Monthly Archives: December 2009
Uganda push-back
By Mark Silk — December 24, 2009
The Roman Catholic archbishop of Uganda comes out against the Anti-Homosexuality Bill in his Christmas message. Money quote: “The recent tabled Anti-Homosexuality Bill does not pass a test of a Christian caring approach to this issue” Likewise, the leade of Uganda’s main opposition party: What two consenting adults do, the state has no business… absolutely! […]
Donations pour in as suspect is arrested in church heist
By Tracy Gordon — December 24, 2009
VIOLET, La. (RNS) At Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Violet Tuesday night (Dec. 22), parishioners gasped with astonishment, and a few even cried joyfully, as they faced their organizational task ahead. In the wee hours of Sunday morning, a burglar broke into the St. Bernard Parish church and rifled through about 65 Christmas […]
Vatican says Pius’ elevation not a `hostile act’ toward Jews
By Tracy Gordon — December 24, 2009
VATICAN CITY (RNS) A decree moving the controversial wartime Pope Pius XII one step closer to sainthood is not a “hostile act towards the Jewish people,” the Vatican’s top spokesman said Wednesday (Dec. 23). The Rev. Federico Lombardi, director of the Holy See Press Office, said in a statement that Pope Benedict XVI’s Saturday decree […]
Grants to fund priests’ education in fast-growing dioceses
By Tracy Gordon — December 24, 2009
(RNS) Roman Catholic seminarians will get a financial boost in 2010 from a charitable organization targeting a chronic shortage of education funding in America’s fastest-growing dioceses. The Catholic Church Extension Society on Tuesday (Dec. 22) announced more than $3 million in grants next year to help train 509 seminarians. That represents more than a 100 […]
Teens carrying the gospel in their hands with `Believer Bands’
By Tracy Gordon — December 24, 2009
HOOVER, Ala. (RNS) First there were the WWJD wristbands, and then Lance Armstrong’s yellow Livestrong wristbands, and Bono’s white One wristbands … Now there’s “Believer Bands,” multicolored rubber bracelets in the shape of familiar Christian icons that allow trend-chasing tweens and teens to share the gospel from the palm of their hand. It started last […]
Wednesday’s roundup
By Daniel Burke — December 23, 2009
The U.S. Catholic Bishops stepped up their campaign against the Senate’s version of the health care bill, saying it needs to change how abortions are covered and funded in order to “make it morally acceptable.” The final Senate vote on the bill is scheduled for Thursday. ELCA bishops have outlined a number of job creation […]
Christmas pageant evolves but endures
By RNS Blog Editor — December 23, 2009
PORTLAND, Ore. (RNS) Clearly, the length of gold tinsel draped around her neck was not what Melinda Smith was hoping for. “Is this all I get?” she pleaded with Beth Keys, director of the annual interactive Christmas pageant at Portland’s Presbyterian Church of Laurelhurst. Keys disappeared and returned with a long, white gown, its collar […]
10 minutes with …Jack Brown
By RNS Blog Editor — December 23, 2009
(RNS) Redeemer Covenant Church in Caledonia, Mich., decided on a different set of Christmas decorations this year: Instead of fresh poinsettias and artificial greens, Redeemer’s sanctuary is filled with canned goods and clothing that will be donated to the needy. The Rev. Jack Brown, who pastors the congregation with his wife, Sharon, explained why they […]
COMMENTARY: The Christmas gift you can give to yourself
By Cathleen Falsani — December 23, 2009
(RNS) The following is an actual exchange, unedited, except to remove the profanity. The setting: Mid-morning at a suburban gift boutique. The time: The week before Christmas. The players: The pleasant store clerk, a 40-something soccer mom-type and me (browsing for stocking stuffers). Enter the frazzled soccer mom. “Some people are unbeLIEVEable!” she says, to […]
GUEST COMMENTARY: An unconscionable oversight
By RNS Blog Editor — December 23, 2009
WASHINGTON (RNS) Conscience protection — or perhaps, the lack of it — is a key issue in health care reform. Forcing someone to violate his or her conscience is an act of violence no civilized society should tolerate. U.S. Catholic bishops are seeking conscience protection for two groups: Catholic and other institutions (especially health care […]
Jimmy Carter’s Al Het
By Mark Silk — December 23, 2009
I’ve had a hard spot in my heart for Jimmy Carter since 1988, when he tried to get me fired for writing an exposé of the Carter Center. (Happily, he didn’t succeed.) So what to make of his Chanukah greeting to the Jewish community offering “an Al Het for any words or deeds of mine” […]
WCC GenSec Kobia v. Uganda law
By Mark Silk — December 23, 2009
It can’t hurt that the Methodist cleric who serves as General Secretary of the World Council of Churches, Samuel Kobia, has written a letter to Ugandan President Museveni expressing “concerns” about the proposed anti-homosexuality act. Coming from next-door neighbor Kenya, Kobia can hardly be accused of being just another neo-colonialist seeking to impose Western values […]
Nazarene membership closes in on 2 million
By Tracy Gordon — December 23, 2009
(RNS) The Church of the Nazarene reported a total worldwide membership of 1.9 million after adding more than 165,000 new members in 2009. The denomination has a total of 24,285 churches, including established and fledgling congregations. The number of “organized” churches, which are self-sustaining congregations, increased by 1,178 to 17,277. The Rev. David Wilson, general […]
Covenant to bind Anglicans sent out to churches
By Tracy Gordon — December 23, 2009
(RNS) The final draft of a document aimed at mediating disputes between liberals and conservatives in the global Anglican Communion was sent on Friday (Dec. 18) to its 38 provinces for approval. The Anglican Communion, which is the world’s third-largest body of Christians with 77 million members, has been bitterly divided over homosexuality since the […]
WCC head condemns Uganda’s proposed anti-gay law
By Tracy Gordon — December 23, 2009
GENEVA (RNS/ENI) The World Council of Churches has added its voice to growing concerns around the world about a proposed Ugandan law that would allow the jailing and possible execution of gays and lesbians. Current Ugandan law allows for people to be jailed for 14 years for engaging in homosexual acts; the new proposed law […]
