Religion Briefs
Star-Bulletin staff &
Associated Press
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HAWAII
‘Hamlet’ revised for church play
The Unity Church of Hawaii will present a play on the power of forgiveness, "My Brooklyn Hamlet," by Brenda Adelman, at 7 p.m. next Saturday.
Adelman will receive the Heroine of Forgiveness Award on Hawaii International Forgiveness Day for her play, a retelling of Shakespeare's classic "Hamlet."
Tickets for $20 are available by calling 735-4436 or visiting unityhawaii.org. The church is located at 3608 Diamond Head Circle off Monsarrat Avenue.
NATION
Endorsements taboo for clergy
DENVER » As clergy involvement in politics stirs debate, Roman Catholic priests and deacons in the Denver Archdiocese are being instructed not to endorse or donate money to candidates.
The directive came from Denver Archbishop Charles Chaput, one of the nation's most outspoken Catholic bishops in expressing the need for Catholics to follow their faith in making political decisions.
The directive says clerics "may not publicly participate or endorse political campaigns or initiatives, or publicly affiliate themselves with groups whose primary purpose is to do so."
Jeanette DeMelo, a spokeswoman for the archdiocese, said Chaput wants to give clergy guidance ahead of the 2008 election and was not responding to any particular activity by priests or deacons.
She said the directive only affects partisan political activity and said clergy still have a duty to speak out on moral issues such as abortion or immigration.
In May the Rev. Michael Pfleger pledged not to do any campaigning or publicly mention any candidate after making derisive comments about Sen. Hillary Clinton.
Republican Sen. John McCain's presidential campaign, meantime, has disowned endorsements from two high-profile evangelical pastors for their comments about other religions.
Sikh girl’s hair cut, spurring rally
NEW YORK » The Sikh community in protesting an attack on a 12-year-old girl who had her long hair cut off by a fellow student.
The June 9 incident at Public School 219 in Flushing is the third incident in two months targeting a Sikh student in Queens. The hair cutting violates Sikh religious beliefs. School officials say the accused student was immediately suspended.
Sikhs and elected officials planned a march through Richmond Hill, Queens, on Monday, followed by a rally at Richmond Hill High School.
Schools Chancellor Joe Klein has previously met with the Sikh community and said new bias regulations were being implemented.
