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Head of the Scottish Catholic church, Cardinal Keith O'Brien, says symbol shows you 'live by Christ's standards in daily life' Britain's most senior Catholic cleric has called on Christians to wear a cross every day as "a symbol of their beliefs" and to combat the marginalisation of religion in modern society. The plea by Cardinal Keith O'Brien, head of the Catholic church in Scotland, to be made in his Easter sermon, comes as the Anglican archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, appealed for more people to attend church this Sunday – even if they are "a bit vague" about religion....

A parish church has been torn apart by its priest’s decision to defect to the Roman Catholic Church. St. Annes R.C. Church in Darlington (England)On Wednesday, the 26-strong choir of St James the Great will sing for the congregation as they have always done during Holy Week. But this week they will do so a mile down the road in St Anne’s Roman Catholic church, their new home. Led by Fr Ian Grieves, the priest at St James in Darlington for 23 years, 58 parishioners will formally join the Ordinariate, the body set up by the Pope for disaffected Anglicans....

“The Church dies in Europe,” headlines Tygodnik Powszechny on the occasion of Benedict XVI’s visit to Germany starting September 22. Statistics published by the German episcopate tell it all: in 2010 over 180,000 Germans left the Church while only 170,000 were baptised. Also, the number of vocations has been dwindling: in 2009, 120 candidates entered the seminary; a year later there were just 79 of them. Similar trends are observed in countries like Spain or Ireland, once considered Europe’s Catholic vanguard. “Less churchgoers, less vocations, less support for the Christian ethic, less Vatican authority”, writes the Polish Catholic journal, noting...

Church Blocks Reforms Over Royal Marriages The Church of England has blocked a Government move to scrap a centuries-old law which prevents members of the Royal family from marrying Roman Catholics, The Daily Telegraph has learnt. If the Supreme Governor of the Church of England was a Roman Catholic, they would ultimately be answerable to a separate sovereign leader, the Pope, and the Vatican. 24 Apr 2011 Nick Clegg, the Deputy Prime Minister, began work towards repealing the 1701 Act of Settlement, under which heirs to the throne must renounce their claim on marrying a Roman Catholic, in order to...

It's not often you see an obituary as snarky and bitter as the one written by British columnist Johann Hari announcing what he called the "slow, whining death of British Christianity" in the UK edition of GQ and online at The Huffington Post. Citing an unlinked ICM study, which is not available on the organization's website, Hari called on reader to "put your hands together and give thanks, for I come bearing Good News. My country,Britain, is now on the most irreligious country on earth." Hari called Christianity, "superstition," "weak," "cruel," and based on "intimidation." He predicted that, "As their...

Monday May 17, 2010 Charges Dropped against UK Preacher who Called Homosexual Acts a Sin By Hilary White  WORKINGTON, UK, May 17, 2010 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Charges have been dropped against Dale Mcalpine, an evangelical street preacher from Workington in Cumbria, who was arrested April 20 after he was denounced to police by a homosexualist police community support officer (PCSO). Mcalpine had, in a private conversation with a passer-by during his day of preaching, said that homosexual activity is a sin, in accordance with Biblical teaching.The Christian Institute reports that after reviewing the evidence, crown prosecutors decided to drop charges...

Church Warned That Flag of Jesus Is 'Religious Advertising' A vicar has been warned by council officials about flying a flag depicting Jesus Christ outside his church because it was deemed to be “religious advertising”. By Richard Savill 29 Apr 2010 Rev Mark Binney, vicar of St Andrew’s Church, Hampton, Worcs, said he had been told he needed planning permission if he wanted to fly a flag “advertising Christianity” in future. The flag was put up outside the church in the week preceding Easter Sunday displaying the words 'This is Holy Week' and an image of Jesus on the cross....

ROME, April 23, 2010 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Pro-life advocates in Britain are shocked at the decision by the Catholic Education Service of England and Wales (CESEW), a body of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales, to appoint a pro-abortion former Labour MP as its new deputy director. Greg Pope, the Labour MP for the Hyndburn riding in East Lancashire since 1992, was approved unanimously for the job by the CESEW interview panel, including by Bishop Malcolm McMahon, chairman of CESEW. In a media release by CESEW, Chief Executive and Director Oona Stannard, welcomed the appointment, saying Pope's experience...

When someone claims to have been “offended” by someone else’s remarks, he is usually grandstanding. Believe me: I’ve been on the receiving end of synthetic outrage more often than most. It’s one of the reasons I feel a certain kinship with Rowan Williams. ... It’s a similar story with the fabricated row about Chris Grayling’s belief that religious B&B owners should not be forced by law to let rooms to gay couples. Such hoteliers are guilty of bad business as well as bad manners: they are harming their profits for no good reason. But you don’t have to be anti-gay...

The Roman Catholic Church in Ireland has lost all credibility because of its mishandling of abuse by priests, the leader of the Anglican church said in remarks released Saturday. A leading Catholic archbishop said he was "stunned" by the comments. The remarks released Saturday marked the first time Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams has spoken publicly on the crisis engulfing the Catholic Church. The comments come ahead of a planned visit to England and Scotland by Pope Benedict XVI later this year. "I was speaking to an Irish friend recently who was saying that it's quite difficult in some parts...

Bounty House Hotel LIVERPOOL, April 1, 2010 (LifeSiteNews.com) - A UK Christian couple has been forced to put their hotel up for auction, even after having been cleared of all accusations in a religious discrimination case. Ben and Sharon Vogelenzang said that business at their nine-bedroom Bounty House hotel has collapsed and they are losing about £8,000 per month.The couple is receiving help from the Christian Institute and is considering legal action against Merseyside police and the Crown Prosecution Service. The charges were brought in April 2009 by a guest at the hotel who is a convert to Islam. Ericka...

Here below in full, the text of Pope Benedict's Pastoral Letter to the Catholics of Ireland. * * * 1. Dear Brothers and Sisters of the Church in Ireland, it is with great concern that I write to you as Pastor of the universal Church. Like yourselves, I have been deeply disturbed by the information which has come to light regarding the abuse of children and vulnerable young people by members of the Church in Ireland, particularly by priests and religious. I can only share in the dismay and the sense of betrayal that so many of you have...

LEEDS, March 19, 2010 (LifeSiteNews.com) - The U.K. Catholic adoption agency associated with the diocese of Leeds has won its case in the high court allowing it to continue to function according to the teaching of the Catholic Church on marriage and family life. Catholic Care chief executive, Mark Wiggin, told LifeSiteNews.com (LSN) that he was pleased but not surprised at the ruling. "We always felt we had a strong legal case," Wiggin said. "In law we felt we were justified. We felt very strongly that we had over a hundred years of history as a Catholic charity providing services...

Catholic adoption society wins fight to be exempted over gay rights Ruth Gledhill, Religion Correspondent A Catholic adoption society has won a High Court battle which could allow it to go against legislation forcing it to consider gay couples as adoptive parents. Catholic Care, which serves the dioceses of Leeds, Middlesbrough, and Hallam in South Yorkshire, launched the legal action saying it would be forced to give up its work finding homes for children if it had to comply with the legislation. Other Catholic agencies have already given up adoption or cut their ties with the Church to comply with...

As clergymen are warned they could be sued if they refuse to carry out homosexual "marriages" in church, what will the Equality Bill mean for religious doctrine?Eighty years ago a Scottish shepherd's boy won a place at St Andrew's University. A graduate of Divinity, John Ebenezer Brown went on to become a minister in Kirkcaldy, Fife. He was much loved by his flock – not least because he never let himself get angry. "I keep thinking of my father and how he never raised his voice," said the Prime Minister, in an interview with this newspaper a week ago. Even...

Leading evangelical bishop calls for Anglicans to ‘accept a diversity of ethical convictions’ to prevent schismA leading evangelical bishop will today call for Anglicans to “accept a diversity of ethical convictions” gay sex in order to prevent schism. The Bishop of Liverpool, the Right Rev James Jones, will use his presidential address to his diocesan synod today to argue that for an end to the battles over sexuality in the Anglican Communion so the Church can focus on mission. In his address, seen by The Times, he compares the debate over homosexuality to that over going to war, in spite...

Munich's answer to Lent: stronger beer Published: 26 Feb 10 09:56 CET Lent might be a period of abstinence, but Bavarian monks decided centuries ago that drinking highly alcoholic beer helped their fasting. Thomas Barkley explains Munich's Starkbierzeit tradition. The end of Fasching, what Bavarian Catholics call Carnival, heralds the beginning of Lent, the Christian season of fasting. Normally considered a period of abstinence, in beer-crazy Bavaria it's time to crack open extra strong Starkbier brews. Starkbierzeit has become such a fixture of Munich's annual event calendar that locals refer to it as the year's 'fifth season.' The supermarkets are...

Hundreds of Dutch activists have walked out of a Mass in protest at a Roman Catholic policy of denying communion to practising homosexuals. On this occasion, the church, in 's-Hertogenbosch, had already decided not to serve communion, so the protesters left, shouting and singing. The dispute began earlier this month when a priest in a nearby town refused communion to an openly gay man. The Netherlands was the first country to introduce gay marriage in 2001. Most Dutch people support gay rights, but the Roman Catholic Church teaches that homosexual activity is sinful. This dispute began during Dutch carnival celebrations...

A group of senior clerics, including the Bishop of Salisbury, the Dean of Southwark and four retired bishops, wrote in a letter to The Times today that religious denominations should be allowed to choose whether to register civil partnerships on their premises. "Straight couples have the choice between civil marriage and religious marriage. Gay couples are denied a similar choice. To deny people of faith the opportunity of registering the most important promise of their lives in their willing church or synagogue, according to its liturgy, is plainly discriminatory," they wrote. The Lords amendment to the Equality Bill is likely...

LONDON, February 23, 2010 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Britain’s Labour government clarified this week that an amendment to the Children, Schools and Families bill, that says faith schools may teach the mandatory Personal Social and Health Education (PSHE) program “in a way that reflects the school’s religious character,” does not, in fact, give the schools freedom to oppose abortion, contraception and homosexual activity on moral grounds. The clarification has been hailed by a local pro-life and pro-family group as evidence that the spectre of "totalitarianism" has reappeared in Britain.A recent statement from the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF), made in response...

February 23, 2010 Anglican Bishops Back End To Ban On Gay Civil Partnerships In Church Gay couples could soon be allowed to “marry” in church after a decision by Anglican bishops and other clergy to support a relaxation of the ban. Senior bishops in the Lords have told The Times that they will support an amendment to the Equality Bill next month that will lift the ban on civil partnership ceremonies in religious premises. The amendment would remove the legislative prohibition on blessings of homosexual couples and open the door to the registration of civil partnerships in churches, synagogues, mosques...

A major effort is underway to elect Senator David Norris, the Dublin-based politician, as the first openly gay president of Ireland. Norris, 65, a former Trinity College Dublin lecturer who has led the campaign for gay rights in Ireland for a generation, is a highly respected figure in both literary and political circles known equally for his Joycean expertise as his advocacy of liberal causes. The Irish presidential election is scheduled for 2011, when current occupant Mary McAleese steps down after two terms. The Irish President does not play a role in party politics, which is left to the Prime...

Wednesday February 17, 2010 Gay Carnival “Prince” Denied Communion by Dutch Priest By Patrick B. CraineREUSEL, Netherlands, February 17, 2010 (LifeSiteNews.com) – A Catholic priest in the small Dutch town of Reusel is drawing criticism for his decision last week to deny communion to an openly homosexual man, reports Chrétienté.info.Gijs Vermeulen, 24, served as the “prince” for the town's carnival this year.  In the official program for the event, he was pictured alongside his 5-year homosexual partner, Michael, and it is reported that the description of him focused on his homosexual lifestyle.Fr. Luc Buyens called Vermeulen in advance to...

PARIS, FRANCE, February 15, 2010 (LifeSiteNews.com) -- French homosexualist demonstrators had planned to have a "kiss in" in front of Notre Dame cathedral in Paris this Valentine's day.  But in response to the protests of a group of young French Catholics and patriots, it was moved away from the church of Our Lady.The kiss-in was ostensibly meant to combat “homophobia.” The organizer of the kiss-in, Arthur Vauthier, had nevertheless said that it was a "way to challenge the Church, to question the Church on the question of love and marriage between gays and between lesbians."  He had furthermore boasted that...

The Archbishop of Canterbury has warned that legalising assisted suicide would “cross a moral boundary”, and lead us into “very dangerous territory” during his address to the Church of England’s General Synod. Dr Rowan Williams also used his address to criticise Harriet Harman’s Equality Bill, currently before Parliament, which he described as “ideological” and “dangerous”. During his speech Dr Williams declared that the church “will argue fiercely, so long as legal argument continues, that granting a ‘right to die’ is not only a moral mistake, as I believe myself, but the upsetting of a balance of freedoms.” He also cautioned...

Leaders of the Methodist Church yesterday offered to surrender more than 200 years of independence from the Church of England. They said they were ready to 'cease having a separate existence' and merge with Anglicans to help the cause of Christianity. The promise, made to the Church of England's parliament, the General Synod, follows two decades of growing anxiety among Methodists over falling membership and its receding influence in society. Once seen as a pillar of working class culture and a major contributor to the thinking of the Labour Party, the church has seen its membership shrink to just 265,000.

LONDON, February 11, 2010 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Britain’s left-leaning Catholic magazine, the Tablet, has called for the Catholic Church to “if not doctrinally, at least pastorally” change its teaching on homosexuality. The Catholic Church, said an unsigned editorial titled, “The Deepest Human Desire,” should “move on with confidence,” to facilitate greater acceptance of the homosexual lifestyle, or risk losing public approval.Referring to the media uproar following comments made to the English bishops by Pope Benedict XVI opposing the Labour government’s proposed Equality Bill, the Tablet said, “The Church must take seriously, and ponder deeply, the underlying reasons for this week’s furore.”The...

Anglican Bishop Nigel McCulloch London, England, Feb 10, 2010 / 02:08 am (CNA).- As the Church of England’s General Synod begins, some Anglo-Catholic leaders have said if their concerns about the introduction of women bishops are not addressed they will withdraw their resources from the Anglican Church and focus them on ministries outside the formal church structure.The Church of England introduced women to its priesthood in 1994. It is committed to the consecration of female bishops as well, The Telegraph reports, but controversy continues about the implementation.Many of those who favor female bishops argue they should be introduced on...

The Anglican Church in Canada – once as powerful in the nation's secular life as it was in its soul – may be only a generation away from extinction, says a just-published assessment of the church's future. The report, prepared for the Anglican Diocese of British Columbia, calls Canada a post-Christian society in which Anglicanism is declining faster than any other denomination. It says the church has been “moved to the far margins of public life.” According to the report, the diocese – “like most across Canada” – is in crisis. The report repeats, without qualification or question, the results...

The Archbishop of Canterbury today issued a "profound apology" to the lesbian and gay Christian community. In a powerful address to General Synod Dr Rowan Williams warned that any schism within the church would represent of a "betrayal" of God's mission. But he made clear that he regretted recent rhetoric in which he has sought to mollify the fears of the traditionalist wing of the church. The Archbishop is from the Church's liberal Catholic wing and a man who once espoused equal rights for gays within the Church. More recently he has adopted a conservative line for the sake of...

A Christian teacher yesterday claimed he was forced out of his job after complaining that Muslim pupils as young as eight hailed the September 11 hijackers as heroes. Nicholas Kafouris, 52, is suing his former school for racial discrimination. He told a tribunal that he had to leave his £30,000-a-year post because he would not tolerate the 'racist' and 'anti-Semitic' behaviour of Year 4 pupils. The predominantly Muslim youngsters openly praised Islamic extremists in class and described the September 11 terrorists as 'heroes and martyrs'. One pupil said: 'Don't touch me, you're a Christian' when he brushed against him. Others...

Church of England Is "Living In The Past", Says BBC's Head of Religion The BBC's head of religion has accused the Church of England of "living in the past" and said that the corporation should not give Christianity preferential treatment. By Jonathan Wynne-Jones, Media Correspondent 06 Feb 2010 BBC's head of religion, Aaqil Ahmed [Pic in URL]. Aaqil Ahmed, a controversial executive whose appointment last year prompted more than 100 complaints, said: "I think all the faiths should be treated in the same way. I don't believe in treating any faith differently." He dismissed claims that the BBC was marginalising...

Christian teacher told today how he lost his job after complaining that Muslim pupils as young as eight hailed the September 11 hijackers as 'heroes'. Nicholas Kafouris said he was forced from his £30,000-a-year post because he would not tolerate the 'racist' and 'anti-Semitic' behaviour of children. He said the predominantly Muslim youngsters openly praised Islamic extremists in class, and hailed the terrorists of the 2001 atrocities as 'martyrs'. Mr Kafouris, 40, told how one pupil said to him, ‘Don’t touch me, you’re a Christian’, when the teacher accidentally brushed against him with his arm. Others said, ‘We want to...

A Christian teacher told today how he lost his job after complaining that Muslim pupils as young as eight hailed the September 11 hijackers as 'heroes'. Nicholas Kafouris said he was forced from his £30,000-a-year post because he would not tolerate the 'racist' and 'anti-Semitic' behaviour of children. He said the predominantly Muslim youngsters openly praised Islamic extremists in class, and hailed the terrorists of the 2001 atrocities as 'martyrs'. Mr Kafouris, 40, told how one pupil said to him, ‘Don’t touch me, you’re a Christian’, when the teacher accidentally brushed against him with his arm. Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1249393/9-11-bombers-heroes-What-Muslim-children-told-Christian-teacher-forced-job-tolerating-racism.html#ixzz0exaAvpzP

Under the current law, religious groups can restrict jobs to believers and refuse to hire people whose private conduct is inconsistent with their teaching. The Government had been proposing to water down these restrictions in Harriet Harman’s Equality Bill, which was being debated in the House of Lords yesterday. However, the key amendments to change the law were thrown out by peers in a vote by 216 to 178 in a humiliating defeat for Miss Harman. Miss Harman can try to force the measure through the Commons – and risk losing the whole Bill because of the short amount of...

Atheist David Miliband Sends Son To Faith School David Miliband has been accused of hypocrisy for sending his son to a Church of England school even though he himself is an atheist. By Alastair Jamieson 24 Jan 2010 The foreign secretary and his wife, Louise, have sent the eldest of their two adopted sons to a faith school more than one mile from their north London home despite living close to a secular primary. The headteacher of their chosen school is an outspoken critic of government education policy and does not support controversial tests for 10 and 11-year-olds. Children should...

January 18, 2010 Bishop Attacks Morals Of Monks Who Brew Scotland’s (15% Proof) Tipple Of Choice A bishop has condemned Buckfast, the fortified wine [Pic in URL] made by monks and regarded by some as the scourge of Scotland. The Right Rev Bob Gillies, Bishop of Aberdeen and Orkney in the Scottish Episcopal Church, accused the Devon-based Benedictine monks of betraying Christian values. Bishop Gillies is the first senior clergyman to criticise the monks of Buckfast Abbey, who have always claimed they are not responsible for the antisocial behaviour that results from the widespread abuse of their product. Speaking on...

Christian Campbell, an Anglican blogger who aspires to full communion with Rome, excerpts an article in French newspaper La Croix which details how rapidly France is de-Christianizing: The IFOP Institute has just made a survey on Catholicism in France for the daily La Croix. The result is mind-blowing: *Whilst, in 1965, 81% of the French declared themselves as Catholics, they were no more than 64% in 2009. *More serious: whilst 27% of the French went to Mass once a week or more in 1965, they are no more than 4.5% in 2009. *At a doctrinal level, generally, itÂ’s a catastrophe:...

Two recent news items concern the progressive Islamization of Europe: one from Dr. Bruce Bawer on the sustained, emotional and physical attacks on critics of Islamic traditions, including the harsh treatment of women; and another from Cardinal Miloslav Vlk, retiring Archbishop of Prague, who warns, "The fall of Europe is looming." When one reads the important insights from Bawer, one can see that, given the current trend, the Cardinal is correct. Critiquing a writer who "sneers" at alarms being set off about Europe's Islamization, Bawer says: His thesis: Europe is chugging along just fine; Islam poses no real challenge to...

How Long Before Small Boys Here Ask: A Church? What’s That, Grandad? PETER HITCHENS I had hoped to have a sort of Christmas truce this week, but the controversy just keeps on raging, drowning out the choirs and bells. And one of the problems is Christmas itself. How much longer will it exist in the form we know today? I fear it won’t be much longer. Many of its traditions are visibly dying. Teachers complain that children don’t know the carols any more, because their parents don’t know them either. Dying tradition? Members of the Royal Family attend the Christmas...

Anger greets Dutch queen's Christmas message Published on 27 December 2009 - 12:08pm Many media experts and internet users have fiercely criticised Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands following her 2009 Christmas message. The queen tackled subjects including virtual communication which she said actually divided people rather than bringing them closer together. Although no names were given, she was taken to be referring to social networks such as Hyves, Facebook, Twitter and to text messaging in general. Internet expert Vincent Everts has told Radio Netherlands Worldwide that the queen doesn't know what she's talking about. He argues the opposite of what...

On Platform One at Bolton station a mob of around 100 men punch the air in unison. The chant goes up: 'Muslim bombers, off our streets, Muslim bombers off our streets...' Their voices echo loudly and more men suddenly appear; startled passengers move aside. The group march forward waving St George Cross flags and holding up placards. The throng of men around me applaud. A train heading for Glasgow draws up on the opposite platform and the men turn as one, bursting into song: 'Engelaand, Engelaand, Engelaand.' The gathering is remarkable, as on a match day these men would be...

A 60-year-old Church of Sweden pastor faces a remand hearing this Friday for the alleged sexual abuse of two children during an overseas trip with a group of candidates for confirmation. The pastor is suspected of three sex offences carried out over the course of the confirmation group's trip to a major European city in October. Friday's remand hearing at Varberg district court will determine whether the public prosecutor's case is sufficiently strong to warrant detaining the cleric in custody for one charge of child rape and two of child sexual abuse. As of Thursday, the pastor remained active at...

A Christian teacher fears she may never work again after she was sacked for offering to pray for a sick pupil. Olive Jones, 54, said she had been made to feel like a criminal, and claimed that Christians were being persecuted due to 'political correctness'. Mrs Jones, who taught children not well enough to attend school, said that after she raised the topic of prayer during a visit to a 12-year-old's house, the girl's mother lodged a complaint. Just hours later, said Mrs Jones, her boss told her she would no longer be working for Oak Hill Short Stay School...

Life is full of ironies. Europe’s immigration revolution was caused by two major developments, and both had hugely ironic results. Europe’s Holocaust complex and sense of self-hatred following the Nazi horror led to a reactive obsession with racism as the ultimate evil, which led, ironically, to large-scale immigration from among the most anti-Semitic countries on earth, widespread “anti-Zionism” in Europe, and an increase in hate crimes against Jews across the continent. The second factor was the sexual revolution, the decline of church attendance, the invention of the Pill, the 1967 Abortion Act and the increase in female employment, which caused...

THE IRISH Catholic Church faces major reorganisation following yesterday’s meeting between Pope Benedict XVI and senior church figures. Following his meeting in the Vatican with Ireland’s Catholic Primate Cardinal Seán Brady and Archbishop Diarmuid Martin of Dublin, a statement from Pope Benedict said “the Holy See takes very seriously the central issues raised by the [Murphy] report, including questions concerning the governance of local church leaders with ultimate responsibility for the pastoral care of children.” Pope Benedict would be issuing a pastoral letter “to the faithful of Ireland” in which he will “clearly indicate the initiatives that are to be...

WESTPHALIA, Germany, December 11, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) - At least eight Russo-German families in Salzkotten, Germany, have suffered heavy fines and now their fathers have been sentenced to prison, because they have refused to send their elementary school-age children to mandatory sexual education classes. The International Human Rights Group, a Christian legal defense organization that defends religious liberty and the right to homeschool in Europe, reports that in addition to refusing to allow their children to attend sex-ed classes, the families also resisted having their children enlisted in a theatre production of "Mein Körper gehört mir" or "My Body Belongs to...

Conservative Anglo-Catholics, your time is up. As my colleague Jonathan Wynne-Jones reports, the General Synod committee charged with looking after opponents of women bishops has ruled out the idea of dedicated male bishops to safeguard traditionalists.The logic of the decision makes perfect sense to me. The C of E has the legal authority to decide whether to ordain women priests and bishops. Having acquired that authority, it voted to ordain women priests in 1992 and will now take the obvious step of raising women to the episcopate. Anglo-Catholics lost the battle to stop this happening 18 years ago; for a...

Poland Defends Right to Keep Crucifixes in Schools Friday, November 13, 2009 WARSAW, Poland — Heavily Catholic Poland has joined the Vatican in criticizing a European court ruling against the display of crucifixes in Italian schools. Polish President Lech Kaczynski said his country will never agree to remove crosses from its schools. The Nov. 3 ruling by the European Court of Human Rights does not require that Poland remove the crosses that hang in most public schools. It could, however, eventually force a review of the use of religious symbols in government-run school across Europe. The decision touched a nerve...

Glasgow, United Kingdom, Nov 9, 2009 / 09:54 pm (CNA).- The Archbishop of Glasgow has denounced a publicly funded play which portrays Jesus as a transsexual, saying it is a “provocative and offensive abuse” of Christian beliefs. He suggested the event is part of an agenda to “mock Christianity.”The play “Queen of Heaven” is being staged in the Tron Theatre as part of the publicly funded “Glasgay!” arts festival, which describes itself as “Scotland’s Annual celebration of queer culture,” the BBC reports. Some 300 people held a candlelight protest of the play outside the theatre.Festival producer Steven Thomson described...