Pope Francis, Catholics, and Christians in the news worldwide

Trump has never apologized for anything in his entire life! 


attack, counterattack and never apologize - Roy Cohn's lessons to Trump


dave said:

attack, counterattack and never apologize - Roy Cohn's lessons to Trump

Related to Rohn Cohn's three lessons, we saw the movie "The Apprentice" (about Roy Cohn's tutoring of Donald Trump), when it was presented on Monday at the Woodland here in Maplewood, courtesy of the Maplewood Film Society and SOMA Action. There was a Q&A with the screenwriter afterwards, as well.

Because it's Maplewood, after all.


A bit of a deafening silence about the Archdiocese of Los Angeles agreement to pay $880 million to some of the survivors of sexual abuse committed by their clergy. This comes on top of the $660 million already paid to other victims. 

At what point does an institution simply declare moral bankruptcy and close its doors?

https://www.washingtonpost.com/religion/2024/10/16/archdiocese-los-angeles-settlement/


GoSlugs said:

A bit of a deafening silence about the Archdiocese of Los Angeles agreement to pay $880 million to some of the survivors of sexual abuse committed by their clergy. This comes on top of the $660 million already paid to other victims. 

At what point does an institution simply declare moral bankruptcy and close its doors?

https://www.washingtonpost.com/religion/2024/10/16/archdiocese-los-angeles-settlement/

Do you think other institutions that harbored child molesters in the past should also be disbanded and bankrupted?


What a tragedy - the Church victimizing society twice. First the young people sexually abused. Second, all the people who would have benefited from the Church spending all that money on worthy causes  instead of victim payouts  




RealityForAll said:

Just a reminder, I don’t read or respond to your posts. Too many “misunderstandings”. 


RealityForAll said:

Do you think other institutions that harbored child molesters in the past should also be disbanded and bankrupted?

I'm going to say "yes," then you're going to trot out a series of examples of institutions that we all otherwise tolerate/couldn't possibly do without/consider completely innocent, and some of those examples will be institutions that found child molestors in their ranks and reported them and they were arrested and people here will say that those "don't count" and you're going to call those people hypocritical.


Just the institutions that are continuing to cover up bad behavior. 


RealityForAll said:

GoSlugs said:

A bit of a deafening silence about the Archdiocese of Los Angeles agreement to pay $880 million to some of the survivors of sexual abuse committed by their clergy. This comes on top of the $660 million already paid to other victims. 

At what point does an institution simply declare moral bankruptcy and close its doors?

https://www.washingtonpost.com/religion/2024/10/16/archdiocese-los-angeles-settlement/

Do you think other institutions that harbored child molesters in the past should also be disbanded and bankrupted?

well, it of course depends on the degree to which the institution institutionalized both the cover-up and the abuse itself. Pretty sure that there is no institution that even comes close to comparing with the Catholic church in this regard.

Which renders your question kind of moot.


nohero said:

https://www.osvnews.com/2024/10/29/puerto-rico-archbishop-to-trump-you-personally-apologize-for-rallys-racist-remarks/

(OSV News) — The Archbishop of San Juan de Puerto Rico, Archbishop Roberto O. González Nieves, has written an open letter to former President Donald Trump, demanding the Republican presidential nominee personally apologize for racist remarks directed at Puerto Rico and others, that took place at his Oct. 27 rally at Madison Square Garden in New York City. ...

Archbishop González said such comments “do not promote a climate of equality, fraternity, and goodwill among and for all women and men of every race, color, and way of life which is the foundation of the American dream. These kinds of remarks should not be part of the political discourse of a civilized society.”

At the end of his message, Archbishop González called on the former president “to disavow these comments as reflecting in any way your personal or political views.”

But the Puerto Rican archbishop made clear that Trump himself had to do it.

“It is not sufficient for your campaign to apologize. It is important that you, personally, apologize for these comments,” Archbishop González concluded.

Update: No apology. 


nohero said:

nohero said:

https://www.osvnews.com/2024/10/29/puerto-rico-archbishop-to-trump-you-personally-apologize-for-rallys-racist-remarks/

(OSV News) — The Archbishop of San Juan de Puerto Rico, Archbishop Roberto O. González Nieves, has written an open letter to former President Donald Trump, demanding the Republican presidential nominee personally apologize for racist remarks directed at Puerto Rico and others, that took place at his Oct. 27 rally at Madison Square Garden in New York City. ...

Archbishop González said such comments “do not promote a climate of equality, fraternity, and goodwill among and for all women and men of every race, color, and way of life which is the foundation of the American dream. These kinds of remarks should not be part of the political discourse of a civilized society.”

At the end of his message, Archbishop González called on the former president “to disavow these comments as reflecting in any way your personal or political views.”

But the Puerto Rican archbishop made clear that Trump himself had to do it.

“It is not sufficient for your campaign to apologize. It is important that you, personally, apologize for these comments,” Archbishop González concluded.

Update: No apology. 

are we in the right thread?

anyway, in case anyone has forgotten

A Guide to the Stupid, Nasty Things Trump Has Said About Puerto Rico


drummerboy said:

are you in the right thread?

Yes, it's a follow-up to the Catholic newspaper "Our Sunday Visitor" reporting on the Puerto Rican Archbishop's request for an apology from Trump. It's my understanding that this is the thread for Catholic-related news items.


nohero said:

Yes, it's a follow-up to the Catholic newspaper "Our Sunday Visitor" reporting on the Puerto Rican Archbishop's request for an apology from Trump. It's my understanding that this is the thread for Catholic-related news items.

yes, indeed that was my intention when starting this thread in the Religion  category but it was @jamie who placed this discussion under the Politics banner several years ago now. His rationale as I recall was due to some very ugly, and threatening posts against me, personally, and the Catholic Church specifically. All was rather quiet on this thread — the usual hate mtierney posts aside —until this poster returned from his sabbatical, or wherever, recently.

Religion and politics have been entwined, of course, since Nero wore sandals.

Some “Catholic” humor to calm any vitriol here…



mtierney said:

nohero said:

Yes, it's a follow-up to the Catholic newspaper "Our Sunday Visitor" reporting on the Puerto Rican Archbishop's request for an apology from Trump. It's my understanding that this is the thread for Catholic-related news items.

yes, indeed that was my intention when starting this thread in the Religion  category but it was @jamie who placed this discussion under the Politics banner several years ago now. His rationale as I recall was due to some very ugly, and threatening posts against me, personally, and the Catholic Church specifically.

Since this is a response to me, I will note my disagreement.  It's in "Politics" because you posted political content. 


mtierney said:

His rationale as I recall was due to some very ugly, and threatening posts against me, personally, and the Catholic Church specifically. 


ROTFLMAO!

The moderator's rationale was that your highly political posts had no place on the main page.  The move was entirely a response to your refusal to comply with the site guidelines.

This is, of course, a pattern of behavior with you.  The moderators have repeatedly asked you not to post giant, bandwidth gobbling text grabs from copyrighted sources and yet you continue to ignore their pleas.

You most certainly are not the "real victim" here but what is anyone to do?  Trolls going to troll.


Good cartoon this time, though.


A journalist writes of his disappointment with his fellow Catholics.

“While it’s no surprise that Harris isn’t the preference of the Republican base, they have had a difficult time adjusting to a robust and professional Black woman of her caliber. She has been in politics for two decades, including as district attorney of San Francisco, attorney general of California, U.S. senator, and now vice president. What makes Harris a powerhouse political figure and a threat to current conservatives has always been her prowess as a skilled attorney, which contrasts with the gaffes and ramblings of former President Donald Trump.

“As a result, many Republicans have resorted to personal attacks and racist dog whistles to undermine Harris’ credibility as a challenger. Whether they are official party members or average American voters, many of these people are Catholics, and their assaults against Harris have rehashed deeply entrenched White stereotypes and caricatures of Black Americans.”

The rest: https://www.blackcatholicmessenger.org/racism-in-the-2024-election/


some good in the news…

7 things to know about Sister Clare Crockett

facebook sharing button
twitter sharing button
Sister Clare Crockett
Sister Clare Crockett. | Credit: Courtesy of Servants of the Home of the Mother
Francesca Pollio Fenton

By Francesca Pollio Fenton

CNA Staff, Nov 14, 2024 / 08:00 am

Sister Clare Crockett was a young religious sister who died in 2016 at the age of 34 in an earthquake in Ecuador that left hundreds dead. On Nov. 4, the Servant Sisters of the Home of the Mother, her religious community, announced the beginning of her cause for beatification.

But just who is Sister Clare Crockett? Here are seven things to know about the young sister who left a lasting impact on people around the world:

Crockett was born on Nov. 14, 1982, in Derry, Northern Ireland. She was a fun-loving teenager and quickly grabbed the attention of television producers. At the age of 15, she was hired to host a show on the British network Channel 4 and at 17 she caught the attention of Nickelodeon. By 18, she was living a life of partying and alcohol.


In 2000, a friend of Crockett invited her on a free trip to Spain. Thinking it was going to be a trip filled with parties and time spent on the beach, Crockett went. However, it ended up being a 10-day, Holy Week retreat run by the Servant Sisters of the Home of the Mother, a community founded in 1982 with a focus on the Eucharist, Marian spirituality, and outreach to youth. It was here that Crockett experienced a life-changing conversion.


It was Good Friday and Crockett began to witness the faithful approach Jesus on the cross, genuflect, and kiss his feet. Crockett had never seen anything like this before so she followed along. When it was her turn, she went up, kissed Jesus’ feet, and left forever changed.

“That simple event lasted only 10 seconds. To kiss the cross — something that seemed so insignificant — had such a strong impact on me,” she wrote in her personal testimony.

“I do not know how to explain exactly what happened,” she added. “I did not see the choirs of angels or a white dove come down from the ceiling and descend on me, but I had the certainty that the Lord was on the cross, for me.”

“And along with that conviction, I felt a great sorrow, similar to what I had experienced when I was little and prayed the Stations of the Cross. When I returned to my pew, I already had imprinted in me something that was not there before. I had to do something for him who had given his life for me.”

In 2001, just a year after her conversion, Crockett gave her life to God as a candidate in the Servant Sisters of the Home of the Mother. She took her first vows on Feb. 18, 2006, and her final vows on Sept. 8, 2010.

Crockett’s first assignment was at the community at Belmonte in Cuenca, Spain. There she served in a home for girls that came from families dealing with various difficult circumstances.In October 2012, Crockett received a new assignment that took her to Ecuador.

Here she had several assignments taking her to different areas of the country evangelizing the youth. The sisters gave classes in schools in poor areas and hosted retreats and summer camps. They also tended to the poor, bringing them not only the word of God but also food baskets, medicine, and other material items and resources.

Crockett is remembered by many as always carrying her guitar, which was her great companion in evangelization. She always sang, even to the point of losing her voice and despite heat, fatigue, and suffering from migraines. Sisters from her order also remember her great sense of humor and giving of herself completely to others.

On April 16, 2016, a magnitude-7.8 earthquake struck the Ecuadorian province of Manabí, killing at least 600 people, including Crockett. Her story spread around the world, touching the lives of many, and on Nov. 4, her cause for beatification was officially announced.

    The opening ceremony of Crockett’s cause will take place on Jan. 12, 2025, at the Cathedral of Alcalá de Henares in Spain. The postulator of the cause is Sister Kristen Gardner of the Servant Sisters of the Home of the Mother.



    I suspect news of these legal rulings will filter through your media. Not as positive in impact as the the post above mine…

    In shocking news this week, an Australian High Court ruling has overturned a previous judgement awarding damages to a child victim of s abuse by a notorious member of the Catholic clergy.  The court determined that the priest (now deceased) was not an employee of the Catholic Church, so the Church is not liable for his presence nor the abuse.

    https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-11-16/anger-over-church-vicarious-liability-finding-in-high-court/104609404 
    This is quite controversial, as the article explains, and will lead to other instances where survivors will be unable to obtain apology & compensation, as well as potential appeals against past judgements. 

    “In both decisions the courts agreed Father Coffey was not an employee of the church, but occupied a special place within the hierarchy of the church, which the rulings found gave rise to vicarious liability.

    Most priests, it seems, are holders of religious office. They are neither an employee, nor a self-employed contractor, and as a court ruling from long ago established, it is a relationship that is pre-eminently of a spiritual character.”

    ‘…the ruling left other organisations dealing with children off the hook as well.

    "For example, people who are volunteers working for organisations and who are not technically employed by them," Dr Morrison said.

    That includes organisations like the Scouts, sports coaches and other groups, which would not be subject to vicarious liability.‘  [my bold]


    Spreading the Good News, and getting ready for the upcoming Jubilee Year 2025…..

      Vatican to point live webcam at St. Peter’s tomb, publish monthly magazine
    Father Enzo Fortunato
    Father Enzo Fortunato, OFM Conv., communications director for St. Peter’s Basilica, holds up a copy of the first issue of the Vatican's new monthly magazine, “Piazza San Pietro.” | Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/EWTN News

    By Hannah Brockhaus

    Vatican City, Nov 25, 2024 / 14:35 pm

    The Vatican on Monday publicized further initiatives undertaken by St. Peter’s Basilica in light of the 2025 Jubilee Year — including a new magazine and a livestream of the tomb of St. Peter.

    Pope Francis will inaugurate the live webcam of the tomb of the apostle and first pope on Dec. 2.

    The Vatican also announced the publication of a new magazine, under the direction of the leadership of St. Peter’s Basilica, called "Piazza San Pietro." A regular feature of the new monthly will be a “Letters to the Editor” column, in which Pope Francis will respond to readers’ letters.

    The periodical, whose pilot issue is out now, will be published in English, Spanish, and Italian. It can be purchased at the new visitor center for St. Peter’s Basilica or via mail subscription.

    In a speech introducing the periodical, the archpriest of St. Peter’s Basilica, Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, OFM Conv., called its publication “a courageous choice, which the creativity and energy of Father Enzo [Fortunato] pushed us to do…”

    Father Enzo Fortunato, OFM Conv., communications director for St. Peter’s Basilica since January, has been a prominent media personality in Italy since the late 1990s. He also has experience with institutional communications for the Franciscans.

    At a Nov. 25 press conference at the Vatican, Fortunato pointed out Pope Francis’ invitation to journalists to “wear out the soles of your shoes,” calling it a “strong reminder of traditional journalism, for deeper immersion in reality, for direct contact with places, but most of all with people.”

    “This is our idea of communication, this is our strategy, the heart of the communication plan,” he said, speaking about St. Peter’s Basilica.

    Father Orazio Pepe, secretary of the Fabric of St. Peter, read Gambetti’s remarks after the cardinal could not attend the press conference as planned.

    The Vatican also announced two other novelties regarding the basilica on Monday.

    The Fabric of St. Peter will make available a multipurpose room inside the basilica’s offices for holding press conferences and briefings with journalists and St. Peter’s Basilica will be rebranded with a custom font, to be used on a new website launching in 2025.





    mtierney said:

    Spreading the Good News, and getting ready for the upcoming Jubilee Year 2025…..

      Vatican to point live webcam at St. Peter’s tomb, publish monthly magazine ...

    That live webcam on St. Peter's tomb is a good idea, we don't want him sneaking away during the big Jubilee Year.


    For this First Sunday of Advent…


    mtierney said:

    Trump will attend Notre Dame reopening….

    https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/260795/us-president-elect-trump-to-attend-notre-dame-cathedral-reopening-in-paris

    He already has full immunity, but I guess it doesn't hurt to be careful, just in case.


    A refresher course on who St. Nicholas — whose feast day is today —really was….

    https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/249794/5-things-to-know-and-share-about-st-nicholas


    I know the Melbourne (Australia) synagogue fire has hit your news. I suspect you’re as shocked and horrified as if the synagogue were in NYC, somewhere. I also suspect @marksierra is equally horrified and angry - it’s his city, and we all grew up in the general area.

    I can’t stop grieving, even though no-one died or seems to have been seriously injured.  I’m just aghast - I grew up a couple of blocks from there, I baby-sat for families in that street and from that community. My mother worked in the community’s kindergarten for at least 20 years, knew all their families. When my dad died unexpectedly, the men from that community flocked to support my just-bar mitzvahed brother, and to help my mother with lifts, shopping help, legal advice etc.  I remember the shopping centre that the synagogue faces: Mum’s hairdresser was opposite the railway station, next door to the synagogue’s then back door were a wonderful pharmacy, newsagent, local (small) supermarket, the kosher butchers, the big sweet shop that also became the place to get Passover supplies…. Wonderful old-fashioned shopping staffed by people who cared about the shopping community…  Nearby is a magnificent heritage house-and-gardens Quat Quatta, from the 1800s, used as a reception rooms/balls venue. A little further away is the superb property, also from the 1800s, called Ripponlea - the suburb is named after this place. 
    Unbelievable that this has happened to such a peaceful, diverse and old-fashioned community. 
    What’s happening to our world??


    In order to add a comment – you must Join this community – Click here to do so.

    Sponsored Business

    Find Business

    Advertise here!