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Holy Father to meet with Pres. Clinton during visit to St. Louis
President Bill Clinton will have a private meeting with Pope John Paul, II in January during the Holy Father's visit to the St. Louis. The Pontiff, during his trip January 22-28, will first visit Mexico City where he will officially receive the results of the Synod for the Americas which took place last year. From there, he will journey to St. Louis on January 26. After meeting with Clinton at an Air National Guard hanger at the St. Louis airport, the Holy Father will speak with sick children from Cardinal Glennon's Children's Hospital, and the next day will deliver a homily at a morning Mass at St. Louis' Trans-World Dome. He proceeds home to Rome later that evening on an overnight flight. |
US Bishops urge Catholic politicians to defend Life via: Catholic World News (CWN) The National Conference of Catholic Bishops last month, urged Catholic politicians to support the dignity of all human life, not just in their personal beliefs but in their official duties. The bishops made the announcement at their semi-annual meeting in November. The bishops approved a statement 217 to 30 with one of the strongest pro-life declarations ever made by the Conference. First, they urged all Catholics to vote for pro-life condidates running for public office, and then told Catholic politicians that agreeing with the Church's teachings on poverty, housing, and health care does not exempt them from the necessity to protect life. Being "right" on those issues "can never excuse a wrong choice regarding direct attacks on innocent human life," they said. In other business, the Bishops also discussed proposed standards for Catholic colleges and universities which would require presidents of those institutions to take an oath of fidelity to the Church and require theologians to receive permission from local Bishops to teach. The standards would also urge the schools to recruit faithful Catholics as faculty. |