EBOLA-NURSE-PLASMA TRANSFUSION
Ebola survivor donates plasma to sick Dallas nurse
DALLAS (AP) β A Dallas nurse who has Ebola has been given plasma to fight the virus taken from the blood of a doctor who beat the disease.
The Rev. Jim Khoi, pastor of the Fort Worth church attended by Nina Pham’s family, said she received a transfusion of plasma containing Ebola-fighting antibodies Monday afternoon.
Samaritan’s Purse confirmed the plasma came from Dr. Kent Brantly, the Texas doctor who survived Ebola. Brantly contracted Ebola while working with the nonprofit medical mission group in Liberia.
Samaritan’s Purse spokesman Jeremy Blume says Brantly traveled to Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas Sunday to donate the plasma.
Brantly said in a recent speech that he also offered his blood to Thomas Eric Duncan, but that their blood types didn’t match. Duncan died of Ebola on Wednesday.
VATICAN-FAMILY
Catholic bishops in ‘seismic’ opening toward gays
VATICAN CITY (AP) β Gay rights groups are hailing what they call a “seismic shift” by the Catholic Church toward gays after bishops said homosexuals have gifts to offer the church and that their partnerships, while morally problematic, provide homosexuals with “precious” support.
In a preliminary report half-way through a Vatican meeting on family life, the bishops also said the church must recognize the “positive” aspects of civil unions and even Catholics who cohabitate, with the aim of bringing them to a lifelong commitment in a church wedding.
The report summarized the closed-door debate that Pope Francis initiated to discuss issues such as marriage, divorce, homosexuality and birth control. No decisions were announced, but the tone of the report was one of almost-revolutionary acceptance rather than condemnation, and it will guide discussions until a final document is issued Saturday.
Conservative groups denounced the report as heresy and a “betrayal” that will only confuse Catholics.
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245-v-29-(Steve Coleman, AP religion editor)–Gay rights groups are hailing what they call a “seismic shift” by the Catholic Church toward gays in a preliminary report from a Vatican meeting on family life. AP Religion Editor Steve Coleman reports. (13 Oct 2014)
< 163-c-20-(Nicole Winfield, AP correspondent)-“today reflects that”-AP correspondent Nicole Winfield reports the bishops are calling for what they describe as courageous new ways to minister to families, especially those damaged by divorce. (13 Oct 2014) < 167-c-13-(Nicole Winfield, AP correspondent)-“confuse the faithful”-AP correspondent Nicole Winfield reports conservative Catholics are outraged by the new liberalism expressed by the bishops. (13 Oct 2014) < 164-c-18-(Nicole Winfield, AP correspondent)-“of all stripes”-AP correspondent Nicole Winfield reports the new pope’s more liberal views have had a major impact on the bishops. (13 Oct 2014) < 165-c-17-(Nicole Winfield, AP correspondent)-“teaching on homosexuality”-AP correspondent Nicole Winfield reports the bishops have reached out to Catholic lay people and are responding to their views. (13 Oct 2014) < 162-c-20-(Nicole Winfield, AP correspondent)-“the Catholic Church”-AP correspondent Nicole Winfield reports the world’s Catholic bishops are showing a remarkable shift from dogmatic decrees of the church. (13 Oct 2014) < 166-c-15-(Nicole Winfield, AP correspondent)-“at the door”-AP correspondent Nicole Winfield reports the Catholic Church is sticking to its values and principles, but with a new openness to Catholics who may have alternative views. (13 Oct 2014) < MUSICAL GROUP-CRASH Christian group singer killed in Indiana crash LEBANON, Ind. (AP) β Police say a singer and pianist with a Christian musical group was killed when an RV he was driving crashed over the weekend on a highway in Indiana. The Boone County Sheriff’s Department says 61-year-old Roy Bray of Trenton, Kentucky, was driving the RV carrying The Southmen Quartet when it went off Interstate 65 about 2 a.m. Sunday and into a wooded median near Lebanon, about 20 miles northwest of Indianapolis. The department says Bray was pronounced dead at the scene, while 72-year-old singer Jim Hefner, of Albertville, Alabama, was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Two other group members on the RV weren’t hurt. The group was heading south after a performance in the northern Indiana town of Shipshewana. MUSIC-PAT BOONE Pat Boone: Gospel album will be his last NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) β Singer Pat Boone says his new album of gospel songs, “Legacy,” will be his last. Boone says he’s had success in all kinds of music in his 60-year career, but the new album of 17 Christian songs he wrote himself is what he wants to be his legacy. The 80-year-old singer says, “I figure if I am going to do a last album, I would rather it be this kind of music. Because I expect to be singing this after I have passed away. I am going to be up there singing some of these songs.” Boone says he can still sing, but it’s harder than it used to be. He says when he was young it was “so easy, like breathing.” One of the songs on his “Legacy” album is called “Breathe,” a prayer to receive the breath of God. Sound: 254-r-18-(Singer Pat Boone performs an excerpt from his song “God is Good”, from his new “Legacy” album)–Sound of singer Pat Boone performing an excerpt from his song “God is Good” from his new “Legacy” album. (13 Oct 2014) < 252-a-12-(Pat Boone, singer, in AP interview)-“easy, like breathing”-Singer Pat Boone says this will be his last album. (13 Oct 2014) < 251-a-10-(Pat Boone, singer, in AP interview)-“music like this”-Singer Pat Boone says he has had success in all kinds of music in his 60-year career. (13 Oct 2014) < 250-a-14-(Pat Boone, singer, in AP interview)-“of these songs”-Singer Pat Boone says he wrote the 17 Christian songs on his new album called “Legacy.” (13 Oct 2014) < 253-r-24-(Singer Pat Boone performs an excerpt from his song “Breathe”, from his new “Legacy” album)–Sound of singer Pat Boone performing an excerpt from his song “Breathe” from his new “Legacy” album. (13 Oct 2014) < 249-w-34-(Steve Coleman, AP religion editor, with singer Pat Boone)–Singer Pat Boone says his new album of gospel songs, “Legacy,” will be his last. AP Religion Editor Steve Coleman reports. (13 Oct 2014) < CHURCH CLOSING Glendale church with roots in 1800s to close GLENDALE, Wis. (AP) β A suburban Milwaukee Presbyterian church with roots dating to the late 1800s has decided to close amid financial problems. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports that New Life Presbyterian Church in Glendale voted to dissolve itself last month. The Presbytery of Milwaukee will consider the closure at a special meeting Tuesday. It plans to spend $60,000 to get the congregation’s finances in order. New Life is the latest iteration of a Milwaukee congregation founded as Newminster Presbyterian more than a century ago. Presbytery leader the Rev. Craig Howard says an audit of the church’s books showed nothing improper, but there wasn’t enough money to keep paying its bills. A for-profit day care the church opened changed the church’s tax status and contributed to its financial troubles. CHURCH ABUSE-MINNESOTA Judge OKs settlement in Minn. church abuse case MINNEAPOLIS (AP) β Catholic church leaders in Minnesota say they won’t recommend any priest for active ministry who has been credibly accused of sexual abusing a minor. The pledge is among child protection protocols called for in Monday’s settlement of a groundbreaking public nuisance lawsuit against the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis and the Diocese of Winona. Church leaders were accused of failing to warn parishioners about an abusive priest. The protocols also call for church leaders to disclose any accusation of sexual abuse of a minor by a priest when asked, along with the resolution. And church leaders pledge to release documents when claims are substantiated. POLICE SHOOTINGS-PROTESTS Hundreds march to Ferguson police station FERGUSON, Mo. (AP) β Several hundred people, led by clergy members, have marched from a church in Ferguson, Missouri, to the city’s police headquarters. Several clergy members approached individual Ferguson officers and asked them to “repent” for Brown’s killing and other acts of violence. Some officers engaged the protesters, while others ignored the efforts. Police say nearly 50 people were arrested in Monday’s protests, which were part of a four-day weekend of rallies and marches. Protests have been common in Ferguson since 18-year-old Michael Brown was killed by a white Ferguson officer on Aug. 9. Tensions escalated last week when a white police officer in St. Louis shot and killed 18-year-old Vonderrit Myers Jr. Police say Myers shot at the officer first. Sound: 212-a-13-(Unidentified protester with clergy and marchers outside Ferguson police headquarters, asking police to repent for the shooting of Michael Brown and other acts of violence)-“say “I will””-An unidentified protester outside Ferguson police headquarters asks police to repent for the shooting of Michael Brown and other acts of violence. (13 Oct 2014) < 214-a-10-(Unidentified female protester, in march to police headquarters)-“in this town (cheers)”-This protester drew cheers are she announced marchers are serving notice to police everywhere that bigotry and racism will not be tolerated. (13 Oct 2014) < 213-a-10-(Star Julia Dorrough (dur-OH’), marcher in Ferguson police headquarters protest, in AP interview)-“be out here”-Star Julia Dorrough says she’s marching in Ferguson because her reality is that in St. Louis, young black men are targets for the police. (13 Oct 2014) < 215-r-25-(Sound of protesters during march to police headquarters in Ferguson, Missouri, chanting “Hey hey, ho ho, these killer cops have got to go!”)–Sound of protesters during march to police headquarters in Ferguson, Missouri, chanting “Hey hey, ho ho, these killer cops have got to go!” (13 Oct 2014) < 216-r-15-(An officer shouts “Back up!”, as marchers protesting police violence crowd in front of police headquarters in Ferguson, Missouri)–An officer shouts “Back up!” as hundreds of marchers protesting police violence crowd in front of the police headquarters in Ferguson, Missouri. (13 Oct 2014) < ISLAMIC-STATE-KASSIG Parents say hostage converted to Islam willingly INDIANAPOLIS (AP) β The parents of an Indiana aid worker threatened with beheading by the Islamic State group are rejecting suggestions that their son converted to Islam to save himself, saying his interest in Eastern religions began long before he traveled to the Middle East. Ed and Paula Kassig say their son, who has changed his name from Peter to Abdul-Rahman since his conversion, was inspired by the activism of his grandfather, a pastor and advocate for Muslims in the Middle East for many years. They have no doubt that his conversion to Islam was a personal choice, not one driven by his captivity. The Kassigs say their son initiated his conversion to Islam before being taken hostage, observing the fast of Ramadan three months before his capture on Oct. 1, 2013. Paula Kassig told NBC’s “Today” show that the couple received an audio recording of their son a couple of weeks ago in which he said he feared his time was running out. Sound: 158-a-11-(Paula Kassig (KAS’-ihg), mother of Abdul-Rahman Kassig, an American threatened with beheading by the Islamic State group, in interview)-“to do it”-Paula Kassig, whose son Abdul-Rahman Kassig is being threatened with beheading by the Islamic State group, says that as much as they want to, she and her husband simply are not able to meet the Islamic State group’s demands for their son’s release. COURTESY: CBS “This Morning” ((mandatory on-air credit)) (13 Oct 2014) < 157-a-08-(Ed and Paula Kassig (KAS’-ihg), parents of Abdul-Rahman Kassig, an American threatened with beheading by the Islamic State group, in interview, in interview)-“we cannot accommodate”-Ed and Paula Kassig say the militants holding their son Abdul-Rahman are asking the impossible, both in terms of money and government action. COURTESY: CBS “This Morning” ((mandatory on-air credit)) (13 Oct 2014) < 149-a-05-(Paula Kassig (KAS’-ihg), mother of Abdul-Rahman Kassig, an American threatened with beheading by the Islamic State group, in interview)-“do love him”-Paula Kassig, whose son Abdul-Rahman Kassig is being threatened with beheading by the Islamic State group, desperately hopes for his release. COURTESY: NBC’s “Today” show ((mandatory on-air credit)) (13 Oct 2014) < 151-a-03-(Ed Kassig (KAS’-ihg), father of Abdul-Rahman Kassig, an American threatened with beheading by the Islamic State group, in interview)-“with the people”-Ed Kassig, whose son Abdul-Rahman Kassig is being threatened with beheading by the Islamic State group, says his son was in Syria to provide aid to refugees from the country’s deadly civil, and had complete respect for the principles of Islam. COURTESY: NBC’s “Today” show ((mandatory on-air credit)) (13 Oct 2014) < 152-a-10-(Ed Kassig (KAS’-ihg), father of Abdul-Rahman Kassig, an American threatened with beheading by the Islamic State group, in interview)-“than the moon”-Ed Kassig, whose son Abdul-Rahman Kassig is being threatened with beheading by the Islamic State group, reads part of a letter from his son that was delivered by a former hostage. COURTESY: NBC’s “Today” show (13 Oct 2014) < 150-a-05-(Paula Kassig (KAS’-ihg), mother of Abdul-Rahman Kassig, an American threatened with beheading by the Islamic State group, in interview)-“was running out”-Paula Kassig, whose son Abdul-Rahman Kassig is being threatened with beheading by the Islamic State group, says she and her husband received a disturbing audio message from their son. COURTESY: NBC’s “Today” show ((mandatory on-air credit)) (13 Oct 2014) < ISRAEL-PALESTINIANS Israel police raid Jerusalem holy site, block riot JERUSALEM (AP) β Israeli police say they raided a Jerusalem holy site to thwart an attack by Palestinian rioters. Spokesman Micky Rosenfeld says police got a tip about a planned violent demonstration and entered the Temple Mount Monday. Troops found firebombs and rocks at the scene and chased the demonstrators toward the Al-Aqsa mosque, where they barricaded themselves inside. No one was injured in the brief clash. The hilltop compound is revered by Jews as the Temple Mount, where the two biblical Jewish Temples stood. It is sacred to Muslims, who refer to it as the Noble Sanctuary, marking the place where they believe the Prophet Muhammad ascended to heaven. The site is the holiest in Judaism and the third holiest in Islam, and a frequent flashpoint for demonstrations.
