As clergy involvement in politics stirs debate, Roman Catholic priests and deacons in the Denver Archdiocese are being instructed not to endorse or donate money to political candidates. The directive came from Denver Archbishop Charles Chaput, one of the nation's most outspoken Catholic bishops in expressing the need for Catholics to follow their faith in making political decisions. Published in the archdiocesan newspaper, the directive states that clerics "may not publicly participate or endorse political campaigns or initiatives, or publicly affiliate themselves with groups whose primary purpose is to do so." Jeanette DeMelo, a spokeswoman for the archdiocese, said Chaput wants to give clergy guidance ahead of the 2008 election and wasn't responding to any particular activity by priests or deacons. She said the directive only affects partisan political activity and said that clergy still have a duty to speak out on moral issues such as abortion or immigration. In May, a Chicago priest, the Rev. Michael Pfleger, pledged not to do any campaigning or publicly mention any candidate by name after making derisive comments about Democratic Sen. Hillary Clinton. Chicago Cardinal Francis George said the comments were "partisan and amount to a personal attack." Republican Sen. John McCain's presidential campaign, meantime, has disowned endorsements from two high-profile evangelical pastors for their controversial comments about other religions. ___ http://www.archden.org ___ Maine high court rejects school funding appeal PORTLAND, Maine (AP) _ Maine's highest court has rejected an appeal by a couple who wanted the town of Swans Island to pay for their children's education at a Christian school. Jason and Priscilla Joyce argued that the subsidy to send their children to a religious school in Trenton came from town funds _ not state funds _ and therefore was exempt from state law banning the use of public money for religious education. They also argued that the town's payment was to them, not to the school. In an unanimous opinion issued Tuesday, the Maine Supreme Judicial Court ruled that the law applies to all public funds. Justice Andrew Mead wrote that differentiating between money raised by the state and money raised by a municipality would be "to invite a shell game with public monies." Mead also wrote that it makes no difference whether the money was paid directly to the school or to reimburse the Joyces after they paid the school tuition. The town's policy made it clear that the subsidy would pay the cost of sending children to religious schools in violation of state law. The Joyces filed a complaint in Kennebec County Superior Court in 2007 after the attorney general's office issued an opinion that the town's policy of giving parents money for religious education violated state law. Swans Island voters approved the policy in 2006. ___ http://www.swans-island-maine.us/ ___ NYC Sikhs protest attack on 12-year-old girl NEW YORK (AP) _ The Sikh community in protesting an attack on a 12-year-old girl who had her long hair cut off by a fellow student. The June 9 incident at Public School 219 in Flushing is the third incident in two months targeting a Sikh student in Queens. The hair cutting violates Sikh religious beliefs. School officials say the accused student was immediately suspended. Sikhs and elected officials planned a march through Richmond Hill, Queens, on Monday, followed by a rally at Richmond Hill High School. On June 3, a student tried to remove a Sikh's turban and punched him in the face at Richmond Hill High School. In May, a student at another Queens school had his turban removed and his hair cut off. Schools Chancellor Joe Klein has previously met with the Sikh community and said new bias regulations were being implemented. ___ Continued... |