People can learn to see God in world, in others, pope says at audience

People can get a glimpse of God in the world and in other people, but they must learn how to recognize it, Pope Benedict XVI said.

"There is a certain visibility of God in the church and in the world, and we must learn how to see it," the pope said April 29 at his weekly general audience in St. Peter's Square.

"God created humankind in his image, but this image is covered with so much dirt from sin that it is almost impossible to see," the pope said.

Pope Benedict's reflection on images of God in the world flowed from his main audience talk about the writings of St. Germanus, an 8th-century patriarch of Constantinople.

While Emperor Leo III was leading a campaign against the use of icons and other sacred images out of fear that devotion was turning into idolatry, St. Germanus defended their use in popular piety.

The pope said St. Germanus was known for his insistence that everything involved in the liturgy be beautiful, the pope said.

For the saint, the pope said, the beauty of the words used for preaching, and especially for prayers, "is as important in the liturgy as the beauty of the sacred building in which it takes place."

"The beauty of words and language, the beauty of the building and of the music must all match," the pope said.

While St. Germanus lived more than 1,200 years ago, the pope said that Christians today still could learn from him.

His first lesson, the pope said, is that "in Christ, the true image of God, we can contemplate the face of God and we can learn to be truly human images of God. Christ calls us to imitate him, to be like him so that in every person the face of God would shine through again."

Pope Benedict said it is true that "against idolatry and all the temptations of paganism, in the Ten Commandments God forbade the making of images of him. However, in Christ he became visible, in all the saints his face appears, and sacred images teach us to see God in the face of Christ, in the face of the saints (and) in the faces of all people."

The second thing St. Germanus taught was the importance of "celebrating the liturgy with an awareness of the presence of God, with beauty and dignity, that helps people see the splendor of God," the pope said.

The third lesson is "to love the church," he said.

"Perhaps we human beings see mostly the sins and the negative, but with the assistance of faith, which can help us see well, even today we can rediscover divine beauty in the church because it is in the church that God makes himself present (and) offers himself to us," the pope said.

"In the holy Eucharist he remains present for adoration; in the church God speaks to us, he walks with us as St. Germanus said; in the church we receive the forgiveness of God and learn to forgive," Pope Benedict said.

The pope ended his audience by praying that God "would teach us to see, to see his presence and beauty in the church, to see his presence in the world and to help us be transparent" so his light can shine through.
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Vatican newspaper: No radical changes in Obama's first 100 days

The Vatican newspaper said President Barack Obama's first 100 days in office have not confirmed the Catholic Church's worst fears about radical policy changes in ethical areas.

The comments came in a front-page article April 29 in L'Osservatore Romano, under the headline, "The 100 days that did not shake the world."

It said the new president has operated with more caution than predicted in most areas, including economics and international relations.

"On ethical questions, too -- which from the time of the electoral campaign have been the subject of strong worries by the Catholic bishops -- Obama does not seem to have confirmed the radical innovations that he had discussed," it said.

It said the new draft guidelines for stem-cell research, for example, did not constitute the major change in policy that was foreseen a few months ago.

"(The guidelines) do not allow the creation of new embryos for research or therapeutic purposes, for cloning or for reproductive ends, and federal funds may be used only for experimentation with excess embryos," it said.

It added that the new guidelines "do not remove the reasons for criticism in the face of unacceptable forms of bioengineering" but are "less permissive" than expected.

The article saw a positive sign in the recent introduction of the Pregnant Women Support Act, which would help women overcome problems that often cause them to have abortions. It was sponsored by a group of pro-life Democrats.

"It is not a negation of the doctrine expressed up to now by Obama in the matter of interruption of pregnancy, but the legislative project could represent a rebalancing in support of maternity," the newspaper said.
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Hanoi orders work stopped on church-claimed site: official

The city of Hanoi has ordered one of its districts to stop construction work on land claimed by the Catholic church, a government official said Tuesday.

About 1,000 Vietnamese Catholics held a prayer vigil after evening mass Saturday to protest the project on land that the Tai Ha Redemptorist parish church claims to have owned since 1928.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Le Dung said Tuesday that the Hanoi People's Committee has asked agencies to "stop the implementation of the project and construction works on the land of the Ba Giang lake."

The committee had also asked the Dong Da and the Quang Trung district authorities to "strengthen their land management activity, maintaining the present situation, preventing further occupation and ensuring security and discipline in the area."

A priest, Nguyen Van Khai, told AFP on Friday that a school was already erected on the land, and work had recently began on another building. A construction hoarding has gone up indicating that a residential block will be built there.

The church had already complained last year about construction projects on property it says was seized by the communist regime.

During Saturday's vigil, the protesters also denounced a controversial bauxite mining project in central Vietnam.

By criticising the bauxite plan, the Catholics join a diverse collection of scientists and intellectuals opposed to the mining project.

They say the environmental and social damage of the mine will far outweigh any economic benefit and cite worries about safety because a Chinese company has been granted a contract to build one of the mines.

The foreign ministry spokesman dismissed the parish's criticism, saying it "provided inaccurate information, touching upon non-religious issues, slandering the regime, distorting the truth and undermining national unity."

Vietnam has Southeast Asia's second largest Catholic community after the Philippines, with at least six million followers.

Religious activity remains under state control, but Hanoi's relations with the Catholic Church had improved before the wave of property protests.
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Catholic bishops lobby against marriage legislation

With the push for marriage for same-sex couples gaining steam in recent weeks with the Iowa Supreme Court decision and the Vermont legislature’s decision to override their governor’s veto, opposition to nuptials for gays and lesbians across New England remains as strong as ever.

New Hampshire and Rhode Island legislators have introduced marriage legislation.

And Maine lawmakers held hearings in Augusta last week on a bill to legalize nuptials for same-sex couples in the state, but rhetoric from religious leaders in these states has grown more heated as the prospect of these bills becoming law becomes more real.

Reverend Thomas Tobin, bishop of Providence, warned of the consequences he feels marriage for same-sex couples would bring to heavily Roman Catholic Rhode Island in an article the Rhode Island Catholic published. Tobin claims marriage for gays and lesbians will force religious institutions to perform ceremonies for same-sex couples. He also encouraged his fellow Catholics to contact their legislators and urge them to oppose the bill.

"Homosexual activity is unnatural and gravely immoral," Tobin said. "Gay marriage, or civil unions, would mean that our state is in the business of ratifying, approving such immoral activity. The fact that Rhode Island has successfully avoided the gay marriage phenomenon is a credit to our Governor, the Speaker of the House and the President of the Senate. They - along with a number of other legislative leaders - have been consistent and courageous in deflecting the onslaught of gay activists and in upholding the traditional definition of marriage. We hope and pray they’ll continue to do so."

Tobin’s comments drew a feisty response from Reverend Gene Dyszlewski, the pastor at Riverside Congregational Church in East Providence and the Chairman of the Rhode Island Religious Coalition for Marriage Equality.

Dyszlewski said Tobin "shamelessly raises the specter of fear that the state will interfere with Catholic worship and practice."

"His assertion that the Catholic Church will be forced to perform same-sex marriage and or be forced to allow a gay man to be a godfather is laughable," Dyszlewski said. "The church is well protected from any interference from the state in regard to worship and sacraments."

Rick Harris, executive director of the Rhode Island chapter of the National Association of Social Workers, also condemned Tobin’s comments:

"It is unfortunate that some Catholic Church Officials can not see the Civil Rights issue at hand. We are working to ensure that a civil procedure is available to all. We also have 91 practicing ministers and rabbis in [Rhode Island] who disagree with Bishop Tobin’s position and interpretation of God’s will as it applies to homosexuality and a basic governmental responsibility - marriage."

Reverend John B. McCormack, bishop of Manchester, [N.H.], has also spoken out against marriage for same-sex couples. He spoke out against the bill in a statement read during a hearing in Concord earlier this month.

"The New Hampshire House, through the narrowest of margins, voted to establish same-sex marriage in New Hampshire," McCormack said. "[House Bill] 436 deeply disappoints and concerns hundreds of thousands of New Hampshire citizens. The bill runs directly counter not simply to the teachings of the Catholic Church, but to the well-established and proven values of our civilization - values that are time tested and fully incorporated into our system of justice."

Reverend Richard Malone, bishop of Portland, [Maine], issued a similar statement during the state’s Judiciary Committee hearing last week.

"In nearly every culture, (marriage is) a social institution with the primary purpose of ensuring that the next generation grows up in a secure, loving, balanced environment guided by both male and female parents," he said. "Children learn different traits from both genders. What message do we send to children when an institution as vital as marriage can be irrevocably altered simply because a particular group demands it? Maintaining traditional marriage, and only traditional marriage, is in the best interest of the children and people of Maine."
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Priest forgives suspect in confessional stabbing

The Rev. Michael Massaro says he has a few aches and pains, but a good night's sleep has done him some good as he recovers from being attacked Saturday with a knife in a confessional at his church.

It was one of the most harrowing weekends in the 28 years he's been a Roman Catholic priest, Massaro said.

But it won't stop him from hearing confessions.

"We're at the mercy of the people we serve," Massaro told CNN. "We can't live in fear. God has asked us to live in trust. If it's going to happen again, it's going to happen again, but that's not going to prevent me from doing God's work."

Massaro had just finished hearing confessions in his Florida church when he was stabbed twice in the back by a woman who later told police Massaro is the Antichrist.

"It was paralyzing, like a nightmare, and I just feel like I woke up from it. It was so quick and sudden," Massaro said in a telephone interview.

Vero Beach police arrested Josephine Gatchell in connection with the attack. The 57-year-old suspect is being held in the Indian River County Jail. She is being held without bail.

Gatchell is scheduled to be arraigned on June 12. She has not yet been appointed a lawyer, prosecutors and the public defender said.

"She believed [Massaro] was the Antichrist and it was her duty to go there and injure him," police spokesman John Morrison said.

Massaro said he thought he had one last confession to hear at about 12:15 p.m. on Saturday. A woman was waiting for him, apparently wanting to be be the last one in.

"I was in the confessional, putting my coat on, and felt a piercing sensation in my back left side," the priest recalled. "I looked up and she was standing there, and I felt it again in my back. Then I realized I was stabbed and my hand was covered with blood."

Massaro said his alleged attacker stared at him but never said a word.

"I ran and got to the car and hoped I could make it to the hospital before I passed out. I was worried about becoming unconscious. Thanks be to God that I didn't hurt anyone driving," he said.

An emergency room doctor told police that the knife "went through muscle, a few veins and chipped a rib," according to an arrest affidavit. The blade missed vital organs by two to three centimeters, the affidavit said.

Massaro underwent surgery to repair the damage. Doctors used 14 staples to close the "T"-shaped wounds.

The priest feels compassion for the woman who attacked him, and he is turning the other cheek.

"We have to continue to pray to do the church's work. To love, and most of all to forgive," he said. "To be sure she doesn't do this again, she needs proper medical care. No one in their right mind would do this."

It was the second run-in with Gatchell at Holy Cross Catholic Church, according to police and church workers. She was arrested in January, records show, accused of breaking off a piece of a religious statue inside the Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament. She also allegedly resisted arrest and reached for the officer's weapon.

She was confronted by Deborah True, the parish manager.

"I took it away from her and asked her why she did that," True told CNN. "She said she did it because it was from her husband's funeral, forty years ago, and Father Massaro stole it, and he was the Antichrist," she said.

Massaro said he recognized Gatchell as he ran from the attack.

"As I was running away from her, I realized who she was," he said. "She didn't make any efforts to come after me. I was still in a state of shock."

At the hospital, Massaro was able to pick Gatchell out of a photo lineup, police said. She was not at home when police went to question her, according to the arrest affidavit.

Later, police received an anonymous tip that she was staying elsewhere. When police arrived, Gatchell answered the door and allegedly stated, "You know who I am, and I know why you're here."

Gatchell told detectives that "she remembers going over to Holy Cross (church)....and stabbing Mr. Massaro," according to the affidavit.

When asked what she stabbed him with, the suspect replied, "It was a big knife," the affidavit said. Police say she told them that the knife was in three different places, but it was never located.

Vero Beach Police say that Gatchell appears to be a troubled woman.

"When you go back a second time, that raises more concerns. Her violence escalated the second time," said police spokesman Morrison.

And just for the record, "I am not the Antichrist, that I know of," Massaro said with a laugh. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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Source (CNN)

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Pope's sorrow for "deplorable" treatment of Native Canadians

Pope Benedict XVI on Wednesday expressed 'sorrow' for Native Canadian children who in Catholic-run schools were forced to suppress their language, customs and religion and, in some cases, were also sexually and physically abused.

'The Holy Father expressed his sorrow at the anguish caused by the deplorable conduct of some members of the Church,' when he met a delegation of Native Canadian representatives at the Vatican, a Holy See statement said.

The pontiff 'offered his sympathy and prayerful solidarity,' to the group headed by the Grand Chief of the Assembly of First Nations of Canada, Phil Fontaine, the Vatican said.

Native Canadians and Americans, also known as Indians, inhabited the North American continent when European settlers first began arriving in the wake of Christopher Columbus' 'discovery' of the New World in 1492.

In the late 19th century, Canadian authorities began taking Native Canadian children away from their families and placing them in so- called residential schools, many of which were run by the Catholic Church, the Anglican Church, the United Church and the Presbyterian Church.

An estimated 100,000 attended these schools by the time they were closed in the early 1980s, according to a statement by the Catholic Bishop Conference of Canada.

Many former students of these schools, alleging abuses, filed lawsuits against the Canadian government and the religious organizations. They also demanded a formal apologies for the treatment received in the schools.

Following a settlement agreement, billions of dollars were transferred to Native Canadian communities.

The Catholic Church's contributed some 79 million dollars, the Canadian Catholic bishops said in their statement.

In 2008, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper issued a formal apology in the Canadian Parliament last year, calling the treatment of children at the schools a sad chapter in the country's history.

The United, Presbyterian and Anglican churches have all apologized for their roles in the abuse.

Fontaine, had asked in the past that the Catholic Church take a similar stance, citing Benedict's apologies over a clergy sex abuse scandals when he visited America and Australia in 2008.

On Wednesday Benedict said 'acts of abuse cannot be tolerated in society. He prayed that all those affected would experience healing, and he encouraged First Nations Peoples to continue to move forward with renewed hope,' the Vatican statement said.
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Source (GRCN)

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Swine flu breaks out at NY high school

Cuernavaca Bishop Florencio Olvera Ochoa has appealed to Mexican Catholics to "not fall into a panic" over swine flue while 44 cases linked to a New York Catholic high school have been confirmed.

"Health is a gift of God and a task for everyone; let us take precautions, but let us not fall into a panic that aggravates the crisis," Bishop Olvera Ochoa said Sunday, Zenit reports.

Bishop Olvera Ochoa joined with other Mexican prelates to speak up about the epidemic, which might have caused as many as 152 deaths in Mexico as of today.

A statue of the Christ of Health was processed through the streets of Mexico City over the weekend, for the first time since 1850, when Mexico was facing another epidemic.

The statute has been used for processions at times when Mexico suffered droughts, epidemics or floods, and "if this is being done today it is because the [current] situation is considered very grave and worthy of the taking up again of this tradition," said Fr Hugo Valdemar, spokesman of Cardinal Norberto Rivera, archbishop primate of Mexico.

Bishops conference secretary-general, Bishop José Leopoldo González of Guadalajara, also issued a statement calling on Mexicans to follow the indications issued by the nation's health offices.

The authorities, the statement affirmed, "have announced that the situation is under control; therefore we make the invitation to take up an attitude of prevention and follow to the detail the recommendations that are periodically given."

US cases

Meanwhile, most confirmed cases in the US were in New York City, where the health commissioner said "many hundreds" of schoolchildren were ill with what was "most likely swine flu", AP reports.

The city announced 44 confirmed cases, all affiliated with St Francis Preparatory Catholic high school.

New York City Health Commissioner Thomas Frieden said that hundreds of St Francis Preparatory students had developed symptoms consistent with swine flu, although many hadn't been tested to confirm it.
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Source (CTHUS)

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Historic apology to Josephites

Adelaide Archbishop Philip Wilson has made a public apology to the Sisters of St Joseph over the wrongful excommunication of Mary MacKillop in 1871.

He stressed the apology was a follow up to the regret expressed by the dying Bishop Sheil when he revoked his excommunication of Mary in 1872, The Southern Cross reports.

Speaking at the blessing and dedication of the Blessed Mary MacKillop statue and plaza in Victoria Square, Archbishop Wilson pointed out that the excommunication was, in fact, invalid and that he was "profoundly ashamed of the Bishop's actions in driving the Sisters out onto the streets."

"This statue will stand as a sign of our affection and as an act of reparation for what happened so long ago," he said.

"The centenary year of Mary's death is a time of great celebration and we want to repair any hurt we have caused in the past in the spirit of reconciliation and forgiveness."

A number of Josephite Sisters attending the ceremony wept as the Archbishop made the apology.

Sr Marion Gambin, Leader of the South Australian Province of the Sisters of St Joseph in South Australia, said it was a very moving experience.

"It was very unexpected and quite humbling," she said.

"We are really very grateful and a lot of the Sisters have expressed their gratitude."

She said the excommunication had caused much anxiety and many sisters had ended up homeless.
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Cancer patients' spiritual needs highlighted

MOST HEALTHCARE professionals here do not receive training in how to address the spiritual or emotional needs of patients, and the stress of repeatedly witnessing pain and distress can have a detrimental effect on their own lives, a conference heard yesterday.

Research findings were also presented indicating that programmes such as “mindfulness”, stemming from meditation practices, reduced anxiety in cancer patients in hospitals and hospices internationally.

There were calls for similar programmes to be introduced in elderly care homes here.

President Mary McAleese sent a message of support to the conference in Killarney, organised by directors of the spiritual education programme at the Dzogchen Beara retreat centre in Allihies in west Cork, part of an international network of spiritual care founded on Tibetan Buddhist principles.

The conference was attended by more than 500 healthcare professionals, including GPs, nurses and social workers, as well as chaplains, nuns and priests, and drawn from Japan, the US, Australia and Saudi Arabia as well as Ireland.

Sr Stanislaus Kennedy, who led a personal meditation, said such a conference would not have been possible even five years ago as the country was now realising there was more to life than materialism, and there was a growing recognition of the need to cater for the spiritual needs of people.

The importance of emotional and spiritual counselling for cancer patients was recognised by the Laffoy report in 1999, when for the first time cancer patients were asked about their needs, according to Ursula Bates, the principal clinical psychologist at the Blackrock Hospice in Dublin who is also attached to the palliative care service at St Vincent’s University Hospital.

Presenting research carried out on cancer patients, she said that while cognitive therapy went some way towards reducing fear and depression, “mindfulness” meditation programmes, which gave a feeling of spiritual support, significantly reduced both depression and anxiety, and improved quality of life.

Hospices had such programmes but nursing homes for the elderly in Ireland were “starved of this kind of intervention”, Ms Bates said.

A spiritual needs assessment of patients should accompany care notes, Ms Bates said, but she also cautioned against assigning spiritual care solely to professional psychologists – spiritual strength and conversations about spiritual matters existed at all levels for patients, from the tea lady to hospital porter and should be recognised and encouraged.

Ms Bates said Irish people came from a deeply religious tradition, and she referred to monastic books of the dying, known as customaries, kept in Irish monasteries. This care had been brought into hospitals particularly by nuns, who worked anonymously, she said to a round of applause from the international conference.

“They are passing on the burden to us and passing it on with tremendous generosity,” Ms Bates said.

There was also discussion about the removal of Catholic religious objects from hospitals with delegates saying that a better solution might be to leave the objects but to include other traditions as well.

Christine Whiteside, leader of the team that offers spiritual support and friendship to guests of the Dzogchen Beara centre who face terminal illness or bereavement, said mindfulness which aimed at focusing the mind was “a human practice crossing religious boundaries”.
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Source (IT)

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Prayer to St Mark the Evangelist

PRAYER

(traditional language)

Almighty God, who by the hand of Mark the evangelist hast given to thy Church the Gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of God: We thank thee for this witness, and pray that we may be firmly grounded in its truth; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

PRAYER
(contemporary language)

Almighty God, who by the hand of Mark the evangelist have given to your Church the Gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of God: We thank you for this witness, and pray that we may be firmly grounded in its truth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

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.

Vocations 2008 - Promo Video

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."

St Therese's relics arrive in Killarney

THE ARRIVAL of the relics of St Therese of Lisieux, the saint also known as the Little Flower, drew steady crowds to St Mary’s Cathedral in Killarney yesterday, as part of a new nationwide tour.

The relics were met on the outskirts of the town by a Garda escort and carried through the church grounds by the Killarney Order of Malta shortly before 4pm.

Crowds were described as well down on 2001 when thousands thronged to the church for the arrival of the French saint’s relics.

However, the cathedral was to remain open throughout the night, with midnight Mass and an early morning Mass for workers taking place.

A queue filed past the relics yesterday and mission stalls were set up on the grounds of the cathedral. The relics will be taken away at noon today and will arrive at St Colmcille’s Carmelite Church tomorrow.

They leave Ireland on May 10th from Rosslare.
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Source (IT)

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Cardinal Rivera urges prayer to Our Lady of Guadalupe to halt swine flu

The Archbishop of Mexico City, Cardinal Norberto Rivera Carrera, is encouraging the faithful to pray to Our Lady of Guadalupe for an end to the swine flu epidemic that has taken the lives of more than 100 people in the country.

The cardinal also called for the beginning of novena prayers this past Sunday, asking “the Most Holy Mother of God, Mary of Guadalupe, to free the city and the country of this threat that looms over its inhabitants, as she has miraculously done in the past, especially during the plagues suffered in this same city in 1554, 1695, 1736 and 1850.”

The prayer in its entirety reads:

Holy Mary of Guadalupe:
You love us with special tenderness,
You watch over us with maternal intercession
And you always grant us your efficacious help.
We implore your protection and aid
To quickly overcome this epidemic
That has affected our nation.
Shelter us under your mantle,
Deliver us from this illness.
Intercede for all leaders
And those who must make decisions,
That they may have the wisdom to establish measures and priorities
For prevention and the assistance of the entire nation
And especially for those who are most vulnerable.
Grant us prudence and serenity
In order to act responsibly
And thus avoid being infected or infecting others.
Come to the aid of health care workers
Watch over the recovery of the infirm
And give comfort to those who are in mourning.
Mother of the True God for whom we live,
You who have rescued us from other plagues,
Commend us to the mercy of the One who healed us by his wounds
And freed us from death by his Resurrection.
Teach us to unite our suffering to his
In order to find its redemptive meaning
And to come out of this adversity
Strengthened in faith, hope and love. Amen.

The Bishops’ Conference of Mexico has issued a statement calling on all Mexicans to diligently observe the guidelines for preventing the spread of the illness.

Health care officials have said “the situation is under control, and therefore we invite all to assist in prevention and to strictly follow the recommendations that are periodically announced to the public,” they said.

The bishops also noted they would be attentive to any new information and trust that officials are doing everything possible to eradicate the outbreak.
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Source (CNA)

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Senate confirms Gov. Sebelius as HHS Secretary

Despite opposition from pro-life advocates concerned about Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius’ extensive support of abortion, her nomination as Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services was confirmed by the Senate on Tuesday by a vote of 65-31.

Sebelius garnered five more votes than the 60 needed in the 100-seat Senate. Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) said the “potential pandemic” of swine flu made the confirmation “essential.”

Other Democrats pointed to the need for healthcare reform as a justification for the action.

Some Republicans and pro-life advocates had opposed Gov. Sebelius’ nomination, citing her support for abortion and her ties to notorious late-term Kansas abortionist Dr. George Tiller. She initially claimed to have received $12,450 from Tiller between 1994 and 2001. On April 14, she reported that she had actually received $39,600.

Fellow Kansans Senators Sam Brownback and Pat Roberts, as expected, voted for Gov. Sebelius. His decision to support her nomination was another source of controversy in the debate.

In 2008 Gov. Sebelius, a self-described Catholic, was admonished by Archbishop of Kansas City Joseph F. Naumann and told not to present herself for Holy Communion until she made a worthy confession and publicly repudiated her stance on abortion.
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Source (CNA)

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The Sin(ging) Bishop

The 'Forever Young' choir, with its recent recruit, the Bishop of Killaloe, yesterday sang their hearts out at the Sin Nightclub in Dublin.

Bishop Willie Walsh joined the ‘Forever Young’ choir six months ago.

So far the twenty five strong group, accompanied by a pianist, have just made local appearances, at a senior citizens conference in Ennis, and at a parish social.

“Our agent is not busy!” Bishop Walsh told ciNews.

But all that may change, after their hour long lunchtime concert yesterday at a nightclub in Dublin.

Up to 100 students from the National College of Art and Design turned up to hear the choir perform golden oldies like “When the saints go marching in,” “Forever young,” “Swing low” and “Drunken sailor” as part of a project contrasting the cultures of the young and the old.

Bishop Willie, who was never in a choir in his life, joined 'Forever Young' at the invitation of a few friends. “It is great fun and good for the soul as well as the mind,” he said. “I was told when I was five or six that I couldn’t sing. Some think I still can’t sing!” Asked if he would think of forming a choir with the other bishops, he replied: “I don’t think anybody would be likely to imitate me.”

Yesterday’s concert in the Sin club came about through Dr Ciara McMahon, whose father is in the choir, and who is completing a degree in the National College of Art and Design (NCAD).

“The project contrasts young club culture with older people and folk music. My idea was to bring the two cultural types together and contrast them,” she told ciNews. “We are questioning ageism. Normally a nightclub would not have older people in it. Why is there segregation around age?”

Yesterday’s event began with a group of actors clubbing to regular night club music.

Then Forever Young , sang for an hour.

This was followed by a question and answer session between the students and the choir members, focussing in particular on their political voice.

A number of the questions were addressed to Bishop Willie Walsh.

The entire event was filmed and will be on display to the public in the NCAD for the first two weeks in June.
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Irish cardinal recommends Twitter for prayer

Cardinal Sean Brady, the head of the Roman Catholic Church in Ireland has suggested that believers embrace Twitter for prayer.

The Cardinal, speaking at Mass in Country Mayo on Sunday, said that it was a good way to send people prayers.

He said, "Make someone the gift of a prayer through text, twitter or e-mail every day," reports the BBC.

"I ask young people in particular to think of sending their friends and family an occasional twitter or text to say that you have prayed for them."

Cardinal Brady’s sermon was delivered to mark the centenary celebration of the life of Father Patrick Peyton, who was also called “the Rosary priest”.

Cardinal Brady claimed that Father Peyton had a “great gift” for communication and would have been a prolific texter and Twitterer had the technology been available in his day.

The Cardinal urged people to start up prayer groups using modern technology such as Twitter.

He said, "Such a sea of prayer is sure to strengthen our sense of solidarity with one another and remind us those who receive them that others really do care.
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Envoys Named to Close Pauline Year

Benedict XVI appointed seven cardinals to be his special envoys for the closing ceremonies of the Jubilee Year of St. Paul.

The ceremonies will take place at various Pauline sites June 29, the

In Syria, the special envoy will be Cardinal Antonio Maria Rouco Varela, archbishop of Madrid, Spain, and in the Holy Land it will be Cardinal Walter Kasper, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity.

Cardinal Ennio Antonelli, president of the Pontifical Council for the Family, will preside at an event in Malta, and for Cyprus the Pope named Cardinal Renato Raffaele Martino, president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace.

Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, president of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue will represent the Pontiff in Turkey, and Cardinal Jozef Tomko, retired prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, will represent Benedict XVI in Greece.

In Lebanon, the Holy Father will be represented by Cardinal Andre Vingt-Trois, archbishop of Paris, France.
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Czech Gypsies seek pope's assistance

Czech Gypsies have called on the pope to help them improve the status of their people, who have suffered discrimination across Europe.

Roma Realia, a Czech Romany non-governmental organization, asked Pope Benedict XVI to assist in organizing a debate on the social position of Gypsies in the Czech Republic and in other European countries, Prague Radio said Tuesday.

The Romany activists, in a letter to Pope Benedict, warned of the alleged rising animosity between Czechs and Gypsies that they said might slip out of control.

The Gypsy activists condemned Czech authorities for lacking knowledge how to cope with the issue.

Last week, Vladimir Spidla, European Union's commissioner for employment, social affairs and equal opportunities, said the Romany's discrimination in Europe is unacceptable.

Addressing reporters in Prague Friday, Spidla singled out Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic as countries where Gypsies were maltreated or killed on racial motivation, the Serbian news agency Beta reported.
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Dominican Republic Approves Constitutional Amendment to Outlaw Abortion

Dominican lawmakers voted recently to approve a constitutional amendment that would effectively end legal abortion in the country.

Assembly members approved the new Executive Branch article, which states that, “The right to the life is inviolable from conception until death.”

Aldrian Almonte, president of the Dominican Gynecology and Obstetrics Society has warned that the number of maternal deaths will increase considerably once the new laws are enforced and women are no longer able to gain access to safe and medically supervised abortions.

Even if the pregnancy endangers a woman’s life, abortion will no longer be a feasible option for physicians.

“I would like the honorable legislators to tell me: What are we going to do before the presence of a woman with severe eclampsia, convulsing in any emergency room around the country? What must we do, see her die to protect ourselves from the repercussions this law stipulates?” Almonte asked.

The constitutional amendment was passed despite constant and vocal objections of feminist and human rights organizations and makes abortion illegal even in the most horrific cases of incest or rape.

The approval of the article came on the heels of a massive campaign by the Catholic Church in the Dominican Republic, led by Cardinal Archbishop Nicolas de Jesus Lopez of Santo Domingo.

Miguel Ceara Hatton, a coordinator for the United Nations Program for Human Development, has strongly criticized the lawmakers and the undue influence the Catholic Church has in setting the political agenda in the DR.

“The Catholic Church influences everything...it has become a source for social exclusion in the Dominican Republic. The dogma is placed ahead of the needs of the population, health, housing and better living conditions.”
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Newman miracle approved: Report

The last hurdle before the beatification of John Henry Newman has been cleared after a panel of consultors agreed unanimously that the healing of an American man "bent double" by a severe spinal disorder resulted from prayer to the 19th century British cardinal.

Their decision was the final hurdle before Pope Benedict can declare him "Blessed", the UK Telegraph reports.

The move was welcomed by Oxford University theologian Father Ian Ker, the author of the definitive biography of Cardinal Newman.

Fr Ker said: "Newman was definitely a saint and he was a very English saint. He had a great sense of humour like St Thomas More.

"He also had a great gift for friendship which has been lost in the modern age."

He said Newman was a significant figure to Catholics worldwide because he pre-empted the reforms of the Second Vatican Council of the 1960s that modernised the Church.

Father Ker added: "As soon as he is canonised he will definitely be made a theological "doctor of the Church" and he will be seen as a doctor of this period we are living in.

"He would thoroughly agree with Pope John Paul II's and Benedict's understanding of the reforms of the council. While Newman was open to new ideas he was extremely loyal to the authority and the tradition of the Church."

A formal announcement by the Vatican on Newman's beatification is expected within the next two months.

When British Prime Minister Gordon Brown visited the Vatican in February he invited Pope Benedict to Britain to perform the ceremony in person, possibly at Wembley Stadium.
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Swine flu: Imam claims virus affirms Koran

The global spread of the deadly swine flu virus affirms Islam's teachings and its holy book, the Koran, according to imam Amadia Rachid based in the Italian city of Salerno.

"We believe that what is happening shows the truth of our faith," said Algerian-born Rachid in an interview with Adnkronos International (AKI).

Pigs are considered unclean animals in the Muslim and Jewish religions and eating pork is proscribed.

"Even Muslims who live in Italy are talking about swine flu at the moment," Rachid said.

Most Muslims are not worried by the disease, as they don't eat pork and don't work with pig livestock, he said.

"But many believe the disease confirmed the teaching of the Koran."

The Koran orders Muslims to avoid close contact with pigs, as well as not to eat pork, Rachid noted.

"The Islamic faith doesn't explain exactly why pigs should be considered unclean animals," he said.

"But it's clear that for most theologians, it is precisely to avoid the spread of disease that Islamic tradition tends to keep men away from pigs," he added.

Scientific truths lie behind the teachings of the Koran that has taken many centuries for man to discover, Rachid claimed.

The number of probable deaths from swine flu in Mexico - the epicentre of the virus - has risen to 152.

A total of 26 cases have been confirmed there and at 79 cases have been confirmed worldwide across several continents.

Although the World Health Organization has not yet declared a pandemic of swine flu - warning it is a virus with "pandemic potential."

WHO said the flu was being spread by human-to-human transmission but has not yet recommended travel restrictions or border closures.
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Priests denounce vices brought out by Lugo scandal

In the wake the paternity suit recently filed against President Fernando Lugo of Paraguay, the Secular Institute of Schoenstatt Priests in Asuncion has issued a strong statement saying that by his actions the president has demonstrated he is unfaithful to his word, lacks an understanding of the family and of parenthood and is motivated by political opportunism.

In their statement about the conduct of Lugo, who was Bishop of San Pedro, the priests recalled that “being faithful to our word defines our essence as free and firm persons. In the Catholic Church nobody is forced to make a vow of chastity or a promise of celibacy. Both point to the same thing: the consecrated renounce biological parenthood so that our parenthood at the service of the Kingdom of God will be more fruitful.”

The priests went on to say Lugo also failed to understand that we are responsible “not only for our actions but also for their consequences.”

“We are not little animals, enslaved by our instincts. We are human beings, with free will bestowed by God. The immediate consequence of this freedom is the responsibility for what we do and what we do not do, and also for the consequences that result from our actions and our omissions. If we fall into sin, not only do we repent and ask for forgiveness, we also assume the consequences without looking for cheap excuses or childish justifications,” they added.

The priests explained later that Lugo also failed to consider the value of the family, “the rights of children and parenthood.”

“All human beings, and especially the most defenseless, are children of God and have inalienable rights. We do not have the right to deprive a child of the experience of having a father, a mother, a well-constituted family, of feeling expected, loved and valued. No child should have to discover that he was a ‘problem,’ a ‘threat’ that has become a reality, some embarrassing that had to be hidden and denied at all costs. It would be much worse of course to deny a child the right to life, falling into the crime of abortion,” they said.

“Neither do we have the right to ‘dazzle’ an underage person with the importance of our position, our possessions or with promises that we are not going to fulfill—and much less use her as an object of sexual satisfaction. That is the corruption of minors!”

The priests also referred to “another anti-value” in the country manifested by the scandal involving the Paraguayan president, namely, those who portrayed Lugo's acknowledgment of his children as a sign of honesty and courage used the situation to score political points. “Is this not in some way adulation and flattery in search of personal benefit?” they asked.

They urged the faithful to pray for priests and bishops, as “we are exposed to the same temptations as everyone else, we are sinners too, but our falls tend to be more spectacular, they cause much harm and hurt many people.”

“Our best response to these incidents is not one of lament but of firm decision to fight for these values in our own lives and to give bold and joyful witness to the fact that one can live coherently, that our Catholic faith does not lead us to be repressive and deceitful, but rather it is a path of authentic happiness and fullness of life.”
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Cardinal Lopez Rodriguez denies Church pressured politicians to reject abortion

Cardinal Nicolas de Jesus Lopez Rodriguez denied last week that the Church pressured lawmakers to vote to reject the legalization of abortion.

The cardinal also said if that had occurred, it would have been a step backwards for the country.

“To me it is very clear that we have taken the correct position, the one we need, and I am happy, and I congratulate the lawmakers because regardless of the pressures or the lack thereof, they are like other people and they voted against it,” the cardinal said.

The Apostolic Nuncio to the Dominican Republic, Archbishop Jozef Wesolowski, reiterated that “direct abortion is always an immoral act, a murder.”

“The term therapeutic abortion does not exist in ecclesial terminology, it is always a sin and this is not debatable. We must always seek to save the life of both mother and child,” he added, saying abortion is a moral and not a political problem.

The Caribbean island nation's lawmakers voted last week by a margin of 167 to 32 to protect the right to life from conception to natural death.
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Church announces dates for 2010 exposition of Shroud of Turin

The Italian Archdiocese of Turin has announced that the Shroud of Turin, which many believe is the burial cloth of Christ, will be on public display April 10-May 23, 2010.

The public exposition in Turin's cathedral will offer members of the public their first opportunity to see the shroud since it underwent major cleaning and restoration in 2002.

The work involved removing 30 fabric patches and a fabric backing, known as the Holland Cloth, sewn onto the shroud in 1534 after a fire.

At the time of the work, Cardinal Severino Poletto of Turin said trapped particles of dirt and scorched fabric had darkened parts of the Shroud of Turin and eventually could have made it difficult to see the shroud's image of a crucified man.

The removal of the Holland Cloth also permitted experts to photograph and digitally scan the back of the shroud.

The last public exposition of the Shroud of Turin was in 2000. It remained hidden in its specially designed protective case even in 2006 when the Winter Olympic Games brought tens of thousands of visitors to the city.

The Archdiocese of Turin's official Web site for information about the shroud -- www.sindone.org -- is operational even though it is undergoing a redesign in conjunction with the 2010 exposition. Visitors will be able to reserve an appointment in advance to see the shroud.

The archdiocese also said it expects Pope Benedict XVI will visit the city during the exposition period and celebrate Mass on the grounds outside the cathedral. A specific date for the papal visit has not been announced.
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Pope asked to find Jews raised Catholic

Yad L'Achim, a haredi anti-missionary organization, called Monday on Pope Benedict XVI to help find thousands of European Jews who as young children were saved from the Holocaust by Catholic clergy and laymen and were never told of their Jewish origins.

"During his visit here, we want the pope to call on all members of the Catholic Church to reveal the identities of thousands of Jews saved by the church from the Nazis," said Rabbi Shalom Dov Lipshitz, who heads the organization.

"We believe that hundreds, perhaps thousands of Jews and their offspring can be discovered if the Pope makes an unequivocal announcement while in Israel that every Catholic has an obligation to reveal the Jewish roots of those saved from the Holocaust."

Lipshitz said that Yad L'Achim had a list of about 2,000 names of children believed to have been handed over to Catholic families, orphanages and other Church institutions to hide them from the Nazis.

A sample page from the list was sent to The Jerusalem Post. It includes the names, birthdates, places of birth and last known addresses of the individuals thought to be Jews.

All of the people on the list were from Holland, and all were born between 1920 and 1938.

Lipshitz said Yad L'Achim's list, based on information collected after the war, also included Jews from France, Italy and Belgium.

The organization also wrote an open letter to Pope Benedict XVI.

"As you know, during the Holocaust, thousands of Jewish parents deposited their children with Christian families to protect them from the Nazis, fully intending to retrieve them and return them to their families and their nation after the war. Tragically, a very large percentage didn't survive, and these Christian families refused to reveal to the children their true identity," the letter read.

"We view with utmost gravity media reports that these families were acting on [the] order of Pope Pius XII, who stated that the orphans should not be told they are Jews," it said.

Father David Neuhaus, patriarchal vicar for the Hebrew Speaking Catholics in Israel, said that it was impossible for the Catholic Church to adopt an overall principle for dealing with Jews who had been raised as Catholics.

"Tremendous complexities arise, and each case must be treated individually," said Neuhaus.

"Human lives are involved in these tremendously complex, emotionally charged cases," he explained.

"Besides the theological issues of what faith these people belong to, there are also very human issues of relationships. Catholic families who raise a Jewish orphan feel that he or she is their very own. To whom should this orphan be returned? To a distant relative that the survivor does not even know? To the Jewish people?"

He added that "even after these Jews are told of their origins, they react in many different ways. A simple declaration on the part of the pope is not going to solve these problems."

Some prominent Jewish leaders were saved by Catholics. Abraham Foxman, national director of the Anti-Defamation League, was hidden from the Nazis by a Catholic nanny who had him baptized and raised him as a practicing Catholic. Foxman's parents survived the Holocaust and reclaimed him.

But many young Jewish children never returned to their families and were raised as Catholics.

Grzegorz Pawlowski, formerly Zvi Hersch, serves as a priest in Jaffa. He was rescued by Polish Catholic nuns and never returned to the Jewish faith, although he is aware of his Jewish roots. He moved to Israel to be near his brother, who remained Jewish.

Rabbi David Rosen, director of the American Jewish Committee's Department for Interreligious Affairs, who is helping to coordinate the pope's visit to Israel, said that Holocaust survivors with Jewish roots had the right to know about it, but doubted that the pope was the right person to petition.

"It is more appropriate to meet with the local archdioceses and attempt to track [them] down on a local level," said Rosen.

"It is a bit sensationalist to turn to the pope."
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Church seeks Catholic exam for school heads

A new post-graduate qualification in Catholic school leadership is likely to become a requirement for future principals, the Church signalled yesterday.

Principals in Catholic primary schools will have their commitment to faith-based education tested, Bishop Leo O'Reilly, chair of the Bishops' Commission for Education, said.

INTO general secretary John Carr described Bishop O'Reilly's comments as "significant".

But the union insisted there would have to be dialogue on the subject before they could give it their backing.

The move is set against a backdrop of huge changes in the primary education landscape and the prominent role traditionally held by the Catholic Church, which is patron of over 90pc of the nation's 3,300 primary schools.

Outlining a vision for life in Catholic primary schools, Bishop O'Reilly said Catholic education was rooted in faith.

He said faith could not be compartmentalised and that religious education was a priority in a Catholic school and required a serious commitment of time and resources.

"Teachers teach by example as much as by words -- their Christian witness, the values and attitudes that they embody in their daily interaction with those around them," he told the annual conference of the Catholic Primary School Manager's Association (CPSMA).

"We also need to encourage teachers who are capable of exercising leadership in schools to do post-graduate qualifications in Catholic school leadership," Bishop O'Reilly added.

"I believe we need to be prepared for the day when such qualifications will not be just desirable in candidates for leadership positions, but will be a requirement."

Mr Carr said the remarks must be seen in the context of current lack of supports for school leadership.
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Israel to Transfer Control of Mt. Zion Site to Catholic Church?

Reports in the Catholic media, buttressed by information from sources in Israel who are close to a ten-year-long negotiation between Israel and the Vatican, imply that an agreement is close on the handover of a holy room on Mount Zion to the Catholic Church.

However, a Foreign Ministry official denies categorically that Israel plans to hand over any properties. At issue are properties in Jerusalem, Caesarea, and around Lake Kinneret (Sea of Galilee).

The most prominent site in question is the room said to mark the burial site of Kings Solomon and Hezekiah, known by Catholics as the Last Supper Room. It is also in the same structure that houses King David's Tomb. Said to be the oldest Catholic church in the world, the building has also served as a synagogue and a mosque in the past; Muslim inscriptions still adorn the walls.

Since 1967, however, it has been under Israeli control, part of a complex leased and run by the Diaspora Yeshiva for over 40 years. An estimated 10,000 students have studied in the Yeshiva since then; for many of them, it was their first stop on their way to Judaism and Aliyah [immigration to Israel].

The Catholic Church has long wanted control over part of the area – to turn it into an international religious center for Catholics from all over the world, Diaspora Yeshiva officials say.

"We were forced to give over part of the compound to the Ministry of Religious Affairs," says Rabbi Mordechai Goldstein, founder and Dean of the Yeshiva, "which then gave it over to the Ministry of the Interior. Ever since then, the Church has been making demands and claims on the area, and has been making inroads. Their goal, ultimately, is to conduct religious services here, with hundreds of thousands of Christian tourists coming through.

"This area is very contested, by many different churches," Rabbi Goldstein told Israel National News. "Why should the Catholic Church claim be honored more than that of others? Given such a situation, it is clear that the best solution is the status quo: Everyone is permitted to enter, but no religious services are allowed."

Negotiating Committee: Upbeat About Progress
The Bilateral Permanent Working Commission – a team of Israeli and Vatican representatives who have been negotiating fiscal and property questions since March 1999 – released an optimistic news release at the end of last week. The Commission announced "meaningful progress," "great cordiality," and a mutual commitment to reach a final agreement "as soon as possible.”

The communiqué also announced a plenary meeting for this Thursday, April 30, at the Foreign Ministry. The meeting will be chaired by the two states’ deputy foreign ministers, Danny Ayalon and Monsignor Pietro Parolin. It is suspected that an agreement will be signed then.

In addition to hints in the Catholic media, a source in a legal office close to the negotiations said that an agreement on the transfer of control of the Last Supper Room is, in fact, close. The source, who did not wish to be named, spoke to a Knesset Member's top aide.

Similarly, Dr. Daisy J. Stern, who has been closely following the matter, reports that government sources confirm that the agreement with the Vatican is ready to be signed.

Strenuous Foreign Ministry Denial
On the other hand, Shmuel Ben-Shmuel, the head of the Religions Department in the Foreign Ministry, says there is no danger of Israel giving away properties. Speaking to Attorney Aviad Visoly, who represents the Diaspora Yeshiva, Ben-Shmuel said that this week's meeting has nothing to do with Mount Zion, adding that the meeting is held annually and will be nothing more than a briefing on the status of the negotiations thus far. He said that Israel's position continues to be one of rejection of Church claims to property on Mt. Zion.

Despite the denial, Diaspora Yeshiva officials and other concerned citizens are not resting easy.

Prof. Hillel Weiss of Bar Ilan University, who met with the Yeshiva directors on Tuesday morning, said afterwards, "I cannot say if a given Foreign Ministry official is saying the truth or not. What I do know is that the Foreign Ministry has long-term policies that are anti-Jewish. We saw the renovations that are being carried out at the Mt. Zion site today at a furious pace, in time for the Pope's upcoming visit, and we know that the Vatican in general has long been working to reduce Jewish rights in Jerusalem and in the Old City. Everything must be seen from this perspective.

"The more we publicize the official denials of the Foreign Ministry that they plan to give away any lands to the Catholic Church, the better for us," Prof. Weiss summed up.

Rabbi Goldstein said plans to prepare the area of his Yeshiva for "all three religions" – Judaism, Christianity, and Islam – are already underway: "They have even been replacing the signs that we put up, with signs in three languages. Here," he pointed to a door leading to David's Tomb, "they took down our sign, leaving it empty, and they don't allow us to put up another one. Over here are candles lit by Jewish visitors in memory of King David – but the officials plan on stopping that as well."

"This is a Jewish area," Rabbi Goldstein emphasizes, "and they want to change the status quo and give them the right to control what goes on here. Control is often more important than actual ownership."

Church Wants Passage Through Yeshiva
The rabbi further said that there is constant pressure upon the Yeshiva – financial and otherwise – to allow the Church to build a passageway through the Yeshiva to enable thousands of Christian visitors and worshipers to more easily access the Last Supper Room each month.

Financial Incentives, No Public Debate
The Tourism Ministry has announced that it expects 15,000 to 20,000 Christians to visit Israel at the same time as the Pope, in mid-May, and a total of 1.2 million to visit during the course of 2009. The financial incentives to make the site "more Christian" are thus very great.

The former director of the Diaspora Yeshiva explained that if the Catholic Church receives control of the area, just a few hundred yards from the Temple Mount and adjacent to the Old City walls, it will turn it into "the international center for Catholics all around the world, and if the pope just gives the word, Christians will be flocking over here en masse."

"This is an enormous issue that is being pushed through without any public debate whatsoever," he said. Rabbi Goldstein said in the past that "according to their bible, the Land is to return to the Christians and 144,000 Jews are to return to Mt. Zion. Their plan is for them to take control of the site, and then to announce that they are holding a mass reenactment of the Last Supper, with [all types of religious rituals], and to invite millions of Christians to come to Jerusalem and celebrate."

It now remains to be seen what agreement, if any, will be signed on Thursday between Israel and the Vatican.
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