Welcome to the first posting of AFS for 2008, and the month opens with the Papal Message for World Peace Day, the Papal messages coming in all shapes and sizes reminding us of the importance of the solemnity of Christmas, Madrid parade which is organised by RC in Spain, not everyone happy with Rome decision to admit Blair to the ranks......Cardinal OCM claims Polish community could divide RC community in UK, Scottish Cardinal KOB condemns loan sharks, UK MP's challenge RC bishops, Irish clergy on €20,000 pa, Irish RC threats to Irish Government in 1977, RC priest on perjury charges, Spanish politicians challenge RC clergy and hierarchy...
...a lonely pastoral ministry, Muslim/RC dialogue planned, God question Google hit in 2007, Il Papa not happy with environmentalists, Blessed Damian on way to sainthood, no Allah to be printed in Malaysia, new clarification on Latin Mass due, Jesuits settle for CSA claims in Alaska...
...clash of Church & State in Spain, new Polish Primate (?), Il Papa gives go ahead for new exorcism courses, 3 million fans for Il Papa in 2007, new solar panels for Il Papa from German company (but where else of course), Cardinal says married men not solution to vocations crisis, Jesuits in Rome to elect 'Black Pope'...
...death of John O'Donoghue (RIP), UK RC bishop attacks safe sex lessons in schools, Rwanda haunts RC church, prep for WYD 2008 in momentum, Irish Government to recognise same sex unions, Il Papa calls for calm in Kenya...
...Anglican Communion in trouble, female side of God exhibition opened, Vatican wants to pray (not PAY!!) its way out of CSA claims, opposition campaign to Sainthood for Pius XII, affairs blamed for Northern Ireland divorces (and everywhere else lets be frank!!)...
...UK bishop causes uproar with remarks, the Reformation, Aussie to head Jesuits (?), exhumation of Padre Pio condemned, Ali Agca wants freedom, Spanish abortion clinics under attack, Il Papa in pub advert, new social encyclical due...
...7 reasons to be a priest, new website to vocations, Spanish Government face down Spanish RC church criticism, Newman beatification 'imminent', 'informal apartheid' towards Irish travellers alleged, Irish now want morning-after pill, Il Papa not happy with 'degraded Rome' (maybe he could offer the Apostolic Palace as temporary measure to those living in slums?)...
...approval of Missal closer, Vatican now in favour of cremation, problem with 'conversion prayer' towards Jews, Irish parishes to re-group, manipulation of baptism to gain school places, ethnic cleansing Irish style claims Irish priest, Irish paedo priest gets early release, Papal message on world refugee day, 48 ordained in Vatican, Netherlands to import priests, Milingo denied Communion, bell book and candle time in Ireland...
...Il Papa goes Tridentine, Fr (Gaydar) Hogan back in Ireland, UK Cardinal attempts to silence journalist, US Bishop accused of improper spending of funds, Il Papa and Spain on collision course, Anglican Schism (?), Newman beatification 'imminent'...
...Vatican says Schismatics returning to fold, Fr John O'Donoghue buried, protests at Il Papa, Cardinal Lehmann to retire, Ottawa Churches CSA payouts, retired Vatican official gets 4 years for CSA, Anglican female clergy convert to RC, US archbishop wants cleric defrocked, Irish cardinal on Holy Land trip...
...'Black Pope' steps down, Harry Potter still upsetting Vatican, Spanish RC bishop reported for condemning sodomy, Canada faces same criticism from gay community, Christian Unity Week, Rwanda reminds RC of its collaborative clergy...
...Christianophobia, Putin promise to Russian religions, some students still like Il Papa, Irish RC Church launches year of the Vocation, anti-Il Papa leaflets in Armagh, Milingo urges married priesthood, Westminster Cathedral to close (?), unholy nun row in Galway, Irish priest brands Irish bishops as 'narcissistic sociopaths' (lets see what happens him now!!)...
...CSA victims call for priest to be defrocked, Irish churches unite to tackle selfishness (begins at home etc your graces!!), White Pope lets Black Pope that loyalty is expected, Turin Shroud real or not (?), former Il Papa student to become Irish bishop, Il Papa fights back, new Black Pope, Episcopal US Bishop sitting cool in hot seat...
...AB Dublin house being reviewed for development, new 'Black Pope', the priest and the divorcee, lesbian presbyterian minister to be ordained, Latin liturgy change proposed, AB Burke defrocking priest...
...Lent 2008 preview, Pauline Year schedule announced, Irish Church expectant of Papal Visit in 2009, RC church permitted female clergy in 1st. millennia, God & Homosexual Celibacy, bishop apologises for mishandling funds, new Polish Primate (?)...
...LA AD sells HQ for funds for CSA victims, rosary beads on sale in Anglican Cathedral in Ireland condemned, Spanish RC also sells land for same reasons, Swiss RC admits paedophile scandal, eBay relics sale scandal, Focolare founder gets award, Turin holy water stolen...
...Dominican leaders rebuke theologians, bully priest attacked, death no reason to stop Mass, 18 year affair gets monsignor sacked, WCC wants communion amongst all religions and faiths, religious bigotry alive and well...
...new bishop of Achonry (Ireland), cardinal claims church does not reject divorced (he needs get reality check!!), East & West will NOT meet, Vatican plans assessment of Code of Canon Law, lay parish involvment the way forward...
...Greek Orthodox leader dies at 69, Vatican - v - Prodi (again), churches facing closures, Mormon leader dies at 97, free condoms at Brazil carnival, papal lenten message launched, archive of abuse aids victims...
...child molester found, RC priest kiled in Kenya, Il Papa receives Anglican Bishop (and Holy Grail!!), rosary row rumbles on, Spanish AB upsets homosexuals again, movable Easter feast, UK & Polish RC at loggerheads, Roman Curia awakens, former Marist Brother sentenced to prison for CSA...
...new co-adjutor in Hong Kong, naled man ad upsets RC's, gay Jesus play upsets bishop, reconciliation in USA, vocations on the rise, controversial RC Polish cleric under investigation, Spanish yes to same sex marriage, Irish CSA abuser caged, Pius XII and Nazis again...
...and we say RIP to the late Archbishop Christodoulos...
...thus ending the last month of winter and one in which the 5,000th posting to Clerical Whispers was reached and breached and onwards as we have also been nominated for 4 different headings under the Irish Blog Awards...
...so now we prepare to enter into Lent which shall begin on Ash Wednesday on February 6th...
Sotto Voce