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I’m Bryan Douglas in Philadelphia, and at this hour….

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Lead:

Paving the way for the ordination of women bishops with full governing powers, the House of Clergy of the Church of England has rejected a compromise proposal put forward by Archbishop Rowan Williams, the church’s primate, that would have permitted traditional parishes to be governed by a male bishop.

The vote happened Saturday at the General Synod, the three-times-a-year meeting that sets policies for the Church of England. Williams, who is also nominal head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, proposed the measure along with the Archbishop of York.

The rejection of the compromise was greeted with a "slightly stunned silence," according to reports from the Synod.

The Church of England is probably still a couple of years away from having women bishops. If this week’s General Synod approves them, as expected, parishes across the church then have at least a year to consider the matter before a future General Synod casts a final vote on the issue.

Seventy Anglican clergy met with Catholic Bishop Malcolm McMahon of Nottingham on July 10 to discuss the possibility of converting to Catholicism under the provisions of Pope Benedict’s 2009 apostolic constitution. One Anglican cleric estimated that 200 Anglican clergy are considering conversion.

I’ll be back with more after this. 
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Story 2:

The Holy See’s 2009 budget showed a deficit of $5,000,000, four times 2008’s figure of $1.27 million, according to a statement released by the Council of Cardinals for the Study of the Organizational and Economic Problems of the Holy See. The separate budget for the Vatican City State also showed a deficit of $10,000,000, a figure approximately half that of the previous year. The 2009 Peter’s Pence collection totaled $83,000,000, with the United States, Italy, and France being the leading sources of donations.

Story 3:

Following a student complaint, the University of Illinois refused to renew the contract of Dr. Kenneth Howell, an adjunct religion professor, who wrote in an e-mail that “Natural Moral Law says that Morality must be a response to REALITY” and that “sexual acts are only appropriate for people who are complementary, not the same.” Dr. Howell, who taught courses on Catholicism at the university and was recognized for excellence in teaching in 2008 and 2009, wrote the e-mail to his students to help them prepare for their final exam

Story 4:

Six months after a devastating earthquake killed over 220,000, some 2 million Haitians are still living on the streets, according to the Fides news agency. Archbishop Bernard Auza, the apostolic nuncio noted there is no one to carry away the debris, and certain streets in the capital were still unusable. He also noted that many people who are living in tents still have nothing and then there are still many poor people who do not even have tents 6 months after the disaster.

Story 5:
Spain’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Miguel Angel Moratinos,  who was in Cuba in recent days, said Monday that the first 11 political prisoners to be freed will arrive in Spain on July 13 on two separate flights.
 
The first flight operated by Air Europa will land at 1 p.m., and the second operated by Iberia, will touch down an hour later. Both flights will depart from Havana on Monday evening. Moratinos said the 11 prisoners will arrive in Spain accompanied by their families, all together totaling some 65 people.

This is Catholic Information News.

Story 6:

Pope Benedict XVI has appointed Archbishop Velasio De Paolis, C.S., as the of the Pontifical Delegate to the Legion of Christ. Vatican spokesman Fr. Federico Lombardi told journalists he will personally meet with the Legion's superiors to discuss the scope of his role. The archbishop's appointment confirms Vatican journalist Andrea Tornielli's prediction that the delegate would be the president of the Prefecture for the Economic Affairs of the Holy See. Archbishop De Paolis is also an expert in canon law.



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And that’s top news of the hour.

I’m Bryan Douglas, CIR NEWS, for Catholic Information Radio.


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Lead:
A German bishop who resigned in the face of abuse charges, then threatened to rescind his resignation, has announced that he will adhere to his decision to resign, and apologized for his misconduct.

Bishop Walter Mixa, who stepped down in May from his post as head of the Augsberg diocese, signed a written agreement with the diocese promising that he "will not question his resignation again." The agreement appears to end an ugly public dispute that had escalated when Bishop Mixa charged other German bishops with pressuring him to resign. He had moved back into the episcopal residence in Augsburg and said that he would ask the Pope to reinstate him.

The German bishops’ conference issued a statement on June 22 to “confirm that accusations now made public in the media were passed on to Rome in April 2010” about Bishop Mixa. Bishop Mixa has admitted that he may have been guilty of physical abuse, but he emphatically denied allegations of sexual abuse. German police investigated the sex-abuse charges and dismissed them.

According to German media reports, the dossier sent to Rome stated that Bishop Mixa drank throughout the day and made homosexual advances to two priests in the 1990s.
Without directly responding to the charges, Bishop Mixa has now written an apology for his "many mistakes."

I’ll be back with more after this.
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Story 2:
Archeologists in Rome have discovered the oldest known images of the Apostles. Using laser technology to peel away layers of stone that had built up over the centuries, workers uncovered a series of frescoes depicting Sts. Peter, Paul, Andrew, and John in the catacomb of St. Tecla. The Pontifical Commission for Sacred Archeology, announcing the find on June 22, said that the images appear to date from the late 4th or early 5th century.

Story 3:
The Catholic Health Association has issued a statement reaffirming its support for the health-care reform legislation that was opposed by the US bishops’ conference. Just days after Cardinal Francis George, the president of the US bishops’ conference, laid heavy blame on the CHA for the passage of the bill, the CHA approved a statement applauding the Obama reform. Ignoring the concerns expressed by the bishops and by pro-life groups that the legislation will expand public support for abortion, the CHA continued to spout the Obama company line in defending their actions.

Story 4:
In an exclusive interview, Dr. John Haas of the National Catholic Bioethics Center asked Archbishop Donald Wuerl of Washington D.C. about some of the issues facing the Church in the “contemporary context.” In his reply, Archbishop Wuerl spoke about the role of and need for religious freedom in society, a role which is dramatically changing. While there are several “individual issues” right now, said the archbishop, most of which focus on the dignity and value of human life, “there’s a growing concern” that “our very ability to carry on our activities” is being challenged.

Story 5:
Philadelphia’s faithful received news yesterday morning that Pope Benedict has appointed the judicial vicar of their diocese, Bishop-elect Michael J. Fitzgerald, to be their new auxiliary bishop. The announcement of Bishop-elect Fitzgerald's appointment was made by Cardinal Justin Rigali at a news conference in Philadelphia Tuesday morning. The cardinal said the bishop-elect is an exemplary priest with a great love for the Church. and he was grateful for his constant efforts to promote vocations to the diocesan priesthood.

This is Catholic Information News.

Story 6:
Religious billboards adorn the highways across the South. But a new billboard campaign in North Carolina deliberately snubs the Almighty. A coalition of atheists and secular humanists has placed a billboard on Billy Graham Parkway in Charlotte that displays an American flag with a few key words from the Pledge of Allegiance: “One Nation Indivisible.” The phrase “under God,” which appears between "One nation" and "indivisible" in the Pledge, is absent on the billboard. William Warren, a member of the North Carolina Secular Association, says his group put the ads up on billboards across the state to let people know that in their view, patriotism and belief in God are not always synonymous.

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Lead:

After the Catholic News Agency published a report on remarks Cardinal Francis George made about the disagreement between the Catholic Health Association and the U.S. bishops, the Secretary of Communications for the bishops' conference denied the accuracy of the article.

CNA reported that the cardinal spoke about the fallout from the debate over the passage of the health care overhaul at an executive session of the bishops' spring assembly in St. Petersburg, Fla. Cardinal George recounted the events that took place prior to President Obama's signing of the health care take over bill and then wrapped up his remarks by criticizing the Catholic Health Association (CHA) and its CEO Sr. Carol Keehan for creating a dangerous precedent of the appearance of a parallel magisterium to the bishops.

Cardinal George's comments were corroborated by several bishops who told CNA that they believed the remarks should be made known, given the concurrent CHA meeting being held in Denver, Colo. However, on June 21, the Secretary for Communications of the bishops' conference, accused CNA of inaccurately reporting on the event, fabricating quotations and breaking confidentiality.
 
Alejandro Bermudez, the executive director of Catholic News Agency, stated they stand by their report.

I’ll be back with more after this.

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Story 2:

A man claiming to be the son of Fr. Marcial Maciel, the founder of the Legion of Christ, is suing the Legion in a Connecticut court, claiming that the religious order should have known of Maciel’s propensity to abuse children. Earlier this year José González Lara came forward claiming that the controversial founder of the Legion was his father. Fr. Maciel is known to have fathered at least one other child after his ordination. He was removed from ministry by Pope Benedict in 2006 and sent to a life of prayer and penance. He died in 2008.

Story 3:

The pastor of a Staten Island parish in a controversy over the proposed sale of a vacant convent to a Muslim group has withdrawn his support for the sale after “careful reflection.” St. Margaret Mary Catholic Church had been considering selling a vacant convent to the Muslim American Society (MAS), which planned to turn the building into a mosque and community center. Local opponents have voiced concerns about terrorism and respect for the victims of the 9/11 attacks, visible from the parish area.

Story 4:

Stating that he has acted with “maximum transparency,” Archbishop of Naples Cardinal Crescenzio Sepe has said he will cooperate with authorities after being accused of corruption in a property deal. A Vatican spokesman has expressed “solidarity” with the prelate, saying he hopes the situation will be “rapidly clarified.” The cardinal, who previously headed the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, is accused of colluding with former Italian transport minister Pietro Lunardi to offer cut-price property deals, the BBC reports.

Story 5:
Bishop Rodrigo Martinez of Tehuacan, Mexico called on citizens to cast their votes responsibly in the elections taking place July 4 in several Mexican states. He encouraged them to learn about the various candidates' proposals and to vote according to their Christian consciences. In a statement, Bishop Martinez urged Mexicans not to abstain from voting, as “abstaining means leaving the choice of the elections in the hands of others” and failing in their duty, and their right, to make their voices heard.

This is Catholic Information News.

Story 6:

A top official from the Vatican Secretariat of State ended his six-day visit to Cuba Sunday in a meeting with President Raúl Castro. Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, secretary for relations marked the 75th anniversary of the establishment of relations between the Holy See and Cuba. During the Sunday afternoon meeting with Castro, the officials highlighted the celebration of this anniversary and also spoke about other topics of the international scene, which were not specified to the public, reported the Cuban agency Prensa Latina. Also present at the meeting was the apostolic nuncio in Cuba, Archbishop Giovanni Angelo Becciu, and the Cuban foreign relations minister, Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla.

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Responding to an outcry from Catholic individuals and blogs, Korean car maker Hyundai announced on Monday that it pulled a World Cup-themed television ad that ran during the USA-England soccer match on Saturday featuring a so-called "church" in Argentina that mocks the Catholic sacraments. 

Hyundai tried first to justify the ad claiming that it was based on the actual church in Argentina.

In a statement, the Korean company said: “The unexpected response created by the ad, which combined both soccer and religious motifs to speak to the passion of international soccer fans, prompted us to take a more critical and informed look at the spot. Though unintentional, we now see it was insensitive. We appreciate this feedback and sincerely apologize to those we've offended.”

True to its word, Hyundai made all efforts possible to eliminate the ad from YouTube. Several links that originally led to the ad, now display a YouTube message stating, "this video is no longer available due to a copyright claim by Innocean Americas."

The ad presented elements of a Catholic ritual, but heavily mixed with soccer imagery. Late yesterday, a Hyundai spokesman apologized and announced the ad was being taken down.

I’ll be back with more after this. 

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Story 2:

A former Protestant pastor who is a married father of eight was ordained a Catholic priest on Saturday for the Diocese of Harrisburg. The newly ordained Fr. Paul Shenck was raised Jewish and baptized a Christian when he was 16 years old. In 1994 he left the New Covenant Tabernacle, an evangelical church he founded, and then became a pastor in western New York for the Reformed Episcopal Church. He entered the Catholic Church in 2004. He and his wife Rebecca have been married for 33 years.

Story 3:

Critically examining Christopher West’s presentation of John Paul II’s Theology of the Body, chastity speaker Dawn Eden has said that while West conveys “some elements of truth.” his demand that couples have perfect chastity before marriage promotes a “Puritanism” that discourages Catholics from dating, courtship and a proper view of continence. Eden, the author of the book “The Thrill of the Chaste,” gave her critique in a master’s thesis at the Pontifical Faculty of the Immaculate Conception at the Dominican House of Studies in Washington, D.C. She delivered a speech on her thesis there on May 19.

Story 4:

In a previously published National Review Online article, a woman who chose to remain anonymous shared the painful story of her husband's pornography addiction and its detrimental effects on their marriage. n her article, the author described pornography as “a drug” that is thriving “under the ever-expanding banner of the First Amendment.” She also pointed to the fact that the pornography industry “produces more annual revenue — $97 billion worldwide in 2006 — than all of the leading technology companies combined.”

Story 5:
Other activities to honor Mother Teresa in New York City are being planned after the Empire State Building operators said they would not light the building in the blue and white of the Missionaries of Charity on the religious sister’s 100th birthday. The Catholic League continues to question the consistency of the policy and plans a protest.

The Catholic League had asked the Empire State Building’s management to light the building on August 26, but the request was declined.

This is Catholic Information News.

Story 6:
Pope Benedict says all the good of the Year for Priests cannot be measured, but that people will certainly see its fruits. Sunday, before praying the midday Angelus, the Pope reflected on the Year for Priests that ended last Friday. He noted the closing celebrations in Rome with some 15,000 priests from around the world were "unforgettable days." The Pontiff reflected on how the year concluded with Friday's solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, traditionally the "day of priestly sanctification. The Pope concluded entrusting the priests of the world to Mary's Immaculate Heart.

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Lead:
Repeating Catholic teaching on the invalidity of attempts to ordain women, the Bishop of Davenport, Iowa has said a local woman’s intention to simulate ordination by a breakaway group damages the unity of the Church and has asked people not to participate in the ceremony.

In a recent statement published in The Catholic Messenger, Bishop Martin Amos asked those of the Diocese of Davenport to prayerfully to reconsider their participation in the so-called ordination ceremony, which is an excommunicable offense.
Mary Kay Kusner, a married mother of four, intends to participate in the simulated rite by the dissident Womanpriest group at the First Christian Church in Coralville, Iowa on June 13.

Bishop Amos’ statement noted that the Church has held the role of women “in high regard” for “centuries.” He added that this absolutely vital role extends to all women through the example of the Blessed Mother, and reiterated the May 2008 decree from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith which stated those who attempt to ordain women are excommunicated, as are the women who claim to be ordained.

The bishop explained that the purpose of excommunication is always to bring the person back into communion and to help them discover the unity of the Church.
I’ll be back with more after this.
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Story 2:
Pope Benedict XVI expressed deep regret and "great trepidation" over the Israeli raid on the so called "Freedom Flotilla," during his weekly public audience on June 2. The Pontiff said quote “I repeat, with heavy heart, that violence does not resolve conflict but only increases its tragic consequences and generates more violence" unquote and urged all international leaders to redouble their efforts at finding a solution to the problems of the Middle East. He also noted that the Lord sustains the efforts of those who never tire of working for reconciliation and peace.

Story 3:
Ten of Europe’s 47 states have joined Italy in petitioning the European Court of Human Rights to overturn its decision in the Lautsi case, in which the court ruled that the display of a crucifix in a classroom is contrary to parents’ right to educate their children in line with their convictions and to children’s right to freedom of religion. No European state intends to file an amicus curiae brief in support of the decision. In addition to Italy, however.

Story 4:
Almost 50 organizations funded by the Catholic Campaign for Human Development remain involved in activities directly opposed to Catholic moral and social teachings, according to a June first statement by Reform CCHD Now. The coalition announced that a detailed report documenting these activities has been mailed to every bishop and diocesan pro-life director in the United States.

Story 5:
Miami's Archbishop Thomas Wenski said that Catholics should advance Church social teachings "coherently and unapologetically" in public affairs at his installation Mass yesterday.

The new archbishop warned that quote "a radically secular world view wishes to reduce faith toe the realm of the private and the subjective" unquote. Catholics must resist that pressure, he said, and put forward arguments that, while founded on the Christian Scriptures, is also accessible to human reason. While admitting that Catholic social teaching can seem complex, Archbishop Wenski said that its fundamental thrust can be simply summarized by the phrase: "Man is not the problem."

This is Catholic Information News.

Story 6:
The archbishop of New York is urging priests to remember that their vocation is an identity, not simply a career, and thus it must be lived with holiness. Archbishop Timothy Dolan affirmed this in a lecture he gave last Thursday at St. Patrick's College in Maynooth, marking the Year for Priests, which will end June 11. The conference is also offering on its Web site a special feature video with an additional interview with Archbishop Dolan, excerpts of the address, and other images from the event.

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And that’s top news of the hour.
I’m Bryan Douglas, CIR NEWS, for Catholic Information Radio.