Gloria TV News on the Feast of St. Paschal Baylon.

Bogus Sex Abuse Allegations lead to Retirement of German Bishop

Germany

Bogus allegations lead to the retirement of Bishop Walter Mixa of Augsburg. Pope Benedict accepted his resignation on May 8th amidst a furious media attack against the bishop. Mixa was accused of physical abuse of children, financial misconduct and sexual abuse of a minor. In the meantime, all three accusations have been proven false or contradictory. Last Friday an investigation of sexual abuse allegations was dropped. The diocese of Augsburg had referred them to prosecutors without prior contacting the alleged victim who later categorically denied any wrongdoing of the bishop. The bishop was one of the few German bishops who defended Catholic positions. He was also known for attracting many seminarians.

Bishop Peter Moran of Aberdeen Against the Motu Proprio

Scotland

Bishop Peter Moran of Aberdeen, Scotland, has vetoed plans for a celebration of Mass in the extraordinary form in the cathedral of St. Magnus in Kirkwall. The bishop told Una Voce Scotland, which was planning the Mass, that the priests involved had "only limited faculties" in the diocese. Bishop Moran claimed that while priests may celebrate the traditional Latin Mass in private, "for public celebration the local bishop's permission is needed." That claim is in clear conflict with the terms of the motu proprio Summorum Pontificum. The Motu Proprio gives all priests the right to use the extraordinary form. Damian Thompson comments in his blog: Sad but not surprising, since the Bishops of Scotland seem united in their determination to throw up as many obstacles as possible to the implementation of Summorum Pontificum.

In Munich’s Catholic Cathedral: Pill a Gift of God

Germany

Speaking at an ecumenical event in Munich’s Catholic cathedral, Margot Käßmann, who led Germany’s Lutherans until her February arrest for drunk driving, paid tribute to the birth control pill. The Pill, she said, can be seen as “God’s gift, for it is about the preservation of life, of freedom, which doesn’t have to immediately degenerate into pornography, as much as the sexualisation of our society is, of course, a problem. It’s about love without fear and about responsible parenthood. And for women, in fact, it’s about concern for their own lives and those of their own children.”

Pope Against Gay Marriage

Portugal

During his speech at the 13 May annual mass at Fatima’s Sanctuary in Portugal, Pope Benedict XVI has condemned gay marriage in a public address to half a million people. He described gay marriage as the “most insidious and dangerous challenges that today confront the common good." Gay marriage is on the verge of being legalized in Portugal after legislation supporting it recently passed through Portuguese parliament. President Anibal Cavaco Silva is due to sign it into law next week, while abortion was legalized there three years ago.