SAN ANGELO — Living Rosary, St. Joseph’s Church, 6:30 p.m.

Today’s Readings

Jonah 3:1-10
Psalm 130:1-4, 7-8
Luke 10:38-42

Today’s Headlines from Catholic News Service

CNS remains down; we will continue providing Catholic headlines upon their return.

   ODESSA — Red Mass (celebrating those in the legal profession), 7 p.m., St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Odessa.

Today’s Readings

Jonah 1:1  — 2:2, 11
Jonah 2:3-5, 8
Luke 10:25-37

Today’s Headlines from Catholic News Service

Catholic News Service’s Server remains down. We will resume headlines when CNS is available again.

   Today — Bishop Pfeifer at Newman Center, Angelo State University campus, San Angelo, talk on social justice, Noon.

   Saturday — St. Mary’s Confirmation, 4 p.m.

   Sunday — Mass, St. Joseph’s, San Angelo, 11:15 a.m.

Necrology

   Friday — Rev. William Meagher, OMI (1976)

   Sunday — Rev. Francis Schoutteten, OMI (2002)

This Weekend’s Readings

Friday

Baruch 1:15-22
Psalm 79:1-5, 8-9
Luke 10:13-16

Saturday 

Baruch 4:5-12, 27-29
Psalm 69:33-37
Luke 10:17-24

 Sunday

Habakkuk 1:2-3; 2:2-4
Psalm 95:1-2, 6-9
2 Timothy 1:6-8, 13-14
Luke 17:5-10

No diocesan wide events

Necrology

Deacon Thomas Lambdin (1982)

Today’s Readings

Sirach 50:1-1, 3-4, 6-7
Psalm 16:1-2, 5, 7-8, 11
Galatians 6:14-18
Matthew 11:25-30

Today’s Headlines from Catholic News Service

By Catholic News Service

U.S.

Archbishop O’Brien calls it ‘an honor’ to lead historic archdiocese

BALTIMORE (CNS) — A joyous crowd of about 2,000 people filled the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen in Baltimore Oct. 1 to celebrate the installation of Archbishop Edwin F. O’Brien as the 15th archbishop of Baltimore. In a ceremony rich with tradition, Archbishop O’Brien called it “an honor and a privilege” to serve as the spiritual leader of more than 500,000 Catholics in the archdiocese. “Whatever I am, and all that I have I give to you,” he said in a homily that was interrupted several times by applause. “And until that day when he calls me to judgment, I will seek to serve you with the wholehearted love of Jesus Christ.” He succeeds Cardinal William H. Keeler, who retired after heading the archdiocese for 18 years. Eight cardinals and nearly 70 archbishops and bishops from across the country and around the world attended the ceremony. More than 400 priests and 62 deacons joined the bishops in an opening procession that lasted more than 30 minutes.

- – -

Milwaukee archbishop prays that jurists will respect all human life

WASHINGTON (CNS) — The belief that God created humanity with a special dignity is a cornerstone of Judeo-Christian tradition and has shaped the United States since its founding, said Milwaukee Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan at the 54th annual Red Mass in Washington. And he prayed that belief would inspire jurists and government officials to recognize “the innate dignity and inviolability of every human life.” In his homily at the Sept. 30 Mass, Archbishop Dolan quoted the nation’s second president, John Adams, who spoke of the “true map of man” as consisting of “the dignity of his nature, and the noble rank he holds among the works of God.” That is “a map whose paths can only be walked with a reverence for life, a respect for others, a grasp of virtue and a responsible civility,” the archbishop said. The chief justice and five U.S. Supreme Court justices were among the 1,200 people in the standing-room-only crowd at St. Matthew Cathedral for the Mass, which seeks God’s blessings and guidance on the administration of justice.

- – -

U.S. Sikhs come to Washington for third dialogue with Catholics

WASHINGTON (CNS) — The conversation between U.S. Catholics and Sikhs continued in Washington Sept. 28-Oct. 1 as about a dozen members of each faith engaged in the third dialogue between the two denominations. It’s a learning experience, said Kavneet Singh, 44, who was participating in his second dialogue. “It’s a very high-level dialogue,” he said, “to really get to know the core of the faith.” From the dialogues the Sikh participants learn about what the two faiths have in common. “Both faiths are looking out for the welfare of mankind,” Singh said in an interview with Catholic News Service. “We all look out for our brother.” Both Sikhs and Catholics, he added, share the view that there is just one God. The concept of a single God would be seen by Sikhs as more expansive than the Abrahamic concept of God, according to Manohar Singh, 71, who was born in the Punjab region of India, considered the cradle of Sikhism. Manohar Singh — no relation to Kavneet — said Sikhs consider God to be “a mother, a father, brother, sister, even as a friend — any kind of relationship that you have here” on earth.

- – -

Michigan Catholics to get DVD explaining stem-cell research issue

DETROIT (CNS) — To clear up confusion about stem-cell research, the Michigan Catholic Conference has launched a statewide educational program to explain the Catholic Church’s teaching on human life, the church’s support for adult stem-cell research and its opposition to embryonic stem-cell research. As part of the program every registered Catholic home in Michigan will soon be receiving a DVD and other information in the mail. On Oct. 1, the conference began mailing digital video discs, along with a letter signed jointly by Michigan diocesan bishops and a brochure, to 504,000 Catholic homes in the state. “Stem-cell research has moved to the forefront of human life issues in Michigan and throughout the nation,” said Dave Maluchnik, public policy associate at the Lansing-based conference, the public policy voice of all seven Michigan dioceses.

- – -

U.S. priest sees hopeful signs for eventual reunification of Korea

MARYKNOLL, N.Y. (CNS) — Subtle changes in attitude are more important than signed documents when it comes to measuring progress in relationships with the North Koreans, according to a U.S. priest who has visited North Korea more than two dozen times since 1995. Maryknoll Father Gerard Hammond, a missioner in South Korea since 1960, has served in many capacities, including personal envoy of Cardinal Nicholas Cheong Jin-suk of Seoul, South Korea, and apostolic administrator of the Pyongyang Diocese in North Korea. He also is the director of the Seoul archdiocesan National Reconciliation Center, chairman of the North Korean branch of Caritas International, a Catholic aid agency, and a trustee of the Eugene Bell Foundation, a Protestant charity that works in North Korea. Father Hammond first visited North Korea to bring aid after devastating floods there. In the 12 years since then, he said, there has been an improvement in “dialogue, attitude and trust on both sides. I speak Korean and I’m accepted. If I wasn’t, I couldn’t go there.” Father Hammond, 74, said his age is an advantage and “they would consider me, in many ways, a Korean.”

- – -

OCP publishes Spanish-language guide to prayer, Bible readings

PORTLAND, Ore. (CNS) — Hoping to fill a gap in worship resources available to Hispanic Catholics, OCP in Portland has published a new Spanish-language guide to prayer and the daily Lectionary readings called “Palabra, Vida y Fe” (“Word, Life and Faith”). Published twice a year, the book includes Scripture readings, reflections, saints’ profiles and more for every day of the week. The second edition, available now, covers July through December 2007. “Catholic bookstores are packed with missals and weekly devotionals in English, but very few such resources exist in Spanish,” said Pedro Rubalcava, director of Hispanic ministries at OCP. “Of the few available, none covers half the year in one book, or contains extensive catechetical and prayer sections like the ones in ‘Palabra, Vida y Fe.’” More information about “Palabra, Vida y Fe” is available on the Web site www.ocp.org, or by calling (800) 548-8749.

- – -

WORLD

War cannot be means to promote national interests, Vatican tells U.N.

UNITED NATIONS (CNS) — War and armed conflict are no longer sustainable means for promoting or protecting national interests, the Vatican’s top foreign affairs official told the U.N. General Assembly. U.N. agreements concerning disarmament and the nonproliferation of weapons and plans to create “a standing team of expert mediators” to prevent conflict should receive increased support, Archbishop Dominique Mamberti said Oct. 1 at U.N. headquarters in New York. Speaking during the general debate marking the opening of the 62nd session of the U.N. General Assembly, the archbishop said the values upon which the United Nations were founded should be reaffirmed so as to “deliver a forceful ‘no’ to war and an equally forceful ‘yes’ to human dignity.” He said respect for human dignity “is the deepest ethical foundation” upon which peace and fraternal relations between nations are built. “Forgetting, or partially and selectively accepting” this principle of respect “is what lies at the origin of conflicts, of environmental degradation and of social and economic injustice,” he told the assembly.

- – -

Myanmar situation is warning to every society, says Irish archbishop

DUBLIN, Ireland (CNS) — The situation in Myanmar is a warning to every society in the world, said Dublin Archbishop Diarmuid Martin, who visited the country’s capital in 1992 as part of his work as secretary of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace. The archbishop described Myanmar’s ruling military regime as corrupt, cynical and devoid of any ideology except staying in power. He spoke Oct. 1 in a homily delivered to judges, lawyers and court personnel at the annual Mass marking the start of the new law term. The archbishop referred to a quote from St. Augustine that Pope Benedict XVI used in his 2006 encyclical, “Deus Caritas Est” (“God Is Love”): “A state which is not governed according to justice would be just a bunch of thieves.” “If we want an example of this, we can look at the tragic situation unfolding in these days in Burma,” said Archbishop Martin, using the former name of Myanmar. “Burma is a country I know personally and for which I have for years had a great interest and concern.”

- – -

Arrest at U.S. border makes Canadians question use of refugee law

TORONTO (CNS) — The arrest of a U.S. refugee worker at the Canadian border has prompted criticism of what some call the misapplication of a Canadian law. Janet Hinshaw-Thomas, founder of the Pennsylvania-based PRIME-Ecumenical Commitment to Refugees, was charged with people-smuggling as she delivered 12 Haitian asylum seekers to the border post at Lacolle, Quebec, Sept. 28. A court date has been scheduled for Nov. 30. The 65-year-old grandmother of four has been working with refugees in Pennsylvania since 1983. She is the granddaughter of the late U.S. Secretary of State John Foster Dulles and niece of U.S. Cardinal Avery Dulles, who has said he is willing to testify on her behalf. Hinshaw-Thomas spent a night in jail before being released on $5,000 bail and being warned to be on good behavior. Immigration lawyers and refugee rights advocates in Canada expressed shock that a law intended to punish criminal gangs who have sent people drifting toward Canadian shores in rusty hulks or lured vulnerable women into the sex trade is being applied to a humanitarian.

- – -

Vatican rep: Countries must respect rights while coping with refugees

GENEVA (CNS) — Countries must find better ways to respect human rights in their efforts to cope with the growing number of refugees and displaced people, said the Vatican’s representative to international agencies based in Geneva. The increasing number of people fleeing their homes because of persecution, conflict or severe poverty has resulted in frustration for the international community, public anxiety and “emotional political reactions,” said Archbishop Silvano Tomasi, the Vatican official. He told members of the executive committee of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Oct. 2 that nations should tackle the refugee problem from “a human rights approach.” “Regrettably, the number of refugees has increased again to some 10 million persons, and internally displaced people to well over 24 million,” he said.

- – -

Philippine governor wants no charges if attacker is mentally ill

SAN FERNANDO, Philippines (CNS) — A priest who serves as provincial governor of Pampanga said he wants police to drop charges against a man who allegedly drew a knife on him if the man is mentally ill. Father Eddie Panlilio told the Asian church news agency UCA News Oct. 2 that he had asked police to bring Rafael Enriquez to the Department of Social Welfare and Development for psychiatric evaluation. The priest said he also directed the provincial legal office to study the apparent attack on his life the previous day. Father Panlilio, the first Catholic priest elected to public office in the Philippines, took the oath of office as governor June 30 and is not practicing his priestly ministries during his three-year term. Enriquez, 30, approached Father Panlilio from behind as reporters were interviewing the governor in the lobby of the capitol. The governor had just launched his “White Ribbon Campaign” for good governance. Police reports said Enriquez pulled a six-inch knife out of his bag and raised it behind the priest’s back. However, a security aide grabbed the man’s hand, and the attacker was taken to the police station for investigation.

- – -

U.S. auxiliary says appointment of Beijing bishop not handled well

HONG KONG (CNS) — The Chinese-born auxiliary bishop of San Francisco said it was “not good” that Beijing Bishop Joseph Li Shan did not have his papal mandate made public at his recent episcopal ordination. “The Vatican was a little bit weak this time,” Auxiliary Bishop Ignatius C. Wang told Catholic News Service Oct. 2 in Hong Kong, without elaborating. Bishop Wang was en route to the United States after visiting his sister in mainland China. Bishop Wang said he was on a brief visit to Mongolia when the ordination in Beijing occurred Sept. 21, but he knew that the papal mandate had not been made public. “His priests did not read it,” said Bishop Wang. Father Sun Shang’en of Beijing, diocesan spokesman, told the press after the ordination ceremony, “If the Vatican approves Bishop Li, we are happy and welcome it, but we have not yet seen the apostolic bull from the Vatican.”

- – -

PEOPLE

U.S. Maryknoller, 81, hands over video productions to Kenyan bishops

NAIROBI, Kenya (CNS) — After 26 years of documenting life in Africa, U.S. Maryknoll Father Richard Quinn has handed over control of Ukweli Video Productions to Kenya’s Catholic bishops. “Ukweli” is the Swahili word for truth. “When I began my video productions in the metropolitan Archdiocese of Nairobi, some of the people thought that I was crazy. Others could not even pronounce the word video,” Father Quinn, 81, said at the handover ceremony at a Mass in Nairobi Sept. 27. He said the late Cardinal Maurice Otunga of Nairobi “did not understand the whole concept of the modern mass media communications and its effective contribution in evangelization,” but “he did welcome us.” Today, said Father Quinn, the use of mass communications is well entrenched in evangelization work. Ukweli Video Productions has produced several hundred videos — biographies of missionaries and videos based on the social and religious teachings of the Catholic Church. Bishop Martin Musonde Kivuva of Machakos praised Father Quinn, a native of Passaic, N.J., for his years of work.

- – -

New managing editor named for Tucson diocesan newspaper

TUCSON, Ariz. (CNS) — Bishop Gerald F. Kicanas of Tucson has named Bernard A. Zovistoski managing editor of The New Vision, the official diocesan newspaper. Zovistoski worked for 25 years at The Times-Union daily newspaper in Albany, N.Y., as a reporter, editor and managing editor, and for six years as the first civilian editor of The Stars and Stripes, the daily newspaper that serves U.S. military forces in Europe. He also served for seven years as editor of two weekly newspapers in upstate New York. “I’m delighted to have this opportunity to join in support of the ministry of the Diocese of Tucson,” Zovistoski said. “It’s a big change for me, and a welcome one.”

- – -

Catholic family sets record for most siblings to finish same marathon

APPLETON, Wis. (CNS) — When they crossed the finish line, 13 of the 14 children born to Ed and Janet Weisse of Oshkosh broke the world record for the most siblings to complete the same marathon. But their other sibling, Peter, who died of brain cancer at the age of 3 in 1968, was very much a part of the group and the focus of the day as his siblings ran the 26.2 miles in his memory and to raise money for cancer research. The Weisses competed in the Community First Fox Cities Marathon Sept. 23, which started in Menasha, went through Appleton and other communities and ended in Neenah. The event is named for the Fox Cities community, comprised of seven cities, towns and villages along the Fox River. Running in memory of Peter “gave the event more purpose,” said Ben Weisse of Madison, the 12th of the siblings and instigator of the family event. “Whether we get the record or not, who cares? There are 14 of us. We always include Peter in the number. He’s my brother.”

MIDLAND — Bishop Pfeifer meets with group of Midland community leaders on drug epidemic, 10:30 a.m., First Presbyterian Church.

Today’s Readings

Nehemiah 2:1-8
Psalm 137:1-6
Luke 9:57-62

Today’s Headlines from Catholic News ServiceU.S.

Archbishop O’Brien calls it ‘an honor’ to lead historic archdiocese

BALTIMORE (CNS) — A joyous crowd of about 2,000 people filled the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen in Baltimore Oct. 1 to celebrate the installation of Archbishop Edwin F. O’Brien as the 15th archbishop of Baltimore. In a ceremony rich with tradition, Archbishop O’Brien called it “an honor and a privilege” to serve as the spiritual leader of more than 500,000 Catholics in the archdiocese. “Whatever I am, and all that I have I give to you,” he said in a homily that was interrupted several times by applause. “And until that day when he calls me to judgment, I will seek to serve you with the wholehearted love of Jesus Christ.” He succeeds Cardinal William H. Keeler, who retired after heading the archdiocese for 18 years. Eight cardinals and nearly 70 archbishops and bishops from across the country and around the world attended the ceremony. More than 400 priests and 62 deacons joined the bishops in an opening procession that lasted more than 30 minutes.

- – -

Milwaukee archbishop prays that jurists will respect all human life

WASHINGTON (CNS) — The belief that God created humanity with a special dignity is a cornerstone of Judeo-Christian tradition and has shaped the United States since its founding, said Milwaukee Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan at the 54th annual Red Mass in Washington. And he prayed that belief would inspire jurists and government officials to recognize “the innate dignity and inviolability of every human life.” In his homily at the Sept. 30 Mass, Archbishop Dolan quoted the nation’s second president, John Adams, who spoke of the “true map of man” as consisting of “the dignity of his nature, and the noble rank he holds among the works of God.” That is “a map whose paths can only be walked with a reverence for life, a respect for others, a grasp of virtue and a responsible civility,” the archbishop said. The chief justice and five U.S. Supreme Court justices were among the 1,200 people in the standing-room-only crowd at St. Matthew Cathedral for the Mass, which seeks God’s blessings and guidance on the administration of justice.

- – -

U.S. Sikhs come to Washington for third dialogue with Catholics

WASHINGTON (CNS) — The conversation between U.S. Catholics and Sikhs continued in Washington Sept. 28-Oct. 1 as about a dozen members of each faith engaged in the third dialogue between the two denominations. It’s a learning experience, said Kavneet Singh, 44, who was participating in his second dialogue. “It’s a very high-level dialogue,” he said, “to really get to know the core of the faith.” From the dialogues the Sikh participants learn about what the two faiths have in common. “Both faiths are looking out for the welfare of mankind,” Singh said in an interview with Catholic News Service. “We all look out for our brother.” Both Sikhs and Catholics, he added, share the view that there is just one God. The concept of a single God would be seen by Sikhs as more expansive than the Abrahamic concept of God, according to Manohar Singh, 71, who was born in the Punjab region of India, considered the cradle of Sikhism. Manohar Singh — no relation to Kavneet — said Sikhs consider God to be “a mother, a father, brother, sister, even as a friend — any kind of relationship that you have here” on earth.

- – -

Michigan Catholics to get DVD explaining stem-cell research issue

DETROIT (CNS) — To clear up confusion about stem-cell research, the Michigan Catholic Conference has launched a statewide educational program to explain the Catholic Church’s teaching on human life, the church’s support for adult stem-cell research and its opposition to embryonic stem-cell research. As part of the program every registered Catholic home in Michigan will soon be receiving a DVD and other information in the mail. On Oct. 1, the conference began mailing digital video discs, along with a letter signed jointly by Michigan diocesan bishops and a brochure, to 504,000 Catholic homes in the state. “Stem-cell research has moved to the forefront of human life issues in Michigan and throughout the nation,” said Dave Maluchnik, public policy associate at the Lansing-based conference, the public policy voice of all seven Michigan dioceses.

- – -

U.S. priest sees hopeful signs for eventual reunification of Korea

MARYKNOLL, N.Y. (CNS) — Subtle changes in attitude are more important than signed documents when it comes to measuring progress in relationships with the North Koreans, according to a U.S. priest who has visited North Korea more than two dozen times since 1995. Maryknoll Father Gerard Hammond, a missioner in South Korea since 1960, has served in many capacities, including personal envoy of Cardinal Nicholas Cheong Jin-suk of Seoul, South Korea, and apostolic administrator of the Pyongyang Diocese in North Korea. He also is the director of the Seoul archdiocesan National Reconciliation Center, chairman of the North Korean branch of Caritas International, a Catholic aid agency, and a trustee of the Eugene Bell Foundation, a Protestant charity that works in North Korea. Father Hammond first visited North Korea to bring aid after devastating floods there. In the 12 years since then, he said, there has been an improvement in “dialogue, attitude and trust on both sides. I speak Korean and I’m accepted. If I wasn’t, I couldn’t go there.” Father Hammond, 74, said his age is an advantage and “they would consider me, in many ways, a Korean.”

- – -

OCP publishes Spanish-language guide to prayer, Bible readings

PORTLAND, Ore. (CNS) — Hoping to fill a gap in worship resources available to Hispanic Catholics, OCP in Portland has published a new Spanish-language guide to prayer and the daily Lectionary readings called “Palabra, Vida y Fe” (“Word, Life and Faith”). Published twice a year, the book includes Scripture readings, reflections, saints’ profiles and more for every day of the week. The second edition, available now, covers July through December 2007. “Catholic bookstores are packed with missals and weekly devotionals in English, but very few such resources exist in Spanish,” said Pedro Rubalcava, director of Hispanic ministries at OCP. “Of the few available, none covers half the year in one book, or contains extensive catechetical and prayer sections like the ones in ‘Palabra, Vida y Fe.’” More information about “Palabra, Vida y Fe” is available on the Web site www.ocp.org, or by calling (800) 548-8749.

- – -

WORLD

War cannot be means to promote national interests, Vatican tells U.N.

UNITED NATIONS (CNS) — War and armed conflict are no longer sustainable means for promoting or protecting national interests, the Vatican’s top foreign affairs official told the U.N. General Assembly. U.N. agreements concerning disarmament and the nonproliferation of weapons and plans to create “a standing team of expert mediators” to prevent conflict should receive increased support, Archbishop Dominique Mamberti said Oct. 1 at U.N. headquarters in New York. Speaking during the general debate marking the opening of the 62nd session of the U.N. General Assembly, the archbishop said the values upon which the United Nations were founded should be reaffirmed so as to “deliver a forceful ‘no’ to war and an equally forceful ‘yes’ to human dignity.” He said respect for human dignity “is the deepest ethical foundation” upon which peace and fraternal relations between nations are built. “Forgetting, or partially and selectively accepting” this principle of respect “is what lies at the origin of conflicts, of environmental degradation and of social and economic injustice,” he told the assembly.

- – -

Myanmar situation is warning to every society, says Irish archbishop

DUBLIN, Ireland (CNS) — The situation in Myanmar is a warning to every society in the world, said Dublin Archbishop Diarmuid Martin, who visited the country’s capital in 1992 as part of his work as secretary of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace. The archbishop described Myanmar’s ruling military regime as corrupt, cynical and devoid of any ideology except staying in power. He spoke Oct. 1 in a homily delivered to judges, lawyers and court personnel at the annual Mass marking the start of the new law term. The archbishop referred to a quote from St. Augustine that Pope Benedict XVI used in his 2006 encyclical, “Deus Caritas Est” (“God Is Love”): “A state which is not governed according to justice would be just a bunch of thieves.” “If we want an example of this, we can look at the tragic situation unfolding in these days in Burma,” said Archbishop Martin, using the former name of Myanmar. “Burma is a country I know personally and for which I have for years had a great interest and concern.”

- – -

Arrest at U.S. border makes Canadians question use of refugee law

TORONTO (CNS) — The arrest of a U.S. refugee worker at the Canadian border has prompted criticism of what some call the misapplication of a Canadian law. Janet Hinshaw-Thomas, founder of the Pennsylvania-based PRIME-Ecumenical Commitment to Refugees, was charged with people-smuggling as she delivered 12 Haitian asylum seekers to the border post at Lacolle, Quebec, Sept. 28. A court date has been scheduled for Nov. 30. The 65-year-old grandmother of four has been working with refugees in Pennsylvania since 1983. She is the granddaughter of the late U.S. Secretary of State John Foster Dulles and niece of U.S. Cardinal Avery Dulles, who has said he is willing to testify on her behalf. Hinshaw-Thomas spent a night in jail before being released on $5,000 bail and being warned to be on good behavior. Immigration lawyers and refugee rights advocates in Canada expressed shock that a law intended to punish criminal gangs who have sent people drifting toward Canadian shores in rusty hulks or lured vulnerable women into the sex trade is being applied to a humanitarian.

- – -

Vatican rep: Countries must respect rights while coping with refugees

GENEVA (CNS) — Countries must find better ways to respect human rights in their efforts to cope with the growing number of refugees and displaced people, said the Vatican’s representative to international agencies based in Geneva. The increasing number of people fleeing their homes because of persecution, conflict or severe poverty has resulted in frustration for the international community, public anxiety and “emotional political reactions,” said Archbishop Silvano Tomasi, the Vatican official. He told members of the executive committee of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Oct. 2 that nations should tackle the refugee problem from “a human rights approach.” “Regrettably, the number of refugees has increased again to some 10 million persons, and internally displaced people to well over 24 million,” he said.

- – -

Philippine governor wants no charges if attacker is mentally ill

SAN FERNANDO, Philippines (CNS) — A priest who serves as provincial governor of Pampanga said he wants police to drop charges against a man who allegedly drew a knife on him if the man is mentally ill. Father Eddie Panlilio told the Asian church news agency UCA News Oct. 2 that he had asked police to bring Rafael Enriquez to the Department of Social Welfare and Development for psychiatric evaluation. The priest said he also directed the provincial legal office to study the apparent attack on his life the previous day. Father Panlilio, the first Catholic priest elected to public office in the Philippines, took the oath of office as governor June 30 and is not practicing his priestly ministries during his three-year term. Enriquez, 30, approached Father Panlilio from behind as reporters were interviewing the governor in the lobby of the capitol. The governor had just launched his “White Ribbon Campaign” for good governance. Police reports said Enriquez pulled a six-inch knife out of his bag and raised it behind the priest’s back. However, a security aide grabbed the man’s hand, and the attacker was taken to the police station for investigation.

- – -

U.S. auxiliary says appointment of Beijing bishop not handled well

HONG KONG (CNS) — The Chinese-born auxiliary bishop of San Francisco said it was “not good” that Beijing Bishop Joseph Li Shan did not have his papal mandate made public at his recent episcopal ordination. “The Vatican was a little bit weak this time,” Auxiliary Bishop Ignatius C. Wang told Catholic News Service Oct. 2 in Hong Kong, without elaborating. Bishop Wang was en route to the United States after visiting his sister in mainland China. Bishop Wang said he was on a brief visit to Mongolia when the ordination in Beijing occurred Sept. 21, but he knew that the papal mandate had not been made public. “His priests did not read it,” said Bishop Wang. Father Sun Shang’en of Beijing, diocesan spokesman, told the press after the ordination ceremony, “If the Vatican approves Bishop Li, we are happy and welcome it, but we have not yet seen the apostolic bull from the Vatican.”

- – -

PEOPLE

U.S. Maryknoller, 81, hands over video productions to Kenyan bishops

NAIROBI, Kenya (CNS) — After 26 years of documenting life in Africa, U.S. Maryknoll Father Richard Quinn has handed over control of Ukweli Video Productions to Kenya’s Catholic bishops. “Ukweli” is the Swahili word for truth. “When I began my video productions in the metropolitan Archdiocese of Nairobi, some of the people thought that I was crazy. Others could not even pronounce the word video,” Father Quinn, 81, said at the handover ceremony at a Mass in Nairobi Sept. 27. He said the late Cardinal Maurice Otunga of Nairobi “did not understand the whole concept of the modern mass media communications and its effective contribution in evangelization,” but “he did welcome us.” Today, said Father Quinn, the use of mass communications is well entrenched in evangelization work. Ukweli Video Productions has produced several hundred videos — biographies of missionaries and videos based on the social and religious teachings of the Catholic Church. Bishop Martin Musonde Kivuva of Machakos praised Father Quinn, a native of Passaic, N.J., for his years of work.

- – -

New managing editor named for Tucson diocesan newspaper

TUCSON, Ariz. (CNS) — Bishop Gerald F. Kicanas of Tucson has named Bernard A. Zovistoski managing editor of The New Vision, the official diocesan newspaper. Zovistoski worked for 25 years at The Times-Union daily newspaper in Albany, N.Y., as a reporter, editor and managing editor, and for six years as the first civilian editor of The Stars and Stripes, the daily newspaper that serves U.S. military forces in Europe. He also served for seven years as editor of two weekly newspapers in upstate New York. “I’m delighted to have this opportunity to join in support of the ministry of the Diocese of Tucson,” Zovistoski said. “It’s a big change for me, and a welcome one.”

- – -

Catholic family sets record for most siblings to finish same marathon

APPLETON, Wis. (CNS) — When they crossed the finish line, 13 of the 14 children born to Ed and Janet Weisse of Oshkosh broke the world record for the most siblings to complete the same marathon. But their other sibling, Peter, who died of brain cancer at the age of 3 in 1968, was very much a part of the group and the focus of the day as his siblings ran the 26.2 miles in his memory and to raise money for cancer research. The Weisses competed in the Community First Fox Cities Marathon Sept. 23, which started in Menasha, went through Appleton and other communities and ended in Neenah. The event is named for the Fox Cities community, comprised of seven cities, towns and villages along the Fox River. Running in memory of Peter “gave the event more purpose,” said Ben Weisse of Madison, the 12th of the siblings and instigator of the family event. “Whether we get the record or not, who cares? There are 14 of us. We always include Peter in the number. He’s my brother.”

AGENDAMidland Communitywide Drug Task ForceWednesday, October 310:30 a.m.First Presbyterian Church800 W. Texas, Rm. 214 

1. Welcome/Open Remarks/Opening Prayer              Bishop Michael D. Pfeifer, Diocese of San Angelo
2. Financial Contribution/Gift to group                          Bishop Pfeifer
3. Committee Reports   
   Legislative                                                                 John Klassen, Jimmy Patterson
   Prevention                                                                 Bruce Cooper/Kerry Faudree
   Community Service                                                    Jimmy Patterson
   Education                                                                  Betty Newman
4. Midland ISD Students and their stories, impressions about drugs in Midland
5. Joining forces with existing coalitions                 Kerry Faudree
6. Next Steps

C.V. Pickett, left, Eloy Rodriguez and Kenneth Dye, of St. Therese Parish in Carlsbad, work to prepare sausage for the combined Fall Festival at Carlsbad’s St. Therese and St. Paschal in Sterling City Sept. 16        Photo courtesy Ginger Bruton/St. Therese

Watch for more festival photos in the October West Texas Angelus, in mailboxes next week.

   Bishop Pfeifer in Odessa, St. Mary’s Confirmation, 6:30 p.m.

Today’s Readings

Exodus 23:20-23
Psalm 91:1-6, 10-11
Matthew 18:1-5, 10

Today’s Briefs from Catholic News Service

Supreme Court rejects appeal of law requiring contraception coverage

WASHINGTON (CNS) — The Supreme Court rejected an appeal by Catholic Charities of Albany, N.Y., Oct. 1, letting stand a state court ruling that said church agencies cannot be exempt from a law requiring coverage for contraceptives in drug benefits for employees. The New York State Catholic Conference, which represents the state’s Catholic bishops in public policy matters, said the bishops will now consider what alternatives have been left to them, “including the painful possibility of a loss of prescription drug benefits in employee health plans.” In the meantime, it said in a statement, “Catholic institutions will continue for the immediate future providing the contraception coverage under formal protest.” The conference’s executive director called it “a sad day for religious liberty” in New York and in the U.S. In orders issued the first day of the 2007-08 term, the court without comment let stand a New York State Court of Appeals ruling that said religious groups may not be exempt from provisions of the Women’s Health and Wellness Act of 2002.

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Bishops mark 100th anniversary of first Byzantine bishop in U.S.

PHILADELPHIA (CNS) — Ukrainian and Latin-rite Catholic bishops from around the world celebrated the 100th anniversary of the arrival of the first Byzantine bishop in the United States, an event coinciding with the first worldwide Eastern Catholic synod in the United States. When Bishop Stephen Soter Ortynsky arrived in America to lead those “who had come to the shores of the United States (from Eastern Europe) looking for freedom and for a better life,” his task was twofold, said Cardinal Lubomyr Husar of Kiev-Halych, Ukraine. First, Bishop Ortynsky had to establish and organize ecclesial life to help the immigrants spiritually, the cardinal said during his Sept. 30 homily at the Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Philadelphia. Then “he had to explain to his brother bishops of the Latin rite … who were these immigrants,” the cardinal said. The Eastern Catholics had a different culture and liturgical tradition and were “so different that it seemed impossible to integrate them into the American life,” said Cardinal Husar.

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Forum looks at how U.S. universities help solve global health issues

NEW YORK (CNS) — Two American universities, working with international partners, are making advances in disease prevention and treatment that affect the lives of thousands of people in developing countries. Representatives from the University of Notre Dame and Purdue University described their efforts to representatives of nongovernmental organizations at “Global Health in Focus,” a Sept. 25 panel discussion held at the Church of the Holy Family in New York. The forum was a side event to the opening of the 62nd session of the U.N. General Assembly. It was organized by the Holy See’s U.N. mission and co-sponsored by the Path to Peace Foundation, Notre Dame and Purdue. Both universities are in Indiana. In welcoming participants, Archbishop Celestino Migliore, the Vatican nuncio to the United Nations, said the idea for the event came to him when he was a speaker at Purdue University. “I was fascinated to discover the important strides being made in research and technology at Purdue, as well as the incredible work being done in some of the farthest parts of the world by the University of Notre Dame,” he said.

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NCCW does ‘the Lord’s work,’ says longtime member

COLUMBUS, Ohio (CNS) — When Margaret Hinshaw learned that through its members the National Council of Catholic Women supports, empowers and educates Catholic women in spirituality, leadership and service, she was hooked. That was about 40 years ago. She said she initially joined the NCCW at her local parish in the Diocese of Sacramento, Calif., because she was interested in fostering vocations and thought that she could do that through the group. But once she became involved she saw all the good works the group accomplished. Hinshaw was among 1,000 women who attended the NCCW’s 2007 national convention Sept. 20-23 in the Columbus Diocese. The theme was “Bringing Light to Our Global Society.” One of six women from her diocesan council at the Columbus gathering, she said she attends every year. She makes the trek “because it’s so wonderful, and we get ideas to take home with us to our own councils, to encourage us to do the Lord’s work there,” she told The Catholic Times, newspaper of the Columbus Diocese.

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Sister Helen Prejean calls on Maryland to end death penalty

BALTIMORE (CNS) — Standing beneath a large crucifix in the sanctuary of a Baltimore church, Sister Helen Prejean, internationally acclaimed death penalty abolitionist, stretched out her arms and intently fixed her gaze on the hundreds of people who filled the pews. “The cross has become a symbol of the suffering caused by murderers and capital punishment in America,” the Sister of St. Joseph of Medaille told the crowd at St. Pius X Church. “On the one arm of the cross are the murderer and the murderer’s family. On the other … are the victim and the victim’s family,” said Sister Helen, whose book inspired the movie “Dead Man Walking.” Speaking with the nun at the church Sept. 20 were Chris Conover and Kirk Bloodsworth, whose death-row convictions were overturned when DNA testing exonerated them years after their murder conviction. Sister Helen has firsthand experience “entering into the mystery” of the cross, she said. She was the spiritual adviser to Patrick Sonnier in Louisiana. She accompanied the convicted murderer to his execution by electrocution, which she recounts in her book, and later accompanied five more men to their deaths. Sister Helen also founded Survive, a group that provides counseling and support for the grieving families of murder victims.

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Priests’ trial to begin Oct. 17; no mention of torture permitted

SAN FRANCISCO (CNS) — The trial of two priests facing trespassing and other charges in connection with an anti-torture protest last November was set to begin Oct. 17 in Tucson, Ariz., despite the priests’ stated intention not to contest the charges. Franciscan Father Louis Vitale and Jesuit Father Steve Kelly face 10 months in jail after they attempted to deliver a letter denouncing torture to Army officials at Fort Huachuca in Arizona last November. At a pretrial hearing Sept. 21, the priests’ attorney, William Quigley, told Magistrate Judge Hector Estrada that, in light of earlier rulings that he said doomed their defense, Fathers Vitale and Kelly would submit a no-contest plea to charges of federal trespass and failure to comply with the orders of a police officer. Capt. Evan Seamone, the prosecutor, responded that, per federal procedure, such pleas could only be accepted in the “most unusual circumstances” and only with the approval of the U.S. Justice Department. Estrada also ruled Sept. 21 that Father Vitale may not travel outside California and Arizona. These additional restrictions came as a result of Father Vitale’s participation in a Nagasaki Day line-crossing at the Nevada nuclear test site, for which he was cited in violation of a pretrial order not to break local, state or federal laws.

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Fargo bishop leads rosary outside North Dakota’s abortion clinic

FARGO, N.D. (CNS) — Bishop Samuel J. Aquila of Fargo led a rosary Sept. 28 in front of the state of North Dakota’s only abortion facility as part of an ecumenical campaign called “40 Days for Life — North Dakota.” As he stood facing the busy street in front of the Red River Women’s Clinic, the dozen or so men and women who joined him drew close to hear his words above the sounds of the traffic and occasional nearby trains. The campaign, which began Sept. 26, includes prayer and fasting, community outreach and a 40-day, 24-hours-a-day prayer vigil in front of the clinic. According to a diocesan release, “40 Days for Life” is a nationwide, ecumenical effort to increase awareness about abortion, “save the lives of unborn children and bring healing to those who have had abortions, those who have encouraged abortions, and those who perform and assist with abortions.” The campaign, which continues through Nov. 4, is under way in 89 cities in 33 states.

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Tucson Mass is a celebration of marriage; 200 couples renew vows

TUCSON, Ariz. (CNS) — Some 200 couples from at least 38 parishes in the Tucson Diocese and members of their extended families filled St. Augustine Cathedral in Tucson Sept. 23 to renew their wedding vows at an inaugural diocesan “Celebration of Marriage Mass,” which is expected to be an annual event. “Today is a special day for each one of you,” said Tucson Bishop Gerald F. Kicanas, the celebrant. “I’m sure as you think today, in those … years, there were moments that were difficult, painful, when you had to forgive one another … but that’s what love is really all about.” Ninety-two couples were celebrating their golden wedding anniversary. One couple — Carl and Marie Stapleman of Most Holy Trinity Parish in Tucson — was marking 70 years of marriage. Carl Stapleman said he was “just 21″ when he married Marie, who said she was 19. John and Mildred Turner of St. Joseph Parish in Tucson and Ernest and Rose Hadik of Sacred Heart Parish in Tucson were celebrating 69 years of marriage.

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‘Witness to the truth’ about dignity of human life, cardinal urges

WASHINGTON (CNS) — Cardinal Justin Rigali of Philadelphia, chairman of the U.S. bishops’ Committee on Pro-Life Activities, called on Catholics and “all people of good will to witness to the truth about the incomparable dignity and right to life of every human being.” In a Sept. 25 statement for Respect Life Sunday, celebrated in Catholic parishes in the United States Oct. 7 this year, the cardinal noted widespread confusion on life issues, including embryonic stem-cell research, partial-birth abortion and euthanasia. The right to life is more than a religious concern, he said. Quoting from the preamble to the 1989 U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child, he said the “recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world.” In 1972 the U.S. bishops launched the Respect Life program and designated the first Sunday in October as Respect Life Sunday.

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Catholic Charities USA honored for its fiscal accountability

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (CNS) — The Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance has given its seal of approval to Catholic Charities USA, recognizing that it meets all standards for charity accountability. The alliance, a national charity watchdog group formed in 2001 through the merger of the National Charities Information Bureau with the Council of Better Business Bureaus’ Foundation, reviews standards for governance and oversight, fiscal responsibility, truthfulness in representation and willingness to disclose information to the public before granting the seal. “We are proud to receive this widely recognized and extremely reputable seal that symbolizes our commitment to accountability,” said Father Larry Snyder, president of the Alexandria-based Catholic Charities USA, in a statement.

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WORLD

Pope appeals for peace in Myanmar, asks for prayers

CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy (CNS) — Pope Benedict XVI appealed for a peaceful resolution to the crisis in Myanmar and urged the entire church to pray for the Asian country. Speaking at his Sunday blessing Sept. 30, the pope also encouraged dialogue between North and South Korea and asked the world not to forget the suffering caused by poverty and recent flooding in African countries. The pope’s comments on Myanmar came after at least 10 people were reported killed when the country’s military junta cracked down on anti-government protests. “I am following with great trepidation the extremely serious events in Myanmar, and I want to express my spiritual closeness to this dear people as they pass through a moment of difficult trial,” the pope said. In late September, government soldiers violently dispersed demonstrations led by Buddhist monks in Yangon, Myanmar’s capital, firing on crowds, occupying or barricading Buddhist monasteries and arresting many of the monks.

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Indian priest says his cure was miracle through Mother Teresa

GUWAHATI, India (CNS) — The sainthood cause of Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta could cross its last hurdle if the Vatican approves an allegedly miraculous cure a priest claims he experienced on the 10th anniversary of her death. Salesian Father V.M. Thomas says Mother Teresa’s intercession was responsible for the disappearance of a half-inch kidney stone in his lower ureter, reported the Asian church news agency UCA News. The stone disappeared in an unexplainable manner after Father Thomas celebrated Mass and prayed to Mother Teresa Sept. 5, the day before he was scheduled for surgery. UCA News reported that Archbishop Thomas Menamparampil of Guwahati gave the agency a copy of the priest’s files and medical records and, according to the priest’s notes, the surgeon affirmed “the disappearance of the calculus (stone) was beyond medical explanation.” Father Thomas, 56, was associated with Mother Teresa from 1979 until her death in 1997. The priest had been suffering from severe abdominal pain since Feb. 13.

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Pope sends greetings to new Romanian Orthodox patriarch

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Benedict XVI sent warm greetings and words of ecumenical encouragement to the newly elected head of the Romanian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Daniel. After expressing his joy at the inauguration of the patriarch’s ministry, the pope said Catholic-Orthodox relations should be strengthened “in order to respond to the present needs of Europe and the world on the religious and social levels.” He said, “The common witness of Christians is increasingly necessary to respond to our common vocation and the urgent needs of our time.” The pope’s message was read aloud after an enthronement liturgy for the new patriarch Sept. 30 in Bucharest, Romania. A Vatican delegation headed by Cardinal Walter Kasper, the Vatican’s chief ecumenist, attended. Patriarch Daniel, 56, who was elected by the Romanian Orthodox synod Sept. 12, is regarded as a modernizer within his church and open to ecumenism. He replaced Patriarch Teoctist, who died in July at age 92.

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Southern African bishops note abuse allegations against late bishop

PRETORIA, South Africa (CNS) — The Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference said it learned of allegations of sexual abuse against the late Bishop Reginald J. Orsmond of Johannesburg “with great sadness.” Mario D’Offisi, a former resident of Boys Town in Magaliesburg, claims in a book that Bishop Orsmond sexually abused him over three years in the 1960s. Bishop Orsmond, who died in 2002, founded South Africa’s youth care organization, Boys Town, after being inspired by the Oscar-winning U.S. film “Boys Town,” starring Spencer Tracy and Mickey Rooney. “In accordance to our commitment to pastoral care of those who perceive themselves as victims, we invite Mr. D’Offisi and all others who feel that they are victims of abuse by Catholic clergy and religious to share their story with a competent church authority so that swift and compassionate action can be taken,” the bishops’ conference said in a Sept. 30 statement from Pretoria.

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Too much medical technology can hurt patients, says Vatican official

ROME (CNS) — While progress in medicine and technology holds great promise for humanity, relying too heavily on biomedical technology runs the risk of hurting the very people meant to be helped, said a Vatican official. Cardinal Javier Lozano Barragan, head of the Pontifical Council for Health Care Ministry, said state-of-the-art equipment, medical procedures and medicines “are only part of the health care system, and undue insistence on their capabilities” may place more emphasis on meeting the demands of health care providers than on the needs of the patients. The cardinal made his comments during a Sept. 28 conference on “Health, Technology and the Common Good.” The conference, which drew scholars and experts from the field of health care, genetics and pharmaceutical industries, was sponsored by the conservative U.S. think tank the Acton Institute and had the support of the Vatican health care council. Cardinal Lozano said the ultimate goal of all technology must be that it is used for the good of all people, and he warned that “everything technologically possible need not be ethically permissible.”

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PEOPLE

Pope ordains bishops, asks them to serve as ‘guardian angels’

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Ordaining new bishops for the first time in his pontificate, Pope Benedict XVI called six men to be “guardian angels” of the people entrusted to their care. Celebrating the ordinations in St. Peter’s Basilica Sept. 29, the feast of Sts. Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, archangels, Pope Benedict told the new bishops that, like angels, their entire beings must be oriented toward God, and their mission is to be messengers of God. Pope Benedict first laid his hands on the head of Coadjutor Archbishop Mieczyslaw Mokrzycki of the Latin-rite Archdiocese of Lviv, Ukraine; he had been the assistant personal secretary of Pope John Paul II and served as Pope Benedict’s assistant secretary for the past two years. The others ordained were: Archbishops Francesco Brugnaro of Camerino-San Severino Marche, Italy; Gianfranco Ravasi, president of the Pontifical Council for Culture; Tommaso Caputo, nuncio to Malta and to Libya; and Bishops Sergio Pagano, prefect of the Vatican Secret Archives, and Vincenzo di Mauro, secretary of the Prefecture for the Economic Affairs of the Holy See.

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Papal liturgist named to work with worldwide eucharistic congresses

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — After 20 years as the master of pontifical liturgical celebrations, Archbishop Piero Marini was named president of the Pontifical Committee for International Eucharistic Congresses Oct. 1. Archbishop Marini, 65, has spent all but three months of his priestly ministry working at the Vatican, starting in 1965 as an official of the office charged with implementing the liturgical changes called for by the Second Vatican Council. His high profile as Pope John Paul II’s master of ceremonies and his openness to the use of local music, instruments, languages and dance at papal Masses led some people to speculate he would be one of the first Vatican officials Pope Benedict XVI would replace. Instead, he was in charge of Pope Benedict’s public liturgies for more than two years. Pope Benedict also named his successor: Msgr. Guido Marini, 42, the master of ceremonies to the last four archbishops of Genoa, including Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the current Vatican secretary of state. He also had served as Cardinal Bertone’s private secretary. Msgr. Marini, who holds degrees in canon law and in psychology, is not related to Archbishop Marini.

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Pope names Italian church historian to head Vatican newspaper

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Benedict XVI has chosen an Italian church historian, Giovanni Maria Vian, as the new director of the Vatican newspaper, L’Osservatore Romano. Vian, 55, has taught patristic philology at the Rome university La Sapienza and has been a longtime contributor to the Italian Catholic newspaper Avvenire. He has specialized in studies on early Christianity and Judaism and on the contemporary papacy. He replaces Mario Agnes, who directed the newspaper for 23 years. The Vatican announced the appointment Sept. 29. Vian is the author of more than 80 specialist publications and academic commentaries. His book, “The Donation of Constantine,” published in 2004, examines the relationship between the papacy and politics. The Vatican also announced the appointment of the newspaper’s new vice director, Carlo Di Cicco. Di Cicco, 63, has been director of the Italian Catholic news agency ASCA. Accredited as a journalist at the Vatican since 1973, he is considered one of the most knowledgeable reporters on the Vatican beat.

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First Byzantine bishop in U.S. got right to work, says Canadian

WASHINGTON (CNS) — One hundred years ago, when the first Byzantine Catholic bishop arrived in the United States to minister to the large number of East European immigrants, “he didn’t wait, he worked,” said a Canadian bishop. The newly arrived immigrants from what is now Ukraine first looked for shelter, then looked toward their faith, and it was incumbent upon Bishop Stephen Soter Ortynsky to minister to them, said Canadian Bishop Kenneth Nowakowski of the Ukrainian Diocese of New Westminster, British Columbia. Bishop Ortynsky created a foundation in America for the Ukrainian Catholic Church today, Bishop Nowakowski said in a telephone interview with Catholic News Service Sept. 28. Bishop Ortynsky immediately established orphanages, parishes and schools for the immigrants in their new country, Bishop Nowakowski said. Today in the United States, the Ukrainian Catholic Church has its own jurisdiction and four eparchies, or dioceses.
  

   No events in the diocese today

Today’s Readings

Zechariah 8:1-8
Psalm 102:16-21, 29, 22-23
Luke 9:46-50

Today’s Headlines from Catholic News Service
 

U.S.

Church official calls current immigration reform debate inflammatory

WASHINGTON (CNS) — The current tone in the immigration reform debate has “inflamed fears and misunderstanding among some portions of the American public, leading to a polarized and vitriolic atmosphere,” said a U.S. church official. Bishop Gerald R. Barnes of San Bernardino, Calif., chairman of the U.S. bishops’ Committee on Migration, noted that while “voices of division and fear are loud” the “truth about immigration and migrants in this country ultimately will prevail.” The bishop, in a Sept. 27 statement issued in Washington, said migrant workers, including the undocumented, make important contributions to the nation’s economy through their work in agriculture, construction and service industries. He faulted the United Stated for refusing “to acknowledge these contributions” and relegating migrants to “a permanent underclass of workers, without full rights.” The failure of the U.S. Senate to pass comprehensive immigration reform legislation this summer has set back, but not ended, attempts to repair the immigration system, according to the bishop.

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Spokane Diocese moves toward bankruptcy end with $5 million payment

SPOKANE, Wash. (CNS) — In what Bishop William S. Skylstad called “just one small step toward healing for the victims,” the Diocese of Spokane was to wire $5 million Oct. 1 to a trust account set up to pay the claims of those sexually abused by clergy in the diocese. The payment to the Plan Trustee Trust Account, as stipulated by the bankruptcy reorganization plan approved in April, brings the diocese “one step closer to fulfilling the requirements of the plan and concluding the Chapter 11 reorganization,” Bishop Skylstad said in a Sept. 27 statement. A payment of $1 million remains and must be made by Oct. 1, 2009, he said. Bishop Skylstad said the diocese “has incurred approximately $3.4 million in debt to date, which includes payment for trade creditors by January 2008.” He said he would “continue fundraising to reduce the level of debt, so that ministry support in eastern Washington can continue.” Under the terms of the settlement plan, the 176 childhood victims of abuse by priests or other church personnel in the diocese will receive compensation ranging from $15,000 to $1.5 million, depending on several factors, including the severity of the abuse and whether or not the statute of limitations had run out before the claim was made.

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U.S. religious leaders meet with Iran’s president, stress diplomacy

NEW YORK (CNS) — U.S. religious leaders are “deeply concerned about the prospect of war with Iran,” said a professor from a Catholic college who was part of an interfaith delegation that met with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Sept. 26 in New York. But Joseph Fahey, professor of religious studies at Manhattan College in Riverdale, said he left the meeting feeling hopeful because of statements Ahmadinejad made about the “renunciation of war and the quest for peace.” “This meeting was an attempt to build bridges with Iran despite the generally hostile reception President Ahmadinejad received here in New York City,” Fahey said in a statement issued after the meeting. “We strongly believe that only through formal and informal diplomacy and respect for international law can there be peace between Iran and the U.S.” Protests greeted Ahmadinejad while he was in New York to address the U.N. Security Council Sept. 25. He spoke to an audience at Columbia University the same day.

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Crookston, Minn., bishop retires; Minnesota priest named successor

WASHINGTON (CNS) — Pope Benedict XVI has accepted the resignation of Bishop Victor H. Balke of Crookston, Minn., and appointed as his successor Msgr. Michael J. Hoeppner, vicar general of the Diocese of Winona, Minn. Archbishop Pietro Sambi, apostolic nuncio to the United States, announced the changes in Washington Sept. 28. The announcement came one day shy of Bishop Balke’s 76th birthday. He submitted his resignation when he turned 75 last September. Canon law requires all bishops to submit their resignation to the pope when they turn 75. Bishop-designate Hoeppner, 58, will be ordained and installed as the seventh bishop of the Diocese of Crookston Nov. 30. Winona Bishop Bernard J. Harrington applauded the appointment, describing Bishop-designate Hoeppner as “well prepared and well qualified.” “I know the people and the clergy of the Diocese of Crookston will welcome him with open arms and work with him to build up the church of Crookston,” he said.

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Hill hearing looks at SEC proposals to limit stockholder resolutions

WASHINGTON (CNS) — Religious groups and other investment consortiums whose portfolios include many of the corporations whose stock is traded on Wall Street found a sympathetic ear Sept. 27 in the House Committee on Financial Services at a hearing it held on Capitol Hill. The investment groups have been gathering support against a couple of Securities and Exchange Commission proposals that would, among other things, restrict the ability of shareholders to offer resolutions at annual stockholders meetings. The resolutions have covered such diverse ground as South Africa, pollution and climate change and urge corporate action on issues advocates want to see addressed. Few resolutions actually garner a majority of the votes, but companies often bargain with the shareholder groups to avoid an embarrassing vote. At the hearing Timothy Smith, chairman of the board of the Social Investment Forum and senior vice president of Walden Asset Management Co., testified: “The U.S. Chamber of Commerce says this all the time about advocates who raise questions about corporate governance: We are special interest groups who have no interest in shareholder value. It’s a transparent myth used to marginalize opponents (that means) ‘I don’t like the issue you’re raising, therefore you’re a special interest group,’” he said.

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Connecticut Catholic hospitals agree to comply with new law on Plan B

HARTFORD, Conn. (CNS) — Connecticut’s four Catholic hospitals will provide emergency contraception to rape victims without requiring an ovulation test, in compliance with a new state law that takes effect Oct. 1. In a joint statement Sept. 27, the Catholic bishops and leaders of Catholic hospitals in the state said that, although they continue to believe that the law is flawed and should be changed, they would revise current protocols at the hospitals that call for both a pregnancy test and an ovulation test before the “morning-after” pill marketed as Plan B is administered. “To administer Plan B pills in Catholic hospitals to victims of rape, a pregnancy test to determine that the woman has not conceived is sufficient,” the statement said. “The administration of Plan B pills in this instance cannot be judged to be the commission of an abortion because of such doubt about how Plan B pills and similar drugs work and because of the current impossibility of knowing from the ovulation test whether a new life is present.” Plan B, containing a high dose of birth control pills, usually prevents pregnancy if taken within 72 hours of unprotected sex.

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WORLD

In Latin America and Africa, following one path to economic justice

LIMA, Peru (CNS) — A developing country went deeply into debt in the 1970s and was obligated by international lenders to establish free-market policies in the 1980s. However, the country continued to borrow to service a heavy debt burden. Today, mining is one of its main economic activities, but despite high international prices for minerals much of the population lives in poverty. When Jesuit Father Peter Henriot presented that scenario to pastoral workers in Lima in late September, he was not talking about Latin America, but about Africa. Father Henriot, director of the Jesuit Center for Theological Reflection in Lusaka, Zambia, sees lessons for Latin America in the African experience, and he sees the Catholic Church’s social teaching as a path to social and economic justice for both continents. Developing countries that are rich in natural resources are a “sad paradox of wealth in the midst of poverty,” said Father Henriot. He drew comparisons between Zambia and Peru. In both nations, mining is one of the main economic activities and, with international prices high, it is feasible to drill for oil and mine metals in places where it would not have been cost-effective 10 or 15 years ago. “The biggest challenge in Africa and Latin America can be expressed in the question, ‘What is our understanding of development?’” Father Henriot said.

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Asian church leaders call for peaceful solution to crisis in Myanmar

HONG KONG (CNS) — Religious leaders in Asia have joined world leaders in calling for a peaceful solution to the crisis in Myanmar, where the military junta has launched a deadly crackdown on demonstrators. In a message to the president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Myanmar, Archbishop Orlando Quevedo of Cotabato, Philippines, secretary-general of the Hong Kong-based Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences, expressed his “deepest concern” over the “troubling events” in Myanmar. Media reported Sept. 28 that soldiers violently dispersed demonstrations led by Buddhist monks in Yangon, Myanmar’s capital, killing at least 10 people and occupying or barricading Buddhist monasteries. UCA News, an Asian church news agency, reported that in the federation’s message to Archbishop Paul Zinghtung Grawng of Mandalay, Myanmar, Archbishop Quevedo said Asian bishops read with great sympathy and understanding the Myanmar bishops’ statement issued two days earlier, calling on Catholics to pray during the crisis.

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In message to Muslims, cardinal touches on violence, terrorism

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — In a message to the Muslim world, a leading Vatican official denounced terrorism and all violence committed in the name of religion. The message also took aim at religious discrimination, saying the rights of all believers must be protected during the “troubled times we are passing through.” The text, released by the Vatican Sept. 28, marked the end of Ramadan, the Islamic month of prayer and fasting that concludes in mid-October. It was written by Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, who took over as head of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue earlier this year. Christians and Muslims, the cardinal said, need to intensify their dialogue so that younger generations “do not become cultural or religious blocs opposed to each other.” Cardinal Tauran began and ended his message by expressing the church’s “warmest greetings” to the Islamic world. But the text touched on a number of sensitive issues, especially those of religious liberty, violence and terrorism.

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Has German pope re-Italianized the Roman Curia?

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Is Pope Benedict XVI re-Italianizing the Roman Curia? The question has percolated around Rome in recent months as a string of Vatican appointments left Italian prelates in high places. The pontifical councils that deal with social communications, canon law and cultural issues — until recently headed by an American, a Spaniard and a Frenchman — are now in the hands of Italian bishops. So are the Vatican Library and Secret Archives. The Vatican City governor’s office, which had been headed by U.S. Cardinal Edmund C. Szoka, reverted to an Italian for the first time in 26 years. An Italian Jesuit now directs the Vatican Press Office, taking over from a Spaniard. A number of important middle-management posts at the Vatican, particularly in diplomatic and financial areas, also have gone to Italians. Some suspect the Italian resurgence may reflect the influence of Italian Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the Vatican’s energetic secretary of state, who took office a year ago.

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Canadian bishops to focus on prioritizing national activities

OTTAWA (CNS) — Canada’s bishops will focus on prioritizing their national activities during their upcoming plenary meeting in October. During the Oct. 15-19 gathering in Cornwall, Ontario, the bishops will debate reducing the number of their national commissions from six to three and the possible creation of standing committees that would include lay experts, said Msgr. Mario Paquette, general secretary of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops. The bishops must find a way to accomplish their mission with fewer resources, he said. “Now they will discuss how they do things together: their activities, what are the fields to be covered … as a national conference,” Msgr. Paquette said. “Do they have to do everything on the national level?” Issues such as ecumenism and concern for refugees and migrants will remain national concerns, he said.

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Priest in Moscow praises new archbishop, but editor sees concerns

OXFORD, England (CNS) — A Catholic leader in Russia said the Italian missionary named archbishop of Moscow will “be well able to lead the local church and find ways through difficult situations.” Archbishop-designate Paolo Pezzi, 47, “is highly educated, with great pastoral experience,” said Father Igor Kovalevsky, secretary-general of the Russian bishops’ conference. “He speaks Russian well and has a deep interest in Russian culture, as well as a strong and visible record of achievement as seminary rector in St. Petersburg.” However, Olga Karpova, editor of the church’s Sviet Yevangelia Catholic weekly, said many Catholics had written the newspaper questioning Pope Benedict XVI’s appointment of the Italian to replace Archbishop Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz, a Russian citizen who will return to his native Belarus as archbishop of Minsk-Mohilev. The two spoke to Catholic News Service by telephone Sept. 27 and 28.

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Priest from Jesuit Refugee Service killed in Sri Lankan blast

KILINOCHCHI, Sri Lanka (CNS) — Father Nicholas Pillai Pakiaranjith, 40, was killed in a blast from a claymore mine while he was driving food and supplies to displaced people near Kilinochchi, in an area under the control of Tamil rebels. Father Pakiaranjith coordinated the work of Jesuit Refugee Service in Sri Lanka’s Mannar district, where control is divided between government forces and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam. The priest died Sept. 26; his funeral was scheduled for Sept. 29. One of the priest’s assistants also was injured in the blast. “We call upon the international community and all men and women of good will to condemn this killing and effectively voice their strong condemnation of the ongoing senseless war,” Bishop Rayappu Joseph of Mannar said in press release. The bishop praised Father Pakiaranjith’s deep commitment to the poor and marginalized. “It is a heinous crime to attack and kill such peace-loving and unarmed heroes of our society,” the bishop said. “Enough blood has flowed on this little island nation. This blood cries for peace and not for vengeance.”

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PEOPLE

Pope sends condolences on death of cardinal who worked in Zambia

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Benedict XVI sent condolences on the death of Cardinal Adam Kozlowiecki, a Jesuit who worked more than 50 years as a missionary in Zambia. The pope praised Cardinal Kozlowiecki in a telegram to church officials in Lusaka, the Zambian capital where the cardinal died Sept. 28 at the age of 96. Cardinal Kozlowiecki was the first archbishop of Lusaka but gave up his post in 1969 because he thought an African should take his place. He headed back into the bush and resumed his missionary work. The African who took over in Lusaka was Archbishop Emmanuel Milingo, whose conflicts with the Vatican — over his healing ministry, his own short-lived marriage and his ordination of married men as bishops — led to his excommunication last year. The papal telegram praised Cardinal Kozlowiecki’s zealous service as a missionary and bishop and his “unwavering commitment to the spread of the Gospel.”

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For cardinal, World Youth Day preparation means spiritual readiness

SYDNEY, Australia (CNS) — As planning for the world’s largest youthfest gathers momentum, Sydney’s cardinal said his main concern was the spiritual preparation of young Australians. Logistical difficulties will be involved in hosting up to a half-million people for World Youth Day 2008, admitted Sydney Cardinal George Pell, but he said he is confident that the July 15-20 celebration will be well organized. “The most important challenge is the spiritual and religious preparation,” he said. Both young people and clergy told a group of visiting journalists in late September that they feel religion slipping away in their culture. Nineteen percent of Australians did not claim a religion in a 2006 census, up 2 percent from the previous count. “An increasing minority of young Australians and other Australians are tempted to believe that you can live a good life without God,” said Cardinal Pell. “There’s an erosion of faith and practice.”

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Catholic from Myanmar expresses agony over violence in her country

MANILA, Philippines (CNS) — A Catholic woman from Myanmar living in Manila said she is agonizing over the violence erupting in her country as she watches the news reports. She said she was grateful that people were rallying in front of the Myanmar Embassy to the Philippines to protest the crackdown on monks, students and other protesters in Yangon, Myanmar’s capital, because her fellow citizens are afraid to speak out or congregate, even outside their country. The woman wrote her thoughts in a commentary for the Asian church news agency UCA News, which published them Sept. 28 without releasing her name. “It seems all of us (Philippine-based people from Myanmar) are suffering very painfully and quietly,” the woman said. “We cannot move in any way because we fear our government will give us trouble here in the Philippines or give our families trouble back home.” She said Myanmar people in the Philippines “don’t like to get together here because we are very afraid of our embassy. Whatever move we make, they will report back to Burma (the former name for Myanmar), and they can revoke our passport within an hour.”