Law lets Holy See's U.N. observer mission get diplomatic privileges
WASHINGTON (CNS) --- President George W. Bush signed a law Jan. 11 that lets him grant diplomatic privileges and immunities to the Holy See's Permanent Observer Mission to the United Nations. The Holy See is not a member of the United Nations, but its permanent observer status, held since 1964, entitles it to participate in General Assembly debates, have its communications issued and circulated as official documents of the assembly, and co-sponsor draft resolutions and decisions that refer to the Holy See. The new law, the "Department of State Authorities Act of 2006," authorizes the president to give the observer mission and its members "the privileges and immunities enjoyed by the diplomatic missions of member states to the United Nations, and their members." Congress passed the act Dec. 9, 2006. It was one of the final acts of the 109th Congress before it adjourned. Diplomatic immunity ensures safe passage for diplomats outside their home country. They are not subject to lawsuits or prosecution under the laws of the host country.
Pope marks migration day, urges policies to benefit families
VATICAN CITY (CNS) --- Political policies and humanitarian assistance to help migrant and refugee families stay together or reunite will benefit host societies because they help newcomers integrate, Pope Benedict XVI said. Marking the World Day for Migrants and Refugees Jan. 14, the pope used his Sunday Angelus address to ask the international community and individual nations to adopt policies aimed at safeguarding the family bonds of migrants and refugees. In the Gospel account of Jesus, Mary and Joseph being forced to flee to Egypt, he said, people can see "the painful situation of many migrants," especially refugees, the displaced and the persecuted. Forced to leave their homes because of poverty, war or persecution, the families of the migrants can become extremely fragile, the pope said. Pope Benedict told a crowd gathered in St. Peter's Square that the United Nations estimates there are 200 million migrants in the world who have left their homes for economic reasons, 9 million refugees forced to flee and about 2 million youths who have left their home countries in order to study.
Polish prelate denies he failed to tell pope about police cooperation
WARSAW, Poland (CNS) --- The Polish archbishop who resigned after admitting he collaborated with his country's communist secret police denied claims that he failed to inform the pope about his past. Meanwhile, another archbishop has rejected accusations that he also acted as an informer and published an explanation of his secret police contacts. Archbishop Stanislaw Wielgus, who resigned in early January after serving for just two days as archbishop of Warsaw, told the Polish Catholic information agency, KAI, "In connection with media accusations that I gave the apostolic nuncio in Poland a false testimony about my contacts with the special services, I submit a copy of this testimony, whose contents I fully uphold. I swear by God in the Holy Trinity that, during the meetings and talks I held with police and intelligence representatives in connection with my trips abroad in the 1970s, I never acted against the church and never did or said anything bad against members of the clergy or laity," he told KAI in an interview published Jan. 13.
English bishop signs statement of regret for trans-Atlantic slavery
LONDON (CNS) --- An English Catholic bishop has signed a statement of regret over the trans-Atlantic slave trade. Bishop Declan Lang of Clifton joined political, business, trade union and Christian leaders in signing the statement Jan. 12 in Bristol, England. The statement is one of a number of events held this year to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the British abolition of the slave trade in 1807, the first step in totally abolishing slavery. Signers said they "cannot imagine the pain and suffering inflicted upon millions of individuals and families and the significant changes forced upon thousands of communities in Africa, the West Indies and other places by slavers of whatever race or faith." They said they "give thanks for those who struggled to initiate this change and look to a time when slavery of every kind is abolished." The statement also was signed by Anglican Bishop Mike Hill of Bristol and the Rev. Ward Jones, chairman of the Bristol District of the Methodist Church.
Ontario Archbishop Meagher, 66, dies after public fight with cancer
TORONTO (CNS) --- After a public four-year fight with cancer, Archbishop Anthony Meagher of Kingston died peacefully at his family home in Oshawa, Ontario, at the age of 66. The archbishop's open and courageous struggle with the disease drew the admiration of people across Canada. Countless prayers had been offered for him since he revealed in 2002 that he faced the prospect of dying from cancer within 18 months. However, the months stretched into years until the fall, when all treatment was discontinued. The archbishop died Jan. 14. "Way back at the beginning of the cancer, it was suggested to me that perhaps God was allowing me to be sick at this time in order that I might be better able to relate, as chief shepherd, to all in our archdiocese who are not well," Archbishop Meagher wrote in his column, "Lines from a Rocking Chair," published in the November issue of Journey, the Archdiocese of Kingston newspaper. "I really believe that this is a mission that God has given me, and I am astounded to see how God has been able to use my weakness to touch the hearts of so many people in a positive way."
Auxiliary Bishop Kaising of U.S. military archdiocese dies
CINCINNATI (CNS) -- Auxiliary Bishop John J. Kaising of the U.S. Archdiocese for the Military Services, who as a priest was ordained for the Cincinnati Archdiocese, died Jan. 13 after returning from a 10-day Christmas visit to U.S. troops in South Korea. The 70-year-old bishop died at his residence in Washington, where the military archdiocese has its headquarters. He was named auxiliary bishop in 2000. Archbishop Edwin F. O'Brien, head of the military archdiocese, called Bishop Kaising a friend and said that his sudden death "is a real tough blow for us. We were on retreat last week and he looked fine. There was no indication of anything imminent. He was bouncy, enjoying it all," the archbishop told The Catholic Telegraph, newspaper of the Cincinnati Archdiocese, in a telephone interview Jan. 16. The cause of death was not immediately known.
Colorado's Catholic governor says he's honored to serve
DENVER (CNS) --- At his swearing-in Colorado's new Democratic governor, Bill Ritter Jr., thanked Colorado voters for granting him the honor of serving them, an honor he called "heavy with responsibility." Ritter, a Catholic, succeeded Republican Gov. Bill Owens, who is also a Catholic. The transition marks the first time in state history there have been Catholic governors serving back-to-back. It is only the third time a Catholic has held the state's highest office; the first was Stephen McNichols, who was governor from 1957 to 1963. More than 2,000 people filled the stands set up on the west steps of the state Capitol for Ritter's inauguration as the state's 41st governor Jan. 9.
Bishop Skylstad says Iraqi security, dignity are key
WASHINGTON (CNS) --- Every U.S. action or policy in Iraq "ought to be evaluated in light of our nation's moral responsibility to help Iraqis to live with security and dignity in the aftermath of U.S. military action," said Bishop William S. Skylstad of Spokane, Wash., president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. In a statement released Jan. 12, Bishop Skylstad said the new U.S. policies announced by President George W. Bush Jan. 10 or any alternatives to them must be viewed within the framework of "a key moral question that ought to guide our nation's actions in Iraq: How can the U.S. bring about a responsible transition in Iraq?" He said "benchmarks" for progress toward such a transition include "minimally acceptable levels of security; economic reconstruction to create employment for Iraqis; and political structures and agreements that help overcome divisions, reduce violence, broaden participation and increase respect for religious freedom and basic human rights." Bishop Skylstad, who was traveling in the Holy Land, issued his statement from Jerusalem, but it was released through USCCB offices in Washington.
Catholics join in efforts to close prison at Guantanamo Bay
WASHINGTON (CNS) --- Pax Christi members from four chapters of the Catholic peace group were among several hundred demonstrators at a federal courthouse in Washington Jan. 11 calling for the shutdown of the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Jean Stokan, policy director for Pax Christi USA in Washington, said participants came from the Baltimore, metro Washington, Northern Virginia and Springfield, Ill., chapters to join in the protest. Pax Christi USA was among 16 sponsors of the demonstration, which marked the fifth anniversary of the detention of military prisoners at Guantanamo.
U.S. poverty called a major moral, policy challenge
WASHINGTON (CNS) --- "Poverty remains our nation's most serious political blind spot and one of our nation's most profound moral failings," says a new policy paper of Catholic Charities USA, "Poverty in America: A Threat to the Common Good." The policy paper, published in the form of a 28-page booklet released Jan. 10 at a briefing on Capitol Hill, sets the framework for Catholic Charities' new Campaign to Reduce Poverty in America. The paper is also available in Spanish. The goal of the campaign is to cut poverty in half by 2020. That would mean that the 37 million Americans now living below the poverty line, who form 12.6 percent of the country's population, would have to drop to about 6 percent within 13 years. "Poverty in this nation is an ongoing disaster that threatens the health and well-being of our country, which our children will inherit," the paper says. It says the spread of poverty in America "has been largely ignored" in recent years by politicians and the media, while the federal government "has substantially reduced the resources" devoted to assisting the poor. The policy paper and other resource materials are available on the Internet at www.catholiccharitiesusa.org.
Maryland nonpublic schools fear future without state tax credits
BALTIMORE (CNS) --- Henry Fortier calls it one of the "most painful" days in his life. After several years as principal of New All Saints School in West Baltimore --- a time marked by increasing test scores and steady improvement in student performance --- Fortier had to tell his students their school was closing. "It was devastating," said Fortier, now one of the Archdiocese of Baltimore's associate superintendents. "It hurt to see them hurt. I had kids offering their allowances to keep the school open." New All Saints was one of 10 schools in the archdiocese that closed or merged within the last five years because of strapped financial resources and declining enrollment. Because of ongoing financial challenges, Fortier is convinced that even more schools will close unless they receive more support from the state. Organized by the Maryland Nonpublic Schools Legislative Coalition, a series of 17 educational forums was held Jan. 8 throughout Maryland to educate members of the Maryland General Assembly about the contributions made by nonpublic schools to the state's economy by saving taxpayers public school costs.
Philippine senator criticizes government blacklisting of Irish priest
QUEZON CITY, Philippines (CNS) --- A Philippine senator criticized the government blacklisting of an Irish Columban priest. Senate opposition leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr. called the Bureau of Immigration and Deportation's treatment of the priest "fascistic" and "without reason." "Are we now under martial law?" Pimentel asked. Columban Father Frank Nally was held overnight at Ninoy Aquino International Airport Jan. 5. Officials then put him on a plane back to Hong Kong, said Australian Father Brian Gore, regional director of the Columban Mission Society in the Philippines. Father Gore told UCA News, an Asian church news agency, that an immigration official said Father Nally was blacklisted, but the official did not explain why. Father Nally campaigns for sustainable development and served nine years as a missionary in the Philippines, mostly in Mindanao, Father Gore said. |