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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:
At his regular weekly public audience on Ash Wednesday today, Pope Benedict spoke about the Lenten call to conversion. Conversion, he told the audience in the Paul VI auditorium, means changing the direction of our lives. He said quote "It means going against the current, especially when that current is a superficial, incoherent, and illusory way of life that often drags us down, making us slaves of evil or prisoners of moral mediocrity." unquote

Against that approach the Pope said, the Church offers the stern reality of Ash Wednesday, with the reminder that we all face the same inevitable end: death and decay. The Church insists that we face that reality he observed, realizing that we tend to shrink from it because of the innate fear of our own ends. That reluctance to confront death is heightened, he noted, by "a culture that tends in many ways to censor reality."

However, the Pope reminded his audience, although Ash Wednesday brings a reminder that man is dust, our faith tells us that it is "dust that is precious in God's eyes." During the 40 days of Lent, the Holy Father added, the faithful should "renew thecommitment to follow Jesus, letting ourselves be transformed by his paschal mystery," to realize our true identity with and in Christ.

I’ll be back with more after this.

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Story 2:
Irish Cardinal Sean Brady told reporters that the Catholic bishops of Ireland will make a public act of repentance during Lent in response to the sex-abuse scandal. Speaking to reporters after two days of meetings in Rome, the cardinal said that the bishops had not decided on a particular penitential act, but their gesture would be tantamount to "sackcloth and ashes."

Cardinal Brady acknowledged that there have been "differences of opinion" among the Irish bishops about the proper response to the scandal, but emphasized that they were completely united in their belief that concern for victims and a determination to avoid future abuse should be their top priorities.

Story 3:
A conservative Anglican bishop has described his contacts with the Vatican as a little bit like Elizabethan espionage, and revealed that he feels the need to work around unsympathetic English bishops, in his effort to bring Anglicans into the Catholic Church. Anglican Bishop Andrew Burnham of Ebbsfleet tells Australian Catholic Bishop Peter Elliott that careful maneuvers are required to ensure that the Pope's invitation to Anglicans is not smothered by the management anxieties of the hierarchy. He also revealed that he has received strong support from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, but expresses his fear that efforts still face strong resistance among the bishops of England and Wales.

Story 4:
The Diocese of Phoenix announced that Pope Benedict has laicized Msgr. Dale Fushek following an investigation into allegations that he sexually abused minors. The former diocesan vicar general, who founded the Life Teen youth ministry, was excommunicated in 2008 for schism. Fushek faces five trials on charges of contributing to the delinquency of a minor and indecent exposure.

This is Catholic Information News.

Story 5:
An Italian cardinal has warned politicians that they set themselves apart from the Church if they support legal recognition of same-sex marriage saying quote "It's impossible for the Catholic faith and support for putting homosexual unions on equal footing with marriage to coexist in one's conscience -- the two contradict each other," unquote. Cardinal Carlo Caffarra of Bologna wrote the warning, originally prepared for his own archdiocese, which was reprinted by the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano.

Story 6:
The execution-style murder of a Christian student in Mosul, Iraq-- the 3rd such killing in that city this week-- has added to an "atmosphere of panic that reigns among Christians" there, the AsiaNews service reports. The campaign of violence against Christians, largely ignored by public officials, has driven many Christian families out of Mosul, which may be the ultimate goal of the sectarian violence.

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

Newscast for 8 & 9PM tonight.
Click on link in the top box under Catholic Information Network at the right to listen. This will open up a new window with an embedded player.

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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:
Pope Benedict and the bishops of Ireland have completed a two-day, closed-door meeting to assess responsibility for the Irish church's handling of priestly sex abuse cases and explore ways to heal the wounds left by the scandal.

Each of the 24 bishops was scheduled to speak for seven minutes, in effect giving the pope "an account of themselves" and their own actions, The pope convened the bishops in response to the continuing fallout from the scandal, following an independent report that faulted the Irish hierarchy for its handling of 325 sex abuse claims in the Archdiocese of Dublin in the years 1975-2004.

Four bishops criticized in the report have offered their resignation, but so far the pope has officially accepted only one of them. Bishop Martin Drennan of Galway, also criticized in the report, has rejected demands for his resignation.

Joining the pope and the bishops at the summit were 10 leading Vatican officials who deal with doctrine, church law, bishops, clergy, religious life and seminaries.

Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, Vatican secretary of state, set the tone of the meeting at the opening Mass yestereday with the Irish and Vatican participants. He said the most difficult trials for the church were internal ones, especially, as in this case, when the church sees some of its own men involved in particularly abominable acts.

I’ll be back with more after this.
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Story 2:
Although they are more likely to describe themselves as liberal, the youngest American Catholic adults believe almost as strongly as other generations that the nation's moral values are headed in the wrong direction. The millennial generation of Catholics, ages 18-29, also are more likely than those of Generation X or the baby-boom generation to say that commitment to marriage is not valued enough in this country. Eighty-two percent of Catholic millennials said marital commitment is not valued enough, exceeded only by the 89 percent of those over 65 who said so. Seventy-nine percent of Generation X Catholics and 77 percent of baby boomers agreed.

Story 3:
Catholic leaders across Mexico expressed disappointment with the lower house of Congress' approval of a proposed constitutional amendment that would enshrine separation of church and state. Statements issued by the archdioceses of Mexico City, Guadalajara, and Leon described the proposed wording as "regrettable" and a setback for religious freedom in a country with a history of contentious church-state relations. The statements also described the change as an attempt to silence Catholics and other religious groups at a time when Mexican politicians are addressing social issues such as abortion, euthanasia and same-sex marriage.

Story 4:
Fr. Gerald Murray, a canon lawyer and pastor of St. Vincent de Paul Church in New York City explained that the current discussions between the Holy See and the Society of St. Pius the Tenth holds great promise for progress. Fr. Murray addressed the origins of the traditionalist society, which was founded in 1970 by Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre in opposition to the teachings of the Second Vatican Council. And said he thinks “these discussions hold great promise for progress.” He also noted that, though there is no official word of progress yet, the participants on both sides “have referred to the cordial and friendly nature of these discussions.”

This is Catholic Information News.

Story 5:
A young adults group in the Archdiocese of New York has recently announced a 24-hour confession event which will take place in March during the 2010 Lenten season. The Cathedral of Saint Patrick Young Adults group is holding their second annual “24 Hours of Confession” project March 5 -6 at 51 parishes throughout the Bronx, Manhattan, Duchess, Staten Island, as well as Orange, Rockland and Westchester counties.In response to this event, Bishop Dominick Lagonegro of Orange County also announced recently that 25 parishes in his diocese will be holding additional confession times from 6 p.m. – 9 p.m. on March 5.

Story 6:
A symposium recently completed by the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity brought together theologians from various churches to consider future steps for ecumenical dialogue. A Vatican communiqué reported that the symposium gathered theologians from the Lutheran, Reformed, Anglican and Methodist traditions at the invitation of the council's president, Cardinal Walter Kasper.

Participants discussed a book published last October called "Harvesting the Fruits: Basic Aspects of Christian Faith in Ecumenical Dialogue." The book is a compilation of the results of forty years of bilateral dialogues between the Roman Catholic Church and leading protestant denominations. The council noted that it also "raises important questions for the future direction and content of ecumenical discussion."

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

Newscast for 8 & 9PM tonight.
Click on link in the top box under Catholic Information Network at the right to listen. This will open up a new window with an embedded player.

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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:
Bishop Michael Burbidge of Raleigh and Bishop Peter Jugis of Charlotte are urging North Carolina’s Catholics to oppose the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction’s revised civics and economics curriculum, which compares pro-life laws to segregation and the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II.

All North Carolina public high school students are required to study civics and economics.
If this text is approved, young people taking this course will be asked to explain how Roe v. Wade is an example supporting the way the Supreme Court upheld individual right. The bishops note the language is quite specific, referring to the following assessment prototype in the revised curriculum which says quote "Using Supreme Court Cases such as Brown v Board of Education and Roe v Wade, explain how the US Supreme Court has upheld individual rights against oppressive government. Unquote.

The controversy over the civics curriculum is not the only recent issue that has raised questions about the state’s Department of Public Instruction. The state’s revised US history curriculum would eliminate the study of pre-1877 American history during the high school years, a decision that has sparked intense grass-roots opposition. In addition, State Superintendent June Atkinson recently announced that all statewide mathematics tests would incorporate a framework developed by a firm whose president, Malbert Smith, donated $2,000 to her election campaign.

I’ll be back with more after this.
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Story 2:
Rep. Patrick Kennedy, the Rhode Island Catholic congressman whom Bishop Thomas Tobin publicly called to “conversion and repentance” because of his support for abortion, has decided not to run for reelection. Kennedy said that the death of his father, Sen. Edward Kennedy last year, led to "soul-searching" that ended with his decision to leave public office. However the announcement that he would not seek re-election came soon after the release of poll figures showing that the Rhode Island lawmaker was viewed unfavorably by 56% of the people in his congressional district, and only 35% said that they woud support him for another term.

Story 3:
Stating that the process for the selection of the next Archbishop of Los Angeles has already begun, Auxiliary Bishop Edward Clark of Los Angeles announced in a memorandum that 74-year-old Cardinal Roger Mahony, in consultation with his council of priests, has approved a prayer for the guidance of the Holy Spirit in the selection of the Cardinal’s successor. Bishop Clark asked that the prayer be said during the celebration of Mass and the recitation of the Divine Office.

Story 4:
American Catholic adults under 30 share the commitment of older generations to philanthropy and volunteerism, but are more likely to believe that morals "are relative," according to a new survey commissioned by the Knights of Columbus. The survey asked a wide range of questions about ideology, religious practices and beliefs, life goals and feelings about the nation's future, comparing the answers among Catholics in general who attend services at least once a month. "The church has a great opportunity to evangelize and has much to build on with the next generation of Catholics, but it must act and teach in a way that makes clear the reasons for church teaching" said Carl Anderson, supreme knight of the Knights of Columbus

This is Catholic Information News.

Story 5:
When it was unveiled in late January, the insider book about the "real" Pope John Paul II looked at first glance like the Vatican's own effort at a pre-beatification biography.
But as the fallout over the last two weeks has made clear, the Vatican was not directly involved, nor was everyone happy that the book was co-authored by the official postulator of Pope John Paul's sainthood cause, using information that is generally considered confidential. In addition, several officials thought the book's simple presentation of the late pope's reported penitential practices, with little explanation or context, was unwise and counter-productive.

Story 6:
The British Broadcasting Corporation is not known to be one of the Catholic Church's closest friends. Although it has a reputation for high quality programming, the state-funded broadcaster has often been accused of treating the Church unfairly at best, and maliciously at worst. Many examples back up this accusation, beginning with a number programs over the past 10 years that have been blasphemous and highly offensive to Catholics. The BBC has also been noted for more subtle instances of anti-Catholic bias. Programs that are broadcast tend to focus on the sensational; they also often comprise contributions from dissenting Catholics but hardly ever from orthodox Catholics who will properly convey the Church's teaching.

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

Newscast for 8 & 9PM tonight.
Click on link in the top box under Catholic Information Network at the right to listen. This will open up a new window with an embedded player.

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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:
The pastoral care of the sick and infirm is a priceless gift the church offers to those who suffer, to their families and to the world, Pope Benedict XVI said today. Meeting and blessing sick people and their caregivers during a Mass in St. Peter's Basilica, the pope said another miracle at work was the presence of God's grace in the many people who care for those who suffer, offering them the courage to face pain and illness.

Before the Mass, a few hundred people -- including many using wheelchairs -- processed down the broad boulevard leading to St. Peter's Basilica. The procession followed a vehicle carrying the relics of St. Bernadette -- the 19th-century saint who witnessed a number of apparitions of Mary at a grotto outside Lourdes.

The Mass was broadcast live to pilgrims gathered at several Marian shrines around the world, including Lourdes, Fatima in Portugal, and Czestochowa in Poland, and also marked the 25th anniversary of the Pontifical Council for Health Care Ministry.

In his written message for World Sick Day, the pope highlighted the church's role in bringing Christ's love and healing to all those who suffer, whether from poverty, oppression, remorse or illness. He wrote that the church must increase its presence among the sick and in society so it can better help defend human life from conception to its natural end.

I’ll be back with more after this.
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Story 2:
Solidaridad, a Dutch development agency that works in Latin America, has broken all ties with the Dutch bishops after the bishops’ conference sought assurance that the agency’s aid programs not conflict with the teaching of the Church. Solidaridad describes itself as a joint venture by Dutch churches, and its board includes representatives of the Catholic Church, Protestant Church in the Netherlands and of several smaller churches such as the Old Catholic Church, the Mennonite Church and the Remonstrant Brotherhood. Six of the organization’s 11 board members are representatives of the Catholic Church, according to a recent annual report.

Story 3:
Bishop Robert Vasa of Baker Oregon has announced that he questions the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ association with the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, a coalition that has praised Planned Parenthood, opposed pro-life judicial nominees, and opposed a marriage amendment to the Constitution. Bishop Vasa said quote “on the face of it, I would have to say that support of this organization and an active endorsement of its principles and purposes would appear to be problematic.” unquote

Story 4:
A year after the Church in Taiwan commemorated the 150th anniversary of the nation’s opening to Christianity, the nation’s bishops have called upon the faithful to take part in the renewed evangelization of the nation. A new pastoral letter-- entitled “Put out into the deep!”-- notes that there are still many people who need to know the Gospel of Christ.

The nation of 23 million is 93% Buddhist and Taoist, 4% Protestant, and 1.3% Catholic.

This is Catholic Information News.

Story 5:
There is hope that Cuba will become more open to a free practice of religion, according to the nation's ambassador to the Holy See. Eduardo Delgado Bermúdez said the Castro government is willing to go forward with a growing number of concrete signs of openness, just as the Holy Father has encouraged. Benedict called for this openness in a December address upon receiving Delgado Bermúdez's credentials as the new Cuban envoy. In general, the envoy declared, Holy See-Cuban relations are increasingly positive. This year, formal relations will have existed for 75 years.

Story 6:
The president of the Pontifical Council for the Family presented to Benedict XVI a project for developing a new handbook for marriage preparation. Cardinal Ennio Antonelli made the presentation of the plan for this "vade mecum" in a meeting with the Pope on the first day of the council's three-day plenary assembly. L'Osservatore Romano has noted that the Pope has often given special attention to problems of the family with his frequent and incisive references to it. The Holy Father acknowledged various initiatives being carried forward by the council is in planning two specific projects that correspond to these perspectives, to raise awareness of the fundamental value of the family for the life of the Church and of society.

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

Newscast for 8 & 9PM tonight.
Click on link in the top box under Catholic Information Network at the right to listen. This will open up a new window with an embedded player.

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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:
Archbishop Celestino Migliore, apostolic nuncio and permanent observer of the Holy See to the United Nations, has told a UN commission that population growth, rather than population control, can help societies overcome poverty. Archbishop Migliore made his remarks on February 8 at a meeting of the Commission for Social Development of the UN’s Department of Economic and Social Affairs, which is considering the theme of social integration.

He called for focusing on human relations with an openness to life which is a positive contribution to social and economic development.

Archbishop Migliore also called for investment in “relational goods” rather “machine production” in order to promote economic growth. Promoting economic and social growth along with employment could that ensure patterns of consumption would be focused upon relational goods and services which promote greater connection between people according to him.

Turning to the issue of immigration, Archbishop Migliore decried xenophobia while urging immigrants to respect the law. He related quote “Intolerance and mutual friction between citizens and newcomers is always more noted in countries of intense immigration,” unquote. He called for strong attention to the two tracks of acceptance of migrants and respect for the law, on which the solutions to the problem can be found.

In addition, he noted that the State, through its public intervention, would be addressing development at its root, while also promoting employment and long-term development.

I’ll be back with more after this.

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Story 2:
When the Irish hierarchy meets with Pope Benedict on February 15 and 16, Cardinal Seán Brady, Archbishop of Armagh and Irish Primate, will deliver a letter from representatives for abuse victims asking for approximately 1 billion euros in compensation for the years of abuse. Irish religious orders just completed paying €128m of the total compensation bill of €1.2bn awarded from the Irish hierarchy following the Ryan report, notes the Irish Independent.

The victims’ representatives also demanded that Pope Benedict meet with abuse victims during his September apostolic journey.

Story 3:
El Salvador’s leading prelate has warned that the rampant violence afflicting his Central American nation “threatens to overwhelm society.” In January, an average of 13 people were murdered every day. Archbishop José Luis Escobar Alas of San Salvador said quote “The escalation of violence has no limits: just as good is infinite because it comes from God, so evil can be without limits,” unquote. 80% of the nation’s 7 million residents are Catholic.

Story 4:
Bankers are not the cause of the global economic crisis, according to the president of the Institute for the Works of Religion. Rather, the cause is people who do not believe in the future and have few or no children. Ettore Tedeschi, in an interview on Vatican television, noted the Western world's population growth rate is at 0% -- that is, two children per couple -- and this, he said, has led to a profound change in the structure of society. With the decline in births, there are fewer young people that productively enter the working world leaving many more elderly people that leave the system of production and become a cost for the collective.

This is Catholic Information News.

Story 5:
The former head of the Lourdes Medical Bureau is affirming that all people can receive a cure at Our Lady's shrine if they pray and hope for it with perseverance. Doctor Patrick Theillier, who retired from leadership of the bureau last year, stated this in an interview with France Catholique. The cure, he explained, "might not be as spectacular as to be considered a miracle, however, the doctor added, it can affect in a profound and lasting way the person who experiences it, in all his being, body, soul and spirit. Doctor Theillier affirmed that these cures are truly innumerable.

Story 6:
A proposed bill that would legalize altruistic surrogacy in Queensland is not only unnecessary, but is a violation of one's birthright to enter into the world with a mother and a father, says the Family Council of Queensland. The spokesman of the organization, Dr. David van Gend, together with its president, Alan Baker, wrote this in a letter sent this week to the state's Parliament, which is set to vote Wednesday on the Surrogacy Bill 2009. The bill would decriminalize non-commercial surrogacy for both heterosexual and homosexual couples. Queensland is the only Australian state where altruistic surrogacy is against the law.

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