FATAL SHOOTINGS-KANSAS
Holder: Americans stand with Kansas City mourners
OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (AP) β Attorney General Eric Holder says all Americans are standing with relatives of the three people who were shot to death Sunday at Jewish community sites in suburban Kansas City.
Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback and several religious leaders also attended the interfaith service Thursday at the Jewish Community Center.
Rabbi Arthur Nemitoff assured the crowd of more than 1,000 that “God did not cause this pain. Rather, God like us is weeping for this loss.”
The Rev. Adam Hamilton said Mindy Corporan, whose son and father were among the victims, is absolutely certain that they’re now “safe in God’s arms.”
Avowed white supremacist Frazier Glenn Cross is charged with capital murder and premeditated first-degree murder in the killings of Dr. William Lewis Corporon and his grandson, Reat Griffin Underwood, outside the Jewish Community Center of Greater Kansas City.
Cross is also accused of killing Terri LaManno at a nearby Jewish retirement complex.
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211-w-34-(Steve Coleman, AP religion editor, with Attorney General Eric Holder and Rabbi Arthur Nemitoff)–Attorney General Eric Holder says all Americans are standing with relatives of the three people who were shot to death Sunday at Jewish community sites in suburban Kansas City. AP Religion Editor Steve Coleman reports. (17 Apr 2014)
< 201-a-08-(U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, at interfaith memorial service)-“should have held”-U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder three lives were cut short by Sunday’s shootings. (17 Apr 2014) < 203-a-13-(The Rev. Adam Hamilton, senior pastor of the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection, at interfaith memorial service)-“evil with good”-The Reverend Adam Hamilton, senior pastor of the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection, says relatives of two of the shooting victims attend his church. (17 Apr 2014) < 202-a-08-(The Rev. Adam Hamilton, senior pastor of the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection, at interfaith memorial service)-“in God’s arms”-The Reverend Adam Hamilton, senior pastor of the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection, notes Mindy Corporan’s faith as she mourns the loss of her father and her son in Sunday’s shootings. (17 Apr 2014) < 200-a-06-(Rabbi Arthur Nemitoff, senior rabbi of The Temple, Congregation B’nai Jehudah, at interfaith memorial service)-“art with me”-Rabbi Arthur Nemitoff, senior rabbi of The Temple, Congregation B’nai Jehudah, leads worshippers in reciting part of Psalm 23. (17 Apr 2014) < 181-r-32-(Sound of piano music as three memorial candles were lit at memorial service at Jewish Community Center, for three people fatally shot at two Jewish community sites)–Sound of piano music as three memorial candles were lit at a service for the lives lost in a weekend shooting at two Jewish community sites. (17 Apr 2014) < 180-r-15-(Sound of excerpt of Hebrew song for peace, at the memorial service at the Jewish Community Center)–Sound of excerpt of Hebrew song for peace at the memorial service at the Jewish Community Center. (17 Apr 2014) < 182-r-31-(Sound of singing, from memorial service at Jewish Community Center)–Sound of singing from memorial service at Jewish Community Center. (17 Apr 2014) < 176-a-12-(Attorney General Eric Holder, in remarks at memorial service)-“of Kansas City”-Attorney General Eric Holder says the friends and families of the victims should not feel alone in their suffering. (17 Apr 2014) < 175-a-14-(Attorney General Eric Holder, in remarks at memorial service)-“hate-fueled violence”-Attorney General Eric Holder pledges support for the families of the victims. (17 Apr 2014) < 177-a-13-(Attorney General Eric Holder, in remarks at memorial service)-“as a people”-Attorney General Eric Holder says hate crimes cannot be tolerated. (17 Apr 2014) < VATICAN-HOLY THURSDAY Pope washes feet of elderly, disabled in rite ROME (AP) β Pope Francis has washed the feet of 12 elderly and disabled people β women and non-Catholics among them β in a pre-Easter ritual designed to show his willingness to serve like a “slave.” Francis’ decision in 2013 to perform the Holy Thursday ritual on women and Muslim inmates at a juvenile detention center just two weeks after his election helped define his rule-breaking papacy. It riled traditionalist Catholics, who pointed to the Vatican’s own regulations that the ritual be performed only on men since Jesus’ 12 apostles were men. The 2014 edition brought Francis to a center for the elderly and disabled. Francis knelt down, washed, dried and kissed the feet of a dozen people, some in wheelchairs. Francis began Holy Thursday by presiding over Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica celebrating the priesthood, the start of a busy four days of Holy Week commemorations and preparations for next week’s canonization of Popes John Paul II and John XXIII. Sound: 218-r-07-(Choir singing while Pope Francis washed feet of the elderly, at Holy Thursday foot-washing ceremony)–Sound of choir singing while Pope Francis washes feet of the elderly during the foot-washing ceremony at the Holy Thursday Mass. (17 Apr 2014) < 217-r-10-(Pope Francis, at Holy Thursday foot-washing ceremony)–In Italian, Pope Francis says that by washing his apostles’ feet, “Jesus made a gesture, a job, the service of a slave, a servant.” (17 Apr 2014) < ISRAEL-JEWISH BLESSING Orthodox Jews receive blessing in Jerusalem JERUSALEM (AP) β Thousands of Orthodox Jews have received a ritual blessing at Jerusalem’s Western Wall, their faith’s holiest site. The priestly blessing is a ritual dating back more than 2,500 years, when King Solomon’s Temple stood at the same site. Thursday’s gathering was on the Passover holiday, which is one of three times each year when religious Jews are expected to make a brief pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Michael Ben David, a Jewish American who attended the blessing ceremony with his wife and children, said “We didn’t deserve to be here but the Almighty loves us so very much and he took us out of Egypt and I came from America for this moment.” The blessing was recited in Hebrew while the faithful covered their heads with prayer shawls. Sound: 208-w-14-(Michael Ben David, Jewish pilgrim from the U.S., in AP interview)-“love for us”-Michael Ben David, a Jewish pilgrim from the U.S., says he received the priestly blessing with his family at the Western Wall. (17 Apr 2014) < UKRAINE-RELIGION US decries anti-Semitic leaflets in Ukraine WASHINGTON (AP) β The United States is condemning the distribution of leaflets demanding that Jews in eastern Ukraine register with a self-proclaimed local authority or face consequences. U.S. officials also denounced other instances of religious intolerance that are inflaming tension in Ukraine and said no such behavior could be tolerated. Speaking in Geneva after top diplomats from the U.S., European Union, Russia and Ukraine reached agreement on steps to de-escalate the crisis. Secretary of State John Kerry denounced the leaflets as “grotesque.” Kerry also denounced apparent threats to members of the Russian Orthodox Church from members of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. He noted that the agreement signed on Thursday “strongly condemned and rejected all expressions of extremism, racism and religious intolerance, including anti-Semitism.” Sound: 197-a-06-(Secretary of State John Kerry, at joint news conference with European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton)-“it is beyond unacceptable”-Secretary of State John Kerry says all sides deplored the notices sent to some Jews in Ukraine saying they had to identify themselves. (17 Apr 2014) < US-RELIGIOUS FREEDOM AMBASSADOR U.S. religious freedom post still vacant after 6 months WASHINGTON (AP) β Six months after the resignation of Suzan Johnson Cook, the post of U.S. Ambassador at large for International Religious Freedom remains empty. At the National Prayer Breakfast in February, President Barack Obama said he looked forward to nominating a replacement, but State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf said Thursday she had “no update” on when that might happen. The post sat vacant for two years before Suzan Johnson Cook was confirmed. But Harf rejected a suggestion that the lingering vacancy reflects a lack of concern for religious freedom around the world. She said other State Department officials are dealing with the issue “every single day.” Sound: 253-a-11-(Marie Harf, State Department spokeswoman, at briefing)-“every single day”-State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf says the lingering vacancy doesn’t reflect a lack of concern for international religious freedom. (17 Apr 2014) < 252-a-17-(Marie Harf, State Department spokeswoman, at briefing)-“under religious freedom”-State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf says she has no update on when a new U.S. Ambassador at large for International Religious Freedom will be nominated. (17 Apr 2014) < SEMINARY-FIRING STAFF Court: Religious jobs exempt from some labor laws LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) β The Kentucky Supreme Court has ruled that religious institutions may hire and fire people from strictly religious jobs as they see fit but could face legal action if an employment contract is involved. In two decisions handed down Thursday, the justices reinstated lawsuits brought by two former staff members at the Lexington Theological Seminary. In both cases, Chief Justice John Minton concluded that the staff members had employment contracts with the school and should be able to pursue litigation over their dismissals. Minton concluded that without the contracts, the seminary would be allowed to dismiss former professors Laurence Kant and Jimmy Kirby under what is known as the “ministerial exception” to labor laws. The exception allows religious institutions to make employment decisions based on the institution’s beliefs. SAN DIEGO BISHOP-STROKE San Diego Roman Catholic bishop suffers stroke SAN DIEGO (AP) β Church officials say the bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of San Diego is being treated at a hospital after suffering a stroke. A church statement says Bishop Cirilo Flores was stricken Wednesday while in his office at the Diocesan Pastoral Center. Monsignor Steven F. Callahan said Thursday that Flores is “alert and in good spirits.” He’s expected to remain in the hospital for a few days. The bishop was appointed in September 2013, when he was 65. He succeeded Bishop Robert Brom. CHURCH-SCHOOL -EMBEZZLEMENT Man charged with stealing from church, school VAN BUREN, Ark. (AP) β Police in Arkansas have arrested a man for allegedly embezzling $94,000 from a church and a school where he handled the organizations’ finances. Van Buren police say 39-year-old John Richard Hays is charged with felony theft. Hays served as treasurer for Vista Free Will Baptist Church and as chief financial officer for Van Buren Christian Academy. Police say the theft took place over four years and that Hays was fired after church officials found problems in bank statements. It was unclear if Hays has an attorney. CHURCH ABUSE-SCHOOK Ky. jury says ex-priest should serve 15 years LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) β A jury says a former priest convicted of felony sex abuse charges in Kentucky should serve a 15-year prison sentence. James Schook’s attorneys had asked for a more lenient sentence since the 66-year-old has late-stage cancer and other health problems. Schook was convicted Wednesday of three counts of sodomy and one count of indecent or immoral practice with another for abuses of a teenage boy at a Louisville church in the early 1970s. A witness at the trial said he was 13 when he began a years-long sexual relationship with Schook. The two often met on church property. Schook will remain on house arrest until he is formally sentenced by Jefferson Circuit Judge Mitch Perry on May 30. JAMES DOBSON-BIRTH CONTROL Christian broadcaster wins health care injunction DENVER (AP) β Christian radio broadcaster James Dobson has won a temporary injunction preventing the federal government from requiring his ministry to include the morning-after pill and other emergency contraception in its health insurance. A federal judge in Denver issued the injunction Thursday. Dobson sued in December, saying the Affordable Care Act mandate to provide the contraception violates the religious beliefs of his Colorado Springs-based ministry, called Family Talk. The U.S. Supreme Court is considering similar challenges from Hobby Lobby and other employers. Dobson is founder and president of Family Talk, which has a nationally syndicated radio show, newsletter and website. The lawsuit says the ministry has 28 full-time employees. He’s best known as founder of the conservative Focus on the Family ministry. He left that group and launched Family Talk in 2010.
