An English court has ruled that the diocese of Portsmouth can be held responsible for the actions of priests, clearing the way for a sex-abuse victim to seek legal compensation from the diocese. The decision is part of a case by a woman claiming compensation after allegedly being sexually assaulted by a priest.

While agreeing that the accused priest was technically not an employee of the diocese, the court held that this does not absolve the diocese from responsibility. Justice Alistair MacDuff said the diocesan authorities had given the priest a position of trust, provided him with premises, a pulpit, and gave him authority in the community.

Growing dissent in Austrian Church

Leaders of the dissident Catholic movement in Austria said they are going to increase their dissent. They have decided to organise liturgical celebrations that would be conducted by lay people.

Hans Peter Hurka, the leader of the ‘We are Church’ movement, acknowledged that these actions are in violation of Church law. Besides this movement’s challenge, the Austrian hierarchy is facing another challenge from another movement called the Priests’ Initiative.

Cardinal Christoph Schönborn has said on different occasions that the actions of these dissident priests are creating a danger of “serious conflict” within the Church.

Church must defend the human person

Pope Benedict XVI said that when the Church becomes involved in legislature affairs, the goal is “defending values which are evident to everyone because they concern the truth about human beings”.

The Pope was speaking to Reinhard Schweppe, the new German ambassador to the Vatican.

“Only a society that respects and unconditionally defends the dignity of every person from conception to natural death can call itself a humane society,” the Pope said.

“However, some of these fundamental values of human existence are being put into question again,” the Pope said.

Sudanese bishops lament violence

The bishops of Sudan and of newly independent South Sudan recently issued a joint statement saying they were “deeply troubled by the ongoing violence in our two nations”.

They warned of the danger of a return to hostilities if the legitimate aspirations of the people of the affected areas were not met.

“Civilians are being terrorised by indiscriminate aerial bombardment,” they said. “There is an urgent need to open humanitarian corridors to allow food and medicines to reach those in need.

“We urge the international community, and particularly the African Union, to ensure that these conflicts are resolved peacefully.”

General Franco resisted Paul VI

An article in Vatican newspaper L’Osservatore Romano said Spanish dictator General Francisco Franco had resisted the appeals of Pope Paul VI to renounce the Spanish government’s privilege of nominating Catholic bishops. This old custom was abolished by Vatican II but due to Franco’s resistance Spain did not formally renounce the privilege until 1976, under King Juan Carlos I.

In 1968, the Pope had asked General Franco to surrender the right. Franco said that he was sympathetic towards the idea, but said he felt a moral obligation to provide for the moral welfare of his country.

(Compiled by Fr Joe Borg)