TCA Podcast, – “Conversations with Consequences,” Episode 81 – Carter Snead On What It Means To Be Human & 5 Things With Bishop-Elect Bill Byrne!
Dr. Grazie Christie and Maureen Ferguson speak with Carter Snead of Notre Dame’s de Nicola Center for Ethics & Culture about his new book: “What It Means to Be Human: The Case for the Body in Public Bioethics” with a specific look at the relationship between bioethics and public policy. Bishop-elect Bill Byrne also joins with a look at his new book: “5 Things with Father Bill: Hope, Humor, and Help for the Soul” and his new post as the shepherd of Springfield, Massachusetts!
https://thecatholicassociation.org/podcast/ep-81-carter-snead-on-what-it-means-to-be-human-5-things-with-bishop-elect-bill-byrne/
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1. Philadelphia’s Antireligious Cruelty, City officials pushed Catholics out of foster parenting to punish them for their faith., By Thomas Paul, The Wall Street Journal, November 6, 2020, Pg. A15, Opinion
In 2018 Philadelphia told Catholic Social Services that it could no longer minister to foster families. That’s because, as a Catholic agency, its religious character prevented it from endorsing same-sex or unmarried couples as foster parents. My mother could no longer take foster children into her home in partnership with an agency—and with the support of social workers—she had known for 46 years.
The city’s decision to close down this 200-year-old ministry makes no sense. Catholic Social Services serves all children regardless of race, religion or sexual orientation. Same-sex or unmarried couples who want to become foster parents can work with dozens of other private foster agencies in Philadelphia. Three of them are even specially certified to help families headed by same-sex couples. Perhaps that’s why not a single same-sex couple had approached Catholic Social Services looking for approval.
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My mother spent years fighting for Catholic Social Services as a plaintiff in Fulton v. City of Philadelphia. She fought to protect the right of Catholic Social Services to care for kids in need consistent with its sincere religious beliefs. Unfortunately, my mom died in 2018, before she could see this commitment through. That’s why I’m now speaking up on her behalf.
The Supreme Court heard my mother’s case on Wednesday. “This court has repeatedly said there should be room for those with different views,” said Lori Windham, counsel for the foster families. “Our pluralistic society is at its best when it has a Free Exercise Clause that protects free exercise, not just of those who agree with the city officials in charge.” She’s right, and I pray the Supreme Court agrees.
Mr. Paul is a former foster child and the adoptive son of Cecelia Paul.
https://www.wsj.com/articles/philadelphias-antireligious-cruelty-11604619693?
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2. Vatican imposes disciplinary measures on 97-year-old Polish cardinal, By Catholic News Agency, November 6, 2020, 6:00 AM
The apostolic nunciature in Poland announced Friday disciplinary measures against a 97-year-old cardinal.
A Nov. 6 statement, posted on the apostolic nunciature’s website, said that Cardinal Henryk Gulbinowicz would be subject to strict restrictions as the result of an investigation.
The nunciature did not specify why it had taken the step. It said only that the Holy See had imposed the measures “as a result of the investigation of the accusations against Cardinal Henryk Gulbinowicz and after analyzing other accusations concerning the past of the cardinal.”
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/vatican-imposes-disciplinary-measures-on-97-year-old-polish-cardinal-25499
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3. Cardinal is freed after kidnapping by gunmen in Cameroon, By Courtney Mares, Catholic News Agency, November 6, 2020, 5:35 AM
Cardinal Christian Tumi, who was kidnapped by gunmen Thursday evening in Cameroon’s Northwest Region, has been freed.
“Glory be to God. Cardinal Tumi has been freed by the Separatist fighters. He is fine and in good health,” Bishop George Nkuo of Kumbo diocese announced on the afternoon of Nov. 6.
The 90-year-old archbishop emeritus of Douala had been traveling with 12 other people, including a local leader, from Bamenda to Kumbo on Nov. 5 when they were intercepted by gunmen belonging to separatist militias.
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/cardinal-freed-after-kidnapping-by-gunmen-in-cameroon-42412
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4. Pope moves against secretariat of state amid finance scandal, By Nicole Winfield, Associated Press, November 5, 2020, 8:12 AM
Pope Francis is giving the Vatican secretariat of state three months to transfer all of its financial holdings to another Vatican office following its bungled management of hundreds of millions of euros in donations and investments that are now the subject of a corruption investigation.
Francis summoned the secretary of state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, his deputy as well as the Vatican’s top finance officials for a meeting Wednesday and gave them a three-month deadline to complete the transfer, Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said.
The Vatican released the letter that Francis wrote to Parolin on Aug. 25 in which he announced he was stripping the secretariat of state of its ability to independently manage the money.
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Francis’ decision was an embarrassing blow to the secretariat of state’s standing as the most powerful Holy See office, reducing it to essentially any other department that must propose a budget and have it approved and monitored by others.
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The outcome is essentially that which was sought years ago by Cardinal George Pell, Francis’ first economy minister who clashed with the secretariat of state over his financial reforms and efforts to wrest control of the department’s off-the-books funds.
https://cruxnow.com/vatican/2020/11/pope-moves-against-secretariat-of-state-amid-finance-scandal/
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5. Vatican OKs probe of sex abuse coverup by Polish bishop, By Associated Press, November 5, 2020, 8:21 AM
The Vatican has ordered an investigation into allegations that a now-retired archbishop in Poland was negligent in investigating reports of sex abuse of minors by priests in his Gdansk archdiocese.
The Vatican Embassy in predominantly Roman Catholic Poland said the archbishop of Warsaw had been assigned to conduct the probe and that the preliminary investigation into Archbishop Slawoj Leszek Glodz has been completed.
The embassy provided no details about the outcome in a statement issued this week.
https://cruxnow.com/church-in-europe/2020/11/vatican-oks-probe-of-sex-abuse-coverup-by-polish-bishop/
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6. McCarrick report due for release next week, By Ed Condon and JD Flynn, Catholic News Agency, November 5, 2020, 1:30 PM
The Vatican’s long-awaited report on the career of former cardinal Theodore McCarrick is set to be released early next week, multiple Vatican sources have told CNA.
The report, which was initially expected to be released in December 2019, comes after a Vatican review of documents and witness accounts spanning McCarrick’s 40-year episcopal career, after he was accused of serial sexual crimes related to minors and seminarians in 2018.
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/mccarrick-report-due-for-release-next-week-38076
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7. Lawyer downplays suspended Vatican official’s role in London property deal, By Hannah Brockhaus, Catholic News Agency, November 5, 2020, 1:00 PM
A lawyer for Msgr. Mauro Carlino downplayed the suspended Vatican official’s involvement in a controversial London property deal, saying that his role was limited and ultimately benefited the Secretariat of State by saving five million euros.
Msgr. Carlino was secretary to Cardinal Angelo Becciu when he was “sostituto,” or the second-ranking official, at the Secretariat of State. In October 2019, Carlino was also one of five Vatican employees suspended after a raid on Secretariat of State offices.
While the Vatican has not commented on his current status, Carlino is listed as a resident of the Italian city of Lecce on the website of the local archdiocese.
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/lawyer-downplays-suspended-vatican-officials-role-in-london-property-deal-21698
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8. Agreement allowing Planned Parenthood to operate in Guatemala rescinded, By Catholic News Agency, November 5, 2020, 2:48 PM
Guatemala’s Interior Ministry rescinded Wednesday an agreement it had made last month allowing Planned Parenthood to establish and operate branch office in the country.
The Nov. 4 statement repealed the agreement of Oct. 7, stating it was “not in accord with the interests of the State of Guatemala.”
Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei announced the repeal Nov. 2, declaring he would not allow Planned Parenthood to operate in the country. Giammattei’s response was in reaction the initial agreement authorizing Planned Parenthood, which became official that same day.
“I recognize life from conception and therefore I will not tolerate in my administration any movement that violates what is established in our Political Constitution of the Republic, that goes against the values with which I was raised and that conflicts with my principles as doctor,” Giammattei said.
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/agreement-allowing-planned-parenthood-to-operate-in-guatemala-rescinded-27266
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9. Portland rioters damage Catholic church known for outreach to the poor, By Catholic News Agency, November 5, 2020, 4:15 PM
A Catholic church in downtown Portland, Oregon – known for helping the area’s poor – suffered shattered windows during a riot Wednesday night that saw nearly a dozen protestors arrested.
The Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office on the evening of Nov. 4 shared photos of shattered glass doors at the entrance to Saint André Bessette Catholic Church, located in Old Town Portland.
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/portland-rioters-damage-catholic-church-known-for-outreach-to-the-poor-41308
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10. Catholic Foster Care in Philadelphia: How Will the Supreme Court Decide?, By Andrea Picciotti-Bayer, National Catholic Register, November 5, 2020, Opinion
On Wednesday morning, the court heard oral arguments in Fulton v. Philadelphia — not in person but, thanks to COVID-19, over the phone.
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The overall impression from the Nov. 4 hearing? While it is important not to read too much into questions asked during oral argument, the justices’ exchanges with counsel, combined with what we know of the justices’ opinions in prior religious-freedom cases, suggest that a majority on the court will conclude that the Constitution requires the accommodation of religious beliefs here to which Kavanaugh referred.
We must certainly hope so, because only such a ruling will allow countless needy children in Philadelphia — and in other cities, too — to find happiness and fulfilment with foster parents provided for them by highly regarded agencies run by people of faith.
Andrea Picciotti-Bayer is a legal analyst for EWTN News and the director of the Conscience Project, an organization advancing conscience rights through public education and amicus support in key religious-freedom cases
https://www.ncregister.com/commentaries/catholic-foster-care-in-philadelphia-how-will-the-supreme-court-decide
___________________________________________________________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. |
