NEWS BRIEFS

Saturday, August 17, 2013

Oldest synagogue mediation fails

PROVIDENCE, R.I. - Mediation has failed in lawsuits between the nation’s oldest synagogue and first Jewish congregation.

Lawyers for the leaders of New York City’s Congregation Shearith Israel and Newport’s Touro Synagogue tell The Associated Press they were unable to reach an agreement under a mediation overseen by a federal judge in Rhode Island.

The lawsuits will now move forward.

The dispute started after leaders at Touro agreed to sell a set of Colonial-era Torah finial bells, called rimonim, for $7.4 million to the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.

Leaders of the New York congregation stepped in to oppose the sale, saying it owns Touro and the bells.

Touro is a National Historic Site that is visited by tens of thousands of people every year.

Catholic seeks Lutheran dialogue

PITTSBURGH - A Roman Catholic bishop has told the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America that differences over homosexuality matter less than the Christian faith that unites them.

Bishop Denis Madden told the ELCA’s Churchwide Assembly in Pittsburgh that Catholics and Lutherans may interpret the Bible differently, but shouldn’t let that drive them apart.

The nation’s largest Lutheran denomination welcomes partnered gay and lesbian clergy and recently elected its first partnered gay bishop.

But Madden said as the 500th anniversary of the Reformation approaches in 2017, Catholics and Lutherans should remain in respectful dialogue, “even when the course ahead presents itself as more rocky than we first imagined.” - The Associated Press

Archbishop: Didn’t know about claims

NEWARK, N.J. - Newark Archbishop John J. Myers said he was unaware of allegations of sexual abuse and inappropriate behavior made against a priest who gave him lavish gifts when they served in the Diocese of Peoria, Ill., according to a 2010 deposition.

Myers was the Roman Catholic bishop of Peoria from 1990 to 2001. He said in the deposition he knew nothing of the allegations against Monsignor Thomas Maloney, then a priest at a parish in Normal, Ill.

The Peoria diocese entered into a $1.35 million settlement last week with former altar boy Andrew Ward, who came forward publicly and claimed he was abused by Maloney in the mid-1990s, when he was 8. The deposition was released as part of the settlement.

In the deposition, Myers said he did not know that concerns were raised about Maloney, who died in 2009. Myers said if he had learned of the allegations he would have called for an investigation.

Soccer-loving pope meets big-name stars

VATICAN CITY - Two big name Argentines have had a VIP meeting at the Vatican - Pope Francis and Barcelona soccer star Lionel Messi.

The player, his fellow teammates on the Argentine national soccer squad as well as Italy’s national team players enjoyed a private audience Tuesday with the first Latin American-born pontiff in the Apostolic Palace.

The teams met Wednesday in Rome in a friendly match.

Francis told the players to remember they are role models on and off the field “for better or worse.” He asked for their prayers for himself “on the playing field God put me on.” - The Associated Press

Religion, Pages 14 on 08/17/2013