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News Briefs
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NEWS BRIEFS Apr-17-2006
By Catholic News Service
U.S.
Religious investors challenge Wal-Mart, laud its diversity report
NEW YORK (CNS) -- Just days after announcing four shareholder resolutions seeking several changes in Wal-Mart's corporate policies, the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility in New York released a statement praising the retail giant for publishing detailed data on its minority hiring and promotion practices. "Wal-Mart today placed its entire EEO-1 report (an annual federal equal employment opportunity report) on walmart.com, setting a new standard in corporate transparency not only for retailers but for all Fortune 500 companies," said Sister Barbara Aires April 11. She is a member of the Sisters of Charity of St. Elizabeth in New Jersey, the order that filed a shareholder resolution calling on Wal-Mart to make its EEO-1 report public. "Although we may drop this resolution, we will continue our dialogue with management on shaping human resources policies that set new standards for openness and opportunity," she said.
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Catholic leaders urge prayers, action on immigration reform
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Bishops and church organizations are urging Catholics across the U.S. to pray for comprehensive immigration reform and to push their legislators for measures that would legalize the status of millions of illegal immigrants. The bishops of New York state in a Good Friday statement supported legislation that "provides for a pathway to permanent legal status for undocumented workers" and sets up "a rational and fair temporary worker program." San Francisco Archbishop George H. Niederauer called for special prayers for a humane immigration reform to be said April 23, Divine Mercy Sunday. In an April 12 statement, he also urged Catholics to make sacrifices and contact their legislators on behalf of measures that respect "the dignity of our brothers and sisters who have come here from other lands." An April 10 statement by the Knights of Columbus supported paths to legalization and noted that the world's largest Catholic lay organization "has proudly included brother Knights in Mexico for more than 100 years."
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High court declines to stop subpoena of archdiocesan records
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- The Supreme Court declined to get involved in prosecutors' efforts to subpoena confidential counseling records of the Los Angeles Archdiocese that deal with how accused child sexual abusers were treated. Without comment, the court April 17 turned down an archdiocesan appeal of a ruling by a California Superior Court that allowed the Los Angeles district attorney to subpoena records from the archdiocese. The records sought included letters written by, among others, Cardinal Roger M. Mahony, members of the archdiocesan staff and several priests who were under investigation for child molestation, as well as the details of counseling for those priests. A statement from the archdiocese said the court's action was disappointing, and noted that it allows the release of 21 pages of information in 14 documents to the district attorney. "We accept the court's ruling," the statement said, adding that it would have no effect on the ongoing efforts to settle civil suits related to sexual abuse cases through mediation.
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Catholic Charities says Web site falsely claims connection to agency
ALEXANDRIA, Va. (CNS) -- The president of Catholic Charities USA has asked potential donors not to direct their contributions to a Web site that he said falsely claims a connection to the St. Vincent de Paul Society, Catholic Charities and other charitable causes. "We are alerting federal officials and will take appropriate steps to prevent donations from being solicited in such a manner," said Father Larry Snyder, head of the Alexandria-based organization, of the Web site www.catholic-charities.net. Legitimate Web sites associated with Catholic Charities USA include www.catholiccharitiesusa.org and www.catholiccharitiesinfo.org. "Let me be clear, the Web site www.catholic-charities.net is not affiliated with Catholic Charities," said Father Snyder in a statement April 17. "We urge anyone who wants to support Catholic Charities not to make donations through www.catholic-charities.net."
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Colorado, Ohio bishops' fight on child sex abuse measures successful
DENVER (CNS) -- The Catholic bishops of Colorado and Ohio have successfully fought bills that would have relaxed the statute of limitations on civil suits filed in child sex abuse cases. However, still pending in the Colorado Legislature are other measures that would make it easier to file civil suits against Catholic institutions in child sex abuse cases. After the Colorado Legislature removed provisions which would have extended the statute of limitations in civil suits, the state's bishops supported a bill that drops the criminal statute of limitations in child sex abuse cases occurring after July 1, 2006. The bill was signed into law April 12 by Gov. Bill Owens. "We are always grateful to see good legislation signed into law," said Timothy Dore, executive director of the Colorado Catholic Conference. In Ohio, the bishops supported a bill passed by the House and Senate March 29 after the legislation dropped a provision that would have provided a one-year grace period for filing civil suits covered by the statute of limitations. No date had been set as of April 17 for the governor to sign the bill into law.
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Church in Michigan fights ballot question against affirmative action
SOUTHFIELD, Mich. (CNS) -- Catholic leaders in Michigan have joined a broad-based coalition to oppose a ballot proposal that would make it illegal for institutions that receive public funds to practice affirmative action in hiring and admissions. "As people of faith, we are obliged to pray and work for our society to overcome the past and present effects of discrimination," said Msgr. Robert McClory, chancellor of the Archdiocese of Detroit, at an April 6 press conference in metro Detroit for One United Michigan. "We look with hope for the day when the effects of discrimination will be overcome," he added. "Sadly, that day has not yet arrived and therefore we oppose this ballot proposal." One United Michigan is a coalition of more than 50 organizations, businesses, political candidates and social groups that have come together to oppose the ballot proposal. The coalition consists of both the state's Democratic governor, Jennifer Granholm, and her Republican opponent in November, Dick DeVos; large auto companies and unions; and several Christian and non-Christian faith groups.
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Catholics find bigotry, cause for hope in state lawmakers' actions
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- While Catholic conference officials in Maryland were lamenting signs of religious bigotry in the state's recently completed legislative session, those in New Jersey were finding reasons to celebrate a commitment to the vulnerable evidenced in their governor's budget proposal. With the April 10 close of the legislative session in Annapolis, Md., Richard J. Dowling, executive director of the Maryland Catholic Conference, said the 90-day session was marred by a palpable sense of anti-Catholicism. But in New Jersey, the Catholic conference's associate director for social concerns said Gov. Jon Corzine's budget proposal now before the state Legislature was a result of much input from Catholic leaders. "We were at the table from the beginning and that was unusual, quite frankly," said Marlene Lao-Collins. In Maryland, the lobbying arm of the state's Catholic bishops helped defeat an emergency contraception bill and win an increase in the minimum wage while fighting embryonic stem-cell research and cloning. But the moves were challenged by some legislators who showed contempt for the church, Dowling said.
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New complex for anti-gang program dubbed 'Destination Hope'
LOS ANGELES (CNS) -- The mayor of Los Angeles said that a new, long-awaited facility to be built for an anti-gang program could be called "Destination Hope." "We want to instill in you the idea that anything is possible, that you could turn your life around to do something productive to give back to the community you live in," Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa told young people at a groundbreaking ceremony in March for Homeboy Industries. The new 21,000-square-foot center, expected to open sometime next year, will house the program's headquarters as well as facilities for its various services, Homegirls Cafe and Catering, a retail store and a new location for Homeboy Bakery. The old bakery, a commercial enterprise of Homeboy Industries, burned down in 1999 following an electrical fire. A capital campaign has raised a little more than half of the needed $11.5 million for the project. Jesuit Father Greg Boyle is the founder and director of Homeboy Industries, which was started in 1992. Last year, the program provided more than 4,000 tattoo removal treatments, 1,000 mental health counseling sessions and nearly 1,000 job placements to youths working for Homeboy businesses or other jobs.
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Scholarships offered for Catholic Native Americans studying nursing
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- The Bureau of Catholic Indian Missions has given $420,000 to The Catholic University of America in Washington for scholarships for Catholic Native Americans who are studying nursing at the graduate level. The money will be added to previous funds donated by the Washington-based bureau for the Cardinal Terence Cooke/Bureau of Catholic Indian Missions Scholarship Fund, an endowed fund that provides tuition scholarships to academically qualified Catholic Native American applicants who belong to a tribe or have a formal association with one. Vincentian Father David M. O'Connell, Catholic University president, said the university shares "the bureau's commitment to providing an excellent university education to deserving Native American students."
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WORLD
Pope celebrates Easter, urges people, nations to turn away from sin
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Celebrating the first Holy Week and Easter of his pontificate, Pope Benedict XVI called on individuals and nations to turn away from their sins and accept the love, truth and peace offered by the crucified and risen Christ. After presiding April 16 over Easter morning Mass amid thousands of flowers and blossoming trees in St. Peter's Square, Pope Benedict solemnly offered his blessing "urbi et orbi" (to the city of Rome and the world), and prayed for peace and justice in the most troubled areas of the world. While a couple of people at the morning Mass held signs wishing the pope a happy 79th birthday, there was no repeat of the sung wishes that had filled St. Peter's Basilica at 1 a.m. when the Easter Vigil ended. During his midday Easter blessing, the pope called for "serious and honest negotiations" to find an "honorable solution" to the standoff between Iran and the international community over Iran's nuclear program. He also prayed that "in Iraq may peace finally prevail over the tragic violence that continues mercilessly to claim victims."
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Peruvian archbishop urges consensus amid pending election results
LIMA, Peru (CNS) -- With the results of Peru's April 9 presidential election still too close to call, the president of the bishops' conference called for dialogue and consensus among the country's leading political parties. On April 11, Archbishop Miguel Cabrejos Vidarte of Trujillo urged the candidates who will participate in the runoff election to "seek the common good, especially for young people." While the country awaited final election results, Archbishop Cabrejos called on the parties to focus on Peru's most pressing issues. "We're all aware of the enormous needs of the Peruvian people," he said, calling for "mutual respect among party organizations to avoid polarization." Because none of the 20 candidates in the race won more than half the votes, the two with the highest number will go to a runoff in May or early June.
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In Beijing, more than 200 catechumens baptized at Easter Vigils
BEIJING (CNS) -- Catholic churches in Beijing's city center baptized more than 200 catechumens during Easter Vigils April 15. For Catholics from the mainland and foreign countries, having some hymns and part of the liturgy in Latin enhanced the solemnity of the occasion in some Beijing churches, reported UCA News, an Asian church news agency based in Thailand. More than 1,000 Catholics packed the Church of the Savior -- known as Beitang or North Church -- to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus and witness the baptism of 90 catechumens during the Easter Vigil. They also had a chance to hear the priest use some Latin while blessing the paschal candle and the fire at the start of the three-and-one-half-hour liturgy. Newly baptized Catholic Liu Jie told UCA News April 16 that he felt honored to be surrounded by so many Catholics attending his baptism.
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Christians, Jews fill Jerusalem to celebrate Easter, Passover
JERUSALEM (CNS) -- Christian and Jewish pilgrims filled the winding alleys of the Old City of Jerusalem as they celebrated the holidays of Easter and Passover. "It's exhilarating to see so many people," said Jamileh Mina, 48, a Greek Orthodox Palestinian who was at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher celebrating Palm Sunday April 16. "It brings more beauty to the feast, and it is nice to see people worshipping together. It is good to see more believers." Greek Orthodox often celebrate Easter a week later than Catholics. About 90,000 tourists came to Israel to celebrate the holidays; this is a 20 percent increase from last year, according to the Israeli Ministry of Tourism. Palestinian shop owners were doing a brisk business selling rosaries, incense and Christian icons next to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. An Israeli police officer asked vendors to keep sidewalks free for pilgrim traffic by displaying their wares inside stores instead of displaying them along the sidewalk. A Palestinian vendor smiled as he hung colorful dresses outside his shop and agreed that there were plenty of pilgrims and tourists this season.
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PEOPLE
Cardinal says government is dividing Lebanon at people's expense
BEIRUT, Lebanon (CNS) -- In an Easter message, the head of Lebanon's Maronite Catholic Church said that division among government officials is polarizing the country at the expense of the Lebanese people, who are on the verge of despair. Cardinal Nasrallah P. Sfeir also urged the faithful to have hope, reminding them God is ready to help Lebanon. "The people are confused," said the cardinal. "They expect their leaders to lead them to a safe haven. Instead, they are leading them to peril and loss, poverty and despair." Lebanese President Emile Lahoud, whom Lebanon's anti-Syrian parliamentary majority is seeking to oust, attended the Easter Mass at Bkerke, headquarters of the Maronite Catholic Church. Before celebrating Mass, Cardinal Sfeir met with Lahoud for about an hour in a closed-door session. Lahoud's fate is the key unsettled issue in a series of national discussions among Lebanon's rival leaders. Talks are scheduled to resume in late April.
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Parish children's choir helps youngsters connect to their faith
SAN DIEGO (CNS) -- The children's choir at St. Didacus Parish in San Diego is not only inspiring the children of the parish and delighting adult parishioners, but it also is an invaluable resource in the faith development of its young members, according to parish leaders. Formed in September 2004, the choir is made up of children in the fourth through eighth grades, and provides the music at the 10 a.m. Mass on the first Sunday of each month. "It's amazing to be presiding -- and I would assume the same is true (for) a person in the pews - whenever the children are leading the assembly in song," said Father Michael Baumgardner, pastor of St. Didacus Parish until early February. According to Father Baumgardner, the children's choir has successfully challenged "the illusion" that the Mass is something "done to us and for us" by priests, lectors and extraordinary ministers of Communion and shown that it is the communal worship of the church in which all Catholics are called to participate.
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Cardinal asks people not to support immigration-related boycott May 1
LOS ANGELES (CNS) -- Los Angeles Cardinal Roger M. Mahony asked people not to support a boycott of work, school and businesses planned for May 1 to draw attention to immigration issues. Some organizations that are working to bring attention to pending immigration legislation are following up several weeks' worth of massive rallies and marches nationwide with a call for the boycott. Cardinal Mahony recommended instead that people mark May 1, the feast day of St. Joseph the Worker, by devoting time to understanding "the dignity of work, the value of education and the important role immigrants play." In a statement issued April 16, he especially encouraged Catholic parishes, schools and other church entities to take those steps.
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Copyright (c) 2006 Catholic News Service/USCCB. All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed.
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