Catholic Telecommunications (Dec 2005)




		NEWS ARCHIVE FOR DECEMBER 2005 Christmas 'pokes holes in the dark' at Boystown The Director of Mission at Boystown in Queensland, Br Bill Firman has said that for the lonely, and those despairing in darkness, it is often caring organisations that offer a shining light of hope at Christmas. 23 Dec 2005 New editor for Online Catholics The Archbishop of Hobart's former media officer has been named editor of the independent weekly Online Catholics. 23 Dec 2005 Milestone for Wollongong cathedral The NSW Diocese of Wollongong has announced the successful applicant to prepare a master plan for its new cathedral site. 23 Dec 2005 Pell says there's an alternative to cloning Cardinal George Pell said yesterday that a ban on human cloning does not equate to abandoning care and concern for people suffering from injury and illness, because human stem cells can be taken from umbilical cord blood and the body tissues of children and adults. 23 Dec 2005 Govt Christmas present for charities Tax breaks for charities will continue after a climbdown by the Australian Taxation Office that is reported today in The Australian. 23 Dec 2005 Pope's first encyclical expected in January According to Italian press reports, Pope Benedict XVI plans to sign off on his first encyclical on Christmas Day, and the document will be made public after the feast of the Epiphany. 23 Dec 2005 Feature - Hillsong view of the Catholic Church Pastor Brian Houston, co-founder of Sydney's Hillsong Church and National President of the Assemblies of God in Australia, finds the mystery that surrounds Catholicism appealing, as well as the Catholic belief that "simple faith can bring about the miraculous and that God can break into people's lives and make a lasting difference." Rabbi Raymond Apple says: "I like the Catholic ability to laugh at themselves, and their good natured but not uncritical respect for Head Office." 23 Dec 2005 Opinion - RU486 contradicts the message of Christmas In the humble scene at Bethlehem we see the deepest of human loves, a mother and her defenceless baby. RU486 must not be released as a mere human pesticide in the service of social abortion. Instead the Government must strengthen social supports for women distressed by unplanned pregnancy. That is the only response for those nurtured on Bethlehem's tender images - especially in an era of late-term abortion, cloning and RU486, when the violent sounds of Herod's soldiers seem ever louder and nearer. - Dr David van Gend, Queensland secretary, World Federation of Doctors who Respect Human Life 23 Dec 2005 Parish sessions aim to cure Christmas depression A Barcelona priest is offering parish workshops to help people suffering from depression arising from "excessive consumerism, memories of deceased family members, and the stress of preparing holiday meals". 22 Dec 2005 Taize founder wrote about death before fatal stabbing In a message prepared shortly before he was fatally stabbed, Br Roger Schutz spoke about the special suffering caused by the death of inspirational figures. 22 Dec 2005 Mental health report "holds no surprises" Catholic Health Australia has said that yesterday's release of the Federal Government's annual national mental health report "continues the long saga of neglect for too many Australians suffering from a mental disorder". 22 Dec 2005 Zimbabwe archbishop "will not be silenced" Archbishop Pius Ncube of Bulawayo has said he refuses to be muzzled and he does not fear the Zimbabwean government's latest threat to clamp down on its critics. 22 Dec 2005 Pope tells theologian he's coming to Australia When pressed earlier this month by Fr Tony Kelly of the Australian Catholic University, Pope Benedict XVI gave his assurance that he will be visiting Sydney for World Youth Day 2008, "God willing". 22 Dec 2005 Church 'regret' at embryo cloning approval A government report backing the easing of laws on cloning and embryo research is a "matter of great disappointment and sadness", says the president of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, Archbishop Francis Carroll. 22 Dec 2005 Feature - What to give a priest for Christmas How many rosaries, crucifixes and Bibles does a priest receive for Christmas? Answer: enough to open a Catholic book and gift shop. Parish secretaries, administrators and family members of priests all agree - priests do not need any more sacramentals as gifts. Indeed, Catholic priests top many shoppers' "hard-to-buy-for" lists. For many priests, prayers from the faithful are the only gifts they need. 22 Dec 2005 Opinion - Narnia: Not just for Evangelicals A Disney executive said that The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe will provide the company with a Christian (read Evangelical) niche. C.S. Lewis' charming Narnia stories deserve a much broader audience beyond biblical fundamentalists. It seems to me that the evangelicals slip dangerously close to Catholic idolatry when they embrace a wondrous allegory as a summary of the biblical story. Jesus is not and never was a lion like Aslan in the film. There are certainly risks in this Catholic imagination, superstition and idolatry among others - though it does make the world a warmer and a more human place. - Fr Andrew Greeley 22 Dec 2005 *Bishops' president blasts South Park* episode** The president of the US Bishops has criticised a recent episode of the animated TV comedy South Park that he said showed Mary in "a tasteless and ugly fashion." 21 Dec 2005 New Indonesian diocese under threat of attack A new diocese set up by Benedict XVI a few days ago is the target of potential terrorist attacks, with security increased following threats to target places of worship and Catholics themselves. 21 Dec 2005 Irish clergy abuse to be probed by lay experts Catholic Bishops in Ireland are to hand over responsibility for the handling of child abuse claims to professionally qualified lay people. 21 Dec 2005 Changed legislation makes schools employer body redundant The Victorian Catholic Schools' Association will close, with its functions to be brought within the Catholic Education Office. 21 Dec 2005 Pope proclaims 19 new saints Pope Benedict XVI has authorised the proclamation of 19 new saints and blesseds, the first such decree of his papacy which began in late April. 21 Dec 2005 Pell denies Australian society is racist Australia has pockets of racism but overall it is not racist, and any racism is criminal, "idiotic" and borne of ignorance, according to Cardinal George Pell. 21 Dec 2005 Feature - Finding good in all things Catholics often find the Church, its hierarchy and its sometimes hardline positions, difficult to understand and accept. The Gospel can seem obscured. Former Dominican leader, Fr Timothy Radcliffe, offers clear sight, revealing the essential truths. If they listen to him, they find he gets to the heart of things, offering a Christ-centred vision. Many found the recent Vatican instruction on homosexuality hard to take. But Radcliffe found a way of seeing the good in it. 21 Dec 2005 Opinion - The meaning of hope is best understood in times of despair Currently there's much our world and in our Church which could lead us to despondency. G.K. Chesterton said that the virtue of hope means nothing unless we live it when the situation seems humanly hopeless. On a personal level, Christmas presents us with opportunities to renew neglected friendships, to repair broken relationships or, in a variety of ways, to tell someone we love them. - Canberra-Goulburn auxiliary Bishop Pat Power 21 Dec 2005 Melbourne Lord Mayor to join Archbishop in City Square This afternoon at 5:00 pm, Archbishop Denis Hart and the Lord Mayor John So, will offer Christmas messages to the people of Melbourne in the City Square. 20 Dec 2005 Benedict extols spirit of silence in a noisy world With Christmas approaching, Pope Benedict XVI exhorted the faithful to cultivate a spirit of interior recollection in an often noisy world that makes it hard to listen to God. 20 Dec 2005 Large Hobart funeral for Archbishop D'Arcy A moving mass of Christian burial for former Archbishop of Hobart Eric D'Arcy yesterday attracted a big attendance and powerful leaders of the Catholic Church in Australia. 20 Dec 2005 Church reacts to embryo cloning advance Scientists could soon be creating cloned embryos for stem cell research after a Government committee yesterday backed the controversial technique of "therapeutic cloning". 20 Dec 2005 Caritas takes stock of tsunami reconstruction efforts Caritas Australia CEO Jack de Groot has declared that one year after the tsunami, Aceh communities he visited last weel are "all in shelter and some are to be in permanent housing by the end of this month". 20 Dec 2005 Vinnies says poor shoulder greater cost burden Coinciding with debate over how the Federal Government should spend its expected $11.5 billion budget surplus, is the latest research from the St Vincent de Paul Society, which details how a disproportionate burden of cost increases has fallen on low-income households. 20 Dec 2005 Feature - Man on a mission After eight months on the job, Pope Benedict XVI has created a charisma all his own. As Cardinal Ratzinger, he was no ordinary shuffler of Vatican papers. But working the day shift at Church headquarters for 23 years meant studying and safeguarding the Gospels, not preaching it. Yet the new Pope has stepped onto the world stage with grace, warmth and an understated clout, qualities that make him Time Magazine's choice for its European Newsmaker of the Year. 20 Dec 2005 Opinion - Hope conquers terrorism Bishop Michael Malone has recently been in Israel, a country that knows well the horrors of terrorism, yet it is also the land from which the great Christian message of hope sheds its light. "Jesus - born at Bethlehem and crucified outside the walls of Jerusalem - was subjected to political pressure all his life. Yet he always spoke of a reality beyond the political... Our role is clear," Bishop Michael said. "Terrorism will not succeed as long as we continue to be inspired by the Christian message of love, peace and forgiveness. We are called to be messengers of hope here in Australia ". - Dr Beverly Zimmerman, with Bishop Michael Malone 20 Dec 2005 Woman crushed to death in cathedral A woman praying in a cathedral in Argentina has met an horrific death after a stained glass panel fell from the ceiling and struck her. 19 Dec 2005 'Selfless dedication' prompts lighter sentence for priest A judge sentencing a Salesian priest for sexual abuse of minors took into account the fact that he had selflessly dedicated his life to helping others as a priest. 19 Dec 2005 Caritas regrets failure of Hong Kong trade justice meeting Justice has not been delivered to poor countries at the World Trade Organisation meeting Hong Kong, according to analysts from the British Caritas aid agency CAFOD. 19 Dec 2005 Pope says Catholics, Orthodox must work for unity Catholics and Orthodox have a responsibility to work toward full unity in accordance with the will of Christ, Pope Benedict XVI has said. 19 Dec 2005 Pell announces adult stem cell research grant Cardinal George Pell announced on Friday that Dr Pritinder Kaur of the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre in Melbourne has won the Archdiocese of Sydney's $100,000 grant to support adult stem cell research. 19 Dec 2005 Church hails Howard call for more cribs While some religious leaders have reacted skeptically to the Prime Minister's call for nativity scenes in department stores, Catholic Bishops Conference General Secretary Fr Brian Lucas has supported his comments. 19 Dec 2005 Feature - Unlikely sweet contentment in Warhol Nativity When Tate Modern held a major Warhol exhibition in 2002, I expected to feel a little contemptuous of the banalities of his mass-produced images. Warhol's Nativity lacks the ambiguity of his later works, and yet there is vulnerability as well as childlike joy in the painting. It is an image which evokes the innocence of the infant Christ, and of the Incarnation itself. Mary and Joseph incline tenderly towards the child, in whose presence the cat and the sheep find a space of sweet contentment. 19 Dec 2005 Opinion - Mixed signals from NSW Govt on alcohol The past week has brought shame and adverse publicity for Australia. It will take a determined effort by the Government and police, with the support of parents and the community, to get the genie back inside the bottle. The trouble at Cronulla came late in the day, after a lot of alcohol had been consumed. Last Thursday's legislation by the NSW Government giving police the power to stop such sales of alcohol is a good development, and it throws light on the Government's strange decision to extend hotel trading hours. - Cardinal George Pell 19 Dec 2005 Jesuit says bad driving is a sin Using mobile phones while driving, drink-driving, or driving while fatigued, are sins that should be confessed, according to the Jesuit director of an influential magazine in Italy. 16 Dec 2005 Bishop says Rome history shapes our identity Melbourne auxiliary Bishop Mark Coleridge has said that the Roman Empire may be long gone, but the city "still belongs to all of us". 16 Dec 2005 Spain has eye on 2011 World Youth Day The Archbishop of Madrid has said that the Spanish capital is hoping to be selected as host of World Youth Day 2011. 16 Dec 2005 Jesuits and companions begin Jubilee Year with assembly The Jubilee Year of St Ignatius, St Francis Xavier and Blessed Peter Favre was launched this week at a two-day gathering at Newman College at the University of Melbourne. 16 Dec 2005 Parent produces gun at Sydney school A day of celebration for students at a Catholic primary school turned into a nightmare yesterday when a father pulled out a loaded handgun in front of hundreds of children. 16 Dec 2005 Pope to work overtime at Christmas The Vatican has announced that 78 year old Pope Benedict XVI will rise to the challenge of a gruelling schedule of public Masses and prayer services at Christmas time. 16 Dec 2005 Feature - It's cool to be Christian Before Peter Garrett was a rock star, before he was an environmental campaigner, before he was the federal member for Kingsford Smith in Sydney, he was a Christian. "I would not describe myself as devout, although certainly a Christian belief has, I think, informed my value system," the former lead singer of Midnight Oil says. "It explains who I am and what I believe in." 16 Dec 2005 Opinion - Let's take worship cue from Muslims Look at Muslims, when they come to prayer they must physically line up together, pray together, touch each other. When we come together on a Sunday we spread all over the place, we don't look like a body that wants to be together. We often don't even talk to each other and we don't connect with each other. - Sr Carmel Pilcher RSJ, liturgy director, Archdiocese of Sydney 16 Dec 2005 Aussie London bomb survivor walks down the aisle A bride-to-be who lost both legs in the 7 July bomb attacks in London walked down the aisle at her wedding in London on Sunday. 15 Dec 2005 Vinnies Christmas Appeal boost from large donation The St Vincent de Paul Society NSW/ACT will today receive a cheque for $43,500 from the Job Network provider Ingeus Australia, which it says will enable it to respond to acute needs of those in need, especially sole parents. 15 Dec 2005 Church robbery casts shadow over Christmas The Melbourne Herald-Sun has published an editorial today describing thieves who stole Christmas presents from a Catholic Church in one of Melbourne's poorer suburbs as "beneath contempt". 15 Dec 2005 Pope says God does not abandon people God never leaves his creatures alone, not even at the moment of death when each person must complete his or her journey without the company of anyone else, Pope Benedict XVI said yesterday at his weekly general audience in St Peter Square. 15 Dec 2005 Catholic Health to address abortion pill inquiry Catholic Health Australia CEO Francis Sullivan will tell today's Senate Inquiry into the approval of the abortion drug RU486, that it is not within the competence of the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) to judge the social implications of the proposed approval legislation. 15 Dec 2005 Sydney church attacks spark fears No further violence was reported last night, but four churches in Sydney's southwest have been attacked in 24-hours as the city's volatile riots spreads from race to religion. 15 Dec 2005 Feature - Green Dominicans Sisters Diana Santleben and Ann Walsh have moved a long way from their Sydney convent to live in the Newcastle suburban area of Maryland. Although they have only been in their home, 'Gaia', for six weeks, rapid changes have already taken place. Diana and Ann are continuing a sustainable living project they had started together at their previous house in Lidcombe. Using Permaculture principles, their house will be transformed into an energy efficient home using some simple and practical methods. 15 Dec 2005 Opinion - Conference captured moral dimension of climate change In November, I was fortunate to attend two climate change conferences in Australia. The first - Greenhouse 2005 in Melbourne - was an international event funded mainly by the Australian government. I then went to Canberra for the Catholic Bishops Conference. In Melbourne no one mentioned the morality of the situation. In Canberra there was humbleness in the face of our sin against the earth. What the Bishops did in Canberra was truly exceptional. Australia is the first country in the world to put religion and climate change side by side in such a concrete way. - Mary Colwell, Producer BBC Natural History Unit, Bristol UK 15 Dec 2005 Death of New Zealand's first Maori bishop Bishop Takuira Max Mariu, a respected leader of the Maori Catholic community, died in Auckland on Monday night at the age of 53. 14 Dec 2005 Eight years for school pedophile A former Adelaide Catholic school teacher who admitted sexually abusing young boys has been jailed for at least eight years. 14 Dec 2005 Bishops sought Schwarzenegger clemency for death row inmate It has been revealed that the US bishops joined numerous human rights organisations and celebrities last week in asking California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to commute Stanley Tookie Williams' death sentence. 14 Dec 2005 Pope's World Peace Day message highlights international law Even in the midst of war, basic human rights must be respected and all parties involved must work to end hostilities, Pope Benedict XVI said in his message for World Peace Day 2006. 14 Dec 2005 Maronite bishop denounces Sydney violence The Bishop of Sydney's Maronite Catholic community, Bishop Ad Abikaram, issued a statement saying that he is appalled by the race violence of the past week, and that he fully supports the Government and Police in their efforts to apprehend the perpetrators. 14 Dec 2005 Pell tells race gangs that Christmas is sacred Cardinal George Pell has warned gangs of Middle Eastern descent not to target Christmas celebrations, after families were abused and gunshots fired into cars at a primary school's carols night in western Sydney on Monday. 14 Dec 2005 Feature - Energy and passion of young adults Now more than ever young people are fuelled by consumerist desire - or the earnest struggle to break free from it. A quick scan of the Church scene indicates a smorgasbord of choice for young people. Sydney Archdiocesan Youth Ministry Coordinator, Lyndon Cox, says although the number of young people involved with the church may be down historically, those who are involved are passionate about expressing their faith. But he acknowledges there is tension between outward-focussed social justice type activities, and inward-focussed traditional 'veneration' activities. 14 Dec 2005 Opinion - God can surprise by speaking through pagans I have friends who are pagans, in the best sense of the word. From a strict Christian point of view, most everything's wrong with them, except themselves. They rarely go to church, mostly disregard the church's teaching on sex, pray only when in crisis, and are basically too immersed in life here-and-now to think much about God. But they radiate life, sometimes in ways that shame me. There's something about them that's very right, inspiring even, and life giving. - Fr Ron Rolheiser OMI 14 Dec 2005 Bishop says Christmas part of the Australian way Bishop Brian Heenan of Rockhampton has said Australians have a right to wish each other a Merry Christmas, even though not everyone is a Christian. 13 Dec 2005 British cardinal prays for Iraq peacemaker hostages Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor has sent a message of solidarity with four members of Christian Peacemaker Teams being held hostage in Iraq. 13 Dec 2005 Pope names East Timor/Indonesia nuncio to key Vatican post Pope Benedict XVI has appointed Sri Lankan Archbishop Albert Malcolm Ranjith Patabendige Don, who is now serving as apostolic nuncio to Indonesia and East Timor, as secretary of the Congregation for Divine Worship. 13 Dec 2005 Pope laments 'great loss of life' in Nigerian aircrash Pope Benedict XVI regretted "the great loss of life" after a Nigerian airliner crashed, killing almost all passengers on board, many of them schoolchildren heading home for the Christmas holidays. 13 Dec 2005 Death of Archbishop Eric D'Arcy Former Archbishop of Hobart Eric D'Arcy died in Melbourne early yesterday, aged 81. 13 Dec 2005 Pell calls race mob action a disgrace Cardinal George Pell of Sydney has said that the city's weekend beach riots that continued last night are a disgrace, and that all people of goodwill should reject the extremists in both camps and work together to end the disturbances. 13 Dec 2005 Feature - Thoughts of the Deputy PM As a member of Taree's Our Lady of the Rosary parish, Nationals leader, Federal Trade Minister and Deputy PM Mark Vaile has at times listened to homilies which addressed social concerns, conscious that fellow parishioners were gauging his reaction! He regularly takes the opportunity, at party room level, to promote his views, often influenced by a faith perspective, but accepts that once policy decisions are made, his responsibility as leader of the Nationals, Trade Minister, and Deputy Prime Minister is to support government policy. 13 Dec 2005 Opinion - The power of saying G'Day In all my reading on effective ministry with young people, I have come to one inescapable conclusion. Isaiah 43 begins with the words, "I have called you by name. You are mine." We have nothing richer to offer than the experience of knowing them by name and affirming they belong with us. Amazing things can and do happen in our communities throughout the diocese, and often they begin with a simple, "G'day". - Brent Lammas, Rockhampton Diocesan Youth Ministries Coordinator 13 Dec 2005 Bathersby support for principal who spruiked Christmas Brisbane's Archbishop John Bathersby has defended a government school principal who felt the need to apologise for "overusing" the word "Christmas" after complaints from parents. 12 Dec 2005 Perth's multicultural ordination ceremony In what represented a record number of ordinations at any ceremony in the Archdiocese, nine priests were ordained by Archbishop Barry Hickey in St Mary's Cathedral, Perth, on Friday. 12 Dec 2005 Salesian "preyed on ill pupils" A priest who taught at a Melbourne college in the 1970s preyed on 10 sick teenagers while they recovered in the school infirmary, a court has heard. 12 Dec 2005 Church to benefit from Insurances double profit Catholic organisations throughout Australia are set to receive windfall dividends and insurance rebates of almost $28 million from the Church's general insurance business. 12 Dec 2005 Church to ramp up use of media The Catholic Church in Australia plans to use the media to get its message to a world increasingly reluctant to attend church, according to a report published yesterday in the Sunday Age. 12 Dec 2005 Pope commends crib as key to understanding Christmas Pope Benedict XVI has suggested maintaining the tradition of the Christmas Crib as a weapon in the fight against the "commercial pollution" that threatens to change the authentic spirit of Christmas. 12 Dec 2005 Feature - Recognition for corporate high flyer This week, Cardinal George Pell will confer one of the highest papal honours - the cruce pro ecclesia et pontificia - on Joe Mastrangelo junior, a parishioner at Sacred Heart Church, Mosman, in Sydney. Since October last year the corporate high flyer has traded his power suits for more casual gear - having taken time off to offer his time and expertise to the Church, to learn more about the Church's teachings and to spend time with his young family. 12 Dec 2005 Opinion - Intelligent Design diminishes God A parent must allow the child to grow into adulthood, to come to make its own choices, to go on its own way in life. Words that give life are richer than mere commands or information. In such wise ways does God deal with the universe - the infinite, ever-expanding universe. That is why, it seems to me, that the Intelligent Design Movement, a largely American phenomenon, diminishes God, makes him a designer rather than a lover. - Fr George Coyne SJ, Director Vatican Observatory 12 Dec 2005 Archbishop raises voice to fund TV spot Perth's "singing archbishop" Barry Hickey is taking centre stage to raise money for a fledgling media career. 9 Dec 2005 MSC order to celebrate 100 years of service The Missionaries of the Sacred Heart, one of the largest religious orders in Australia, will tomorrow mark its the centenary of its local presence with celebrations at its Kensington, Sydney, heartland. 9 Dec 2005 Campaigners walk across Cuba to visit Guantanamo prisoners Members of the Catholic Worker Communities and other peace groups have begun walking 130km from Santiago de Cuba to the gates of the US Naval Base at Guantánamo Bay, to arrive tomorrow - 10 December - which is International Human Rights Day. 9 Dec 2005 Chief Minister cries foul over axing by Archbishop ACT Chief Minister Jon Stanhope has described a decision to withdraw his invitation to deliver tonight's cancelled Rerum Novarum lecture in Melbourne as an "attack on free speech". 9 Dec 2005 Look Both Ways Australian Catholic Film of Year The jury of the Australian Catholic Film Office has awarded its 2005 Film of the Year to Look Both Ways, directed by Sarah Watt's. 9 Dec 2005 Pope announces mental health focus for Adelaide World Day of Sick Pope Benedict XVI has nominated mental health and human dignity as the focus of the 14th World Day of the Sick to be hosted in Adelaide from February 9 to 11. 9 Dec 2005 Feature - Vinnies' oldest volunteer At 103, Mona Sparks could be forgiven for wanting to take a break. But she looks forward to continuing to dedicate her time to helping the poor. Mona's volunteer services, along with those of more than 100 other Vinnies volunteers from Port Pirie Diocese were recognised at a mass celebrated by Bishop Eugene Hurley as part of International Volunteers Day celebrations on Monday. 9 Dec 2005 Opinion - Bring back Gregorian chant Gregorian chant should not be mummified like a museum exhibit, but must return as living song, sung also by the assembly, which will find that it satisfies their most profound spiritual tensions, and will feel itself to be truly the people of God. I would even say that the melodies of the various local traditions, with cultures much different from that of Europe, are near relatives of Gregorian chant, which is truly universal. - Valentino Miserachs Grau, Pontifical Institute of Sacred Music 9 Dec 2005 SAS man ordained a deacon In what could have been a sign from above, the grey skies over Brisbane cleared last Saturday for the ordination of Brenton Fry as a permanent deacon in the Military Ordinariate. 8 Dec 2005 Bishops' Conference alert on schismatic Pebble priest Fr Brian Lucas, General-Secretary of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, has asked Catholic media outlets to cooperate to inform the faithful of the status of defrocked priest Malcolm Broussard, who is associated with cult leader and convicted sex abuser William Kamm (aka The Little Pebble). 8 Dec 2005 Archbishop regrets social impact of new UK same-sex law The new Civil Partnerships Act in Britain will have a "significant and lasting cultural and social impact," according to the spokesman for the bishops of Britain and Wales. 8 Dec 2005 Former secretary says JP2's beatification needs critics The Archbishop of Krakow and former personal secretary of Pope John Paul II, Archbishop Stanislaw Dziwisz, has said that the recent criticisms of the late Pope's beatification process have boosted the chances of its success. 8 Dec 2005 US death row inmate executed despite cardinal's pleas The Governor of the state of Maryland rejected a high-profile plea from Baltimore's Cardinal William Keeler, and convicted murderer Wesley Baker was put to death by lethal injection on Monday. 8 Dec 2005 Van's final farewell Van Tuong Nguyen's final thoughts before he went to the gallows in Singapore were shared at his packed funeral service in Melbourne's St Patrick's Cathedral yesterday. 8 Dec 2005 Feature - Vatican II's challenge to architectural heritage The list of gutted interiors is numerous. The end game in the campaign to stop the re-organisation of St Colman's in Cork, Ireland, is approaching. The diocese is looking to create a permanent altar on an extended sanctuary, removing rows of church benches and the covering up to 26 metres of the original mosaic flooring. The Friends of St Colman's say that most Irish cathedrals have now lost their original interior fittings, and this makes the integrity of St Colman's all the more important. The Diocese says it will always be possible to reinstate things as they were. 8 Dec 2005 Opinion - The long view of Vatican II Today marks the 40th anniversary of the end of Vatican II. As there had been only one General Council since the 16th century Council of Trent, it was not easy for Catholics to know what to make of the council convoked by John XXIII. Many thought it was just another moment of legislation. But history showed that this was an inadequate understanding. The councils of the early Church were of great significance. - Fr John Thornhill SM 8 Dec 2005 Zimbabwe church official says elections don't fix starvation The estimated 10% voter turnout in Zimbabwe's elections for a new Senate was not surprising as the country's food, fuel and foreign currency shortages worsen, said Alouis Chaumba, who heads Zimbabwe's Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace. 7 Dec 2005 Jail for Melbourne Christian Brother A Christian Brother will spend six months in jail for sexually assaulting 10 students at a Melbourne Catholic high school more than 30 years ago. 7 Dec 2005 Study shows most Catholic students reject faith A Perth Marist Brother who lectures at Edith Cowan University last month delivered a report that claimed almost all students who graduate from Catholic education regard the Church as irrelevant. 7 Dec 2005 Politicians consider Nguyen funeral attendance Some Victorian State MPs are under fire for planning to attend today's funeral of executed trafficker Nguyen Tuong Van, which will take place at St Patrick's Cathedral in Melbourne. 7 Dec 2005 Melbourne Archbishop dumps pro-abortion speaker Archbishop Denis Hart has cancelled Friday's Rerum Novarum lecture after Right to Life activists pointed out an oversight in an Archdiocesan agency's engagement of ACT Chief Minister John Stanhope, who holds pro-abortion views. 7 Dec 2005 Pope calls abortion a crime against society Pope Benedict XVI has said that abortion is a crime of aggression, not only against the unborn, but also against society. 7 Dec 2005 Feature - Sanctuary in Israel cares for biblical beasts of burden Trudging along behind wooden carts or carrying peasant farmers and produce on their backs, donkeys are as ubiquitous to the panorama of the Holy Land as the olive orchards, agricultural terraces and rocky landscape that have been part of this area extending back to the days of the Bible. Mentioned more than 130 times in the Bible, donkeys are present in most Nativity scene representations, olive wood carvings and European paintings of the Holy Family's flight into Egypt. 7 Dec 2005 Opinion - Evolution not an accident The Catholic position on creation is clear. St. Thomas says that "one should not try to defend the Christian faith with arguments that are so patently opposed to reason that the faith is made to look ridiculous. But the doctrine of creation most definitely includes the belief that God directs His creation. He did not just set it in motion. Belief in the creator is the best way of protecting human dignity. If everything is just a product of accident and necessity, then we have to wonder why creatures should merit any special respect or dignity. - Cardinal Christoph Schonborn 7 Dec 2005 US missionaries remembered 25 years after martyrdom 25 years after four US churchwomen in El Salvador were abducted, raped and shot by national guardsmen, ecumenical groups around the world have assembling at the site of their deaths to honour their memory. 6 Dec 2005 CEO official advocates measured approach to sex education The Director of religious education and curriculum at Sydney's Catholic Education Office has said that older teens in particular don't want to learn about sex from their parents, and that sex education classes can "influence their decision-making" and avoid denying them knowledge. 6 Dec 2005 Protestors target Melbourne Rerum Novarum lecture Right to Life activists have criticised the Melbourne Archdiocesan Commission for Justice, Development and Peace, for organising a lecture on Friday that will be delivered by ACT Chief Minister Jon Stanhope, who supports abortion rights. 6 Dec 2005 Priest expects 1000 at Van Nguyen funeral More than 1000 people are likely to attend the funeral service for executed drug trafficker Nguyen Tuong Van, according to Melbourne priest Fr Peter Hansen, who will lead tomorrow's service. 6 Dec 2005 Uniform marriage education among Bishops' decisions The Australian Catholic Bishops Conference yesterday released a statement containing a list of decisions made at its Plenary Meeting in Sydney last month, which also include support for a national gathering in Alice Springs next October to mark the 20th Anniversary of Pope John Paul II's 1986 visit. 6 Dec 2005 Pope says children deserve married parents Pope Benedict XVI told a weekend conference organised by the Pontifical Council for the Family, that children have the right to parents who are married. 6 Dec 2005 Feature - The first Christmas after the death of someone you love "Christmas was always important to us as a family, and Michael's absence was very painful. This was to be the one aspect of Michael's death which I was unable to face up to." There are occasions that affect us more deeply when we are mourning. These are times when we would expect this person to be present. Comments such as "we were all home for Christmas" remind us that life is not the same, that this will be a very different Christmas. 6 Dec 2005 Opinion - Where do you find God? An old man sat on a straight-backed chair at the St Vincent de Paul hostel. His white hair was long, his head bent forward expectantly, as he watched the myriad-coloured birds flitting about his feet. Sensing that he did not hear me or see me, I walked by. Suddenly I felt an urge to stop. I retraced my steps to that frail and aged figure. He raised his eyes as I stood before him. His eyes were as the azure sky. His face lit up with a gentle welcoming smile. - Sr Justina Beford RSM 6 Dec 2005 Adelaide Archbishop's prayers for disabled More than 100 disabled children, teenagers and their carers took part in a special prayer service in Adelaide yesterday to celebrate the gifts of people living with disabilities. 5 Dec 2005 Scientist says AIDS pandemic is Vatican's fault Australia's most distinguished expatriate scientist, Lord May of Oxford, has launched an attack on the Catholic Church, blaming Vatican policy for the spread of AIDS in the Third World. 5 Dec 2005 Australian Bishops defend gay priests Ordained Catholic priests who are gay but celibate are not affected by the Vatican's new edict banning gay seminarians, according to the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference. 5 Dec 2005 Pope urges political action against drugs The battle against drugs calls for political resolve and international cooperation, according to Benedict XVI. 5 Dec 2005 Pell says abolishing death penalty won't be easy Cardinal George Pell of Sydney has said that while the Church opposes capital punishment, it will be an uphill battle to persuade political leaders in the South East Asia to change their laws. 5 Dec 2005 Feature - Death of founding father of English liturgy Monsignor Fred McManus, who died in the USA last Wednesday at 82, was at Vatican II when a group of English-speaking bishops decided it would be a good idea to create a body responsible for common translations of liturgical texts into English (ICEL). While critics believe he went too far in adapting the liturgy to contemporary culture, no one disputes that his actions were for the good of the Church. - John L. Allen 5 Dec 2005 Opinion - December's wait School leavers wait for exam results. Children wait for Santa. Families wait for Christmas and loved ones. Tired workers await the summer rest, relax and recharge. Even the cynical wait, for an end to the forced jollity. During the oppressive build up to the Top End wet season, Territorians wait for the rain to come. We all wait for life to unfold and our parched spirits to be nourished. - Sr Patty Fawkner 5 Dec 2005 Pell blessing in midst of CBD Christmas revival On Sunday, Sydney's Cardinal George Pell will bless a large Cathedral nativity scene that was commissioned earlier this year after he expressed concern about the gradual removal of Christ from the city and from the central message of Christmas. 2 Dec 2005 Former Chief Justice says spin-doctors prey on gullible public Former Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia, Sir Gerard Brennan, is using today's launch of a Jesuit book on ethics in politics to criticise politicians who communicate lies and half-truths to a believing public. 2 Dec 2005 Pope tells theologians theology is grounded in faith Pope Benedict XVI has said that theology is an academic discipline that must follow the rules of scientific inquiry, but Catholic theology flows from faith and recognises the authority of the church. 2 Dec 2005 Executions today also in USA Earlier this week, Cardinal William Keeler of Baltimore met and prayed with convicted murderer Wesley Eugene Baker on death row, using the dramatic visit to call on Maryland Governor Robert Ehrlich to spare Baker's life. 2 Dec 2005 Cathedral requiem for Van Nguyen The body of convicted drug smuggler Van Tuong Nguyen will be returned to his home town of Melbourne on Sunday ahead of a funeral at the end of next week. 2 Dec 2005 Van Nguyen's faith-filled last moments Van Tuong Nguyen, the Australian who has been on death row in Singapore and was set to hang at 9:00 am Melbourne time, was thought to have his rosary beads with him, and "genuinely thinks he's going somewhere good", according to his lawyer Lex Lasry QC. 2 Dec 2005 Feature - Mission of mercy that keeps giving When anaesthetist Paul Duncan left Sydney on December 29 last year as part of Australia's surgical response team to the tsunami disaster, he knew nothing of where he was going, only that he was leaving his wife Sophie York and their four young boys - one only 15 weeks old - for an assignment that was sure to be harrowing, if not downright dangerous. His first text message read: "Things R worse than expected". 2 Dec 2005 Opinion - Ned's demise still haunts us Last month marked the 125th anniversary of Ned Kelly's hanging at the old Melbourne Gaol. It appears that throughout the world today, those who are executed generally share a common characteristic. They represent the minority groups or the oppressed in their culture or their society. In the US, African Americans, who make up 42% of death row inmates, comprise only 12% of the general population. - Fr Peter Norden SJ 2 Dec 2005 Holy See protests against beating of nuns in China The Vatican roundly condemned violence perpetrated against 16 nuns in Xian Province, and expressed its concern for six priests of the unofficial priest who were arrested in Zhengding. 31 Dec 2005 Vatican worried about genocide threat in Uganda Vatican media have reported on the "horrible and atrocious" conflict that the people of northern Uganda continue to suffer at the hands of the rebel Lord's Resistance Army. 31 Dec 2005 Life Offices warn MPs of RU-486 dangers The Sydney, Melbourne and Perth Life Offices have issued a joint fact sheet warning coalition MPs and senators of the dangers associated with the abortion drug RU-486 (Mifepristone). 31 Dec 2005 Editorial says gays document also targets macho priests A comment published yesterday on the Australian Jesuits' website says the Vatican's document on the admission of homosexuals to seminaries presents the ideal of a mature priest as a criterion for admission to priesthood, and therefore its conclusions are "pertinent also to heterosexual men". 31 Dec 2005 Churches, mosques echo with prayers Catholics gathered at Sydney's St Mary's Cathedral last night to pray for Nguyen Tuong Van, along with people worldwide. 31 Dec 2005 Speaker says AIDS struggle also helping to beat poverty The head of the Southern African Bishops' welfare trust will tonight tell a Sydney audience that the resilience some of South Africa's poorest have demonstrated in the face of HIV/AIDS is helping to reverse their slide into deeper poverty. 31 Dec 2005 Feature - AIDS babies finally get access to life-saving drugs Catholic Mission Australia supports Nazareth House in Johannesburg, which cares for HIV-positive mothers and babies. The children first received anti-retroviral drugs last year and the results have been nothing short of miraculous. "The number of adults and children who were on death's door and are now completely healthy is astounding," Nazareth House's Berni Crewe-Brown said. The tragedy is that many patients die while waiting for access to the expensive anti-retroviral treatment. 31 Dec 2005 Opinion - Lose limbo, but salvage purgatory The modern emphasis has been on the fact that God wants all to be saved. Most Catholic theologians now say that God offers salvation to everyone, and that those who accept it are saved. It seems if you do good, follow your conscience, then you're home free. So Benedict XVI has handed limbo over to the International Theological Commission. I find the stark choice between heaven and hell a bit too absolutist. So I hope purgatory doesn't end up in limbo. - Paul Collins, author of "God's New Man" 31 Dec 2005