To restore credibility, Cardinal Mahony should resign

by Phil Lawler special to CWNews.com Jul. 17, 2007 (CWNews.com) - Five years ago Cardinal Roger Mahony was reportedly encouraging Vatican officials to ask for the resignation of Boston's Cardinal Bernard Law. Using the same logical arguments that the American prelate presented in 2002, the Vatican should now ask Cardinal Mahony himself to step down. The sensational cost of the sex-abuse scandal for the Los Angeles archdiocese far exceeds the devastation in Boston. The $660-million legal settlement announced on July 16 is nearly five times the total of the financial damages in Boston. Combining that settlement with previous agreements, lawyers' fees, and other associated costs, the overall price to be paid by the faithful Catholics of Los Angeles will approach $1 billion.

Motu Proprio: Summorum Pontificum

Vatican - Agency I.MEDIA - July 4 2007The Motu Proprio "Summorum Pontificum" for the liberalization of the Mass according to the Missal of 1962 will be published on July 7The Apostolic Letter in the form of Motu Proprio which Benedict readies to publish in order to liberalize the use of the Mass and liturgical books according to the pre-Conciliar rite of 1962 will receive the name of "Summorum Pontificum", I.MEDIA has learned from Vatican sources. This document, greatly expected by the Traditionalist faithful and feared by a certain number of Bishops, will be published on July 7.Summorum Pontificum (in [English], "...of the Supreme Pontiffs") is the incipit (beginning of the text) of the Motu Proprio of Benedict XVI liberalizing the use of the Mass said of "Saint Pius V", I.MEDIA has learned from Vatican sources. This Apostolic Letter which will be made public next July 7. The document will be accompanied by a long letter by the Pope explaining his motivations for this publication of which certain Bishops, particularly in France, disapprove [lit. "take a dim view"].

John Howard welcomes Youth Day Cross

THE AGE: The 3.8-metre tall cross that symbolises World Youth Day has landed in Australia, as preparations begin for the event to be attended next year by Pope Benedict and an expected a half million Catholics. The cross and an accompanying icon - a portrait of the Virgin Mary - arrived from New Zealand to be formally handed over to Australia's Catholic leaders at an airport ceremony on Sunday attended by Prime Minister John Howard. Hundreds of clergy and other representatives from Catholic and indigenous communities of Australia and New Zealand gathered inside a Qantas hangar to welcome the arrival of the emblems of the week-long event, to be held in Sydney next July. Archbishops from both countries inspired the audience with speeches about what World Youth Day means to young people and the world of Christianity. Mr Howard said after the ceremonial handover that next year's gathering of an estimated 500,000 people would give Christians an opportunity to experience and renew their faith. "The cross and the icon (are) a reminder that next year World Youth Day will be a magnificent opportunity for the young in their thousands, not only from Australia, but around the world, to reaffirm their faith and to remind the world and to remind this nation of the enduring relevance and resonance about the Christian message," he told the gathering. "It's an occasion not only for Catholics, but for all who profess the Christian faith and the Christian belief, to celebrate the marvellous message of the Christian religion and its continuing importance to our country and the life of all of its citizens."

Beijing removes Papal Letter to Chinese Church from web

Several Chinese Catholic portals uploaded the letter in simplified Chinese after its publication, but government officials “convinced” them to remove it. All the same, the letter reached the community of the faithful through different channels. Beijing (AsiaNews) – The Letter of Benedict XVI to the clergy and the faithful of the People’s Republic of China has disappeared from Catholic websites which featured it after its publication. Meanwhile, in China, it is impossible to open the Internet site of the Holy See. This was confirmed by Chinese priests and lay people, official and otherwise, who manage the various portals. Some had uploaded the text in simplified Chinese as soon as it was published, but they received a visit from government representatives who “convinced” them to remove it. According to one priest, anonymous for security reasons, this ban “shows how true what the Pope wrote about government influence in religious affairs is”. At the same time, it “shows that the Church in China does not enjoy full religious freedom”.

BROWN: DON'T SAY TERRORISTS ARE MUSLIMS

Daily Express: Gordon Brown has banned ministers from using the word “Muslim” in ­connection with the ­terrorism crisis. The Prime Minister has also instructed his team – including new Home Secretary Jacqui Smith – that the phrase “war on ­terror” is to be dropped. The shake-up is part of a fresh attempt to improve community relations and avoid offending Muslims, adopting a more “consensual” tone than existed under Tony Blair.However, the change provoked claims last night that ministers are indulging in yet more political correctness.The sudden shift in tone emerged in comments by Mr Brown and Ms Smith in the wake of the failed attacks in London and Glasgow. Mr Brown’s spokesman acknowledged yesterday that ministers had been given specific guidelines to avoid inflammatory language. “There is clearly a need to strike a consensual tone in relation to all communities across the UK,” the spokesman said. “It is important that the country remains united.”He confirmed that the phrase “war on terror” – strongly associated with Mr Blair and US President George Bush – has been dropped. Officials insist that no direct links with Muslim extremists have been publicly confirmed by police investigating the latest attempted terror attacks. Mr Brown himself did not refer to Muslims or Islam once in a BBC TV interview on Sunday. Ms Smith also avoided any such reference in her statement to MPs yesterday.

"Abolish Abortion in Canada" is the Top Canadian Wish, CBC Announces

Pro-life votes reach 9,543 on CBC and Facebook's The Great Canadian Wish List (LifeSiteNews.com) - On Canada Day the CBC announced that "Abolish abortion in Canada" is the number one wish on The Great Canadian Wish List, a joint project between Facebook and the CBC. Since the rating began on May 28, Canadians watched with increasing interest as the numbers rose for the top 30 Canadian wishes. The fourth most popular wish, "Restore the Traditional Definition of Marriage," was preceded by the third, "For a spiritual revival in our nation." The second most popular was "I wish that Canada would remain pro-choice." Of the 16,000 people who registered their wishes, a majority of 9,543 votes supported the top wish to "Abolish abortion in Canada." "This should come as no surprise to anyone," said Jim Hughes, National President of Campaign Life Coalition (CLC). "We have always noted and the polls have confirmed that the majority of Canadians want protection for the unborn child. This poll of sorts by the CBC and Facebook only confirms what we have been saying all along." The CBC announces the winning wish at 7:30 a.m. on Canada Day: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhZJgZfsGW8

Conservatives Award Order of Canada to Gay Pastor Who Attacked Vatican, Performed Illegal Gay "Marriages"

(LifeSiteNews.com) - Rev. Brent Hawkes of the Metropolitan Community Church in Toronto, the same man who flouted Canadian law by illegally "marrying" a homosexual couple in 2001, and who subsequently pushed homosexual "marriage" on Canada through the back-door of the judicial system, has now been awarded the highest honor that can be given to a Canadian civilian. This past Friday, Rev. Brent Hawkes was awarded, along with several dozen others, the high honour of the Order of Canada, given in recognition of "a lifetime of distinguished service in or to a particular community, group or field of activity." The award given under the Conservative Government of Prime Minister Stephen Harper has come as a shock to social conservatives and Catholics since Hawkes, in addition to flouting the law on marriage has attacked the Vatican. In an affidavit before the Supreme Court of Canada Hawkes bashed a Vatican document on homosexual unions and statements by Catholic bishops on the same as "expressions of hatred that should not be tolerated in our society." To express concerns:Conservative LeaderPrime Minister Stephen Harperpm@pm.gc.ca

New Zealand Bishop Speaks Out Against Visit of Pro-Abortion Nun

(LifeSiteNews.com) - Bishop Barry Jones has indicated that he will not remain silent as an American nun, infamous for her opposition to the Catholic Church's pro-life teachings and advocacy of female priesthood, preaches her agenda in his diocese. The Catholic Bishop of Christchurch has told his priests that this week's visit by Benedictine Sister Joan Chittister is unauthorized and unwelcome according to The Press, a New Zealand newspaper. Chittister, a member of the Benedictine Sisters of Erie, Pennsylvania-a dissident congregation in the Catholic Church - was invited by the Adult Education Trust to speak in Christchurch and elsewhere in New Zealand about "Spirituality & Culture: Sacred Challenges to a Secular World." The US nun has garnered a well-earned reputation as a vociferous advocate of contraception, abortion, and homosexuality, and has lambasted the Church's teachings on the latter as "spiritual violence and abuse." Bishop Jones made clear that he could not allow Chittister to speak in his diocese as if she were any Catholic in good standing on account of the scandal and confusion her message would give among Catholics. "The point is that silence generates the misunderstanding that this is all approved, when it's not. I have made my position clear to the priests," Jones said. "I don't see how I, as a bishop, can advance the teachings of the Catholic Church by appearing to condone other views." Chittister is scheduled to speak at St Margaret's College Chapel in Merivale on July 6th and 7th. Afterwards she leaves Christchurch to spread her gospel in Wellington on July 10 and 11, followed by a visit to Auckland on July 14 and 15 that will include speaking engagements at colleges and parish churches in those dioceses

Lesbian Gangs Raping Young Girls, Some Attacked in School Washrooms

(LifeSiteNews.com) - Last week, the Fox News' O'Reilly Factor exposed the increasing trend of lesbian gang violence terrorizing neighbourhoods and schools, especially in large cities across the United States. According to FOX News crime analyst Rod Wheeler there are some 150 such gangs in the DC area alone, including Washington, Maryland, and Virginia. The gangs, known as Dykes Taking Over (DTO) or Gays Taking Over, are forcing children into homosexuality. Wheeler told host Bill O'Reilly: "there is this national underground network, if you will, Bill, of women that's lesbians and also some men groups that's actually recruiting kids as young as 10 years old in a lot of the schools in the communities all across the country." In addition to carrying weapons and violently attacking people the lesbian gangs rape girl victims they recruit. "As a matter of fact," said Wheeler, "some of the kids have actually reported that they were actually forced into, you know, performing sex acts and doing sex acts with some of these people." (see the O'Reilly Factor segment: http://youtube.com/watch?v=CFgXVyeGh2A ) Homosexual activist bloggers are denouncing the O'Reilly Factor expose as falsehood. An NBC10 report from Philadelphia in 2004 titled "Students fear 'lesbian gang' at school" noted DTO members were harassing other students. Young female students were interviewed for the report and told of being bullied to becoming lesbians, of being groped and harassed in gym and girls bathrooms. (see the NBC10 report: http://www.nbc10.com/news/2857417/detail.html ) Violence by gays and lesbians is largely underreported in the mainstream media. In 2004, a report by REAL Women Canada pointed out that homosexual parenting would be harmful to children. One of the points made in the report speaks of "a higher rate of violence in lesbian and homosexual relationships than in married, heterosexual relationships." "A study in the Journal of Interpersonal Violence examined conflict and violence in lesbian relationships," says the report. "The researchers found that 90% of the lesbians surveyed had been recipients of one or more acts of verbal aggression from their intimate partners during the year prior to this study, with 31% reporting one or more incidents of physical abuse." The findings, says REAL Women are verified by other studies. (see the full report: http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2004/apr/040428c.html ) See related coverage:4-Year-Old Killed for Refusing to Call Mom's Lesbian Lover "Daddy" http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2006/mar/06032407.html

Recent Survey Indicates Drop in Support for Homosexual "Marriage"

By Elizabeth O'Brien WASHINGTON, DC, July 3, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) - A recently released survey by the nonprofit Pew Research Center (PRC) in Washington indicates that American support has decreased for homosexual "marriage". When conducting the survey, entitled "Generation Gap in Values, Behaviors," researchers contacted 2,020 people throughout the United States by phone from February 16 through March 14, 2007. They asked people of various racial backgrounds about issues relating to heterosexual marriage, unwed parenting, homosexual "marriage", homosexual parenting, divorce and cohabitation. A strong majority (65%) defined the main purpose of marriage as "forming a lifetime union between two adults for their mutual happiness and fulfillment," rather than the more traditional understanding of marriage as being for "bearing and raising children." When asked to choose between nine different things that make a marriage most successful, 93% stated that it was "faithfulness". The survey asked whether gay and lesbian couples should be allowed "to enter into legal agreements with each other that would give them many of the same rights as married couples." In total, 45% favored the idea while a slim 1% more (46%) remained in opposition. According to the survey, the number in favor of same-sex civil unions has not been this low since October 2003 (see http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2003/jul/03072909.html). Nevertheless, when asked specifically about same-sex "marriage", the results had changed significantly. The question was, "Do you favor or oppose allowing gays and lesbians to marry legally?" While 32% were in favor, 57% were opposed. According to the PRC, opposition to gay "marriage" has increased from 51% in March 2006. Instead, the current numbers are more akin to 2003 and 2004 numbers. The survey also noted, "The groups most likely to take issue with gay marriage include men, older adults (ages 50 and above), the less educated (high school or less), Protestants (particularly white evangelicals), and regular church attendees (weekly or more)." When asked about homosexual parenting, more women were in favor than men (59% opposed the idea). "Among women, opposition to gay and lesbian couples raising children has declined in the past decade," stated the survey. "In a 1997 survey of women only, a majority (56%) said this was a bad thing for society, compared with 42% saying this today. The negative reaction has fallen across the board among women, regardless of age, education and marital status." When asked about homosexual parenting, a total of 50% responded by saying that it is bad for society, 11% that it is good, and 34% said it didn't matter. Read the survey results: http://pewresearch.org/assets/social/pdf/Marriage.pdf