Quotes and news

The Vatican has published a 15-page reaction to the report on clerical abuse of minors in the diocese of Cloyne, Ireland, and to the criticism expressed by Irish political leaders. It expressed “profound abhorrence for the crimes of sexual abuse”, but strongly rejected the claim that the Vatican was in any way responsible.

It says the Vatican is “ashamed for the terrible sufferings which the victims of abuse and their families have had to endure within the Church of Jesus Christ, a place where this should never happen”.

That suffering, the document observed, was attributable to “grave failures in the ecclesiastical governance of the diocese”.

Catholics, Lutherans discuss Reformation, seek ‘purification’

A joint declaration on the Reformation between the Catholic Church and the World Lutheran Federation is in the making. This will coincide with the 500th anniversary of the 95 Theses, written by Martin Luther in 1517.

Cardinal Kurt Koch, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, told the German Catholic agency KNA that the Catholic-Lutheran document will examine the Reformation in the light of whole history of Christianity. Mgr Koch also spoke of “a common purification of the memory”.

This ecumenical dimension will be also emphasised during the Pope’s third trip to Germany. He will, in fact, visit Erfurt, where Luther carried out part of his studies.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who is the daughter of a Protestant pastor, pointed out that Pope Benedict’s trip encourages “convergence and solidarity between Christians and present-day society”.

‘Don’t weaken social assistance to the poor’

The bishops of the US have appealed to the US government not to make disproportionate cuts to domestic and international poverty-assistance programmes while also admitting that “the fiscal status quo is unsustainable, with mounting deficits and growing debt for our children”.

Bishops Stephen Blaire and Howard Hubbard said a central moral measure of any budget proposal is how it affects those most vulnerable: “The needs of those who are hungry and homeless, without work or in poverty should come first.

“It would be wrong to balance future budgets by hurting those who already hurt the most by cutting programmes such as foreign aid, affordable housing programmes, child nutrition, or health care.

“A just framework also requires shared sacrifice by all, including raising adequate revenues, eliminating unnecessary military and other spending, and addressing the long-term costs of health insurance and retirement programmes fairly.”

‘Responsibility for refugees should be shouldered by the government’

Australia’s High Court has decided that the government cannot return asylum seekers to Malaysia. The Australian bishops expressed their support for this decision.

The bishops appealed to all people of good will to work together to find a better way of dealing with asylum seekers. Bishop Frank Hanna, the bishops’ representative for migrants and refugees, said Australia must shoulder responsibilities regarding this issue, which is a global phenomenon.

(Compiled by Fr Joe Borg)