News

News

Oregon diocese first to declare bankruptcy

Declaration in lieu of proceeding with sex-abuse trial
Jul 27, 2004
In a first for U.S. Catholic dioceses, the Archdiocese of Portland, Oregon, announced its intent this month to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection rather than proceed with a priest-abuse trial that was scheduled to begin the same day.
Century Marks

Century Marks

Jul 27, 2004
Sounds of silence: John C. Danforth, the new American ambassador to the United Nations, told the Senate during his confirmation hearing that when he was special envoy to Sudan he called together feuding Muslim and Christian leaders.

Briefly noted

Jul 27, 2004
Colorado’s highest court has ruled unconstitutional a state law that would have set up a school-voucher program, including religious and other private schools. On a 4-3 vote, the Colorado Supreme Court ruled June 28 that the state’s law violated a state constitutional provision regarding local school boards’ control over educational instruction in their districts.

PCUSA barely keeps ban on ordaining gays

A four-vote margin
Jul 27, 2004
It may have been a close vote, but the stance of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) on issues of homosexuality remained unchanged in Richmond, and will stand for at least two more years as the denomination switches to biennial general assemblies.

Faith groups praise rulings on detainees

Enemy combatants must be able to challenge detention
Jul 27, 2004
Christian and Muslim groups that had filed legal briefs on behalf of terrorism prisoners praised the late June decisions by the Supreme Court that said “enemy combatants” and foreign nationals detained by the U.S. must be permitted to challenge their detention in American courts.