Al Kresta's Blog, page 334

As Islam eyes political power, Egyptian Christians consider emigration

The rise of Islamic parties in the Egyptian Revolution, and the continued enforcement of the Sharia in the villages outside Cairo are frightening Christians, who are attempting to emigrate to countries with greater religious freedom. According to the Egyptian Federation for Human Rights, more than 70 people a week are asking for information on how to leave the country. The instability of the countries of North Africa and Middle East concerns the Holy See. Today , the third meeting of the Special Council for the Middle East, the secretary general of the synod of bishops stressed that "the precarious situation due to socio-political movements concern the churches who share the joys and concerns of citizens, forced in many cases to migrate because of violence, lack of employment, restriction of religious freedom, the reduced space of democracy".

Fr. Rafic Greich, chief press officer of the Catholic Church and spokesman for the seven Egyptian Catholic denominations, told AsiaNews that the current situation in Egypt is deadlocked and is very critical especially for the Christian communities.

"In this country - he says - many extremist groups have emerged like the Muslim Brotherhood, but more radical groups such as the 'Islamic Jihad Movement and the Salafis are also gaining ground." He stresses the danger of these groups despite the small number of followers, who can make their voices heard. Organized according to military logic, the main purpose of Salafists and jihadists is the spread of Sharia law across the country and use Islam as an ideology. "Often - Fr. Greich emphasizes - the followers of these movements apply sharia law on their own and today the police reported the attempted stoning of a woman. "

"Many Christians - he says - are leaving because they do not know what will happen in the future and prefer to emigrate." According to Father Greich the presence of the military government is not reassuring, although they have maintained the role of guarantors of security and public order since the beginning of the Jasmine Revolution. "Although the army says it does not want to endorse anyone, we all know that the Egyptian military has a tendency to promote Islam." "In the 1952 revolution, many of the soldiers who took part in the coup were close to the Muslim Brotherhood and many officers still use religion to control subordinates."

However, according to the priest, there are many young people who look at the situation from a positive point of view and after the fall of Mubarak many Christians, Catholics and Orthodox, have joined the democratic parties and this trend is especially dividing the Coptic Orthodox Church. "The Coptic Orthodox - he explains - are very weak at this time. Shenouda III, head of the Coptic Orthodox Church is very old and sick, but he is very autocratic, and any decision regarding the community must have his permission. He strongly condemned young people who participated in the Jasmine Revolution, giving credit to President Mubarak to the last. " Fr. Greich points out that this has created a deep rift within the community that led young people to no longer pay attention to elderly priests.

'Underground' Chinese priests arrested, beaten - Cardinal Zen says Vatican officials have blocked Pope's plan for Chinese Church

Since last January, at least two underground priests (in communion with the Pope), from Xuanhua dioceses (Hebei), near Beijing, have been detained and badly beaten up. They are among at least 20 underground priests in Xuanhua and Xiwanzi dioceses have been tortured and pressured to "register" with the government-sponsored Church associated with the Communist Party-controlled Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association over the past two decades, sources, anonymous per request, told AsiaNews.
On 9 April, Fr Chen Hailong of Xuanhua was taken away by officials in Yanqing Beijing County, and has not yet been released by today, 12 April, the source told AsiaNews.
Fr Zhang Guangjun, also from Xuanhua diocese, was detained in February, and badly beaten. His family was allowed to take him out on March 29 for medical treatment. He had bruises to the head and the legs, and had been visibly tortured.
Fr Zhang was tortured for refusing to concelebrate and to register and get the "priest card" as a means of accepting the independent and self-managed Church. "To concelebrate (with patriotic priests) is never possible. As being held, I don't expect to leave here freely," he was quoted as saying.
As early as 13 January, he was brought away from a layperson's home by officials disguised as technicians who had come to check the gas system. He was taken to a hotel in Zhuolu County, and barred from sleep for five nights.
After a short release for the Lunar New Year in February, Father Zhang reported to the local united front work office on March 8 but was badly beaten up and tortured.
According to sources in Zhangjiakou area, since 1990s, more than 20 priests from Xuanhua and Xiwanzi dioceses were detained, beaten, jailed, sent to study sessions in order to get them "registered" and "surfaced".
Meanwhile, during his recent visit to Washington, D.C., Cardinal Joseph Zen told reporters that mistakes and misunderstandings on the part of key Vatican officials, and a desire for "compromise at any cost," have undermined Pope Benedict's intentions for the Catholic Church in China.
"In the year 2007, the Holy Father issued a letter in which he gave a very clear direction. But those directions were not followed," said Cardinal Zen, in an April 7 press conference at Washington, D.C.'s Hudson Institute. "There was even a wrong interpretation by some experts, like a certain Fr. (Jeroom) Heyndrickx, which misled many people."
These experts, according to Cardinal Zen, encouraged all Chinese Catholics to seek government recognition as members of the "official" or "open" church, a step that would require them to join the government-run Catholic Patriotic Association.
"That wrong interpretation said that the Holy Father 'wants everybody to come into the open,'" the cardinal explained. "This is not true at all." Although the Patriotic Association contains many bishops in communion with Rome, Pope Benedict warned "underground" bishops to be careful in approaching it.
"The Holy Father cautioned people in the underground," Cardinal Zen pointed out. "Because when you want to come out, the letter says: in no few instances, indeed almost always, the government will impose conditions which are not acceptable to the Catholic conscience."
The Pope's letter ultimately left the matter of government recognition up to individual bishops, while warning that the Catholic Patriotic Association's founding principles – especially its claim of independence from the Vatican – were "incompatible with Catholic doctrine."
Now, Cardinal Zen believes that a rush for government recognition, combined with misguided Vatican policies, has emboldened authorities in Beijing, and even swayed many Chinese Catholics to the government's side.
In November of 2010, the Chinese government ordained a bishop without the approval of the Holy See, at a ceremony in which several bishops loyal to Rome were reportedly forced to participate. In December, police officers rounded up a large number of bishops and escorted them to a state-sponsored meeting of an unauthorized "bishops' conference."
"It is no more our Church," Cardinal Zen lamented. "They carried out one more illegitimate ordination, and then they had a big assembly which is completely against the doctrine of the Church. It was like a slap in the face of the Holy Father."
"But unfortunately, these people in the Congregation for Evangelization, and this expert, still believe that they must carry on the policy of compromise."

Abuse scandal's total cost: $2.34 billion since 2004

The clerical abuse scandal cost American dioceses $123,703,433 in 2010, according to an annual report released on April 11 by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). Only 62% of those funds were allotted to settlements ($70.4 million) and therapy for abuse victims ($6.4 million); the rest was spent on attorneys' fees ($33.9 million), support for offenders ($9.9 million), and other costs ($3.1 million).

The clerical abuse scandal cost religious institutes an additional $25,920,747 in 2010. These expenses brought the total cost of the clerical abuse scandal to American dioceses and religious institutes between 2004 and 2009 to a staggering $2.34 BILLION.
In addition, American dioceses spent nearly $21 million in 2010 on safe environment programs and background checks.

The report found that 428 new credible allegations of child sexual abuse were lodged against 345 diocesan priests or deacons in 2010. Only seven of the 428 allegations involved those who are currently minors; the other allegations were made by adults who allege they were abused as minors. In all, 74 abuse allegations since 2004 have involved those who were minors in the year of the allegation.

Of the 428 new credible allegations, 82% involved male victims, and only 20% of victims were under the age of ten. Characterizations of the abuse scandal as predominantly one of pedophilia rather than homosexual activity are thus inaccurate.

"Two-thirds of new allegations (66 percent) occurred or began between 1960 and 1984," the report continued. "The most common time period for allegations reported in 2010 was 1970-1974. This is approximately the same time pattern that has been reported in previous years, with most allegations reportedly occurring or beginning between the mid-1960s and the mid-1980s."

"Of the 428 new credible allegations reported in 2010, 71 new allegations (17 percent) were unsubstantiated or determined to be false by December 31, 2010," the report added. "In addition, 25 allegations received prior to 2010 were unsubstantiated or determined to be false during 2010."

Thirty of the allegations involved abuse that allegedly took place in 2010, rather than in a previous year. Following investigation by law enforcement, eight allegations (27%) were determined to be credible, seven (23%) were determined to be false, three (10%) remained under investigation, and 12 (40%) were determined to be boundary violations, not sexual abuse. Examples of boundary violations cited in the report included "kissing girls on top of the head, inappropriate hugging, and an adult patting a minor on the knee. In all cases civil authorities were called, and an investigation was conducted; also in all cases the civil authori ties concluded there was no sexual misconduct." Twelve (40%) of these 30 allegations involved foreign priests.

The authors of the report criticized the Diocese of Lincoln, the Diocese of Baker, and five Eastern Catholic eparchies for not taking part in an audit that measures compliance with the USCCB's 2002 Dallas charter.

Only 72% of religious communities responded to a request for information by Conference of Major Superiors of Men. According to these surveys, male religious communities received "77 new credible allegations of sexual abuse of a minor committed by a priest or deacon of the community, all of which are alleged to have occurred prior to 2010." 77% of the victims were male; 19% were under age ten. 10% of allegations against religious were determined to be false.

Outrageous Statement of the Day

MSNBC's Contessa Brewer on her program today called former Sen. Alan Simpson a "truth teller," chanting "preach it" as he slammed "homophobes" in the Republican Party.

Cartoon of the Day - Debt Ceiling

Today on Kresta - April 12, 2011

Talking about the "things that matter most" on April 12

4:00 – TBA

4:20 – Streetwalking with Jesus: Reaching Out in Justice and Mercy
For over two decades Deacon John Green's vocation has been ministering to inner city men on the margins of society in downtown Chicago. Green didn't set out to be another Dorothy Day or Mother Teresa, and would be quick to tell you he hasn't become one. A product of middle class, church-going comfort and values, he heeded God's challenge to found Emmaus Ministries, which serves some of the modern-day lepers that are in our midst. Deacon Green's lessons learned regarding these hard questions are set against stories of men who struggle to escape poverty, addiction, and sexual sin while encountering Christ in the process. He joins us.

5:00 – Thousands of children's educations saved at U.S. Supreme Court / DC Vouchers Revived
Two major school choice initiatives got a boost this week from the Budget Bill and the Supreme Court. First, one rider that survived the budget bill battle includes the reopening of the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program, which provides scholarships to low-income families to send their children to a school of their choice. Second, the US Supreme Court ruled that an Arizona program which allows state residents to claim a tax credit for donations to private organizations that provide scholarships to private schools was constitutional. The attorney that argued the case, Jeremy Tedesco , is with us and education reform scholar Jay Green analyzes the DC voucher program.

5:20 – Was the Budget Debate A Significant Blow to Planned Parenthood?
After the resolution of the budget battle when we began to hear the details, Marjorie Dannenfelser , President of the Susan B. Anthony List praised pro-life leaders in the House for securing the Dornan Amendment in budget negotiations and pledged to continue to lead the fight to defund Planned Parenthood of taxpayer dollars. The Dornan amendment banned funding for abortions in Washington, D.C. but did not defund Planned Parenthood. Marjorie explains why she sees this as a victory for life.

5:40 – Soul Surfer / Born to Be Wild
Steven Greydanus and Nick Thomm join us to discuss two recent films, "Soul Surfer" and "Born to Be Wild." Soul Surfer is the true story of Bethany Hamilton, a professional surfer who lost her arm in a shark attack, but relied on the grace of God to get back on the board and compete again. Born to be Wild is an I-MAX 3D film following two women who save baby elephants and baby orangutans respectively and then release them back into the wild. We have the reviews.

Vatican invites bloggers to May 2 conference

A meeting for bloggers will take place in Rome on the afternoon of Monday 2 May 2011. The aim of the meeting, which is being organised by the Pontifical Councils for Culture and Social Communications, is to allow for a dialogue between bloggers and Church representatives, to listen to the experiences of those who are actively involved in this arena, and to achieve a greater understanding of the needs of that community. The meeting will also allow for a presentation of some of the initiatives to engage with new media practitioners being taken by the Church, both in Rome and at the local level.

In two panels, speakers will open up some of the key issues in order to set up a more general discussion open to all participants. The first panel will involve 5 bloggers – they will be chosen to represent different language groups and each will address a specific theme of general relevance. The second panel will draw on people involved in the Church's communications outreach – they will speak of their experiences in working with new media and initiatives aimed at ensuring an effective engagement by the Church with bloggers.

Among those participating at the meeting will be Cardinal Ravasi of the Pontifical Council for Culture, Archbishop Celli of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications and Father Lombardi of the Vatican's Press Office and Vatican Radio. An important dimension of the meeting is to allow an opportunity for informal exchange and contact between those attending with a view to opening further avenues of interaction.

The meeting is taking place on the day after the Beatification of Pope John Paul II in order to take advantage of the likely presence in Rome of many bloggers. The invitation is open to all, but bloggers who wish to attend need to apply by emailing and sending a link to their blog. As space is limited to 150 seats and there is a desire to have a representation of the entire blogosphere, entrance passes and further details will be distributed with a view to the diversity of language and geography, typology of blogs (institutional or private, multivoice or personal), subjects of blogs, and timeliness of request.

Simultaneous translation will be provided for Italian, English, French, Polish and Spanish.

The venue is the Palazzo San Pio X, in via della Conciliazione, 5.

Brother of assassinated Pakistani minister asks for pope's help in Pakistan

Cartoon of the Day - Finding Middle Ground

An Evening of Tribute to Joe Scheidler

Below are a couple videos produced for / at the recent evening of tribute to Joe Scheidler in Chicago. It was a truly inspiring event that brought out nearly every pro-life leader in America. The event was recorded by Ave Maria Radio and will air in the near future.

First is a video produced by the Pro-Life Action League which provides some clips of speakers at the tribute.

Second is a piece produced by Citizens for a Pro-Life Society which was played at the tribute.

Third is some footage of the pro-abortion radicals that protested outside of the event as well as the young people of the pro-life movement who came out to show the contrasting joy of their position to the hate, graphic language and vitriol of the pro-aborts.