Monthly Archives: March 2010
Remember the Sabbath, even while racing
By Adelle M. Banks — March 19, 2010
The members of All Saints’ Episcopal Church in Beverly Hills, Calif., may get to sleep in a bit on Sunday, thanks to the Los Angeles Marathon. “Remember the Sabbath and keep it aerobic,” said the Rev. Mary E. Haddad, interim pastor, who informed the congregation there would be no morning service due to crowds and […]
Anglican head calls new lesbian bishop `regrettable’
By Tracy Gordon — March 19, 2010
(RNS) Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams has called the confirmation of a second openly gay bishop in the Episcopal Church “regrettable” and said it will have “important implications” for the U.S. church’s role in the wider Anglican Communion. Despite warnings from Williams, Episcopal bishops and regional committees ratified the election of the Rev. Mary Douglas […]
New sex abuse charges flood pope’s former archdiocese
By Tracy Gordon — March 19, 2010
VATICAN CITY (RNS) New charges of sexual abuse and official negligence in Pope Benedict XVI’s former archdiocese threaten to overshadow the planned release on Saturday (March 20) of the pontiff’s first major document on pedophile priests. A psychiatrist has charged that the Archdiocese of Munich ignored his warnings about the Rev. Peter Hullermann, an accused […]
Fox News host promises probe of evangelical leader
By Tracy Gordon — March 19, 2010
(RNS) Conservative talk show host Glenn Beck is promising to air a week-long report probing the past of progressive evangelical leader Jim Wallis. “I can do a whole week — and we will — on you with your spread the wealth, social justice nonsense,” Beck said of Wallis on his FOX News television show on […]
Health care pits Catholic against Catholic
By Tracy Gordon — March 19, 2010
WASHINGTON (RNS) First it was President Obama against Republicans. Then it was Obama against Democrats. The health care debate roiling Capitol Hill has even pitted Catholic versus Catholic. And, in the latest sign that things have gone sour, it’s now nun against nun. The fight over abortion language in the Senate’s health care bill has […]
Religious Greek life: Throwback or revival?
By Tracy Gordon — March 19, 2010
SEATTLE (RNS) No one batted an eye as the two Muslim students in headscarves approached the table promoting the as-yet-unnamed “Jewish Sorority” outside the University of Washington’s student union. One of the women, Naima Idris, took a half-melted piece of chocolate from the table and asked what made the all-Jewish sorority different from more mainstream […]
Friday’s roundup
By Kevin Eckstrom — March 19, 2010
The molestation scandal in Pope Benedict XVI’s former diocese gets ever messier: the psychiatrist assigned to work with a predatory priest says he gave the archdiocese repeated warnings to keep the priest, the Rev. Peter Hullermann, away from children. Hullermann wasn’t suspended until this week.The top bishop of Bavaria said he’s ashamed by the revelations, […]
HCR: the community health care center dodge
By Mark Silk — March 19, 2010
In its editorial endorsement of the Senate’s health care reform bill, the National Catholic Reporter takes the USCCB to task for buying into the idea that, because the bill doesn’t specifically forbid the community health care centers to be funded from performing abortions, it would therefore fund abortions. …the bishops have to be clear that […]
Obama v. Israel?
By Mark Silk — March 19, 2010
Charles Krauthammer thinks Obama is anti-Israel. Israelis disagree. Poor neocons.
Student, school settle abortion T-shirt dispute
By Tracy Gordon — March 19, 2010
NEW CUMBERLAND, Pa. (RNS) The family of a middle school student who was told to turn an anti-abortion T-shirt inside out will receive $16,000 for legal fees as part of a settlement reached with the local school board. The settlement also calls for the district to change its dress and student-expression policies. The student’s father, […]
College cancels spring break mission trips to Mexico
By Tracy Gordon — March 19, 2010
HOLLAND, Mich. (RNS) Hope College has canceled spring break mission trips for the first time, fearing that students would not be safe in Mexico after three Americans were killed by suspected drug gang hitmen. Hope’s Campus Ministries Office had planned to send 22 students for trips to Tijuana and Miguel Aleman starting Friday (March 19). […]
A Christian college in Michigan has canceled spring break mission trips for the first time
By Tracy Gordon — March 19, 2010
Group seeks to restore Hinduism as Nepal’s state religion
By Tracy Gordon — March 19, 2010
KATHMANDU, Nepal (RNS/ENI) Once the only Hindu kingdom in the world, Nepal was declared a secular state by its parliament in 2006 and the monarchy was abolished two years later. Now, with a new constitution due in May, Hindu groups are pressuring the government to reinstate Hinduism as the state religion. Kalidas Dahal, a Hindu […]
GOP lawmaker struggles with moral choice on health care, abortion
By Tracy Gordon — March 19, 2010
WASHINGTON (RNS) As President Obama mounts a full-court press to push his health care bill through Congress, his latest target is a Louisiana Republican whose Catholic faith finds him torn between restricting abortion and expanding access to health care. On Wednesday (March 17), Obama asked Rep. Anh “Joseph” Cao — the only Republican to vote […]
Thursday’s roundup
By Daniel Burke — March 18, 2010
The Episcopal Church confirmed its second openly gay (and first lesbian) bishop, a move that will most assuredly send ripples of discontent through the rest of Anglican Communion (except for Canada and a few other provinces). No word yet from Canterbury. U.S. nuns have broken with the bishops by advocating for passage of the Senate […]
