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29 Feb 2012 20:07

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Politics: Woman wants priest removed after refusal of communion at mother’s funeral

  • then Father Marcel Guarnizo was officiating at a funeral mass for Loetta Johnson. After saying only people in a “state of grace” could receive communion, he refused to allow Loetta’s daughter, Barbara, to drink from the communion chalice. The reason? She’s a lesbian, and lives with her partner — a sin, by the Catholic Church’s standards.
  • nowBarbara Johnson is calling for the priest’s removal. The archdiocese has said questions of whether communion ought to be rendered should be addressed privately, not by “public reprimand” like Guarnizo did. They have refused, however, to comment on his ongoing status in the priesthood, claiming it’s a personnel issue. sour.ce

14 Oct 2011 16:09

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U.S.: Kansas City bishop indicted for failing to report child abuse by priest

  • The first time a Catholic Church official has been charged: In what’s a major development regarding the sexual abuse scandals that have engulfed the Catholic Church since the 1980s, an official — and his diocese — have been charged with a crime. Bishop Robert Finn, above, who leads the Catholic Church diocese in Kansas City and nearby St. Joseph, has been charged with failing to report child abuse (the photography and possession of child pornography, specifically) allegedly committed by one of his priests. The diocese itself was also charged. Finn’s lawyer denies the allegations. Either way, yikes. source

10 Oct 2011 14:41

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World: Far-left party gains unexpected strength in Polish Parliament

  • We’re fighting a culture of delegalisation. In Poland, you go to jail for insulting the President, for a word, for insulting religious feelings, insulting an official. You go to jail for drinking beer and then walking with your bike. You go to jail for smoking a joint. For abortion. This is a nihilist policy which hurts people.
  • Janusz Palikot, Polish MP • Laying out a cursory platform for his eponymous “Palikot Movement,” a far-left political party which unexpectedly surged in Poland’s election on Sunday, capturing 10% of the vote. Palikot now sits atop the relatively inexperienced liberal wing of the Polish parliament, and has been uncompromising in his advocacy of a liberal secularization of Poland. Of particular note, given the prominent role the Catholic Church plays in public life in Poland — he’s calling for an end to public funding for religious courses taught in state schools. Palikot, a former vodka magnate, was first elected in 2005. source

17 Aug 2011 10:11

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World: This is unexpected: The Vatican releases internal files in priest abuse case

  • what In a surprise move for an organization famously known for it secrecy, the Vatican released a series of internal files on the late Rev. Andrew Ronan, who has been accused of child abuse in both Ireland and the U.S.
  • why According to Vatican attorney Jeffrey Lena, the move is meant to “calm down those people who are too quick to make sensational and unfair comments without taking the time to get an adequate understanding of the facts.” source

14 Jan 2011 11:31

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World: It’s a beatification: John Paul II getting saintly honor at Easter

  • It’s official: We’re looking to make John Paul II a saint. With Pope Benedict claiming that he’s met the requirements of beatification, his predecessor will be honored at Easter. The uber-popular John Paul II reportedly was responsible for a miracle – he cured a nun of Parkinson’s disease shortly after he died. He needs another one to become a full saint. And, in case you’re wondering: This is waaaaay faster than it usually happens. (photo by bren) source

25 Dec 2010 10:25

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World: The Pope’s Christmas wish: Peace in the Middle East (of course!)

  • May the light of Christmas shine forth anew in the Land where Jesus was born, and inspire Israelis and Palestinians to strive for a just and peaceful co-existence.
  • Pope Benedict XVI • Expressing hope for the Israel-Palestinian conflict’s resolution during his Christmas Day mass. He suggested the same for Somalia, Darfur and the Ivory Coast. Merry Christmas, bro. You’ve had as tough a year as any of us have had, what with all those scandals you’ve had to deal with lately. source

21 Nov 2010 19:55

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World: The Vatican shakes off Pope Benedict’s condom comments

  • yeah … Pope Benedict made some claims in a to-be-released book that make it sound like the Catholic Church’s stance on condoms is softening.
  • … but The Vatican almost immediately backtracked, saying that he had “not reformed or changed the church’s teaching.” source
 

01 Nov 2010 10:54

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World: Latest Iraqi terror attack aimed squarely at Catholics

  • 57 were killed during the standoff in a Baghdad Catholic Church
  • 75 more people were wounded in the attack
  • 17 of those killed were Iraqi security forces
  • two of those killed were priests source
  • » An awful end for many: Beyond the fact that terrorists attacked a Catholic Church in Baghdad, perhaps the worst fact about this whole situation is that many of the killed were hostages – most were killed or wounded after explosives were set off in the church. And they were killed because of their faith. The pope has already denounced the attack, which the Islamic State of Iraq took credit for with a note on their Web site: “The Mujahedeens raided a filthy nest of the nests of polytheism, which has been long taken by the Christians of Iraq as a headquarter for a war against the religion of Islam and they were able by the grace of God and His glory to capture those were gathered in and to take full control of all its entrances.”

24 Oct 2010 23:13

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U.S.: Jesus Christ, that’s a lot of data: Catholic abuse scandal data dump

  • 48 priests accused of sexual abuse in the San Diego area
  • 144 alleged abuse victims are currently suing the diocese over the allegations
  • 10k the number of pages of documents the diocese released under court pressure
  • 2k the number of pages lawyers for the accusers say the church is hiding source

16 Sep 2010 10:10

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World: Pope Benedict finally decides to criticize the abuse crisis

  • I must say that these revelations were a shock for me, a great sadness.
  • Pope Benedict XVI • Stumbling to the kind of response he should’ve made a long time ago about the sex abuse crisis, and the church’s pathetic response. “The first interest is the victims,” he said, and that the church was trying to figure out “how can we repair, what can we do to help them to overcome the trauma, to re-find their lives.” Pope Benedict made these comments in Britain in the first papal trip to the country since 1982. source