By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Journalist
The Church in South America is responding to the crisis of waning baptisms in the western world by holding “baptism days” when children and adults who are not actively practicing their faith can receive the sacrament.
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Same-sex marriage proponents are threatening to cause disruptions in the diocese of every bishop who signed the Manhattan Declaration, a statement calling on Christians to stand up for their belief in the sanctity of life, traditional marriage and religious liberty.
California Catholic Daily has published a post appearing on GayBuzz.blogspot that calls upon gay activists to punish Bishop Salvatore Cordileone of the Catholic Diocese of Oakland for signing the declaration.
“It is time we let Bishop Cordileone know there are consequences for his actions,” the blogger states. “Is anyone up for a rally in front of the Oakland Diocese or a disruption of services? Let me know and I’m happy to help organize.”
After listing an address where people could write to the bishop, the blogger goes on to say: “By the way, here are the other Catholic cardinals and bishops who signed the Manhattan Declaration.” Listed are the names of the 17 bishops who signed the Declaration to date.
The blogger cites Fred Karger of Californians Against Hate who refers to the 152 framers of the document as “zealots” who “drafted, approved and signed their Declaration of War on full civil rights for gay, lesbian, bi-sexual and transgender (LGBT) Americans last week. They threw in some other societal beefs, just to try and mask the overriding issue, their fervent opposition to same-sex marriage.”
The Manhattan Declaration is a 4,700 word declaration crafted by a coalition of prominent Christian clergy, ministry leaders, and scholars addressing the sanctity of life, traditional marriage, and religious liberty. The declaration issues “a clarion call” to Christians to adhere to their convictions and informs civil authorities that the signers will not “under any circumstance” abandon their Christian consciences.”
The most controversial remarks in the document concern the pledge to refuse to obey any laws that compel citizens to do something unjust or immoral.
“…We will not comply with any edict that purports to compel our institutions to participate in abortions, embryo-destructive research, assisted suicide and euthanasia, or any other anti-life act,” the document states, “nor will we bend to any rule purporting to force us to bless immoral sexual partnerships, treat them as marriage or the equivalent, or refrain from proclaiming the truth, as we know it, about morality and immorality and marriage and the family.”
The Manhattan Declaration can be found at
http://www.manhattandeclaration.org/
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http://www.womenofgrace.com
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by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Journalist
The fallout from “Climategate” is continuing as one scientist at the center of the controversy voluntarily steps down and another is under investigation.
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By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Journalist
The same humanist group that peppered the Washington DC transit system with signs reading "Why Believe in a God? Just be Good for Goodness' Sake” last Christmas is back with a new and larger campaign aimed at the growing percentage of people who claim no religious affiliation.
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By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Journalist
Researchers have found that loneliness spreads among friends and family as easily as a cold or the flu.
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By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Journalist
Nick Baines, the Anglican bishop of Croydon in England, says traditional Christmas carols are embarrassing because they twist the birth of Jesus into a fairytale.
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by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Journalist
Pope Benedict XVI was said to have become “visibly upset” on Friday when presented with the details of a report documenting clerical sex abuse in Ireland that occurred from 1975 to 2004.
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By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Journalist
Bishops in the state of New Jersey are instructing their priests to read or distribute a letter this weekend asking Catholics to pray that lawmakers will not allow same-sex marriage to become law in their state. The measure is aimed at countering a move by lawmakers in the state to rush through a bill permitting gay marriage before Governor-elect Chris Christie, who opposes the measures, takes office.
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By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Journalist
This year’s World Day Against AIDS, organized by UNAIDS and celebrated today, is calling everyone, especially those directly involved in the fight against AIDS, to renew their commitment to prevent this incurable disease which is currently infecting more than 40 million people globally.
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By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Journalist
Senator James Inhofe (R-OK) has ordered all scientists and federal agencies involved in manipulating data to prove their theories of man-made global warming to “retain [related] documents” pending an investigation.
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