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News Briefs
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NEWS BRIEFS Aug-7-2006
By Catholic News Service
U.S.
Retired Illinois bishop led 'culture of secrecy,' says report
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (CNS) -- Retired Springfield Bishop Daniel L. Ryan "engaged in improper sexual conduct and used his office to conceal his activities" when he headed the diocese, said an investigative report released by the diocese Aug. 2. It said Bishop Ryan, Springfield's bishop from 1984 to 1999, fostered "a culture of secrecy ... that discouraged faithful priests from coming forward with information about misconduct" by other clergy in the diocese. The investigation did not address sexual abuse of minors by church personnel, for which the diocese has a separate process. But it found evidence of other misconduct in a few parishes and of inappropriate use of church-owned computers. The report recommended policies and procedures for dealing with criminal and noncriminal misconduct by clergy, holding parishes to tighter standards of financial accountability and creating a model diocesan policy for computer and Internet use. It stemmed from an investigation commissioned by Springfield Bishop George L. Lucas and conducted between February 2005 and July 2006.
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Group works in churches to bring awareness of, tips on energy cuts
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Interfaith Power & Light sounds like the name of a public utility, complete with monthly bills. But it's not. Interfaith Power & Light, active in 21 states and the District of Columbia, works at educating churches and their members about how to make a dent in global warming. It's part of the organization's way of caring for God's creation, and the work is done on many fronts. "The focus is mitigating climate change but through congregations ... making congregations the model of behavior for individuals through conservation, new technologies, making congregations more energy-efficient, and then having it filter down to the individuals to make changes in their lifestyles and make their lives more energy-efficient," said Tim Kautza, science and environmental education specialist for the National Catholic Rural Life Conference, a member of Iowa Interfaith Power & Light.
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Knights adopt resolutions on marriage, life, schools and other issues
ORLANDO, Fla. (CNS) -- The Knights of Columbus' 124th annual convention in Orlando closed with a memorial Mass celebrated by Bishop William E. Lori of Bridgeport, Conn., the Knights' supreme chaplain, and a reaffirmation of its members' faith in the form of resolutions aimed at stemming what they consider the deterioration of the American values-based culture. The Knights adopted resolutions on marriage, life issues, the Pledge of Allegiance, school choice and decency in the media and the Internet, and also expressed support for the U.S. armed forces. In his homily, Bishop Lori invoked the spirit of the Knights' founder, Father Michael J. McGivney, a candidate for sainthood. "From his place in eternity, Father McGivney continues to teach us how to live the principles of our order -- charity, unity and fraternity," Bishop Lori said. "Every time we talk about the principles of the order, we're talking about Father McGivney," Bishop Lori said. "We're talking about a parish priest who exemplified those ideals and it inspires us and teaches us how to live them from eternity."
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Catholic Charities USA honors three family-strengthening programs
ALEXANDRIA, Va. (CNS) -- Programs in West Virginia, Alaska and Illinois that aim to strengthen families and communities are the winners of 2006 Family Strengthening Awards presented by Catholic Charities USA. The McDowell Family Literacy Program sponsored by Catholic Community Services of the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston, W.Va., the Family Resource Center of Catholic Community Service of the Diocese of Juneau, Alaska, and the Family Self-Sufficiency Program of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago each will receive $25,000. The programs were chosen from more than 50 nominations submitted by local Catholic Charities agencies across the country. The awards will be presented Sept. 15 at the Catholic Charities USA annual conference in Minneapolis by Father Larry Snyder, president of the organization, and a representative of the Annie E. Casey Foundation, which co-sponsors the awards. All three honored programs "give children what they need most -- strong, capable and economically stable families," Father Snyder said.
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Indiana Catholic school students get early start on new school year
EAST CHICAGO, Ind. (CNS) -- On the last day of July, most youngsters were not even thinking about school or homework yet, but students at Indiana Harbor Catholic School were already in class. "It's a little warm," said first-year teacher Kathryn Veryser on a day in which the mercury climbed into the 90s, "but otherwise it will work out well the year round. The students seem excited." Mireya Felix, 7, one of Veryser's first-graders, had another view: "I wish it was the first day of summer again. Then we wouldn't be in school." Israel Rivera, 9, a fourth-grader, added, "It feels like vacation just started." Their school, which is in the Gary Diocese, has embarked this year on a balanced calendar, meaning that in addition to an early start to the academic year, students will be in school 45 days, then off several days, then back to school. The second semester ends June 15, 2007. The school calendar has 181 instructional days, one more than the state requires. Under the traditional calendar, school would have started in mid-August.
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New Jersey church converts sunshine into energy
NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. (CNS) -- A little sunshine was all Sacred Heart Church needed to get a big boost of energy. And it's now getting plenty of warm rays, according to Father Joseph J. Kerrigan, the pastor, who recently had solar panels installed on the roof of the rectory at the 123-year-old church. "The panels came right in time for the heat wave, so they are doing their job," he said. "It's a good deal. If there is something new and better for the environment, we as the Catholic Church should be in the forefront of that." Sacred Heart is the second parish in the Diocese of Metuchen to put in solar panels on church buildings. The panels convert sunlight into energy. Father Kerrigan said they reflect the church's concern for the environment and will significantly reduce electricity costs. Sigma Design Co., based in Springfield, installed the solar panels for a cost of approximately $20,000. Sacred Heart will make monthly payments, Father Kerrigan said. No special collections or fundraising drives will be held. However, Sacred Heart is participating in a rebate program offered through the New Jersey Office of Clean Energy. The parish will receive about 50 percent of its total cost for the panels and installation back from the state, spokesman Eric Hartsfield said.
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WORLD
Pope says he's disappointed about ignored Middle East peace calls
CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy (CNS) -- Pope Benedict XVI renewed his appeal for peace in the Middle East and said he was deeply disappointed that calls for an immediate cease-fire in Lebanon had been ignored. Peace is both a gift of God and the product of political commitment, and all people of good will have a duty to work for an end to hostilities, the pope said at a Sunday blessing Aug. 6. Several hundred pilgrims applauded the pope as he spoke from the balcony of his summer residence in Castel Gandolfo outside Rome. In a talk that marked the feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord, the pope said Christ's salvation was sorely needed in a world threatened by the "shadows of evil," including fratricidal conflict in the Middle East. "We well know that peace is first of all a gift of God, to implore with insistence in prayer, but at this moment I also want to recall that peace is the task of all people of good will. Let no one shrink from this duty!" he said. Pope Benedict donated two ambulances and emergency medical supplies to Caritas Lebanon.
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Argentine church remembers bishop killed during dictatorship
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (CNS) -- Buenos Aires Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio paid an unprecedented tribute to an outspoken bishop on the 30th anniversary of his death in a car accident that the government now admits was murder. Cardinal Bergoglio celebrated Mass and prayed at the tomb of Bishop Enrique Angelelli of La Rioja in that city's cathedral Aug. 4, which was decreed by President Nestor Kirchner as a day of national mourning. "He spilled his blood to preach the Gospel," said Cardinal Bergoglio. "On the day of (Bishop) Angelelli's death on Aug. 4, 1976, someone was very happy because they believed they had triumphed. They failed." Earlier, at a separate government tribute, Kirchner said he accepted that the bishop had been murdered and that the judiciary had been slow to act. Coincidentally on the anniversary of Bishop Angelelli's death, an Argentine court convicted a police officer for human rights abuses during Argentina's 1976-1983 dictatorship. This was the first conviction since laws guaranteeing immunity were repealed last year.
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PEOPLE
Pope marks 28th anniversary of Pope Paul VI's death
CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy (CNS) -- Pope Benedict XVI marked the 28th anniversary of the death of Pope Paul VI, calling him a gift of God to the Catholic Church. Addressing visitors at his summer villa in Castel Gandolfo Aug. 6, Pope Benedict said some of the townspeople present probably had wanted to pray the midday Angelus with Pope Paul on the same date in 1978. But the ailing Pope Paul could not join his guests and died a few hours later, Pope Benedict said. "We remember him on this anniversary with hearts grateful to God, who gave him as a gift to the church in the very important years of the (Second Vatican) Council and following the council," the pope said. Pope Paul, elected to succeed Pope John XXIII in 1963, presided over the last sessions of the Second Vatican Council. He died Aug. 6, 1978, at Castel Gandolfo.
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Former USAID official named vice president of Catholic agency
BOCA RATON, Fla. (CNS) -- David Adams, a former official with the U.S. Agency for International Development, has been appointed vice president for international missions at Cross International Catholic Outreach, a nonprofit Catholic relief agency dedicated to serving the poor in Third World countries. Adams, who worked as AID mission director to Haiti and Africa bureau chief, served most recently as director of the Center for Development Information and Evaluation, AID's think tank. "We are very blessed to have an international relations expert of David's caliber join Cross International," said James Cavnar, president. "His hands-on experience overseas in addition to his comprehensive understanding of the many complex issues and political environments in the countries in which we serve make him the ideal addition to Cross International."
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Pro-lifers on cross-country journey near end of their trek
INDIANAPOLIS (CNS) -- "It's difficult to walk in the heat, but what keeps all of us going, I think, is knowing that the purpose of our pilgrimage is to witness to life," said Missourian Dennis Stoll, one of more than 40 young people who have spent much of the summer walking across the country for the pro-life cause. Each summer, college-age walkers spread the pro-life message as they pray at abortion clinics in cities and towns along their route, attend daily Mass, recite the rosary and pray for a change in the culture to bring an end to abortion. "Crossroads Pro-Life Walk Across America" sponsors three walks that take place simultaneously. The northern walk starts in Seattle and goes through Billings, Mont., Minneapolis and Cleveland, among other places. The central walk begins in San Francisco and some of the cities on the route are Salt Lake City, Kansas City, Kan., and Indianapolis. The southern walk skirts the bottom of the country, originating in Los Angeles, and stops include Phoenix, Dallas and Atlanta. All three walks were to merge Aug. 12 in Washington for a rally on the steps of the U.S. Capitol.
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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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