Catholic | Religion & Values

Dan Brown revisited

Posted by religion

on February 19, 2009 at 1:40 pm

There were protests against the film version of Dan Brown’s book “The Da Vinci Code” several years ago.

Now another of Brown’s book’s is being brought to the big screen.

It’s “Angels & Demons” and it features actor Tom Hanks once again portraying ”Code” central character Robert Langdon.

I don’t know how this movie will fare at the box office. I do know that the Catholic Church is not a fan of the film, just like it wasn’t a fan of “Code.”

Actually there were people from other Christian faith traditions besides the Catholic Church that did not like the issues raised in the earlier book-turned-movie, mainly the assertion that Jesus may have been married to Mary Magdalene and fathered a child with her.

Anyway, the Catholic Church forbid “Angels & Demons” director Ron Howard from filming in Catholic churches in Rome.

Speculation and talk of the movie is picking up steam as its U.S. premiere nears.

I saw Howard interviewed on “Entertainment Tonight” and wondered how close the film’s U.S. premiere was to Easter, which is April 12.

The premiere is set for May 15, just as “Code” premiered in May.

Watch a trailer for the film here: “Angels & Demons”

And just FYI, I saw a publicity photography of Hanks and other stars taken in the St. Marta Church in Rome, which is described as a “deconsecrated church.” That means it is no longer used for worship. I am wondering if Howard and crew were allowed to film in those types of churches instead of churches where worship services currently take place.

(AP PHOTO above: Actor Tom Hanks, left, Israeli actress Ayelet Zurer, center, and director Ron Howard, right, pose during a photocall to promote their new film “Angels & Demons” at the European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN) in Meyrin near Geneva, Switzerland on Feb. 12.)

Carla Hinton

Religion Editor

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Obama inauguration: Diverse voices at the table

Posted by religion

on January 20, 2009 at 6:39 pm

OK, the inauguration is over.

There still is, however, the National Prayer Service at the National Cathedral, where another of President Obama’s choices, the Rev. Sharon Watkins, has made headlines in recent days.

That service is set for Wednesday, with former Oklahoman Sharon Watkins, general minister of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Oklahoma and Canada, to deliver the sermon. She became the topic of conversation because she is the first woman to deliver the sermon at the National Prayer Service.

Here are some more details, gleaned from The Associated Press. They suggest that President Obama is keeping his promise of bring diverse voices to the table, so to speak.

In addition to Watkins, there will be Ingrid Mattson (pictured at left), the first woman president of the Islamic Society of North America, who will offer a prayer. The society is the nation’s largest Muslim group.

Also according to The Associated Press, three rabbis, representing the three major branches of American Judaism, will say prayers at the service. They are reform rabbi David Saperstein (pictured at right), conservative rabbi Jerome Epstein and orthodox rabbi Haskel Lookstein.

And traditionally the Roman Catholic archbishop of Washington — in this case the Most Rev. Donald Wuerl – leads a prayer, the AP said.

Carla Hinton

Religion Editor

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Vatican + iPhone = iPrayer

Posted by religion

on December 30, 2008 at 1:03 pm

The Vatican has found that new technology like the iPhone has some definite advantages.

According to the Associated Press, the Vatican is endorsing new technology that brings the book of daily prayers used by priests straight onto iPhones.

The Vatican’s Pontifical Council for Social Communications has given its approval of the iBreviary, an iTunes application created by an Italian priest, the Rev. Paolo Padrini, and an Italian Web designer, the AP reports.

The application includes the Breviary prayer book — in Italian, English, Spanish, French and Latin and, in the near future, Portuguese and German. Another section includes the prayers of the daily Mass, and a third contains various other prayers.

Padrini’s proceeds are to go to charity.

(Above: AP Photo)

Carla Hinton

Religion Editor

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Catholic League gives Comedy Central a lump of coal

Posted by religion

on December 24, 2008 at 1:35 pm

Comedy Central re-broadcast actor Denis Leary’s 2005 Christmas special and this has raised the ire of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights.

The special also is set to air Christmas Day.

However, the Catholic League is asking its members and associates to e-mail Doug Herzog, the president of Comedy Central, to ask that he cancel the special’s Christmas showing — and any future showings.

Catholic League president Bill Donohue said Comedy Central’s repeated airing of the 2005 special is proof that there is still a “War on Christmas.

“They are well aware that this special is offensive — indeed mocking Catholicism is the goal — and they repeatedly re-air it, particularly on Christmas, the maximize the offense,” Donohue said in a recent news release.

Leary’s holiday special includes a skit about lesbian nuns, among other things. But his monologue, in which he scoffs at Christians’ belief in the virgin birth of Christ, is apparently deemed the most offensive by Donohue.

Read more about the issue on the Catholic League’s Web site at www.catholicleague.org.

(PHOTO: Actor Denis Leary)

Carla Hinton

Religion Editor

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Faith leaders comment on Obama

Posted by religion

on November 5, 2008 at 10:45 am

Religious leaders and representatives of faith-based organizations are weighing in on the election of Sen. Barack Obama as the nation’s 44th president.

The National Council of Churches has responded today with a letter to the new president elect:

Dear Mr. President Elect,

Blessings on you, and congratulations. Now that the electorate has made its decision, we at the National Council of Churches urge all Americans to come together to uphold you with our hands, our hearts and our prayers.

Only rarely in our history has a president-elect faced immediate challenges of such fierce magnitude. The leaders of this Council pledge to you our unstinting support in the difficult days to come. All of us are dependent on God’s loving mercy, and we will regularly pray for you and others elected to high leadership. May your wisdom and discernment serve you well, and may your health never wane.

To read the complete letter, click here: Letter

The Rev. Billy Graham, who is nearing his 90th birthday on Friday, also has a statement, shared through a news release sent today:

“President Elect Barack Obama faces many challenges, and I urge everyone to join me in pledging our support and prayers as he begins the difficult task ahead.”

Meanwhile, The Associated Press is reporting that the Vatican said today that it hopes that Barack Obama will work to promote peace and justice in the world.

The Rev. Federico Lombardi, chief spokesman for the Vatican and for Pope Benedict XVI told The Associated Press that the Vatican hoped Obama would “work for the cause of rights and justice, finding suitable ways to promote peace in the world, fostering people’s development and dignity while respecting essential human and spiritual values.”

Other statements come from leaders that are not as conciliatory:

The Rev. Frank Pavone, national director of Priests for Life, released the following statement regarding the Presidential election:

“Americans have made a grave mistake in electing Barack Obama to the presidency. He said during the campaign that he does not know when a human being starts to have human rights. How can one govern from that starting point of ignorance? Governing is about protecting human rights; to do it successfully, you have to know where they come from, and when they begin. The President-elect has already failed that test miserably.”I’ll post more comments and statements as they arrive.Carla Hinton

Religion Editor

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A call for election eve prayer

Posted by religion

on September 17, 2008 at 8:00 am

Concerned Roman Catholics of America is calling on all Catholics and Christians to ask their pastors to allow them to conduct all-night prayer vigils on the night before the U.S. presidential election.

Kenneth M. Fisher, the group’s founder and chairman, said Christians need to pray for God-loving and fearing candidates throughout the country ”so that the present course of moral decay, so evident today in our society, can be reversed and ‘One Nation Under God’ can be once again established, especially the ‘inalienable right to life’, ” Fisher said in a statement released through Christian Newswire.

Carla Hinton

Religion Editor

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Roman Catholic parishes prepare for Fatima Statue

Posted by religion

on July 31, 2008 at 5:42 pm

PHOTO FROM PILGRIMVIRGINSTATUE.COM

The International Pilgrim Virgin Statue of Our Lady of Fatima will be touring the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Oklahoma City through August.

The statue will arrive in Oklahoma on Saturday, Aug. 2 at St. Peter Catholic Church in Guymon.

The mission of the tour is to spread Our Lady of Fatima’s message that was given to the children of Fatima and to bring the presence of Mary to people, according to the Sooner Catholic, the official archdiocese newspaper.

During the presentation at Oklahoma parishes, a tour spokesman will discuss the statue and the message of Fatima. Each parish has its own schedule of events that will occur when the statue arrives.

For more information, go to the statue’s official Web site.

Meanwhile, if you’d like to catch one of the presentations, here is a listing of several statue tour dates and parishes, courtesy of the Sooner Catholics:

Aug. 2, St. Peter Catholic Church, Guymon

Aug. 3, St. Peter Catholic Church, Woodward

Aug. 5, Church of St. Mary, Ponca City

Aug. 6, St. Joseph Catholic Church, Bison

Aug. 7, Saints Peter and Paul, Kingfisher

Aug. 8, St. Matthew Catholic Church, Elk City

Aug. 10, St. Patrick Catholic Church, Anadarko

Aug. 11, Holy Family Catholic Church, Lawton

Aug. 12, St. Helen Catholic Church, Frederick

Aug. 14, St. Thomas More, Norman

Carla Hinton

Religion Editor

Dan Brown revisited

Obama inauguration: Diverse voices at the table

Vatican + iPhone = iPrayer

Catholic League gives Comedy Central a lump of coal

Faith leaders comment on Obama

A call for election eve prayer

Roman Catholic parishes prepare for Fatima Statue

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