Amnesty International criticises Beijing over religious liberty; Just Doing His Job Is Catholic Official’s Defense; Vatican denies cardinal is source of leaks; Pope’s Butler Arrested; Arrest Latest Embarrassment For Vatican; Blacks, Gays And The Church; After years of terror, corruption, cancer-stricken Chavez cries out to Jesus on state TV
Amnesty International criticises Beijing over religious liberty
Christian Today – Amnesty International has criticised Chinese authorities for the “increased ongoing efforts to bring all religious practice within the control of the state”.
In its annual 2012 report released last week, the human rights watchdog said that religious suppression in China included the “harsh persecution of some religious practitioners”.
The report also noted that “harassment, intimidation, arbitrary and illegal detention, and enforced detentions intensified against government critics”.
http://www.christiantoday.com/article/amnesty.international.criticises.beijing.over.religious.liberty/29941.htm
Just Doing His Job Is Catholic Official’s Defense
NPR – The Philadelphia clergy sex-abuse trial has been brutal for Monsignor William Lynn, the first high-level Catholic official to be criminally prosecuted. Lynn’s charges are not for abusing minors, but for failing to protect children from predator priests.
http://www.npr.org/2012/05/27/153800130/philadelphia-priest-abuse-trial-takes-combative-turn?ft=1&f=1016
Vatican denies cardinal is source of leaks
http://www.independent.ie/world-news/europe/holy-war-as-vatican-denies-cardinal-is-source-of-leaks-3122834.html
Pope’s Butler Arrested
Reuters – The Vatican confirmed on Saturday that the pope’s butler has been arrested in its embarrassing leaks scandal, adding a Hollywood twist to a sordid tale of power struggles, intrigue and corruption in the highest levels of Catholic Church governance.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/05/27/us-vatican-butler-scandal-idUSBRE84Q0BF20120527
Butler’s Arrest Latest Embarrassment For Vatican
NPR – Vatican authorities have charged Pope Benedict XVI’s butler with illegally possessing secret documents. His arrest is the latest embarrassment for the Vatican. David Greene talks to NPR’s Sylvia Poggioli for the latest on the investigation.
http://www.npr.org/2012/05/28/153860596/butlers-arrest-latest-embarrassment-for-vatican?ft=1&f=1016
Blacks, Gays And The Church
NPR – If public perceptions and pundits are to be believed, black churches are overwhelmingly against same-sex marriage. Except, it’s not true.
http://www.npr.org/2012/05/27/153832769/blacks-gays-and-the-church?ft=1&f=1016
After years of terror, corruption, cancer-stricken Chavez cries out to Jesus on state TV
Beliefnet – After years of criticizing the church, kicking out Christian missionaries, assisting terrorists and praising atheists, Venezuela’s mercurial strongman, Hugo Chavez, came home from a botched cancer treatment in Cuba, then took to Venezuela’s airwaves to call out to Christ for help. “Give me Your crown, Jesus,” the ailing autocrat proclaimed. “Give me Your cross, Your thorns so that I may bleed. But give me life, because I have more to do for this country and these people…
http://blog.beliefnet.com/news/2012/05/after-years-of-terror-corruption-cancer-stricken-chavez-cries-out-to-jesus-on-state-tv.php