More News Highlights

Some more recent news highlights...

* Fides news agency is reporting that Christians in Pakistan are facing "systematic discrimination" in the distribution of aid essential for survival in the wake of devastating floods. Aid is allegedly handled "either by Muslim relief organizations or by government officials close to fundamentalists" who 'often ignore' or who 'purposely do not identify & register' Christians

* The USCCB has lent its support to an initiative designed to protect the right of religious organizations to make staffing decisions on the basis of faith. Pending legislation threatens to harm religious freedom and the ability of organizations to protect their religious identity

* A second lawsuit has been filed against the Santa Rosa Diocese concerning alleged abuse by an Irish priest in the 1980's. The priest had been described as "troublesome" by former Dublin Archbishop Dermot Ryan

* The Catholic League's rally against the Empire State Building on Mother Teresa's 100th birthday drew "well over 3,000", according to the League. A CNN blog reports the rally drew "a few hundred people." While the Catholic League was "proud of the overwhelming support" and called the rally a "smashing success", liberal-leaning CNN pointed out that "conspicuously absent from the rally were any blue and white saris." Officials of the Empire State Building had refused to light up the building in Mother Teresa's honor

* The Vatican's "top official for migrants", Msgr. Agostino Marchetto, "deplored" the French government's recent crackdown on gypsies ("Roma"). The Archbishop of Paris was also critical, calling the actions a "circus". The French government defended the mass deportations saying they are "scrupulously respecting European law" and claimed that the illegal "squatters' camps" have been linked to crime

* A message was sent from the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue to Muslims to mark the end of their "holy" month which called for Muslims and Christians to work together against violence. Muslims, on the other hand, have "appealed to the Pope" and other world leaders hoping they will lend their efforts to try to prevent a "Burn a Qur'an" day being planned for 9/11 in the U.S. by a "non-denominational" group

* A Catholic school in Australia has apologized to parents after a boy dressed as Adolf Hitler won a prize for his costume. The school had received "a number of complaints" about the award

* Parents of a 19 year-old girl have filed a lawsuit against the Allentown Diocese after their daughter allegedly became pregnant by a priest. The parents - who reportedly recorded their daughter having intimate relations with the priest via a hidden camera - are seeking more than $300K in damages

* A formal announcement is expected to be made next month regarding Cardinal Newman's feast date, which will be on October 9 (Novus Ordo calendar), the date of his conversion

[8/27]

More News Highlights

More recent news highlights...

* Large family discrimination? A female Republican running for political office in Pennsylvania has created a stir by implying that her male opponent (a Catholic) wouldn't have time for the position since he is a married man with six children. [Commentary: Can one imagine the fallout if a man had said that about a woman in our p.c. age? Wouldn't it be enlightening to ask her if she applies this same standard to women with children? Wouldn't it be interesting to hear her trying to explain how men were able to manage both demanding jobs & heading large families for thousands of years but they supposedly cannot do so now?]

* The Mother Teresa USPS postage stamp has survived controversy (read: complaints from atheists) and is reportedly set to be dedicated by the Postmaster General at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception on September 5. In a related matter, a reported 6,000+ people signed a Catholic League petition in one day which protests the Empire State Building's "snub" of Mother Teresa. Empire State Building officials had denied a request to commemorate Mother Teresa's 100th birthday with the use of blue and white lights, despite the fact that red and yellow lights were recently used by them to honor an anniversary related to China's Communist Revolution. CL's president remarked as follows: "In other words, the greatest mass murderer in history [Mao Zedong, founder of the People's Republic of China] merited the same tribute being denied to Mother Teresa"

* Some good news: The New Hampshire fundraiser for a pro-abortion lobby scheduled to occur in a facility partially owned by the Knights of Columbus has been cancelled. The cancellation occurred after two priests resigned from the local chapter of the Knights of Columbus upon learning of the event. Unfortunately, the misguided facility manager - a KoC member (although he will apparently resign) - reportedly disagrees with the decision and believes that the facility should be rented to anyone because "that's what it means to be a good Christian." [Commentary: For what it really means to be a good Christian, why not consult Holy Scripture which clearly teaches the faithful to REJECT sin, not facilitate it]

* Archbishop Jerome Listecki may have been behind Marquette's recent withdrawal of a job offer to a lesbian (who "wrote extensively on issues of gender and sexual orientation"), according to reports. Apparently the Archbishop called the university's president after he received complaints from clergy & laity. However, some have "wondered" if the decision is being attributed to Archbishop Listecki's influence in order to "deflect blame." [Commentary: Given the nature of this woman's past pro-homosexual writings, does it not seem "credit" for the decision should be given, rather than "blame"?]

* A Catholic school student in the U.K. is reportedly being labeled a "truant" after refusing to "dress like a Muslim" for a "field trip" to a mosque. Reportedly, the school insisted that the visit to the mosque was "required" ("as compulsory as a geography field trip"), even though a number of parents raised objections to it [Commentary: As one observer has asked, "Are there any Catholic schools left? I repeat, are there any Catholic schools left?"]

[5/13]