CNA Daily News - Europe

Pope says personal conversion is first step of New Evangelization

Thu, 24 May 2012 15:48:00 -0600

Vatican City, May 24, 2012 / 03:48 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Pope Benedict XVI told the bishops of Italy today that personal holiness is an indispensable first step to reconverting their country and the Western world to Christianity.

"The fundamental condition in order to be able to speak about God is to speak with God, increasingly to become men of God, nourished by an intense life of prayer and molded by his grace,” the Pope said on May 24.

He encouraged his fellow bishops to allow themselves “to be found and seized by God so as to help the people we meet be touched by the Truth.”

Pope Benedict made his remarks to the participants of the 64th General Assembly of the Italian Episcopal Conference, which is being held May 21--25.

The Italian bishops gathered in the Vatican’s Synod Hall, where they heard the Pope lament how for many people in the West, God has “become the great Unknown and Jesus is simply an important figure of the past.”

The Pope said that this is resulting in people no longer understanding the “profound value “ of the “spiritual and moral patrimony” that the West’s roots are in and that “is its lifeblood.” What was once “fertile land,” he said, is now at risk of “becoming a barren desert and the good seed (is in danger) of being suffocated, trampled on and lost.”

Even many baptized people in the West “have lost their identity” and “do not know the essential contents of the faith, or they believe they can cultivate faith without ecclesial mediation,” he warned the bishops.

The practical impact of this, Pope Benedict said, is that while many baptized “look doubtfully at Church teaching,” others have reduced “the Kingdom of God to certain broad values, which are certainly related to the Gospel but which do not touch the central nucleus of Christian faith.”

But the Pope did not finish his remarks without offering a solution to the Italian bishops.

He pointed them to the New Evangelization, which has its roots in the prophetic words of Pope John XXIII. At the opening of the Second Vatican Council in 1962, John XXIII said that the council would help “transmit pure and integral doctrine, without any attenuation or misrepresentation” but in a new way “according to what is required by our times.”

This, explained Pope Benedict, is the key or “hermeneutic” of “continuity and reform” required to properly understand the council today.

He repeated, though, that any new evangelization will not be achieved simply by “new methods of announcing the Gospel” or by “pastoral activity” but only through personal conversion.

“We must begin again from God, celebrated, professed and witnessed,” said the Pope. “Our primary task, our true and only task, remains that of dedicating our lives to the one thing that is truly dependable, necessary and ultimate.”

Before concluding with a prayer to the Holy Spirit, Pope Benedict assured the bishops that the Catholic faith preached by word and example still has the power to draw all people to Christ.

“Where space is given to the Gospel, and therefore to friendship with Christ, man realizes he is the object of a love which purifies, warms, renews, and makes us capable of serving mankind with divine love,” he said.

Vatican delegate insists on respect for faith-based health care

Wed, 23 May 2012 19:59:00 -0600

Geneva, Switzerland, May 23, 2012 / 07:59 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- The Vatican’s head delegate to the World Health Assembly said that while the Church supports universal health care access, states must respect and welcome the efforts of the private sphere in achieving that goal.

In each nation, “the progress towards universal coverage cannot be the effort of the state machinery alone. It requires support from the civil society and communities, whose contribution to health service delivery is fundamental,” Archbishop Zygmunt Zimowski said in his May 23 address to the World Health Assembly.

The assembly is the forum through which the World Health Organization is governed by its 194 member states. It is the world's highest health policy setting body, and is composed of health ministers from member states.

In his address, Archbishop Zimowski said that states should “generously acknowledge and support initiatives” aimed at helping those in need, including those that come from faith-based organizations.

The Catholic Church, he noted, is helping to provide affordable, universal health coverage all around the world and, most often, in an amicable partnership with the state.

At the same time, Archbishop Zimowski cautioned governments to respect the principle of subsidiarity and called on them to respect the legitimate autonomy of Church’s health care institutions and the freedom of conscience of Catholic healthcare workers.

“The efforts and contribution of such organizations and institutions towards universal access, merit the recognition and support of both the state and the international community, without obliging them to participate in activities they find morally abhorrent,” he stated.

At the global level, the Catholic Church is a major provider of health care, a fact that the archbishop noted comes from a commitment to charity. He informed the assembly that the Church runs “over 120,000 social and health care institutions worldwide,” and is in “many developing countries, one of the key partners of the state in health care delivery, providing services in remote areas to rural low-income populations.”

According to the Catholic Health Association, the Church operates 12.6 percent of U.S. hospitals and accounts for 15.6 percent of hospital admissions and 14.5 percent of all hospital expenses. In addition, more than 400 health centers and 1,500 specialized homes are operated by the Catholic Church.

However, the U.S. Catholic Church is fighting a mandate from the Obama administration that requires employers to offer insurance plans that cover contraception, sterilization and abortion-causing drugs, even if doing so violates their religious beliefs.

Caritas volunteer celebrates 100th birthday in Spain

Wed, 23 May 2012 12:05:00 -0600

Valencia, Spain, May 23, 2012 / 12:05 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- An elderly woman considered the “dean” of the Caritas volunteers in the Archdiocese of Valencia, Spain celebrated her 100th birthday this past weekend with a Mass of thanksgiving.

Clotilde Veniel, who continues to visit the sick and to actively work with Caritas in Valencia – which she helped found – celebrated her birthday surrounded by friends and family, including two of her sons, five grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

After the Mass, she and her family celebrated with a dinner at their home, which was decorated with one hundred roses and balloons.

According to the AVAN news agency, Veniel is known in Caritas for her joy and commitment to pastoral work.

“When I visit the sick, sometimes I tell them jokes or I recite some poems to entertain them,” she told the agency. “We talk about joyful things of the past, like when we would go on walks with our boyfriends, which is much better than talking about our sorrows.”

The “dean” of the Caritas volunteers began her work with the agency in 1989, when the local pastor, Father Pascual Ripoll, “encouraged us to form Caritas. We had hardly anything, and another girl and I asked people for donations,” she recalled.

Nowadays, Veniel helps to collect donated clothing and bakes pastries and other sweets to raise money for the Medieval Festival held each year in the town of Bicorp, where she resides.

Father Ripoll said the 100-year-old volunteer is “very beloved and attends all the Caritas meetings. She has a lot of initiative,” he said.

Raised in a family of six sisters and one brother, Veniel said her longevity is the result of hard work. “I have worked a lot, almost since I learned to walk,” she said.

Vatican pays tribute to soccer star Didier Drogba

Wed, 23 May 2012 00:29:00 -0600

Rome, Italy, May 23, 2012 / 12:29 am (CNA/EWTN News).- The Vatican’s sports office has paid tribute to Chelsea striker Didier Drogba after the Catholic soccer star gave credit to God for his team’s UEFA Champions League victory.

“The Vatican and the Holy Father is always very interested in such athletes as they are role models for others,” Father Kevin Lixey, the director of the Vatican’s Office of Church and Sport, told CNA in a May 21 interview.

He explained that “if they give thanks to God for their talents, it is good for the young people who admire these star athletes.”

Drogba and his Chelsea teammates clinched European soccer’s ultimate prize against Germany’s Bayern Munich on May 19, with the Ivory Coast striker proving to be the hero of the night for the London club.

Drogba’s heroics began with him evening the score at 1-1 with only two minutes left on the clock. The game was still a draw after extra time expired, leading to a shoot out in which Drogba drove home the winning goal.

On both occasions the African player celebrated by blessing himself with the Sign of the Cross.

“It was fate, I believe a lot in destiny. I pray a lot. It was written a long time ago. God is wonderful. This team is amazing,”34-year-old Drogba told the media after the game.

Saturday is not the first time that Didier Drogba has thanked God for his soccer skills. Before leaving in 2004 from his previous club, Olympique de Marseille in France, he gave his team shirt to the local Cathedral of Notre-Dame de la Garde, where it is still on display.

Away from the soccer pitch, Drogba has attempted to use his fame to bring peace to his native Ivory Coast. The small West African state has been plagued by civil wars during the past decade. Drogba is one of 11 members of the country’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission, and last year was named in Time magazine's 100 most influential people in recognition for his work.

Fr. Lixey, an American priest based in Rome, drew a parallel between Didier Drogba’s comments and the conduct of American football player Tim Tebow.

He explained how the New York Jets backup quarterback also recognizes that he has “a short time to witness to his faith” and views his career as “a window of opportunity” to evangelize.

Fr. Lixey believes there is “no correlation between victory and their prayers,” but he does think that Christian sportsmen are more likely to “give more to others in the team and can get along better with teammates.”

After Fr. Williams scandal, Legion head stresses accountability

Tue, 22 May 2012 19:25:00 -0600

Rome, Italy, May 22, 2012 / 07:25 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Father Alvaro Corcuera, the general director of the Legion of Christ, has asked forgiveness for his failure to act firmly enough towards a prominent Legion priest who fathered a child and has insisted that the Legion is improving its efforts to hold wayward clergy accountable.

The general director wrote a May 21 letter to the Legionaries of Christ and Regnum Christi members in North America about the situation "not to excuse my ineffectiveness, but to explain it -- and beg your forgiveness."

Father Thomas Williams, a television broadcaster, prolific author, and theology and ethics professor at the Legion's Regina Apostolorum University in Rome, issued a May 15 statement admitting that he had a relationship with a woman "a number of years ago." He apologized for the "grave transgression" and said he will leave active public ministry for a year.

Fr. Corcuera, the Regina Apostolorum University's former rector, provided new information about the timeline of the events. He said that he had heard rumors about Fr. Williams' misbehavior during his time as rector and inquired about them, but he believed Fr. Williams' denial.

After Fr. Corcuera became the Legion's general director in 2005, "early" in his assignment, he learned that Fr. Williams in fact had a relationship with a woman and fathered a child.

"I reviewed the situation with Fr. Williams, asking him to start withdrawing from public ministry," Fr. Corcuera said.

The general director placed restrictions on the priest's ministry in May 2010, but in his recent letter Fr. Corcuera said these restrictions were "not firm enough" because he was not asked to leave teaching. Fr. Williams was told to "fully withdraw" from all public ministry in March 2012.

"I also must admit that, in the midst of all that was happening I was not diligent in setting proper restrictions and enforcing them," the general director said.

His comments follow a May 15 Legion of Christ statement saying the general director and his council are "deeply sorry for not having acted earlier and more firmly."

Fr. Corcuera's May 21 letter stressed the need to reassure Legion and Regnum Christi members that "things are handled differently now."

He said that precautionary measures, possibly including removal from public ministry, are now taken when a "serious charge" is brought against any member of the Legion of Christ.

If there is a legal issue, it is reported to the authorities and the Legion cooperates with them "completely." Relevant issues are also reported to the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

Fr. Corcuera said that changes in the Legion's governance structure are also moving away from the centralized style created by the religious congregation's founder, Fr. Marcel Maciel. After his death Fr. Maciel was exposed as a sexual abuser who also fathered children.

Reforms of the Legion's constitution, the general director said, will help minimize the chance of "future failings."

"However, we are fallen human beings; as a growing, international congregation, it is likely that some of us will fail to live up to our ideals. But when that happens, every person will be held accountable for his or her actions," he said.

He also called on priests who have engaged in abuse or sexual misconduct to "step forward" to be held accountable and "receive the assistance and the supervision they need."

Anyone affected by a Legionary priest should report it to the relevant authorities, he said.

Fr. Corcuera said that he is confident that with God's help the Legion can work to repair past injustices "in a way consonant with the justice and charity demanded in the Gospel."

He said he has always "esteemed and valued" Fr. Williams, which makes the current situation "so painful."

The general director urged Legion supporters to show "unity, charity, prayer and mutual support" in advancing the congregation's renewal. He specifically asked for prayers for Fr. Williams, for Legionaries who may be "a cause of scandal with their sins," and for any victims.

"God can always bring good from evil – let us be on his side in this effort!" he said.

Pope removes Italian bishop amid fraud accusations

Tue, 22 May 2012 02:03:00 -0600

Rome, Italy, May 22, 2012 / 02:03 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Pope Benedict XVI has removed an Italian bishop from ministry following the launch of a police investigation into alleged financial corruption within his Sicily diocese.

The Vatican’s official bulletin on May 19 announced that the Pope relieved the Diocese of Trapani from the “pastoral care” of Bishop Francesco Miccichè.

Bishop Miccichè, 69, had been in charge of the diocese on the Island of Sicily for the past 14 years. Since last year, however, Italy’s financial police have been investigating the disappearance of over one million euros (approximately $1,275,000) from two charitable foundations operated by the diocese.

In June 2011 the Vatican asked a fellow Sicilian prelate, Bishop Domenico Mogavero of Mazara del Vallo, to investigate the situation in the Diocese of Trapani on their behalf. The result is Bishop Miccichè dismissal this weekend.

“It is clear that my superiors were unable or unwilling to understand what was going on in this diocese, leaving the clergy and especially the people of God at the mercy of petty slander” said Bishop Miccichè in response to the news May 19.

He strenuously denied any wrongdoing and described his dismissal as “an extreme measure” which he neither agreed with nor understood. However, out of “loyalty to the Pope and the Church,” he said he has committed himself to accepting the verdict “in a spirit of obedience.”

He also suggested that the decision is the result of “a conspiracy bore in and outside the Church” by those who do not like his vocal opposition to both Freemasonry and Mafia-sponsored crime.

Bishop Miccichè dismissal is the second time in two years that Pope Benedict XVI has removed an active bishop from ministry. In May 2011, the Pope axed Bishop William Morris from his post in Australian Diocese of Toowoomba. The move followed years of fruitless negotiations aimed at correcting the bishop’s abuses of Church doctrine, governance and liturgy.

The emeritus archbishop of Pisa, Archbishop Alessandro Plotti, will now act as Apostolic Administrator for the Diocese of Trapani until a new bishop is appointed.

Smokers' use of contraceptives up risk of heart attacks, blood clots

Mon, 21 May 2012 12:29:00 -0600

Madrid, Spain, May 21, 2012 / 12:29 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Women who are smokers and use hormonal contraceptives – whether pills, patches or rings – are at greater risk for blood clots and heart attacks, according to the Spanish Heart Federation.

A study by the University of Copenhagen published in the British Medical Journal and carried out on 9.4 million women between the ages of 15 and 49, found that users of some method of hormonal contraception are at greater risk for blood clots than women who don’t use them.

The data from the study showed that these illnesses are eight times more common among users of contraceptive patches, 6.5 times more common among users of vaginal rings, and 3 times higher among those who take oral contraceptives.

Another study also published in the British Medical Journal and carried out by the UK General Practice Research Database on women between the ages of 15 and 44 showed that blood clots are more frequent among women who take contraceptives with Drospirenone – a synthetic form of progesterone – than among those who use contraceptives containing levonorgestrel, which is an older type of synthetic progesterone.

“These studies show that the use of hormonal contraceptives is not free of secondary effects, especially when it comes to cardiovascular health,” said Almudena Castro, president of Rehabilitation and Preventive Cardiology at the Spanish Cardiology Society.

“Consequently, women should be warned of their potential risks, especially women who are at increased risk of blood clots.”

“However,” Castro added, “each individual case should be analyzed when prescribing hormonal contraceptives, as a healthy 24-year-old smoker will be different that a 40-year-old overweight smoker.”

Hormonal contraceptives are known to have the potential to cause blood clots both in veins and in arteries. They also affect lipids in the blood and increase the concentration of cholesterol and triglycerides.

Priests condemn city's move banning bishop from events

Fri, 18 May 2012 16:08:00 -0600

Madrid, Spain, May 18, 2012 / 04:08 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Priests in Spain voiced support for a local bishop after a city council adopted a motion banning him from official city events over his remarks criticizing dangerous behaviors within the gay community.

On May 15 the Alaca city council passed the motion, which also called for Bishop Juan Antonio Reig Pla to be moved to another diocese.

“In response to these very grave acts, we express our adherence to the Catholic doctrine taught by our father and pastor, Bishop Reig, as well as our support for him and his apostolic ministry, and we invite all to pray for religious freedom, for our Bishop and for those who persecute the Catholic Church,” the priests said in a statement Tuesday.

The motion to transfer the bishop was presented by the group Union, Progress and Democracy and was backed by other left-leaning organizations as well as the Spanish Socialist Party. The ruling People’s Party, however, has opposed the motion.

Bishop Reig Pla has faced intense criticism after remarks given in a Good Friday sermon in which he condemned sexual practices he believes to be harmful.

As part of a larger cultural critique of sexual behavior in modern society, he lamented how some with same-sex attraction “corrupt and prostitute themselves or go to gay night clubs” in order to “validate” their struggle.

“I assure you what they encounter is pure hell,” he said on April 6.

In response to the bishop, Socialist Party spokesman Javier Rodriguez said his comments have put him as well as the diocese “on the homophobic map.”

Bishop Reig Pla, however, has gained the support of the Spanish bishops' conference, whose secretary general, Auxiliary Bishop Juan Antonio Martinez Camino of Madrid, called the controversy caused by his sermon “unjust.”

The International Federation of Associations of Catholic Doctors has also voiced support for Bishop Reig Pla as well as more than 20 locals struggling with same-sex attraction who personally wrote the bishop to thank him for his remarks.

Italian journalist publishes book of Vatican leaks

Fri, 18 May 2012 09:39:00 -0600

Rome, Italy, May 18, 2012 / 09:39 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Italian journalist Gianluigi Nuzzi reveals private Vatican correspondence in a new book containing a collection of letters titled, “Sua Santita (His Holiness).”

Nuzzi, whose coverage of Vatican affairs is scant, was responsible for leaking two private letters in January that the Pope sent to the current Apostolic Nuncio to the United States and former secretary of the Vatican City Government, Archbishop Claudio Maria Vigano.

He also leaked other private letters from the Holy See, contributing to a series of confidentiality breaches dubbed “Vatileaks” by the media.

The journalist is also known as the host of the television program “The Untouchables,” and has been a collaborator with various Italian newspapers, including Espansione, Il Corriere della Sera, Il Giornale and Panorama. He is the author of the books “Vatican S.p.A.” and “Metastasis.”

Last month, Pope Benedict XVI launched an investigation to determine the source of the internal leaks by creating a special commission of cardinals.

The group includes Cardinal Julian Herranz, president emeritus of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts; Cardinal Josef Tomko, prefect emeritus of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, and Cardinal Salvatore De Giorgi, Archbishop emeritus of Palermo in Italy.

According to the publisher Chiarelettere, the book was titled “His Holiness” since “that is how the letters that are addressed to Pope Benedict XVI begin.” The publishing house noted that apart from an introduction by the author, the new book only features the leaked letters, most of which have already been published or refer to past events.

One leaked memo that emerged over the last few months concerns a cardinal’s complaint about another cardinal who reputedly spoke of a possible assassination attempt against the Pope within 12 months and speculated upon his successor.

In January, an Italian television show broadcast private letters to Pope Benedict XVI and Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone from Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, the former deputy governor of Vatican City, who is currently the apostolic nuncio to the U.S. The archbishop contended that other Vatican officials have conducted a smear campaign against him because of his changes to purchasing procedures.

Other leaks center on the Vatican’s financial institution, the Institute of Works of Religion, which is also trying to reform and comply with international norms.

Legion leaders regret not acting sooner in Fr. Williams case

Thu, 17 May 2012 16:15:00 -0600

Rome, Italy, May 17, 2012 / 04:15 pm (CNA).- Leaders of the Legionaries of Christ have apologized for not acting more quickly in the case of Father Thomas Williams, who acknowledged on May 15 that he fathered a child several years ago.

In a statement published on its website, the Legionaries said the priest's superiors “suggested to Fr. Thomas to act in an appropriate way and to withdraw himself from public appearances … Nevertheless, it would have been better to act faster and more forcefully.”

“The General Director and his council are deeply sorry for not having acted earlier and more firmly, and they assume the responsibility and ask pardon for not having done everything possible to limit the scandal,” the order said.

It was out of concern for “the legitimate interests of all concerned, especially the privacy of the mother and child,” that the facts were not made public earlier, according to the statement.

Cardinal Velasio De Paolis, the papal delegate appointed to oversee the order's reform efforts in 2010, told Reuters he “only heard about it this year,” when he was informed several months ago.

In its statement, the Legionaries said the papal delegate had helped them to “sort out difficult issues like this.” They also stated that future cases of a similar kind will be handled “with canonical firmness.”

In the case of Fr. Williams, the order says it knows of “no other inappropriate relationships.”

Known for his numerous books and frequent television appearances, Fr. Williams apologized on Tuesday for the events that took place “a number of years ago.” He has withdrawn from public ministry for a year “to reflect on the wrong I have done and my commitments as a priest.”

Citing “respect for the privacy of the mother and child,” his order said it had no further details to provide regarding the time frame of Fr. Williams' relationship with the woman, nor about the age of their child, or how long the priest's superiors knew of the situation before taking action.

Fr. Williams, who was ordained in 1994, is also a professor at the Legionaries' Regina Apostolorum University. In Tuesday's clarification notice, the order said the woman was not one of his students. Their relationship, according to the Legion, involved no “abuse of authority.”

“Despite the moral seriousness of this transgression against the priestly vows, it is not a case of abuse or a criminal action,” the order stated, explaining that the case had been reported to a representative of the Pope but not to civil authorities.

The child, meanwhile, “is being cared for, as required by natural law.” No further details were disclosed.

Canon law does not provide a single set procedure for cases in which a priest fathers a child with an adult woman. Priests may be released from their vows in some cases, though they may also choose to continue serving as clergy after appropriate repentance and other steps to address the situation.

Spain would save $72 million by axing abortion funding

Thu, 17 May 2012 16:09:00 -0600

Madrid, Spain, May 17, 2012 / 04:09 pm (CNA).- The spokesman for the organization Right to Life in Spain, Gador Joya, said eliminating abortion funding from the federal budget would save Spain nearly $72 million.

According to Europa Press, Joya suggested the funds be used for a comprehensive maternity program, with special emphasis on women with “unexpected pregnancies.”

She criticized the government for continuing to provide funding for abortion, while at the same time arguing that the health care system is too poor to pay for treatments such as hip replacements.

“At times we have the sensation that the government does not want to confront the harsh reality. Abortion is the cruel and violent death of a human being. It does not cure or prevent an illness, and therefore it cannot be recognized as a health care benefit,” she added.

Joya said the Spanish government needs to take action quickly “because each day 300 children are dying, and since the new government has taken office, more than 40,000 lives have been lost.

Right to Life, together with the Forum on the Family, have issued an “urgent” appeal to the government to cut funding for abortion, after the country’s Health Minister, Ana Mato, said Spain’s national health care system would continue to cover the procedure.

The president of the Forum on the Family, Benigno Blanco, underscored that many Spaniards find it “totally unacceptable” that their tax dollars are being used to pay for abortions, and he said the laws that force public hospitals to cover abortions should be struck down “as soon as possible.”

Blanco said it was particularly incongruous that the law itself has separated abortion for any issue related to health and has turned it into a right that can be exercised by a woman without any medical reason whatsoever.

Diocese rejects transfer of Spanish bishop over gay remarks

Wed, 16 May 2012 16:04:00 -0600

Madrid, Spain, May 16, 2012 / 04:04 pm (CNA).- A Spanish diocese has rejected a request by the city government to have Bishop Juan Antonio Reig Pla transferred due to a controversial Good Friday sermon that critics have labeled as “homophobic.”

“Our father and pastor, Juan Antonio Reig Pla, the Bishop of Alcala de Henares, has always taught Catholic doctrine with charity and truth, and he will continue to do so with the grace of God,” the diocese said in a statement.

The motion to transfer the bishop was presented by the group Union, Progress and Democracy and was backed by other left-leaning organizations as well as the Spanish Socialist Party. The ruling People’s Party, however, has opposed the motion, which demands that the bishop be transferred to another diocese and that he not be invited to any official event in the city.

Bishop Reig Pla has faced intense criticism after remarks given in a Good Friday sermon in which he condemned sexual practices he believes to be harmful.

As part of a larger cultural critique of sexual behavior in modern society, he lamented how some with same-sex attraction “corrupt and prostitute themselves or go to gay night clubs” in order to “validate” their struggle.

“I assure you what they encounter is pure hell,” he said on April 6.

In response to the bishop, Socialist Party spokesman Javier Rodriguez said his comments have put him as well as the diocese “on the homophobic map.”

In its statement, however, the Diocese of Alcala de Henares underscored its respect for all persons, regardless of their condition, and for legitimately constituted authorities.

But it also stressed the need for the right to religious freedom and that “no human institution has the authority to judge, and much less, prevent the teaching of Catholic doctrine.”

When such an effort is made formally by a political institution, the diocese said, “The result is a sad and intolerable violation of human rights and of the principle of the separation of Church and state.”

Bishop Reig Pla has gained the support of the Bishops’ Conference of Spain, whose secretary general, Auxiliary Bishop Juan Antonio Martinez Camino of Madrid called the controversy caused by his sermon “unjust.”

The International Federation of Associations of Catholic Doctors has also voiced support for Bishop Reig Pla as well as more than 20 locals struggling with same-sex attraction who personally wrote the bishop to thank him for his remarks.

FOCUS considers expanding mission to Europe

Wed, 16 May 2012 04:02:00 -0600

Rome, Italy, May 16, 2012 / 04:02 am (CNA/EWTN News).- FOCUS campus ministry is considering taking their successful brand of youth apostolate to Europe in order to meet the challenge of evangelizing formerly Christian societies.

Founder and president Curtis Martin called the potential task “unique” in that “you are proclaiming the Gospel to people who already know parts of the Gospel.”

“I think there is tremendous opportunity, especially in the Americas, but also in Western Europe because we have such a deep, Catholic Christian culture, but people are drifting away,” he told CNA in Rome May 9.

Launched only 14 years ago, FOCUS – the Fellowship of Catholic University Students – has grown from four missionaries serving one campus in Kansas to over 260 missionaries serving nearly 60 campuses in 28 states across the U.S.

Martin identifies the “FOCUS effect” as the infectious enthusiasm of young people after they have their “lives changed by Jesus Christ” and recognize that “the Catholic Church is the home that all Christians are called to.”

“When they go on to college campuses and they’re living a life of joy and friendship, it radiates,” he said.

“Everybody desires to have joy and friendship but our world offers very little of that, so when they go on campus they stand out like a star in the middle of a dark night.”

Speaking beneath the shadow of the dome of St. Peter’s basilica, Martin said he recognizes that most young people in Europe “typically know that Jesus Christ is a historical figure” and are even aware that “he died on a cross and even that he rose from the dead.”

“But they don't know how to make those realities, the reality of what Christ did, have any impact on their lives.”

Because of this, he believes that the young people of the old world are now ripe for “a bold, energetic, zealous and joyful proclamation of the Gospel that invites them to think again what their life is all about.”

The organization is no stranger to the European continent. Last year Martin and his team hosted an evangelization summit in the Spain prior to World Youth Day in Madrid. Next month they will be present at the 50th Eucharistic Congress in Dublin, Ireland. They’ve also had missionaries serve temporarily at the European campuses of American universities.

“We’re just begging God that when the time is right, if it’s something that the Church calls for, that we'll be ready to respond. We’re eager to go wherever the Holy Spirit leads us,” said Martin.

The FOCUS team will be back in Rome this October for the Synod of Bishops when up to 100 campus leaders will pray and fast “begging God to send grace upon the Church.” In the evenings they also hope to meet with many of the participating bishops to discuss Blessed John Paul II's vision of the New Evangelization and, perhaps, the expansion of FOCUS into Europe.

“Right now, there's plenty of work to do in the United States but if the Holy Spirit calls us to go elsewhere, we'll do everything we can to meet that call.”

Virgin Mary 'greatest source of hope' for Europe's crisis

Tue, 15 May 2012 16:05:00 -0600

Valencia, Spain, May 15, 2012 / 04:05 pm (CNA).- A top Vatican official called the Virgin Mary the “greatest source of hope” during the economic crisis now facing Spain and most of the countries of Europe.

Cardinal Antonio Canizares, prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, made his remarks during the traditional “Missa d’Infants” (Children’s Mass) in Valencia.

The outdoor Mass at Virgin Mary Square is the largest celebration in honor of the Blessed Mother under the patronage of “Our Lady of Abandoned Children.” Dozens of children’s choirs participate in the Mass each year.

During his homily, the cardinal said devotion to Mary is especially important “during the difficult times of our life, amidst the great difficulties we are experiencing” and as society faces a “critical hour” in history.

He went on to say that at the root of the massive crisis facing the country, and the real problem facing mankind, “is the breakdown of humanity, the lack of a true vision of man, who is inseparable from God.”

Citing the words of Pope Benedict XVI, Cardinal Canizares stressed that when God disappears, “man is unable to achieve greatness.”

“He loses his dignity and becomes the mere product of blind evolution, to be used and abused.” Only in God and with God, who loves man unconditionally, “as we feel in Mary, will the change that the earth needs come to pass,” he said.

The cardinal’s homily was met with a standing ovation by the thousands of people gathered for the Mass.

At the conclusion of the Mass, Archbishop Carlos Osoro of Valencia thanked the cardinal for his words and asked him to convey to Pope Benedict XVI “our sincere affection and communion and the prayer of all the Christians of the pilgrim Church of Valencia.”

Leaked SSPX letters reveal internal discord over Vatican negotiations

Mon, 14 May 2012 12:03:00 -0600

Rome, Italy, May 14, 2012 / 12:03 pm (CNA).- Recently leaked documents reveal the correspondence between four bishops of the Society of St. Pius X, which show disagreement over reconciliation efforts with the Vatican.

The breakaway society gave its assent on April 13 to a statement of doctrinal belief presented to it by the Holy See but with some suggested amendments to the text.

It will now be for Pope Benedict XVI to decide whether the traditionalist group's response is sufficient to permit them back into full communion with the Catholic Church.

Newly leaked correspondence from early April, however, shows discord among the bishops shortly before the superior of the society, Bernard Fellay, delivered his response Vatican's doctrinal Preamble which was issued to the group in 2011.

The documents consist of a first letter sent by three bishops – including Richard Williamson, known for his downplaying of the Holocaust – to Fellay dated April 7. The group claims that a “doctrinal agreement with present-day Rome is impossible,” and that they therefore formally oppose “a practical agreement” with the Church.

Addressing the stance of some of the society's top leaders, who are more favorable to an agreement with the Holy See, the bishops said they are “leading the Society to the point of no return, to an irreversible profound division.”

In a subsequent letter responding to the group, Fellay condemned “the lack of supernatural vision and of realism” of those criticizing him.

After affirming that Benedict XVI is the legitimate Pope and saying that that God speaks through the pontiff's words, Fellay asked, “If he expresses legitimate will towards us, which is good, and that is not against God’s commandments, do we have the right to ignore or reject that extended hand?”

“The Pope has told us that the concern for fixing our situation for the good of the Church was at the heart of his Pontificate, and likewise that he was aware that for him and for us it would have been easier to maintain the status quo.”

Fellay said that the society in general “would much prefer the status quo for now, but it is obvious that Rome no longer accepts that.”

“There is a change in the attitude of the Church, backed by the gestures and the acts of Benedict XVI towards Tradition,” he added.

In his letter, Fellay expressed regret that he did not have the support and advice of the bishops who wrote him “in order to endure such a delicate time of our history.”

The Society has had a strained relationship with the Vatican since its founder, Archbishop Marcel Lefebrve, consecrated four bishops against the orders of Pope John Paul II in 1988.

Archbishop Lefebrve founded the Society in 1970 as a response to what he described as errors that had crept into the Catholic Church following the Second Vatican Council.

In 2009, Pope Benedict remitted the excommunications of the Society’s bishops and set talks in motion aimed at restoring “full communion.” The Pope said at the time that to achieve full communion the members of the Society would have to show “true recognition of the Magisterium and the authority of the Pope and of the Second Vatican Council.”

Society headquarters reacted to the leaking of the documents in May 11 statement, calling the move a “grave sin.”

The full text of the letters can be found at:

http://www.riposte-catholique.fr/summorum-pontificum-blog/documents-summorum/lettre-de-mgr-fellay-aux-eveques-de-la-fraternite-saint-pie-x#.T62R3J_SpEy