Bishops urge governor to veto stem-cell bill
Washington D.C., Apr 6, 2006 (CNA) - Three
Catholic leaders are urging Maryland Gov. Robert Ehrlich Jr. to veto
legislation allowing for state funding of embryonic stem cell research,
reported the Washington Post. Ehrlich said he would sign the bill.
"Enactment of
this legislation means that tax dollars will be used to pay for the
destruction of innocent human life," says a letter signed by Cardinal
William Keeler, archbishop of Baltimore; Cardinal Theodore McCarrick,
archbishop of Washington; and Bishop Michael Salltarelli of Wilmington,
Del.
"Human life is
not to be treated as a commodity, as a raw material in science
experiments,” they said. “Taking innocent human life is always a great
evil, regardless of whether society as a whole stands to benefit."
Pope Benedict, Nobel Prize winner Peres jointly condemn all forms of terrorism
Vatican City, Apr 6, 2006 (CNA) - Shimon
Peres, former prime minister of Israel and 1994 winner of the Nobel
Peace Prize, met today at the Vatican with Pope Benedict XVI. The two
discussed the difficult road to peace in the Middle East and jointly
condemned all forms of terrorism, regardless of pretexts.
Holy See Press Office Director Joaquin Navarro-Valls released the following declaration to journalists late this morning:
In a statement
released today, Holy See Press Office Director Joaquin Navarro-Valls
said that after meeting with the Holy Father, Mr. Peres “went on to
meet Cardinal Secretary of State Angelo Sodano, in the presence of Oded
Ben-Hur, Israeli ambassador to the Holy See, and Msgr. Pietro Parolin,
under-secretary of the Section for Relations with States.”
"In the course
of the discussions”, Navarro-Valls said, “opinions were exchanged
concerning the problem of peace in the Holy Land while respecting
United Nations Resolutions and the agreements concluded to date.”
“In this
context,” he added, “there was a unanimous condemnation of all forms of
terrorism, whatever pretexts used to try and justify it.”
The Vatican
press director said that "Relations between the State of Israel and the
Holy See were also examined, in the light of the agreements signed in
1993 and 1997, as were relations between the Israeli authorities and
the Christian communities resident in the country.”
"At the end of the meeting,” he highlighted, “Shimon Peres, invited the Supreme Pontiff to visit Israel."
Holy Father mourns death of former Pope Paul VI secretary
Vatican City, Apr 6, 2006 (CNA) - Many
prominent Catholics--particularly in Italy--are mourning the death
today of Archbishop Pasquale Macchi, prelate emeritus of Loretto, Italy
and former personal secretary to Pope Paul VI.
Pope Benedict
XVI sent his own personal letter of condolence to Cardinal Dionigi
Tettamanzi, who is Archbishop of Milan, recalling the 82-year old
prelate who died yesterday.
In his letter,
the Holy Father praised "the profound spirituality and generous
episcopal commitment that characterized the ministry of the lamented
prelate," and asked the Lord "to welcome him in eternal joy as a good
and faithful servant, rewarding his constant dedication to spreading
the Gospel and his devotion to the Most Holy Virgin Mary."
The Vatican
announced today that Cardinal Tettamanzi will preside at Archbishop
Macchi's funeral, which is scheduled to be held in the Duomo of Milan
on Saturday April 8.
Cardinal Attilio
Nicora, president of the Administration of the Patrimony of the
Apostolic See will attend the funeral in place of the Holy Father.
Vatican’s U.N. rep: immigration debate must not be manipulated for short-term political gain at expense of human beings
, Apr 6, 2006 (CNA) - Speaking
to the United Nation’s Commission on Population and Development
yesterday, the Holy See’s Archbishop Celestino Migliore urged leaders
to understand the complexity of the current immigration debate and
recognize that certain benefits often exist for receiving countries.
Speaking to the
world body, Archbishop Migliore, who is the Vatican’s permanent
observer to the U.N., said that "The work of the commission includes
the examination of trends and impacts upon population and development
like HIV, unknown 60 years ago, and the migration of peoples, with
their respective consequences."
He added that
sometimes, the phenomenon of migration "is painted as a threat and is
manipulated for short term political gain, at the expense of the most
natural rights of all human beings - the right to life, to citizenship,
to work and to development."
"For receiving
countries,” he went on, “the net economic impact of international
migration is said to be generally positive. Although the presence of
international migrants may have a small adverse effect on the wages of
non-migrants or may raise unemployment when wages are rigid, such
effects are usually small at the national level.
He said that “Over the medium and long term, migration can even generate employment and produce net fiscal gains."
Archbishop
Migliore pointed out that "the emigration of skilled personnel can be
detrimental to the development prospects of countries of origin,
especially small developing countries losing high proportions of
skilled citizens.”
He balanced this
however, by saying that “skilled migrants who maintain ties with their
countries of origin may stimulate the transfer of technology and
capital."
The archbishop
also highlighted the fact that "Due to low fertility, net migration
counts for three quarters of the population growth in developed
countries and, by 2030, migration may account for all population growth
in those countries.”
For this reason,
he stressed, “The social impact of migration on receiving countries
with shrinking birth rates, now needs to be better understood."
Concluding his
address, the prelate highlighted the need to understand that
"immigration cannot be the single solution to demographic and labor
problems of receiving countries."
Scientist claims Jesus could have walked on ice, not water, others critical of assessment
Washington D.C., Apr 6, 2006 (CNA) - Rare
weather conditions, creating a cold period some 2,500 to 1,500 years
ago, could have created a hard-to-see floating ice surface on the Sea
of Galilee, a scientist said yesterday in an attempt to scientifically
explain the Gospel miracle which recounts Jesus’ walk on water.
The study,
reported in LiveScience and detailed in the April issue of the Journal
of Paleolimnology, suggests that Jesus could have walked on this
isolated patch of floating ice as opposed to walking on water. Some
religion experts however, are writing off the theory as an attempt to
force a scientific explanation on the miraculous.
In the study,
scientists considered a small section of the cold freshwater surface of
Lake Kinneret in northern Israel, where salty springs empty into it
nearby. They also studied temperature records of the Mediterranean Sea
surface and used analytical ice and statistical models.
The results
suggest temperatures dropped to -4 degrees Celsius (25 degrees
Fahrenheit) for up to two days during one of two cold spells, between
2,500 and 1,500 years ago.
With such
conditions, says the study, a floating patch of ice could develop above
the plumes resulting from the salty springs along the lake's western
shore in Tabgha, where many archeological findings related to Jesus
have been found.
"We simply
explain that unique freezing processes probably happened in that region
only a handful of times during the last 12,000 years," said Doron Nof,
a Florida State University professor of oceanography. "We leave to
others the question of whether or not our research explains the
biblical account."
Nof figures
during the time period when Jesus lived, such “spring ice” may have
formed once every 30 to 60 years. Such floating ice in the unfrozen
waters of the lake would be hard to spot, especially if rain had
smoothed its surface, he said.
Blog writer
Mollie Ziegler criticizes the study on GerReligion.org. Referring to
the biblical story where Jesus walks on water, she notes that the
walking on water incident occurs immediately after Jesus feeds
thousands with the few loaves and fishes and tells them to recline on
the “green grass,” a detail which suggests warm weather.
In addition, she
writes, it is “amazing that a boat could be battling rough seas at the
same time Jesus was walking on ice nearby.”
“It’s
interesting to see so much media coverage of scientific attempts to
explain either supernatural occurrences or issues of spirituality. It’s
also interesting to contrast with the media treatment of religious
explanations of scientific phenomena,” Ziegler notes.
“When any group
questions or raises concerns with the current scientific explanation
for a given issue, it rarely if ever gets to just tell its side of the
story without rebuttal. And that’s only fair and right,” she said.
“But when some
scientist comes up with an outlandish explanation debunking Christ’s
power, it would be nice if reporters would seek a response from other
scientists or followers of Jesus who could explain the significance of
the story,” she concluded.
Churchgoing can add years to your life, study review reveals
Pittsburgh, Pa., Apr 6, 2006 (CNA) - A
recent review of existing research on factors related to longevity
reveals that people who attend religious services weekly actually live
longer. The study also reviewed work done on the impact of regular
exercise and proven therapeutic regimens on life expectancy.
The research,
however, does not reveal the link between faith and health, suggesting
the need for further research, said study leader Daniel Hall.
"Religious
attendance is not a mode of medical therapy," Hall cautioned in an
interview with LiveScience. He added that his study was not intended
for use in clinical decision-making. Hall is an Episcopal priest and a
resident in general surgery at the University of Pittsburgh Medical
Center.
Hall also told
LiveScience that he speculated the community and social aspect of
religion could play a role in the results. Perhaps, he said, being
involved in a religion can increase one’s ability to cope with stress
and make meaning out of life.
The findings are detailed in the March-April issue of the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine.
Young men considering priesthood choose between 'God or the Girl' on A&E
Los Angeles, Calif., Apr 6, 2006 (CNA) - A
new five-part documentary, billed as a reality show, about priestly
vocations will premiere Easter Sunday. “God or the Girl” on A&E is
about four young men trying to decide whether to enter the priesthood.
The network is
calling "God or the Girl" a serious documentary about the difficult
journey involved in choosing a life devoted entirely to God. However,
it has a reality-show feel to it to keep it interesting and appealing
for primetime television.
"God or the
Girl" follows 28-year-old Joe Adair of Cleveland, Ohio; 21-year-old Dan
DeMatte of Columbus, Ohio; 25-year-old Steve Horvath of Lincoln, Neb.;
and 24-year-old Mike Lechniak of Scranton, Pa., through the process of
trying to figure out whether God is calling them to become priests.
All grapple with the sacrifices they'd have to make should they enter the priesthood, including the vow of celibacy.
Each of them
also has a woman in his life, which factors into his decision. Adair
met someone special in Germany and goes there to see if there's
anything to build on. DeMatte stopped all contact with his girlfriend
for six months while he pondered his calling, but then is reunited with
her to determine whether she is part of his future. Horvath was dating
a girl he wanted to marry before he felt pulled in the direction of the
priesthood. And Lechniak is in a serious relationship with the woman he
considers his soul mate while he tries to figure out his destiny.
The U.S.
Conference of Catholic Bishops has given the documentary its approval
but some Catholic groups are reserving judgment until it actually airs.
The Church, however, did not lend any support during the making of the
documentary.
"There are some
red flags. One is the title itself," said William Donohue, president of
the Catholic League. "And to air this on Easter Sunday raises questions
about an agenda."
The involvement
of Mark Wolper as one of the executive producers also troubles Donohue.
"Wolper has a track record of standing behind assaults on the Catholic
Church," Donohue said.
Silver said concerns that "God or the Girl" is taking a swipe at the church are totally unfounded.
Peruvian lawmakers decry Health Minister’s efforts to legalize abortion
Lima, Peru, Apr 6, 2006 (CNA) - A
group of Peruvian legislators has sent a letter to the country’s Health
Minister, Pilar Mazzeti, requesting that she disclose if her department
is considering issuing norms that would allow “therapeutic abortion.”
The letter,
dated March 30 and signed by six lawmakers, came in response to a
report by the Population Research Institute’s director for Latin
America, Carlos Polo, about a “supposed ‘National Protocol’ that would
allow for ‘therapeutic abortion’ under certain medical circumstances.”
Polo said
anti-life and feminist groups in Peru are on the verge of achieving the
legalization of abortion through the implementation of a National
Protocol that in practice would allow abortion for an unlimited number
of cases and is being supported by Peru’s Heath Minister.
Currently
abortion is only allowed in Peru in cases of life of the mother or
“grave danger” for her well-being. However, Mazzeti’s
interpretation of “grave danger” would include almost any medical
condition, including “psychological harm.” The Health Minister
also seeks to make abortion available in any clinic, and she would deny
doctors the right to object to the procedure for reasons of conscience.
In their letter
the lawmakers said the “protocol” would be unconstitutional and that
its implementation would be an abuse of executive power. The
approval of such policies, they said, falls to the Congress and would
require constitutional and legal reforms.
Spanish cardinal calls on all people of good will to save family from ruin
Madrid, Spain, Apr 6, 2006 (CNA) - The
Archbishop of Toledo, Cardinal Antonio Cañizares, has denounced the
attacks on the family in Spain and is calling on “all people of good
will” to defend the family and its anthropological underpinnings.
During the
presentation of a new collection of John Paul II’s writings on marriage
and the family, the cardinal said the well being of man and of society
“is profoundly linked to” and inseparable from the family, and as a
consequence “it is crucial and urgent, in the face of the pressures and
harassment the family is enduring, that all people of good will strive
to defend it and protect its values.”
Cardinal
Cañizares noted that one of the particular difficulties facing the
family is the imposition of laws “in favor of new unions, including
those between persons of the same sex, that constitute an attack on
marriage and the family, destroy its truth, harm the most elemental
dignity and truth of the human being, lead to the breakdown of humanity
and, as a consequence, endanger the stability of society itself.”
Likewise, the cardinal said that people are aware of the problems that
are besieging marriage and the family institution in our times, due to
a certain “hedonistic and permissive” mentality.
The cardinal
recalled the vast contributions of John Paul II to the family, “in
order to defend it, to proclaim the Gospel of the family in season and
out of season, the tabernacle of life, the hope of humanity.”
Thousands of Chinese catechumens in Hong Kong to receive sacraments during Easter Vigil
Rome, Italy, Apr 6, 2006 (CNA) - Hong
Kong’s Catholic communities are preparing to welcome 2,400 new members
who will receive the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and First Holy
Communion during the Easter Vigil Mass on April 15, Easter Saturday.
The Fides news
agency has reported that the Archbishop of Hong Kong, Cardinal Joseph
Zen, Auxiliary Bishop John Tong and a commission of priests carried out
the ritual scrutinies of the catechumens to ascertain their spiritual
disposition, free will and familiarity with the faith and the local
church community life. “The Ten Commandments are a gift of God’s grace
and love for us, the Cardinal told them, we strive to follow them
because they help us to live in the love of God”, Cardinal Zen told the
catechumens.
The Cardinal
encouraged the catechumens and said, “Being a catechumen is like a
period of engagement with the Church. The sacrament of Baptism which
you will receive at Easter makes you fully members of Christ,
Confirmation strengthens you in your faith and in the Eucharist you
receive the Body and Blood of Christ as members of the Body of Christ,
the universal Church.”
At the
conclusion of the ceremony, some catechumens shared their testimonies
saying, “Faith in Christ gives new strength to face daily life and it
gives peace of heart”.
Civil rights groups denounce ideologically based elementary school course
Madrid, Spain, Apr 6, 2006 (CNA) - The
civil rights watchdog website in Spain, Hazteoir.org, has denounced a
new course for elementary schools which the Ministry of Education has
included in an education reform bill, saying the subject material for
the course, called “Education for Citizenship,” is nothing more than
the promotion of secularism, gender ideology, radical feminism and the
culture of death.
Analysts of the
website carried out a study of the subject material which the Ministry
of Education sent to organizations that are supporting its efforts to
pass an education reform bill that is now before the Spanish Senate.
Alejandro
Campoy, a member of the group, warned that the bill contains proposals
that lack the neutrality that “corresponds to a non-sectarian State”
and that consist of “very clear elements from specific socio-political
ideologies” linked to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transsexual movements.
Ignacio Arsuaga,
president of Hazteoir.og, called the course “a direct attack on the
consciences of citizens who profess the Catholic faith and, in general,
of all citizens who do not share the secular vision of the government.”
Arsuaga said he
was hopeful the Spanish Congress could modify the bill and eliminate
the course from elementary school curricula. Such a move, he
said, would demonstrate that Socialist legislatures are “willing to
dialogue” instead of ignoring yet again “a large segment of
society.” He said the website would organize a campaign to call
on parents to object to the material and to refuse to allow their
children to attend such classes, and that the organization would offer
legal assistance to parents to help “defend in court their right to
object.”
Professionals
for Ethics, another group working with Hazteoir.org to oppose the new
law, issued its own critique of the proposal, saying the course would
be a potential instrument for ideological indoctrination in the schools
and constitutes an attack on the Constitution, which recognizes the
right of parents to educate their children according to their own
convictions.
