Catholic World News Headlines

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Cameroon: Cardinal leads 20,000 in protest against abortion
Cardinal Christian Wiyghan Tumi of Douala led over 20,000 people in a march protesting the sixth anniversary of the legalization of abortion throughout much of Africa. The Maputo Protocol, adopted by many African nations, legalized “medical abortion in cases of sexual assault, rape, incest, and where the continued pregnancy endangers the mental and physical health of the mother or the life of the mother or the foetus.” . .“We cannot pretend to defend women by proposing that they have an abortion and use contraception, which threatens their dignity and his family nucleus,” said Coadjutor Archbishop Samuel Kleda of Douala at a homily concluding the march. “No reason can be used to justify abortion or infanticide.”

Diocese, K. of C. donate $150,000 to overturn same-sex marriage
The Diocese of Portland-- Maine’s sole diocese-- and the Knights of Columbus have contributed $100,000 and $50,000 respectively to the campaign to overturn Maine’s new same-sex marriage law. Stand for Marriage Maine raised $346,690 between June 3 and July 3 to fund its effort to gather over a half million signatures for a ballot initiative.
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Ohio Innocence Project assists priest convicted in brutal slaying of nun
The Ohio Innocence Project is assisting Father Gerald Robinson, who was convicted in 2006 in the brutal 1980 murder of a nun. In a setback for Father Robinson, a recent test failed to link DNA on the nun’s fingernails to another priest. .Read more in the Toledo Blade.

Vatican Museums offer special sunset tour
The Vatican Museums have announced a special evening tour, offering views of the sunset over St. Peter's basilica and access to the Raphael rooms and the Apostolic Library. The tour will be offered only on Friday, July 24, when the Museum will remain open until 11. The tour is available only with advance reservations. .

Indiana bishop requires central placement of tabernacle
Bishop John D'Arcy of Fort Wayne-South Bend, Indiana, has issued a directive that the tabernacle should be centrally placed in all churches of that diocese. "My experience is that our people, with their instinct of faith, have always desired that the tabernacle be central and visible," Bishop D'Arcy said in a letter announcing the new diocesan norms. His letter was accompanied by a series of new norms for the diocese, explaining the theological rationale for the policy and encouraging greater reverence for the Eucharist. The norms made it clear: . . .

Episcopal bishops move towards blessing homosexual relationships
By a 104-30 margin, the bishops of the Episcopal Church have voted to “collect and develop theological and liturgical resources” for “the blessing of same gender relationships.” The resolution also encouraged “bishops, particularly those in dioceses within civil jurisdictions where same-gender marriage, civil unions, or domestic partnerships are legal,” to “provide generous pastoral response to meet the needs of members of this Church.” . . .

New personnel shifts in Vatican focus on Secretariat of State
On July 16 the Vatican announced a series of personnel changes, including new appointments to several mid-level posts in the Secretariat of State. The moves-- announced after Pope Benedict had left Rome for his summer vacation-- came after weeks of rumors about a possible shake-up in the powerful Secretariat of State; Vatican-watchers suspect that further changes may soon follow. .

Church of England refuses to sell church to SSPX
Following objections from members of Parliament and others, the Church Commissioners of the Church of England have blocked the sale of a Manchester parish to the Society of St. Pius X. “Such a sale was not in the interests of community cohesion, ecumenical relations or inter-faith work,” a spokesman for the Anglican Diocese of Manchester said. . . .
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