c. 2008 Religion News Service

Jews worldwide pray for soldiers’ release

JERUSALEM (RNS) Thousands of Jews around the world conducted synchronized prayer vigils Wednesday (July 2) for the safe return of Israel’s captured soldiers, most notably Cpl. Gilad Shalit, who was abducted by Hamas militants in Gaza exactly two years ago according to the Hebrew calendar.

In e-mail messages distributed over the Internet and posted on Web sites belonging to the Orthodox Union and numerous other organizations, Jews were urged to recite Psalm 121 at exactly the same moment _ 11 a.m. on the U.S. East Coast, 4 p.m. in Britain and 6 p.m. in Israel.

The prayers were said on behalf of Shalit, Eldad Regev and Ehud Goldwasser, who were kidnapped two years ago by Hezbollah militants in Lebanon, as well as Guy Hever, Ron Arad, Zachary Baumel, Yehuda Katz and Tzvi Feldman, who have been missing for several years.

The call for prayers came at a particularly sensitive time because the Israeli government decided earlier this week to free hundreds of Arab militants in exchange for Shalit’s safe return.

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said this week that Regev and Goldwasser almost certainly died in captivity, so the cabinet’s decision to release additional militants in return for the soldiers’ remains is highly controversial.

Hours before the prayer vigils were set to begin, an Arab militant from East Jerusalem drove a bulldozer into heavily congested West Jerusalem and drove over three vehicles before turning over a bus full of Israeli passengers. Three people died and dozens more were injured.

Just before reciting Psalm 121 with a small group of friends in downtown Jerusalem, Sarah Stein, an 18-year-old seminary student, said she would pray for the soldiers release “and also for peace. We need all the help we can get.”

_ Michele Chabin

Bishop apologizes for girl’s abortion

(RNS) The Catholic bishop of Richmond, Va., has publicly apologized after a church-sponsored charity admitted that employees helped a teenage girl in its care receive an abortion.

In a statement published Monday (June 30) in the Catholic Virginian newspaper, Bishop Francis X. DiLorenzo called the incident a “monumental tragedy.”

DiLorenzo called on Commonwealth Catholic Charities, the Richmond-based organization that provided foster care for the girl, to explain its actions, which broke sharply with church doctrine and prompted a federal investigation.

“I express my profound apology for the loss of the life of one of the most vulnerable among us, and I apologize for the profound embarrassment this has caused the Catholic Diocese of Richmond, and Catholics throughout the United States,” DiLorenzo said.

The Associated Press reported that the girl a 16-year-old undocumented immigrant from Guatemala; her identity was not released.

DiLorenzo also asked on the agency to more closely examine its policies to avoid such incidents in the future. An agency employee signed a consent form for the abortion, in accordance with a Virginia state law that requires parental consent for abortions for minors. Other staffers arranged transportation and helped the girl obtain contraceptives two months before the procedure, according to statement released by the organization June 19.

“Respect for the life of the unborn is a basic tenet of our Catholic faith and morality,” DiLorenzo said. “I would ask all of you to pray that we correct what needs correcting and strengthen areas that need strengthening so that Catholic Charities might continue their mission of service to those in need.”

According to a statement released by the agency Tuesday, the bishop was notified of the abortion the day before the scheduled procedure. Although DiLorenzo explicitly “forbid” the operation, which the Catholic church calls a mortal sin, the abortion continued as planned.

The agency said the abortion was not paid for by the organization or the diocese. The Associated Press reported that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services began an investigation in June to determine whether federal funds given to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops were improperly appropriated for the procedure.

_ Tim Murphy

Gays cry foul as Vitter, Craig sponsor marriage amendment

WASHINGTON (RNS) U.S. Sens. David Vitter, R-La., and Larry Craig, R-Idaho, have signed on as co-sponsors of a proposed Marriage Protection Act that would amend the constitution to ban same-sex marriages.

Some groups that support gay marriage charged that Vitter, whose number had appeared on the phone list for a Washington prostitution service, and Craig, who was arrested last year for lewd conduct in the men’s bathroom at Minneapolis St. Paul International Airport, were engaging in hypocrisy.

But Vitter, who has backed legislation against gay marriage since first being elected to the House in 1999, said he will not walk away from his beliefs.

“I strongly oppose attempts by liberal judges to redefine marriage, and so do a very large majority of Louisianans,” Vitter said. “As I’ve said, I am deeply remorseful over having sinned in my past. But I don’t think walking away from my beliefs is the way to make up for that.”

Evan Wolfson, executive director of Freedom to Marry, a New York City advocacy group for gay rights, said that it is ironic that the Marriage Protection Act is co-sponsored by two senators who did not honor their own marriages.

“These two senators in some ways are perfect spokespeople for this cause because they are showing the same contempt for the Constitution that they showed for their own marriages,” Wolfson said.

Craig could not be reached for comment.

The bill’s sponsor is Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., who introduced the proposed amendment on June 25 after the California Supreme Court overturned a statewide ban on same-sex marriage and allows gay and lesbian couples to wed.

Wicker, a freshman senator, said 19 states have passed laws and 26 states amended their constitutions to “protect traditional marriage.”

“Rather than giving unelected activist judges the opportunity to legislate from the bench, this amendment will reaffirm what most Americans believe _ marriage is between a man and a woman,” Wicker said.

To amend the Constitution, a proposed amendment must be approved by a two-thirds vote of the House and Senate, and then ratified by the state legislatures of three-fourths of the states, which would be 38.

In addition to Vitter and Craig, also co-sponsoring the proposed amendment are Sens. Wayne Allard, R-Colo.; Sam Brownback, R-Kan.; James Inhofe, R-Okla.; Pat Roberts, R-Kan.; Richard Shelby, R-Ala.; and John Thune, R-S.D.

_ Bruce Alpert

Quote of the Day: Clergy sex abuse victim Randy Becker of Colorado

(RNS) “I still have faith in Jesus Christ, but I’ve really totally lost my faith in the Catholic Church.”

_ Randy Becker of Colorado, who alleges he was molested by a Catholic priest, commenting to The New York Times after the Archdiocese of Denver agreed to pay $5.5 million to settle 16 abuse lawsuits.

KRE DS END RNS