Catholic News 2

London, England, Feb 1, 2017 / 08:07 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- An umbrella grouping of evangelical Christians in the United Kingdom has issued a statement marking the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, which reaffirms that movement's "enduring importance" for them.

“It is clear that many of the core distinctions that developed between Luther's understanding and that of the Roman Catholic Church remain between modern-day evangelicals and Catholics,” Evangelical Alliance's statement said. “In certain areas, however, there have been significant attempts to foster deeper understanding of the theological and ecclesiastical differences that distinguish each tradition, and to develop this understanding in a less conflictual way.”

The evangelicals also noted that particularly with regard to “evangelism and social and medical ethics” there has been “genuine collaboration and co-operation towards agreed ends.”

The Evangelical Alliance works with 81 denominations and 600 organizations in the United Kingdom which identify themselves as evangelical Christians, and aims to help them listen to and be heard by government, media, and society.

Their statement called the Reformation “not so much an innovation as a recovery.” After discussing the primacy of Scripture and Martin Luther's understanding of justification, the alliance noted “the plurality of religious expression to which the Reformation gave rise,” which it said “can be seen in both positive and negative terms, and is a reminder that for all its necessity and for all its phenomenal achievements, the Reformation had consequences which were at times more complex, and in certain cases, less positive.”

Evangelical Alliance then noted that much progress has been made in reconciliation between the Catholic Church and ecclesial communities, especially in the last 100 years of the ecumenical movement.

Enumerating the main points of divergence between evangelicals and Catholics, the group listed the nature and authority of the Church; the papacy and papal infallibility; the sacraments; and Mariology.

Turning to points of convergence and co-operation, Evangelical Alliance noted creeds, evangelism and renewal, and the ethical issues of abortion, euthanasia, and same-sex marriage.

Steve Clifford, general director of the Evangelical Alliance, stated that “It has been in the area of public policy especially that evangelicals and Catholics have come together over the last 40 years to put pressure on the government and work for the common good. In protecting the beginning and end of life this work has been particularly evident, as well as in many other areas that contribute to our wellbeing as a society.”

Full Article

Abuja, Nigeria, Feb 1, 2017 / 09:46 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- For one Catholic bishop in Nigeria, social media and family life are two keys for evangelization and sharing the values of the Catholic Church.

“We need to invent new means of forming people’s consciences. We need to form new means of confronting the agents of non-values that are among us. We need to form new means of colonizing the media so that people can hear the voice of the Church,” said Bishop Emmanuel Adetoyese Badejo of Oyo.

The interview, conducted by Catholic News Agency for Africa, was released after the bishops’ conference in Nigeria last week.

Bishop Badejo is the chair of the Pan-African Episcopal Committee of Social Communications and is director of communications for the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria. This year he is celebrating his 30th year as a priest and 9th year as a bishop.

The bishop warned of sometimes inappropriate use and malicious intent behind main stream media. Social media can divide communities, exploit, and promote evil, he continued to say, explaining the role of the individual to create and distribute news.

“It depends on the man who is behind the camera, nor can the pen decide what to write, it depends on the one who is holding the pen.”

This does not mean that the Church is anti-media, he clarified. For decades, the Church has been stressing the importance of communication, he said, adding that social media is a positive gift with the ability to advance a mutual benefit for all humanity.

Bishop Badejo also said that “teaching and making the voice of the Church heard…is one of the highest responsibilities that the conference can undertake” because it is one of the highest sources of witnessing Christ.

“The family will remain the first environment where the child learns to appreciate humanity. The family is the first humanizing organization. The Church has the privilege of being the interpreter of revelation but the family is the cradle where all that has to be prepared.”

Because the family is the first source of education, it is dangerous to leave learning solely in the hands of media and education system. Appreciation of humanity comes with the family, he said, but secular media strongly opposes and weakens the family.

And while the family is natural ally to the Church, he warned, it has been weakened.

He spoke out against efforts to lead parishioners away from the truth, and said that hypocrisy and anti-values are sometimes even preached to the people from homilies. To fix this, he said, we must realize “the pulpit has moved to anywhere human beings gather, or can listen to anything.”

In earlier times, the Church was the leading voice in answers regarding morality, Bishop Badejo said, but now people seek answers in music and videos instead, ignoring the Church’s wisdom and contribution.

“People tend to completely ignore the effort the Church has consistently made to affect the Nigerian society in her mission of education,” he said. “The setting up of schools, educational institutes, formation centers, even seminaries and formation houses are activities of the Church that have transformed the society.”

The good work of the Church needs to be shown to the world, as does the reality of those in poverty, the bishop said. He highlighted the need to show the plight of those without a voice and to take a strong stance in favor of truth and human dignity.  

 

 

Full Article

Full Article

Full Article

Full Article

Full Article

Washington D.C., Feb 1, 2017 / 04:16 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- The U.S. bishops are concerned by the Trump administration’s decision to maintain a “troubling” Obama-era executive order that could demand federal contractors violate their religious beliefs on marriage and gender ideology.

“In seeking to remedy instances of discrimination, it creates new forms of discrimination against people of faith. Keeping the executive order intact is not the answer,” the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops said Feb. 1.

“The Church steadfastly opposes all unjust discrimination, and we need to continue to advance justice and fairness in the workplace,” the bishops added. “Executive Order 13672, however, creates problems rather than solves them.”

The executive order is “deeply flawed” with “many problems,” they said, voicing hope the administration would be open to ways to advance conscience rights.

Signed by President Barack Obama, the order prohibits federal government contractors from sexual orientation and gender identity discrimination, and forbids gender identity discrimination in the employment of federal employees.

The executive order immediately drew criticism for its lack of religious exemptions. Religious groups voiced concern that they could be disqualified from federal contracts if their faith forbids them to affirm same-sex unions as marriages or to pay for employees’ transgender “transition” surgeries.

On Jan. 31, the Trump White House affirmed its support for Obama’s order.

“The executive order signed in 2014, which protects employees from anti-LGBTQ workplace discrimination while working for federal contractors, will remain intact at the direction of President Donald J. Trump,” it said.

It added that President Trump is “proud” to have been the first Republican presidential nominee “to mention the LGBTQ community in his nomination acceptance speech, pledging then to protect the community from violence and oppression.” It said the president is “determined to protect the rights of all Americans, including the LGBTQ community.”

The Catholic bishops invoked their 2014 objections that the order would have significant consequences.

“With the stroke of a pen, it lends the economic power of the federal government to a deeply flawed understanding of human sexuality, to which faithful Catholics and many other people of faith will not assent,” said their July 21, 2014 statement.

“As a result, the order will exclude federal contractors precisely on the basis of their religious beliefs,” they warned. “In the name of forbidding discrimination, this order implements discrimination.”

The bishops said the order was unprecedented in making “gender identity” a protected category. They said the concept is based on the false idea that gender is a social or psychological construct totally separate from notions of biological sex.

Compliance with the order, the bishops suggested, would require allowing biologically male employees into an employer’s restroom or locker room alongside women.

The bishops’ 2014 statement noted that most states with similar legislation have included protections for religious employers.

“The executive order is an anomaly in this regard, containing no religious liberty protection,” they said.

 

Full Article

By

AUGUSTA, Ga. (CNS) -- Saying "justice needs to be tamed by mercy," Bishop Felipe J. Estevez of St. Augustine, Florida, and two brother bishops called Jan. 31 for the state of Georgia to drop the death penalty in the case of accused priest killer Steven J. Murray.

"We have great respect for the legal system and we believe Murray deserves punishment for the brutal murder, but the sentence of death only perpetuates the cycle of violence," Bishop Estevez said at a news conference. "It is unnecessary and denies the dignity of all persons."

Bishop Estevez, Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory of Atlanta and Bishop Gregory J. Hartmayer of Savannah, along with priests, deacons and other supporters, gathered outside the Richmond County Courthouse in Augusta to issue their appeal.

Murray, 29, has admitted in interviews to killing Father Rene Robert, 71, a priest of the Diocese of St. Augustine, who befriended him as part of his prison ministry. He is charged with first-degree murder, which carries a sentence of life or death.

On April 11, Murray kidnapped Father Robert, forced him into the trunk of his car and then allegedly shot him multiple times in rural Georgia. Murray was arrested in South Carolina driving Robert's stolen car.

District Attorney Ashley Wright said she would seek the death penalty against Murray despite pleas for a life sentence from the church and Father Robert himself. In 1995, Father Robert signed and had notarized a "Declaration of Life," stating that he opposed the death penalty for any killer. It was kept in his personnel file.

He stated that should he die as a result of a violent crime, he did not want the individual or individuals found guilty of homicide for his killing to be subject to, or put in jeopardy of, the death penalty under any circumstances, no matter how heinous their crime or how much he may have suffered.

Wright has recently been named a Superior Court judge. After the news conference, the bishops talked privately to Hank Syms, acting district attorney, and Bishop Estevez gave him petitions with 7,400 signatures.

Bishop Hartmayer spoke on behalf his religious order, the Franciscans. Father Robert was ordained a Franciscan and later became a diocesan priest who lived in the spirit of the religious order, he said.

"Father Robert shows us what the Gospel teaches about being merciful," Bishop Hartmayer said. "He understood the plight of the poor, the violent, the sociopath. He treated them with compassion. He understood the risks and dangers of ministering to convicts. He died as a martyr of mercy."

Archbishop Gregory said he was joining Bishop Estevez's appeal for mercy.

"We know that every human life comes from the hand of God and has dignity that is never lost, that can't be compromised," Archbishop Gregory said. "No human life loses its dignity."

The bishops said that if Murray is convicted, he could be sentenced to life without parole.

"We hope if he is granted a life sentence that he find within his own heart and spirit to ask for God's forgiveness. That could take many years, but we are asking that he be given time to do it.

"We do it because we love our faith, we love our country, and we hope our nation will take the lead in preserving, defending and protecting every human life."

Archbishop Gregory said if their appeal is turned down, "we will work harder. We won't be deterred by a negative decision. We will be reinvigorated to work harder."

Priests and deacons from the three dioceses joined the bishops.

- - -

Copyright © 2017 Catholic News Service/U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. www.catholicnews.com. All rights reserved. Republishing or redistributing of CNS content, including by framing or similar means without prior permission, is prohibited. You may link to stories on our public site. This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. To request permission for republishing or redistributing of CNS content, please contact permissions at cns@catholicnews.com.

Full Article

Full Article

Full Article