A theme is emerging today: Division—over abortion politics, division within the Methodist denomination, division among women facing the Taliban’s decree on face covering, and one area that won’t go away, division among Catholics about the Latin Mass.
A suggested plan for today: Skim through what we have to offer then come back to what grabbed your attention.
First we begin with an image that will remain in your head. The U.S. bishops have decided to shut down Catholic News Service in the United States. Tony Spence, the former director and editor-in-chief of Catholic News Service, said the news of the shutdown arrived “like a dead bird falling on the dining room table during supper.”
The bishops will shut down the Washington and New York offices of Catholic News Service. The Rome bureau will remain open. https://www.ncronline.org/news/people/catholic-news-service-cease-domestic-operations-years-end?utm_source=NCR+List&utm_campaign=86313a2603-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2022_05_09_09_18&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_6981ecb02e-86313a2603-230583134
On a more positive note, Cathy Harmon-Christian says, “In case you didn’t see it, Awake Milwaukee just announced they will be holding Synod Sessions, in particular for those who have been affected by clergy sexual abuse. These sessions will take place online in June: www.awakemilwaukee.org/synod.
The essential topic this week, of course, must be abortion.
A report in the Guardian, entitled “Divided States of America,” considers the demise of the 1973 Roe ruling to be “the biggest wedge yet between what appears to be two irreconcilable nations.
The leaked opinion has prompted discussions of when does life begin, how religious differences shape abortion views, the impact of the leaking of the draft, what Republican-appointed justices said about their views then and now, and how the desire to save lives may cost the lives of many.
When does life begin ?
https://www.npr.org/2022/05/08/1097274169/when-does-life-begin-religions-dont-agree
Religion and abortion
The Leak: Is there a new American motto: In nothing we trust?
What the justices said then and now
https://apnews.com/article/abortion-us-supreme-court-amy-coney-barrett-judiciary-dianne-feinstein-da274b6e8a86aa5435a0be6ce0a287c5
An unexpected discovery: Even abortion foes will help friends who choose to end a pregnancy.
https://religionnews.com/2022/05/09/few-religious-americans-want-to-ban-abortion-they-also-help-pregnant-friends-choose/
Since life depends on a healthy environment — that is, God’s creation — protecting it is critical.
More than 800 Catholics began meeting with their U.S. senators in the first days of May as part of the campaign, called “Encounter for Our Common Home” and led by the Catholic Climate Covenant. https://www.ncronline.org/news/earthbeat/catholic-campaign-encounters-senators-save-half-trillion-dollar-climate-legislation
The global young people leading the LSMovement (Homepage Original – Laudato Si Movement) are also generating a lot of activity here in the U.S. and globally.
Roger Ingersoll has a Youtube video worth watching, on Climate Change from a Catholic Perspective.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oexm37bjOpU
Need a guide for observing Laudato Si’ week May 22-29? Grab it here.
Celebration Guide.pdf – Google Drive
If that is coming up too quickly, Bob Bonnot writes, the Ingersoll video can and should be promoted during the September-October Season of Creation. A Laudato Si` Movement Prayerbook with dozens of daily prayers under eight parts including morning and evening prayer and a Rosary is also available at no cost. All one has to do is download it: LSM Prayerbook.pdf … and pray!
In other news . . .
Did you know? 93% of districts in major US cities are unaffordable to Black residents, according to the National Equity Atlas.
Taliban orders women to cover head to toe: Some defy the veil edict.
Rape is not the fault of the woman, or what she wore. What an Amish Country exhibit demonstrates clearly.
A Haitian-American LGBTQ Immigrant, raised a Catholic is President Joe Biden’s newest press chief, Karine Jean-Pierre, succeeding Jen Psaki as spokesperson after just six months in the deputy slot.
https://www.blackcatholicmessenger.com/kjp-wh-press-secretary-announcement/
What the pope said about LGBTQ people. And what others say
https://www.thetaskforce.org/faith-leaders-respond-to-pope-francis-comments-on-lgbt-people/
The Global Methodist Church, a new theologically conservative denomination, was formally launched last week, emerging after decades of rancorous debate over the ordination and marriage of LGBTQ United Methodists. The liberal wing of the church would like to extend full rights to LGBTQ people; conservatives adamantly oppose it.
The famed Oberammergau Passion Play enters a new era: It is no longer a capital of antisemitism.
https://religionnews.com/2022/05/09/oberammergau-passion-play-enters-a-new-era/
Some ultra-conservative Catholic cardinals are battling Pope Francis over fans of “old school liturgy.” The pope decries the divisions in the church
https://religionnews.com/2022/05/08/pope-decries-divisions-caused-by-old-school-liturgy-fans/
Belated Happy Mother’s Day for belated mothers! Motherhood is deferred: the US median age for giving birth hits 30.
And finally, God is a mother, too, writes children’s book author Teresa Kim Pecinovsky. The author spoke to Religion News Service about why it’s important for people of all ages to see God as a mother and how the story of Hagar and Ishmael resonates for her.
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