Friday’s Religion News Roundup

The world’s 200 or so Roman Catholic cardinals met Friday at the Vatican to discuss the clergy sex abuse crisis and religious freedom, an issue that gained fresh relevance with news that China plans to consecrate a bishop on Saturday without Pope Benedict XVI’s approval, the AP reports. Also on Saturday, two senior American archbishops […]

The world’s 200 or so Roman Catholic cardinals met Friday at the Vatican to discuss the clergy sex abuse crisis and religious freedom, an issue that gained fresh relevance with news that China plans to consecrate a bishop on Saturday without Pope Benedict XVI’s approval, the AP reports.

Also on Saturday, two senior American archbishops will get their red hats as they are elevated to the cardinalate.

One of the soon-to-be cardinals, Archbishop Raymond Burke, formerly of Wisconsin, now head of the Vatican’s supreme court, says only the grace of God allowed him to persevere in seminary through the rebellious 1960s. Archbishop Donald Wuerl of Washington, the other cardinal-to-be, celebrated Mass on Thursday for the 400 or so friends and family who have traveled with him to Rome for the big event.


The Archbishop of Canterbury (aka the spiritual leader of the Anglican Communion) told Vatican radio that he does not think B16’s throwing out the welcome mat for Anglican converts was an “aggressive act.” About 50 Church of England priests have reportedly expressed interest in joining five bishops who recently converted to Roman Catholicism through B16’s new process.

Germany announced that B16 will pay a visit to his German homeland next year.

Zimbabwe Anglicans loyal to a dissident bishop close to President Robert Mugabe tried to violently take over a seminary, according to the AP. Four Canadian congregations that broke away from an Anglican diocese over same-gender blessings must relinquish parish property, an appeals court ruled. A California appeals court said a similar fight in Fresno is not strictly a church matter and can (and should) be adjudicated by civil courts.

Some Muslims are worried that Saudis are turning Mecca into Manhattan, that is, a soulless shopping mall masquerading as a cultural landmark. An Iranian company is making an “Islamic Barbie” – a modestly attired doll named Fatima.

A group of Peoples Temple survivors announced plans to install a monument memorializing the 900 people who died in the Jonestown massacre 32 years ago.

The world’s best-selling Bible is getting a face-lift, with new non-gender-neutral language to appease conservative critics. “We really tried to get it right this time,” said the head of the translation committee. A Catholic bishop said last-minute changes to the new translation of the Roman Missal are just a “copy-edit” and don’t deviate much from what the bishops have already approved.

Fed up with the Christmas wars, commissioners in Chester County, Pa., have decided to take over the holiday display at a historic courthouse. Also in the Keystone State, some parents don’t want their fourth and fifth graders to perform “Santa Goes Green,” saying the play contains a hidden environmental and political message.


The conservative Institute on Religion & Democracy fears that peace-loving Anabaptists will make everyone “bend to pacifism.” An American Family Association director says the Medal of Honor has been “feminized” because it has been awarded to wounded soldiers, instead of soldiers who inflict wounds on the enemy. “Jesus’ act of self-sacrifice would have been meaningless – yes, meaningless – if he had not inflicted a mortal wound on the enemy,” said Bryan Fischer of the AFA.

Joy Behar of “The View” lectured megapastor Joel Osteen on homosexuality. Tony Danza angrily interrupted a priest at a wake and told him to stop talking about God.

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