23.07.2013

[Tarhiel]

Pope's bank clean-up man 'found stuck in lift with rent boy'

As the man charged with cleaning out the stables at the scandal-struck Vatican bank, Monsignor Battista Ricca will need Machiavellian cunning, good fortune and a whiter-than-white record to have even a fighting chance.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world ... 21296.html
http://ncronline.org/blogs/all-things-c ... andal-rome

Schüller in Philadelphia: 'Where has obedience got us?'

At best, the Catholic church has five to six years before the shortage of clergy members plays itself out in unknown ways in Europe and North America. This is the so-called "Catholic Tipping Point" foreseen by Austrian Fr. Helmut Schüller, one of the most vocal advocates for new models of leadership in the church. The remarks came in an extended interview with NCR before his Friday evening address at Chestnut Hill College here.
http://ncronline.org/news/theology/sch- ... nce-got-us

Swimming against a demographic tide

If demographics are destiny, then 42-year-old Kaya Oakes and 31-year-old Chris Haw ought to be among the “nones,” those who are disenchanted with institutional religion and certainly beyond the borders of Roman Catholicism. Everyone knows the church is bleeding members, especially young members. The measurement that gives the exodus perspective is that, taken together, ex-Catholics (about 23 million) would make up the secondlargest denomination in the country after Catholics (68.1 million) and well ahead of the next largest group, Baptists (16.2 million).
http://ncronline.org/books/2013/07/swim ... aphic-tide



This is a true story concerning the exploits of a male prostitute. The events related may offend your conscience. If you are hyper – religious and or judgemental, you should close the tab now.
http://constructedthoughts.wordpress.co ... /#more-572

[Tarhiel]

Author studies sisters in US history

If you are joining the “Nuns on the Bus” this summer, in the flesh or in spirit, it would be nice to take along some good reading. Historical studies of nuns and sisters in the United States seem to be appearing in inverse proportion to the very decline of those sisterhoods.
http://ncronline.org/books/2013/07/auth ... us-history

Right wing 'generally not happy' with Francis, Chaput says

Archbishop Charles Chaput of Philadelphia is renowned for speaking plainly, which in part means he's often willing to say things out loud that others in his position may sense but are hesitant to acknowledge.
http://ncronline.org/blogs/ncr-today/ri ... haput-says

Exodus VP Posts Open Apology to Gay Community

Exodus International Vice President Randy Thomas has followed President Alan Chambers in apologizing to gays and lesbians
http://www.exgaywatch.com/2013/07/exodu ... community/