c. 2004 Religion News Service
Prisons taking steps to prevent religious extremism
(RNS) In an effort to prevent religious extremism, the Federal Bureau of Prisons has made more than a dozen changes in its selection and supervision of providers of Muslim religious services, according to a government analysis.
A May report by the Justice Department’s Office of the Inspector General had advocated changes to increase security and prevent the potential spread of an anti-American ideology. An analysis by that same office, released this month (July), found that 13 of 16 recommendations had been resolved.
The analysis credited the Federal Bureau of Prisons in “taking important steps” to implement the recommendations, which addressed how the prison system screens and recruits religious services providers, relies on Muslim chaplains and supervises religious activity.
One of the areas still unresolved is the use of “subject matter experts” for the interviewing of applicants for contractor and volunteer positions. Such experts are used for all chaplain candidates, but the inspector general’s office thinks they should be involved at the beginning of the interview process for other kinds of applicants.
Also unresolved are whether the prison system needs to introduce audio monitoring of worship areas and whether it should create additional strategies to recruit more people providing Muslim religious services. The report said recruiting tactics used thus far “have been unsuccessful” in providing sufficient Muslim religious services providers.
Bureau spokesman Dan Dunne declined to comment on the specific “unresolved” matters.
“At this point, it would be premature to respond to these issues since we are continuing to work with OIG to find viable resolutions for those matters that are unresolved,” he told Religion News Service in an e-mail response to questions.
Echoing the analysis, he said “we do not believe there is widespread terrorist radicalization or recruiting occurring.”
Springfield Diocese Reaches $7 Million Deal with Victims
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (RNS) Concluding more than two years of legal wrangling, 46 alleged clergy sexual abuse victims and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield struck a more than $7 million deal Thursday (July 22) to settle claims.
The deal includes $7 million in cash, proceeds from the future sale of two diocesan properties worth at least an estimated $585,000 and non-monetary provisions for the alleged victims.
The settlement comes five months after former Bishop Thomas Dupre resigned under a cloud of suspicion when he was accused of molesting two boys more than 20 years ago.
The alleged victims will be provided lifetime counseling and continue to have access to other services provided through the diocese. An alleged victim will be named to the Diocesan Review Board.
Alleged victims will be required to sign waivers that prevent direct relatives from filing claims against the diocese except in cases that the relative was sexually abused themselves by a member of the clergy.
Andre P. Tessier, 45, of West Hartford, said a settlement is nothing to celebrate.
“This has been spiritual genocide for all of us,” Tessier said. “The abuse and the church that covered up the abuse has stole my belief that the Catholic institution is a good one. I was brought up in the church and I wanted to be a part of it, but now I want nothing to do with it.”
Martin Bono, of Springfield, said he pulled off the road and cried in joy for 25 minutes upon learning of the settlement. He praised Bishop Timothy McDonnell, who was named to succeed Dupre.
“I think of Tim _ and that’s what I call the bishop _ as a friend. He said he was coming here to be a healer and I think he was,” Bono said.
The 46 alleged victims have 14 days to opt out of the settlement and continue litigation. The total settlement will de decreased by 1/46th for every alleged victim who decides to pursue litigation.
Agreeing to the settlement enters each person into a binding arbitration that will determine individual settlement amounts, according to the diocesan statement and the victims’ lawyer. The average settlement amount is expected to be about $165,000 per person.
Meanwhile, 20 or so other alleged clergy sexual abuse victims represented by other lawyers soon will begin mediating their claims against the diocese now that the largest group of alleged victims have reached an agreement.
_ Bill Zajac
Survey: Catholics consider abusive priests “serious problem”
(RNS) A new survey shows that U.S. Catholics are far more concerned about the clergy sexual abuse scandal than they are about gay priests, women in the church or lay involvement in decision-making.
The study found that 85 percent of Catholics ranked abusive priests as a “serious problem,” and 77 percent were concerned about bishops who had not done enough to stop the problem.
A smaller amount _ 62 percent _ were concerned about a growing shortage of priests, 42 percent were concerned about the number of gay men in the priesthood, 38 percent were troubled that women are not involved enough in church-decision making. Less than one-third shared similar concerns about lay involvement.
The full survey by Dean Hoge of Catholic University and James Davidson of Purdue University was sponsored by the University of Notre Dame. Early findings and conclusions were reported by Catholic News Service.
Among Catholics, 62 percent thought the bishops were still covering up the abuse scandal, and 20 percent thought bishops were “open and honest.” Suspicion ran highest among Catholics who do not regularly attend Mass.
“The good news for bishops is that the most loyal Catholics have the most favorable views of their leadership,” Hoge told CNS. “The bad news is that even among (registered) parishioners and active Catholics, a majority of lay people suspect the bishops are not telling the whole truth about the scandal.”
The survey also detected a growing generational gap between older and younger Catholics on moral issues. Among Catholics older than 63, 69 percent say homosexual activity is always wrong, 55 percent said abortion is always wrong and 64 percent opposed premarital sex.
But, among the three younger generations surveyed, less than one-fourth said premarital sex was always wrong, 35 percent said abortion is always wrong and 39 percent said homosexual activity is always wrong.
The survey of 1,119 Catholics was conducted last October and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points. The report’s full findings will be released at a Notre Dame symposium and in Commonweal magazine.
House Passes Bill to Restrict Court Rulings on Gay Marriage
WASHINGTON (RNS) The House on Thursday (July 22) approved a bill that would prohibit federal courts from ruling on the merits of a 1996 law that allowed states not to recognize gay marriages performed by other states.
The House adopted, 233-194, the Marriage Protection Act, which would tie the hands of all federal courts _ including the U.S. Supreme Court _ from deciding the fate of the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act.
“Throughout history, the union of one man and one woman has been the bedrock of civilization,” said Rep. Todd Akin, R-Mo. “We must act now to prevent an activist judiciary from further weakening that foundation in our own nation.”
Supporters say the bill is necessary to keep courts from forcing states to recognize gay marriages performed in Massachusetts. The measure faces an uphill fight in the Senate, which last week blocked a proposed constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage.
Opponents denounced the measure as an unconstitutional violation of the separation of powers, which allows the judicial branch to interpret laws. The Defense of Marriage Act has not been tested in courts.
“This is a shameful day in congressional history,” said the Rev. Barry Lynn, executive director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State. “This bill is a radical Religious Right scheme meant to override the independence of the judiciary.”
Some conservatives agreed that the bill is little more than a temporary measure until they can muster the votes (two-thirds of both houses of Congress) to pass a constitutional amendment.
“Only then will the hands of activists judges at all levels be tied,” said Tony Perkins, president of the Washington-based Family Research Council.
_ Kevin Eckstrom
Britain Tightens Rules on Foreign Clerics, Religious Workers
LONDON (RNS) – Under new regulations introduced by the Home Office this week, foreign ministers of religion coming to work in Britain will have to have at least a basic command of English, and in two years, competence in the language.
The move follows consultation with Britain’s faith communities and has been welcomed by the Muslim Council of Britain, whose spokesman, Inayat Bunglawala, told the BBC: “It is important for anyone planning to settle in the country, including imams, to have a knowledge of the English language _ not just to facilitate their integration but also to help them connect with the new generation of British-born Muslims.”
There are about 1,000 mosques in Britain, which means at least 1,000 imams. The first British training college for imams was established in 1974 and produced its first graduates in 1980. There are now about 12 such institutions, and it is estimated that Britain has between 200 and 250 native imams.
_ Robert Nowell
Quote of the Day: Ben Young, Author and Houston Associate Pastor
(RNS) “They believe that God will deliver their mate to their doorstep. What I always tell these people is, `Well, then the only person you’re going to meet is the postman or a Jehovah’s Witness.”’
_ Ben Young, associate pastor at Second Baptist Church in Houston and author of “The Ten Commandments of Dating.” He was quoted in The New York Times about single people raised in conservative Christian denominations who think they do not need to actively seek a partner.
DEA/MO END RNS
