The presence of altar girls still creates controversy in some countries. According to minutes of a mid-February session of the priests’ council in the archdiocese of San Francisco, there was a heated discussion about the decision of Fr Joseph Illo, pastor of Star of the Sea parish, to ban altar girls from his parish.

According to the minutes seen by the National Catholic Reporter, a priest from the parish raised the matter during the meeting. Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone argued that since some people in the archdiocese like attending liturgies where there are only altar boys, he can’t see why there cannot be parishes with this practice to allow greater diversity. According to the minutes “the Archbishop does not want to impose a policy that would restrict a pastor from exercising pastoral discretion in situations where the Church allows such discretion”.

Appeal to help Middle Eastern Christians

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius urged the UN Security Council to set up a fund and pledge military protection so that Middle Eastern Christian refugees and other minorities can return home when international forces defeat Islamic State terrorists who drove them out.

Fabius said the fund could be used “to rebuild homes and places of worship”. “France has strong historic ties with the Middle East, and especially Eastern Christians, and a long tradition protecting minorities,” Fabius noted, adding that “we intend to remain faithful to it.”

He said there is truly a danger that minorities will disappear entirely. “We are the international community; we must no longer collectively represent a sort of powerless power.”

Call to ‘weed terrorism out of politics’

According to Lebanon’s Catholic, Orthodox and Muslim religious leaders, the Christian presence “plays an essential role” in the identity of the region “and predates Islam by several centuries”.

In a joint statement issued on March 30 they called for terrorism in the region to be confronted “culturally, educationally and politically”.

Terrorism, the religious leaders said, “must be fought through unifying the ranks of moderation” and “modernising the religious rhetoric” with an emphasis on “reconciliation, tolerance and coexistence”.

“Eastern Christians are the first victims of the waves of violence in the region,” the leaders said.

The Christian and Muslim leaders said the dire circumstances of the refugees “require active international action and an increase in aid”.

Indian churches under police protection

Police in India’s capital Delhi provided protection for 259 churches and other institutions on the Easter weekend. The measures were taken as six Christian institutions in Delhi were attacked between December and February.

The Indian Catholic bishops said they were happy with the arrangements. Perhaps they are not similarly happy with the request by former priests and nuns in India for the introduction of severance similar to that offered to employees of private firms. Under canon law, the Church is not obliged to provide severance.

These ex-priests and nuns say that people who leave religious life, voluntarily or not, have a right to some form of support after serving years in ministry. The issue came to a head after a Kerela nun who accused a priest of sexually abusing her was expelled from her order. She demanded compensation. The Church gave her €18,000, which it described as Christian charity.

(Compiled by Fr Joe Borg)

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