| Cover
story -- Fr. Marek Bozek |
By
Jeannette Cooperman
Two years ago, when Fr. Marek Bozek left his diocese of Springfield-Cape
Girardeau, Mo., to follow his heart and conscience to a Polish parish in St.
Louis, he says he didn’t expect his kindly Springfield bishop, John
Leibrecht, to suspend him. Nor did he expect that he would soon be cast by
Catholic hopefuls as David to Archbishop Raymond Burke’s Goliath on a
national stage. All he wanted, he says, was to provide the sacraments for a
group of proud Catholic Poles, whose parish he believed had been unjustly
suppressed.
Full story
By
Jason Berry
Fr. Marcial Maciel Degollado, the once powerful founder of the
Legionaries of Christ and favorite of the late Pope John Paul II, was buried in
Mexico recently in what was described as an “understated and solemn”
ceremony, a disgraced figure who was plagued in his latter years by persistent
charges that he had abused young seminarians in his earlier years.
Full story
Dutch proposal stirs controversy
By
Robert McClory
Some six months after the Dutch Province of the Dominican order proposed
that parishes in Holland should consider selecting lay members to preside at
the Eucharist, the winds of controversy show no signs of abating. A spirited
debate between the proposal’s detractors and supporters is underway.
Full story
India's warming toward Israel concerns Iran
By
Inter Press Service
India’s traditionally friendly relations with Iran
have come under strain because of the launching of an Israeli spy satellite by
an Indian Space Research Organization rocket last month.
Full story
By
Daniel Burke
For a woman sitting on a very warm seat, Katharine Jefferts Schori, the
presiding bishop of the Episcopal church, seems remarkably cool. Even those who
disagree with her progressive leadership agree that the 53-year-old remains
unflappable under duress.
Full story
Catholic university approves club for gay, straight students
By
Catholic News Service
The University of Portland, run by the Holy Cross
Fathers, has recognized a club that seeks to build community and understanding
between students who are heterosexual and those with a homosexual
orientation.
Full story
By
Mary Barron
Clinton, Obama find values outreach is working.
Full story
Catholic vote eyed for general election sucess
By
NCR Staff
When conversation turns to religion and politics, it is often
conservative evangelicals or Catholics deeply involved in “cultural
issues” who draw all the attention. But it is another group entirely -- a
small grouping of Catholics who lie somewhere in the middle -- who have been
determining the outcome of presidential elections since 1972.
Full story
By
Patricia Lefevere
Sr. Sylvia Thibodeaux describes herself as a daughter of Henriette
Delille and a daughter of Hurricane Katrina. The slavery of the past and the
chaos and dying that swept over this city in 2005 are the bookends supporting a
life of many volumes -- as a teacher, principal, civil rights advocate,
missionary and congregational leader.
Full story
Student exchanges aim to promote Christian unity
By
UCA News
Some Catholic seminaries and Protestant-run universities run annual
student-exchange programs to promote Christian unity by showing “local
Christians good relations among their would-be leaders,” said one seminary
rector here.
Full story
By
Leo O'Donovan
When yesterday we entered the Society of Jesus, my fellow jubilarians
tell me, we were setting forth on a journey for which there were indeed words
-- the love of God, the service of our fellow human beings, a vowed life in the
church -- but only a fairly shallow grasp of what they might mean.
Full story
By
UCA News
“There is nothing worse than to say on your deathbed,
‘I’ve lived a meaningless life,’ ” a British monk told
about 40 young people during a day of recollection.
Full story
By
Kris Berggren
Sisters are renewing community life from the ground up.
Full story
Women healing earth, healing church
By
Kris Berggren
While a handful of men such as Passionist Fr. Thomas Berry, who calls
himself a “geologian” and Jesuit Fr. Al Fritsch, director of
Appalachia Science in the Public Interest, have made major philosophical and
analytical contributions to the green movement in the church, it’s largely
women religious who are living the green vision by making changes in their
personal and community lives.
Full story
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Scathing critique unburied
A report that contains a scathing critique of the Bush
administration’s planning for postwar Iraq was recently leaked to The
New York Times after being hidden for two-and-a-half years. The report,
commissioned by the Army and based on a study by the Rand Corporation, faults
most of the major players and agencies involved in the invasion and its
aftermath.
Full editorial
Small changes, big setbacks
Paradoxical efforts by Pope Benedict XVI to promote interreligious
dialogue and at the same time reassert Catholic superiority are visible in the
current flap over reviving, then revising, the wording of prayers that some
Catholics will use this Good Friday calling for conversion of the Jews.
Language is a tool of both hospitality and affront. Unavoidably, the
pope’s dual agenda has raised concerns that longstanding efforts to heal
Jewish-Christian relations are being undermined.
Full editorial
“We need a little bit of silence. We need a space without the
constant bombardment of images.”
-- Pope Benedict XVI encouraging the priests of the Rome diocese in
“fasting from words and images” this Lent
More quotes
A war bully, not a hero
John McCain pledges to unite the Republican Party. That’s doubtful,
but what isn’t beyond question is how artfully he has united much of the
media into the John McCain Adoration Society.
Full story
Breath on mirrors
Traveling exhibit remembers human rights crimes in Latin
America.
Full story
By
Mark Faulkner
The church in Kenya has fostered the tribalism it new
deplores.
Full story
By
Eileen Markey
Housing advocates scramble to assist clients facing
foreclosure.
Full story
Redeemed Klansman reunites with long-ago victim
By
Roy Hoffman
It was the week before Thanksgiving and Stan Chassin, a 59-year-old
investment counselor, had been nervous all day.
Full story
By
Michael Humphrey
The immigration debate is a major diversion away from issues on which
Hispanics should concentrate their efforts, said the leader of the National
Council of La Raza, the nation’s largest civil rights group for
Latinos.
Full story
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Religious Life -- Viewpoint |
By
Marlene Sweeney
I recently left Sunday Mass shaking my head. Walking to the car I
found myself ranting to my 23-year-old daughter. “Until we teach and
encourage women to advocate for themselves, life in our church will not
change.” She looked at me somewhat startled.
Full story
By
Laurie Stevens
The superior general of one of the largest congregations of vowed women
religious in the world believes religious life is changing, but said she has
“absolutely no fear” that it will die out.
Full story
By
Michael Humphrey
Associates program blossoms at university sponsored by
sisters.
Full story
Orders find new lifeblood with laity
By
Michael Humphrey
The Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet are hardly alone in finding new
lifeblood through associates. The trend is in full swing, thanks to training
programs in dozens of orders that see passing on their values and mission to
laypeople as essential to survival.
Full story
By
UCA News
About 16 months before his election, a Jesuit scholastic interviewed Fr. Adolfo Nicolás
about his preferred leadership style, conflict resolution, challenges the
Jesuits face and leadership values he wanted to inculcate in young members.
Full story
By
UCA News
Superiors general of about 35 women’s congregations based in India
have drafted a plan to fight trafficking of women and children through
educating religious as well as cooperating across congregations and with church
institutions.
Full story
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FROM THE EDITOR'S DESK
The power of one
Judge for yourself whether Fr. Marek Bozek is worthy of praise
or criticism in his head-on collision with St. Louis Archbishop Raymond Burke
in a case of obedience versus conscience. Fr. Bozek’s decision to serve an
interdicted Catholic parish trying to retain control of its own funds or, more
recently, his support for women’s ordination, has him in final jeopardy.
What seems noteworthy is the power of one person to hold up business as usual
and bring public scrutiny to the otherwise uncontested exercise of
authority.
Full story
By
Laura Lloyd
A new documentary looks at how and when people choose to
forgive.
Full story
Belief and unbelief get center stage in 'Grace'
By
Retta Blaney
Grace Friedman is a wife, mother and brilliant professor. Her bold
assertions on the “absurdity” of religion have propelled her to
center stage in the public debate over the existence of God. But Grace’s
private calm is severely shaken when her son, Tom, announces a career change
from civil rights attorney to Anglican priest.
Full story
Letters for February 22, 2008
Classifieds for February 22, 2008
News Briefs for February 22, 2008
People for February 22, 2008
Last Words
A memorable quote from this
week's issue.
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