Free Republic

Spanish Catholics Express Frustration With Religion in Public Schools New Course Offered on Islam and Catholic Course Non-Credit MADRID, Spain, NOV. 11, 2004 (Zenit.org).- The National Catholic Confederation of Parents of Families and Students (CONCAPA) criticized the government's decision to impart Islamic religion classes in public schools next year. The organization considers that the right to religious freedom "is recognized to Muslims but hindered in the case of Catholics." The Islamic religion classes will begin next year, at least in areas where there is a large presence of Muslim faithful, such as Barcelona, Madrid and some capitals of Andalucia and...

VATICAN CITY, JUNE 2, 2004 (Zenit.org).- A Catholic Indian citizen was arrested and tortured in Saudi Arabia because of his faith, according to L'Osservatore Romano. The semiofficial Vatican newspaper, quoting sources of the Fides missionary agency and the Indian bishops' conference, said that Brian Savio O'Connor was imprisoned about six months ago by the Mutawa, the Saudi religious police. Taken to the Ali Hira prison in Riyadh, the accused was threatened with death if he did not convert to Islam, his brothers, Raymond and James, said. The O'Connor brothers confirmed that Brian "has been incarcerated for six months and tortured...

Legendary journalist Bob Woodward discusses his new book, which reveals secret details of the White House’s plans to attack Iraq, for the first time on television in an interview with correspondent Mike Wallace on 60 Minutes, Sunday, April 18, at 7 p.m. ET/PT. Woodward interviewed 75 of the people who helped prepare for the war, including President Bush – the only source who speaks for attribution -- in the upcoming book, “Plan of Attack,” published by Simon & Schuster. Both CBSNews.com and Simon & Schuster are units of Viacom. In the interview, Woodward talked about how the administration was able...

JEFFERSON CITY (AP) - Democratic State Auditor Claire McCaskill expressed disappointment yesterday in decisions by some Catholic leaders to shun politicians who support abortion rights. McCaskill, a Catholic who supports abortion rights and is running for governor, is building a home in the St. Louis suburb of Kirkwood and attends the nearby St. Gerard Majella parish. St. Louis Archbishop Raymond Burke, shortly before coming to Missouri in January, told Catholic politicians in his former diocese who supported abortion rights and euthanasia not to receive Holy Communion. He also issued a notice in the Wisconsin diocesan newspaper ordering priests not to...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- A recent statement from Archbishop James P. Keleher, of Kansas City, Kan., admonishing Catholic institutions to stop hosting politicians who support abortion rights has drawn mixed reactions from area Catholics. In his statement Friday, Keleher asked institutions under his jurisdiction not to invite politicians or others who favor abortion rights to speak or take part in other presentations at their facilities. Sister Mary Collins, prioress of Mount St. Scholastica, a monastery for about 185 Catholic nuns in Atchison, said Keleher's statement put her in a difficult position. "Benedictines are disposed by the rule of Benedict to...

Topeka — One day after Gov. Kathleen Sebelius delivered a lecture at the University of St. Mary in Leavenworth, Archbishop James P. Keleher issued a statement telling Catholic institutions to stop inviting politicians who favor abortion rights to give presentations. Keleher's decision was stated in The Leaven, a weekly publication of the Archdiocese of Kansas City, Kan. Sebelius, a Catholic in favor of abortion rights, was invited to speak Thursday as part of the Catholic school's Lincoln Lectureship. She spoke about education and economic development. The event sparked angry words from anti-abortion advocates, including some who criticized the Catholic Church...