US

No Picture
News Briefs

UN to observe Day for Victims of Violence Based on Religion

June 4, 2019 CNA Daily News 0

New York City, N.Y., Jun 4, 2019 / 12:29 pm (CNA).- The United Nations General Assembly last week adopted a resolution proclaiming Aug. 22 as the International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief.

The May 28 resolution was introduced by Jacek Czaputowicz, Poland’s foreign minister.

“Any acts of violence against people belonging to religious minorities cannot be accepted,” Czaputowicz stated. “We hope that it will help combat hate crimes and acts of violence related to religion or belief, and will further strengthen interreligious dialogue.”

The Polish foreign minister noted the increase in violence on the basis of religion around the world, referring in particular to the recent attacks on a mosque in New Zealand and churches in Sri Lanka.

Alongside Poland, the draft resolution was co-sponsored by Brazil, Canada, Iraq, Jordan, Nigeria, Pakistan, and the US.

According to the US Commission on International Religious Freedom, the majority of the world’s worst violators of religious freedom are found in the Middle East, Asia, and Africa. The commission’s most recent report focused in its introduction on abuses against China’s Uyghur Muslims.

The US representative to the UN, Austin Smith, noted ethnic cleansing of Rohingya in Burma and Yazidis in Iraq, and said that “countries must work across borders to advocate for the rights of members of religious minority communities, and to protect freedom of religion or belief wherever it is threatened.”

Smith focused particularly on China’s arbitrary detention of more than 1 million Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities in “re-education camps”, where they are reportedly subjected to forced labor, torture, and political indoctrination,” which he called “one of the world’s most horrific denials of freedom of religion or belief.”

“Chinese authorities are restricting religious freedom by labeling peaceful religious practices as manifestations of ‘religious extremism and terrorism,” he said. “We call upon all member states to speak out against the egregious human rights abuses and religious persecution by the People’s Republic of China … The Chinese Communist Party has exhibited extreme hostility to all religious faiths since its founding. This repression has intensified under the current policy of ‘Sinicizing’ religion.”

Smith added: “We call on member states to press the Chinese government to close its camps and respect the rights of Muslims in Xinjiang, as well as the rights of Christians, Tibetan Buddhists, and Falun Gong practitioners.”

China’s representative responded that Smith’s statements were an unfounded accusation, and reiterated China’s position that it is combatting extremism. He called the camps for Uyghurs learning centers, and stressed their vocational and educational nature.

[…]

No Picture
News Briefs

Bishops lament Virginia Beach killings

June 3, 2019 CNA Daily News 0

Richmond, Va., Jun 3, 2019 / 03:18 pm (CNA).- After 12 people were killed Friday by a gunman in Virginia, the local bishop offered his prayers for all those affected in the tragedy.

DeWayne Craddock allegedly opened fire May 31 on employees and customers of the Virginia Beach Municipal Center Complex, whence he had quit his job that morning.

Bishop Barry Knestout of Richmond said Friday that “My prayers and thoughts are with the people of Virginia Beach and the community of Hampton Roads. Tonight, I will continue to pray for those who lost their lives, those who are injured, the medical personnel and first responders who are assisting the victims, families and all affected. I would ask all the faithful to pray with me during this time.”

Eleven of those killed were Virginia Beach employees, and one was a contractor at the municipal center. Four others were injured, and Craddock died in a shootout with police.

The police are unsure of the motive for the attack. CNN reported that several former co-workers were dismayed and surprised by Craddock’s behavior.

Virginia Beach City Manager Dave Hansen said Craddock had been “in good standing within his department and there were no issues of discipline ongoing.”

Craddock’s family said they were unfamiliar with any problems he had at work and posted a note on their front door, expressing sorrow for the loss of life, according to CNN.

“We are grieving the loss of our loved one. At this time we wish to focus on the victims and the lives (lost) during yesterday’s tragic event,” the Craddocks wrote. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of those who (lost) their lives, and those recovering in the hospital,” the note read.

Bishop Frank Dewane of Venice, chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, offered his condolences to the victims in a June 1 statement. He said this incident points to an underlying problem in society, “when ordinary workplaces can become scenes of violence and contempt for human life.”

“As Americans we must deeply examine why these horrific occurrences of gun violence continue to take place in our communities, in order to root out the causes of such evils. Action is needed to attempt to reduce the frequency of these abhorrent acts through legislation and training. I call on Catholics around the country to pray for the dead and injured, as well as for healing in the community,” he said.

“May Jesus, whose victory over death we celebrate during this Easter Season, bring consolation and healing at this time of great sorrow.”

Bishop Knestout issued another statement June 2 expressing hope that the community will find comfort in prayer and saying t is God who provides strength.

“ I hope in some small way this prayer and support brings comfort to you and to the Virginia Beach community. This is your home and I know words fall short in easing the pain of this time, but offer them to you in the hope that in being united with you in thought and prayer, we might also help you carry the burden of this loss,” he said.

“It is in this time of loss that we turn to our Heavenly Father in prayer. To ease our grief – it is God who provides the strength and peace to sustain us in times of loss and distress.”

[…]

No Picture
News Briefs

Catholic Social Services launch new appeal to Supreme Court

June 3, 2019 CNA Daily News 1

Washington D.C., Jun 3, 2019 / 02:00 pm (CNA).- Lawyers representing Catholic Social Services of Philadelphia are appealing to the Supreme Court after the agency was stripped of its contract to provide foster care services for the city for refusing to place children with same-sex couples.

Although the Supreme Court declined to hear the case last year, Lori Windham, senior counsel at the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, which is providing counsel in the case, said that this year is a different story.

“Last year, we made a very unusual emergency request asking the Supreme Court to get involved before the case even been heard in the appeals court,” Windham explained to CNA June 3.

In April, the Third Circut Court of Appeals ruled that city contractors in Philadelphia must place foster children with same-sex couples.

Although the Supreme Court declined the case earlier this year, three members–Justices Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch, and Clarence Thomas–dissented from the decision.

Windham said that the minority interest was “encouraging” at the time, and that following the appeals court ruling the case was ready for the higher court’s attention.

“Now is the time for the Supreme Court appeal,” said Windham.

The City of Philadelphia received an allegation in March 2018 that two of the Department of Human Services’ approximately 30 contracted agencies would not place children with same-sex couples as foster parents. After the department investigated, it stopped referring foster children to those agencies.

One of those agencies was Catholic Social Services of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia (CSS), that had been working with foster children since its founding. CSS served approximately 120 foster children in about 100 homes at any one time and been in operation in the city for more than a century.

At the time the contract was ended, no same-sex couple had ever approached Catholic Social Services seeking a home study or placement, and there are 30 other foster care agencies located in the city which work regularly with same-sex couples.

If a same-sex couple, or an unmarried couple living together, were to have approached Catholic Social Services seeking a home study for foster care, Catholic Social Services would have worked to refer them to another foster care agency, Windham explained.

“[Catholic Social Services] simply cannot provide a written certification for a marriage relationship that is contrary to their beliefs,” she said.

Immediately before ending its relationship with Catholic Social Services, Philadelphia officials put out an “urgent call” for 300 new foster families, in part due to the ongoing opioid crisis. Due to its decision to stop working with Catholic Social Services, many eligible, safe foster homes are now empty.

Windham claimed the city was inventing policies specifically to target Catholic Social Services.

“The city is still trying to use city laws and policies–they can’t quite tell us which policy, they keep making them up as they go along–the city is making up new policies to try and shut down Catholic Social Services and stop them from caring for foster children as they have done for a century,” she said.

“The city of Philadelphia has engaged in some really disturbing targeting of Catholic beliefs,” said Windham.

“The head of the city agency in charge of foster children told Catholic [Social Services] that it’s not 100 years ago, and that they need to obey the teachings of Pope Francis,” she said.

Pope Francis has said that same-sex marriage “threatens the family” and “disfigures God’s plan for creation.” The pope has also told parents to love their gay children.

Additionally, Philadelphia’s city council “passed a resolution calling this ‘discrimination under the guise of religious freedom,”” said Windham.

“So I think this city has sent a really troubling message to Catholics.”

Windham noted to CNA that the Trump administration had made a series of recent decisions aimed at protecting religious liberty, and highlighted the president’s announcement last month that he would reverse a policy that denied federal funding to adoption organizations that will not work with same-sex couples.

“Unfortunately, the city of Philadelphia did not get the message,” said Windham.

[…]