1. Pope taps Chilean sex abuse whistleblower for Vatican panel, By Associated Press, March 24, 2021
Pope Francis on Wednesday named a Chilean man who helped uncover a clerical sex abuse scandal to a Vatican commission that advises the pontiff on how to protect children from pedophile clergy.
The Vatican said Juan Carlos Cruz is the latest member of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors. Other members of the panel include a bishop, priest, nuns and laypersons.
Cruz and other survivors of a prominent Chilean predator priest were invited by the pope in 2018 to discuss their cases with him.
…
Whether the Vatican can convince the faithful it is sincerely committed to stopping pedophile priests and a widespread culture of coverups by high-ranking clergy is crucial to shoring up flagging trust by ordinary Catholics.
https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-chile-sexual-abuse-by-clergy-europe-vatican-city-e6320f795c9e492d4d8742244b731fd8
___________________________________________________________
2. Shalanda Young confirmed as deputy director of OMB, By Catholic News Agency, March 24, 2021, 4:00 PM
The Senate on Tuesday confirmed Shalanda Young as deputy director of the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB).
The confirmation comes after President Joe Biden withdrew his initial nomination for OMB director, Neera Tanden, and Young faced a controversy of her own. Young will now serve as the highest-ranking position at the office, which plays a critical role in coordinating an administration’s policies throughout all federal agencies.
Young was confirmed in a bipartisan 63-37 vote. Her confirmation initially moved through the Senate budget and homeland security committees before several senators registered their concerns. The New York Post reported on March 10 that Young had framed public funding of abortions as “economic and racial justice,” in her written response to questions by senators.
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/shalanda-young-confirmed-as-deputy-director-of-omb-10593
___________________________________________________________
3. Pope Francis sends message to Bangladesh for 50th anniversary of independence, By Hannah Brockhaus, Catholic News Agency, March 24, 2021, 6:00 AM
Pope Francis sent a video message to the people of Bangladesh on Wednesday as they mark the 50th anniversary of the country’s independence and the centenary of the birth of the “Father of the Nation,” Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was the first president of Bangladesh when it declared its independence from Pakistan on March 26, 1971. He is called the “Father of the Nation” for having played a leading role in securing independence.
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/pope-francis-sends-message-to-bangladesh-for-50th-anniversary-of-independence
___________________________________________________________
4. Duterte says he will forcibly close churches holding Masses in Philippines, By Associated Press, March 23, 2021
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s spokesman is warning that the government will forcibly close Catholic churches in the capital if priests proceed with a plan to hold Masses. That plan is in defiance of new restrictions against public meetings, including religious gatherings, to ease an alarming surge in coronavirus infections.
Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said Tuesday that such exercise of the state’s police powers would not violate the constitutional principle on the separation of church and state and religious freedom, amid the pandemic in Asia’s largest Catholic nation.
https://cruxnow.com/church-in-asia/2021/03/duterte-says-he-will-forcibly-close-churches-holding-masses-in-philippines/
___________________________________________________________TCA Media Monitoring provides a snapshot from national newspapers and major Catholic press outlets of coverage regarding significant Catholic Church news and current issues with which the Catholic Church is traditionally or prominently engaged. The opinions and views expressed in the articles do not necessarily reflect the views of The Catholic Association. |
