Bishop says he'll consider naming names

Confronted by the founder of a Web site dedicated to exposing "bishops who have abused children or vulnerable adults, or have aided abusers," Bishop John B. McCormack agreed yesterday to consider posting names of some accused clergy.

McCormack helped celebrate Mass at St. Catherine of Siena and was greeting parishioners in the church hall when Terry McKiernan asked him about the diocese's policy of not listing accused priests on the Diocese of Manchester Web site.

McKiernan founded BishopAccountability.org as a way to publicly list accused clergy.

"Our list now has over 3,000 people on it, which is pretty sad, and the bishops have admitted to over 5,000," McKiernan told the New Hampshire Union Leader moments after his conversation with the bishop. "I suspect the real number is something like 10,000, which is pretty gross when you consider what we are talking about."

During the brief conversation, McCormack told McKiernan the diocese would not list the names of all the accused priests, but would consider listing priests that have been laicized or assigned to prayer and penance, and are no longer active in ministry.

"I said I would think about it, because I hadn't thought about it," McCormack said afterward.

"This was a social situation, but I take him at his word," McKiernan said. "He won't be alone. Milwaukee has done it, Philadelphia has done it. I think there is a bit of a movement in the right direction on this and Bishop McCormack could get out in front a little bit and help this movement gather some momentum."

On Friday, BishopAccountability.org called for the elimination of the statute of limitations on criminal and civil cases after files released by the Attorney General's Office included 26 new names of clerics and two nuns and more than 100 new allegations.

The new allegations include more than two dozen brought against at least 18 dead diocesan priests and members of religious orders, the files show.

McKiernan, a Massachusetts resident who attended Mass yesterday morning at St. Catherine, waited in line with parishioners to speak with McCormack. He brought a camera with him and asked a parishioner to take a picture of him posing with the bishop. The two then talked for a few minutes.

McCormack mentioned that a list of accused priests can be found on BishopAccountability.org before McKiernan identified himself and gave the bishop his business card.

"He was probably relieved I wasn't shouting at him," McKiernan said.

McCormack told the New Hampshire Union Leader afterward that he didn't know McKiernan was going to be present.

"It's a conversation," McCormack said. "It was a very good, candid, cordial and very respectful conversation. There was nothing tense about. It's always good to talk with people who are concerned about this and to encourage them to look to what the church has done and is doing.

"Our own desire is to have the best system possible for the screening of people, for the protection of children and for any kind of reporting."
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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: TUL)

Catholic Church 'Tests' for Gay Priests in Australia

The Melbourne Catholic Church is following a Vatican recommendation to test the sexual orientation of would-be priests.

The identification measures are a response to Vatican guidelines, under which potential priests who “appear” to be gay must be removed from consideration.

Even celibate gay men are subject to the ban because, according to the Vatican committee that issued the instructions, homosexuality is “a type of deviation.”

A spokesperson for the Archdiocese of Melbourne told the Melbourne Herald that a local seminary already had begun adhering to the guidelines.

He declined to specify how the tests for gay priests are conducted.

An outspoken priest, Father Bob Maguire, criticized the policy.

‘‘The point is not to what gender you are attracted, but how you manage that attraction,’’ he said.
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Sotto Voce

(Source: AC)

Queen's chaplain calls for Catholics to make concessions

A CHAPLAIN to the Queen has called for Catholic concessions to balance proposed changes to the Act of Settlement, including the end of "sectarian schools".

Rev Alastair Symington, minister at Troon Old Parish Church in Ayrshire, said the reforms in aid of the Catholic Church were welcome but that they needed to make a "quid quo pro".

In a letter to The Scotsman, the 61-year-old writes that the restrictions on children attending Catholic schools and the future role of a potential Catholic monarch within the Church of Scotland needed to be addressed.

His comments came in response to discussions about scrapping the Act of Settlement.

The Catholic Church in Scotland said Rev Symington's comments were "unfortunate and inaccurate". They said a fifth of pupils at Catholic schools were not Catholic, showing wide acceptance and high regard.

Rev Symington wrote: "I trust ... the Roman Catholic Church will drop its request that children of any such future royal union must be baptised into the Roman part of the Catholic Church and raised in equally sectarian separate schools."

Peter Kearney, spokesman for the Catholic Church in Scotland, said: "While existing legislation prevents a Catholic marrying or becoming head of state, current legislation does not prevent non-Catholics from attending Catholic schools."
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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: TSCOM)

Mexico's death cult protests shrine destruction

Death may not be proud, but her followers sure are angry.

Leaders of Mexico's "Death Saint" church are protesting the destruction of more than 30 shrines by authorities in northern Mexico.

Their archbishop said Sunday that it was an act of religious discrimination and has demanded a meeting with President Felipe Calderon.

Mexico's Death Saint is not recognized by the Roman Catholic Church, but followers use elements of catholic rites.

At shrines, chapels and small churches across the country, tens of thousands of people worship the Death Saint, which is often depicted as a robe-covered skeleton resembling the Grim Reaper. It is particularly popular with drug traffickers.

Early last week, workers using back hoes accompanied by army troops toppled and crushed more 30 shrines on a roadway in the city of Nuevo Laredo across the border from Laredo, Texas.

Many were elaborate, one-story, marble-clad constructions with electric lighting and statues of the skeletal Death Saint. Devotees leave offerings of candles to the folk saint.

City authorities said the roadside shrines were built without permission on public land, and argued the shrines gave the city a bad image.

But the destruction enraged Death Saint church leaders, including archbishop David Romo who in a homily Sunday called on followers across Mexico to hold demonstrations against the demolitions.

"It was both an open act of religious intolerance and an act of arrogance," Romo said. "We are entering a stage of religious and governmental terrorism."

He called on followers to stage protest marches during Easter week, including a potentially provocative Easter Sunday march to the Basilica of the Virgin of Guadalupe, the country's widely-revered Roman Catholic patroness.

Hugo Valdemar Romero, spokesman for the Archdiocese of Mexico, said the Roman Catholic Church was in no way involved in the demolitions.

But he added that "it is no secret that this (Saint Death) religious organization is associated with drug traffickers and organized crime ... it is not only superstitious, but diabolical."

While Saint Death followers frequently pray to the saint to protect them from violent death or ask for release from prison, the church denies its faithful are criminals.
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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: AP)

Vatican theologian raps Obama hero

Preacher to the papal household, Fr Raniero Cantalamessa, has said that "vogueish" interpretations of the doctrine of medieval mystic, Joachim of Fiore, as proposing a new liberal and spiritual church are false and heretical.

ANSA reports that Fr Cantalamessa rapped the teachings of Joachim of Fiore cited three times during his presidential campaign by Barack Obama as a "master of contemporary civilisation" and someone who wanted to create a fairer world.

''Few of those who expound on Gioacchino da Fiore (Joachim of Fiore, 1130-1202 AD) on the Internet know, or go to the trouble of finding out, what this character really said," Fr Cantalamessa said.

According to the most "vogueish" interpretations, Cantalmessa said, the utopian mystic proposed a new liberal and spiritual Church able to move beyond dogmas and hierarchies.

This was a "false and heretical" view, Cantalamessa said, because believers must be guided not only by the spirit but also by the laws of the Church.

"It can be fatal to do without one or the other of these guides".

Thomas Aquinas confuted his theories in his Summa Theologica, but in The Divine Comedy, Dante Alighieri placed him in paradise.

The Fourth Council of the Lateran in 1215 condemned some of his ideas about the nature of the Trinity, without taking any action.

Finally Pope Alexander IV condemned his writings and those of his follower Gerardo of Borgo San Donnino and set up a commission that in 1263 in Synod of Arles eventually declared his theories heretical.

Joachim is also cited as a model by the hero of Umbert Eco's bestselling cowled skulduggery high-brow whoddunit The Name of the Rose.

Meanwhile, many in the mystic monk's southern Italian hometown of San Giovanni in Fiore are awaiting a decision from the Vatican on the proposed beatification of the monk.
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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: CTHUS)

Australia "hardest country for vocations"

On a visit to Peru, Sydney Cardinal George Pell highlighted the difficulty of finding vocations to the consecrated life in Australia, quoting a Missionaries of Charity sister's comment that it is "the hardest country to find vocations in."

Cardinal Pell also said he would like to see new Catholic communities change the direction of the country, Catholic News Agency reports.

He made his comments during a Mass celebrating the 18th anniversary of the Marian Fraternity of Reconciliation, an association of the Sodalite Movement, made up of consecrated women (called Fraternas) and founded in 1991 in Peru. The Fraternity is present today in the Americas, Europe and Australia.

"One of the missionaries of Mother Teresa of Calcutta told me once that Australia was the hardest country in the world to find vocations in. For several decades many religious congregations in Australia have not received a single new vocation," the cardinal said.

"I hope and pray that the strictly lay vocation of the Fraternas to work in the world at the service of God and the Church provides an opening and leads to a necessary change in the direction of my country. I ask all of you, gathered here tonight, to pray for the Church in Australia, that we may be open to discerning ever more the will of God and fulfilling it with greater fidelity," he added.

The cardinal thanked God and the leaders of the Marian Fraternity of Reconciliation for their presence in Sydney.

"The gift of our own freedom leads us to be conscious of the effort we should make to cooperate with the divine Will," Cardinal Pell said.

"Certainly none of us has deserved the mission that God has entrusted to us through Baptism. He is the one who has called us to serve him, whether in marriage or in the consecrated life, whether in the priesthood, in leadership as committed laity, in the religious life or as a bishop.

"Each one of us should thank God for our particular vocation, being aware that the ways of the Lord are mysterious; sometimes difficult and even hard to accept at the beginning," he 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: CTHN)

"St Mary's in exile" plan

Fr Peter Kennedy, has announced that he plans to lead a community to be known as "St Mary's in exile" following his last Mass at Brisbane's St Mary's parish next month.

Fr Kennedy made the announcement on Sunday following a mediation deal agreed with the archdiocese on Thursday, under which he will now hold his final Mass at St Mary's church on April 19, the ABC reports.

But St Mary's community council chairwoman Margaret Ortiz said that the community believed the process had been "unjust and unfair."

"The community also strongly believes Peter Kennedy has not caused ecclesiastical harm," she said.

Fr Kennedy on Sunday told reporters he expected the vast majority of St Mary's congregation to go with him to the new community, to be called "St Mary's In Exile".

"I could be wrong but I would expect about 95 percent to come. It's very gracious of the Trades and Labour Council to invite us," Fr Kennedy said, according to The Age.

"I'm hoping that somehow people within the community will come up with some ideas about how we might rent. We couldn't buy one, but we could rent something."

"For now, nothing has changed in my position, except I can't now come to St Mary's."

Fr Kennedy said he was still a Catholic priest with the right to conduct masses and baptisms.

Initially masses will be held at the Trades and Labor Council building but this would not be the new community's permanent home, and the hunt was on to find a place to rent, Fr Kennedy said.

Fr Kennedy will begin holding Mass at the new location on April 20, starting with a march from St Mary's.

"I think we've lost the fight by being pushed out of here, by being excluded from here, but have they won the battle? That is the question," Fr Kennedy said.

The Trades and Labour Council building will be refit prior to becoming the new temporary base.
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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)

Cardinal: Make wealthy pay

Cardinal Sean Brady has appealed to the Government not to raise indirect taxes on essential goods and services in next week's Budget, claiming such a move would hit low-income earners hardest.

In an important Church-State address in Sligo cathedral yesterday, the Church leader urged ministers to increase income tax on wealth rather than cut health and social expenditure.

Cardinal Brady called the Budget "an immediate test" of the country's willingness to place social solidarity and fairness at the top of the agenda.

"It is accepted that there will be tax increases. The question is: will they be direct or indirect?" he said.

"Indirect taxes sometimes fall most heavily on those with low incomes. So if more indirect taxes are to be introduced they should be put on non-essential goods and services."

Cardinal Brady said that it would take courage for Government ministers to reverse the trend of cuts in income tax.

"Without the courage to make those serious choices to reverse that trend, there will be a reduction in real income of the poorest," he continued.

"There will be cuts in services for those in need of care and support. Unfortunately, that is already happening with some very worthy projects facing closure, postponement or reduction," said Cardinal Brady.

And he asked: "Which is better, health or wealth?"

Cardinal Brady said Irish people survived recessions best when their neighbours rallied around, adding: "It would give immense hope to everybody if those who are better off showed that they are aware that there are others who have a greater moral claim to be insulated from the impact of recession."
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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: II)

Northern Ireland - Lest We Forget (1969 - 2009)

1988

15 January 1988	William Kane
16 January 1988	Timothy Armstrong
16 January 1988	William Stewart
19 January 1988	Anthony McKiernan
25 January 1988	John Kielty
25 January 1988	Colin Gilmore
15 February 1988	Alan Johnston
21 February 1988	Aidan McAnespie
24 February 1988	James Cummings
24 February 1988	Frederick Starrett
29 February 1988	Brendan Burns
29 February 1988	Brendan Moley
06 March 1988	Mairead Farrell
06 March 1988	Daniel McCann
06 March 1988	Sean Savage
14 March 1988	Kevin McCracken
15 March 1988	Charles McGrillen
16 March 1988	Kevin Mulligan
16 March 1988	Caoimhin MacBradaigh
16 March 1988	Thomas McErlean
16 March 1988	John Murray
18 March 1988	Gillian Johnston
19 March 1988	Derek Wood
19 March 1988	Robert Howes
21 March 1988	Clive Graham
06 April 1988	William Burleigh
26 April 1988	Edward Gibson
26 April 1988	Lyndon Morgan
01 May 1988	Ian Shinner
01 May 1988	Millar Reid
01 May 1988	John Baxter
06 May 1988	Hugh Hehir
10 May 1988	Terence McDaid
15 May 1988	Stephen McGahon
15 May 1988	Damian Devlin
15 May 1988	Paul McBride
21 May 1988	Derek Hayes
04 June 1988	Michael Darcy
12 June 1988	William Totten
15 June 1988	Robert Seymour
15 June 1988	Derek Green
15 June 1988	Michael Winkler
15 June 1988	Mark Clavey
15 June 1988	Graham Lambie
15 June 1988	William Paterson
15 June 1988	Ian Metcalfe
04 July 1988	Kenneth Stronge
06 July 1988	Terence Delaney
07 July 1988	Seamus Woods
07 July 1988	Elizabeth Hamill
07 July 1988	Eamon Gilroy
08 July 1988	John Howard
23 July 1988	Robin Hanna
23 July 1988	Maureen Hanna
23 July 1988	David Hanna
25 July 1988	Brendan Davison
28 July 1988	Michael Matthews
01 August 1988	Michael Robbins
02 August 1988	John Warnock
02 August 1988	Roy Butler
03 August 1988	Raymond McNicholl
04 August 1988	William Hassard
04 August 1988	Frederick Love
08 August 1988	Alexander Bannister
08 August 1988	Seamus Morris
08 August 1988	Peter Dolan
10 August 1988	Samuel Patton
10 August 1988	James McPhilemy
12 August 1988	Richard Heakin
17 August 1988	Frederick Otley
18 August 1988	Michael Laverty
20 August 1988	Jayson Burfitt
20 August 1988	Richard Greener
20 August 1988	Mark Norsworthy
20 August 1988	Stephen Wilkinson
20 August 1988	Jason Winter
20 August 1988	Blair Bishop
20 August 1988	Alexander Lewis
20 August 1988	Peter Bullock
22 August 1988	Alan Shields
30 August 1988	Gerard Harte
30 August 1988	Martin Harte
30 August 1988	Brian Mullin
31 August 1988	Sean Dalton
31 August 1988	Sheila Lewis
31 August 1988	Gerard Curran
07 September 1988	William Quee
09 September 1988	Colin Abernethy
23 September 1988	Gerard Slane
25 September 1988	Stephen McKinney
03 October 1988	Henry McNamee
04 October 1988	Brian Armour
11 October 1988	John Larmour
15 October 1988	James Craig
15 October 1988	Victor Rainey
17 October 1988	Norman McKeown
26 October 1988	Wilson Smyth
26 October 1988	Hugh McCrone
21 November 1988	William Monteith
23 November 1988	Bernard Lavery
23 November 1988	Emma Donnelly
24 November 1988	Phelim McNally
13 December 1988	John Corry
16 December 1988	John Moreland

Prayer to St Joseph

O St. Joseph whose protection is so great, so strong, so prompt before the Throne of God, I place in you all my interests and desires.

O St. Joseph do assist me by your powerful intercession and obtain for me from your Divine Son all spiritual blessings through Jesus Christ, Our Lord; so that having engaged here below your Heavenly power I may offer my Thanksgiving and Homage to the most Loving of Fathers.

O St. Joseph, I never weary contemplating you and Jesus asleep in your arms. I dare not approach while He reposes near your heart.

Press him in my name and kiss His fine Head for me, and ask Him to return the Kiss when I draw my dying breath.

St. Joseph, Patron of departing souls, pray for us.

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.

Lent 2009

Daily Lent Prayer

"Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall declare your praise."

Opening Prayer
Father of love, source of all blessings,
help us to pass from our old life of sin
to the new life of grace.
Prepare us for the glory of your kingdom.

We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.

Daily Meditation
This week we let the powerful light of God's love
shine into the deepest, darkest corners of our soul,
revealing the most un-loving parts of our hearts,
and we ask for forgiveness and healing.

Perhaps we might make the Stations of the Cross
to stir our hearts more deeply with the sense of his love for us.

Though I walk in the valley of darkness,
I fear no evil,
for you are with me.
Psalm 23

Intercessions

Praise to Jesus, our Savior; by his death he has opened for us the way of salvation.
Let us ask him:
Lord, guide your people to walk in your ways.

God of mercy, you gave us new life through baptism,
- make us grow day by day in your likeness.

May our generosity today bring joy to those in need,
- in helping them may we find you.

Help us to do what is good, right and true in your sight,
- and to seek you always with undivided hearts.

Forgive our sins against the unity of your family,
- make us one in heart and spirit.

Closing Prayer
God of love,
I know that you are the source of all
that is good and graced in my life.

Help me to move from the life of sin
to which I so often cling,
into the new life of grace you offer me.

You know what I need to prepare for your kingdom.

Bless me with those gifts.

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."

Amen.

(Ir) Reverent Fun

Mrs. Donovan was walking down O'Connell Street in Dublin when she met up with Father Flaherty.

The Father said, 'Top O the mornin' to ye! Aren't ye Mrs. Donovan and didn't I marry ye and yer hoosband 2 years ago?'

She replied, 'Aye, that ye did, Father.'

The Father asked, ' And be there any wee little ones yet?'

She replied, 'No, not yet, Father.'

The Father said, 'Well now, I'm going to Rome next week and I'll light a candle for ye and yer hoosband.'

She replied, 'Oh, thank ye, Father.'

They then parted ways.

Some years later they met again.

The Father asked, 'Well now, Mrs. Donovan , how are ye these days?'

She replied, 'Oh, very well, Father!'

The Father asked, 'And tell me, have ye any wee ones yet?'

She replied, 'Oh yes, Father! Three sets of twins and 4 single! S, 10 in al!'

The Father said, 'That's wonderful!

How is yer loving hoosband doing?

She replied, 'E's gone to Rome to blow out yer fookin' candle.'

German cardinal urges Merkel to apologize to Pope

A prominent German cardinal has urged Chancellor Angela Merkel to apologize to Pope Benedict XVI for her unusual public criticism over the Vatican's handling of the case of a Holocaust-denying bishop.

Merkel's spokesman, however, made clear that the German leader has no intention of revisiting the issue.

Cardinal Joachim Meisner, a prominent conservative cleric and archbishop of Cologne, told the Bild daily Friday that ``there were glitches at the Vatican (but) the chancellor also made a mistake.''

On February 3, Merkel called on the German-born pontiff to issue a ``very clear'' rejection of Holocaust denials after the Vatican lifted the excommunication of a bishop who had said he did not believe any Jews were gassed during the Nazi Holocaust.
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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: TOI)

Bishop says condoms sometimes needed

A Portuguese bishop has said that people with AIDS must use condoms to prevent the spread of the disease, apparently contradicting Pope Benedict XVI, who said the distribution of condoms could endanger public health.

Speaking to journalists, the Bishop of Porto Manuel Clemente said condoms in such cases are "not only recommendable, they can be ethically obligatory."

On a trip to Africa earlier this month, the pope told reporters, "You can't solve (the AIDS crisis) with the distribution of condoms," adding, "On the contrary, it increases the problem."

The Vatican insists AIDS should be controlled by changing people's behavior.

"The great solution to the AIDS problem, like any other problem, has to be behavioral," Clemente said.

However, AIDS sufferers "have a moral obligation to prevent and not provoke the illness," he said at a monument unveiling in the port city Sunday.

Clemente is the second Portuguese cleric to contradict Pope Benedict XVI. Armed Forces bishop Januario Torgal Ferreira said a week ago that to ban condom use was equivalent to consenting to the death of many people.

He added that the people giving the pope advice "should be more learned."
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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: RCNB)

Cardinal Brady warns on state school appointments

The Church is on a collision course with the North's education authorities on the vexed question of who appoints teachers to Catholic schools.

In exchanges with politicians at Stormont last week, Cardinal Seán Brady said the Church had ''significant'' problems with the move to revert such appointments to state control.

''We have significant reservations about our ability to support key aspects of the new Education Bill. As Trustees of catholic schools we have a duty to strive to ensure that this right of parents is adequately respected and provided for in the Bill'', he told Stormont politicians.

Becoming the first Catholic Primate ever to address the NI legislature, Cardinal Brady spent two hours outlining the misgivings which the NI Commission for Catholic Education has about the new legislation.

''The proposal that the Education and Skills Authority will be the employer of all staff in all schools is unacceptable. This is a fundamental impediment to the ability of owners/ Trustees to exercise their right and duty to promote and safeguard the ethos and defining character of a school,'' the cardinal said.

''To exercise our duties as Trustees adequately, we require that the Board of Governors of each school shall be the legal employer of all staff in the school. As it stands, the proposal in the draft Bill appears to run counter to the principle of giving maximised autonomy to schools and ensuring the ethos of the schools,'' the cardinal pointed out.

The NICCE represents the Trustees of the NI Catholic schools - a network of some 550 nursery, primary and post-primary schools.

The Church has also crossed swords with Education Minister Caitríona Ruane over plans for the transfer of pupils from primary to secondary schools in the North.

Church leaders have expressed frustration about the lack of guidance from the department on the issue.
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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: IC)

Pope Benedict praises sacrifices of African missionaries

With thousands of faithful gathered in St. Peter’s Square for the Angelus prayer on Sunday, Pope Benedict XVI spoke of the joy of the African Church he experienced during his recent trip to Cameroon and Angola.

He expressed his thanks to God and to the Church in Africa, noting the fruitfulness of the work of missionaries who live in those lands.

“First of all,” Benedict XVI said, “I wish to the thank God and all those who in various ways worked for the success of the apostolic trip I undertook in recent days in Africa.”

”I call for the blessings of heaven to fall on the seeds scattered across this African land.”

The Pope also shared that he was impressed by the Africans sense of joy at being a part of the one family of God and their strong sense of the sacred.

Turning his attention to the Sunday Gospel, the Holy Father recalled Jesus’ words about the grain of wheat that dies and later bears great fruits. It is necessary for Jesus to die like a grain of wheat, he said, in order that “a new humanity develop and grow, free from the power of sin, but capable of living in brotherhood, like sons and daughters of the same Father who lives in heaven.”

“We saw this new humanity alive,” the Pontiff said, “albeit within its human limits, in the great celebration of faith we experienced together in Africa.

“Drawing a parallel between the Jesus’ parable and the efforts of missionaries in Africa, he said, “Wherever missionaries, like Jesus, spend their life for the Gospel, fruit is harvested in abundance.”

“To them, whether women and men religious or lay men and women, I wish to express my special gratitude for the good they do,” Pope Benedict added.

“It was beautiful to see the fruit of their love for Christ and realize how deep the appreciation for them among Christians is.”

The Pope concluded, “Let us thank God and pray to Mary that Christ’s message of hope and love spreads across the entire world.”

After the Marian prayer, the Holy Father greeted hundreds of African residents of Rome, who showed up to support the Pope’s message on AIDS and condoms as well as the Pontiff’s proposals for fostering economic and spiritual renewal in Africa.

Addressing the group led by the Secretary of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, Archbishop Robert Sarah of Guinea, the Pope said, “You have come to express your joy and gratitude for my apostolic trip to Africa.”

“I thank you wholeheartedly and pray for you, your families and your countries of origin. Thank you!”

Pope Benedict also urged young people in Rome to attend the Holy Mass he will celebrate on April 2 to mark the fourth anniversary of the death of John Paul II.

In his greeting to English-speaking pilgrims, Pope Benedict told them: “In these final weeks of Lent, let us intensify our prayer, fasting and almsgiving. In this way, we will prepare ourselves to meditate on Christ’s passion and death, so as to rejoice fully in the glory of his Resurrection. God bless you all!”
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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: CNA)

Bishop of Rochester announces resignation

The Bishop of Rochester has announced plans to step down so that he can dedicate his time to defending persecuted Christians.

Dr Michael Nazir-Ali has been in the post for the last 15 years and is the Church of England’s first and only Asian bishop.

He announced he will retire in September.

"Bishop Michael is hoping to work with a number of church leaders from areas where the church is under pressure, particularly in minority situations, who have asked him to assist them with education and training for their particular situation," a spokesman was quoted as saying by The Telegraph.

The bishop has been an outspoken defender of the importance of Christianity in the UK. Last year, he found himself embroiled in a row after saying that Islamic extremism had rendered some areas of the country no-go areas for non-Muslims.

Bishop Nazir-Ali said in a letter to his diocese: "We thank God for his blessings and for friends we have made in the diocese in the past 15 years.

"I am so grateful to God for the friendship and loyalty of those around us and ask for people's prayers as we take this step of faith 'not knowing where we are going'."

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, paid tribute to the bishop’s “clarity of mind and expression” and his “dedication and distinction” in serving the Church and wider society.

"Bishop Michael's decision to undertake this new and very challenging ministry will leave a real gap in the ranks of English bishops,” he said.

Bishop Nazir-Ali will lead his last service at Rochester Cathedral on 12 September. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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: TTCUK)

CofE and BBC clash over religious broadcasting

The Church of England has criticised the BBC for sidelining Christians in its broadcasting.

Earlier this month the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, is understood to have challenged BBC Director General Mark Thompson on ignoring Christian viewers, reports The Times.

As evidence, he highlighted cuts in religious broadcasting and the removal of Michael Wakelin, the head of religious programmes.

Wakelin, 47, is a Methodist lay preacher who produced Songs of Praise for five years before being promoted to the head of the Religion and Ethics department at the BBC in 2006. He also set up Radio 2’s Faith in the World week 17 years ago.

Following a restructuring of BBC commissioning, Wakelin needed to reapply for a new post of commissioning editor and head of production.

His application was not successful and he became the fourth of seven executives in the religion department to become unemployed in 2008.

The post he applied for has still not been filled, although possible successors are Aaqil Ahmed, the Muslim commissioning editor for religion at Channel 4, and Tommy Nagra, a Sikh who produces Songs of Praise, reports The Times.

Since 2001, religious programming on the BBC has declined significantly from one and three-quarter hours to 30 minutes.

Last week, Dr Williams told the Archbishops’ Council that the future of religious broadcasting was under threat.

Christina Rees, a member of the Church’s General Synod, was quoted as saying, “We need to be concerned ... We have had a productive and positive relationship with the BBC and there was no intention to be hostile. But it is an abrogation of our responsibility as the established church to ignore what is going on with the BBC in terms of religion and ethics right now.

“I know [Archbishop Williams] wants to see the role of religion enhanced in the media and covered accurately and well. He had a meeting with Mark Thompson. They are friends and they meet from time to time.”

The BBC has responded by saying, “Changes to the religious and ethics department in Manchester are being made to strengthen the BBC’s offering, not diminish it.” +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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: CT)

Bishop of Leeds favourite to become next Archbishop of Westminster

The Bishop of Leeds, who sparked protests for closing churches in his diocese, has emerged as the front-runner to become the next head of the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales.

The Rt Rev Arthur Roche, a traditional bishop who has strong links with Rome, is understood to be the most likely candidate to succeed Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor as Archbishop of Westminster.

In a meeting with MPs last week, the cardinal signalled that an announcement on who will replace him was imminent and could come within the next fortnight.

He is a strong supporter of Bishop Roche, with whom he worked closely when the 59-year-old Yorkshireman served as an auxiliary bishop to the cardinal.

As well as having previous experience of working in the Archdiocese of Westminster, Bishop Roche has good links with Rome.

Bishop Roche spent time at the English College in Rome, studying theology at the Gregorian University before becoming the college's spiritual director.

In January it was reported that he was being lined up for a move to the Vatican to take up a post in the congregation for worship.

With the failure of the Congregation of Bishops in Rome to decide on one of the three names from the terna – or shortlist, it now appears increasing likely that the bishop is being considered as a safe candidate to succeed Cardinal Murphy-O'Connor.

As one of the most experienced bishops in the Church, he is understood to have impressed Pope Benedict XVI with his work on the International Commission on English in the Liturgy (ICEL).

However, he has caused controversy in his diocese with his decision to close several churches, some of which had congregations of 200 worshippers.

While the Pope seems set to prefer Bishop Roche, Archbishop Vincent Nichols of Birmingham is still regarded by many as the outstanding candidate and Bishop Bernard Longley is understood to have been the subject of much lobbying in Rome.
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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: TCUK)

(Posting 2,200 of 2009)

Clarification needed from Rome on excommunication (Contribution)

It is no secret that pro-lifers over the years have been greatly burdened by the general lack of support by many of the members of our clergy on life issues, but until now, we have been able to rely on the various Vatican offices for a clear, consistent and correct defense of life.

A statement made two weeks ago by an official of the Vatican about an abortion case in Brazil, however, has raised more than a few eyebrows, and is causing grave concern for its potential impact on the Church's ability to defend life around the world.

I am asking your prayers that the Holy See will clarify and correct this situation right away before further damage is done.

The incident in question involves - unbelievably - the head of the Pontifical Academy for Life, Archbishop Rino Fisichella, who issued a statement on March 15th criticizing a bishop in Brazil for properly declaring to be excommunicated the doctors who performed an abortion on a nine-year-old girl who was pregnant from rape.

The girl was pregnant with twins so the doctors aborted two babies. Despite her young age, she was not in any serious danger (according to the hospital), nor were the two babies she was carrying in any danger.

Even if she would have been in danger, the abortion would have been immoral because the direct killing of the innocent never is allowed. It goes without saying that the Church condemns unequivocally the incestuous act committed against this young girl, however, the issue of excommunication of the perpetrators of the abortion stands on its own and deserves applause, not criticism by other prelates.

Unfortunately, Archbishop Fisichella is not the only bishop to publicly criticize the decision of the Brazilian bishop in applying church law.

The innocent little girl, thus, became the center of a perfect storm created by the abortion industry which capitalized on her victimization to promote abortion in Brazil where it is currently illegal.

Unfortunately, Abp. Fisichella's intervention gave the impression of a quasi-doctrinal statement and played right into the hands of the abortion promoters by seeming to give permission for abortion in such a "hard case" scenario.

Archbishop Fisichella was not condoning these abortions per se, but due to some unfortunate choices of words in his article, and predictably, on the very day that Abp. Fisichella issued his statement, the Associated Press picked it up and titled their own article, "Vatican prelate defends abortion for 9-year-old."

The world is indeed watching and listening to what comes out of the Vatican because of the Holy See's immense moral and spiritual authority; hence the responsibility to be loyal without fault when speaking in the name of the Catholic Church.

I applaud most of all the handling of this case by the local diocese in Brazil and pray that all bishops may take an example from this picture perfect handling of a difficult pastoral situation. Credit needs to go to Archbishop José Cardoso Sobrinho and several priests of his diocese for providing generous pastoral care to the family during this terrible crisis.

Indeed, when the girl was transferred to a hospital 140 miles away from the parish, her priest travelled that distance every day to visit her and to assure the family that the Church would provide every possible care for the welfare of the three vulnerable children.

The great irony in all this is that while we get little or no support from Church officials to correct bishops who are negligent in their duty to guard the faith and the flock, in this case, the local bishop did exactly the right thing in issuing this excommunication edict and he was slapped down by a Vatican official!

The appearance of a Vatican compromise on this issue comes at the worst possible time in the cultural and political situation of Latin America. This Catholic continent is especially the target of attack by the aggressive forces of the culture of death, so the last thing we need is for the Church to look weak or divided about our teachings or our resolve to fight the purveyors of death to our brothers and sisters there.

The Catholic Church, and her divine authority, is in many places the only shield that the unborn have to keep the abortionists' instruments of death from them. Let us pray that the Vatican will rectify this error and fortify that shield without delay.

The unborn children of Brazil as well as all other parts of the world are counting on us!
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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: SN)

Spain abortion reform sparks anger

Tens of thousands of people have protested in Madrid, the Spanish capital, against government plans to liberalise the country's abortion laws.

The demonstrators marched through the city on Sunday, with many gathering outside the Equality Ministry, which has been tasked with changing to the regulation.

"Get out of here and let the children live," protesters shouted, while calling for Bibiana Aido, the socialist government's equality minister, to step down.

About 500,000 people took part in the protest, a spokesman for the groups organising the protest said, but reporters from the Agence France Presse news agency put the turnout at about 100,000.

Police did not issue an estimate of those attending the protest, which was supported by Spain’s right-wing opposition and the country’s Roman Catholic church.

"As a Catholic, I think we should help women have children, not abort them," Paco Ortega, one of the protesters, said.

In one part of the demonstration, children danced and sang: "Thank you mummy for letting me live."

Government proposals

The demonstration is the first mass protest against changes to Spain's abortion law proposed by the government of Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero.

The government wants to grant increased legal protection to women who choose to have an abortion and doctors who carry out the procedure.

Only about two per cent of abortions in Spain are estimated to take place in public clinics.

Many doctors refuse to perform them on ethical grounds or because they are concerned over possible legal action against them.

Spain decriminalised abortion in 1985, but only in particular circumstances - up to 12 weeks of pregnancy after a rape; up to 22 weeks should the foetus be found to be malformed; and at any point if the pregnancy posed a threat to the physical or mental health of the woman.

The government is now proposing to allow girls from the age of 16 to have an abortion without receiving their parents' consent.

Panel recommendations

A government-appointed panel said earlier this month that Spain should allow women to have an abortion on demand up to 14 weeks into a pregnancy.

"The government wants to approve a free abortion law that leaves the unborn completely unprotected," Gador Joya, a spokeswoman for Right To Life, told the crowd at Sunday’s demonstration.

The proposed changes to the abortion law "will only lead to more deaths and more suffering by thousands of women," she said.

But a Spanish feminist coalition comprised of 200 groups has launched its own campaign in support of the government’s proposals on amendments to the abortion law.

"We are going to flood Spain with posters in response to the church's alarmist campaign," Angeles Alvarez, spokeswoman for the State Network of Feminist Organisations, said.
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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: ALJ)