Society of St. Pius X Superior General Bishop Bernard Fellay's recent speech in Oregon

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Scottish Cardinal challenges politicians on abortion

Edinburgh, May. 31, 2007 (CWNews.com) - Scotland's top Catholic prelate has exhorted Catholic politicians to stop defending legal abortion, saying that they must recognize "the barrier such cooperation erects to receiving Holy Communion." In a major address on the 40th anniversary of the Abortion Act, Cardinal Keith O'Brien of Edinburgh referred to abortion as an "unspeakable crime." "I urge politicians to have no truck with the evil trade of abortion," the cardinal said. Catholic lawmakers, he said, are morally obligated to find "means of overthrowing the legislation which makes the killing possible." The cardinal also said that doctors should refuse to cooperate with abortion, and medical schools should "teach that all human life deserves protection." Cardinal O'Brien issued a direct challenge to Scottish politicians: "Will you protect the right to life of all persons in our society from conception until natural death?" If politicians will not make that commitment, he said, the voters should refuse to support them. The cardinal decried the steady rise in the number of abortions performed in Scotland. In 2006 there were 13,081 abortions, up from 12,603 the previous years. Cardinal O'Brien described the rate of killing of the unborn as "unthinkable." Scottish Catholic leaders made a major push to reinvigorate opposition to abortion on the anniversary of the legislation that made the practice legal. In Glasgow, Archbishop Mario Conti urged pastors to preach about the evils of abortion and to "pray for legislation to protect the unborn child." Church leaders distributed 250,000 pro-life flyers through the 500 parish churches of Scotland.

New Bishops for Kingston, Vancouver and New Westminster

May 31 His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI today announced three Episcopal appointments and the resignation of two Bishops who are retiring as required by Canon Law, having reached the age of 75 years. Most Reverend Brendan M. O'Brien, Archbishop of St. John's, Newfoundland, has been named Archbishop of Kingston, Ontario. The Kingston see has been vacant since the death of Most Reverend Anthony Meagher in January 2007. Father Kenneth Nowakowski, rector of Holy Spirit Ukrainian Catholic Seminary in Ottawa has been named Ukrainian Eparchial Bishop of New Westminster in British Columbia. Father Nowakowski succeeds Most Reverend Severian S. Yakymyshyn, O.S.B.M. whose resignation was accepted by the Holy Father. Most Reverend Yakymyshyn served the Eparchy, the equivalent to a Diocese for the Oriental Catholic Church, since 1995. Most Reverend Michael Miller, C.S.B., Secretary of the Congregation for Catholic Education in Rome, has been named Coadjutor Archbishop of Vancouver. He will succeed Most Reverend Raymond Roussin, S.M., the current Archbishop of Vancouver. When a bishop is close to retirement, a coadjutor bishop (from the Latin adjuvare, to help) is often named to assist him and to assure a smooth transition upon retirement, in accordance with Canon 403 of the Code of Canon Law. The Holy Father has also accepted the resignation of Most Reverend Matthew F. Ustrzycki, Auxiliary Bishop of Hamilton, who is retiring after serving the Diocese for the past 22 years at the side of the present Bishop, Most Reverend Anthony F. Tonnos.