Bishop offers support, special Masses for trapped Utah miners

By Catholic News Service

SALT LAKE CITY — Bishop John C. Wester of Salt Lake City offered “prayerful support” to six trapped miners and their families and co-workers and said he would celebrate two special Masses for them “during this most difficult time.”

The bishop was to celebrate Mass the evening of Aug. 8 at the Cathedral of the Madeleine in Salt Lake City and then go to St. Raphael Mission in Huntington for a morning Mass Aug. 9.

Diocesan Briefs–August

Pro Life Mass

   MIDLAND — Bishop Michael D. Pfeifer’s Annual Respect for Life Mass will be at 10 a.m., Friday, Aug. 10, at The Prayer Garden in Midland, at the intersection of Fort Worth St. and Illinois Ave. The Mass will be held across the street from the MIdland Planned Parenthood office on a Friday, the day, the day of the week PP conducts abortions. Bishop John Yanta of the Diocese of Amarillo, will be the concelebrant.

Immigrant Workshop, Aug. 11

   SAN ANGELO — On Saturday August 11, St. Joseph Catholic Church in San  Angelo will host a JUSTICE FOR IMMIGRANTS workshop from 10 a.m.-Noon
   The Hispanic Ministry Committee welcomes you to come here Fr. Juan Molina’s presentation, which will be bilingual. Fr. Molina is Southwest Regional Coordinator for Catholic Relief Services. 

Today (08.09.07)

ODESSA — Bishop Pfeifer at Our Lady of San Juan Mission Pastoral Visit, 6:30 p.m.

Today’s Readings

Numbers 20:1-13
Psalm 95:1-2, 6-9
Matthew 16:13-23

Today’s Headlines from Catholic News Service

By Catholic News Service

U.S.

Anderson says Knights will keep up the fight on life, marriage issues

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (CNS) — The Knights of Columbus will continue to fight politically on issues important to the Catholic Church, such as abortion, marriage and embryonic stem-cell research, pledged Supreme Knight Carl Anderson. “One of our most important traditions throughout our 125-year history is that we do not, as an organization, become involved in partisan politics,” Anderson said in giving his annual report on the first day of the fraternal order’s Aug. 7-9 national convention at Opryland Hotel in Nashville. “This does not, however, mean that we take no interest in public policy issues,” he continued. “When an issue directly affects our most fundamental values as Catholics, such as abortion, or the institution of marriage, or public funding of embryonic stem-cell research, as leaders in the Catholic community, we must, and we do take a stand. Since the 1970s, when abortion was suddenly transformed from being an almost unspeakable crime to a supposed constitutional ‘right,’ we have worked tirelessly to enact laws that would limit and ultimately end the unrestricted abortion license in the United States,” Anderson said.

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Union, Catholic health system differ on wages for entry-level workers

CHICAGO (CNS) — Responding to charges from a local union that Resurrection Health Care underpays its support staff and overpays its top executives, a spokesman for the Catholic health system said its wages for entry-level workers “are comparable to, if not better than, most other area health care organizations.” Brian Crawford, senior director for system public relations, said in an