also moving away from the centralized style created by the religious congregation's founder, Fr. Marcel Maciel. After his death Fr. Maciel was exposed as a sexual abuser w! ho also fathered children.

Reforms of the Legion's constitution, the general director said, will help minimize the chance of "future failings."

"However, we are fallen human beings; as a growing, international congregation, it is likely that some of us will fail to live up to our ideals. But when that happens, every person will be held accountable for his or her actions," he said.

He also called on priests who have engaged in abuse or sexual misconduct to "step forward" to be held accountable and "receive the assistance and the supervision they need."

Anyone affected by a Legionary priest should report it to the relevant authorities, he said.

Fr. Corcuera said that he is confident that with God's help the Legion can work to repair past injustices "in a way consonant with the justice and charity demanded in the Gospel."

He said he has always "esteemed and valued" Fr. Williams, which makes the current situation "so painful."

T! he general director urged Legion supporters to show "unity, charity, pr! ayer and mutual support" in advancing the congregation's renewal. He specifically asked for prayers for Fr. Williams, for Legionaries who may be "a cause of scandal with their sins," and for any victims.

"God can always bring good from evil – let us be on his side in this effort!" he said.



Courtesy: CNA Oringinal Post

Two Philadelphia priests removed from ministry after abuse claims

Philadelphia, Pa., May 22, 2012 / 08:08 pm (CNA).- As a part of his ongoing effort to address cases of abuse in the Philadelphia archdiocese, Archbishop Charles J. Chaput has found two priests unsuitable for ministry after reports that they each sexually abused minors.

Monsignors Hugh P. Campbell and George J. Mazzotta were determined to be unsuitable for ministry, the archdiocese announced May 20.

The announcement is not connected to the recent resolution of eight cases of priests who were placed on administrative leave after a February 2011 grand jury report alleged that the clergymen sexually abused minors or behaved inappropriately.

Msgr. Campbell, a 77-year-old retired priest of the archdiocese, self-reported in December 2011 that he had sexually abused a minor. The claim was reported to law enforcement and the priest was placed on administrative leave at the time of his report.

H! is most recent assignment was St. Maximilian Kolbe parish in West Chester, Pa. He retired in 2007 and moved to a private residence.

Msgr. Mazzotta, 73, was the object of a "substantiated allegation of sexual abuse of a minor" in May 2010, the archdiocese said. The archdiocese reported the charge to law enforcement.

The priest's two most recent assignments were Stella Maris Parish in Philadelphia and St. Madeline Parish in Ridley Park.
 
Since the reported abuse against them, both priests have been barred from exercising public priestly ministry, wearing clerical garb, or presenting themselves publicly as priests.

Both have agreed to accept a supervised life of prayer and penance.

Announcements about the allegations were made at the parishes where the priests were most recently assigned. Counselors were present during the announcements.

The Archdiocese of Philadelphia has asked any victims of sexual abuse who need support or assi! stance to contact the archdiocese's Victim Assistance Office. ! The archdiocese said allegations of sexual abuse should be referred to local law enforcement agencies and the Archdiocesan Office for Investigations.



Courtesy: CNA Oringinal Post

Monday, May 21, 2012

Holy See eyes legal action over continued 'Vatileaks'

Vatican City, May 21, 2012 / 01:42 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- The Vatican says it considers the continued leaking of confidential documents, including private correspondence belonging to Pope Benedict XVI, a "criminal act" that it will seek to bring to justice.

"The latest publication of documents of the Holy See and private documents of the Holy Father can no longer be considered a questionable – and objectively defamatory – journalistic initiative, but clearly assumes the character of a criminal act," said Vatican spokesman, Fr. Federico Lombardi, in a statement issued to the media May 19.

"The Holy Father, but also several of his collaborators and the senders of messages directed to him, have seen their rights to personal privacy and freedom of correspondence violated," he stated.

The Vatican statement follows the publication of a new book containing a series of leaked letter ad! dressed personally to Pope Benedict XVI. "Sua Santita" (His Holiness) is the work of the Italian journalist Gianluigi Nuzzi.

Last month, Pope Benedict established a special commission of three cardinals, chaired by the Spanish Cardinal Julian Herranz, to investigate the source of the internal leaks.

"The Holy See will continue to explore the different implications of these acts of violation of the privacy and dignity of the Holy Father -- as a person and as the supreme authority of the Church and Vatican City State," Fr. Lombardi said.
 
He promised that the Vatican will "take appropriate steps so that the authors of the theft, those who received stolen property and those who disclosed confidential information ... answer for their acts before the law." If necessary, the Vatican said it will request "international collaboration."

The Vatican scored a victory in the courts last week when the Italian clothing firm Benetton backed d! own and apologized for using an image of Pope Benedict XVI in ! a 2011 advertising campaign. The company had doctored a photograph to depict the Pope kissing a Muslim imam.

Journalist Gianluigi Nuzzi is no stranger to run-ins with the Vatican.

Earlier this year he also revealed confidential correspondence sent to Pope Benedict by the current Apostolic Nuncio to the United States, Archbishop Claudio Maria Vigano. In those letters, Archbishop Vigano pleaded to remain in his previous post as Secretary of the Vatican City's government. He also claimed to be the victim of a smear campaign by those aggrieved at his reforms of the Vatican's purchasing procedures.
 
Other recent Vatican leaks have centered on the Holy See's financial body, the Institute of Works of Religion, which is currently attempting to reform its procedures to comply with international regulatory norms.



Courtesy: CNA Oringinal Post

Notre Dame files legal challenge to HHS mandate

South Bend, Ind., May 21, 2012 / 02:45 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- The University of Notre Dame filed its own lawsuit against the HHS mandate on May 21, with its president warning that the mandate's religious freedom violations could mean "the end of genuinely religious organizations" if they are allowed to stand.

"We do not seek to impose our religious beliefs on others; we simply ask that the government not impose its values on the university when those values conflict with our religious teachings," University of Notre Dame President Fr. John Jenkins, C.S.C., said in a May 21 letter.

The lawsuit, filed against leaders of the Obama administration in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana, denies that the government has the right to "force the University of Notre Dame to violate its own conscience by making it provide, pay for, and/or facilitate those services to others, c! ontrary to its sincerely held religious beliefs."

"This lawsuit is about one of America's most cherished freedoms: the freedom to practice one's religion without government interference," it said.

The lawsuit seeks an injunction against Department of Health and Human Services rules requiring health plans to cover sterilization and contraception, including some abortion-causing drugs, as "preventive care" for women. The mandate also requires health plans to pay for education and counseling related to those procedures and drugs.

Although the mandate has a religious exemption, it would not apply to many Catholic universities, health systems, and charities even though Catholics consider the use of these procedures and drugs to be sinful.

The exemption applies only to organizations with a primarily religious purpose which serve and employ mainly people of its own religion.

The Obama administration has proposed an accommodation to! require insurance companies, rather than employers, to provid! e this coverage but many religious leaders say this is still morally unacceptable.

Notre Dame's lawsuit said the mandate applies to the university's health plans for both its employees and its students.

At least 43 Catholic dioceses and organizations filed suit against the Obama administration May 21. Notre Dame filed its lawsuit separately from the others.

The university's lawsuit charged that the mandate and its "narrow exemption" for religious employers, is "irreconcilable" with the First Amendment, the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act, and other laws.

"The government has not shown any compelling need to force Notre Dame to provide, pay for, and/or facilitate access to these objectionable services, or for requiring Notre Dame to submit to an intrusive governmental examination of its religious missions," it said.

The lawsuit charges that the federal regulations substantially burden religious freedom, cause "e! xcessive entanglement" between religion and government, and discriminate between different types of religious entities based on their religious beliefs or practices.

It also characterizes the mandate as an example of unconstitutional "compelled speech" for forcing an organization to use its money to support a viewpoint that conflicts with its religious beliefs.

Fr. Jenkins said that the lawsuit is about "the freedom of a religious organization to live its mission."

He also questioned the Obama administration's use of the religious exemption. He warned that if the university concedes the government's right to decide which organizations are sufficiently religious to have a religious freedom exemption "then we have begun to walk down a path that ultimately leads to the undermining of those institutions."

Allowing one presidential administration to "override" the university's religious purpose will allow another administration! to do the same for another different set of policies, he predicted.
This process will result in religious organizations becoming "mere tools for the exercise of government power, morally subservient to the state, and not free from its infringement."

"If that happens, it will be the end of genuinely religious organizations in all but name," Fr. Jenkins said.

The lawsuit echoed Fr. Jenkins' concerns.

"If the government can force religious institutions to violate their beliefs in such a manner, there is no apparent limit to the government's power," it said.

Fr. Jenkins maintained that the lawsuit is not about "preventing women from having access to contraception" or about preventing the government from providing such services. He said that many Notre Dame Catholic faculty, staff and students, Catholic and non-Catholic, have made "conscientious decisions" to use contraceptives.

"As we assert the right to follow our conscience, we respect their right to follow theirs," he said.!



Courtesy: CNA Oringinal Post

Abortion doctor says women who undergo procedure live with guilt

Buenos Aires, Argentina, May 21, 2012 / 04:02 pm (CNA).- German Pablo Cardoso, a well-known abortion doctor in Argentina, said that every woman who undergoes an abortion is burdened with "sorrow" and guilt.

In an interview with MDZ Radio, the 54-year-old Cardoso, who markets himself online as "Doctor Abortion," called the procedure "a burden, a sorrow in the soul, and there is no woman who does not live with guilt."

Cardoso was detained by Argentinean authorities in June 2011 for performing illegal abortions, but was eventually released by a judge. The doctor has been performing abortions since 2000 at a cost of $786 U.S. dollars each.

During the radio program, Cardoso said he continues to carry out abortions despite seeing its negative affects on women and has joined an advocacy group in calling for the legalization of the practice in Argentina.

He said he uses the "surgical method" of dilation and aspiration to perform abortions and that some 500,000 abortions are performed each year in the country. "Not even half of these are carried out by doctors," he claimed.

Cardoso said his family supports him as an abortion doctor. "If we were in Europe or the United States, we would not be talking about ethics or guilt. It's a matter of passing laws that we need."



Courtesy: CNA Oringinal Post

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Vatican laicizes Canadian bishop convicted for child pornography

Ottawa, Canada, May 17, 2012 / 12:32 pm (CNA).- The Vatican has dismissed from the clerical state a Canadian bishop who pleaded guilty to the possession of child pornography.

"Raymond Lahey has accepted the Decree of Dismissal, which also requires him to pray the Liturgy of the Hours in reparation for the harm and the scandal he has caused, and for the sanctification of clergy," the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops said May 16.

Bishop Raymond Lahey of Antigonish, Nova Scotia was arrested in 2009 after Ottawa airport workers found hundreds of images of child pornography in his possession on his return from a trip abroad.

In May 2011 he pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography and was immediately jailed.

After the disgraced bishop was jailed, the Vatican responded to the case with a condemnation of "sexual exploitation in all its forms, especially when perpetrated a! gainst minors." It also voiced pastoral concern for those who experienced "great pain" as a result of the scandal.

The latest Vatican decree is the response to the bishop's crime under Church law.

The bishop's dismissal from the clerical state means that he loses the rights and duties of the priestly state, except for his obligation of celibacy. He is prohibited from exercising any priestly ministry, except in case of emergency.

In January the former bishop was sentenced to 15 months in jail and two years of probation. However, he was given double credit for his time in custody before sentence and was released upon probation at the close of his trial, CTV News reports.

Bishop Lahey's successor, Bishop Brian J. Dunn, in January announced a diocesan gathering scheduled for October 2013 to address questions and concerns about the direction of the Church and to give a clear focus for pastoral care.

Bishop Dunn said the gathering wi! ll give "a new impetus and new direction as we live out our ! faith."

"The recent events that have touched every person in our diocese have led to a great deal of reflection upon the Church's need to bring justice, compassion, healing, hope and new life to the people of God," he said Jan. 6.



Courtesy: CNA Oringinal Post

Spain would save over $72 million by axing abortion funding

Madrid, Spain, May 17, 2012 / 04:09 pm (CNA).- The spokesman for the organization Right to Life in Spain, Gador Joya, said eliminating abortion funding from the federal budget would save Spain nearly $72 million.

According to Europa Press, Joya suggested the funds be used for a comprehensive maternity program, with special emphasis on women with "unexpected pregnancies."

She criticized the government for continuing to provide funding for abortion, while at the same time arguing that the health care system is too poor to pay for treatments such as hip replacements.

"At times we have the sensation that the government does not want to confront the harsh reality.  Abortion is the cruel and violent death of a human being. It does not cure or prevent an illness, and therefore it cannot be recognized as a health care benefit," she added.

Joya said the Spanish government needs to take action quickly "because each day 300 children are dying, and since the new government has taken office, more than 40,000 lives have been lost. 

Right to Life, together with the Forum on the Family, have issued an "urgent" appeal to the government to cut funding for abortion, after the country's Health Minister, Ana Mato, said Spain's national health care system would continue to cover the procedure.

The president of the Forum on the Family, Benigno Blanco, underscored that many Spaniards find it "totally unacceptable" that their tax dollars are being used to pay for abortions, and he said the laws that force public hospitals to cover abortions should be struck down "as soon as possible."

Blanco said it was particularly incongruous that the law itself has separated abortion for any issue related to health and has turned it into a right that can be exercised by a woman without any medical reason whatsoever.



Courtesy: CNA Oringinal Post

Legion leaders regret not acting sooner in Fr. Williams case

Rome, Italy, May 17, 2012 / 04:15 pm (CNA).- Leaders of the Legionaries of Christ have apologized for not acting more quickly in the case of Father Thomas Williams, who acknowledged on May 15 that he fathered a child several years ago.

In a statement published on its website, the Legionaries said the priest's superiors "suggested to Fr. Thomas to act in an appropriate way and to withdraw himself from public appearances … Nevertheless, it would have been better to act faster and more forcefully."

"The General Director and his council are deeply sorry for not having acted earlier and more firmly, and they assume the responsibility and ask pardon for not having done everything possible to limit the scandal," the order said.

It was out of concern for "the legitimate interests of all concerned, especially the privacy of the mother and child," that the facts were not made public earlier, according to the statement.

Cardinal Velasio De Paolis, the papal delegate appointed to oversee the order's reform efforts in 2010, told Reuters he "only heard about it this year," when he was informed several months ago.

In its statement, the Legionaries said the papal delegate had helped them to "sort out difficult issues like this." They also stated that future cases of a similar kind will be handled "with canonical firmness."

In the case of Fr. Williams, the order says it knows of "no other inappropriate relationships."

Known for his numerous books and frequent television appearances, Fr. Williams apologized on Tuesday for the events that took place "a number of years ago." He has withdrawn from public ministry for a year "to reflect on the wrong I have done and my commitments as a priest."

Citing "respect for the privacy of the mother and child," his order said it had no further details to provide regarding the time frame of Fr. Williams' relationship with the woman, nor about the age of their child, or how long the priest's superiors knew of the situation before taking action.

Fr. Williams, who was ordained in 1994, is also a professor at the Legionaries' Regina Apostolorum University. In Tuesday's clarification notice, the order said the woman was not one of his students. Their relationship, according to the Legion, involved no "abuse of authority."

"Despite the moral seriousness of this transgression against the priestly vows, it is not a case of abuse or a criminal action," the order stated, explaining that the case had been reported to a representative of the Pope but not to civil authorities.

The child, meanwhile, "is being cared for, as required by natural law." No further details were disclosed.

Canon law does not provide a single set procedure for cases in which a priest fathers a child with an adult woman. Priests may be released from their vows in some cases, though they may also choose to continue serving as clergy after appropriate repentance and other steps to address the situation.



Courtesy: CNA Oringinal Post

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Prominent Legion priest admits fathering child, issues apology

Rome, Italy, May 15, 2012 / 12:58 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Father Thomas Williams, one of the most high-profile American members of the Legion of Christ, is leaving public ministry after admitting he fathered a child.

"A number of years ago I had a relationship with a woman and fathered her child. I am deeply sorry for this grave transgression and have tried to make amends," Fr. Williams said in a May 15 statement.

"My superiors and I have decided it would be best for me to take a year without active public ministry to reflect on the wrong I have done and my commitments as a priest. I am truly sorry to everyone who is hurt by this revelation, and I ask for your prayers as I seek guidance on how to make up for my errors."

He also apologized to members of the Legion and the Church, "since this scandalous news will damage them as well, at the worst possible moment."
 
The i! dentities of the mother and child have not been revealed.

Fr. Williams also said that he is with his family in Michigan and is being treated for a form of cancer.
 
Fr. Williams was ordained a priest with the Legion of Christ priest in 1994. Now based in Rome, he is a professor of theology and ethics at the Legion's Regina Apostolorum University. He is also a prolific Catholic author.

But Fr. Williams earned most of his renown for his work in broadcast television. In recent years he has served as a faith and religion analyst for CBS News, as well as a Vatican analyst for NBC News and Sky News. He was also the theological advisor for Mel Gibson's 2004 film, "The Passion of the Christ."

Today's news is yet another blow to the morale of the Legion of Christ. The movement is currently being overhauled by senior Vatican officials, following revelations that its late founder, Fr. Marcial Maciel, had lived a double life that included af! fairs with women and fathering children.

Meanwhile, th! e Vatican announced last week that it is also investigating seven allegations of sexual abuse made against Legion members, with all but one of the cases being "from decades ago."
 
In a May 15 letter to all Legion members, Father Luis Garza, Territorial Director for North America, said that Fr. Williams' announcement "will be shocking news to you," especially "in the wake of all that we have been through as a Movement in the past several years." He added that he would not be surprised if members were "disappointed, angry or feel your trust shaken once again."
 
"Father Williams has enriched the faith of so many through his teaching, public speaking and writing, and has been a spiritual guide for many in the Movement," he stated.
 
"That is what makes this failing such a painful reminder that we are all frail humans, in desperate need of God's mercy."
 
Fr. Garza concluded by asking for prayers for all w! ho have been affected by Fr. Williams' actions and also for himself "during his time of prayer, penance and renewal of his priestly ministry."



Courtesy: CNA Oringinal Post

Colo. civil unions not dead until session’s end, opponents warn

Denver, Colo., May 15, 2012 / 02:12 pm (CNA).- Though a Colorado House committee voted to kill a civil unions bill Monday night, the measure's opponents have called for continued vigilance until the end of the legislature's special session.

"The special session is not over, so we have to be vigilant and court our legislators to defend marriage," Colorado Catholic Conference executive director Jennifer Kraska told CNA May 15.

She said the bill is still technically alive and cautioned that much can happen while the special session remains underway.

Kraska's concerns were echoed by Carrie Gordon Earll, spokeswoman for the Focus on the Family policy organization Citizenlink, another bill opponent.

"As long as the legislature is in special session, defenders of marriage need to stay vigilant on this," she said. "Procedural maneuvers and parliamentary tests to bring this bill! up will no doubt be tried by supporters of civil unions."

Earll encouraged voters to continue to communicate with legislators and "tell them it's not too late to voice their support for marriage."

The House State, Veterans and Military Affairs Committee voted against the bill by a 5-4 vote along party lines. If the bill had gone to the Republican-majority House floor, enough Republicans could have joined Democratic bill supporters for civil unions to pass into law.

The bill would grant the legal benefits, protections and responsibilities of spouses to any two unrelated people who contract a union. Though the bill is being promoted as a gay rights measure, opposite-sex couples who are not closely related can also contract a union.

The 2010 U.S. Census reported that households with same-sex partners make up between 0.6 and 0.8 percent of all households in Colorado.

Opponents of the civil unions bill gathered outside the state capito! l building at noon on May 15 for a non-partisan rally sponsore! d by the Colorado Catholic Conference, Colorado Family Action and Citizenlink.

"When we heard there was going to be a special session to include civil unions, we wanted to have the opportunity for people to come to the capital to encourage their legislators to defend and protect marriage," Citizenlink spokeswoman Earll told CNA before the May 15 rally.

"The civil unions bill is a vehicle by which gay activists who support same-sex marriage can file suit in federal court against Colorado's marriage amendment, which was passed by 56 percent of voters in 2006."

Although Colorado voters have affirmed the legal definition of marriage as a union of one man and one woman, Earll said that in the last six years there has been an "incremental legal strategy" to undermine that decision.

Same-sex unions or similar laws that recognize these relationships are taken to courts which rule that same-sex couples already have marriage rights and theref! ore "same-sex marriage" must be recognized.

"In California we saw a federal judge in 2010 strike down California's marriage amendment, very similar to Colorado's, and usher in same-sex marriage," Earll said. "We don't want to see that happen here."

While some contend that civil unions will not affect anyone else, Earll disagreed.

Once these unions are legally recognized they are used in combination with non-discrimination law to "try to silence and coerce photographers and caterers and churches who own private property into having to participate in same-sex ceremonies," she said.

"Those people are not protected in this bill, and we are very concerned about religious freedom being protected," Earll stated.

The rally included several pastors and attendees from throughout the state. Some legislators are expected to greet the rally.

Earll said the rally organizers intend "to pray for God to move on the hearts! of people to protect his design for sexuality and for family, and that! is through the marriage of one man and one woman."

She voiced some concern that the House committee vote may suppress turnout.

During the House's regular session, the civil unions bill unexpectedly passed out of the House Judiciary Committee. Republicans filibustered the bill on May 8, leading House Speaker Frank McNulty to announce an impasse.

The civil unions bill and more than 30 other proposals died in committee.

On May 9, Democratic Gov. John Hickenlooper called for a special session to pass the civil unions bill and other proposed legislation. He characterized civil unions as a "civil rights issue."

While Speaker McNulty has faced criticism for the controversy surrounding the end of the House's regular session, he charged that the governor and his allies caused gridlock by "pushing a last-minute, divisive attack on our traditional views on marriage for short term political gain."

"They can't defend their rec! ord of failed policies, so they have chosen instead to push and promote same-sex marriage. And that's unfortunate. Because the hardworking families of this state don't have the time, the inclination or the patience to pay for these election year political stunts," he said in a statement.



Courtesy: CNA Oringinal Post

Virgin Mary 'greatest source of hope' for Europe's crisis

Valencia, Spain, May 15, 2012 / 04:05 pm (CNA).- A top Vatican official called the Virgin Mary the "greatest source of hope" during the economic crisis now facing Spain and most of the countries of Europe.

Cardinal Antonio Canizares, prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, made his remarks during the traditional "Missa d'Infants" (Children's Mass) in Valencia.

The outdoor Mass at Virgin Mary Square is the largest celebration in honor of the Blessed Mother under the patronage of "Our Lady of Abandoned Children." Dozens of children's choirs participate in the Mass each year.

During his homily, the cardinal said devotion to Mary is especially important "during the difficult times of our life, amidst the great difficulties we are experiencing" and as society faces a "critical hour" in history.

He went on to say that at the root of the massive crisis facing the country, and the real problem facing mankind, "is the breakdown of humanity, the lack of a true vision of man, who is inseparable from God."

Citing the words of Pope Benedict XVI, Cardinal Canizares stressed that when God disappears, "man is unable to achieve greatness." 

"He loses his dignity and becomes the mere product of blind evolution, to be used and abused." Only in God and with God, who loves man unconditionally, "as we feel in Mary, will the change that the earth needs come to pass," he said.

The cardinal's homily was met with a standing ovation by the thousands of people gathered for the Mass.

At the conclusion of the Mass, Archbishop Carlos Osoro of Valencia thanked the cardinal for his words and asked him to convey to Pope Benedict XVI "our sincere affection and communion and the prayer of all the Christians of the pilgrim Church of Valencia."



Courtesy: CNA Oringinal Post

Fashion company makes amends for Pope-imam 'kissing' ad

Vatican City, May 15, 2012 / 05:38 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- An Italian fashion company has settled a legal conflict with the Vatican, which arose in 2011 after an ad campaign that featured digitally manipulated images of the Pope kissing a Muslim cleric.

In the wake of the legal challenge to its ads, Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi said the Benetton Group now recognizes "that the Pope's image must be respected."

A recent declaration by the fashion company, acknowledged by the Holy See Press Office on May 15, reaffirmed its "regret for having offended His Holiness Benedict XVI and believers" with its "UNHATE" advertisements, which portrayed kisses between religious and political leaders.

One of these doctored images, featuring Pope Benedict and Egyptian imam Ahmed el Tayyeb, was displayed in print and other media – including a large banner near the Vatican – in Novemb! er 2011. It was withdrawn from publications after an initial apology by Benetton the same month.

Tuesday's announcement from the Holy See marks the resolution of the legal conflict that continued after the withdrawal, as the Vatican sought to prevent further distribution of the image and ensure Benetton's respect for the Pope's reputation in the future.

In its communique, the Benetton Group assured the Vatican that "all photographic images of the Holy Father have been retracted from commercial distribution."

The company also promised not to use the Pope's image without permission, and to invest resources in stopping any "further use of the image by third parties on internet sites and in other places."

While the Vatican did not seek any financial compensation for damages, Fr. Lombardi noted that a form of "moral compensation" was requested. The Benetton Group has made an "an act of generosity, (which is) effective even if limited,! toward one of the Church's charitable activities."



Courtesy: CNA Oringinal Post

Franciscan University drops health insurance over HHS mandate

Steubenville, Ohio, May 16, 2012 / 12:01 am (CNA).- Rather than compromise its Catholic values by complying with the federal contraception mandate, Franciscan University has decided to drop its student health insurance.

According to the school's website, Franciscan University of Steubenville chose to cut student health insurance altogether instead of participating "in a plan that requires us to violate the consistent teachings of the Catholic Church on the sacredness of human life."

The small Catholic university in Ohio currently excludes contraception, sterilization and abortifacients from its student and employee health insurance plans. If enacted into law, however, the federal contraception mandate would change that.

The mandate, originally introduced in an Aug. 2011 interim rule, requires health insurance plans to cover contraception – including drugs that cause abortion – and sterilization free of charge.

As part of the "accommodation" for organizations morally opposed to these services, Franciscan University would have until August 2013 to comply.

But with a new coverage year beginning in August, the university decided to drop student health insurance rather than risk violating its "passionately Catholic" identity.

Other colleges and private businesses have brought law suits against the Obama administration, but Franciscan is the first to drop student health insurance completely.

While the student health center will still serve students for just 5 U.S. dollars per visit, students will be responsible to decide how "to provide for accidents or illnesses requiring visits to physicians, health clinics, or the hospital emergency room" during their time as a student.

Franciscan's announcement comes less than one week after Legatus, a national organization of leading Catholic business CEOs and professional leaders, announced its lawsuit against the HHS mandate on the grounds of religious freedom.

Ave Maria University, EWTN, Catholic Social Services, St. Pius X Catholic School of Nebraska and seven states, are among those who have filed lawsuits against the Obama administration over the contraception mandate.



Courtesy: CNA Oringinal Post

Prominent Legion priest admits fathering child, issues apology

Rome, Italy, May 15, 2012 / 12:58 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Father Thomas Williams, one of the most high-profile American members of the Legion of Christ, is leaving public ministry after admitting he fathered a child.

"A number of years ago I had a relationship with a woman and fathered her child. I am deeply sorry for this grave transgression and have tried to make amends," Fr. Williams said in a May 15 statement.

"My superiors and I have decided it would be best for me to take a year without active public ministry to reflect on the wrong I have done and my commitments as a priest. I am truly sorry to everyone who is hurt by this revelation, and I ask for your prayers as I seek guidance on how to make up for my errors."

He also apologized to members of the Legion and the Church, "since this scandalous news will damage them as well, at the worst possible moment."
 
The i! dentities of the mother and child have not been revealed.

Fr. Williams also said that he is with his family in Michigan and is being treated for a form of cancer.
 
Fr. Williams was ordained a priest with the Legion of Christ priest in 1994. Now based in Rome, he is a professor of theology and ethics at the Legion's Regina Apostolorum University. He is also a prolific Catholic author.

But Fr. Williams earned most of his renown for his work in broadcast television. In recent years he has served as a faith and religion analyst for CBS News, as well as a Vatican analyst for NBC News and Sky News. He was also the theological advisor for Mel Gibson's 2004 film, "The Passion of the Christ."

Today's news is yet another blow to the morale of the Legion of Christ. The movement is currently being overhauled by senior Vatican officials, following revelations that its late founder, Fr. Marcial Maciel, had lived a double life that included af! fairs with women and fathering children.

Meanwhile, th! e Vatican announced last week that it is also investigating seven allegations of sexual abuse made against Legion members, with all but one of the cases being "from decades ago."
 
In a May 15 letter to all Legion members, Father Luis Garza, Territorial Director for North America, said that Fr. Williams' announcement "will be shocking news to you," especially "in the wake of all that we have been through as a Movement in the past several years." He added that he would not be surprised if members were "disappointed, angry or feel your trust shaken once again."
 
"Father Williams has enriched the faith of so many through his teaching, public speaking and writing, and has been a spiritual guide for many in the Movement," he stated.
 
"That is what makes this failing such a painful reminder that we are all frail humans, in desperate need of God's mercy."
 
Fr. Garza concluded by asking for prayers for all w! ho have been affected by Fr. Williams' actions and also for himself "during his time of prayer, penance and renewal of his priestly ministry."



Courtesy: CNA Oringinal Post

Colo. civil unions not dead until session’s end, opponents warn

Denver, Colo., May 15, 2012 / 02:12 pm (CNA).- Though a Colorado House committee voted to kill a civil unions bill Monday night, the measure's opponents have called for continued vigilance until the end of the legislature's special session.

"The special session is not over, so we have to be vigilant and court our legislators to defend marriage," Colorado Catholic Conference executive director Jennifer Kraska told CNA May 15.

She said the bill is still technically alive and cautioned that much can happen while the special session remains underway.

Kraska's concerns were echoed by Carrie Gordon Earll, spokeswoman for the Focus on the Family policy organization Citizenlink, another bill opponent.

"As long as the legislature is in special session, defenders of marriage need to stay vigilant on this," she said. "Procedural maneuvers and parliamentary tests to bring this bill! up will no doubt be tried by supporters of civil unions."

Earll encouraged voters to continue to communicate with legislators and "tell them it's not too late to voice their support for marriage."

The House State, Veterans and Military Affairs Committee voted against the bill by a 5-4 vote along party lines. If the bill had gone to the Republican-majority House floor, enough Republicans could have joined Democratic bill supporters for civil unions to pass into law.

The bill would grant the legal benefits, protections and responsibilities of spouses to any two unrelated people who contract a union. Though the bill is being promoted as a gay rights measure, opposite-sex couples who are not closely related can also contract a union.

The 2010 U.S. Census reported that households with same-sex partners make up between 0.6 and 0.8 percent of all households in Colorado.

Opponents of the civil unions bill gathered outside the state capito! l building at noon on May 15 for a non-partisan rally sponsore! d by the Colorado Catholic Conference, Colorado Family Action and Citizenlink.

"When we heard there was going to be a special session to include civil unions, we wanted to have the opportunity for people to come to the capital to encourage their legislators to defend and protect marriage," Citizenlink spokeswoman Earll told CNA before the May 15 rally.

"The civil unions bill is a vehicle by which gay activists who support same-sex marriage can file suit in federal court against Colorado's marriage amendment, which was passed by 56 percent of voters in 2006."

Although Colorado voters have affirmed the legal definition of marriage as a union of one man and one woman, Earll said that in the last six years there has been an "incremental legal strategy" to undermine that decision.

Same-sex unions or similar laws that recognize these relationships are taken to courts which rule that same-sex couples already have marriage rights and theref! ore "same-sex marriage" must be recognized.

"In California we saw a federal judge in 2010 strike down California's marriage amendment, very similar to Colorado's, and usher in same-sex marriage," Earll said. "We don't want to see that happen here."

While some contend that civil unions will not affect anyone else, Earll disagreed.

Once these unions are legally recognized they are used in combination with non-discrimination law to "try to silence and coerce photographers and caterers and churches who own private property into having to participate in same-sex ceremonies," she said.

"Those people are not protected in this bill, and we are very concerned about religious freedom being protected," Earll stated.

The rally included several pastors and attendees from throughout the state. Some legislators are expected to greet the rally.

Earll said the rally organizers intend "to pray for God to move on the hearts! of people to protect his design for sexuality and for family, and that! is through the marriage of one man and one woman."

She voiced some concern that the House committee vote may suppress turnout.

During the House's regular session, the civil unions bill unexpectedly passed out of the House Judiciary Committee. Republicans filibustered the bill on May 8, leading House Speaker Frank McNulty to announce an impasse.

The civil unions bill and more than 30 other proposals died in committee.

On May 9, Democratic Gov. John Hickenlooper called for a special session to pass the civil unions bill and other proposed legislation. He characterized civil unions as a "civil rights issue."

While Speaker McNulty has faced criticism for the controversy surrounding the end of the House's regular session, he charged that the governor and his allies caused gridlock by "pushing a last-minute, divisive attack on our traditional views on marriage for short term political gain."

"They can't defend their rec! ord of failed policies, so they have chosen instead to push and promote same-sex marriage. And that's unfortunate. Because the hardworking families of this state don't have the time, the inclination or the patience to pay for these election year political stunts," he said in a statement.



Courtesy: CNA Oringinal Post