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News Digest

Issue of March 30 – April 12, 2008
The following items are condensed. For the complete articles, please read the print edition of The Catholic New World. To subscribe, call (312) 534-7777.

News Update

God in the Bible

Barbara Bowe of Catholic Theological Union will offer an introduction on how the Bible can be a resource for faith and spiritual life.

"On Holy Ground: Encountering God in the Bible" takes place from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. April 19 at St. John of the Cross in Western Springs. Bowe, an expert on biblical spirituality, will focus on the many ways God is revealed in the Exodus story and the Gospel stories of Jesus healing the sick.

This Chicago Catholic Scripture School special event is open to everyone. Cost is $40, which includes morning hospitality and lunch. For more information, contact the Office for Catechesis and Youth Ministry of the Archdiocese of Chicago at (312) 243-3700 or [email protected]. For a registration form or to register on-line, go to www.catechesis-chicago.org, then click on the Chicago Catholic Scripture School logo.

Looking for a good marriage?

St. Agnes of Bohemia Parish will host "How To Avoid Marrying A Jerk or Jerkette" for single adults and "Love U 2" for teenagers on Tuesdays from April 29-May 20.

Refreshments are offered at 6:30 p.m. and classes run from 7-10 p.m. For information, call the Family Ministries Office at (312) 751-8351. St. Agnes of Bohemia is at 2651 S. Central Park Ave., Chicago.

News Digest

People can see pope as he travels from site to site

Washingtonians and visitors to the nation's capital will have opportunities to greet Pope Benedict XVI during his April 15-17 visit to Washington. "An important part of the pope's demanding itinerary includes opportunities for the public to see the pope as he travels to some events," according to a March 19 news release from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Risen Christ vanquished sin, death, pope says on Easter

In the darkness of night in St. Peter's Basilica as well as under dark skies unleashing torrents of rain on St. Peter's Square, Pope Benedict XVI said the risen Christ vanquished the darkness of sin and death.

"It is true: In the solemn Easter Vigil, darkness becomes light, night gives way to the day that knows no sunset," he said March 23, giving his Easter blessing "urbi et orbi" (to the city of Rome and the world) in St. Peter's Square during a storm.

Chiara Lubich, 88, founder of worldwide Focolare movement, dies

Chiara Lubich, the 88- year-old founder and perpetually smiling symbol of the Focolare movement, died early March 14 after what Pope Benedict XVI said was "a long and fruitful life" marked by her love for Jesus.

New TV Mass in Spanish begins

On Easter Sunday, the Archdiocese of Chicago's Office for Hispanic Catholics launched the first locally produced Spanish language Mass for Chicago-area television viewers. La Santa Misa Dominical, (The Sacred Sunday Mass) premiered March 23 at 8 a.m., on the Azteca America network, WOCK-TV and its affiliate stations.

The program featured a welcome and introduction by Father Claudio Diaz Jr., director of the Office for Hispanic Catholics.

Protesters disrupt Easter Sunday Mass

Six young people - all between the ages of 18 and 25 - were charged with felony criminal defacement of property and simple battery after spattering fake blood on themselves and nearby worshippers during the 11 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass in the auditorium at Holy Name Cathedral.

The three men and three women, calling themselves "Catholic Schoolgirls Against the War," yelled slogans in support of ending the war in Iraq before being removed by security guards and handcuffed by police who were on-site for crowd control at the popular Mass.

Sainthood cause for K of C founder moves forward

The sainthood cause of the founder of the Knights of Columbus has taken a major step forward. On March 15 Pope Benedict XVI approved a decree of "heroic virtues" for Father Michael McGivney, a U.S. priest who, after establishing the Knights of Columbus, worked as a pastor until his death at age 38.

Parishes hit domestic violence head on

Domestic violence knows no boundaries, economic, geographic or racial. It happens in every community and in every parish. It's just that some pastors, parish staff and parishioners don't want to look, said Deacon Dan Welter, a member of the Domestic Violence committee formed by the Office for Peace and Justice of the Archdiocese of Chicago.

Opening Day news: Baseball is a Catholic sport

Babe Ruth was dying. The cancer that had attacked him at a young 53 was eating him alive. As described in Leigh Montville's, "The Big Bam," "a statue of Blessed Martin de Porres, known as the Negro saint, stood on Babe's nightstand. On July 21 (1948), Ruth's condition worsened, and Father Kaufman gave him the Last Rites of the Church. It was a strangely controversial move. The priest received a lot of positive mail, but also some hate mail from Catholics throughout the country who thought that Ruth's profligate life didn't deserve forgiveness. One was written entirely in ecclesiastical Latin."

Belleville priests issue statement calling for their bishop to resign

More than half of the active priests of the Diocese of Belleville signed a public statement calling for Bishop Edward Braxton to resign, citing frustration with his leadership and their conclusion that "he has lost his moral authority."

In response the bishop issued a letter to Catholics in the diocese dated March 20, Holy Thursday, in which he stated he intends "to serve as bishop of the Diocese of Belleville for as long as the Holy Father wants me to do so."

Community called to name those with a religious call

On this Good Shepherd Sunday - the fourth Sunday after Easter - an initiative will begin to help potential shepherds and religious discern their call.

The program, "Called By Name," is sponsored by the Office for Vocations and aims for community participation in recommending those men and women whose vocation might be the priesthood or religious life.

The saint and the actor: Scofield illuminated More

Paul Scofield's portrayal of Sir Thomas More in "A Man for All Seasons" became a constant fixture in my memory from the first time I saw it at the ANTA Theater in New York in 1961. Robert Bolt's play is extraordinary, and Scofield seemed not merely to play More but to become him. I went three times to see his performance and once again to see his successor in the part, Emlyn Williams.

Young people take on a mission for God

It's a chilly morning, and the eight young women in the former convent at Our Lady of Victory Parish are off to a slow start. After morning prayer and breakfast, they are seated in a circle to talk about the day ahead, when they will take the Gospel to the streets.

They are among several dozen young people dispersed to about a dozen parishes in Chicago for a Holy Week "Youth Mission," organized by Regnum Christi, an apostolic movement affiliated with the Legionaries of Christ.