Spainish socialists out of arguments for justifying new abortion law

The Spanish newspaper ABC reported this week that a congressional subcommittee charged with analyzing Spain’s law on abortion grew hostile towards an expert giving testimony to them because his report showed that their plans to liberalize abortion would be destructive to the country.

Eduardo Hertfelder, the president of the Institute for Family Policy, delivered an expert presentation on the impact of liberalizing Spain’s abortion laws, which caused "an uproar” from the socialist politicians.

According to ABC, a study by the Institute showed that the numbers of abortion in Spain have constantly been increasing, with grave consequences. “But what pushed Soledad Cabezon, who spoke for the Socialists, over the edge was the presentation of the European legislative map with regards to the issue of abortion,” the newspaper reported.

The Institute noted that Spain is the only country in the European Union, together with Greece, to not establish a time limit for those who claim psychiatric danger to the mother as a reason to abort her child, which Hertfelder said is the “big hole in this law.”

According to Sandra Moneo, spokeswoman for the Popular Party, “The Socialist Party totally lost its temper over what Hertfelder had to say. It’s the first time in this subcommittee, where there is often disagreement, that the data from an expert has been questioned.” She said committee members treated Hertfelder impolitely and cast doubt on the work of a respected analyst.

“It is clear that the Socialist Party drove this subcommittee to listen to what it wanted to hear and to ignore the opinions to the contrary,” Moneo said. “Every time somebody disagrees they get upset and more so when one of their fundamental pillars is taken down. Disrespect should never be shown to those who testify before the committee,” she said.
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No responsibility or liability shall attach itself to either myself or to the blogspot ‘Clerical Whispers’ for any or all of the articles placed here.

The placing of an article hereupon does not necessarily imply that I agree or accept the contents of the article as being necessarily factual in theology, dogma or otherwise.

Sotto Voce

(Source: CN)

Global economy concern

The head of the commission representing Catholic bishops from the European Union has demanded tighter rules for the world economy to correct a "distorted hierarchy of values" highlighted by the global financial crisis.

"The current crisis has revealed that the pursuit of profit ultimately demolishes everything in its wake," president of the Commission of the Bishops' Conferences of the European Community (COMECE) Bishop Adrianus Van Luyn of Rotterdam, Netherlands, said.

People who think the financial crisis has been caused by a lack of accountability are "perhaps overlooking the fact that it is far more our societal model that is being called into question", the bishop told the November 12-14 meeting of the bishops' commission.

"An economic model based on the continued and unlimited consumption of limited resources can only end in tears," he said.

Bishop Van Luyn said the crisis in world markets had "badly shaken" public trust in the economic and social order and would have "economic, social and political consequences" that could only be guessed at.

However, he said it had also "exposed a spiritual crisis and a distorted hierarchy of values" that even the best economic order would be powerless to stop.

"I am not just talking about bankers and traders, but rather about political representatives who promised more than they wanted to deliver," he said.

"It is always the same: To be seen to be successful, you must further your own interests rather than think about the common good. The goals of the few are eclipsing the greater good."

The Belgian-based COMECE represents more than a thousand Catholic bishops from the European Union's member states.
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Disclaimer

No responsibility or liability shall attach itself to either myself or to the blogspot ‘Clerical Whispers’ for any or all of the articles placed here.

The placing of an article hereupon does not necessarily imply that I agree or accept the contents of the article as being necessarily factual in theology, dogma or otherwise.

Sotto Voce

(Source: CL)

Vatican thanks Muslims for returning God to Europe

A senior Vatican cardinal has thanked Muslims for bringing God back into the public sphere in Europe and said believers of different faiths had no option but to engage in interreligious dialogue.

Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, head of the Catholic Church's department for interfaith contacts, said religion was now talked and written about more than ever before in today's Europe.

"It's thanks to the Muslims," he said in a speech printed in Friday's L'Osservatore Romano, the official daily of the Vatican. "Muslims, having become a significant minority in Europe, were the ones who demanded space for God in society."

Vatican officials have long bemoaned the secularisation of Europe, where church attendance has dwindled dramatically in recent decades, and urged a return to its historically Christian roots. But Tauran said no society had only one faith.

"We live in multicultural and multireligious societies, that's obvious," he told a meeting of Catholic theologians in Naples. "There is no civilisation that is religiously pure."

Tauran's positive speech on interfaith dialogue came after a remark by Pope Benedict prompted media speculation that the Vatican was losing interest in it. Some Jewish leaders reacted with expressions of concern and the Vatican denied any change.

The "return of God" is clearly seen in Tauran's native France, where Europe's largest Muslim minority has brought faith questions such as women's headscarves into the political debate after decades when they were considered strictly private issues.

"GOD IS AT WORK IN ALL"

Tauran said religions were "condemned to dialogue," a practice he called "the search for understanding between two subjects, with the help of reason, in view of a common interpretation of their agreement and disagreement."

That seemed to clarify Benedict's statement on Sunday that interfaith dialogue was "not possible in the strict sense of the word". Church officials said a strict definition would include the option that one side is ultimately convinced by the other.

Dialogue participants could not give up their religious convictions, Tauran said, but should be open to learning about the positive aspects of each others' faith.

"Every religion has its own identity, but I agree to consider that God is at work in all, in the souls of those who search for him sincerely," he said. "Interreligious dialogue rallies all who are on the path to God or to the Absolute."

The uncertainty about the Vatican view coincided with increasing contacts among world religions.

Early this month, the Vatican held a pioneering conference with a delegation from the "Common Word" group of Muslim scholars who invited Christian churches to a new dialogue.

A week later, Saudi King Abdullah gathered world leaders at the United Nations as part of a dialogue he launched with a conference of faith leaders in Madrid last July.

Christianity and Islam are the world's two largest faiths, with two billion and 1.3 billion followers respectively. The latest interfaith efforts are meant to counter growing tensions between these two after the Sept. 11 attacks.

An Indian prelate, speaking after the Mumbai attacks began, said in Rome that a lack of courage to meet across faith lines was often behind religious violence in his country.

Archbishop Felix Machado of Nashik diocese, just east of Mumbai, told Italian priests the violence was caused by "inequality, a lack of justice and understanding and, above all, a lack of courage to dialogue," the Vatican daily reported.
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Sotto Voce

(Source: Reuters)

19th-century Cuban monk set to move 1 step closer to sainthood

The Roman Catholic Church is set to hold its first beatification ceremony on Cuban soil this weekend, honoring a humble 19th-century monk who helped the sick during an 1835 cholera epidemic.

Jose Olallo Valdes, of the Hospitaller Order of St. John of God, is credited with performing a miracle in 1999 when a 3-year-old girl suddenly recovered from an abdominal tumor doctors said was inoperable.

Cardinal Jose Saraiva, prefect for the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, is traveling from the Vatican to perform the beatification ceremony in the Plaza of Our Lady of Charity in Camaguey on Saturday.

Beatification, according to Roman Catholic doctrine, is the last step before canonization, when a person is officially recognized as a saint.

Olallo is the second Catholic of Cuban origin to be beatified. Augustinian deacon Jose Lopez Piteira, who was born in Cuba, but worked in Spain, was beatified in Rome last year.

Camaguey has been preparing for the celebration of Olallo's beatification for weeks. Residents helped ready the plaza where the ceremony will take place. Thousands of images of Olallo have been distributed and many adorn the doors of homes around the city.

"This for us is an enormous honor, not only for Catholics, but for all Cubans," said Monsignor Juan de Dios Hernandez Ruiz, the island's auxiliary bishop.

Born in Havana on Feb. 12, 1820, Olallo was abandoned in a Havana orphanage, but from a young age showed a desire to serve the needy and especially the ailing.

"He was a great healer who worked as a surgeon, doctor, pharmacist and educator of poor children," recounted the Rev. Felix Lizaso, who headed up the petition for Olallo to be canonized at the request of the former bishop of Camaguey, Alfredo Rodriguez.

"He was known by the people as 'the father of the poor and apostle of charity,"' Lizaso explained.

Pope Benedict XVI issued a statement saying he hopes Olallo's virtuous example will "help the Church in its evangelizing mission, and give renewed apostolic vitality to all Cubans who are glorified as disciples and missionaries of Jesus Christ."

The pope further stated that he trusted the Cuban people to the "celestial protection" of Olallo, "especially the sick and health-care workers."

The pope certified the miracle attributed to Olallo earlier this year. In that case, the family of 3-year-old Daniela Cabrera testified that the child's tumor was cured after they prayed to Olallo for intervention.

According to the beatification documents, the doctors from the hospital in Camaguey confirmed that the tumor had disappeared from sonograms and there seemed to be no damage to the organs that had been affected.

"The whole Church celebrates joyfully this event of Brother Olallo, an abandoned child that never knew his parents, rises to the altar and is proclaimed 'Blessed,"' stated Monsignor Augustin Roman, who documented the testimony of the faithful, regarding the life of Olallo in a work titled, "The habit does not make the monk."

"His story was written in the heart of the people," Roman said.

Monsignor Oscar Castaneda, rector of the Shrine of Our Lady of Charity in Miami, said the work of Olallo can be summed up in one word, "mercy," adding, "That is why they called him 'the witness of mercy."'
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The placing of an article hereupon does not necessarily imply that I agree or accept the contents of the article as being necessarily factual in theology, dogma or otherwise.

Sotto Voce

(Source: NTC)

U.S.-Vatican relationship to shift under Obama White House

In the 24 years since the U.S. and the Holy See established full diplomatic ties, relations have never been closer or warmer than during the administration of President George W. Bush.

The two sides broke over the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003, but Bush's personal esteem for Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI and his agreement with Catholic teaching on such controversial issues as abortion, embryonic stem cell research and same-sex marriage, have fostered a special rapport.

Bush has met a total of six times with the leader of the Catholic Church, more often than any other American president.

That relationship is bound to change in January with the inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama, whose support for abortion rights and embryonic stem cell research has drawn denunciations from a number of church leaders. Yet informed observers agree that both the Vatican and the White House have strong incentives and opportunities to avoid conflict and build on the recent history of collaboration.

Relations got off to a cordial start the day after the Nov. 4 election, when Benedict sent a telegram to Obama, noting the "historic" nature of his victory and assuring him of his prayers that God would "sustain you and the beloved American people in your efforts ... to build a world of peace, solidarity and justice."

Obama, in turn, called the pope a week later to thank him for the telegram, although both sides declined to describe their conversation.

From the American hierarchy, however, congratulations have been mixed with criticism. Cardinal Francis George, of Chicago, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, said the church should "rejoice" in the election of the country's first African-American president but insisted that it would confront Obama over abortion and stem cell research.

Even stronger were the words of Cardinal James Francis Stafford, former archbishop of Denver, who said Obama's statements on abortion reflect "an agenda and vision that are aggressive, disruptive and apocalyptic." (Stafford, who as head of a Vatican court is one of the highest ranking Americans at the Holy See, noted that he spoke only on his own behalf.)

The contrast in tone between American bishops and the Vatican reflects a deliberate "division of labor," said Massimo Franco, author of a forthcoming history of U.S.-Vatican relations, "Parallel Empires." In that way, Franco said, the Holy See can remain "above the fray" while local Catholic leaders apply public pressure to the incoming president.

Of most urgent concern to the church is clearly the Freedom of Choice Act, a proposed bill that would overturn a host of restrictions on abortion. Critics say FOCA would eliminate so-called conscience exemptions for publicly funded health-care facilities, thus forcing Catholic hospitals to provide abortions or shut their doors.

In an oft-cited speech to Planned Parenthood in 2007, Obama vowed to sign FOCA as "the first thing I'd do as president."

Yet Obama's Catholic supporters cite his promises to find "common ground" with abortion opponents as reason to expect moderation.

"FOCA is not in the Democratic platform, and in the third debate he said that he favored restrictions on late-term abortions, which is contrary to FOCA," said Nicholas P. Cafardi, a member of Obama's National Catholic Advisory Board and an opponent of legalized abortion.

Another potential irritant in U.S.-Vatican relations emerged on Monday, when a federal appeals court ruled that a lawsuit over alleged sex abuse by Catholic priests could proceed against the Holy See, despite its status as a sovereign state.

Despite such problems, the Vatican will seek to work closely with the new administration in a number of areas, Franco said. Foremost on its agenda is the fate of Christian minorities in the Middle East -- particularly in Iraq, where their status has grown increasingly precarious during the Bush administration.

Christians in Muslim lands are of strategic interest to the United States as social and cultural intermediaries and "buffers," reducing geopolitical tensions in the region, Franco said.

The new president's priorities for relations for the Vatican are not yet clear, but Cafardi is sure that he will value the relationship.

As a community organizer in Chicago in the 1980s, Obama worked closely with Catholic parishes, Cafardi said, and thus "he knows how important the Catholic Church is to the achievement of social justice."
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The placing of an article hereupon does not necessarily imply that I agree or accept the contents of the article as being necessarily factual in theology, dogma or otherwise.

Sotto Voce

(Source: AORN)

Placido Domingo unveils pope CD

Spanish tenor Placido Domingo on Friday presented an album of songs based on poems written by late Pope John Paul II.

The album, 'Infinite Love', contains 12 works including celebrations of human liberty, the beauty of sunlight and a mother's love - but also more dramatic works such as the mental and physical anguish of a worker in an arms factory.

''They are poems that speak to all mankind, not just Catholics,'' said the opera great.

Domingo, 67, called John Paul ''the most extraordinary man I ever met''.

He sang for the Polish pope many times and met him on four occasions - the last of them a year before his death on April 2005. Domingo's composer son, also called Placido, is one of several musicians who wrote the scores for the lyrics, which were written in Polish and then translated into Italian, Spanish and English.

The CD was recorded with the London Philharmonic Orchestra and will be released shortly by Deutsche Grammophon.

Domingo said he will start a singing tour next month including Poland, Italy, Germany and his adoptive country Mexico.

John Paul, who died on April 2, 2005 at the age of 84, published two collections of poetry through the Vatican Press: Meditations (March 2003) and The Poetry of Pope John Paul II (September 2003).

One of the best-received poems was one in which he imagined the scene in the Sistine Chapel when his successor would be elected.

Earlier, in 1994, Random House came out with a collection called The Place Within: The Poetry of Pope John Paul II.

The late pope also released or compiled several poems on music, most notably 1999's Abba' Pater, which he recorded for the Catholic Church's Jubilee in 2000.

John Paul was an actor and playwright in his native Poland before he became a priest.

He wrote his first book, a collection of poems called The Ballad of the Porticos of Wawel, at the age of 20.
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No responsibility or liability shall attach itself to either myself or to the blogspot ‘Clerical Whispers’ for any or all of the articles placed here.

The placing of an article hereupon does not necessarily imply that I agree or accept the contents of the article as being necessarily factual in theology, dogma or otherwise.

Sotto Voce

(Source: Ansa)

Conservative Anglicans determined to stay within church

About 50 conservative Anglican leaders, including eight young theological students, gathered in Toronto for a one-day consultation on Nov. 25 and emerged with a determination to remain within the Anglican Church of Canada. They came from 16 dioceses across the country.

Rev. Brett Cane of St. Aidan’s Anglican Church in Winnipeg is chair of Anglican Essentials Federation who was quick to point out that the organization is going through a name change. He said that the “Essentials” label has negative connotations in some parts of the country. He said that the federation is loosening its connection to the Anglican Network in Canada (ANiC).

“We will still maintain links of fellowship with the network but we will not be organizationally tied together.”

ANiC includes 23 congregations, 14 of which are churches that left the Anglican Church of Canada, and the rest are new church plants. They are under the episcopal oversight of Bishop Donald Harvey, formerly of the Anglican Church of Canada, and under the primatial authority of Archbishop Gregory Venables, primate of the Anglican Province of the Southern Cone.

Mr. Cane said that the federation will continue to meet together with those involved in ANiC, “being together in preaching, youth work and mission.” “We are all still brothers and sisters in Christ; we need to recognize their pain because it isn’t easy to leave the denomination you love.”

He said that the one day consultation dealt with “reformulating our vision” rather than issues around structure. He said he saw this conservative federation as more of a movement within the Anglican Church of Canada than an organization.

The concerns of conservative Anglicans reach beyond the blessing of same-sex unions, he said. There is a need for theological reflection on the uniqueness of Jesus, biblical interpretation, marriage, and the rights of children. Mr. Cane says the federation – whatever its new name – will be encouraging theological students to become engaged in these conversations.

He said there are five key areas on which the federation will focus: giving voice to the issues at various meetings of dioceses and synods, continuing to network with other conservative organizations and denominations in Canada, international representation (Mr. Cane says he will attend the Common Cause Partnership meeting in December as an observer), encouraging conservative theologians to meet and work on the issues, and working with theological students and others under age 40 to “help the rest of the church affirm authentic Anglicanism.”

Archbishop Fred Hiltz, primate of the Anglican Church of Canada, sent a lengthy pastoral letter to the consultation in which he acknowledged differences in biblical interpretation and expressed appreciation for the fellowship’s determination to work within the Anglican Church of Canada.

In his letter, the primate said that “the St. Michael Report itself acknowledges that ‘the interpretation of scripture is a central and complex matter’ and that, at times in the church’s history, ‘faithful readings have led to mutually contradictory understandings, requiring on-going dialogue and prayer toward discernment of the one voice of the gospel.’

Archbishop Hiltz said he was “deeply mindful of your conscientious struggle over this matter. I acknowledge with deep gratitude your faithfulness to Christ. I recognize your commitment to remain within the fellowship of the Anglican Church of Canada, to support its witness to the gospel and to take your place in its councils. I assure you that there continues to be a place for your voice at the table. That assurance is in keeping with an abiding conviction that as Anglicans we value the comprehensiveness so long a characteristic of our history and tradition as a church.”
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No responsibility or liability shall attach itself to either myself or to the blogspot ‘Clerical Whispers’ for any or all of the articles placed here.

The placing of an article hereupon does not necessarily imply that I agree or accept the contents of the article as being necessarily factual in theology, dogma or otherwise.

Sotto Voce

(Source: AJ)

Year of Vocations

Prayer for Vocations

O Holy Spirit, Spirit of wisdom and divine love, impart Your knowledge, understanding, and counsel to the faithful that they may know the vocation wherein they can best serve God.

Give them courage and strength to follow God's holy will.

Guide their uncertain steps, strengthen their resolutions, shield their chastity, fashion their minds, conquer their hearts, and lead them to the vineyards where they will labour in God's holy service.

Amen.

Prayers For The Deceased

Our Father….

Hail Mary….

Glory Be….

Eternal light shine upon them, and may their souls and the souls of all the faithful departed rest in peace. Amen.

Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, pray for us (x3)

Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us (x3)

Prayer to Saint Michael the Archangel:

Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray; and do Thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host -by the Divine Power of God -cast into Hell, Satan and all the Evil Spirits,who roam throughout the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen

Pauline Year (29th June 2008/09) Prayer

Glorious Saint Paul,
Apostle full of zeal,
Martyr by Christ's love,
obtain for us a profound faith,
a firm hope,
a burning love for the Lord
so that we can say with you:
"It is no longer I but the Christ who lives in me."

Help us to become apostles
who serve the Church with a pure conscience,
witnesses of its greatness and its beauty
amid the darkness of our time.

With you we praise God our Father,
"To Him be the glory in the Church and in Christ
from age to age forever."

Amen.

Vocations 2008 - Promo Video

OMA Now Needs To Heal

My dear friends, it is possibly true that this blogspot does not endear many, especially those in high rankings.

However, from the outset almost two years ago, in the Mission Statement, it was, is and remains our intention to ensure that all info on this site is credible, well sourced and fairly presented.

This, it seems, is not how the Order of Marian Apostles wish for it to be, and certainly if the email received last night by CW from their Vicar General, Very Reverend Fr Michael Burke, OMA, is anything to go by, then one is not impressed one can only presume.

Let us state categorically here that both postings (Fr Hal Somerville) were factual, and indeed can be backed up categorically.

We believe it to be nothing short of arrogance that the VG tell others how this site should report on matters that are a matter of general concern and interest to others.

We believe the words normally associated with such behaviour is dictatorship and censorship, and CW shall not be browbeaten by such groupings.

Our final words to OMA in relation to themselves - Hic iacet pulvis cinis et nihil : Here lies dust, ashes and nothing
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Disclaimer

No responsibility or liability shall attach itself to either myself or to the blogspot ‘Clerical Whispers’ for any or all of the articles placed here.

The placing of an article hereupon does not necessarily imply that I agree or accept the contents of the article as being necessarily factual in theology, dogma or otherwise.

Sotto Voce

(Source: SV)

Economics professor to oversee Holy See accounts

Pope Benedict has appointed Korean economics professor Thomas Han Hong-Soon as international controller for the Prefecture for the Economic Affairs of the Holy See.

As financial controller, Han will be responsible for examining the Vatican's accounts and balance sheets, Zenit reports.

A professor of economics at the College of Business and Economics of Hankuk University of Foreign Studies in Seoul, Han is president of the Catholic Lay Apostolate Council of Korea.

He also participated as an auditor in October at the world Synod of Bishops on the Word of God, warning against inadequate management of the Church's material goods.

The professor explained that "formation in the Word of God must be 'performative'" and "must include a solid formation in the Church's social doctrine."

"In this sense, the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church can be a valid instrument," he observed. "We need educators who are competent in the field of social doctrine and in the study of the Word of God."

For this reason Han said the Church "must invest human and financial resources in the formation of educators."

"A performative formation in the Word of God demands that the whole Church and all its members must bear witness with actions," the professor continued. "We must understand that people are persuaded more by holiness of life than by intellectual discussion."

In his view, the leaders of the Church "must seriously examine the Church's lifestyles and goods in the light of the Word of God and use every possible measure to promote the [Church's] social doctrine."

In the same way "in negotiating commercial contracts the Church must make sure that they contain principles of justice, sufficient pay for living and good working conditions," said Han.

"Unfortunately, in the past the Church has not always maintained a high standard," he noted.

The professor concluded his speech expressing the wish that the synod would promote "a biblical lifestyle proper to a Church that bears witness to and promotes a performative formation of lay people."

In another story, the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace said the current market crisis calls for a new international agreement to effectively monitor global financial operations and give poorer countries a greater voice in economic policies, CNS reports.

In particular, steps are needed to curb the abuses of offshore financial institutions, which many see as one of the causes of the financial meltdown, said a statement drafted by the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace.

In the UK, Birmingham Archbishop Vincent Nichols, said it would take more than financial measures to take Britain out of recession and that the answers were to be found in faith, The Times Online says.

"The Christian faith is a guardian of the true human virtues we need as we begin to live in a time of austerity and hardship", he said in a sermon.

"The root causes of the financial crisis are ethical. Indeed the very term 'credit' comes from 'credere' and indicates that trust and belief are central," said the Archbishop.

Some senior insiders in the banking industry agree with the Archbishop's analysis.

A senior manager told The Times that he believed it no accident that the world's strongest private sector bank, HSBC, criticised in the "good times" for being too conservative but now well placed to survive the crisis, is headed by an Anglican lay preacher, Stephen Green.

Mr Green has made no secret of how his religious convictions inform his business life.
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Disclaimer

No responsibility or liability shall attach itself to either myself or to the blogspot ‘Clerical Whispers’ for any or all of the articles placed here.

The placing of an article hereupon does not necessarily imply that I agree or accept the contents of the article as being necessarily factual in theology, dogma or otherwise.

Sotto Voce

(Source: CTHN)

Howard defied Vatican filming ban

Da Vinci Code director Ron Howard has hinted that he defied a ban on filming in Vatican City churches during the shooting of the prequel Angels and Demons.

PR Inside reports after the controversy surrounding Howard's 2006 adaptation of Dan Brown novel The Da Vinci Code, which angered Catholic heads, Howard was banned from using holy buildings to shoot the soon to be released prequel.

He says, "We just weren't allowed anywhere near them." But, during an interview on US TV show Shootout, Howard hints he found a loophole to sneak into the city: "We didn't shoot at the Vatican... officially.

But cameras can be made really small."
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Disclaimer

No responsibility or liability shall attach itself to either myself or to the blogspot ‘Clerical Whispers’ for any or all of the articles placed here.

The placing of an article hereupon does not necessarily imply that I agree or accept the contents of the article as being necessarily factual in theology, dogma or otherwise.

Sotto Voce

(Source: CTHN)

Vatican document on bioethics expected in December

The Vatican plans to issue a new document on bioethics that addresses human cloning, stem-cell research and other issues, informed sources said.

The Vatican instruction, prepared by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, was scheduled to be published Dec. 12, the sources said. A Vatican press conference is planned for its release.

The document was designed to examine ethical issues in biological research and health care that have emerged in recent years.

When members of the doctrinal congregation met in a plenary session last January, U.S. Cardinal William J. Levada, the congregation prefect, said much of their discussion focused on the field of bioethics.

At that time, the cardinal hinted that a document was in the works.

He said it might examine new therapeutic options and some ethical problems that were not explicitly considered by two previous church documents: the doctrinal congregation's instruction "Donum Vitae" ("The Gift of Life") in 1987 and Pope John Paul II's encyclical "Evangelium Vitae" ("The Gospel of Life") in 1995.

Pope Benedict XVI was head of the doctrinal congregation when both those documents were published. Addressing the congregation in January, the pope said the new ethical problems included the freezing of human embryos, the selective reduction of embryos, pre-implant diagnosis, research on embryonic stem cells and attempts at human cloning.

The pope said the starting point for the church's reflection remains the same: "The two fundamental criteria for moral discernment in this field are unconditional respect for the human being as a person from the moment of conception to natural death, (and) respect for the originality of the transmission of human life through the acts proper to spouses."
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Disclaimer

No responsibility or liability shall attach itself to either myself or to the blogspot ‘Clerical Whispers’ for any or all of the articles placed here.

The placing of an article hereupon does not necessarily imply that I agree or accept the contents of the article as being necessarily factual in theology, dogma or otherwise.

Sotto Voce

(Source: CNS)

Oregon judge orders release of priest abuse records

A federal judge has ordered the release of more documents from the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Portland that may shed light on how church officials responded to allegations that priests sexually abused minors.

The order from U.S. District Judge Michael Hogan on Wednesday was a result of the settlement in 2007 of about 175 lawsuits for $50 million to end the first bankruptcy filing in the nation by a Catholic diocese.

After the settlement, victim advocates and church officials disagreed over how many documents to release.

Hogan's order requires the archdiocese to release documents about allegations of sexual misconduct by priests involving minors and the knowledge of the archdiocese about the allegations, or its response to them.
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Disclaimer

No responsibility or liability shall attach itself to either myself or to the blogspot ‘Clerical Whispers’ for any or all of the articles placed here.

The placing of an article hereupon does not necessarily imply that I agree or accept the contents of the article as being necessarily factual in theology, dogma or otherwise.

Sotto Voce

(Source: NFO)

Christian policeman loses disciplinary hearing in gay row

A Christian policeman who objected to the ‘aggressive’ promotion of homosexual rights within the Norfolk Constabulary in the UK has lost a disciplinary hearing brought against him by his police force.

Constable Graham Cogman, who had previously threatened to take Norfolk Police to an employment tribunal, had taken offence at the large number of posters advertising gay events.

"The blatant support for homosexual rights in Norfolk Police makes being a Christian officer extremely difficult," he told the Mail on Sunday in July.

Mr Cogman has refuted any allegation that he is 'homophobic', arguing that he only sought equal space for the Christian viewpoint in the Police.

He is currently seeking further advice regarding what action to take next.
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Disclaimer

No responsibility or liability shall attach itself to either myself or to the blogspot ‘Clerical Whispers’ for any or all of the articles placed here.

The placing of an article hereupon does not necessarily imply that I agree or accept the contents of the article as being necessarily factual in theology, dogma or otherwise.

Sotto Voce

(Source: RI)

Reflecting the Truth of Pope Pacelli

November in Rome offers time for reflection, as the usual local exuberance is tempered by the encroaching darkness of winter.

A new exhibit on the life of Pope Pius XII in the Charlemagne wing of St. Peter's Basilica offers the possibility to pilgrims, students and the simply curious to examine the multiple facets of this Pope's remarkable life.

"Pius XII: The Man and the Pontificate" opened on Nov. 6 and will remain until Dec. 5. It has no admission fee; all are invited to come and learn more about this much maligned and misunderstood Pontiff.

An impressive array of sponsors put the show together, drawing on archives from Argentina, Hungary, Uruguay, Brazil, France and Germany, as well as Vatican archival material. The Italian state television RAI and Vatican Radio offered footage and recordings, while scholars from all over the globe produced the astonishing quantity of didactic material.

The first few displays introduce the visitors to the young Roman boy, Eugenio Pacelli, born into a devout family of successful professionals. Even as a youngster living near Piazza Navona, he distinguished himself through his love of music and reading.

At eight years old, Eugenio began spiritual direction with Father Giuseppe Laus of the Oratory of St. Philip Neri. This connection with the Oratorians would fuel his spirit of galvanizing the laypeople into preaching and living the Gospel in their lives and actions.

Eugenio Pacelli soon entered the seminary and on April 2, 1899, Easter Sunday, he was ordained a priest. A photograph from that happy era shows light radiating on a high intelligent brow and his direct gaze warmly engaging the viewer. Comparing this serene and hopeful portrait with later pictures, underscores how much his times and trials marked him.

Maturing

The exhibit is biographical, and traces the various steps of Pacelli's life from his ordination as bishop in the Sistine Chapel in 1917, his years as nuncio in Germany, his rise to cardinal and election to the papacy. Scattered amid the chronological narrative are some shimmering moments that bring out various facets of the nuanced personality of Pope Pius XII.

A jeweled ring sitting in a glass case carries an unusual history. It was Pacelli's bishop ring from his ordination to the episcopate, which in 1958, he slipped off his own finger to give to the neo-archbishop of Montreal. The ring was then given to Pope Paul VI who returned it to the Pacelli family.

Also from the Pacelli family archives is a letter written from Bishop Pacelli to his brother on Oct. 2, 1928, imploring him to intercede to prevent him from being made cardinal and "condemned to purely bureaucratic work in the congregations."

Bishop Pacelli begs to remain in Germany where he can be of much greater assistance to the relationship between the Church and Germany.

The German Catholics loved Eugenio Pacelli for his galvanization of the faith among the laity. He strongly promoted Katholiktag every year, when thousands of Catholics gathered together to affirm their identity and pray.

Undoubtedly many of the connections forged in those days became crucial to the network of Christians helping refugees during the era of Hitler.

Photographs record Bishop Pacelli's visits to prison camps to ensure better treatment for prisoners and the release of the ill or infirm. Eugenio Pacelli also set up the Ufficio Informativo Vaticano to let families know the whereabouts of prisoners of war.

Another picture shows the bishop in miner's gear, visiting the mining camps to learn about the conditions of workers.

Reaching out

Bishop Pacelli's ceaseless desire to learn about all branches of human activity brought him to converse with Einstein, while another photo has him standing with Gugliermo Marconi, inventor of the radio.

Marconi would oversee the design of Vatican Radio and Pope Pius XII would embrace the invention, delighting in the ability to reach more and more people throughout the world.

As his mission became increasingly universal, Pacelli studied constantly to keep up with the developments of the modern age. Health workers, scientists and philosophers were all amazed by the versatility and depth of his knowledge.

Eugenio Pacelli was elected Pope in 1939 just as the situation in Germany was rapidly deteriorating. The exhibition, in its attempt to move beyond the malicious slander of Pius' alleged collaboration with Hitler's regime, offers just a few telling photos, such as Jewish refugees hidden in his summer home of Castel Gandolfo.

Sadly, it does not pause to present the worldwide thanks and tributes offered to Pope Pius after the war by Golda Meir and many others, long before the campaign of lies initiated by the 1963 play "The Deputy."

"We are either with Christ or against Christ," announced Pope Pius XII in his Christmas message of 1947, prophetic words which defined his own life.

His message and his example are sorely needed in our times, but his words have been drowned out by the torrent of falsehoods poured out from Eastern Europe and channeled through the West.

Emerging from the Charlemagne wing after pondering the extraordinary life of Eugenio Pacelli, I hoped for a day when Pope Pius XII would join the saints peopling the colonnade of St. Peter's Square.
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(Source: Zenit)

Bushmen appeal to Pope as Vatican establishes relations with Botswana

The Kalahari Bushmen have appealed to the Pope to support them in their struggle to return to their land, as the Vatican established diplomatic relations with Botswana earlier this month.

A Bushman spokesman said today, ‘We beg the Pope to help, to pray for us so that the government changes its attitude towards us and respects our rights as indigenous peoples of this land.’

The establishment of diplomatic relations was initiated by Botswana’s former president Festus Mogae. He was the architect of the government’s controversial policy to forcibly evict the Bushmen from their ancestral lands in the Central Kalahari Game Reserve.

Despite Botswana’s High Court having affirmed the Bushmen’s rights to live in the reserve in 2006, the government of the new president General Ian Khama continues to violate their rights. It has also given the company Gem Diamonds permission to mine diamonds on their land.

Not one Bushman has received a hunting permit, despite the High Court ruling that it was unlawful for the government to withhold permits. Nor are the Bushmen allowed to access the water borehole on their land. The lack of hunting and water has made life extremely difficult for the Bushmen.

Dom Erwin Kräutler, Bishop of Xingu, Brazil, said today, ‘In the 21st century it is more vital than ever that the Catholic Church support indigenous peoples throughout the world in the struggle for their rights.’

On 1 July, the Pope Benedict XVI expressed his solidarity and support for the indigenous peoples of Raposa-Serra do Sol in Brazil when he met them in the Vatican and declared ‘We will do everything possible to help protect your land.’
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(Source: Survival)

Iraqi bishop tells Pope of shock at violence against Christians

The Christians of Iraq were shocked when Muslims started trying to drive the Christians of Mosul out of their homes in early October, an Iraqi bishop told Vatican Radio after meeting Pope Benedict XVI.

Chaldean Auxiliary Bishop Shlemon Warduni of Baghdad met the Pope on November 26 at the end of the Pope's weekly general audience.

The Pope told the bishop: "Iraq is in our hearts. We constantly remember the Christians, praying for them and for peace in the country."

Bishop Warduni told Vatican Radio that between 700 and 800 of the 2,500 Christian families who had left Mosul in October had returned after the Iraqi government sent troops to the city to protect Christians.

"This whole thing made us very sad because we have lived together in peace for centuries," the bishop said. "During all the wars, our churches and our homes were open to Muslims and to all others."

Referring to the violence that claimed the lives of 13 Christians in October and led to the destruction of many homes, the bishop said, "It was a shock that Christians were attacked in such a diabolical way."

Bishop Warduni said the United States, Europe and the United Nations did not do enough to get the Iraqi government to act immediately when Muslim gangs began going through the city, using megaphones to tell Christians to leave Mosul.

Now that Iraqi troops are patrolling Mosul, he said: "Some are coming back, but many still do not have trust and are afraid they will be chased out again."
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(Source: TC)

Memphis Bishop Steib said to be considered for St. Louis top position

When Pope Benedict XVI tapped the archbishop of St. Louis to be one of the highest-ranking Americans working in the Vatican, it left a gaping vacancy.

But whispers through the blogosphere and from Vatican watchers are saying Memphis Bishop J. Terry Steib is on the short list to fill the opening.

A low-key figure, Steib, 68, who has been bishop in Memphis for 16 years, has earned recognition for having one of the largest groups of men entering the priesthood in the country.

"He's such a good man and he's done great things in his career," said St. Louis attorney Ed Martin.

While in law school, Martin was appointed for one month to work inside the Vatican for Pope John Paul II. He also served as a legal aide for the Synod of Bishops and later as Archdiocesan cabinet director for the St. Louis Human Rights Office.

Before coming to Memphis, Steib was auxiliary bishop for the archdiocese of St. Louis for nearly a decade.

"He was just revered by everyone," said Martin, who added that many Catholics in the Gateway City would like to see him back.

If chosen to lead, Steib would be St. Louis' first black archbishop.

Raymond L. Burke was appointed in June to the office of Prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura after four years as archbishop in St. Louis.

Based on similar vacancies, it could take several months to a year to fill the opening.

Top candidates to be the ninth Archbishop of St. Louis will be compiled by Pietro Sambi, known as the Apostolic Nuncio, who is a representative of the Holy See in the U.S, said Martin.

That list would then be whittled down by top Vatican officials and eventually handed off to the Pope for a final decision.

But Steib says the assumption he will be tapped to be archbishop is only a rumor.

"Should the Holy Father think I should go somewhere else I would obviously consider that carefully. But no one has approached me and I don't expect anyone to be in touch with me," he said in a written statement.

The St. Louis Archdiocese comprises more than 500,000 Catholics, compared with the 73,000 Catholics in the Memphis diocese.

Father John Geaney, spokesman for the Memphis diocese, wouldn't comment on who would temporarily fill Steib's shoes if he were whisked away.

"We're not going to speculate on that," he said.
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(Source: CA)

Dalai Lama gets top rating in survey on world leaders

The Dalai Lama is the most respected world leader among Western Europeans and Americans, a poll being made public Friday shows, while Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany does the best job of combining respect with worldwide influence.

Those were among the first findings of a new survey, "World Leaders," to be conducted every two months by Harris Interactive for the International Herald Tribune and the all-news channel France 24.

In the six countries surveyed, the results differed sharply depending on whether the respondents were in Britain and the United States, on the one hand, or in France, Germany, Italy and Spain, on the other.

For example, the percentage who hold a "very good" or "somewhat good" opinion of Merkel ranged from 59 percent to 73 percent in Continental Europe, while it was around 30 percent in the United States and Britain.

On the question of influence, the percentage in Continental Europe rating Merkel as having "some" or "a great deal" ranged from 66 percent to 77 percent, while just one in three Britons and Americans said the same.

There was no disagreement on which leader is the most powerful: President George W. Bush. Nor was there much of a divide on his respect: he was consistently ranked near the bottom. The same was true of Vladimir Putin, the prime minister of Russia.

Two of the other leaders ranked at the top of the power list, however, were also among the most respected: Merkel and President Nicolas Sarkozy of France, though both got higher rankings on the Continent that elsewhere.

The Dalai Lama, the exiled spiritual leader of Tibet, was ranked the most respected leader, generally by a wide margin in every country, though in the United States he was edged out by former Prime Minister Tony Blair of Britain. Blair's ranking was dragged down worldwide, however, by low marks in his home country and in Spain.

The other world leader ranked near the top in popularity was Pope Benedict XVI.

That two religious leaders are ranked in the top five surprised Brent Scowcroft, the former U.S. national security adviser, who was asked about the results on the France 24 program "The Talk of Paris."

"What it says is that the world is yearning for an, if not religious, at least a humanistic approach that puts religion - or if you will, care and concern for one's fellow man - at the top of the agenda," Scowcroft said.

Respondents were asked to give their overall opinion of 19 world leaders, ranging from Ban Ki Moon, the secretary general of the United Nations, to President Bashar al-Assad of Syria, as well as their view of each leader's global influence. And while Bush's ranking on the respect scale was low, it was not at the bottom: that spot belongs to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran.

Others ranked near the bottom were Putin, Assad, Fidel Castro of Cuba, Hugo Chávez of Venezuela, Dmitri Medvedev of Russia and Hu Jintao of China.

Patrick Van Bloeme, chief executive for France at Harris Interactive, said the new survey would allow tracking of the various leaders over time, a longstanding practice among pollsters reviewing the popularity of the national leaders in their respective countries.

The new survey is the first reviewing popularity of leaders in different countries in parallel, he said.
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(Source: IHT)

Newman's beatification may bring Anglicans and Catholics closer

The beatification of Cardinal Newman, the most prominent Anglican convert to Catholicism, should offer "a great opportunity ecumenically" and not be presented as "Roman Catholic triumphalism", a leading expert on Newman has said.

Monsignor Roderick Strange, Rector of the Pontifical Beda College in Rome and author of the recently published John Henry Newman: A Mind Alive said that Newman "while never regretting his move remained positive about what was good in Anglicanism, and appreciative of what he had learnt from it."

Monsignor Strange told The Times he believed that Anglican figures "would be delighted by Newman's beatification, because they have a sense of the way Newman took his Anglican heritage with him into Catholicism".

Addressing an audience at the residence of the British Ambassador to the Holy See, Monsignor Strange said that Anglicans "leaning in a more Protestant direction" were likely to be critical of the beatification if and when it occurred, which was why Rome should "not be triumphalistic about the proceedings." Monsignor Strange added: "I would see the beatification as a challenge for ecumenism, but also as an opportunity".

Vatican sources say Pope Benedict XVI, who studied Newman's writings as a theological student, is expected to announce the beatification next year, provided the procedures are completed. Earlier this month a casket containing Newman's remains, which include a lock of his hair and a piece of linen thought to be stained with his blood, was placed in the chapel of St Charles Borromeo at the Birmingham Oratory. It will remain there while beatification procedures are finalised in Rome.

Father Paul Chavasse, Provost of the Birmingham Oratory and the postulator of Newman's cause, recalled that when Newman's grave at Rednal was opened there was "shock at what little was found", but also said referred to "peace of mind that after all Cardinal Newman's fondest wishes had actually been fulfilled."

Proof of a medically inexplicable miracle is required for beatification, the step before sainthood. The Vatican is investigating the apparently miraculous recovery of Jack Sullivan, a deacon from Boston, Massachussetts, from a spinal disease after he prayed for Newman's intercession.

At the Rome meeting - which was attended by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, head of the Congregation of Bishops - Monsignor Strange described Newman's The Infidelity of the Future (1873) as an "almost prophetic" warning of the challenges to faith in our own time, which had foreshadowed Pope Benedict's own strictures on "the dictatorship of relativism".

He said that Newman had predicted "the waning influence of other Christian communities, the resistance to Catholicism, especially when its influence is felt to grow, the setbacks created by scandals, and the problems arising from shallow thinking and a media soundbite culture".

Newman had added that "Christianity has never yet had experience of a world simply irreligious". He had clearly seen that "subjectivism and relativism place us at the mercy of the dictator", whereas "a life lived according to conscience is a life lived in obedience to objective truth. Newman's own life bears witness to that", Monsignor Strange explained.

Monsignor Strange said that beatification or canonisation did not mean the person in question had "never sinned or erred". Pope Benedict had himself observed last year that "the saints have not fallen from heaven, they are people like us, who also have complicated problems".

One key to Newman was his Englishness, which included his attempt to persuade by force of argument, Monsignor Strange said. He had once said that he had "resisted to the best of my powers the spirit of Liberalism in religion", but this did not mean that he was a "dogmatic fundamentalist".

He had championed dogma, both as an Anglican and as a Roman Catholic, but his target was "scepticism and unbelief. He never wanted to overcome reason without touching the heart." Newman had believed that "we do not persuade by intransigence, but by openness to what is good and true."

This approach had not always been popular in Rome, however, of which Newman had once said: "The Rock of Peter on its summit enjoys a pure and serene atmosphere, but there is a great deal of Roman malaria at the foot of it".
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(Source: TTO)

Pope worried over nuns abducted in Kenya

The Vatican says Pope Benedict XVI has expressed concern over the fate of two Roman Catholic nuns kidnapped in Kenya earlier this month.

The two Italian nuns — Maria Teresa Olivero, 60, and Caterina Giraudo, 67 — were working on hunger and health programs in Kenya. Gunmen kidnapped them Nov. 10 and took them across the border into lawless Somalia.

The Vatican spokesman, the Rev. Federico Lombardi, said in a statement Thursday that "the Holy Father is following the protraction of their kidnapping with concern."

The pontiff expressed hope that "this painful and gravely unjust situation, of which entirely innocent and praiseworthy people are victims, may be resolved as soon as possible," according to the statement.
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No responsibility or liability shall attach itself to either myself or to the blogspot ‘Clerical Whispers’ for any or all of the articles placed here.

The placing of an article hereupon does not necessarily imply that I agree or accept the contents of the article as being necessarily factual in theology, dogma or otherwise.

Sotto Voce

(Source: IHTN)

Rebel bishop marries 16-year-old Shelly to her Polish sweetheart

REBEL bishop Michael Cox has made a teenage bride's dream come true by letting her marry two years earlier than the church allows.

The colourful clergyman helped Traveller Shelly McDonagh (16) and her Polish groom Gregory Gorski (21) tie the knot at a ceremony in Co Offaly.

Shelly and Gregory say it was "love at first sight" when they met, and had been going out for a year before the wedding.

But they were not allowed get married in a Catholic church because of Shelly's young age.

Preferring not to wait another two years, they turned to the breakaway Tridentine bishop to grant their wish.

Their wedding featured in a photo spread in the new issue of Voice of the Traveller magazine.

Shelly explained how she met Gregory in the village of Killimore a year ago.

"I used to go out there with one of my school friends", she said. "One evening my friend and I were in his house and we looked at each other and it kicked off from there. I guess it was love at first sight!

Engaged

"As time went on, we decided to get married. We got engaged about three months ago and decided we wanted to get married straight away.

"Legally, I would have to wait two more years to get married in a Catholic church, so then we talked about it and we decided to get married by Bishop Cox in Birr."

Shelly said Gregory's family were all "lovely people" who were very happy for the couple. They are planning a full church wedding when Shelly turns 18.

She added: "He knows I'm a Traveller, but it makes no difference to him anyway".

Her mother Bernadette admitted she would have preferred Shelly was "much older" on her wedding day, but added: "That is what she wants and so I'm happy for them".

She added: "Just because he is from Poland doesn't make him any different to the rest of us because we are all the same at the end of the day."

Teaching

Gregory said: "I heard that Travellers only marry Travellers, but I don't believe it anymore. Shelly's family are the only Travellers I met".

He is teaching Shelly Polish, while Gregory already understands when she speaks in Cant, the Traveller language.

Bishop Cox is most famous for ordinating Sinead O'Connor in 1999, as well as performing exorcisms.

He is happy to accommodate Travellers as young as 16 getting married as long as their parents consent and are at the ceremony.

Although popular, the weddings have no legal standing and court exemption orders are required by the State.

"My phone is always hopping off the hook", Bishop Cox said.

"Travellers tell their friends and family about me, and I am very much in demand."
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No responsibility or liability shall attach itself to either myself or to the blogspot ‘Clerical Whispers’ for any or all of the articles placed here.

The placing of an article hereupon does not necessarily imply that I agree or accept the contents of the article as being necessarily factual in theology, dogma or otherwise.

Sotto Voce

(Source: EH)

Parish In Bray (4)

As things are so tight in the Diocese might we suggest most definitely NOT GOING AHEAD with the renovations INSIDE Our Lady Queen of Peace Church in Bray which have been approved by Archbishop's House at the request of the Parish Priest Fr. Larry White.

The ordinary Parishioners were NOT asked to vote on it or to give their views or were even consulted.

The MAJORITY of the Parishioners are calling what is going to be done to the Altar area a DESECRATION of the beautiful Altar that is already there. They and their families raised the money to build this Church back in 1946 and like the inside as it is.

It is another matter that the roof NEEDS to be replaced and has been in need of this for some years. That is ALL that needs to be done at this time.

The Sacristy is perfectly fine as it is and does not need to be RIPPED APART either. I am sure those working in the Church area like the Sacristan, flower arrangers, cleaners can vouch for this that they are happy with things as they are.

MONEY HAS BEEN HELD BACK BY ANGRY PARISHIONERS since it was announced that this DESECRATION was going to take place. There are relics in the beautiful altar that is going to be torn asunder and whole thing has upset so many who have NO SAY IN THE MATTER.

The Parish Priest Fr. Larry White formed his RENOVATION COMMITTEE with close friends in the Parish who would give the YES approval to his plan to do this work which will cost a lot of money in a time when it is not available AND on a project that NOBODY IN THE PARISH WANTS.

The Parish Priest would not send around a form to have people vote on it and even if one was allowed it would need to be done by those OUTSIDE the Parish because things in this particular Parish are NEVER ABOVE BOARD.

As a matter of interest said Parish Priest Fr. Larry White did the SAME THING regarding the car park area which was fine since 1946and without consulting Parishioners had DREADFUL metal ramps installed and painted with yellow lines and also metal posts which have been knocked over so many times we have lost count by the cars going in and out (we are sure doing damage to the cars as well as the posts so lets hope the Parishioners sue the Parish for the damage!!) of the Vevay Road so that now they have finally been taken down WHILE THE PARISH PRIEST IS AWAY SUPPOSEDLY ON SICK LEAVE. If he was there he would be making sure his idea stayed there.

With all the ramps, posts, markings it is like a supermarket or factory car park now and now that of a Church.

This Parish Priest has VERBALLY ABUSED PARISHIONERS parking close to the front of the Parish Centre to deliver items and has been known to leave HANDWRITTEN NOTES on the windscreens of cars and vans parked there criticising where they are and how long they stay and now NO VANS are allowed although some men who do afternoon shifts in local shops used to park their vans there for 30 minutes to get the 1.05 p.m. Mass and now they are not allowed to. They are being turned away from the Church like many others.

The Parish is run by a DICTATOR who has to go.

YOUR GRACE ARCHBISHOP DIARMUID MARTIN please take note. You want to save money in the Diocese - well STOP THE DESECRATION OF THE INSIDE OF OUR LADY QUEEN OF PEACE CHURCH BRAY P - L - E - A - S - E!
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No responsibility or liability shall attach itself to either myself or to the blogspot ‘Clerical Whispers’ for any or all of the articles placed here.

The placing of an article hereupon does not necessarily imply that I agree or accept the contents of the article as being necessarily factual in theology, dogma or otherwise.

Sotto Voce

(Source: PVT)

New Obama domestic policy director has close ties to abortion lobby

President-elect Obama has selected as Director of the Domestic Policy Council Melody C. Barnes, a New York lawyer with an “unyielding” record of abortion rights advocacy.

According to the White House web site, the Domestic Policy Council oversees major domestic policy areas such as education, health, housing, welfare, justice, federalism, transportation, environment, labor and veteran's affairs.

It also oversees the Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives.

Barnes is a former Executive Vice President for Policy at the Center for American Progress, where she led the left-wing think tank’s Faith and Progressive Policy Initiative.

She has also served as a board member of EMILY’s List, a group formed more than two decades ago to support pro-abortion rights women candidates. Over the years the group has raised millions for Democratic women candidates who support unrestricted access to taxpayer-funded abortion on demand.

EMILY’s List has even cut funding from pro-abortion rights politicians who voted to ban partial-birth abortion.

Barnes has also lobbied on behalf of the Center for Reproductive Rights (CRR).

Carlos Polo, director for Latin America at the Population Research Institute, has linked the Center for Reproductive Rights to a strategy to force permissive abortion laws upon Latin America.

Members of CRR have proposed using international litigation to “develop new standards for the protection of reproductive rights” and to force local authorities to ignore their country’s laws and introduce changes that would allow abortion and “reproductive health” services for teenagers.

Barnes was a former aide to Sen. Ted Kennedy and was his chief counsel at the Senate Judiciary Committee from December 1995 to March 2003. According to the New York Times, Barnes is associated with a “bitter dispute” over confirmation of a federal appeals court judge in 2002. At the time, charges were leveled against Barnes and another aide to Ted Kennedy that they tried to influence the outcome of a high-profile affirmative action case by delaying the confirmation of a judge who might have ruled against affirmative action.

Bill Donohue, president of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights, in a Monday statement voiced criticism of Barnes’ selection as head of the Domestic Policy Council.

Claiming her “forte” is working with the “religious left,” Donohue reported that Barnes has been described by the left-wing journal The Nation as a “dyed-in-the-wool progressive.”

“She wants to overturn all restrictions on embryonic stem cell research, and her passion for abortion rights is so unyielding that she has served on the board of EMILY’s List and the Planned Parenthood Action Fund,” he charged.

Donohue also alluded to a controversy over pro-life Catholic and evangelical jurists allegedly being denied approval to serve as federal judges. Without mentioning specifics, he said Barnes had denied bigotry was an issue in the delay.
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No responsibility or liability shall attach itself to either myself or to the blogspot ‘Clerical Whispers’ for any or all of the articles placed here.

The placing of an article hereupon does not necessarily imply that I agree or accept the contents of the article as being necessarily factual in theology, dogma or otherwise.

Sotto Voce

(Source: CNA)