U.S.
Supreme Court examines freedom of speech at crisis pregnancy centers
WASHINGTON
— In oral arguments before the Supreme Court March 20, justices seemed
skeptical about a California law that requires pro-life pregnancy
centers in the state to visibly display information about abortions to
their clients that the centers say violates their right to free speech. A
few of the justices asked about the state’s motivation to put the law
in place, wondering if it was more about educating women about
state-provided services or if it was meant to specifically target
centers offering pregnancy-related services that clients might assume
are medical facilities. Justice Elena Kagan said it would be a problem
and a First Amendment issue if the law was “gerrymandered” to only apply
to certain types of service providers. The law’s requirement that
licensed and unlicensed centers disclose their status in advertisements
in large type and in many languages was seen as an “undue burden” by
Justice Anthony Kennedy, who asked if this would apply — and was told it
would — to an unlicensed facility that wanted to have a “choose life”
or “pro-life” billboard. Justice Sonia Sotomayor agreed that aspect of
the law, in some cases, was “burdensome and wrong.”
After Vatican verdict, Guam archbishop apologizes for predecessor’s ‘harm’
VATICAN
CITY — Publicly apologizing on behalf of the whole archdiocese for the
“grave harm” caused by former Archbishop Anthony S. Apuron of Agana,
Archbishop Michael J. Byrnes said a new chapter of humility, repentance
and healing has opened for the Catholic Church in Guam following a
Vatican verdict against his predecessor. “I called and still call upon
all Catholics on Guam to intensify their prayers and with great
humility, offer sacrifice for the grave harm and sins which we have
experienced or have enabled in our Church,” Archbishop Byrnes said
during a news conference in Guam March 18. “We hang our heads in shame
for the grave evil one member inflicted upon others, in this case the
most vulnerable,” he said in remarks, which were later released in a
written statement.
WORLD
Pope to attend World Meeting of Families
VATICAN
CITY — Receiving a delegation from Ireland and blessing an icon of the
Holy Family, Pope Francis confirmed his intention to visit Dublin for
the final days of the World Meeting of Families. “On the occasion of the
next World Meeting of Families, I plan on going to Dublin from August
25 to 26 this year. I thank the civil authorities, the bishops, the
archbishop of Dublin and all those who are helping prepare this trip.
Thank you,” he said. Along with Archbishop Diarmuid Martin of Dublin,
president of the world meeting, the delegation included two families
from Ireland.
Brazilian bishop charged with stealing millions from diocesan donations
BRASILIA,
Brazil — Bishop Jose Ronaldo Ribeiro of Formosa was arrested and
charged, along with four diocesan priests, of stealing about $606
million of diocesan money. On March 21, two days after the arrest, Pope
Francis named Archbishop Paulo Mendes Peixoto of Uberaba to serve as
apostolic administrator of the diocese. The pope didn’t remove Bishop
Ribeiro from his post. Prosecutors in the state of Goias allege Bishop
Ribeiro and the priests purchased a cattle ranch and a lottery store
with the diverted money. The courts authorized prosecutors to wiretap
the telephones of the accused. Officials who issued the warrants and
searched the bishop’s home said they found money hidden in a secret
compartment in a closet. The bishop is also suspected of stealing from
parishioners in another diocese, where he served from 2007 to 2014.
Prosecutors are now said to be looking into allegations that priests
paid Bishop Ribeiro monthly “allowances” so that they could be placed in
more profitable parishes.
Pope will celebrate Holy Thursday Mass at prison
VATICAN
CITY — Pope Francis once again will celebrate the Holy Thursday Mass of
the Lord’s Supper in a prison and will wash the feet of 12 inmates. The
pope will celebrate the evening Mass on March 29 at Rome’s Regina Coeli
prison, the Vatican announced March 20. Before Mass, the pope will
visit sick inmates in the prison infirmary, the Vatican said. He will
celebrate the Mass and wash the feet of 12 inmates in the prison’s
central rotunda. A former convent built in the 1600s, Regina Coeli has
operated as a prison since the 1890s.
Catholic leaders criticize Duterte’s withdrawal of Philippines from ICC
MANILA,
Philippines — Several Philippine Catholic leaders criticized President
Rodrigo Duterte’s decision that he was withdrawing the country from the
International Criminal Court, which is investigating his international
war on drugs. “The Philippines is not Duterte,” said Manila Auxiliary
Bishop Broderick Pabillo, head of the Episcopal Commission on the Laity.
His remarks were reported by ucanews.com. The bishop said the
president’s decision only showed that there might be a basis for the
allegations leveled against him. “(He) is afraid of accountability.
Duterte should be investigated,” said Bishop Pabillo.
Pope ordains three bishops to serve as nuncios
VATICAN
CITY — Celebrating the feast of St. Joseph, Pope Francis ordained three
new bishops who will serve as papal nuncios, or ambassadors. The new
bishops are: Archbishop Jose Bettencourt, a priest of the Archdiocese of
Ottawa and former head of diplomatic protocol for the Vatican;
Archbishop Alfred Xuereb, a Maltese who was general secretary of the
Vatican Secretariat for the Economy and had served as assistant personal
secretary to Pope Benedict XVI; and Archbishop Waldemar Sommertag, a
career Vatican diplomat from Poland. Archbishop Bettencourt will be
nuncio to Georgia and Armenia; Archbishop Xuereb will take up posts as
the nuncio to South Korea and to Mongolia; and Archbishop Sommertag will
serve as nuncio to Nicaragua.
— Catholic News Service