Quotes and news

The Vatican is against the use of condoms and needle-exchange programmes as part of an anti-HIV/AIDS campaign.

Archbishop Francis Chullikatt, Permanent Observer of the Holy See, said the Vatican “does not endorse the use of condoms as part of HIV and AIDS prevention programmes”.

He said such programmes should focus not on trying to convince the world that “risky and dangerous behaviour forms part of an acceptable lifestyle, but rather should focus on risk avoidance, which is ethically and empirically sound.

He said the Vatican is also against needle-exchange programmes. “Such efforts do not respect the dignity of those suffering from drug addiction as they do not treat or cure the sick person, but instead falsely suggest they cannot break free from the cycle of addiction.”

200 churches have been attacked in Indonesia

Two hundred churches have been attacked in Indonesia since 2006, according to a report submitted to Aid to the Church in Need. Fourteen churches have been attacked in the first five months of 2011.

Theophilus Bela, president of the Jakarta Christian Communication Forum said the president and police do not take effective action. He added that in spite of these attacks, churches are always full on Sunday.

‘Pursue higher goals than profit’ – Bertone

Speaking at a conference discussing the Pope’s encyclical ‘Charity in Truth’, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone challenged business leaders to seek “a goal greater than profit while not rejecting profit”.

He said the Church’s social teaching insists that commercial activity should be directed to the common good, not merely to private profit.

“There is no such thing as an ethically neutral business leader,” he added. “They are either ‘civil’, in the sense that their commercial activity serves to build up the good of all, or else they are the reverse, as when they fail to produce quality products, ignore innovation, fail to create wealth and jobs, and pay no taxes.”

Proposed payment for clerical abuse victims

Victims of clerical abuse in the Netherlands can receive up to €101,000 depending of the level of abuse. This recommendation was made by a Church-appointed commission.

The commission also said victims should receive apologies, assistance and recognition for their suffering. A spokesman for the Dutch bishops said they and the conference of religious would study the recommendations.

The commission was set up after nearly 2,000 people complained of sexual abuse by Catholic priests during an inquiry by another Church-appointed commission last year. The alleged abuse goes back to 1945.

‘The Church can learn things from bloggers’

Archbishop Claudio Maria Celli, president of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, said:

“The Church has something to learn from bloggers. …One particular feature of digital communications is that it is a grass-roots initiative, not something official or institutional.

“One and all can bring to bear their ideas, their personal witness in this area …If, indeed, it is true that every disciple of Christ is called to bear witness in his or her environment and to be a leaven,

the dynamic of blogging favours this mission of evangelisation.”

(Compiled by Fr Joe Borg)