Catholic Religious Order Files for Chapter 11

AP news reports that a second Catholic religious order in the United States has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The AP new story can be viewed at the following link:

Catholic religious order files for Chapter 11

Why Transsexual/Transgender Rights Matter

On June 11th, various news sources announced that Chastity Bono, the only daughter of Sonny and Cher, had begun sex change procedures earlier this year.

Although the transsexual/transgender segment of the population is very small, their fight for rights, and the attention they are receiving in the media, are a significant assault both on the traditional family, and on those religious authorities and denominations that proclaim that gender is divinely assigned.

Read about this issue in the TwoMinuteBriefing - Why Transsexual/Transgender Rights Matter.

To access the PDF file, click here.

Connecticut Claims Diocese Acted As Lobbying Organization

In March of this year, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Bridgeport, Connecticut, rented buses so that people could attend a rally in Hartford. The rally was to protest a bill that would have granted parishioners more power with regards to church finances.

The church, via its web site, also urged its members to contact lawmakers about this bill. The bill was eventually withdrawn.

At the same time, the Diocese urged its members to contact lawmakers regarding a same-sex marriage bill. That bill passed, and was signed into law in April.

According to Connecticut law, if an individual or organization spends more than $2,000 a year lobbying, it must register as a lobbyist.

Bishop William Lori of the Bridgeport Diocese is quoted as saying:

It seems to me that by requiring a diocese or any other entity to register with the state before it can protest an unfriendly action by the state has a chilling affect. I don't think it's in anyone's interest that a protest rally be labeled lobbying.

To read the Fox News story on this issue, click here.

Catholic Priest now Episcopalian Minister

Father Alberto Cutié, who was removed from his Catholic parish in early May after photos surfaced of him sharing physical affection with a woman on a Florida beach, has left the Catholic Church and preached his first sermon before an Episcopalian congregation today, Sunday May 31st.

An exceptionally well known Miami Beach based Catholic Priest, Father Cutié was known as Father Oprah, because of his media popularity.

When the photos first came to light, Father Cutié appeared before a variety of news programs, appearing at times contrite and apologetic for his behavior. In at least one program, he defended the Catholic Church's requirements of celibacy for priests.

Now, he has decided to leave the Catholic Church, but not his profession as a minister.

Although it is certianly not unusual for individuals to change denominations as a result of doctrinal disagreements, for an individual as visible (as now) Rev. Cutié to do so, particularly after he was caught violating a tenet he had vowed to keep is indeed troubling for the following reasons:

1. It sends the message that the individual is pre-eminent, not the doctrine or the rules of the church or organization to which one belongs,
2. It diminishes the concepts of integrity and commitment. Certainly it might be said that we must be true to ourselves, but when that concept is used as a justification to ignore or violate commitments that we have made to others, to a community, or in this case to a church, then we are effectively saying that we are not governed by any rules other than the ones we choose to obey at a particular time.

To read the ABC News story, click here.
To read the Fox News story, click here.

Pope Encourages Bishops of Peru to Relaunch Missionary Spirit

The Vatican Information Service reported in its May 16-18 summary that during their ad limina visit, the bishops of Peru had been encouraged by the Pope to relaunch a missionary spirit. The Pope told the bishops

This means relaunching the missionary spirit, not out of fear of the future, but because the Church is a dynamic presence, and the true disciple of Jesus Christ takes pleasure in freely transmitting His divine Word to others and sharing with them the love that flowed from His open side on the cross.

Although it might seem odd for the Pope to be calling for renewed missionary spirit in a highly predominant country in a highly predominant region, this is very much in keeping with previous conferences of bishops in Latin America where concern was expressed over the success of "North American" churches in obtaining converts.

The Pope Reaches Out Online

The Vatican has launched a new website named Pope2You.net.

The website is designed to make it easier for those of the "digital generation" to receive inspirational messages from Pope Benedict.

The site includes access to a Facebook app, and iPhone app, a YouTube link, and what promises to be a Wiki like site entitled WikiCath.

TwoMinuteBriefing readers may recall that last May the Pope sent thousands of Catholic youth text messages on their mobile phones during World Youth Day in Sydney.

To read the AP story, click here.

To visit the new Vatican website, click here.