Religion Briefs
Star-Bulletin staff &
Associated Press
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Portland church plans to defy judge
PORTLAND, Ore. » Roman Catholic Archbishop John Vlazny says the church will follow its own law on property ownership, defying a federal bankruptcy judge's ruling on how to satisfy claims by alleged priest sex abuse victims.
Vlazny told the Catholic Sentinel, the archdiocesan newspaper, that he considers church buildings and land the property of individual parishes, not the archdiocese. In a Dec. 30 ruling on the Portland Archdiocese, which filed for bankruptcy in 2004, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Elizabeth Perris said the archdiocese controlled these properties.
That means parish and school properties worth "hundreds of millions of dollars," according to the Sentinel, are included when the court decides how much to pay plaintiffs.
U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Patricia Williams issued a similar ruling in the Spokane Diocese's bankruptcy. Both judges said the church agreed to abide by federal law in filing for bankruptcy and cannot claim that property ownership is determined by church law.
The Spokane ruling is being appealed; the Portland Archdiocese is also considering an appeal.
Church requires class in the rhythm method
PHOENIX » Roman Catholic Bishop Thomas Olmsted is requiring couples who want a church wedding to take instruction in natural family planning, also known as the rhythm method.
Official church teaching holds that artificial birth control methods are sinful.
Bishops in Denver and Fargo, N.D., also require premarital instruction in natural family planning.
The Arizona Republic reported on articles by Olmsted addressing the issue. The bishop argued that a "marriage itself is gravely harmed" and marital infidelity increases when a couple uses artificial methods. He said "the use of contraceptives is always morally evil, and many of them have harmful side effects as well."
About 2,000 couples a year are married in the Phoenix diocese.