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News Update/Digest

Issue of May 12 - May 25, 2013 The following items are condensed. For the complete articles, please read the print edition of The Catholic New World. To subscribe, call (312) 534-7777.

News Update

Maggie James from Boston plays the harp during a rehersal for the evening festivities on April 27. Karen Callaway / Catholic New World

Cecilia Ernstberger from Indianapolis sings during a rehersal for the evening festivities on April 27. Karen Callaway / Catholic New World

Artwork created by Focalare members line up through the hallways during the event. Karen Callaway / Catholic New World

Laura Kellerman from Little Rock, AR served as a moderator for a group discussion on the media on Appril 27. Karen Callaway / Catholic New World

Lindsay Taliaferro from Grove City, Ohio leads a break- out session with his group on the topic of communication Karen Callaway / Catholic New World

Gary Brandi from Berwyn, Ill, visits with David Peterson from Temple, TX shortly before their workshop begins on April 27. Karen Callaway / Catholic New World

Jeff Zwartjes from Marietta, GA practices singing during a break for a surprise "flashmob" on April 27. Karen Callaway / Catholic New World

Eric Ernstberger from Gaston, IN talks with Karen Joy of Bolingbrook and Bob Cummings of Berwyn about Karen's drawing. Karen Callaway / Catholic New World

Focolare expo:

Members of the Focolare Movement from around the country met for EXPO 2013 in Chicago April 27-28. The theme of the conference, "Building a Renewed Humanity," focused on creating a positive change through various topics such as Arts & Society, Media & Communication, Faith Communities, Law & Ethics, Health & Recvreation, Education, Civic Engagement, and Business & Economy.

Summer Scripture study

The Institute for Ongoing Formation at the University of St. Mary of the Lake in Mundelein is sponsoring its annual summer Scripture seminar June 23-28. This year's seminar, "Hard Sayings in the Bible," focuses on passages that are either difficult to translate and interpret or easy to understand but difficult to put into practice. Registration options include with or without overnight stay, and attending by speaker series or other partial options. For information, visit www.summerscripture.org.

Relic of St. Anthony coming to archdiocese

A relic of St. Anthony from the basilica in Padua will visit several parishes in the Archdiocese of Chicago in June.

  • June 9-10: National Shrine of St. Maximilian Kolbe, Libertyville
  • June 11: The Shrine of Our Lady of Pompeii, 1224 W. Lexington St.
  • June 11: St. Stanislaus Kostka, 1351 W. Evergreen
  • June 12: St. Mary of the Angels, 1850 N. Hermitage Ave.
  • June 12: St. Alphonsus, 1429 W. Wellington Ave.
  • June 13: St. Peter in the Loop, 110 W. Madison St.
  • June 15: Holy Name Cathedral, 735 N. State St.
  • June 16: St. Thomas the Apostle, 5472 S. Kimbark Ave.
  • June 16: St. John Bosco, 2250 N. McVicker Ave.

For more information please contact the Anthonian Association at (347) 738- 4306.

Year of Faith indulgence

Before resigning, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI granted special indulgences to the faithful who observe and take part in the celebration of the Year of Faith. This year is "dedicated to the profession of the true faith and its correct interpretation, through the reading of — or better still the pious meditation upon — the Acts of the [Second Vatican] Council and the articles of the Catechism of the Catholic Church." By participating in any of the various observances of this year, and while fulfilling the usual conditions, one may gain this special indulgence.

News Digest

Pope Francis welcomes retired Pope Benedict back to the Vatican

For the first time in history, the Vatican is home to a pope and a retired pope. Pope Francis welcomed his predecessor, retired Pope Benedict XVI, to the Vatican May 2 outside the convent remodeled for the 86-year-old retired pontiff and five aides. Pope Francis and Pope Benedict entered the convent's chapel together "for a brief moment of prayer," said Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, Vatican spokesman.

School-choice movement gains slow but steady momentum

Schoolchoice initiatives — akin to the quiet students in the back of a classroom — have kept a relatively low profile in recent years while steadily working their way to the front. The movement was given a big boost in late March when the Indiana Supreme Court upheld one of the country's most comprehensive school-choice programs. The state court backed a 2002 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that said that because school vouchers primarily benefit families, they could not be viewed as an unconstitutional state support for religion. Currently, there are 30 school-choice programs in 17 states and the District of Columbia, serving more than 250,000 students. School-choice programs — primarily vouchers and tax-credit scholarships — have continued to grow since 1990, when the first school-voucher program started in Milwaukee, followed close behind by similar programs in Ohio and Florida. In the past two years, five new states have added school-choice legislation, while other states have expanded programs already in place. But for all the steps forward, there are still schoolchoice programs that do not get approved, including a recent voucher proposal in Kansas. --CNS

Median age of new priests is 32; one third born outside U.S.

—The median age of men ordained to the priesthood in 2013 is 32, twothirds are Caucasian, and 26 percent carry educational debt.

These figures stand out in "The Class of 2013: Survey of Ordinands to the Priesthood, the annual national survey of men being ordained priests for U.S. dioceses and religious communities. The study was conducted by the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA), a Georgetown Universitybased research center.

The report is the 17th annual survey of ordinands commissioned by the Secretariat for Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. About 74 percent of an estimated 500 men to be ordained priests in the United States in 2013 responded to the survey.

FDA 'acted irresponsibly' in lowering age for emergency contraceptives

The Food and Drug Administration "acted irresponsibly" with its decision to lower the age limit from 17 to 15 for purchasing an over-the-counter emergency contraceptive, said an official of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

"No public health consideration justifies the unsupervised sale of such drugs to young teens," said Deirdre McQuade, spokeswoman for the USCCB's Secretariat for Pro Life Activities.