HEALTH CARE OVERHAUL-CHRISTIANS
Christian doctors CEO wary of health reform deal
BRISTOL, Tenn. (AP) — The doctor who heads the Christian Medical Association is wary of the deal President Barack Obama struck with abortion foes to win House passage of the Senate health care bill.
Dr. David Stevens says Obama's executive order prohibiting the use of federal funds for abortion and protecting the conscience rights of health care providers could easily be revoked.
Stevens also cites surveys that suggest the health care overhaul may prompt many doctors to quit medicine at a time when millions more Americans will be trying to use their new coverage.
As the House prepared to vote Sunday, Republican Congressman Spencer Bachus of Alabama read a prayer that was said in Congress 61 years ago. It warned lawmakers that they can only expect God's blessing when they "do what is right."
The House passed the overhaul bill.
Sound:
<<CUT …256 (03/21/10)>> 00:13 "with this anymore"
Dr. David Stevens
Dr. David Stevens says surveys have found that the health care overhaul could prompt many doctors to quit medicine.
<<CUT …255 (03/21/10)>> 00:11 "I had before"
Dr. David Stevens
Dr. David Stevens says he's wary of the deal President Barack Obama struck with abortion foes to win passage of his health care overhaul.
IMMIGRATION MARCH
Rally for immigration reform opens with prayers
WASHINGTON (AP) — Thousands of immigrant rights supporters from around the U.S. have rallied for immigration reform on the National Mall in Washington.
Sunday's rally began with an interfaith service. A minister noted that the biblical patriarch Abraham was an immigrant, and that the New Testament urges believers to show hospitality to strangers.
Another clergyman said, "Immigration reform is righteous, just and possible."
A rabbi said undocumented immigrants should be "freed from the bondage of fear and exploitation."
Activists have been frustrated that they've had to wait for reform, despite President Barack Obama's assurances that he remains committed to changing immigration laws. They hope Sunday's march will re-energize the legislative effort.
Sound:
<<CUT …164 (03/21/10)>> 00:06 "''
Demonstrators at immigration march
Demonstrators at immigration march chant "Si se puede" -- Spanish for "Yes we can."
<<CUT …163 (03/21/10)>> 00:08 "angels in disguise"
Unidentified minister
This unidentified minister says Americans should welcome immigrants.
<<CUT …162 (03/21/10)>> 00:10 "compassionate immigration reform"
Unidentified minister
This unidentified minister prays that U.S. immigration laws will be changed.
<<CUT …161 (03/21/10)>> 00:06 "just, and possible"
Unidentified minister
This unidentified minister says the time has come to reform U.S. immigration laws.
<<CUT …160 (03/21/10)>> 00:10 "fear and exploitation"
Unidentified rabbi
This unidentified rabbi says the marchers want comprehensive reform of U.S. immigration laws.
<<CUT …146 (03/21/10)>> 00:23 "''
Sound of music and demonstrators
This is the sound of music and demonstrators at the immigration reform rally.
<<CUT …145 (03/21/10)>> 00:11 "everything, you know"
Rosa Maria Torrez (TOR'-ehs), immigration reform demonstrator from Nicaragua
Rosa Maria Torrez of Nicaragua was asked why she was participating in the immigration reform demonstration.
IMMIGRATION-FAITH
Biblical grounds for immigration reform questioned
WASHINGTON (AP) — The president of the Washington-based Institute on Religion and Democracy is questioning the biblical argument for reforming U.S. immigration laws.
Mark Tooley says clergy demanding a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants may be confusing the church's mission to show compassion with the government's mission to enforce the law.
Tooley worries that extending citizenship to those who illegally enter the U.S. from Mexico would disadvantage potential immigrants from other parts of the world who are more deserving of American citizenship, such as those suffering religious persecution.
Sound:
<<CUT …260 (03/21/10)>> 00:14 "their own safety"
Mark Tooley
Mark Tooley says potential immigrants from distant lands may be more worthy of U.S. citizenship than those who have entered illegally from Mexico.
<<CUT …259 (03/21/10)>> 00:13 "or religious reasons"
Mark Tooley
Mark Tooley says most of the immigrants who would benefit from immigration reform entered the U.S. illegally from Mexico.
<<CUT …258 (03/21/10)>> 00:15 "enforce the law"
Mark Tooley
Mark Tooley says clergy who make biblical arguments for immigration reform may be confusing the roles of church and state.
FLOOD THREAT
Fargo residents go to church as Red River hits crest
FARGO, N.D. (AP) — Flood fears have receded in Fargo, N.D., where residents went to church Sunday instead of sandbagging and fleeing to higher ground.
City officials said they were relieved that the Red River separating North Dakota from Minnesota didn't cause major damage before its crest on Sunday afternoon.
Flooding this year has been limited mostly to areas along the river in Fargo and Moorhead, Minn., where 3-feet-high piles of sandbags have prevented the water from reaching homes
At the First Assembly of God church in Fargo, where volunteers gathered over the past week to stack sandbags, senior Pastor Bob Ona invited families whose homes were damaged in last year's floods to pray.
Ona said, "We want to publicly give thanks to God. He has helped us, we have been spared."
Sound:
<<CUT …211 (03/21/10)>> 00:05 "praise. Hallelujah. Hallelujah"
The Reverend Bob Ona
The Reverend Bob Ona asks his congregation to join him in thanking God.
<<CUT …210 (03/21/10)>> 00:11 "throws at us"
The Reverend Bob Ona
The Reverend Bob Ona prays that this year's flooding will strengthen people's faith.
<<CUT …209 (03/21/10)>> 00:10 "under your control"
The Reverend Bob Ona
The Reverend Bob Ona thanks God for limiting this year's flood damage.
COUNCIL PRAYER
SC county councilman's prayer sparks protest
SPARTANBURG, S.C. (AP) — A South Carolina councilman's prayer to Jesus against abortion and same-sex marriage to open a county council meeting has drawn at least one complaint.
The Herald-Journal of Spartanburg reported Sunday that Councilman O'Neal Mintz opened the March 15 meeting thanking God for "His Son, Jesus Christ" and saying that America's problems are attributable in part to abortion. He also said the U.S. needs prayer because of same-sex marriage.
His prayer drew a complaint from Spartanburg resident Mary Miles who often observes county council meetings for the League of Women Voters.
Local council prayers have been an issue in South Carolina since a court ruled that prayers mentioning Jesus' name before meetings of the Great Falls Town Council were unconstitutional because they show government preference to one faith over others.
CHURCH THIEF
Burglar who targeted churches gets 10 years
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) — A judge has sentenced a southwest Missouri man to 10 years in prison for being a serial burglar who targeted churches.
The Greene County Prosecuting Attorney's Office said in a news release that 23-year-old Joshua Higgins pleaded guilty this past week to 17 counts of burglary, tampering and attempted burglary.
The burglaries happened at local churches over several months in 2009. The tampering occurred at a private home, and the attempted burglary occurred at a local business.
Higgins is a prior offender.
CHURCH ABUSE
Pope does not mention rebuke to Irish bishops
VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Benedict has urged Catholics to refrain from judging sinners, a day after he rebuked Irish bishops for their handling of a half-century of sexual abuse of minors by clergy.
In Ireland, some Catholic worshippers said the pope's letter of rebuke was too little, too late. Others credited him with trying to deal with cases that happened long ago.
The pontiff didn't mention his letter chastising Ireland's church hierarchy as he made his weekly appearance Sunday from his studio window overlooking St. Peter's Square. And he made no mention of the Vatican's widely criticized policy of cloaking abuse allegations in secrecy.
Instead, the pope cited the Bible passage about Jesus inviting those without sin to cast the first stone toward an adulterer. Benedict said, "We humbly beg his forgiveness for our own failings."
Sound:
<<CUT …166 (03/21/10)>> 00:12 "position to question"
Miriam Merrion
Miriam Merrion says she was brought up in an era when Catholics didn't question priests' authority.
<<CUT …165 (03/21/10)>> 00:15 "long long time"
Jim Sheehan
Jim Sheehan says Irish bishops should have received a papal rebuke long ago.
CHURCH ABUSE-SNAP
Victims group criticizes Pope's response to sex abuse
CHICAGO (AP) — A national advocacy group says Pope Benedict's apology on sexual abuse by clergy doesn't go far enough.
Members of SNAP -- the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests -- left Sunday for Europe.
SNAP President Barbara Blaine says members will encourage Europeans who have been abused to speak out and lobby for independent investigations.
The group will travel to Germany, Austria, Italy and the Netherlands.
On Saturday, Benedict rebuked Irish bishops for their handling of a half-century of sexual abuse of minors by clergy. He said Irish bishops made grave errors of judgment about the abuse, but he didn't blame Vatican policies that kept the abuse secret.
CHURCH ABUSE-GERMANY
German archbishop says abuse covered up for years
BERLIN (AP) — A news magazine reports that the head of the German Bishops Conference admits the Roman Catholic church consciously covered up cases of sexual abuse by priests.
Weekly magazine Focus reported Sunday that Archbishop Robert Zollitsch of Freiburg, who also heads the Bishops Conference, said that "sexual abuse was covered up for decades by society."
He said while most cases happened outside the church "assaults that took place in such numbers within our institutions shame and frighten me."
He says "every single case darkens the face of the entire church."
On Saturday, Zollitsch apologized personally for a sexual abuse cover-up that happened twenty years ago in a Black Forest community while he was in charge of human resources at the Freiburg diocese.
