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News Briefs
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NEWS BRIEFS Mar-26-2008
By Catholic News Service
U.S.
Pope will find a spiritual nation during his U.S. visit, says survey
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Pope Benedict XVI will find a spiritual nation when he visits the United States in April, according to a new national survey commissioned by the Knights of Columbus. The survey, conducted by the Marist College Institute for Public Opinion in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., found that "Americans are interested in hearing how God, religion and spirituality may be incorporated into their daily lives." The results were released by Supreme Knight Carl Anderson March 25 at the National Press Club in Washington. His new book, "A Civilization of Love: What Every Catholic Can Do to Transform the World," published by HarperOne, debuted the same day. By a ratio of more than 4-to-1, the survey said, Americans have a favorable opinion of Pope Benedict; 58 percent of those surveyed said they view him favorably, compared with 13 percent who have an unfavorable opinion. Seventeen percent said they have never heard of him. Sixty-five percent of Americans have a favorable opinion of the Catholic Church, compared to 28 percent who have an unfavorable view.
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Maryland Legislature passes measure to set up study of death penalty
BALTIMORE (CNS) -- Richard J. Dowling, executive director of the Maryland Catholic Conference, praised the Maryland General Assembly for passing legislation to establish a commission that will study the death penalty in Maryland. The Catholic conference is the legislative lobbying arm of Maryland's Catholic bishops. The House of Delegates passed its version of the bill March 21 on an 89-48 vote, and the Senate passed its version a day later on a 32-15 vote. The two versions are expected to be reconciled soon, and Gov. Martin J. O'Malley is likely to sign the measure into law, Dowling said. The commission will be made up of people on both sides of the issue, and it is expected to include representatives from the state's religious community. "We're hopeful this commission will help remove the residual doubts about whether our justice system can be best served by repeal of the death penalty," said Dowling. The commission is expected to hold regional hearings, and Dowling said he is "confident people and interests throughout the state will have their say."
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Spring training inspires homilies, offers chances for evangelization
ORLANDO, Fla. (CNS) -- With the spring training field for Major League Baseball's newest team right across the street, it's no wonder the sport would find its way into a homily at St. John the Evangelist Parish in Viera. "It was so funny. Our first Sunday here, the pastor (Father Lawrence M. Olszewski) compared the spirit of Lent with spring and spring training. He said how similar they are because it's a new start for everyone, including the ball club," said Washington Nationals spokesman John Dever. His team has played spring training games at Space Coast Stadium in Viera since its inaugural season in 2005. The Nationals were one of 18 major league teams that played their preseason games in five of Florida's seven dioceses this year. During spring training, the presence of the teams and their fans does more than inspire homilies and bolster attendance in nearby parishes. It offers opportunities for game-day fundraising and evangelization, and for allowing Catholic players to share their stories with schoolchildren and others. It also presents the challenge of meeting the spiritual needs of Catholic players, coaches and team staffers who have crushingly busy schedules.
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Oakland Catholic agency forms teams to respond to murders
OAKLAND, Calif. (CNS) -- For Oakland families and friends jarred by the violent death of a young loved one, Catholic Charities of the East Bay's Crisis Response Support Network stands at the ready with its "ministry of presence." Within an hour after the Oakland Police Department calls to notify them of a homicide, the network's crisis counselors go to the crime scene, the hospital or the family home, said project director Millie Burns. Oakland has had 30 homicides so far this year; many of the murder victims have been young people. "We are there to comfort, to provide answers, to help with procedural matters and to give intensive support" to relatives, friends and classmates, Burns told The Catholic Voice, newspaper of the Oakland Dicoese. The program began in April 2007, Burns said, with funds from Oakland's violence prevention bill, known as Measure Y. It focuses on Oakland homicides where the victims are age 30 or younger. So far this year, the network's volunteers and staffers have responded to at least 21 homicides, Burns said. In 2007, teams responded to 60 murders.
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WORLD
Pope urges Catholics to focus on meaning of Jesus' resurrection
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- While Jesus' death shows the depths of his love for humanity, it is his resurrection that proves he is the Son of God, Pope Benedict XVI said. The pope used his March 26 weekly general audience to underline the importance of celebrating the 50-day Easter season. The pope came to the Vatican by helicopter from Castel Gandolfo, south of Rome, and returned to the papal villa by helicopter after the audience. St. Peter's Square was still decorated with some of the tulips, daffodils, pansies and blossoming trees that were set up for the pope's March 23 Easter morning Mass. An estimated 30,000 people attended the audience. The pope told the crowd, "Death was not sufficient to demonstrate that Jesus was really the Son of God, the expected Messiah." Hundreds of people over the course of history have dedicated their lives to doing good and to bringing justice, the pope said. But "they died and remained dead," he said.
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Church leaders express need to resettle internally displaced Kenyans
NAIROBI, Kenya (CNS) -- Kenyan Catholic leaders expressed the importance of resettling internally displaced people in an effort to return the country to normalcy. Nairobi Cardinal John Njue said the church is urging the government to prioritize resettling the internally displaced people as part of its wider implementation of the peace and power-sharing accord between President Mwai Kibaki and opposition leader Raila Odinga. Such resettlement should aim at establishing a permanent solution to current problems, the cardinal said at an Easter Mass March 23 in Holy Family Basilica. The church already has made its contributions through humanitarian aid, "and we would equally be ready to contribute toward the establishment of a permanent solution to the issues" of displaced Kenyans and peace, the cardinal said. In an Easter message released March 20, Bishop Peter Kairo of Nakuru, head of the Kenyan bishops' justice and peace commission, said the country is filled "with hope that the peace agreement signed by our political leaders will hold."
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Taiwanese bishops hope new president will improve island's economy
TAIPEI, Taiwan (CNS) -- The Catholic bishops of Taiwan have expressed hope the new government will help improve the island's economy and boost social justice. Archbishop John Hung Shan-chuan of Taipei, president of the Chinese Regional Bishops' Conference in Taiwan, told the Asian church news agency UCA News March 25 he believes President-elect Ma Ying-jeou's advocacy of a common market with mainland China will benefit Taiwan by creating more job opportunities. "His mainland-friendly strategy could help Taiwan's economy and improve people's livelihood. At least it will save money not used to buy weapons," he added. He said the bishops would not discuss matters relating to the election at their March 24-28 plenary meeting. "The election is over and its result will not affect the Catholic Church in Taiwan," the archbishop said. Ma, 57, was elected March 22. He is not a practicing Catholic, though he was baptized, but his attitude toward work is consistent with church teachings, some local Catholics told UCA News. He will be sworn in formally May 20.
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At Jerusalem dig, archaeologists get a peek at palatial gardens
JERUSALEM (CNS) -- Ancient kings, armies, prophets and pilgrims have made their mark on the ancient hills of Jerusalem and have left behind some of the world's most important archaeological finds. But with every stone overturned, puzzling questions about the history of modern Western civilization come to light. This is especially true at the Tel Aviv University-owned site of Ramat Rachel, an archaeological site from biblical times. For that reason, Jewish and Christian archaeologists, theologians and volunteers come to dig there year after year. Clues revealed by last year's dig, such as elaborate underground water tunnels, pools, pipes and gutters, suggest that this year's dig, July 20-Aug. 15, could give answers about the rulers who once lived there, said the site director and Tel Aviv University archaeologist Oded Lipschits. The site, Lipschits said, is the location of an ancient palace replete with an impressive garden, which was built during the end of the First Temple period in the seventh century B.C. "This is the only palace from the time period of the kingdom of Judah, and today it is a venerated site for all world religions," he said.
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Vietnamese priest: Government loosens control of seminary admissions
NHA TRANG, Vietnam (CNS) -- Permission for a third major seminary to recruit an unrestricted number of students is a sign that the Vietnamese government is loosening restrictions on religion, said the seminary's rector. Since Stella Maris Major Seminary reopened in Nha Trang Diocese in 1991, every other year it has accepted 10 students from each of the neighboring dioceses of Buon Me Thuot, Nha Trang and Quy Nhon, said Father Pierre Pham Ngoc Phi, rector. The seminary used to give a list of 40 to 45 candidates from those dioceses to government authorities, who would approve only 30, he told the Asian church news agency UCA News in mid-March. Recently, he said, the government has not limited the number of recruits, so last September the seminary admitted 44 students, instead of 30, from the three dioceses. He said that on Sept. 28 the seminary received permission to recruit annually from each diocese. The two major seminaries based in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City received the same permission from the government, in 2005 and 2007, respectively. Six major seminaries train priests from 26 dioceses throughout the country.
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PEOPLE
Cardinal Foley to receive special award from Christophers
NEW YORK (CNS) -- U.S. Cardinal John P. Foley, grand master of the Knights of the Holy Sepulcher, has been named the recipient of the Christopher Leadership Award by the Christophers. Cardinal Foley, along with television shows, movies and books that are deemed uplifting, will be honored April 10 at a Christopher Awards dinner in New York. Ordained a priest in 1962, Cardinal Foley has been involved in Catholic communications in its many forms. He served as editor of The Catholic Standard & Times, newspaper of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, and for 23 years was president of the Vatican's Pontifical Council for Social Communications, a post he held until 2007. Named an archbishop in 1984, he was made a cardinal last November. In his current position, he guides the Knights of the Holy Sepulcher in the organization's support of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem and its response to the needs of Catholics in the Holy Land.
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Two Brooklyn youngsters chosen to give pope flowers at airport
BROOKLYN, N.Y. (CNS) -- When she was asked to choose a student to greet Pope Benedict XVI, Barbara Kavanagh, principal of Our Lady of Grace School in Howard Beach, said, "Kaitlin Karcher was the first student to pop into my head." Tom Chadzutko, Brooklyn diocesan superintendent of schools, had called Kavanagh to ask her to suggest a student to present flowers to the pope when he arrives at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport from Washington April 18. "Kaitlin is a young woman of grace, is respectful and an example of a young Christian woman," Kavanagh said of the eighth-grader. Kaitlin is one of two youngsters from the Brooklyn Diocese chosen to present flowers to Pope Benedict. The other is Christopher Jordan, a fifth-grader at Divine Mercy Catholic Academy in Ozone Park. Christopher was nominated by Sister Francis Marie Wystepek, a Sister of the Holy Family of Nazareth, who is principal at Divine Mercy. "This is something I thought he deserved," she said. "His good Catholic background is something that is very important too. ... I chose (him) based on character and Christian values, and Chris is such a wonderful kid."
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