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Archive for “Catholic Church” news
Catholic “Sports Camp” to Solve Homosexuality Through Sweaty, Completely Non-Homoerotic Exertions
In "news that feels like a put-on," the Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary in Wynnewood—a Catholic seminary, natch—is planning a "sports camp" to help gay men overcome their sexual inclinations by "letting go of the anxiety and shame" they felt playing sports as children. Because everybody knows the gays suck are very bad at sports, which is why the gay. Straight macho is as straight macho does, apparently.
But yes, the idea is to help gay men shed their homosexuality by gathering with many other gay or gay-ish men for a week of sweaty play! What could go wrong?
Father Paul Check said the
Catholic League’s Bill Donohue Demands Probe of Philly D.A.
You'll remember a couple of weeks ago, famed Philly reporter Ralph Cipriano published his analysis of recent child-molestation trials involving the Philly Catholic Church—and came to the conclusion that convictions didn't quite add up. Now the Catholic League and its leader, Bill Donohue, are weighing in, saying that Cipriano's reporting should lead to a probe of Philly D.A. Seth Williams.
Specifically, Donohue wants the state's legal disciplinary board to look into whether Williams received a referral fee in exchange for helping "Billy Doe"—a witness-victim in the case—procure a lawyer in order to bring a civil suit against the Philadelphia diocese. "Never
Ralph Cipriano: Catholic Abuse Convictions Don’t Add Up
Well, this is interesting. Ralph Cipriano—the same reporter who once sued his bosses at the Philadelphia Inquirer for libel over his aggressive coverage of the Catholic Church in Philadelphia—has a piece in the National Catholic Reporter, suggesting that Msgr. William Lynn, convicted last year of helping cover up the abuse of children by priests in the Philadelphia diocese, was wrongly convicted.
At the center of Cipriano's case is this: Lynn was convicted of covering up the abuse of a boy—known at trial as "Billy Doe"—by then-Rev. Edward Avery. But Avery, now defrocked, still denies committing the crime. He says he pleaded
Susan Barnett, On Heels of Legendary Rodman Interview, Leaving CBS 3
Philly Archbishop, 6 Weeks into Trial: Pay More Attention to Gosnell!
Exhibit Z for why the Catholic Church is behind the times: On the eve of closing arguments in the Kermit Gosnell trial, Philadelphia Archbishop Charles Chaput declared in his weekly column Friday that we should all be paying more attention to the case. Citing similar pieces from almost three weeks ago by Kirsten Powers and Conor Friedersdorf, Chaput urges us all to stop what we're doing and learn more about Gosnell, dammit! "People need to know about an evil before they can do anything about it," he writes. Seems like someone else was ignoring it too--the case began 6 weeks ago
Philadelphia Archbishop: I Hate My Job
It was a marquee event with an A-list guest list, and Philadelphia Archbishop Charles Chaput was the guest of honor. But upon receiving his 2013 Sourin Award last week, Chaput could have been in better spirits.
Although he is happy to be Philadelphia’s Archbishop, he said his answer as to how he has enjoyed the past 19 months is, “I haven’t liked it at all." ”Quite honestly, “It has been an awful time."
Shuttered schools and parishes, declining attendance, a general malaise in the Catholic Church. Add it all up, and Chaput seems a bit depressed. Read more of his doom and
Three Philly Priests “Unsuitable For Ministry”
The Archdiocese of Philadelphia on Sunday announced that it had found three priests unsuitable for ministry in connection with sex abuse allegations. Two of the men—Joseph J. Gallagher and Mark S. Gaspar—had been on administrative leave since a February 2011 grand jury report detailed widespread abuses within the archdiocese. Seven other priests had been found unsuitable for ministry in connection with the grand jury report; seven of those cases remain unresolved. The third priest, Richard T. Powers, is retired—his case involved a 40-year-old allegation that emerged after the grand jury report was made public.
Sarah Palin Headlines Terri Schiavo Fundraiser in Philly Tonight
The first time Sarah Palin came to Philadelphia as a national figure, back in 2008, she went to a Flyers game and got booed. Loudly, magnificently booed. In retrospect, it’s difficult to believe anybody expected a different reaction: Philly sports fans had a national reputation to uphold—booing is what we do!—and in any case, this city in 2008 was always going to be Barack Obama’s town. Palin, then John McCain’s vice-presidential candidate, never had much of a chance for a warm welcome, did she?
Meet the Philly Women Who Want to Be Priests
A group of females who would like to be Catholic priests demonstrated today, as is their wont on Holy Thursday, in front of the Cathedral Basilica of SS. Peter and Paul in Logan Square.
"A few feet away a group of counter-demonstrators ... mostly children ... holding up signs in support of continuing an exclusively male priesthood."
You have to love Newsworks's (perhaps inadvertent) use of ellipses here, suggesting they're so dismayed by the facts they're reporting (mostly children?) they needed to pause and catch their breath. Said one counter-protester, further adding to the unintentional humor of this report: "The priesthood is not
Philly Catholics Go To D.C. To March Against Gay Marriage
Members of the Philadelphia Archdiocese loaded up five buses this morning, heading to the U.S. Supreme Court to protest gay marriage—the topic of case hearings today and tomorrow. CBS Philly talked to some of the marchers, who were lovely, open-minded people.
One of those on the bus out of Center City was Paul Sank from Maple Shade, New Jersey, who says regarding gay rights, he feels a small minority is pressing its agenda on the rest of the nation.
“Homosexuals – lesbians and gays, the LG part – make up maybe two maybe, three percent of the population and they have a

















