NYPD-OFFICERS SHOT
Prayers and pleas for peace after the ambush of two NYPD officers
NEW YORK (AP) — New York City Police Commissioner William Bratton and Mayor Bill de Blasio attended Sunday Mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, where Cardinal Timothy Dolan called for calm after the killing of two police officers. Bratton later visited the families of both officers and laid flowers at a makeshift memorial at the site of the slayings.
Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams also visited the memorial, calling on protest organizers to “hold off on any type of protest until these officers are laid to rest in a peaceful manner.”
The family of slain Officer Rafael Ramos also appealed for peace in the days ahead.
Cousin Ronnie Gonzalez said the family has already forgiven the gunman. “He’s in the hands of God now,” he said. “We don’t believe in vengeance; we just forgive.”
At an appearance with the Rev. Al Sharpton, Garner’s mother expressed her dismay over the killings of the officers.
“I’m standing here in sorrow about losing those two police officers. That was definitely not our agenda,” Gwen Garner said.
“We are going in peace, and anyone who’s standing with us, we want you to not use Eric Garner’s name for violence because we are not about that,” she added. “These two police officers lost their lives senselessly and our condolence to the family and we stand with the families.”
SOUND:
243-a-16-(Eric Adams, Brooklyn Borough President, in AP interview)-“of our family”-Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams says when a police officer is slain, the entire community grieves with the police department. (21 Dec 2014)
< 244-a-11-(Eric Adams, Brooklyn Borough President, in AP interview)-“around public safety”-Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams says the community is rallying around the New York Police Department, as officers mourn the loss of one of their own. (21 Dec 2014) < 242-a-10-(Eric Adams, Brooklyn Borough President, with reporters)-“borough on city”-Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams says it’s time for New Yorkers to regroup and decide what type of city they want to live in. (21 Dec 2014) < 230-a-13-(Bishop David Benke (BEHN’-kee), president, Atlantic District of the Lutheran Church, with reporters)-“for the family”-Bishop David Benke, who knew Officer Rafael Ramos from church, says everyone is rallying around the family to help them. (21 Dec 2014) < 228-w-35-(Julie Walker, AP correspondent, with Ronnie Gonzalez, cousin of slain officer Rafael Ramos)–The family of slain Officer Rafael Ramos is counting on faith to get them through, and they offer hopes that calm will prevail in the city. AP correspondent Julie Walker reports. (21 Dec 2014) < VATICAN-PROTEST Protester takes perch on St. Peter’s facade VATICAN CITY (AP) — An Italian entrepreneur has lowered himself onto the facade of St. Peter’s Basilica, the fifth time he has evaded Vatican security to mount a public protest at one of Roman Catholicism’s holiest sites. Marcello di Finizio told The Associated Press by telephone from his perch overlooking St. Peter’s Square that he chose the spot above the Basilica’s main entrance because it was more visible than the cupola, which he had scaled on four previous protests. Di Finizio scaled the facade late Sunday afternoon and said he would remain on the narrow perch, directly above the loggia where Pope Francis is to give the Christmas Day blessing to the faithful this week, until Italian leaders agree to meet with him. Di Finizio says he is losing his business due to government reforms. SOUND: 267-r-13-(Marcello DiFinizio, protester who climbed onto St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican, speaking by mobile phone, saying in Italian: The county is always getting worse. They took my house away. Now, at the end of the year, they will also take my concession. What should I do?”)–Protester Marcello DiFinizio, who climbed onto St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican, says in Italian: “The county is always getting worse. They took my house away. Now, at the end of the year, they will also take my concession. What should I do?” (21 Dec 2014) < 268-r-20-(Marcello DiFinizio, protester who climbed onto St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican, speaking by mobile phone, saying in Italian: “I will stay here until the end. I will fall down due to exhaustion and it will be a murder. That has to be clear. I love life. I have fought all my life. I have built beautiful things, but I will stay here without eating, without sleeping, and without drinking until I can handle it and then I will fall down due to exhaustion. “)–Protester Marcello DiFinizio, who climbed onto St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican, says in Italian: “I will stay here until the end. I will fall down due to exhaustion and it will be a murder. That has to be clear. I love life. I have fought all my life. I have built beautiful things, but I will stay here without eating, without sleeping, and without drinking until I can handle it and then I will fall down due to exhaustion. ” (21 Dec 2014) < POPE BLESSING Pope offers blessings and Christmas wishes VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis s wished Christian pilgrims who had gathered to watch him at St Peter’s Square on Sunday a “joyful and fraternal Christmas.” Thousands of pilgrims crowded the square on Sunday to listen the Pope’s speech on the fourth Advent Sunday, the last Sunday before Christmas day. SOUND: 258-r-28-(sound of Pope Francis, at St. Peter’s Square, saying in Italian “I wish you a good Sunday and also a Christmas full of hope, with the doors opened to the Lord, I wish you a joyful and fraternal Christmas. Please do no forget to pray for me. Have a good Sunday and a good lunch. Good bye.”)–This is Pope Francis saying in Italian “I wish you a good Sunday and also a Christmas full of hope, with the doors opened to the Lord, I wish you a joyful and fraternal Christmas. Please do no forget to pray for me. Have a good Sunday and a good lunch. Good bye.” (21 Dec 2014) < CUBAN-AMERICAN CATHOLICS Pope’s role in Cuba deal fractures Cuban-American flock MIAMI (AP) — The work of Pope Francis to foster a thaw between the U.S. and Cuba has caused some fractures among Catholics in Miami. Though many Cuban-American Catholics praise the pontiff for encouraging progress, others feel betrayed by their spiritual leader. Those who equate Raul Castro with the devil are incensed by the pope’s diplomacy. Cuban exile Efrain Rivas says he feels abandoned, calling himself “a Catholic without a pope.” Miami Archbishop Thomas Wenski tells The Associated Press in an interview that some Cuban-American Catholics are indeed “concerned or suspicious” about abandoning U.S. efforts to isolate Cuba. But the top Miami church leader says, “you can’t build a future on top of resentments.” SATANIC DISPLAY-CAPITOL Satanic Temple puts up display at Michigan Capitol LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Christians and Satanists put up competing displays Sunday on the Michigan Capitol grounds as Christmas week got underway. The Detroit chapter of the Satanic Temple set up its “Snaketivity Scene” featuring a snake offering a book called “Revolt of the Angels” as a gift. The snake is wrapped around the Satanic cross on the 3-feet-by-3-feet display. Capitol rules require that displays have to be taken down each night. In a videotaped interview with the Lansing State Journal (http://on.lsj.com/1z9vp1h ), Satanic Temple spokeswoman Jex Blackmore said her group doesn’t worship Satan but does promote individuality, compassion and views that differ from Christian and conservative beliefs. Blackmore said that the “holiday season is a time of year that is celebrated in many different ways.” “Having our government endorse one singular viewpoint or method of celebrating the season is problematic when we have a diverse community of people in Michigan,” she said. Word of the Satanic Temple’s plans led state Sen. Rick Jones, a Grand Ledge Republican, to erect a Nativity scene on Friday featuring baby Jesus, Joseph and Mary. He put it back up Sunday morning. Jones said he was happy to “represent the light and not the darkness.” GAY MARRIAGE-FLORIDA Supreme Court won’t stop gay marriages in Florida MIAMI (AP) — Same-sex weddings may soon begin in Florida after the U.S. Supreme Court refused to block them. The court said Friday it wouldn’t block the marriages. A federal judge previously declared Florida’s ban on gay marriage unconstitutional and said same-sex marriage licenses could start being issued in the state after Jan. 5 unless the Supreme Court intervened. Most federal judges and appeals courts have ruled against state bans and gay marriages are occurring in about three dozen states. The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati has upheld the right of four states to decide whether to allow gay marriage. Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi has fought to uphold the state’s ban. SOUND: 280-a-20-(Baylor Johnson, spokesman, American Civil Liberties Union of Florida, in AP interview)-“across the state”-Baylor Johnson, with the ACLU of Florida, says even though some county officials may not agree to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, he expects that most will. ((note length of cut)) (21 Dec 2014) < 281-a-17-(Baylor Johnson, spokesman, American Civil Liberties Union of Florida, in AP interview)-“and unconstitutional ban”-Baylor Johnson, with the ACLU of Florida, says even though there are more court cases surrounding same-sex marriage in Florida, these favorable rulings from a federal court and the U.S. Supreme Court are significant. (21 Dec 2014) < 278-a-18-(Baylor Johnson, spokesman, American Civil Liberties Union of Florida, in AP interview)-“nation’s highest court”-Baylor Johnson, with the ACLU of Florida, says the Supreme Court’s refusal to lift a stay against Florida’s ban on same-sex marriage is a major push toward legalization. (21 Dec 2014) < 279-a-08-(Baylor Johnson, spokesman, American Civil Liberties Union of Florida, in AP interview)-“Court of Appeals”-Baylor Johnson, with the ACLU of Florida, says, with the nation’s highest court refusing to put a stay on Florida’s same-sex marriage ban, gay couples can start getting married after the stay-of-execution expires on January 5th. (21 Dec 2014) < PEDESTRIANS HIT Not guilty plea in crash that killed pedestrians leaving church TORRANCE, Calif. (AP) — A woman charged with running her car into a crowd of pedestrians outside a California church appeared in court on a stretcher and pleaded not guilty. Fifty-six-year-old Margo Bronstein entered the plea in a Torrance courtroom Friday to four felony counts of gross vehicular manslaughter and one count of driving under the influence of a drug causing injury. Four people including a 6-year-old boy died in the Wednesday night collision in Redondo Beach outside a church Christmas event. Bronstein appeared in court handcuffed to the stretcher and attended by two paramedics. A judge ordered her held on $500,000. Bronstein’s attorney Jeffrey Gray told the judge that the collision was an accident and argued for lower bail, but was refused. CHURCH DISTURBANCE-DEATH Prosecutor says no charges in church disturbance death INDIAN LAKE, N.Y. (AP) — Prosecutors say they won’t bring any charges against churchgoers in the death of an armed man they restrained when he caused a violent disturbance during an upstate New York service. Authorities say Jason Berg was carrying a loaded handgun when he went into St. Mary’s Church in Indian Lake on June 28, threw candles into the congregation, cursed at the priest and advanced toward him. Parishioners intervened, and Berg struggled with them but then abruptly became unresponsive. An autopsy concluded that his cause of death was “sudden cardiac arrhythmia” brought on by an acute stress reaction, with “acute alcohol intoxication” as a factor. Hamilton County District Attorney Marsha Purdue said Friday she concluded the 44-year-old’s death was tragic but “not the result of criminal behavior.” FRANCISCANS-FINANCIAL CRISIS Franciscan religious order in ‘grave’ financial crisis ROME (AP) — The main Franciscan religious order in the Roman Catholic Church is in a financial crisis because of alleged wrongdoing from within and outside its ranks. The head of the Order of Friars Minor said in a statement from Rome that questionable financial activities by some friars and outsiders have caused a grave situation that threatens the financial stability of the religious order The Rev. Michael Perry says the order’s financial oversight was either too weak or was compromised. The general treasurer in the order’s administrative offices has resigned. The order has notified church and civil authorities and is reviewing its finances going back to 2003. Perry revealed the crisis in a statement posted Wednesday on the order’s website. The Order of Friars Minor has about 15,000 members worldwide. FIRED OVER FERTILIZATION Jury rules for Indiana woman in firing over in vitro fertilization FORT WAYNE, Ind. (AP) — A jury has found that a northern Indiana Roman Catholic diocese discriminated against a teacher when it fired her after church officials learned she was trying to get pregnant through in vitro fertilization. WANE-TV reports the jury on Friday ruled Emily Herx was the victim of discrimination when the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend declined to renew her contract at St. Vincent de Paul School. Her attorneys had argued that similarly situated male teachers caught doing things the church views as immoral were allowed to keep their jobs. The jury awarded Herx $1.75 million for emotional and physical damages, $75,000 for lost wages and $1 in punitive damages. The diocese plans to file an appeal. The diocese contended she violated the terms of her contract. MUSLIM INMATE-LAWSUIT Ohio Muslim woman sues over jail church attendance CLEVELAND (AP) — A Muslim woman has sued a northeast Ohio county alleging she was forced to attend Christian church services during a 60-day jail stint on an assault charge. Sakeena Majeed says in a federal lawsuit filed Thursday a correction officer made her and other Cuyahoga (ky-uh-HOH’-guh) County jail inmates attend Friday afternoon services led by a Baptist minister. Majeed is from the Cleveland suburb Rocky River. She alleges she was threatened with solitary confinement if she didn’t attend and another correction officer mocked her when she refused to actively participate in the service Majeed’s attorney says it was a clear breach of his American-born client’s constitutional right of religious freedom, which isn’t lost when someone is jailed. The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages. A spokesman for the county prosecutor has declined to comment. PANAMA-NORIEGA Panama’s Noriega prays in prison 25 years post-invasion PANAMA CITY (AP) — Former Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega is nearly forgotten, languishing in a steamy jungle prison near the interoceanic canal while the country enjoys democracy and economic prosperity a quarter-century after the strongman was toppled by a U.S. military invasion. Noriega, now 80, is likely to spend the rest of his life behind bars. In the waning days of the Cold War, Noriega was seen by U.S. President Ronald Reagan’s administration as an ally against the leftist Sandinista government in Nicaragua, but eventually fell out with Washington. Shortly before Christmas 1989, U.S. President George H.W. Bush ordered the invasion to oust Noriega. The dictator holed up in the Vatican Embassy, and U.S. forces blasted it with incessant loud rock music until he surrendered the following month. One of his defense attorneys, Ezra Angel, says these days Noriega spends his time in a cell reading the Bible, and is sometimes visited by local and foreign religious leaders. NYPD TOY GIVEAWAY NYPD gets in holiday spirit with toy giveaways NEW YORK (AP) — New York City’s police department has been taking part in a toy giveaway program for Christmas. Police Benevolent Association president Pat Lynch says the program is an opportunity for officers to try to help community residents. Reverend Les Mullings, the pastor at the Church of the Nazarene in Far Rockaway in Queens, says the effort is heart-warming. His church is where a toy donation took place. SOUND: 088-a-11-(Reverend Les Mullings, pastor, Church of the Nazarene in Far Rockaway, Queens, in AP interview)-“enough for me”-Reverend Les Mullings, the pastor at the Church Of the Nazarene in Far Rockaway where the toy donation took place, says it’s heartwarming. (21 Dec 2014) < 087-a-13-(Pat Lynch, president, Police Benevolent Association, in AP interview)-“on their own”-Police Benevolent Association president Pat Lynch says the free toy giveaway is an opportunity for police officers to try help community residents. (21 Dec 2014) < 160-a-13-(Pat Lynch, president, Police Benevolent Association, in AP interview)-“on their own”-Police Benevolent Association president Pat Lynch says the free toy giveaway is an opportunity for police officers to try help community residents. (20 Dec 2014) < 161-a-11-(Reverend Les Mullings, pastor, Church of the Nazarene in Far Rockaway, Queens, in AP interview)-“enough for me”-Reverend Les Mullings, the pastor at the Church Of the Nazarene in Far Rockaway where the toy donation took place, says it’s heartwarming. (20 Dec 2014) < TOYS OF HOPE Toys of Hope Program under way on Long Island UNIONDALE, N.Y. (AP) — Toys of Hope founder Melissa Doktofsky says she’s been giving out hundreds of toys to homeless children on Long Island. The program took place over the weekend in several locations there. Doktofsky says it is great to see the children accept the toys because otherwise they probably wouldn’t have anything like that for Christmas. She says some of the children were crying with excitement when they receive their gifts. SOUND: %@AP Links 084-a-11-(Melissa Doktofsky (DAHK’-tahf-skee), founder, Toys of Hope, in AP interview)-“and crying excited”-Toys of Hope founder Melissa Doktofsky says she is giving out hundreds of toys to homeless children on Long Island this weekend including today at a public library in Uniondale, N.Y. (21 Dec 2014) < 086-a-12-(Melissa Doktofsky (DAHK’-tahf-skee), founder, Toys of Hope, in AP interview)-“on their feet”-Toys of Hope founder Melissa Doktofsky says homeless families seem even more desperate now than in past years. (21 Dec 2014) < 085-a-09-(Melissa Doktofsky (DAHK’-tahf-skee), founder, Toys of Hope, in AP interview)-“one I wanted”-Toys of Hope founder Melissa Doktofsky says it is great to see homeless children accept toys when they otherwise wouldn’t have any on Christmas. ((Toys of Hope is giving out hundreds of toys this weekend to homeless children in Long Island, N.Y.)) (21 Dec 2014) < 139-a-09-(Melissa Doktofsky (DAHK’-tahf-skee), founder, Toys of Hope, in AP interview)-“one I wanted”-Toys of Hope founder Melissa Doktofsky says it is great to see homeless children accept toys when they otherwise wouldn’t have any on Christmas. ((Toys of Hope is giving out hundreds of toys this weekend to homeless children in Long Island, N.Y.)) (20 Dec 2014) < 138-a-11-(Melissa Doktofsky (DAHK’-tahf-skee), founder, Toys of Hope, in AP interview)-“and crying excited”-Toys of Hope founder Melissa Doktofsky says she is giving out hundreds of toys to homeless children on Long Island this weekend including today at a public library in Uniondale, N.Y. (20 Dec 2014) < 140-a-12-(Melissa Doktofsky (DAHK’-tahf-skee), founder, Toys of Hope, in AP interview)-“on their feet”-Toys of Hope founder Melissa Doktofsky says homeless families seem even more desperate now than in past years. (20 Dec 2014) <
