News from around the Catholic world for the week ending 29 August.
UPDATE: 29/8 12.15pm: Bernie Finn will no longer appear at World Congress of Families due to his family’s fear for his safety.
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• The Holy See’s UN representative calls for international intervention in Iraq and Nigeria
• A U.S. Archdiocese raises ethical issues with ALS ice bucket challenge
• Cardinal Pell appears before the Royal Commission
• Wagga Wagga farewells one of its longest serving priests
• The World Congress of Families set to kick off in Melbourne amidst protests
• Ignite Conference 2014 set to attract 1500.
TRANSCRIPT
BOBBIE: The Holy See’s Permanent Observer to the United Nations in Geneva Archbishop Silvano Tomasi has once again called for foreign intervention to stop the Islamic State from wiping out Christians an other minorities in Iraq and its surrounding areas. Archbishop Tomasi told Vatican Radio that Pope Francis’ stance on the matter is clear.
“He continues to appeal to the international community and to all of us believers,” Archbishop Tomasi said.
“To pray that the path to peace will be found, inviting everyone to negotiate and inviting the countries that are capable of stopping the aggressor – through the mechanisms of the United Nations – (to take action).”
Archbishop Tomasi commented on a recent meeting between leaders of orthodox churches and various Catholic rites where a plan of action was formed. He said that the leaders would ask for help from the international community to end the killing of minorities, and then to maintain an international presence that would allow Christians to return to their homes.
“It is not right that the international community accepts that automatically, the Christians are condemned to exile,” Archbishop Tomas said.
“They have the right to live at home, where they’ve lived for 1,700 years, since before the arrival of Islam, so that they can continue (to live there) not only because it is their natural right, but also because they are a presence that is a benefit to the Islamic community, and which helps diversify the social context which can slowly favor a democracy that respects the identity of every person and each group,” he said.
Archbishop Tomasi also commented on recent events in Nigeria where Islamic militant group Boko Haram have proclaimed a caliphate.
“The violence used by Boko Haram is worrying,” he said. “The fact that the systematic use of violence against innocent civilians – particularly Christians – is a form of power-grabbing poses the question to the international community: how will it react?”
“…the international community needs to condemn (Boko Haram) and make it clear that the methods used by these people are completely unacceptable. In whatever manner deemed useful, it must also support the Nigerian government to fulfill its efforts to reject this group,” Archbishop Tomasi said.
Details on that story via Vatican Radio.
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The Cincinnati Archdiocese in Ohio, U.S. has warned against the ALS Ice bucket challenge, calling on Catholic schools to cease donations to the ALS Association.
In an article posted on the Archdiocesan newspaper’s website, the Archdiocese noted that the ALS Association, while doing good work toward the goal of treating the disease, supports embryonic stem cell research.
The article reads, “the Archdiocese is not dissuading individual Catholics from making donations, but they are encouraged to be fully informed and make their own prudential judgments.”
“The Archdiocese of Cincinnati has determined that its Catholic schools will not, as organisations, donate to that particular charity.”
The article also quotes St John Paul II saying : “Any treatment which claims to save human lives, yet is based upon the destruction of human life in its embryonic state, is logically and morally contradictory, as is any production of human embryos for the direct or indirect purpose of experimentation or eventual destruction.”
The Archdiocese commended those who wish to contribute to the cause of ending ALS, but suggested finding a more ethical alternative to the ALS Association. It offered the John Paul II Medical Research Institute as a suitable alternative, a secular non-profit, which uses only adult stem cells and is committed to building a culture of life.
The Archdiocese’ Superintendent of Catholic Schools Jim Rigg later filmed himself taking the ice bucket challenge, announcing that he would also make a donation to the John Paul II Medical Research Institute.
The ALS ice bucket challenge campaign to raise awareness and funds for research into Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, a motor neuron disease, has taken social media by storm in recent months, raising close to $100 million for the ALS Association since July. Celebrities who have taken part by filming themselves having ice water dumped over their heads include President George W Bush, Matt Damon, David and Victoria Beckham and dozens more.
More on that story via Catholic Telegraph
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Cardinal George Pell and Archbishop Dennis Hart have appeared at the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse in Melbourne this week.
In its latest case study the Commission is investigating the Archdiocese of Melbourne’s sexual abuse victim assistance program, known as the “Melbourne Response”, which was introduced by Cardinal Pell as Archbishop of Melbourne, and is currently overseen by Archbishop Hart.
During examination Archbishop Hart was challenged on the practicality of priestly celibacy and its role in sexual abuse.
In response to the suggestion that celibacy is not a good thing for certain priests, Archbishop Hart said, “I do believe wholeheartedly in the value of celibacy for the priesthood because it is [about]being available for people, a broader kind of love. It’s a very high ideal. Not everyone attains to it. But it’s very, very worthwhile.”
Archbishop Hart was also questioned about the Seal of Confession, and asked to clarify why conversations within the Sacrament of Confession are to be excluded from mandatory reporting laws. Archbishop Hart stated that the Sacrament of Confession is an encounter with God, and thus cannot be infringed upon by civil laws.
The Archbishop also noted, “if [the Seal of Confession]were to be swept away the possibility of offenders confessing is completely gone… In the present situation it may be the last opportunity that an offender has to face the reality of his or her offences, to be led by the priest either to give themselves up or to report and confront the enormity of their crimes.”
During Cardinal Pell’s appearance at the Commission via web-link from Rome, the Cardinal was questioned on technical aspects of the Melbourne Response and the Church’s liability for cases involving its priests.
Cardinal Pell also maintained his earlier stance that while legal tactics employed by Australian dioceses in some cases were a failure from a Christian standpoint, and thus regrettable, these tactics were appropriate from a general legal perspective.
The Royal Commission investigation in to the Melbourne Response concluded on Wednesday.
Catholic Talk summary of day four: (Cardinal Pell)
Catholic Talk summary of day seven (Archbishop Hart)
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The Diocese of Wagga Wagga has lost one of its longest serving priests, Monsignor William Fulton, who died at Mercy Hospital in Albury last Friday night aged 83.
In his 54 year priesthood Monsignor Fulton has served in the Leeton, Wagga, Howlong and The Rock parishes before spending his last 16 years in Albury.
Fr Joel Wallace, the current Parish Priest in Albury and Mons. Fulton’s successor, spoke of his gentle, humble and hardworking nature.
“He would have undertaken thousands of baptisms, funerals and weddings aside from all the Sunday services,” Fr Wallace told Fairfax press.
“He put himself at the service of people over a period of more than 50 years. I’d like to pay tribute to him for his dedication and service.
“He is fondly remembered by all those who knew him, and he is honoured in our memory,” Fr Wallace added.
Monsignor Fulton suffered from dementia in recent years and was cared for by St Patrick’s staff in his retirement before being placed in the Lutheran Nursing Home two months ago. His funeral was held on Tuesday at St Patricks Catholic Church, Albury.
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The World Congress of Families in Melbourne begins tomorrow amid planned protests and venue changes.
The Congress, which was moved to Melbourne from Moscow due to diplomatic tensions in the region, is set to feature both international and local speakers, including Cardinal Raymond Burke of the United States, Louise Kirk of the United Kingdom and Australian politicians Bernie Finn and Fred Nile.
Topics to be discussed at the Congress will include natural law, euthanasia and the importance of fatherhood.
Protests have been planned to disrupt the Congress due to its views on the family, marriage and human life.
Debbie Brennan, head of socialist feminist organisation “Radical Women”, said, “We will exercise our free speech right to make it as hard as we can for people to get into the congress. Certainly, we will be out there in force and having loud things to say.”
Ms Brennan added that the protests will be peaceful. Congress organisers have also had to face venue changes over the past week due to police warnings. Conflicting reports of the reason for venue changes have been given, with Victorian Police Senior Constable Andrew McDowell citing concerns over congestion by attendees. However one organiser, Margaret Butts, has stated that police advised a venue change based on concerns over potential protests.
No new venue has yet been publicly released.
Babette Francis, one of the Congress organisers, spoke to Cradio about the planned event.
BABETTE: Well it’s been quite an interesting experience, I’ve never experienced anything like this before. Endeavour forum has been running meetings every quarter with very similar speakers, with some of the same speakers, and it didn’t cause anything of this furore. For some reason we seem to have touched a raw nerve here.
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Brisbane Catholics are in their final month of preparation for September’s Ignite Conference, a contemporary Catholic conference set to attract close to 1500 people from around Australia.
This year’s conference, themed ‘illuminate’, will run from September 25th-28th and includes three streams: Ignite Central for adults, Ignite High for students up to year 12, and Ignite Kids for those of either pre-primary or primary school age.
Ignite Kids, run by early childhood teachers, primary educators and volunteers features fun activities that teach participants of God’s purpose for their lives. Ignite High will feature regular rallies and workshops, where teens will be encouraged to explore their faith through music, drama, activities and hearing testimonies.
The Conference is also aimed at ministry leaders, priests, religious, parents and teachers, and seeks to aid and equip attendees for ministry work and to live the Christian life. Ignite Central is set to feature rallies twice daily, keynotes from leading Catholic speakers and a choice of over 80 practical workshops.
Youth Coordinator for Ignite Youth Scotty McDonald caught up with Cradio recently to tell us more.
SCOTTY: We want it to be a conference for young people, people working with young people and people wanting that experience of the Church no matter their age. And we want to meet them wherever they’re at… There’s nothing more beautiful than the Friday night of Ignite Conference where we will lead adoration with the entire conference – during our night rally there’ll be adoration. And to have 1000 young people on their knees before the presence of Christ is just transformative and life-changing…
BOBBIE: Ignite Conference runs from 25-28 September at Mueller Performing Arts Centre in Rothwell, Brisbane. To found out more or to register visit igniteconference.com.au.
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Music Credit: Waking Up by Dexter Britain.
