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News, of the hour, on the hour, from Catholic Information Radio.
I’m Bryan Douglas in Philadelphia, and at this hour….
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Lead:
Catholic teaching and the truths of the Gospel have a right to be heard in public debate, especially in a country where so many people claim to be Christian, Pope Benedict told the bishops of England and Wales. However, the church must recognize dissent within its own ranks and not accept it as being part of a balanced discussion.

The meeting with the bishops, who were at the Vatican for their ad limina visit, took place as Pope Benedict prepares to visit Great Britain in September. Referring to the Equality Bill under debate in Britain's Parliament, the pope said some legislation designed to guarantee equal opportunity for all people actually would impose limitations on the freedom of religious communities to act in accordance with their beliefs.

The bishops have commented the bill means churches could be sued by anyone who was turned away as a candidate for the priesthood on grounds of gender or sexual lifestyle. The Pope urged the bishops to continue defending church teaching in the public realm, adding that they have a right to participate in national debate through respectful dialogue with other elements in society.

A recent vote in Britain's House of Lords, however, supported an amendment that protected the existing rights of churches to insist that clergy and high-profile lay employees live in a manner consistent with Christian moral teaching.
I’ll be back with more after this.

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Story 2:
In what remains of St. Francis de Sales Hospital in Port au Prince Haiti, doctors are working under a pall of death. As teams of foreign doctors meet with staffers to develop treatment plans and organize medical supplies, up to 100 bodies remain in the collapsed three-story pediatrics and obstetrics wing. The hospital staff knows there were at least 25 children in the wing and a similar number of family members at their sides when the building tumbled during the magnitude 7 quake.

Located just a few blocks from the destroyed presidential palace, the hospital has few remaining functions operating and the staff was depending on experts from around the world to help them treat earthquake victims.

Story 3:
Even as Pope Benedict urged the world's priests to make better use of new media, in his own backyard, the digital revolution is still seen as a mixed blessing. The Vatican Web site remains largely a repository of printed texts, displayed on pages designed to look like parchment. And despite more than a decade of discussion about making the site interactive, the Vatican website continues to present static content.

Some Vatican agencies have embraced the digital possibilities, notably Vatican Radio, which offers online broadcasts and podcasts, but others, have posted a minimal amount of information over the last few years.

Story 4:
Former Catholic school teachers in the Diocese of Scranton have filed suit to force the diocese to pay over $1 million that an arbitrator awarded to them over a year ago. The arbitrator’s ruling is a result of then-Bishop Joseph Martino’s 2007 decision to restructure his diocese’s schools, which triggered clauses in teacher contracts with the diocesan school system.

This is Catholic Information News.

Story 5:
Father Michael Sinnott, the Irish missionary priest who was held captive for 32 days last year, has returned to the Philippines to continue his missionary work following his recuperation in Ireland. Father Sinnott told Vatican Radio that he was grateful for prayers from around the world and that he has suffered no ill effects from the kidnapping. He wanted to return to Pagadian, where he has served for decades, so that he can continue to serve God as a missionary.

Story 6:
A poll conducted for The Irish Times newspaper has found that 61% believe that the Church should transfer the control of its primary schools to the state. Currently, the Church, with state support, operates over 90% of the nation’s primary schools.

Expressing concern at the poll findings, Cardinal Seán Brady, Archbishop of Armagh, told Vatican Radio that a Catholic education contributes to the education of the whole person. He added that the Church now operates “too many” schools, leading to a dilution of Catholic identity, and called for an orderly “disengagement” of the Church from some of these schools.

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