c. 2007 Religion News Service

Voice of the Faithful Urges Discussion Over Celibacy

(RNS) The lay Catholic group Voice of the Faithful is calling on the Vatican to review mandatory celibacy requirements for priests, signaling a more confrontational tack in its efforts to reform the church.

“We decided to break with our past silence on this matter because of what we believe to be a growing body of evidence linking mandated celibacy with an institutional culture of secrecy and cover up,” Mary Pat Fox, the group’s president, said in a statement.

Founded in 2002 in Newton, Mass., as the sexual abuse crisis exploded in the Archdiocese of Boston, Voice of the Faithful now counts 35,000 members in 120 countries.

But declining donations have saddled the group with debt while anger over the sex scandal has been somewhat mollified. The group is also confronting internal debates over how sharply and quickly it should demand change within the church.

Now, Voice of the Faithful leaders say they are calling for a “serious” and “extensive review” of priestly celibacy “to be conducted without prejudging the outcome” and “utilizing the insights of theology, history, psychology, sociology and current pastoral needs and challenges.”

The request for the Vatican review had been under discussion for nine months, according to VOTF.

“We are committed to the types of structural change in the Catholic Church needed to prevent the culture of secrecy and clericalism that was so fundamental for the decades of cover-up of widespread clergy sexual abuse,” said Fox.

_ Daniel Burke

Texas Court Dismisses Confidentiality Case Against Pastor

(RNS) The Texas Supreme Court unanimously dismissed a suit brought by a former member of a Fort Worth church who accused her pastor of violating her confidentiality.

The case, dismissed Friday (June 29), centered on questions of what roles civil courts should have when asked to resolve matters related to church discipline.

C.L. “Buddy” Westbook, pastor of CrossLand Community Bible Church and a licensed professional counselor, had ordered his congregation to shun Peggy Lee Penley, a former parishioner, because she had engaged in a “biblically inappropriate” relationship with a man who was not her husband. Penley sued Westbrook, claiming he learned the information he disclosed in a “secular” counseling session.

“A church’s decision to discipline members for conduct considered outside of the church’s moral code is an inherently religious function with which civil courts should not generally interfere,” wrote Justice Harriet O’Neill in the court ruling.

O’Neill said Penley’s two roles had to be considered.

“In his dual capacity, Westbrook owed Penley conflicting duties,” the judge wrote. “As Penley’s counselor he owed her a duty of confidentiality, and as her pastor he owed Penley and the church an obligation to disclose her conduct.”

The judge determined that “parsing those roles” for a civil case _ when safety or health was not an issue _ would be an unconstitutional entanglement of the court in the governance of a church.

Penley initially had alleged that the church and its elders had defamed her and caused her emotional distress. The pastor filed counter claims saying the matter was outside the court’s jurisdiction because it dealt with a church dispute.

_ Adelle M. Banks

Update: Nepalese Goddess Loses Title After U.S. Tour

(RNS) A 10-year-old Nepalese girl lost her title as a Hindu living goddess because she left the country to promote a film.

Sajani Shakya was the first living goddess _ or “kumari” _ ever to leave the country. Her June visit to Washington served as a publicity tour for a British documentary that explores the centuries-old kumari tradition.

Officials from Sajani’s temple in the town of Bhaktapur announced Tuesday (July 3) that they would revoke her title and replace her upon her return to Nepal, according to the state-run National News Agency.

The tradition of kumaris dates back more than 300 years. Around the age of 2 or 3, a young girl is selected to the position of goddess based upon a list of 32 “perfect characteristics,” which include perfect skin, hair, eyes and teeth. A young toddler also must prove herself fearless by withstanding time in a dark room without crying.

Hindus believe these girls are possessed by the goddess Taleju, and they revere kumaris by bowing to them and bringing requests to their feet. Once the girl-goddess reaches puberty, Hindus believe Taleju leaves her body and temple officials search again for another girl to worship.

A handful of goddesses live in Nepal, and some live sequestered lives in luxurious palaces. While Hindus _ including her own family _ worship her, Sajani lives a relatively normal life and attends school. Her regular schedule also budgets time for blessing villagers and attending ceremonial events.

In an interview in June, Sajani’s caretaker said the young girl feared the day she would lose her status as a goddess, often asking if people would still love her if she lost her “deity.”

Though Sajani’s caretaker assured the girl that her family would still worship her when she was no longer a kumari, the goddess’ less-than-divine future is uncertain. According to Nepalese folklore, men who wed a former kumari will face an early death, so many of the girls never marry and face a life of hardship as a result.

_ Michelle C. Rindels

Quote of the Day: British Cabinet Minister Shahid Malik

(RNS) “We’ve got to give a very strong message, I speak to the Muslims now, that these martyrs aren’t going to heaven. These sinners are very much going to hell.”

_ British Minister of International Development Shahid Malik, a Muslim member of Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s Cabinet, on violence committed in the name of Islam. He was quoted by CNN.

KRE/JM END RNS