News Highlights

The following are some recent news highlights...

* The priest who was a passenger in the automobile accident which killed a nun and injured the U.S. Ambassador to Malta has died. He was 94 and had been in critical condition as a result of the single-vehicle accident, the cause of which is still under investigation

* The Vatican Splendors exhibit which recently concluded after a four month run reportedly drew record crowds to the Missouri History Museum

* A Filipino prelate has alleged that eight bishops in his country have taken payoffs from gaming bosses in connection with illegal gambling. He has apparently agreed to reveal the names of the bishops he claims are involved

* Contradicting an earlier claim by Pakistan's Federal Minister for Minorities Affairs that there has been no discrimination in aid distribution to non-Muslims, Pakistani bishops have alleged that the discrimination against Christians is still occurring

* Bishop Olmsted of Phoenix has announced the excommunication of a priest who recently participated in the attempted* 'ordination' of a woman, noting that "Actions such as these are extremely serious and carry with them profoundly harmful consequences for the salvation of the souls participating in this attempted ordination" [* Note: 'Attempted ordination' because it is impossible to actually ordain a woman (click here for more information)]

* There have been at least 19 deaths in connection with previous plans by a Protestant group in Florida to burn the Qu’ran on 9/11. Also, even though India's bishops condemned the planned Qu'ran burning, Muslims bombed a Catholic school in that country in protest. The Holy Father recently prayed for the victims and asked that "reconciliation and peace may prevail over hatred and violence"

* Sacraments designed for humans can be given to 'extra terrestrials'? The "Pope's astronomer" reportedly claimed that (supposed) aliens have souls and he would be willing to baptize an alien "if they asked" [Commentary: How exactly does he suppose 'aliens' got stained by Original Sin which was passed down only to Adam & Eve's descendents?]

* Bishop Harpigny indicated that the Belgian Church may have been hesitant to issue an apology to alleged abuse victims because an apology may have made the Church legally liable for damages

* Foreseeable consequence of homosexual 'marriage': A new television show is attempting to redefine marriage as a union of one man and many women. The show features a "polygamous Mormon household"

* Sacrilege: A communicant at a TLM in Ireland refused to receive Holy Communion on the tongue. He reportedly grabbed a host from the ciborium, causing the Host to fall to the floor. He was restrained and told not to return to the church [Related: Communion in the Hand: Why Not?]

* The approach of Cardinal Newman's beatification has again brought to light criticism of the alleged miracle involved in the cause. The nature of the alleged miracle - a supposedly "fast recovery" of a deacon after back surgery (the 'fast recovery' is the alleged 'miracle', not the healing itself) - has provided opportunities for skeptics to cast doubt on the veracity of miracles themselves. Some have charged that miracles have been "downgraded" in recent times from fantastic (e.g. parting of the sea, healing the blind, raising the dead) to "near-trivial" (e.g. a 'fast recovery' after surgery) - or as one article put it, 'today's miracles' have "lost their wow factor". The deacon involved in Cardinal Newman's case, who is married and who has enjoyed "considerable notoriety" since the alleged miracle, previously claimed to receive assistance with his back pain from Cardinal Newman before he had a relapse which required surgery. The deacon was also in the news last year after he asked newspapers and other media to "erase references" to his meeting with dissenting 'Catholic' Cherie Blair. The allegation that the deacon's 'fast recovery' was miraculous reportedly gave one neurosurgeon (who said there was nothing remarkable about his five-day recovery) and his colleagues "a good chuckle." Also controversial in his cause have been questionable statements made by the Anglican convert as well as allegations that the prelate was homosexual. Pope Benedict is scheduled to beatify Cardinal Newman on Sunday, to the gratification of some 'conservatives' who enjoy his writings and to various 'liberals' who see him as a 'precursor' of Vatican II

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