Sereno expulsion 'a mockery'
Church leaders in The Philippines have called a decision to expel the country’s chief justice a “mockery of our democratic process”.
With eight justices voting in favour and six against, the country’s Supreme Court on 11 May granted a “quo warranto” petition to remove Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno (pictured) from office. It was the first time in the history of The Philippines that the highest court has removed its own head.
Ms Sereno’s supposed failure to declare her assets before she was named head of the judiciary in 2012 was cited as the reason.
Fr Edwin Gariguez, executive secretary of the social action arm of the bishops’ conference, said the decision showed that President Rodrigo Duterte “has succeeded in controlling the judiciary” and added that the issue was about “creating a rubber stamp Supreme Court”.
Ortega accepts proposal for national dialogue
In a letter dated 11 May, Nicaragua’s President, Daniel Ortega, told the country’s bishops’ conference that he has accepted its proposal to begin a national dialogue.
Since 18 April, Nicaragua has experienced its worst political crisis under Mr Ortega, who was president from 1984 to 1990 and then re-elected for three consecutive terms, in 2007, 2011 and 2016. The protesters, the Catholic Church and the country’s main business association have all called for an end to the violence and for the authorities to allow the Inter-American Human Rights Commission (CIDH) to enter the country and investigate the deaths of 47 protesters. Last week, the foreign ministry invited the CIDH to visit Nicaragua.
Silvio José Baez, Auxiliary Bishop of Managua, celebrated a Mass for peace in Nicaragua on Sunday. “Those in a situation like this, of social injustice and criminal repression, who choose the path of passivity and fly the hypocritical flag of political impartiality, become accomplices of evil,” he said.
A coalition of opposition parties appeared to have won a majority in last Saturday’s parliamentary election in East Timor. With most votes counted, the Alliance of Change for Progress, led by former prime minister Xanana Gusmao, had won 34 of the 65 seats in the legislature. The ruling Fretilin party, led by the current prime minister, Mari Alkatiri, won 23.
The vote was preceded by controversy over what appeared to be support for Fretilin from Bishop Basilio do Nascimento of Baucau, head of the country’s bishops’ conference. Before the elections in the mainly Catholic country, the Church reportedly accepted a gift of US$15m from the Fretilin-led government, leading to accusations of political favouritism. Church sources said the money for education, social welfare and churches was only released when the government was sure it could afford the donation.
Rohingya conference appeal
The Catholic bishops of Myanmar have asked the Holy See to organise an international conference on the situation of the effectively stateless Rohingya people. The bishops met Pope Francis and top Vatican officials in Rome on 8 May during an ad limina visit, when they discussed the ethnic conflicts that continue to plague their country and the plight of around 900,000 Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh and other countries. Cardinal Charles Bo, Archbishop of Yangon, described the Rohingya as “two million stateless people who move between India, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Indonesia, and Thailand”.
Knife attack condemned
Catholic bishops in South Africa strongly condemned the “bloody and futile” knife attack at the Shia Imam Hussain mosque in Verulam, in Durban, on 13 May, as security authorities grappled with speculation about the motive. The attackers slit the throat of the imam and two worshippers. The imam later died. “Religious tolerance has long been a characteristic of South African society and those who wish to wreak havoc, and set one faith community against another, must never succeed,” the bishops said in a statement.
Marx celebration ridiculed
The head of the Czech Church has ridiculed the current celebrations of Karl Marx’s 200th birthday, recalling that Marxism’s “militant atheism” had resulted in the deaths of millions of religious believers. “I belong to a generation whose childhood, youth and later life were marked by the reign of Marxist ideas,” said Dominik Duka, Cardinal Archbishop of Prague. “Militant atheism, Marx’s creation, not only demonstrably and tangibly devastated society in the name of man’s liberation, but also produced millions of victims, among whom Christian witnesses played a significant role,” he said. The cardinal made his blog comments as a 16-foot bronze statue of Marx (1818-1883), a gift from communist-ruled China, was unveiled in his hometown of Trier in southern Germany at a ceremony that Church and government representatives attended.
Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Archbishop of New York, has said he “didn’t see anything sacrilegious” at last week’s Met Gala, where celebrities dressed in Catholic-inspired outfits. The annual ball, which opened the Metropolitan Museum’s summer exhibition, “Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination”, saw celebrities sporting religious symbols. Rihanna (above) came dressed as in papal vestments. “I may have seen some things in poor taste,” Dolan said, “but I didn’t detect anybody out to offend the Church.”
The date and place for the canonisation of Oscar Romero is due to be announced today (19 May). The Pope is expected to reveal the details at a consistory of cardinals in Rome who will gather to vote on six sainthood causes, including that of Paul VI. It is believed that Francis will canonise the martyred former Archbishop of San Salvador along with Pope Paul at a ceremony in Rome in October.
Supercar fetches £630,000
A Lamborghini donated to Pope Francis has been sold at auction for 715,000 euros (£630,000). Designed in papal colours of white and gold, the Huracan RWD was a gift from the company to Francis who in turn signed it and put it under the hammer. The money raised from the Sotheby’s sale will go to four charities: Aid to the Church in Need, to help exiled Christians resettle in Iraq; the Pope John XXIII Community; “Progetto Casa Papa Francesco” (Pope Francis House Project); and two Italian associations working in Africa.
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