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Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer and Attorney General Terry Goddard asked a judge on Friday to dismiss a lawsuit that seeks to overturn the state's new immigration law. Lawyers for both officials say the lawsuit by Washington-based researcher Roberto Frisancho should be thrown out because his claim is based on his speculation that, as a U.S.-born Hispanic, he will be asked for immigration papers as a result of the law. The law requires police to question a person's immigration status if officers have a reasonable suspicion that the person is in the country illegally. Brewer and Goddard's lawyers say the lawsuit...

<p>The U.S. Army has dismissed a soldier who threatened fellow troops and sent the Pentagon a violent rap song he wrote to protest his Iraq redeployment orders, officials said Saturday.</p> <p>The dismissal for misconduct means Spc. Marc A. Hall will avoid criminal charges but lose all military benefits earned over at least four years of service, including an earlier tour in Iraq.</p>

MOUNT CLEMENS – Some people still take off right after Communion at St. Peter Church, but not as many now that they have to walk under signs that read "Judas left early too." Fr. Cooney says putting the signs up at each of the three exits was "a bit of Irish diplomacy" aimed at addressing a long-standing source of frustration for many Catholic priests: people who leave Mass early, rather than staying for the dismissal. Perhaps one of the reasons the signs had a positive effect is that he introduced them with humor, rather than scolding the congregation, he believes....

Vatican City, Jul 27, 2009 / 12:17 pm (CNA).- Pope Benedict XVI has approved the defrocking of Fr. Tomislav Vladic, a priest leading the claims that the Virgin Mary has been appearing in the Bosnian town of Medjugorje. The priest has reportedly decided to leave the priesthood and his religious order. The action follows an investigation into concerns surrounding the alleged apparitions, the Mail Online reports. When the apparitions allegedly began in 1981, Fr. Vlasic was named as the "creator" of the phenomenon by the local Bishop of Mostar-Duvno, Pavao Zanic. During a dispute with the bishop and the Vatican,...

This post is being updated as additional links become available. Vatican Radio has just announced this news in German. If an English version becomes available, I will provide it. Thanks to Richard Chonak at Catholic Light, we have at least a rough translation of the decree above in which a priest - Fr. Tomislav Vlasic - a central figure in the alleged apparitions at Medjugorje, has been laicized. You can read about the "severe canonical sanctions" taken last year against Fr. Vlasic by the Holy See in this link - Medjugorje: Canonical Status of Fr. Tomislav Vlašić, OFM. The...

Cardinal Claudio Hummes / Archbishop Mauro Piacenza Vatican City, Jun 5, 2009 / 11:54 am (CNA).- During an interview today with Vatican Radio, Secretary of the Vatican’s Congregation for Clergy Archbishop Mauro Piacenza, clarified that bishops around the world have not been granted with "automatic" powers to defrock priests, but only with the capacity to proceed more speedily in cases that were not considered by the current Code of Canon Law approved by Pope John Paul in 1983.The new powers granted to bishops were announced by a letter sent to all episcopates by Cardinal Claudio Hummes on April 18...

'I would like to have a family and at the same time serve God." By all accounts, the man who recently spoke those words is more than capable of doing both. The Rev. Alberto Cutié, a 40-year-old Roman Catholic priest, built a devoted international following through his service as pastor of the St. Francis de Sales parish in Miami Beach, his immensely popular Spanish-language radio and television ministry, and his widely distributed advice column. "Father Oprah," he was nicknamed, both for his gifts as a broadcaster and his empathy for the struggles so many face when it comes to love,...

The Rev. Alberto Cutié, in his first English-language television interview since photos surfaced showing him frolicking with a woman on the beach, apologized profusely to the church and his fellow Catholics. Though the photos have reignited the debate over priests and celibacy, he said he still believed in the vow. ''I don't want to be the anti-celibacy priest,'' he said. ``It's a debate in our society.'' Cutié appeared on CBS' The Early Show, telling anchor Maggie Rodriguez he had a romantic relationship for about two years, though he had known the woman much longer. Unlike his interview with Spanish-language network...

SACKED priest Father Peter Kennedy said he never wanted to push St Mary's style of worship on others. His followers vowed to protest on Sunday. Fr Kennedy predicted 1000 people would turn out for Sunday morning mass in a show of support for him and the St Mary's community. At a packed press conference held in the historic church in the afternoon, Fr Kennedy claimed that in the 28 years he'd been at St Mary's, no-one had tried to impose the St Mary's style of celebrating the Catholic faith on others. "We're always happy to be appreciative of other people's...

I just posted this over at Townhall.com In Re: Judge Dismissing BO Birth Certificate Case Thought it might be of interest. --------------------------------------------------- While doing a little of my own "Fact-Checking", I ran across some interesting linkage between U.S. District Judge R. Barclay Surrick and one Barack H. Obama. As we all know, Barack and Michelle worked at Sidley Austin law when they met. Also working with Michelle at Sidley at the same time was one Bernardine Dohrn, beloved wife of Bill Ayers. Now it turns out a fellow named Christopher B. Seaman is the former law clerk for U.S. District...

Thai PM must quit, court rules BANGKOK, Sept 9 (Reuters) - A Thai court said on Tuesday Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej must step down because he violated the constitution by hosting TV cooking shows while in office.

The priest who took part in a women's ordination ceremony has met with his superiors. And this afternoon, the National Catholic Reporter filed this summary: Maryknoll Fr. Roy Bourgeois, who concelebrated a Mass at a women’s ordination ceremony earlier this month, has met with leaders of his order religious order, calling the meeting “productive.” Bourgeois told NCR that he and the Maryknoll leadership had agreed that in the future they would work in conjunction on important issues of justice and faith, including the role of women in the church. A report based on the day-long meeting Aug. 18 between Bourgeois...

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Maryknoll Father Roy Bourgeois will meet Aug. 18 with the three members of his order's General Council to discuss his participation in a recent ceremony sponsored by Roman Catholic Womenpriests. The Aug. 9 ceremony involved what Roman Catholic Womenpriests considers the ordination of Janice Sevre-Duszynska to the priesthood. The organization, which is not recognized by the church, has sponsored numerous ceremonies since 2002 involving reported ordinations of women deacons, priests and bishops. These ceremonies have led to the excommunications of all involved because women cannot be ordained Catholic priests. Father Bourgeois, an internationally known peace and justice...

President-elect Fernando Lugo Asunción, Jul 30, 2008 / 01:52 pm (CNA).- The Holy See has confirmed through the Apostolic Nunciature in Paraguay the loss of the clerical state of former bishop and President-elect Fernando Lugo.In a statement released today and signed by the Prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy, Cardinal Giovanni Batista Re, the decree granting a dispensation from the clerical state for Lugo was made public.  “His Excellency the Most Reverend Fernando Armindo Lugo Mendez, S.V.D., Bishop emeritus of San Pedro, requested dispensation from the clerical sate on December 18, 2006, in order to run in the...

Pope Benedict XVI is to decide whether to defrock Fernando Lugo, a Roman Catholic Bishop, following his election as President of Paraguay, Vatican sources said today. Mr Lugo, 56, a former Divine Word missionary and Bishop, was elected President of Paraguay with 41 per cent of the vote with a platform of land reform and help for the poor. His election ended over 60 years of rule by the Colorado Party, whose candidate Blanca Ovelar received 31 per cent of the vote. Mr Lugo was ordained in 1977, and served as a missionary in Ecuador for five years. In 1992...

ST. LOUIS — Archbishop Raymond Burke has begun the process of defrocking the pastor at St. Stanislaus Kostka Catholic Church. Rev. Marek Bozek, 32 and a native of Poland, said Monday that he received a letter from Burke last week, informing him that he should present himself before the archbishop for "canonical admonition." In the letter, Burke said he's begun the process of laicization, or being "dismissed from the clerical state," for Bozek. The letter cited Bozek's participation in schism at the church that has been locked in a battle with the archdiocese over control of its assets and his...

A judge has ruled that disgraced political donor Norman Hsu's 16-year-old plea to a fraud charge remains in effect, meaning the one-time Democratic rainmaker is likely headed to state prison. Superior Court Judge Stephen Hall rejected Hsu's bid Friday to dismiss his 1992 no contest plea, and was set to sentence him to three years in state prison. Hsu also faces federal charges in New York. Hsu's lawyers asked the judge to toss his plea, arguing his right to a speedy trial was violated because authorities weren't actively pursuing him during his years as a fugitive. They could easily have...

SPRINGFIELD (AP) – Pope Benedict XVI has removed an Illinois monsignor from the priesthood after allegations of sexual misconduct, church officials said. Monsignor Eugene Costa, 57, of Springfield, is the former pastor of St. John Vianney Church in Sherman and Holy Family Church in Athens, and has been on leave since January 2005. Because the pope removed him, the action can’t be appealed, said Kathie Sass, a spokeswoman [for] the Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield said Friday. Costa, once chancellor of the Springfield diocese, also no longer is permitted to perform priestly ministries or call himself “father,” she said.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico - A military judge has refused a Pentagon request to reconsider his dismissal of charges against a Guantanamo Bay detainee accused of killing an American soldier in Afghanistan. The judge, Army Col. Peter Brownback, ruled Friday that the government's renewed legal argument has not resolved a lack of jurisdiction in the case of Omar Khadr, a Canadian who was 15 when he was arrested on an Afghan battlefield in 2002. Khadr is one of two detainees whose military trials fell apart because they were not identified as "unlawful" enemy combatants. A Pentagon spokesman, Navy Cmdr. Jeffrey...

Fitzgerald given way out of Libby CIA leak case Judge says he can dismiss case if classified secrets will be revealed Haraz N. Ghanbari / AP file Former White House aide I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, indicted on perjury and obstruction charges last year in the CIA leak scandal, will have closed hearing to determine if he may use classified material as part of his defense. Judge withholds classified docs from Libby • Closed hearings ordered in Libby CIA leak case • NBC: Libby to invoke memory defense • Ruling a potential break for Libby Most Popular • Most Viewed •...