Quotes and news

Fr Tomislav Vlasic, who served as spiritual adviser to the Marian visionaries in Medjugorje, Bosnia-Herzegovina, has reverted to the status of a lay person after the Pope dispensed him from his religious vows as a member of the Order of Friars Minor.

According to the interdict signed by Cardinal William J. Levada, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, he is being investigated for "the diffusion of dubious doctrine, manipulation of consciences, suspected mysticism, disobedience towards legitimately issued orders and charges contra sextum (against the Sixth Commandment not to commit adultery)". According to Mgr Levada, all the charges against Vlasic were "in the context of the Medjugorje phenomenon".

One country, different swine flu directives

Irish Catholics are being given different directives to combat swine flu. In the Cork and Ross diocese and the Derry diocese the congregations are being directed not to shake hands during the sign of peace at Mass. But in the Ferns diocese, shaking hands at the sign of peace continues as the Health authorities did not recommend that it should be suspended.

No Communion for abortion roponents

Cardinal Antonio Canizares Llovera, the prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship, has reiterated that politicians who support legal abortion should be barred from receiving Communion. Because these individuals are engaged in gravely sinful behaviour, the Spanish prelate told Lifesite News, it would be an act of charity for a priest to withhold Communion, preventing them from blasphemous reception of the Eucharist.

Fight against euthanasia laws

The president of the Canadian bishops' conference is urging Catholics to fight legislative efforts to ease laws governing euthanasia and assisted suicide.

Archbishop V. James Weisgerber of Winnipeg, Manitoba, president of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, also asked Catholics to contact their members of the Canadian Parliament to express their views on the issues.

Mgr Weisgerber described the matter as urgent in light of bill introduced in Parliament that would amend Canada's criminal code to legalise assisted suicide and euthanasia.

Huge protests by Vietnamese Catholics

Last Sunday, an estimated 500,000 Vietnamese Catholics took part in a mass protest against police violence - the largest such demonstration of the country's Communist era. The protest was a response to last week's brutal police assault on Catholics protesting against the confiscation of parish property.

The Vinh diocese announced unflinchingly: "We have enough evidence to state that the police of Quang Binh had beaten our faithful before arresting them illegally."

The mass demonstrations sparked new police violence, as two priests in the central coastal city of Dong Hoi were badly beaten and left in critical condition.

Compiled by Fr Joe Borg