INSIDE THIS WEEK’S PAPER

DON’T MISS THE FOURTH CHAPTER OF CRISTINA ODONE’S NOVEL ‘THE CHOICE’ PAGE 9

No. 6386

BISHOP O’DONOGHUE

WHY THIS RECESSION MAY BE THE MOST PAINFUL WE HAVE EVER HAD PAGE 3

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January 92009£1.20 (Republic of Ireland €1.80)

Church prays for end to Gaza conflict

Scenes from the conflict include Israelis inspecting Hamas rocket damage, Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip, grief of the victims, prayers for peace and international demonstrations against the Israeli operation Photos: CNS and PA

BYEDWEST

POPEBENEDICTXVI has calledon Israel and Hamas to “act immediately to end the current tragic situation” in Gaza as the death toll of the Israeli operation against the Hamas-controlled territory continued to rise amid heavy fighting. The Pope, who plans to visit Israel in May, said he deplored the “refusal to dialogue” which had led to “indescribable worsening” of conditions for the population, “once again the victims of hatred and war”. The Pope said Church leaders were “calling on worshippers to pray for the end to the conflict in the Gaza Strip and for justice and peace for their land. I join in their prayers and invite you to do the

same.” He said Israel and Hamas must seek peace and that he was following the situation with “strong worry”. The Pope spoke on the same day that Israeli shells killed 30 people at a United Nations-run school. As the Herald went to press France and Egypt were leading a proposed UN-backed truce, while Israel had agreed to open a humanitarian corridor to the strip. The Pope’s words were echoed by Archbishop Patrick Kelly of Liverpool, who was due to visit Bethlehem and Jerusalem this week for the annual Holy Land Co-ordination trip to Israel. He told the Herald that he would be emphasising the “great affection” English Catholics had for their “brothers in the Holy

Land”. He said the purpose of his 10th visit to the region would be “assisting the Christians to refuse to be silent in suffering injustice, and to help them achieve reconciliation”. Asked if he would be meeting Israeli officials he said: “Whatever will help them [the Christians]. We are always accompanying them.” The archbishop added that Gaza was “a complex situation”. He visited the area two years ago. “We were made massively welcome, the warmth of the welcome from the Christian community made us feel very special,” he said. “We went to as many places as possible as an assurance that we were accompanying them on their journey. Because of the current situation we had to seek advice on

whether we wanted to go. The message we received from the Holy Land is that we would be welcomed. We pray for them, they carry all our prayers. There is a deep bond of affection between Catholics in this country and their brothers in the Holy Land.” He later added: “The conflict has deep roots but the priority now must be the immediate end to all violence. Violence is evil –especially when it blocks humanitarian relief desperately needed. Because the roots are so deep and complex this outburst of violence cries out for such wise and courageous leadership that justice for all those for whom the Holy Land is home is achieved so that all violence is relegated to the past and peace shall be secured for generations to

come.” The Israelis launched Operation Cast Lead on December 27, and the ground offensive a week later, in response to multiple rocket attacks launched from the Hamas-controlled Palestinian region. Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need is to send emergency help to Gaza after speaking to the only Catholic priest in the territory. Speaking from the Holy Family Church in Gaza City, Mgr Manuel Musallam told the charity for persecuted Christians that his community was “struggling to stay alive”, dodging the bombs and suffering from an acute shortage of food, water and shelter. The priest had just conducted the funeral of 16-year-old Christine Wadi Turk, a student of Gaza

City’s Holy Family School, who was killed early last Friday. He said: “Most of the families are terrified and find it very difficult. They are suffering from bombs which are going off all around us. People are fearful but they do not want to give up. We have to remind people to be faithful to the Gospel and try as much as possible to keep hope.” Mgr Musallam said they were “drowning in blood” as hospitals overflowed with patients. He said: “What you see on television cannot be compared to what is happening. The word love is choking in my throat... We are living like animals in Gaza. We cry and nobody hears us. I am asking God for mercy and pray that the light of Christianity continues

to shine in Gaza.” Out of a population of 1.5 million in the Gaza Strip, there are 5,000 Christians, mostly Greek Orthodox, but also including 300 Catholics. Church leaders led by Latin Patriarch Fouad Twal of Jerusalem have united to condemn the violence in the region. Their words were echoed by Churchmen around the world. Archbishop Mario Conti of Glasgow said he was “appalled” at the violence of both sides, while Cardinal Seán Brady of Armagh added his voice to calls for an immediate ceasefire.

Vatican Notebook: Page 4 Notebook: Page 12 Editorial Comment: Page 13 Stuart Reid: Page 20

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Following the remarkable development

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In April 2008 Bishop Denis Browne of Hamilton wrote to our

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Vatican takes up search for next cardinal as terna arrives in Rome

BYANNAARCO

THE SEARCH for the next Archbishop of Westminster has moved to the Vatican following the submission of a shortlist, or terna, of three names. A cardinal regulator will now summarise a report submitted with the terna by the nuncio to Great Britain, Archbishop Faustino Sainz Muñoz. He will present it to the Congregation for Bishops which meet twice a month on Thursdays.

Headed by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, the congregation will vote on the names before recommending one of them to Pope Benedict XVI. The names on the terna are rumoured to include Archbishop Vincent Nichols of Birmingham, Bishop Malcolm McMahon of Nottingham and Archbishop Peter Smith of Cardiff. They are listed in alphabetical order, but the nuncio’s own preference – said to be Archbishop

Smith –is noted. The Congregation may follow the advice of the nuncio, choose another name on the list or ask that another terna be submitted. The entire process is expected to be concluded within three months. Speculation over the identity of the successor to Cardinal Cormac MurphyO’Connor heightened this week with the emergence of rumours that the Pope had already offered the position Dom Hugh Gilbert, the

Benedictine Abbot of Pluscarden, in Scotland. The rumours suggested that the monk accepted the position but then declined it. A spokesman for Cardinal Murphy-O’Connor strenuously denied that there was any truth in the rumours. Archbishop Nichols this week remained the 2/1 favourite with the bookmakers Paddy Power. Archbishop Smith was 5/2 with Dom Hugh moving up to 3/1.

A site has been obtained at Ohakuri, a twenty-five minute

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To become a “Founding Donor” of Tyburn Monastery, Hamilton, New Zealand, please send cheque to: Bursar General, Tyburn Convent, 8 Hyde Park Place, London W2 2LJ. Phone her on 020 7723 7262 for more details. Cheques can be made payable to: Tyburn Convent:

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Jesuit banned from teaching Christology

Cardinal reveals role as Rome film censor

BYCINDYWOODENINROME

THE CONGREGATION for the Doctrine of the Faith has asked American Jesuit Fr Roger Haight not to teach Christology at any university, Catholic or not, the Romebased spokesman of the Jesuits has said. “He can continue to teach, but not systematic theology connected with Christology,” said Fr Giuseppe Bellucci,

spokesman for the Jesuits. “The prohibition against teaching is not a condemnation and is not definitive; a committee of Jesuits, in fact, is studying the position of Fr Roger, who is willing to collaborate to clarify his positions.” In 2005 the doctrinal congregation published a notification stating that Fr Haight could no longer teach as a Catholic theologian because of “serious doctrinal errors” in his 1999 book, Jesus Symbol of God . Fr Haight has been teaching at Union Theological Seminary, a non-denominational graduate school in New York.

BYEDWEST

CARDINAL Cormac MurphyO’Connor has revealed that he used to censor films for his fellow seminarians in Rome. The leader of the Church in England and Wales told the BBC that one of his tasks while training to be a priest at the Venerable English College in Rome in the 1950s had been to vet the films for the 70 or so young men living with him. In

an interview with BBC Radio 4’s Today programme the Cardinal said: “My best job, my biggest job, was [being] the film man. I had to select the films, but I also had to vet them. “If I thought that there was something unsuitable for the lads, I would say ‘We will cut that out’ –I didn’t do it very often.” The Cardinal recalled censoring a film featuring Brigitte Bardot.

Wisdom from the Western Isles The Making of a Mystic By

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