-
-
Excitement as nun set to be India's first female saint
A Roman Catholic nun who disfigured herself to avoid marriage will become India's first woman saint when she is canonised by the Pope on Sunday.
Many Indian clergy and pilgrims are expected to attend the special mass at the Vatican for Alphonsa Muttathupadathu, who died in 1946, aged 36.
She is the second Indian to be elevated to sainthood. The first, 16th-century martyr Gonsalo Garcia, was canonised in 1862. Mother Teresa of Calcutta, who died in 1997, was beatified in 2003 - the first step to sainthood.
Sister Alphonsa's pending canonisation has caused great excitement among Catholics in India and comes as the nation's Christian community is feeling under considerable threat.
About 35 people have been killed and numerous churches burned since August in anti-Christian violence in the eastern state of Orissa.
"In these times, the canonisation is an encouraging moment for those suffering in the name of Jesus," said Father Alphonse Arokiam, who heads one of the churches dedicated to the popular saint-elect.
Christians account for 2.3per cent of India's billion-plus, mostly Hindu, population.
Born in 1910, Sister Alphonsa was so determined to enter a convent that she deliberately stepped into a fire to disfigure her feet so that her aunt would stop pressuring her to marry. She was plagued by serious illness but was known for her stoicism and compassion.
After her death, numerous miracles were attributed to her and her burial place became a pilgrimage site.
The main miracle attributed to her, and approved by the Vatican, involves the reported cure in 1999 of a one-year-old boy, Jinil Joseph, who was born with a birth defect affecting his legs. After a visit to Sister Alphonsa's tomb, his legs apparently straightened.
"I pray to Sister Alphonsa every day for curing me," said Jinil, who will be at the Vatican canonisation ceremony.
"She made my life normal and I'm indebted to her for the miracle cure." A Roman Catholic nun who disfigured herself to avoid marriage will become India's first woman saint when she is canonised by the ... more -
Spotlight on VC2
Its Tuesday again, and you know what that means! It’s time for a little what’s-what on VC2!
Let’s start off with a splash! Girls Gone Grabbling by Arri provides a taste of the Southern sport of Grabblin:
http://current.com/items/89365606_girls_gone_grabbling
Grabblin is a sport in which you catch giant catfish with your bare hands…by sticking your hand into its hole and waiting for it to bite down! These girls love grabblin, and this pod follows them into the water for a day of fun.
Twitter Tweeters by Opencontent is a fantastic little piece on the Twitter phenonmenon:
http://current.com/items/89362068_twitter_tweeters
If you’re a Current viewer, you should know all about Twitter by now! Twitter was the social service that made Hack the Debates possible. This pod gives us the lowdown on Twitter and some of its most famous and prolific users.
Next up, VSiskos introductes us to Ami in Becoming a Nun:
http://current.com/items/89378361_becoming_a_nun
For the past year, Ami has been seriously thinking about becoming a Catholic nun. This piece shows us how she got to this point in her life, what she may be leaving behind, and what her friends think.
Ending this on a sweet note, andrew197 introduces us to Jelly Donut:
http://current.com/items/89376760_jelly_donut
Jelly Donut is a new rapper who comes by the dozen. The blogosphere is blowing up about Jelly Donut, especially his hit “McCain be OLD.” http://whatisthis1999.net is a fan (“This is not the first time I’ve linked a Jelly Donut video,” he says), as is good old http://laughingsquid.com. Check out this cool introductory pod that shows you how all the insanity started!
I hope you enjoyed this week’s Spotlight, and I’ll be back next week with more. Happy Tuesday, Current! Its Tuesday again, and you know what that means! It’s time for a little what’s-what on VC2! ... more -
The Pope on financial crisis: "Money is nothing"
The international cash crisis has shown that the foundations of the financial system were shaky, Pope Benedict XVI said Monday.
Taking his cue from a famous Bible parable on false prophets, the pope said: "He who builds only on visible and tangible things like success, career and money, he builds the house of his life on sand."
"We are now seeing, in the collapse of major banks, that money vanishes, it is nothing," the pope said at a televised Bible reading.
"All these things that appear to be real are in fact secondary. Only God's words are a solid reality."
Msgr Claudia Maria Celli, head of the Vatican's culture department, told reporters the Catholic Church doesn't have solutions to the crisis because they would be outside its remit.
-
Thank you, Benedict, I'm sure your boss will not fire you after this speech.
By the way, is that a solid gold cross you're holding? The international cash crisis has shown that the foundations of the financial system were shaky, Pope Benedict XVI said Monday. ... more -
Larry Charles: "Jesus Didn't Exist!"
Real Time comedian Bill Maher and Borat director Larry Charles are men on a mission: to destroy society's blind faith in God. The medium they chose to convey their doctrine is not a dusty old book, but an entertaining documentary which highlights the ridiculous aspects of religion, hence its name, Religulous.
In an effort to spread their brand of enlightenment, Charles and Maher embarked on a romp around the world, questioning religious beliefs in the places they began and the palaces they paid for. The duo returned from their three-month pilgrimage with oodles of often-funny footage, much of it shot guerrilla-style as with Borat. Stringing interviews together with biting commentary and incisive footnotes, (to quote Kazakhstan's most famous fake export) they present their "cultural learnings" which they ultimately hope may "make benefit" of our "glorious" globe.
I chatted with Charles, who mastered absurdity while working on Seinfeld and Curb Your Enthusiasm, and took the opportunity to challenge a few beliefs of his own.
Click on link above for full interview. Real Time comedian Bill Maher and Borat director Larry Charles are men on a mission: to destroy society's blind faith in God. The... more -
Da Vinci Obsessive Stabs Priest
A Catholic priest is fighting for his life after he was stabbed in the throat by a man obsessed with The Da Vinci Code.
Father Canio Canistri, 68, was among three people attacked by Marco Luzi, 25, after he burst into the church following the screening of Dan Brown's blockbuster.
Police searched Luzi's house and found a picture of Leonardo Da Vinci's Last Supper - a vital part of the plot in the controversial thriller.
He also told detectives he had watched the film the night before.
The attack took place at the Santa Marcella church in Rome and left two other worshippers needing treatment.
Hero police officer Luca Gori, 41, who disarmed Luzi, suffered knife wounds to his stomach as he struggled with him on the floor of the church.
Witnesses said Luzi had burst in armed with two knives, and carrying a set of rosary beads.
He is said to have shouted that he was the ''Antichrist'' as well as talking about the Da Vinci Code.
They also found several notes and documents with titles like 'The Hidden Truth', 'I, the Antichrist', 'Predictions' and 'Apocalypse'.
Next to the painting of The Last Supper was a note saying:''This is the hand where the knife is hidden.''
Published in 2003, Brown's The Da Vinci Code has caused controversy around the world.
It follows symbologist Robert Langdon as he investigates a murder in the Louvre.
He then goes onto discover a battle between the Priory of Sion and Opus Dei over the possibility of Jesus having been married to and fathering children with Mary Magdalene.
Senior Cardinals critcised the book and called on Catholics to boycott it as a ''dishonest attack'' on the Church.
"There certainly seemed to be a link between the film and the attack. He said he had seen the Da Vinci Code on TV the night before. Then he said he had heard voices in his head telling him to carry out his mission, and we also found a copy of Da Vinci's Last Supper at his home."
Vittorio Rizzi, of Rome's flying squad A Catholic priest is fighting for his life after he was stabbed in the throat by a man obsessed with The Da Vinci Code. ... more -
Catholic school bans cervical cancer jab; They fear it might promote promiscuity
A Catholic school is to block the new HPV cervical cancer jabs for girls after governors expressed fears it could 'promote sexual promiscuity'.
St Monica's High in Bury will not allow pupils to be vaccinated on school grounds.
The school's stance comes despite support for the injections from the national Catholic Education Service and from the local diocese.
Across the country, girls aged 12 and 13 are receiving the vaccination for the first time this year to protect them against the sexually transmitted papilloma virus, linked to cervical cancer.
Experts believe the three injections over six months will eventually save hundreds of lives a year. A Catholic school is to block the new HPV cervical cancer jabs for girls after governors expressed fears it could 'promote sexual... more -
Pope reasserts stance on euthanasia - The Vatican- msnbc.com
Pope Benedict XVI urged ailing pilgrims to accept death "at the hour chosen by God," reasserting the Vatican's opposition to euthanasia on Monday at an open-air Mass for the sick in Lourdes. Pope Benedict XVI urged ailing pilgrims to accept death "at the hour chosen by God," reasserting the Vatican's oppositi... more
-
Priest accused of dealing coke from rectory - Crime & courts- msnbc.com
Priest at University of Illinois admits and pleads guilty to selling cocaine from the rectory.
-
Being raised in Hong Kong gave me a mixed view of faith
Raised by Buddhist and Taoist grandparents, but born to a Catholic mother made me adopt a hybrid approach to my catholicism.
-
Priest cancels nun beauty contest
The Italian priest who was planning to organize the first ever beauty contest for NUNS, has decided to cancel.
He received complaints from senior Bishops, however he maintains that the idea was not as shallow as it seems, and not purely "a physical thing." In fact the idea of the pageant was the idea of the nuns themselves. The Italian priest who was planning to organize the first ever beauty contest for NUNS, has decided to cancel. ... more -
Italian clergy to use inflatable church to minister to beachgoers
Catholic nuns and priests in Italy have established a 98-foot-long inflatable church and a beach-convent to minister to vacationing beachgoers. Activities at the two movable venues will include opportunities to confess sins and to pray the Rosary, but not Mass.
It's official - bouncy churches are more religi-ful. Catholic nuns and priests in Italy have established a 98-foot-long inflatable church and a beach-convent to minister to vacationing be... more -
The value of a Catholic education and a #2 pencil
Little Mary Margaret was not the best student in Catholic School ..
Usually she slept through the class.
>>
>> One day her teacher, a Nun, called on her while she was sleeping.
'Tell me Mary Margaret, who created the universe?'
>>
>> When Mary Margaret didn't stir, little Johnny who was her friend
Sitting behind her, took his pencil and jabbed her in the rear.
>>
>> 'God Almighty!' shouted Mary Margaret.
>> The Nun said, 'Very good' and continued teaching her class.
>>
>> A little later the Nun asked Mary Margaret, 'Who is our Lord and
Savior?'
>>
>> But Mary didn't stir from her slumber. Once again, Johnny came to
Her rescue and stuck Mary Margaret in the butt.
>>
>> 'Jesus Christ!!!' shouted Mary Margaret and the Nun once again
said,'Very good,' and Mary Margaret fell back asleep.
>>
>> The Nun asked her a third question...'What did Eve say to Adam
after she had her twenty-third child?'
>>
>> Again, Johnny came to the rescue.
>> This time Mary Margaret jumped up and shouted, 'If you stick that
Damn thing in me one more time, I'll break it in half!'
>>
>> The nun fainted. Little Mary Margaret was not the best student in Catholic School .. Usually she slept through the class. >> ... more -
Will Catholics Vote For Obama?
In an article on msnbc.msn.com, John M. Broder from the New York Times discusses the swing voters that are catholics and their role in this election year. In 2004, the vast majority of catholic voters supported G.W. Bush in opposition of John Kerry's stance on abortion rights. Like Kerry, Obama supports the rights of women to choose, though it's arguable that he is a little closer to the center on the issue.
One man might make a big difference in this topic; Senator Bob Casey of Pennsylvania. Sen. Casey's father, a catholic democrat and the then-governor of Pennsylvania, wasn't allowed to speak at the 1992 Democratic Convention because of his opposition to abortion. According to Broder, many catholics remember this and since democratic support among catholics has steadily dwindled. This year, it's rumored that Sen. Casey may get a chance to redeem the democrats in the eyes of catholics and speak at the convention in Denver.
Some of the top names in rumors about Obama's choice for vice president are also catholics; Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, Sen. Joe Biden, Gov. Tim Kaine, and also Sen. Chris Dodd. The archbishop of Kansas City has said that for her support of abortion rights, Gov. Kathleen Sebelius should be denied communion while attending catholic mass.
The article cites Mr. Kmiec, a republican who served in the Justice Department under Reagan, who supports Obama "because his platform met the standard of justice and concern for the poor the church has always defended." Mr. Kmiec notes that “the proper question for Catholics to ask is not ‘Can I vote for him?’ but ‘Why shouldn’t I vote for the candidate who feels more passionately and speaks more credibly about economic fairness for the average family, who will be a true steward of the environment, and who will treat the immigrant family with respect?’ ”
Kmiec urges Sen. Obama to have Casey speak at the Denver Convention "as an answer to those who believe they cannot vote for someone who support[s] abortion rights." In an article on msnbc.msn.com, John M. Broder from the New York Times discusses the swing voters that are catholics and their role in... more -
Retract the Winnipeg Statement dissenting against Humanae Vitae -&nbs...
While the undersigned earnestly petition for the withdrawal of the Winnipeg Statement, we assure you, our bishops, of our constant prayers. Although our obedience and fidelity are assured, our pleas for retraction will continue year after year, if necessary, until the Bishops of Canada retract this Statement. While the undersigned earnestly petition for the withdrawal of the Winnipeg Statement, we assure you, our bishops, of our constant pra... more
-
Critics ask Pope to end contraception ban
The contraception issue is arguably a source of great conflict and division in the Church. On the 40th anniversary of the encyclical which enshrined the ban, 50 dissident Catholic groups bought a half-page advertisement on Italy's largest newspaper urging the Pope to reconsider the ban for the sake of HIV prevention.
"Published in Italian, the letter said the Catholic Church's policy has had "a catastrophic impact on the poor and powerless around the world, endangering women's lives and leaving millions at risk of HIV."
"Most Catholics use modern contraception, believing it is a moral choice while considering themselves practising Catholics, and yet the Catholic hierarchy completely denies this reality, forcing priests to remain silent about this and many other topics linked to sexuality," the letter said."
Do you think the Pope should reconsider the ban or be coherent with his predecessors' choices? The contraception issue is arguably a source of great conflict and division in the Church. On the 40th anniversary of the encyclical w... more -
Catholic critics urge pope to change anti-contraception policy
More than 50 Catholic groups published an open letter to Pope Benedict calling for the Church's ban on contraception to be lifted as it "has had a catastrophic impact on the poor and powerless around the world, endangering women's lives and leaving millions at risk of HIV."
The letter was published in Italy's largest newspaper, Corriere della Serra, on the 40th anniversary of the late Pope Paul VI's controversial encyclical "Humanae Vitae," which established the ban. While criticism of the Vatican is fairly common in articles and editorials in Italian newspapers, it is unusual for a group to take out paid advertising against the pope.
The letter stated that the encyclical continued to be "a source of great conflict and division in the Church" and because most Catholics use contraception and feel they are not sinning, the policy has been "an utter failure." More than 50 Catholic groups published an open letter to Pope Benedict calling for the Church's ban on contraception to be lifted... more -
Pope says sorry for 'evil' of clergy sex abuse
Pope Benedict XVI apologized Saturday to victims of child sex abuse by Roman Catholic clergy, describing their acts as "evil" and a grave betrayal of trust.
"I would like to pause to acknowledge the shame which we have all felt as a result of the sexual abuse of minors by some clergy and religious in this country," Benedict said during an address at a Mass in Australia.
"I am deeply sorry for the pain and suffering the victims have endured," the pope said. "I assure them as their pastor that I too share in their suffering."
He said those responsible for these "evils must be brought to justice."
Support groups for victims of church abuse in Australia, whose numbers are not known but who activists say are in the thousands, had demanded the pope make a full and open apology for clergy abuse and do more to prevent future abuse.
There was no immediate word whether Benedict would meet with victims of clergy abuse, as he did during his trip to the United States in April, when he also expressed his shame for the scandal. Pope Benedict XVI apologized Saturday to victims of child sex abuse by Roman Catholic clergy, describing their acts as "evil"... more -
3 Women to be Ordained Catholic Priests in Boston
Three aspiring Catholic priests will be anointed and prayed over this weekend in an ordination liturgy that will resemble the traditional in most ways but one: The three being ordained are women.
The ordination ceremony Sunday, at a historic Protestant church in the Back Bay, is the first such event to take place in Boston, one of the most Catholic cities in the nation.
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston, in accord with Vatican teaching, says the participants in the ordination ceremony will be automatically excommunicating themselves.
But the women being ordained say they are acting because they feel called to the priesthood and compelled to resist what they view as a wrong church teaching.
"We're part of a prophetic tradition of disobeying an unjust law," said Gabriella Velardi Ward, a 61-year-old Staten Island architect with two children and five grandchildren, who will be ordained along with Gloria Carpeneto of Baltimore and Mary Ann McCarthy Schoettly of Newton, N.J.
Ward said she has wanted to be a priest since age 5, and that she actively considered becoming a nun before deciding that the priesthood was her calling because she wants to be able to celebrate Catholic sacraments.
"Excommunication or not, I will still be a validly ordained priest and still will be able to serve the people of God," she said.
The women are to be ordained by Dana Reynolds, a California woman who was consecrated as a bishop in Germany in April.
Reynolds and the others are part of an organization called Roman Catholic Womenpriests, which has been holding ordination ceremonies for women since 2002; the organization says there are now 28 women Catholic priests in the United States.
Among those already ordained is Jean Marchant, a former director of healthcare ministry for the Archdiocese of Boston, who with her husband presides over a small congregation that has a weekly Catholic Eucharist in a Protestant church in Weston.
The organization says its ordinations are valid because its first bishops were ordained by Catholic bishops in good standing - bishops whose names have not been released because they would face sanction by the Vatican.
But the Vatican says the ordinations are illegal under church law and yesterday the Archdiocese of Boston sent an e-mail to all priests declaring that women play key roles in the church, but cannot be priests.
"Catholics who attempt to confer a sacred order on a woman, and the women who attempt to receive a sacred order, are by their own actions separating themselves from the church," the archdiocese said. "As a faith community rooted in the loving ministry of Jesus Christ, we pray for those who have willingly fallen away from the church by participating in such activities."
The ordination will be Sunday afternoon in Church of the Covenant on Newbury Street in Boston's Back Bay. The church is affiliated with two Protestant denominations, the Presbyterian Church (USA) and the United Church of Christ.
The interim pastor of Church of the Covenant, the Rev. Jennifer Wegter-McNelly, said the congregation decided to rent its historic space, with Tiffany windows depicting women of the Bible, at a nominal fee to show support.
"It's our effort to encourage and celebrate with them," Wegter-McNelly said. "This church's commitment to women goes back a long time."
The ceremony has been scheduled to coincide with the first joint conference of four organizations pushing for the admission of married men, as well as of women, to the priesthood. That conference begins today at the Hyatt Harborside.
In St. Louis, a recent Catholic women's ordination ceremony at a synagogue led to a rift in Catholic-Jewish relations.
The Boston archdiocese declined to comment about the Protestant church's decision to allow the dissident Catholics to meet there.
The Vatican has repeatedly said that women cannot be priests because Jesus did not have female apostles. Three aspiring Catholic priests will be anointed and prayed over this weekend in an ordination liturgy that will resemble the traditio... more -
Catholic Church bans funeral songs
A huge row has erupted in Ireland over the church's new regulations concerning funerals.
Irish jazz musician Paddy Cole was told that he wasn't allowed to play music at his own mother's funeral as doing so conflicted with new diocesan regulations laid down by the Bishop of Clgoher, Joseph Duffy.
According to the new rules, no specially composed poems or non-religious music is permitted during church services. Additionally, the traditional practice of mourners lining up to shake hands with the bereaved has also been outlawed.
Many Irish citizens have voiced their support for Cole, indicating that the church is out of touch and lacking in sensitivity. A huge row has erupted in Ireland over the church's new regulations concerning funerals. ... more -
Italy grapples with polygamy
A boom in the illegal marriages is a byproduct of voluminous immigration by Muslims. Authorities largely ignore the unions, leaving the women in a murky world with no recourse when things go wrong.
A few miles from the Vatican, Najat Hadi kept house with her husband, his other wife and their assorted children, an unhappy home with a hateful woman 10 years her junior and a cruel spouse who left her with a jagged scar peeking from her collar.
Finally, she says, her Egyptian-born husband, who worked in Rome making pizzas, beat her so badly that she left him. But he kept her children.
Thousands of polygamous marriages like Hadi's have sprung up throughout Italy as a byproduct of a fast-paced and voluminous immigration by Muslims to this Roman Catholic country.
Despite the obvious culture clash, Italian authorities largely turn a blind eye, leaving women in a murky semi-clandestine world with few rights and no recourse when things go especially badly, as they did in Hadi's case.
"It is absurd that in a civilized country like Italy, so little is acknowledged about this," said Souad Sbai, a Moroccan-born Italian lawmaker who has emerged as a one-woman champion of female Muslim immigrants here.
Italy is one of several European nations faced with the issue of polygamy. In Britain and Spain, where large Muslim communities have also settled, some officials favor recognizing polygamous marriage as a way to ensure the wives' access to pensions, medical care and other state benefits. A boom in the illegal marriages is a byproduct of voluminous immigration by Muslims. Authorities largely ignore the unions, leaving th... more
-
related topics
Catholicism
Contributors (381)
Catholicism
