More Scandals Update...

* According to a CNA article, the Vatican never ruled out defrocking Fr. Murphy, the Milwaukee priest alleged to have abused as many as 200 deaf boys: "An expert translation of that document ['a memo recounting a key Vatican meeting' regarding the priest] provides evidence that appears to exonerate Vatican officials accused of wrongdoing in the case." According to the article, a "very rough" translation of the article may have "skewed media attempts to implicate Pope Benedict"

* A Wall Street Journal article has taken to the defense of the Pope against negative coverage in the New York Times. In part, the WSJ article states, "The man who is now pope reopened cases that had been closed; did more than anyone to process cases and hold abusers accountable; and became the first pope to meet with victims. Isn't the more reasonable interpretation of all these events that Cardinal Ratzinger's experience with cases like Murphy's helped lead him to promote reforms that gave the church more effective tools for handling priestly abuse?" The article also notes that documents posted by the Times were provided by plaintiffs' lawyers - and one of the lawyers "isn't just any old lawyer. When it comes to suing the church, he is America's leading plaintiffs attorney. Back in 2002, he told the Associated Press that he'd won more than $60 million in settlements from the church, and he once boasted to a Twin Cities weekly that he's 'suing the s--t out of them everywhere.' Nor did the Times report another salient fact about Mr. Anderson: He's now trying to sue the Vatican in U.S. federal court. None of this makes Mr. Anderson wrong or unworthy of quoting. It does make him a much bigger player than the story disclosed. In fact, it's hard to think of anyone with a greater financial interest in promoting the public narrative of a church that takes zero action against abuser priests, with Pope Benedict XVI personally culpable."

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Recent News Highlights

The following are some recent news highlights...

* Muslim tourists in a converted cathedral in Cordoba who refused to halt praying injured two security officers when they were asked to stop or leave the cathedral. Two men were arrested for the violence that was reportedly conducted in "an organized fashion", and an "anonymous local police source" indicated that one of the men arrested was carrying a knife. Muslim prayer is banned at the cathedral, a former mosque that was converted in the 13th century.

* A supposed 'leading Catholic conservative' has penned an article for the Wall Street Journal titled "The Catholic Church's Catastrophe." The piece agues that the Church should "thank" the media, claiming the press "has been the best friend of the Catholic Church on this issue [of the abuse scandals]. Let me repeat that: The press has been the best friend of the Catholic Church on the scandals." The author claims that the press "exposed the story and made the church face it." Commentary: Does the author also consider Judas a "best friend"? Our redemption is linked with his betrayal of Christ, yet the resulting good effects (for us) do not make the betrayer's treatment of Our Lord deserving of our praise - far from it. Of course, a comparison between the scandalous events in recent Church history and our sinless Lord is deficient, but nevertheless, who "thanks" and considers a "best friend" those who relentlessly attack the Church, especially when it is so often done out of hatred or ill will? A hostile enemy is not a best friend - even if we may sometimes better ourselves as a result of their criticism.

* Catholics in the Philippians have once again nailed themselves to crosses on Good Friday "to remember Jesus Christ's suffering and death." The practice has been rejected by the Church, which has instead called the participants to engage in "repentance and self-renewal."

* At it again: A recent Catholic News Service article covering Pope Benedict included the (deliberately misleading?) comment that "the pope's removal of restrictions on use of the Tridentine rite, the Latin-language liturgy that predates the Second Vatican Council, was a major concession to traditionalists and part of a push toward an agreement with the breakaway Society of St. Pius X." The bishops' news service has previously been criticized over error & bias. Commentary: How exactly does admitting the truth that the ancient Mass was never abrogated and removing illicit restrictions constitute "a major concession to traditionalists"? Truthfulness & justice are now "major concessions"? [Related: The Traditional Latin ('Tridentine') Mass vs. the New (Novus Ordo) Mass]

* A RI man has been arraigned for larceny in connection with an alleged 'fundraising scam' involving a Catholic school in Worcester. The school reportedly paid the suspect, thought to be a professional fundraiser, $370K for efforts to raise funds to expand the school. The donor funds didn't materialize, leaving the school with heavy construction debts.

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