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Church in the WorldCardinal condemns minister?s adulteryGermany Christa Pongratz-Lippitt - 24 February 2007The Cardinal of Cologne, Joachim Meisner, has become embroiled in German party politics after criticising a leading government minister and member of the Christian Social Union, the Bavarian political party with a strong Catholic following, writes Christa Pongratz-Lippitt. Last weekend the tabloid Bild am Sonntag revealed that the Minister of Agriculture, Horst Seehofer, a Catholic with a wife and family, had a pregnant mistress. Seehofer is a candidate for the chairmanship of the conservative CSU party. Earlier this month Cardinal Meisner told the tabloid Kölner Express that, as Seehofer had an extramarital relationship, he was not a suitable candidate to lead a Christian party. Now pressure on him to step down, not only from the grassroots of the CSU but also from party leaders, is increasing. CSU politicians are now worried that Seehofer's candidacy will upset Bavarian Catholic voters, 78 per cent of whom voted for the CSU at the last state elections in 2003. Seehofer himself has not reacted to the cardinal's criticism. |
 In this week’s issueMaking markets moral Iron and velvet Love in a Catholic climate Someone to talk to A good Lent takes planning South American surprise Can the Church support abuse victims on its own terms? Elena Curti Is the Church too slow in recognising that academies are the future for Catholic schools? Christopher Lamb Goodwin the scapegoat Elena Curti The pain of being a coeliac Catholic Sr M, guest contributor The Church's moral obligation to victims of clerical sexual abuse Speeches from this week's conference in Rome This week in Rome bishops and religious superiors met at the first Vatican-backed symposium devoted to forging a global response to the crisis of clerical sexual abuse that has disgraced ... Archbishop voices 'shame and sorrow' after priest's abuse trial Longley to visit parishes 'damaged' by Walsh Today, Tuesday 7 February, Bede Walsh, who served as a Catholic priest in the Archdiocese of Birmingham, has been convicted by a jury, following a 10-day trial at Stoke-on-Trent ...
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