Sydney (ENI). The National Council of Churches in Australia has called on the nation to act on the recommendations of a controversial report about the forcible removal of indigenous children from their families during six decades of the 20th century. The removal by the federal authorities, with the co-operation of churches, of many Aboriginal children - now known as the "stolen generations" - from their families between 1910 and 1970 remains one of the most sensitive and hotly debated issues in Australian society. Many of the children were put in church-run institutions where it was intended they should adapt to white culture. [804 words, ENI-01-0198]

30 May 2001

Amsterdam (ENI). The Netherlands should cancel "unpayable" debts owed it by the world's poorest countries, the Council of Churches in The Netherlands (Raad van Kerken in Nederland - RKN) has declared in a recent letter to the nation's main political parties. Published as political parties draw up their policies for next year's general elections, the letter called on politicians to do more to ease the debt of developing nations to enable them to fund basic social services such as education and health care. [436 words, ENI-01-0196]

Rome disowns Zambian archbishop after his marriage in New York

Rome and Lusaka (ENI). A Zambian Catholic prelate, Emmanuel Milingo, formerly Archbishop of Lusaka, has caused astonishment and deep embarrassment both to the Vatican and to the church in his own country by getting married on 27 May in the Unification Church, which the Catholic Church views as a sect. The Vatican reacted by publicly disowning 70-year-old Archbishop Milingo on 28 May, declaring that he had put himself "outside the Catholic Church" through his actions. [1146 words, ENI-01-0197]

29 May 2001

Harare (ENI). Timothy Neill, a prominent Anglican priest in Zimbabwe and vocal critic of the Mugabe government, has announced that he is cutting all links with the Anglican church in Zimbabwe at the beginning of July. In an interview with ENI, Neill also called on the international community to force Zimbabwe's controversial leader, President Robert Mugabe, out of office at the end of his current term next year. "To me, this man [Robert Mugabe] is a bully, and Zimbabweans need others to help us get the bully off us," Neill said. "It's like at school, you need the help of others to deal with a bully." [1027 words, ENI-01-0194]

Canadian politician works with churches to resolve abuse crisis

Ottawa (ENI). Canada's deputy prime minister, Herb Gray, has met leaders of the Anglican Church of Canada (ACC) in an attempt to resolve thousands of court cases alleging abuse at indigenous residential schools that were run by churches on behalf of the government. The meeting on 17 May came soon after the Anglican bishops wrote to Prime Minister Jean Chrétien urging him to intervene in stalled negotiations over compensation for former students who claim they were abused by school staff. [668 words, ENI-01-0195]

28 May 2001

Warsaw (ENI). A Roman Catholic archdiocese in Poland is seeking libel damages from a former priest after he accused the church of diverting charity proceeds to fund "episcopal extravaganzas". [631 words, ENI-01-0192]

US religious leaders put pressure on Bush to change his energy policies

New York (ENI). A broad coalition of US religious leaders has called for renewed action to change energy policy, criticising some of the energy plans of President George W. Bush. Describing fuel conservation as a "comprehensive moral value", the 39 Christian and Jewish leaders did not overtly condemn Bush's energy policy in their open letter entitled "Let There Be Light: Energy Conservation and God's Creation". But they disagreed with some key Bush proposals, especially the administration's emphasis on the use of fossil fuels and nuclear power. "Humankind has a fundamental choice of priorities for its future," the religious leaders said in their letter, released on 21 May. "By depleting energy sources, causing global warming, fouling the air with pollution, and poisoning the land with radioactive waste, a policy of increased reliance on fossil fuels and nuclear power jeopardises health and well-being for life on Earth." [1012 words, ENI-01-0193]

23 May 2001

Harare (ENI). A Zimbabwean Catholic archbishop, Pius Ncube of Bulawayo, 430 kilometres south of Harare, says that the church risks losing the trust of the public if it supports a government which is unjust and bent on the use of violence. Writing in the latest edition of Catholic Church News, a magazine published by the Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops' Conference (ZCBC), Archbishop Ncube said the church must not condone injustice and should be willing to make itself unpopular by challenging unjust structures. [520 words, ENI-01-0190]

22 May 2001

Sydney (ENI). As the Anglican Church of Australia prepares for its general synod in July, major divisions have appeared following an archbishop's request that the church bless lifelong homosexual "friendships". The Primate of the Church in Australia, Dr Peter Carnley, has suggested the church should bless such unions and concentrate on the spiritual quality of the friendship without inquiring into intimate physical matters. [916 words, ENI-01-0188]

LWF president seeks early retirement from bishop's post

Geneva (ENI). The president of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), Bishop Christian Krause, has announced that he will take early retirement as bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Brunswick, Germany, next January, when he turns 62. He said that he wished to allow a younger generation to take responsibility for leadership in the church. He intends to continue his work as LWF president until his term ends, at the next LWF assembly in 2003. [571 words, ENI-01-0189]

21 May 2001

New York (ENI). The former Episcopal (Anglican) bishop of the US state of Montana is appealing against a church court decision that led to his resignation over charges of sexual misconduct. The appeal, filed on 11 May by Charles I. "Ci" Jones III, challenges the decision by a court of bishops recommending that Jones be defrocked as a priest. [527 words, ENI-01-0187]

18 May 2001

New Delhi (ENI). More than 500 Catholic schools in north-eastern India were closed today in protest after three missionaries of the Salesian order of Catholic priests and brothers were shot dead by militants on 15 May. All three staff - novice master Father Raphael Paliakara, aged 46, Father Andreas Kindo, aged 31, and Brother Shinu Joseph Valliparambil, aged 23 - of the Salesian novice house at Ngarian hills 35 kilometres from Imphal, capital of the state of Manipur, were shot dead, apparently by militants with automatic guns on Tuesday evening, 15 May. Manipur and surrounding states have a complex ethnic mix and dozens of militant groups fighting for rights for their peoples. [678 words, ENI-01-0184]

Aid expert warns that North Korea faces renewed food shortages

New York (ENI). North Korea, though moving out of its international isolation, faces renewed worries over long-time food security, according to a church-based observer with extensive experience in the communist country. Due to a poor harvest in late 2000, North Korea was facing a 1.8 million tonne food shortfall - its worst since 1997, said Erich Weingärtner, former liaison officer for the United Nations World Food Programme in Pyongyang, North Korea. [717 words, ENI-01-0185]

Chaplains alarmed at Europe's rising prison populations

Amsterdam (ENI). Prison chaplains from 30 countries have expressed "alarm at the continuing growth in prison populations in many European countries". The chaplains, attending an international meeting in The Netherlands this month, called on European governments to prioritise prisoner resettlement schemes, which provide advice, training and support to prepare offenders for their return to the community after release from prison. About 120 Protestant, Roman Catholic and Orthodox chaplains attended the European conference of the International Prison Chaplains Association (IPCA), held from 8 to 13 May in Driebergen. The association holds pan-European conferences every three to four years. [855 words, ENI-01-0186]

17 May 2001

New Delhi (ENI). A prominent Orthodox priest in the southern Indian state of Kerala has failed in his bid to be elected to the state legislative assembly. Father Mathai Nooranal's electoral campaign annoyed some Christians because he had the support of the state's Communist-led ruling coalition in the election held on 10 May. The coalition lost the election. [467 words, ENI-01-0182]

Chiluba says he will retire but Zambia's churches don't believe him

Lusaka (ENI). Zambian churches have expressed doubts about a recent declaration by President Frederick Chiluba who said that, contrary to previous statements, the country's constitution would not be changed to allow him to run for a third term in office. Chiluba was first elected in 1991 promising privatisation of state industries and major economic reforms. But in recent years his government has been plagued with accusations of mismanagement, corruption, and infighting. [822 words, ENI-01-0183]

16 May 2001

Harare (ENI). The Anglican Church in Zimbabwe's eastern province of Manicaland is investigating allegations that militias linked to the country's ruling Zanu PF party took part in training sessions on the premises of one of its schools last month. According to newspaper reports, members of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) and Zanu PF militias conducted a five-day military training session at St George's primary school in the Muchena area of Penhalonga, about 50 kilometres north of the eastern city of Mutare. [473 words, ENI-01-0180]

US investigators asked to help solve mystery of nun's death in Guatemala

Guatemala City (ENI). Guatemalan authorities have asked the United States government to send investigators to help end the mystery over the death of an American nun early this month. Sister Barbara Ann Ford, a member of the New York-based Sisters of Charity order, was shot dead on 5 May when two well-dressed men hijacked her pick-up truck in a busy section of Guatemala City. Sister Barbara's killers later abandoned the truck a few blocks away and stole another vehicle, which they then discarded a short distance away. Police called to investigate quickly described the crime as an act of delinquency which had gone wrong. But human rights activists claimed the sequence of events fitted a pattern consistent with other politically motivated killings in recent years. [930 words, ENI-01-0181]

15 May 2001

Rome, 15 May (ENI)-A retired Italian bishop and several Catholic theologians have suggested that the Vatican take a radical step to make the College of Cardinals - whose main duty is to elect the pope - more inclusive by appointing women to the college.At present all 183 cardinals are ordained males, the vast majority of them bishops."The present system, which restricts to male cardinals the right to choose the pope, is a product of history," Giuseppe Casale, 77-year-old former bishop of Foggia, in southern Italy, told ENI. [644 words, ENI-01-0179]

14 May 2001

London (ENI). A senior bishop of the Church of England has warned that the Kingdom of God "is grinding to a halt under the multiplicity of consultations and meetings" in the church. Warning of the dangers of putting meetings before mission, James Jones, Anglican Bishop of Liverpool, said that churches should put the brakes on holding too many meetings.[596 words, ENI-01-0177]

UN asked to protect judges in bishop's murder trial

Guatemala City (ENI). The judges overseeing the trial of five people facing charges over the murder of a Roman Catholic bishop have asked the United Nations for protection. The three judges made the request to Param Cumaraswamy, UN special rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, when the UN envoy visited their courtroom on 11 May. Three military officers and a priest are accused of killing Juan Gerardi, auxiliary bishop of Guatemala City, in 1998. The housekeeper of the parish where the bishop lived is charged with helping to cover up the crime. [1093 words, ENI-01-0178]

11 May 2001

Harare (ENI). Joseph Chinotimba, one of the war veterans leading "invasions" of Zimbabwe's white-owned farms and, in recent weeks, white-owned companies, has ordered the closure of a building used as a church at Troutbeck in Nyanga, 270 kilometres east of Harare, saying it should revert to its former use as a beer hall. According to the Eastern Star, a weekly newspaper published in the city of Mutare, Chinotimba, who exercises great influence and enjoys government support, declared that 11 different congregations which shared the building should look for alternative venues for worship. [652 words, ENI -01-0175]

Greek church 'deeply dissatisfied' after papal visit

Warsaw (ENI). The (Orthodox) Church of Greece is "deeply dissatisfied" with Pope John Paul II's visit to Athens last week, according to one of the church's leaders, who said the papal pilgrimage had eroded chances for dialogue between the Orthodox and Roman Catholic churches. "As the first visit by the head of the Roman Catholic Church and Vatican state, this was a positive event," said Metropolitan Chrysostomos Zaphiris of Peristerion. "But although the Pope opened certain windows in ties between our churches, he closed others by his silence -particularly the possibilities for continuing theological dialogue." [1023 words, ENI-01-0176]

10 May 2001

Toronto (ENI). Canada's Anglican bishops have appealed to Prime Minister Jean Chrétien to intervene in stalled negotiations over compensation for people who claim they were abused in Indian residential schools run by the church on behalf of the government. More than 7000 people have brought lawsuits against the federal government, the Anglican Church of Canada (ACC) and several other Canadian churches, alleging they were physically or sexually abused by school staff. [979 words, ENI-01-0174]

9 May 2001

Sydney (ENI). A census-style survey of more than two million churchgoers in four countries will provide Christians with an unprecedented snapshot of the faith, and a "mission resource" to help church leaders plan for the future, according to the chair of the survey's international steering committee and president-elect of the Uniting Church in Australia, Dr Dean Drayton. The International Church Life Survey is being distributed in Aotearoa-New Zealand, England, the United States and Australia. The core survey consists of about 50 questions seeking basic information such as age, background and denomination. Critical questions include attitudes to women's role in the church, sexuality, indigenous issues and understanding of the role of the Bible. [620 words, ENI-01-0172]

US church apologises for not doing more to oppose slavery

New York (ENI). The General Board of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) has apologised for not doing enough in the 19th century to oppose slavery. At a meeting from 21 to 24 April, the board of the 834 000-member Protestant denomination passed a resolution declaring that many religious communities in the US, including the Christian Church, "failed to work or speak against the institution of slavery in the United States, a wicked apathy that permitted and resulted in untold suffering among the African people kidnapped by evil people and sold to Americans to labour without compensation and often subjected to inhuman persecutions by their white owners". [705 words, ENI-01-0173]

8 May 2001

Harare (ENI). The Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops' Conference (ZCBC) has declared that their nation should not be held to ransom by war veterans who are currently wreaking havoc in the country under the false pretext that they alone liberated the nation. In a pastoral letter - under the heading Tolerance and Hope - Zimbabwe's nine Catholic bishops condemned the recent illegal activities of Zimbabweans claiming to be veterans of the nation's liberation struggle in the 1970s. Since February last year the former freedom fighters have invaded 1700 white-owned commercial farms, closed government offices and, recently, invaded companies in an attempt to resolve labour disputes. [1071 words, ENI-01-0170]

New internet project hopes to bring Reformed Christians together

Geneva (ENI). A new internet project - "Reformed Online" - has been launched to help promote unity between the world's more than 700 Protestant denominations in the Reformed tradition of Christianity. The new internet project - with the website www.reformed-online.net - provides information about Reformed churches world-wide, permitting them to communicate directly with one another. It complements the official website of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches (www.warc.ch) which was re-launched at the beginning of this month. [631 words, ENI-01-0171]

7 May 2001

Athens (ENI)--Despite major obstacles, Pope John Paul II has made history during his pilgrimage to Athens and Damascus, with a series of symbolic gestures and speeches which forge new links with both Orthodox Christians and Muslims. On Sunday 6 May in Damascus Pope John Paul became the first pontiff to enter a mosque when he visited the Umayyad Mosque in the company of Mufti Ahmed Kuftaro of Syria. The Pope urged forgiveness between Christians and Muslims, but, out of deference to Muslim sensitivities, no formal prayer was said. On Friday, 4 May, John Paul made the first visit to Greece by a pope in 1291 years. In recent weeks, plans for his visit had been strongly criticised by Greek Orthodox clergy and laity, but in Athens Pope John Paul defused at least some of the hostility by asking God to forgive Roman Catholics for sins committed against Orthodox Christians over the past 1000 years. [1300 words, ENI-01-0168]

'Let's open our arms and treat these people as human beings'

New York (ENI). Shocked by the conditions of asylum-seekers seen on a visit to a New York detention centre, officials from major religions in the United States have appealed to the US Congress to "correct" its immigration laws. Appalled by their visit to an immigrant detention centre near New York's JFK International Airport, leaders of Protestant, Roman Catholic, Jewish and Moslem communities have urged government representatives to end policies that they say treat legitimate refugees like criminals. "We are deeply troubled by the way our country is treating people who come to our shores fleeing persecution in their homelands," they said in the a statement submitted as written testimony at a US Senate Immigration Subcommittee hearing on US asylum policy last week. [788 words, ENI-01-0169]

4 May 2001

Nairobi (ENI). Religious leaders in Kenya have demanded a public inquest into the violent death last year of an American Catholic priest from the Mill Hill missionary order, John Kaiser, aged 67, known for his outspoken criticism of the Kenyan government. Kenya's 26 Roman Catholic bishops as well as leaders of Protestant churches flatly rejected the conclusions of Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) investigators from the US who have declared in a report that Kaiser's death, caused by a bullet fired from his own shotgun, was most likely a case of suicide. [727 words, ENI-01-0165]

In first dialogue Reformed churches and Adventists address social mission

Geneva (ENI). Meeting formally for the first time, two traditions of Protestantism - the Reformed and the Adventist - agreed on a statement addressing the most pressing problems facing the world today. HIV/Aids, violence against women and children and religious liberty were among the tasks identified as common ground in a document produced at the end of a meeting in Switzerland last month by the World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC) and the Seventh-day Adventist Church. [939 words, ENI-01-0166]

Ku Klux Klan conviction lauded by church and civil-rights leaders

New York (ENI). US civil-rights and church leaders are hailing an Alabama jury's conviction of a former Ku Klux Klan member for a 1963 bombing of a church in Birmingham, in the southern state of Alabama, that killed four black girls. It took a jury less than three hours on 1 May to convict 62-year-old Thomas Blanton, Jr. Blanton was found guilty of first-degree murder and faces life imprisonment for the 15 September 1963 bombing at the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church that killed Denise McNair, aged 11, and Addie Mae Collins, Carole Robertson and Cynthia Wesley, all aged 14. [819 words, ENI-01-0167]

3 May 2001

London (ENI). A church centre in Glasgow, Scotland's biggest city, is offering a solution to the age-old dilemma of whether to give beggars cash or the cold shoulder. Vouchers to give to beggars, costing one pound sterling (US$1.45) are on sale at Glasgow's Lodging House Mission. Each voucher may be exchanged for a full cooked breakfast or a three-course lunch at the mission, run by the Church of Scotland's Glasgow presbytery. [839 words, ENI-01-0164]

2 May 2001

New York (ENI). Church officials and leading defenders of human rights have praised Leon Sullivan, a leading figure in US efforts to end South Africa's system of apartheid, for his long commitment to making corporations more responsible for ethical conduct. Sullivan, an African American and ordained Baptist minister, died on 25 April of leukaemia at the age of 78 in Scottsdale, in the US state of Arizona. Sullivan was best known for creating the Sullivan Principles, a set of ethical guidelines later signed by officials from more than 125 US corporations working in South Africa. The principles pledged the corporations to practise racial non-discrimination in their South African operations and to opposing apartheid. [733 words, ENI-01-0162]

After months of bitter argument Harare has a new Anglican bishop

Harare (ENI). The consecration of Norbert Kunonga as the Anglican Bishop of Harare on Sunday, 29 April, has ended months of argument between him and a rival clergyman for the position of bishop. The argument exposed a wide division in clergy attitudes to the troubled government of President Robert Mugabe. Timothy Neill, former vicar-general of the diocese, had been fighting since last December to have Kunonga's nomination overturned. Neill, a 47-year-old white priest and prominent critic of the Mugabe government, claimed that the procedure contravened church laws and was "tainted" by racism against whites. [776 words, ENI-01-0163]

1 May 2001

New Delhi (ENI). After winding up emergency relief work in the state of Gujarat in western India, church charities are now adopting entire villages in a region devastated by January's earthquake. Almost all the major church agencies that have been providing aid to the millions left without shelter are now working with the Gujarat state government to provide "total rehabilitation" to villages. Although government officials say that 30 000 died in the disaster, independent studies and social activists say the figure of 100 000 is a much more accurate estimate of the toll in the earthquake, which measured 8.1 on the Richter scale. The disaster struck Gujarat on 26 January. [761 words, ENI-01-0160]

Five Anglicans in court after 'rescuing' teenagers from arranged marriages

Kano (ENI). Five Anglicans - two priests and three laymen - will appear in court in northern Nigeria this month charged with abducting two teenage sisters who were going to be forced into arranged Muslim marriages in an area of the country which applies strict Islamic law. The two priests, Canon Musa Harunat and Isiya Idi, and three laymen, who have been detained for various periods in police cells in connection with the charges, claim that the girls are practising Christians who sought shelter in their church. [547 words, ENI-01-0161]

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