Some more recent news highlights...
* Authorities are investigating "suspicious" fires at a Catholic high school in Des Moines. Reports indicate that three fires occurred on campus this past weekend. No injures were reported.
* Pope Benedict's second volume of Jesus of Nazareth is expected to be released next March. The volume will reportedly focus on Jesus' Passion, Death & Resurrection.
* The Bishop of Rimini recently lamented that the human heart is "sick with a grave disease: narcissism" and noted that "When man falls victim to [the temptation] of trying to be happy on his own, he condemns himself to unhappiness."
* A number of dissenting 'Catholic' groups have expressed support for Empire State Building officials' decision not to light the facility in honor of Mother Teresa's 100th birthday.
* In the wake of suspected 'hate crimes' against Hispanics, Archbishop Timothy Dolan has expressed sadness and said that "We will reclaim our streets." According to an AP article, "The attacks have underscored long-simmering tensions between Hispanic immigrants and blacks."
* A recent letter by Cardinal Daniel DiNardo of the USCCB to the U.S. House of Representatives calls for legislators to support proposed legislation H.R. 5939, "No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act". The bill seeks to "write into permanent law" that "The federal government should not use taxpayers' money to support and promote elective abortion." The letter indicates that "passage of a bill like H.R. 5939 is overdue" and notes that abortion is a "lethal procedure that most Americans know is not truly 'health care' at all."
* The Archdiocese of Boston is blocking access to a blog critical of the archdiocese (one report referred to the critics as "anonymous conservative Catholic bloggers"). A spokesman charged that employees of the archdiocese were being "actively spammed" and it was "interfering with their work day."
* Just what we don't need, more dissent: A CNA report indicates that 'Catholic' dissenters have created a homosexual advocacy group to "promote homosexual political causes and to change Catholic opinion through coordination with other activists." The organization reportedly hopes to "support, educate, and mobilize equality-supporting Catholics to advance LGBT equality at federal, state, and local levels." [Related: Scripture On Homosexuality]
* Instructions for pilgrims have been issued which state that those who attend papal events in the U.K. next month should not bring animals, candles, alcohol, canopies, gazebos, etc. The "long list of do's and don'ts" also prohibits large coolers, musical instruments & steel cutlery, but recommends sun block, flags and folding chairs.
* In a recent Fox News interview, the "chief Vatican prosecutor for abuse cases", Monsignor Charles Scicluna, indicated that he saw Cardinal Ratzinger, the future Pope Benedict XVI, express "compassion, anger and frustration" over abuse cases. Msgr. Scicluna said, "I am a direct witness to the compassion, the frustration and the anger that these cases instilled in Cardinal Ratzinger, the man, Joseph Ratzinger."
* Rumors are circulating about a future motu proprio which would supposedly permit 'regularization' of the SSPX if the group would accept the 1992 Catechism of the Catholic Church. Reportedly, the Vatican-SSPX doctrinal discussions are "running into a doctrinal brick wall" and a SSPX leader fears the "political deal" would "simply go round the side of the doctrinal blockage." The SSPX leader also claimed that "Politics threaten to circumvent doctrine." [Related: Third Vatican-SSPX Meeting]
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