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News Briefs
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NEWS BRIEFS Jul-2-2009
By Catholic News Service
U.S.
Obama cites influence of Cardinal Bernardin, prepares to meet pope
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- President Barack Obama told a round table of religion writers July 2 that he continues to be profoundly influenced by the late Cardinal Joseph Bernardin of Chicago, whom he came to know when he was a community organizer in a project partially funded by the Catholic Campaign for Human Development. Obama said his encounters with the cardinal continue to influence him, particularly his "seamless garment" approach to a multitude of social justice issues. He also told the group of eight reporters to expect a conscience clause protection for health care workers currently under review by the administration that will be no less protective than what existed previously. Cardinal Francis E. George, president of the bishops, has urged Obama to make good on a comment president made recently to "honor the conscience of those who disagree with abortion" with the conscience clause. The round table was held in anticipation of Obama's audience with Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican July 10. The 45-minute session touched on his expectations for that meeting as well as aspects of foreign policy, the public criticism directed at him by some Catholic bishops and others in the church, and the Obamas' own search for a church home in Washington. Obama said in some ways he sees his first meeting with the pope as the same as any contact with a head of state, "but obviously this is more than just that. The Catholic Church has such a profound influence worldwide and in our country, and the Holy Father is a thought leader and opinion leader on so many wide-ranging issues. His religious influence is one that extends beyond the Catholic Church
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Obama: Impasse on abortion legality inevitable, but reduction possible
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- There will always be solid differences of belief over whether abortion should be legal, but that doesn't mean common ground isn't possible on how to reduce abortion, President Barack Obama told a round table of religion reporters July 2. In a session timed in advance of Obama's scheduled July 10 meeting at the Vatican with Pope Benedict XVI, the president reiterated that while he continues to seek common ground on reducing the number of abortions, he recognizes that there will always be firm differences between people who believe abortion should be legal and those who do not. The round table touched on a wide range of domestic and international policy issues. He told the eight reporters, most of whom were from the Catholic press, that he sees "an irreducible difference ... on the abortion issue. ... The best we can do is suggest that people of good will can be on either side, but you can't wish those differences away." He said he has never "been under the illusion that ... we were going to simply talk all our differences away on these issues." A task force he has formed to seek common ground on reducing abortion is still developing recommendations, the president said. But he expects agreement on significant areas, such as "on the idea of helping young people make smart choices so that they are not engaging in casual sexual activity that can lead to unwanted pregnancies, on the importance of adoption as an option, an alternative to abortion, on caring for pregnant women so that it is easier for them to support children." The Catholic Church teaches that artificial contraception is immoral and that abortion is the killing of innocent human life.
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Obama says he wants to talk with pope about aid to world's poor
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- President Barack Obama said when he meets Pope Benedict XVI July 10 he wants to talk about initiating core reforms in overseas aid and domestic policy to assure basic economic security for more people. In a round table with religion reporters July 2 in anticipation of the meeting at the Vatican, Obama said he hopes to report to the pope about the range of commitments made by the world's leading governments at the Group of 20 summit in London in April. He said he wants to talk about assuring that not only the poor but financially vulnerable people in the middle class are able "to live lives of dignity and security." Obama will be in Europe to participate in a meeting of the world leaders known as the Group of Eight in L'Aquila, Italy, where he said one of his top priorities will be to get other wealthy countries to match the increased U.S. commitment to food security around the world. He said that while he believes capitalism is the most effective means of generating wealth, one of the areas where "the Catholic Church has always been a powerful moral compass is on questions of distribution and how do we make sure that opportunities are extended to everybody."
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Obama nominates Pepperdine law professor Kmiec as ambassador to Malta
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- President Barack Obama July 2 nominated law professor Douglas Kmiec to be ambassador to the Republic of Malta. The president announced Kmiec's nomination along with nominees for ambassador posts in Mongolia, Burkina Faso, Swaziland and the Netherlands. Nominations for ambassador have to be confirmed by the Senate. A professor of constitutional law at Pepperdine University in Malibu, Calif., Kmiec often writes on religion in the public square. Kmiec originally supported former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, a Republican, during the primaries in the 2008 presidential race. When Romney dropped out of the race, Kmiec switched his support to Obama and wrote a book explaining how a pro-life Catholic could back the Illinois Democrat despite his support for keeping abortion legal. The professor has talked about his experience of being denied holy Communion in April 2008 after expressing his support for Obama. "To be separated from the body of Christ is a faith torture. I don't wish that on anyone," he said.
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The Supreme Court: A look at when it has reversed decisions and why
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Sometimes, when the Supreme Court reverses itself on an earlier decision -- in some cases, decades earlier -- there is a great to-do over what it means. In truth, though, the high court reverses itself once a year on average. Not every reversal is a full reversal, and not every reversal is stated as such in the majority opinion. But scholars and other experts understand the impact of those decisions. Only a relative handful of cases in which the Supreme Court reversed itself could be considered blockbusters. One is Brown v. Board of Education, the 1954 decision which ruled that the "separate but equal" provisions of state law as it was applied to public accommodations were unconstitutional. The case dealt with racial segregation in Kansas schools. In that case the justices reversed a decision which by that time was 58 years old: Plessy v. Ferguson, in which Homer Plessy, a black man, intentionally boarded the "white" car of a Louisiana train to test the state's segregation law. John Ferguson was the state judge who denied Plessy's claim for relief, ruling that Louisiana had the right to regulate railroad companies as long as they operated within state boundaries. Ferguson's decision was upheld by both the Louisiana Supreme Court and, in 1896, by the U.S. Supreme Court. In 1992, the high court in a 5-4 decision refused to overrule Roe v. Wade in the Planned Parenthood v. Casey case, reaffirming its "central holding," but a 7-2 majority rejected Roe's "rigid trimester framework" and -- upholding most provisions of a Pennsylvania law -- said a state may enact abortion regulations that do not pose an "undue burden" on the pregnant woman.
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Catholic voter views on health care reform reflect national attitude
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Catholic voters are divided when it comes to paying more in taxes for a health care overhaul that would cover the uninsured, according to a poll released July 1. While 43 percent of Catholic respondents to the Quinnipiac University national poll said they would be willing to pay more, 53 percent said they would not. Forty-nine percent of everyone surveyed said they would pay more. "It seems like once again, Catholics reflect society as a whole, and that not everyone understands that the marketplace as a whole has failed in providing adequate health care," said Sister Simone Campbell, a Sister of Social Service who is director of Network, a national Catholic social justice lobby. "We get so focused on our families and our own needs that it's hard to imagine ourselves in the shoes of another." The survey showed 50 percent of Catholics think it is the government's responsibility to make sure everyone in the U.S. has adequate health care. Across the board, 53 percent of respondents answered this way. "Catholics, like the rest of the country, have bought the idea that government doesn't do things right," Sister Simone told Catholic News Service. "They're doing the conditioned reaction."
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Like St. Paul, Christians today must engage culture, says archbishop
NEW YORK (CNS) -- Like St. Paul, followers of Christ today must engage the culture, Archbishop Celestino Migliore said in his homily during a New York Mass celebrated June 28 to close the year of St. Paul. "What have we learned about St. Paul from this holy year?" asked the archbishop, who is the Vatican's nuncio and permanent observer to the United Nations. "The event (in Damascus gave Paul) a totally new vision of life, of his life," he said. "Looking at life with the eyes and mind of Jesus meant everything and everybody looked new to him. "Jesus trusted Paul with the highest task: to witness to him," the archbishop continued. "What can we learn from St. Paul today? Like St. Paul, we cannot ignore the forces of culture that challenge us. It is our culture; we need to engage it. ... There is no greater gift of love that exists than sharing the truth with others." About a dozen Paulist priests concelebrated the Mass with the archbishop at the Church of St. Paul the Apostle in Manhattan. Father John F. Duffy, president of the Paulists, and Paulist Father Ronald Franco, associate pastor, were among them.
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Diocese hails decision to end state probe of church lobbying efforts
BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (CNS) -- The Diocese of Bridgeport praised the July 1 decision by state ethics officials to stop investigating whether the diocese violated state lobbying laws with its efforts to rally Catholics against legislation that would have given laypeople financial control of their parishes. "This is welcome news, not only for the diocese but for all citizens who cherish the fundamental rights guaranteed by the First Amendment," said Joseph McAleer, diocesan spokesman, in a July 1 statement. The decision by the Office of State Ethics came a day after Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal had urged the action. Bishop William E. Lori of Bridgeport had called the attorney general's opinion "a truly significant announcement that stands not just with our state's Catholics but with all citizens of the state whose fundamental civil liberties were placed in jeopardy" by application of the lobbying laws in this case. The controversy centered on whether the diocese violated laws governing lobbying groups by organizing a March 11 rally at the Connecticut Capitol in Hartford to oppose a bill that would have changed how parishes were governed in the state. The legislation had been withdrawn March 10, but the rally "proceeded as an expression of protest against what the church perceived as an unconstitutional and unacceptable intrusion on its internal affairs," Blumenthal noted in his opinion.
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WORLD
Bishop says scientists, church still can learn from Galileo case
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The 400-year-old case of Galileo Galilei and the Inquisition still serves as a valid warning that scientists should not presume to teach the church about faith and that the church must approach scientific discoveries with great caution, said the prefect of the Vatican Secret Archives. Presenting an updated and expanded collection of Vatican documents related to Galileo's trial for heresy during a July 2 press conference, Bishop Sergio Pagano said the case teaches Christians that they must be extremely careful in using the Bible to make judgments about science. Catholics must be cautious "not to make the same mistakes that were made then" in applying biblical texts to scientific problems in a literal way, he said. "We must study more, be more prudent, evaluate the facts and be very attentive that the Scriptures, which are our inheritance without defect and cannot err regarding divine revelation, are correctly interpreted." The book Bishop Pagano edited and presented, "Vatican Documents From the Trial of Galileo Galilei 1611-1741," updates a volume published in 1984. It includes about 20 documents discovered in the last 25 years.
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Venezuelan prelate criticizes world leaders who back ousted Honduran
CARACAS, Venezuela (CNS) -- The vice president of the Venezuelan bishops' conference said international organizations that have called Honduras' interim president "illegitimate" are hypocritical. Archbishop Baltazar Porras Cardozo of Merida called the United Nations and the Organization of American States "a club of leaders who defend their own interests, ignoring those who have a greater plurality and represent all the sectors of the population." Archbishop Porras said that corruption, narcotrafficking and ousted Honduran President Manuel Zelaya's desire to change the constitution to remain in power ostracized him from his own people. The archbishop also said that coups are caused by presidents who want to perpetuate themselves in power and use power unreasonably. Archbishop Porras also criticized what he called unreasonable Venezuelan government involvement in Honduras' internal affairs. Many governments -- including the United States and Venezuela -- have criticized the June 28 military coup that ousted Zelaya. The military acted on the orders of Honduras' National Congress, whose leader, Roberto Micheletti, was named interim president. The World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank have cut loans to Honduras, and some European countries recalled their ambassadors. On July 1, the Organization of American States gave Honduras 72 hours to reinstate Zelaya.
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Out with a bang: Vatican closes Pauline year with a few surprises
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Talk about a grand finale. The Vatican waited until the last day of the year of St. Paul to wow the world with two surprising scientific findings: the presumed bones of the apostle and the oldest known portrait of the saint. During a vespers service at Rome's Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls June 28, Pope Benedict XVI announced that the presumed tomb of St. Paul contains bone fragments from a human who lived between the first and second century. "This seems to confirm the unanimous and uncontested tradition that they are the mortal remains of the apostle Paul," the pope said. Just two days before the announcement, officials from the Pauline basilica cleverly dodged questions about whether experts had been poking around inside the tomb. During the June 26 press conference detailing the highlights of the Pauline year, the basilica's archpriest, Cardinal Andrea Cordero Lanza di Montezemolo, said, "It certainly is tempting" to open the enormous marble sarcophagus, "which has been there for 20 or 19 centuries and has never been opened."
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Archivist says at least five years needed to open Pope Pius XII files
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The prefect of the Vatican Secret Archives said he has 20 employees sorting and cataloging documents related to the pontificate of Pope Pius XII, but it will take another five or six years before the archives are ready for scholars to access. Speaking during a Vatican press conference July 2 to present documents related to the 17th-century trial of Galileo Galilei, Bishop Sergio Pagano was asked about the archives of Pope Pius, who served during World War II. Jewish organizations and other groups frequently have asked for access to the records, particularly those regarding the pope's wartime activities, so they could learn more about what he knew of the Nazi attempt to exterminate the Jews, what he did or did not do to protect them and why. Bishop Pagano told reporters that while he has a large team working on the papers, the amount of material is enormous and will require another five or six years to be organized in a way that scholars can find what they are looking for and the Vatican can be sure nothing is missing. After the material is technically ready, it is up to the pope to authorize scholars' access to it, he said. The bishop also said that from what he has seen so far, "Pius XII took personal risks, even serious risks, to save the Jews. Five or six years from now, those who want to open their eyes will see it."
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PEOPLE
Bowling hall of famer's faith stays strong
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- It was 50 years ago this June that bowler Eddie Lubanski rolled two consecutive 300 games on live TV. It was 60 years ago he and his wife, Betty, married, and it has been 32 years since he has touched a drop of liquor. Lubanski, now 79, reminisced about his life and career with Catholic News Service as a biography, "The King of Pins," was scheduled for publication later this year. He estimated that he's bowled "50 or 60" 300 games -- 12 strikes in a row. "They do 'em so often now that it's a little scary," he told CNS. "They've changed the (lane) conditions so, and the bowling balls are all changed, too. I go watch 'em on Sunday mornings, and the in the last six months I must have seen at least 15, 20 300 games." Lubanski, a Catholic, doesn't skip church to watch bowling. He goes with his wife to a late Saturday Mass at Our Lady of Fatima Church in Oak Park, Mich., a Detroit suburb. He called the parish pastor, Father Paul Chateau, "one of the finest men I ever met. He's very inspirational for me." Lubanski was a TV fixture himself in his heyday, appearing on such shows as "Make That Spare," "Jackpot Bowling" and "Beat the Champ." His exploits have earned him entry into five different halls of fame: national, Michigan and Detroit bowling halls, plus the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame and the Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame, housed at St. Mary's College in Orchard Lake, Mich., outside Detroit.
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Pope accepts resignation of Brazilian who spoke about girl's abortion
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Benedict XVI has accepted the resignation of the Brazilian archbishop at the center of a controversy over excommunications related to the case of an abortion performed on a 9-year-old rape victim. The pope accepted the resignation of Archbishop Jose Cardoso Sobrinho of Olinda and Recife July 1, the day after the archbishop's 76th birthday. Under canon law, bishops must submit their resignations when they turn 75. At the same time, 62-year-old Bishop Fernando Saburido of Sobral, Brazil, was named as his replacement. With the appointment, he automatically becomes an archbishop. In early March doctors at a hospital in Recife performed an abortion on the girl, who was pregnant with twins, weighed a little more than 66 pounds and reportedly had been raped repeatedly by her stepfather from the time she was 6 years old. Abortion in Brazil is illegal except in cases of rape or if the mother's life is in danger. Interviewed by the media after the abortion, Archbishop Sobrinho noted that abortion always was a sin and that, according to canon law, anyone participating in the abortion -- including the girl's mother and her doctors -- would automatically incur excommunication. He told a newspaper that while it was true the child ran health risks if she continued the pregnancy, "the end does not justify the means. The good aim of saving her life cannot justify the killing of two other lives."
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Obamas miss having a church, but worry about causing disruptions
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- After a painful controversy about the sometimes bombastic comments made by the former pastor at their longtime church in Chicago, President Barack Obama said he and his wife, Michelle, were treading carefully in choosing a worship community in Washington. Obama told a round table of religion reporters at the White House July 2 that his family has felt particularly comfortable with the small church community that meets weekly at the presidential retreat at Camp David in Maryland, but that they have not settled on even whether to become affiliated with a particular church in Washington. The Obamas were longtime members of Chicago's Trinity United Church of Christ. Last year, Trinity's longtime pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, came to national attention as excerpts of some of his sermons spread like wildfire on the Internet. Internet clips included video footage of Wright espousing the idea that HIV was created by the government as a form of genocide against blacks and that the 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States were the price the country paid for its actions against other countries. Obama told the reporters that the experience was "deeply disturbing to us, and it was disappointing to us personally." He said he and his wife became "very sensitive to the fact that the church we attend can end up being interpreted as speaking for us at all times." He also said they're very conscious that when the Obamas attend any church, every member of the congregation that day has to submit to a Secret Service security screening. "Unfortunately, I am now very disruptive wherever I go," he said.
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Priests find great potential in use of new media
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- To their parishioners, they are known simply as "Father Jay" and "Father Bill," but to many others, Father Jay Finelli and Father Bill Kessler are "iPadre" and the "Technopriest." The two diocesan priests are among a growing number of Catholic clergy using podcasting and other new media to spread the message of the church. Father Kessler is the pastor of St. Patrick Parish in Pana, Ill., and Sacred Heart Parish in Oconee, Ill. In 2005, he launched the "Technopriest," a regular podcast series dedicated to Catholic teaching. Father Finelli also launched his podcast, the "iPadre," in 2005. He is the pastor at the Church of the Holy Ghost in Tiverton, R.I. In a June 29 interview with Catholic News Service, Father Kessler said he began podcasting after a number of his former parishioners asked him to post his homilies online. Father Kessler developed a test program in February 2005 and started his podcast the March. "I've been doing it every weekend since, except when I have technical difficulties," he said. The content of the "Technopriest" podcast has evolved over time. In addition to delivering a weekly homily, Father Kessler, a self-described nerd, discusses technology and "the daily life of a parish priest in central Illinois." Each podcast episode also features a "podsafe" musical selection related to the message of Father Kessler's homily. Podsafe music is music that is not copyrighted. In a separate interview with CNS, Father Finelli said he considered podcasting for a long time before finally deciding to start "iPadre." He made the decision after listening to Father Roderick Vonhogen, a Dutch priest who podcasted coverage of the 2005 death of Pope John Paul II and subsequent election of Pope Benedict XVI. "I thought if (Father Vonhogen) can (podcast), I can do it too," Father Finelli said. Since September 2005, Father Finelli has produced nearly 160 episodes of "iPadre." In each episode he typically plays a podsafe musical selection, responds to questions and feedback from his audience, talks about any interesting Catholic news and discusses a Catholic topic of the day.
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