NIGERIA-KIDNAPPED GIRLS-MASS
Nigerian Catholics pray for release of kidnapped girls
ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — Christians in Nigeria’s capital are praying for the girls who were taken captive by the radical Islamist group Boko Haram.
At Sunday Mass in Abuja’s Our Lady Queen of Nigeria Cathedral, Father Stephen Omale (OH’-mah-lay) asked God to “touch the hearts of the perpetrators of this crime, the Boko Haram group, that God will touch them and grant them the grace of conversion.”
Fifty-three of the abducted girls managed to escape their captors, with 276 still missing. Police say Boko Haram is threatening to sell them into slavery.
After the Mass, Omale said his congregation prayed that wherever the girls are, “God will bring them out in his own mercy, he will see that they are brought out safely.”
The priest said they believe the steps are being taken to find and free the girls, and that “by the grace of God, with our prayers, the steps will yield fruit very soon.”
Pope Francis tweeted that he’s also praying for the girls’ release.
Sound:
144-a-07-(Father Stephen Omale (OH’-mah-lay), priest at Our Lady of Nigeria Cathedral, at Sunday Mass)-“change of heart”-Father Stephen Omale, a priest at Our Lady of Nigeria Cathedral, prayed at Sunday Mass that the kidnappers would free hundreds of abducted girls. (11 May 2014)
< 146-a-05-(Father Stephen Omale (OH’-mah-lay), priest at Our Lady of Nigeria Cathedral, in AP interview)-“fruit very soon”-Father Stephen Omale, a priest at Our Lady of Nigeria Cathedral, says he believes steps are being taken to rescue the kidnapped girls. (11 May 2014) < 145-a-05-(Father Stephen Omale (OH’-mah-lay), priest at Our Lady of Nigeria Cathedral, in AP interview)-“his own mercy”-Father Stephen Omale, a priest at Our Lady of Nigeria Cathedral, says his congregation is praying for the abducted girls. (11 May 2014) < JINDAL-LIBERTY COMMENCEMENT La Gov: religious war against Christians in US LYNCHBURG, Va. (AP) — Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal says elitist intellectuals and liberals are waging a war to silence Christians. Jindal told graduates of Liberty University on Saturday that “the new left in America is completely intolerant of people of faith.” He said abundant evidence includes the experience of the Benham brothers. HGTV canceled “Flip it Forward” — a real estate show featuring brothers David and Jason Benham — before a scheduled October debut after the lobbying group Right Wing Watch labeled David Benham an “anti-gay extremist” and reported on statements he made against homosexuality and gay marriage. Jindal said much of American culture has become secular, but religious freedom invented America and faith sustains it. Urging graduates to stand up for their Christian beliefs, he said, “If God is with us, who could be against us?” Sound: 255-a-09-(Gov. Bobby Jindal, R-La., at Liberty University commencement)-“a new deal”-Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal says the Benham brothers lost their upcoming HGTV show following complaints about their participation in protests at an abortion clinic and the 2012 Democratic convention. (11 May 2014) < 256-a-16-(Gov. Bobby Jindal, R-La., at Liberty University commencement)-“be against us? (applause fades)”-Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal says Liberty’s Christian students are graduating into a hostile culture. (11 May 2014) < 252-a-09-(Gov. Bobby Jindal, R-La., at Liberty University commencement)-“of political power”-Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal says Christians are under attack in America today. (11 May 2014) < 254-a-06-(Gov. Bobby Jindal, R-La., at Liberty University commencement)-“silence their critics”-Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal says conservative Christian views are increasingly being banned. (11 May 2014) < 253-a-16-(Gov. Bobby Jindal, R-La., at Liberty University commencement)-“behind religious protections”-Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal says the attacks on religious liberty raise difficult questions. (11 May 2014) < FILM-MOMS’ NIGHT OUT Christian comedy has good opening weekend LOS ANGELES (AP) — “Moms’ Night Out” has enjoyed a strong debut over the Mother’s Day weekend. The Christian comedy featuring Sean Astin and Patricia Heaton sold an estimated $4.2 million worth of tickets, making it the weekend’s seventh-most-popular film. Heaton says she jumped at the chance to play a pastor’s wife because the movie is “hilarious, laugh out loud, funny for dads, funny for moms, funny for the kids.” “Heaven is for Real” was the weekend’s fourth-most-popular film, earning another $7 million at the box office. Sound: 260-a-10-(Patricia Heaton, actress, in AP interview)-“with my kids”-Actress Patricia Heaton says it was fun playing a pastor’s wife in her latest film. (11 May 2014) < 259-a-09-(Patricia Heaton, actress, in AP interview)-“I’m, I’m in”-Actress Patricia Heaton says she jumped at the role of a pastor’s wife in “Moms’ Night Out” when she read the script. (11 May 2014) < NATURALIZATION-PRAYER Town cancels immigration event over prayer flap NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — A New Jersey town has canceled a naturalization ceremony at its borough hall because federal immigration officials refused to let the event open with prayer. Carteret Mayor Daniel Reiman said he asked the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to relocate the Saturday ceremony. Katie Tichacek Kaplan, a spokeswoman for the immigration agency, said it’s a long-standing policy to make sure naturalization ceremonies are “conducted in a meaningful manner which is welcoming and inclusive and excludes political, commercial and religious statements.” Its website notes, however, that new citizens must recite an oath that contains the phrase “so help me God” and the Pledge of Allegiance, which contains the phrase “under God.” Reiman cited last week’s Supreme Court opinion affirming the right of local governments to include certain prayers in official proceedings. The ceremony was moved to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ Newark office. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE-LAWSUIT Massachusetts: Pledge of Allegiance not religious BOSTON (AP) — Massachusetts’ highest court says the Pledge of Allegiance does not discriminate against atheists and can be recited at the start of the day in public schools. The state’s Supreme Judicial Court ruled Friday that the words “under God” in the pledge reflect patriotic practice, not a religious one. They acknowledged that the wording has a “religious tinge” but said it is fundamentally patriotic and voluntary. The court was ruling in a 2010 lawsuit filed by an atheist family who claimed that the daily recitation of the pledge in classrooms violated their three children’s equal protection rights under the state constitution, which protects against discrimination. The court noted that the children involved in the lawsuit didn’t face bullying and harassment. The phrase “under God,” which was added to the pledge in 1954, has been the subject of numerous lawsuits over the years. The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that students cannot be compelled to recite the pledge, nor punished for refusing to recite it. Sound: 258-a-09-(Jeremy Tedesco, senior legal counsel, Alliance Defending Freedom, in prepared statement)-“anyone’s constitutional freedoms”-Jeremy Tedesco, senior legal counsel with the Alliance Defending Freedom, says Massachusetts’ highest court was right to uphold recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance in public schools. (11 May 2014) < 257-a-05-(Andrew Beckwith, president, Massachusetts Family Institute, in prepared statement)-“it feels offended”-Andrew Beckwith, president of the Massachusetts Family Institute, says the lawsuit seeking to ban recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance in Massachusetts public schools was misguided. (11 May 2014) < WEDDING CAKE-DISCRIMINATION LAW Campaign to turn away same-sex couples suspended PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — The sponsors of a measure to permit Oregon business owners to turn away same-sex couples whose weddings they don’t acknowledge for religious reasons have abandoned their campaign. Friends of Religious Freedom said it will suspend the ballot initiative and instead pursue a lawsuit on behalf of business owners who object to same-sex weddings. The Oregon Supreme Court approved the ballot language on Thursday, but the campaign suspended its efforts 24 hours later, saying the ballot language as written by the office of the Oregon attorney general was prejudicial. The Oregon ballot measure came one year after a suburban Portland bakery refused to bake a cake for a same-sex wedding because of the bakery owners’ religious beliefs. A similar situation in Denver resulted in an administrative law judge ruling that a bakery had violated Colorado law by refusing to serve a gay couple. CATHOLIC TEACHER CONTRACT Ohio teacher quits over Catholic contract CINCINNATI (AP) — A veteran Catholic school teacher in Cincinnati whose son is gay is quitting in protest of a new contract specifying violations of church doctrine. Molly Shumate is the first known teacher of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati’s more than 2,200 educators to refuse to sign the new contract, which specifies which violations of Catholic doctrine could put teachers out of a job. That includes “homosexual lifestyles,” abortion, artificial insemination, and public support for any of those causes. Shumate told The Cincinnati Enquirer, “In my eyes there is nothing wrong with my son.” She said her 22-year-old son is “what God created,” and that signing the contract would send a message that she doesn’t support him. Archdiocese officials defend the contract, saying it doesn’t mean that teachers have to sever relationships with gay family members, just that they can’t publicly act or speak against the church’s teachings. All of the Archdiocese’s teachers must sign the contract before the end of the school year if they want to remain employed. SATANIC INMATE-MEALS LAWSUIT Satanic inmate sues Reno jail for religious meals RENO, Nev. (AP) — A Nevada inmate who says he practices Satanism is accusing county jailers of violating his constitutional rights by denying him meals consistent with the strict diet of his pagan religion, including ice cream. Alex Snelson is serving two to six years in state prison for possession of a stolen car after spending time in jail for possession of methamphetamine and brass knuckles. He argues in a federal lawsuit that he was denied the right to freely exercise his religion last year when he was forced to either starve or break from a strict dietary regime that allows only “whole foods” but no byproducts or processing additives. Snelson claims deputies also retaliated against him by refusing him ice cream because they said it would violate his religion. He said in an amended, hand-written complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Reno on Wednesday that the ice cream is a “whole food” and he is as entitled to it as non-pagan inmates. HARVARD-SATANIC MASS Church condemns planned satanic mass at Harvard CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (AP) — The student organizers of a planned satanic mass at Harvard University say their intent is purely educational, but the Roman Catholic church says participants are putting themselves “dangerously close to destructive works of evil.” The mass scheduled for Monday is organized by the Harvard Extension Cultural Studies Club and is part of a series of events exploring different cultures and religious traditions. The student club said in a statement that “the performance is part of a larger effort to explore the religious facets that continue to influence contemporary culture.” The Harvard Extension School said it supports “the rights of our students and faculty to speak and assemble freely,” and noted that the group also plans Shinto, Shaker and Buddhist events. The Boston Archdiocese, however, says the satanic mass mocks the Catholic Mass and “separates people from God.” ISRAEL-VATICAN-HATE CRIMES Holy Land cleric: Hate crimes threaten pope visit HAIFA, Israel (AP) — The top Roman Catholic cleric in the Holy Land is urging Israel to crack down on vandals behind a spate of hate crimes aimed primarily at Christian and Muslim sites, less than two weeks before Pope Francis visits. Latin Patriarch Fouad Twal said Sunday that the crimes “poison the atmosphere of coexistence” for the papal visit and asked why the vandals haven’t been caught. He spoke two days after another church was defaced. It was the latest in a series of hate crimes believed to be the work of Jewish radicals. Churches, mosques, dovish Israeli groups and even Israeli military bases have been hit by the vandals. The vandalism has been widely condemned by Israeli leaders and the general public. Israeli police are investigating the hate crimes. VATICAN-POPE-PRIESTS Pope to priests: forgive, don’t shut out sinners VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis has taken to task priests who are so harsh on sinners that Catholics feel pushed away by the church. Francis said during his homily in St. Peter’s Basilica Sunday that he feels very pained when people don’t go to confession anymore because they were scolded by their confessors. He said these faithful feel as if “the church doors were closed in their face.” “Please don’t do this,” the pope told 13 new priests he ordained in the basilica. He urged them to follow the example of Jesus in never tiring of being merciful. Francis said priests should remember that Jesus “didn’t come to condemn but to forgive.” Sound: 150-r-10-(Sound of choir singing, during Pope Francis’ homily in St. Peter’s Basilica.)–Sound of a choir singing before Pope Francis told 13 new priests he ordained in the Basilica not to be harsh on sinners. COURTESY: Vatican TV ((mandatory credit)) (11 May 2014) < 149-r-28-(Sound of Pope Francis, speaking in Italian, during his homily in St. Peter’s Basilica)–Sound of Pope Francis telling 13 new priests he ordained in the Basilica it pains him when people don’t go to confession anymore because they get “caned, scolded, told off” by their confessors. COURTESY: Vatican TV ((mandatory credit)) (11 May 2014) < VATICAN-PAUL VI Pope OKs miracle for Paul VI in sainthood process VATICAN CITY (AP) — The Vatican says Pope Francis has approved a miracle credited to the intercession of Pope Paul VI and has set Oct. 19 as the date for the late pontiff’s beatification, the last formal step before possible sainthood. Last month, Francis formally proclaimed as saints two other predecessors: John XXIII and John Paul II. Paul VI, who reigned as pontiff from 1963-1978, made landmark progress in improving Catholics’ relationship with other Christians. His papacy is also remembered by his decision, after years of study, to ban contraception for Catholics in a 1968 encyclical. TURKEY-ORTHODOX PATRIARCH Orthodox patriarch eyes unity in visit with pope ISTANBUL (AP) — Bartholomew I, spiritual leader of 250 million Orthodox Christians, says a meeting with Pope Francis in Jerusalem this month will help move the two churches closer to ending their nearly 1,000-year divide. The meetings between the ecumenical patriarch and the leader of the world’s Roman Catholics on May 25-26 will commemorate the historic visit of their predecessors 50 years ago that launched a dialogue aimed at ending the two churches’ schism in 1054. Following that meeting, mutual excommunication edicts were dropped, and a Catholic-Orthodox Joint Declaration of 1965 called for greater harmony. When they meet this month, Francis and Bartholomew will hold a prayer service together at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, where the faithful believe Jesus was crucified and buried, and issue another declaration.
