Money, success, power and political ideologies can never give someone a foundation for a life that has real joy and real meaning, Pope Benedict XVI said.
Jesus helps “us feel the joy of being sons and daughters of the Father who is in heaven, showing us the solid basis on which to build our lives,” the Pope said last Sunday during his recitation of the Angelus.
The Pope said that for the past 2,000 years, people who have had the grace to know Jesus, especially through the Bible, have learned the truth about God and about themselves. “Often, man does not build his actions and his existence on this identity, but prefers the sands of ideology, power, success and money,” the Pope said.
Catholic couple’s views disqualify it from fostering
An English court has effectively disqualified a couple from becoming foster parents because of their Christian views on premarital and homosexual intercourse.
According to the Catholic News Service, Owen and Eunice Johns of Derby, England, were told by judges sitting in the High Court in London that gay equality laws must “take precedence” over the rights of Christians to act in line with their faith.
The judges said Christian beliefs on sexual ethics may be “inimical” to children, and implicitly upheld a submission by the publicly funded Equality and Human Rights Commission that children risked being “infected” by Christian moral beliefs.
If children are placed with parents holding traditional Christian views, “there may well be a conflict with the local authority’s duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of looked-after children,” the judges said.
Bishops will not deny Holy Communion
The bishops of New York State will not deny Holy Communion to politicians who support abortion and same-sex marriage, according to Bishop Howard Hubbard of Albany.
“Some bishops have done that, but not all bishops,” he said. “Quite frankly, there is a disagreement among bishops about using the communion line as a place for a confrontation. I don’t think the bishops of New York State feel that’s appropriate.”
Priests on forced leave
Following a grand jury report which strongly criticised the way the US archdiocese of Philadelphia handled allegations of sex abuse, 21 priests were placed on administrative leave. The report had said 37 priests still involved in active ministry had credible accusations placed against them.
The archdiocese had already placed three priests on leave. It said that of the 37 cases cited , five priests are already on leave, incapacitated, or no longer serve in Philadelphia. In eight other cases, the archdiocese said, the available evidence showed no grounds for further investigation of the charges.
Cardinal Justin Rigali said last Tuesday that the archdiocese believed it was “on the right path, making significant progress in the protection of children and handling of abuse allegations”. He conceded, however, that the grand jury report “presented us with serious concerns that demand a decisive response”. He repeated his apology to the victims of sexual abuse.
The archdiocese stressed that the placing of the 21 priests on administrative leave should not be interpreted as a final judgment on the complaints against them.
(Compiled by Fr Joe Borg)