CNI GB News - 9Th November, 2003 Bishops Consult Catholics on Divorce, Same-Sex Marriage and Contraception in Online Survey
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CNI GB News - 9th November, 2003 Bishops consult Catholics on divorce, same-sex marriage and contraception in online survey! The Catholic Bishops’ Conference for England and Wales (CBCEW) has urged Catholics to respond to a survey on same-sex marriage, divorce and contraception, ahead of the Vatican synod on the family next October.! The Catholic Herald reports - Following a It also asks: “What critical situations in the request from the Vatican to the world’s family today can obstruct a person’s bishops, urging them to distribute the encounter with Christ?”! questionaire as widely as possible, the Archbishop of Westminster announced the The synod will take place from October 5 launch of the consulation in order to until October 19 next year.! prepare for the Extraordinary Synod of Bishops on the ‘Pastoral Challenges of the Archbishop Lorenzo Baldisseri, secretary family in the context of evangelisation.’! general to the Vatican’s Synod of Bishops, asked the world’s bishops’ conferences to Writing in the Catholic Universe, distribute the poll “immediately as widely Archbishop Vincent Nichols said: “Your as possible to deaneries and parishes so participation is important. It will bring to that input from local sources can be bishops attending this synod the thoughts received.! and experiences of people who live the vocation of Christian marriage and family Church agency upbeat life and of those who have responsibilty for their pastoral care.”! about adoption! He continued: “As this Extraordinary A Durham Adoption Agency started by Synod is attended by Presdients of the Bishop of Durham more than a 100 Bishops’ Conferences from around the years ago is upbeat about the national world, I will be one of those bishops. I will adoption week and about the new attend carefully to the outcomes of this Bishop of Durham being an advocate broad process of consulation.”! for children and young people.! The first question of the consultation asks: DFW Adoption of Stonebridge, Durham, is “Describe how the Catholic Church’s using National Adoption Week to launch a teachings on the value of the family monthly drop-in for those interested in contained in the Bible, Gaudium et Spes, adoption to find out more about becoming Familiaris Consortio and other documents adoptive parents. The agency which has of the post-conciliar Magisterium is been recognised as ‘Outstanding’ by understood by people today? What Ofsted in three consecutive inspections formation is given to our people on the over the last 8 years knows that its offering Church’s teaching on family life?”! is different and unique.! [email protected]! Page "1 CNI GB News - 9th November, 2003 Margaret Bell, Director of DFW adoption said: "My sense of pride and ownership in an organisation that supports families for life and keeps children safe is just amazing. I have worked in children's services all my professional life and with DFW for 13 DFW adoption Director Margaret Bell - years – starting as an adoption social Upbeat About National Adoption Week worker. I took over running the agency back in 2005 – and since then we have Margaret said: "We were very excited to inspected by Ofsted three times and each learn that the new Bishop of Durham is to time they have recognised us to be be the Rt Revd Paul Butler, the Church of outstanding in every aspect of our work.! England's lead bishop on Children and Young people and co-chair of the National "DFW adoption really makes a difference Safeguarding Committee. To have a new in the lives of children and young people bishop with children and young people at through working in partnership with the heart of his mission is fantastic and we adoptive parents throughout the lifetime of will welcome his involvement in our work the adoption. We are there when we are here at DFW."! needed, whenever we are needed – and that is what makes us different and "Our work is not instead of the services outstanding."! offered by local authorities – it is an addition, and in lots of areas we work in The monthly informal adoption information partnership with them. What makes us event which will be held on the first different and is part of why Ofsted hold us Wednesday of the month from 3–7pm at in such high regard is that we are small its Stonebridge, Durham, headquarters is enough to take a personal and long term an opportunity for prospective adopters to interest in our adopters and their adopted find out more about what it takes to get children – we are in partnership and that involved and make a difference to the lives really matters to our families."! of children and young people.! Stuart Bain said: "This last 12 months has Started by the Bishop of Durham more been outstanding too in terms of the than 100 years, DFW Adoption continues numbers of children placed. The pressure to be supported by the Church of England is still on for recruitment, especially for Diocese of Durham with the Ven. Stuart older children, sibling groups and children Bain, Archdeacon of Sunderland, as Chair with particular needs. As an agency we are of its management board.! always looking for new ways to increase [email protected]! Page "2 CNI GB News - 9th November, 2003 our core business which is finding families for children, who can provide loving and stable home! Tanzanian bishop tells UK politicians that love is the only way! ! ‘Love is the only way’ was the repeated message of Bishop Given Gaula, Bishop of Kondoa in Tanzania, to a meeting at the UK House of Commons of the Tanzania All Party Parliamentary they were – acts of murder of one human Group hosted by Jeremy Lefroy MP.! being by another.! Bishop Gaula and his wife Revd Lillian Revd Lillian spoke of the work she is doing Gaula was addressing the concern of the with the Mothers Union to counter the group for community cohesion in Tanzania practice of Female Genital Mutilation. in the context of increased tensions Such abuse is illegal in Tanzanian law but between Muslims and Christians. The continues to be practised because many meeting was also attended by Baroness believe that ‘uncircumcised’ girls will not be Berridge, the chair of the APPG on able to conceive and will turn to International Religious Freedom and the prostitution. As one of only three female Director of Continuing Indaba Canon Phil Anglican Priests in the Anglican Church of Groves.! Tanzania she is able to speak of her own life. She was not cut as a child and she Bishop Gaula stressed the history of has tree healthy children and she is a religious tolerance in the secular society of priest not a prostitute. The Mothers Union Tanzania. The nation has flourished has a vital role in countering Female because of its diversity with all being able Genital Mutilation in the rural areas of to be open about their religion and to Africa.! speak with their neighbours without fear.! Revd Lillian argues that the need is for The diocese of Kondoa is situated in a education. Many women cannot read or predominantly Muslim area in the centre of write and they have been excited by the Tanzania where Christians are in a tiny opportunity to learn offered by the minority. The area was passed over by Diocese. Men too were coming to get a missionaries and does not benefit from the basic education and the hunger for school system or health facilities that knowledge was great. Her message to the accompanied Christian mission.$ Parliamentary Group was clear and simple Tensions had been heightened by the – invest in education.! bombing of a Catholic Church in Arusha in April and by isolated incidents in Zanzibar When asked about the impact of global attributed to fundamentalists.$ warming Bishop Given spoke of seven Bishop Given cautioned the politicians years of drought as a consequence of against labelling such atrocities as being man-made climate change. He challenged religiously motivated, but called for the the West to consider their use of resources British government to treat them for what and the effect it had on people who now had no food.! [email protected]! Page "3 CNI GB News - 9th November, 2003 Returning to the questions of interreligious many concerns being expressed from all harmony he called on all religious groups corners of civil society.! to put Tanzania first and ensure they confronted the fanatics and "In its current form, the Bill remains totally fundamentalists in their own religion. He unacceptable and needs further, major spoke of his work alongside the Roman amendments if it is not to damage Catholic leadership to calm down some of legitimate campaigning in the UK.! the more extreme Pentecostal and charismatic church leaders who were "The Government must take whatever time calling for revenge. In contrast he necessary to get the Bill right," said Mr committed himself to the reconciliation Johnston.! agenda of the Archbishop of Canterbury.! Christian Aid is a supporter of the Bishop Given and Revd Lillian endorsed independent Commission on Civil Society the principles of Continuing Indaba set out and Democratic Engagement.! by Canon Groves. They agreed that the priority is to build relationships, to value * Read the full Commission on Civil diversity and to enable honest Society and Democratic Engagement conversation to establish a healthy report here: 'Non-party campaigning ahead community.$ of elections' - http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/ Love is the only way for Christians to node/19330! respond they said. Quakers in Britain plan Christian Aid has grave White Feather Diaries to concerns about Lobbying mark World War I Bill! centenary! The churches' global development ! agency Christian Aid has welcomed the ! Quakers in Britain are to launch The limited concessions which the White Feather Diaries, an online Government has made to its Lobbying storytelling project to mark the Bill, but still says risks harming centenary of World War I.! legitimate campaigning for good causes in the UK.! The real-time story follows five Quakers as the war unfolds, exploring their dilemmas "The Government has finally relented to and different choices in a daily blog and pressure and announced a very limited Twitter feed.