December 28, 2017

In California, a former Vietnamese refugee becomes a bishop

The Diocese of Orange, California, received an early Christmas present in the form of a new bishop Dec. 19, when a man who entered the country as a young refugee from Vietnam in 1973 became its new auxiliary bishop.

Bishop Thanh Thai Nguyen, 64, became the second priest born in Vietnam to become a bishop in the United States. The first, Bishop Dominic M. Luong -- an auxiliary bishop of the Orange Diocese from 2003 until his retirement in 2015 -- died days before, on Dec. 6, at age 77.

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Bishop Vann told the new bishop during the ordination ceremony: "You, in another way, daily, will be a bearer of light to those in need of guidance and hope, who are surrounded by darkness at times, who are trying to find their way back to God," according to a Dec. 26 article from the Daily Pilot, a community publication of the Los Angeles Times.

As a young man, Bishop Nguyen had part of his religious journey interrupted when he was forced to flee his native country as a seminarian, spending 18 days at sea without food or water in a boat with others trying to flee the violence of the war. He and his family became part of a statistic of 3 million Vietnamese refugees who survived but were displaced from their native land, and were among the two million refugees from Vietnam resettled in the United States. In his adopted home, he continued his education, which included religious formation.

https://www.americamagazine.org/politics-society/2017/12/28/california-former-vietnamese-refugee-becomes-bishop

December 22, 2017

'God bless you, Father!' Parishioners support pastor who reveals he is gay

Fr. Greg Greiten was halfway through his homily, during which he shared that he is a gay, celibate priest, when a woman rose from her pew and shouted, "God bless you, Father!" The rest of the congregation at St. Bernadette Parish, where Greiten is pastor, responded with applause.

More applause and a standing ovation came when Greiten finished explaining that he was going to "no longer live in the shadow of secrecy" during the 10:30 a.m. Mass Sunday, Dec. 17.

After Mass, over coffee and doughnuts, parishioners responded positively or with nonchalance.

"I could care less," said Madge Powell, a parishioner for eight years. "I love him for the person he is."

https://www.ncronline.org/news/parish/god-bless-you-father-parishioners-support-pastor-who-reveals-he-gay

December 21, 2017

No discipline for GRPD officers who cuffed girl

Source: WOOD TV8

The Grand Rapids police officers who held an 11-year-old girl at gunpoint, handcuffed her and put in her the back of a cruiser as they searched for an attempted murder suspect will not be disciplined.

An internal investigation into the incident involving 11-year-old Honestie Hodges found the officers did not violate department policy, a late Wednesday afternoon release from the Grand Rapids Police Department said.

However, Chief David Rahinsky added that “in no way diminishes our commitment to identifying what can be done to prevent similar incidents in the future.”

“Concrete steps are being taken to ensure equitable outcomes in our interactions with the community,” a statement from the chief continued.

Read more: http://woodtv.com/2017/12/20/no-discipline-for-grpd-officers-who-cuffed-girl/

December 20, 2017

Cardinal Bernard Law has died at 86

Bernard Law, the former Boston cardinal who resigned in disgrace during the clergy sex abuse scandal, has died at age 86 in Rome, sources tell WCVB.

For all his brilliance, attainments and good works, Law’s legacy was tarnished by his handling of the scandal.

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At his height, Law was widely regarded to be America's most influential prelate.

By every such measure, the pedophilia scandals that shattered his regime, leaving him stripped of authority and respect, were made more dramatic. Nor did his efforts to atone, rectify, even apologize, register with much effect.

http://www.wcvb.com/article/former-cardinal-bernard-law-dies-at-age-86-sources-say/14453640

News of his death is likely to bring back some painful memories for a lot of victims. Let us lift them in our prayers.

December 17, 2017

Burglary suspect gets stuck in chimney, calls 911 for help

Jesse Alan Berube, 32, was arrested on Wednesday in Citrus Heights, California, where police say he tried to wriggle down a chimney in an attempt to break into a business.

The would-be burglar got stuck about halfway down the chimney of a bar in the northeast suburbs of Sacramento, though, according to police.

Unable to go up or down, Berube was able to move just enough to access his cell phone, and called 911.

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'Criminal Santa does not have the same skills as the real deal,' cops noted in a press release.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5186447/California-burglary-suspect-gets-stuck-chimney.html

December 15, 2017

"Doug Jones is gonna run it all the way back! DOUG JONES IS GONNA WIN THE FOOTBALL GAME!"

https://twitter.com/Deadspin/status/940952006839160832