Four bishops who chair different committees of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops said they wait with ‘great concern’ for President Barack Obama’s promised executive order on “sexual orientation or gender identity”. They said that while the bishops uphold the dignity of each person and are against unjust discrimination they feel it their duty “to proclaim the truth about marriage, and to protect religious freedom”.
They added that they wait with great concern for the executive order that President Obama said he will sign as it is not clear what the “Administration considers ‘discrimination’ based on ‘sexual orientation’ and ‘gender identity… or if it will provide sufficient (or any) religious freedom protection”.
Benedict was strongly against child abuse
Archbishop Philip Wilson of Adelaide told a State commission that the Vatican started to take stronger action against child abuse after 2001 when then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, became responsible for action in the sector.
The bishop said that before 2000 the Vatican’s Congregation for Clergy discouraged bishops from taking action against priests accused of sexual abuse. He added that this congregation under Cardinal Dario Castrillon Hoyos, “made things difficult for them” when they tried to take action. This congregation regularly supported accused priests seeking to remain in active ministry.
Pope’s prayers for July
The Vatican has announced the prayer intentions of Pope Francis for July. The Pope’s universal intention is: “that sports may always be occasions of human fraternity and growth”. His evangelical intention is “that the Holy Spirit may support the work of the laity who proclaim the Gospel in the poorest countries”.
No ‘Good mornings’
Cardinal Luis Tagle of Manila has told his priests not to start the Mass by greeting their congregation “Good morning”. Tagle described this as a distraction, adding: “Is not the expression ‘The Lord be with you’ more than enough?”
Pope Francis interview with Il Messaggero
In an interview with the Rome daily Il Messaggero, Pope Francis said the vocation of every politician is to always protect “the common good, which includes defending human life and dignity”. He said there is a worldwide problem with the devaluation of politics because of corruption and bribery. This “moral decay, not only in politics but also in the financial or social” sector, is driven by “change of epoch” that we are experiencing today, which is also “a change of culture”.
The Pope said there are different kinds of poverty. It is one thing feeding the hungry and another to find a job for those who had lost theirs, and with it, their dignity. Helping families in need, then, requires a “joint effort” which is difficult but must be made, above all, for the good of the children.
He said “Communists have stolen the banner [of poverty]… The banner of the poor is Christian; poverty is at the heart of the Gospel.” He said the cause of the poor is pre-eminently a Christian cause. The Gospel cannot be understood “without understanding real poverty”. At the same time, the Pope said there is also a “very beautiful ‘poverty of the spirit’,” being poor in the sight of God because God fills you up.
The Gospel, in fact, is addressed indiscriminately to the poor and to the rich and “does not at all condemn those who are rich”, but rather condemns their riches when they become the objects of idolatry.
(Compiled by Fr Joe Borg)