The Dialog

By Christopher Pineo

Catholic News Service

DORCHESTER, Mass. — Hundreds of people converged on Garvey Park in the Boston neighborhood of Dorchester for an evening candlelight vigil April 16 to remember Martin Richard, an 8-year-old killed in bombings at the Boston Marathon April 15, and to pray for the Richard family.

Martin’s mother, Denise, suffered a brain injury and his 6-year-old sister, Jane, lost a leg in the blast.

A young woman cries during a candlelight vigil April 16 in the Dorchester section of Boston, where Boston Marathon bombing victim Martin Richard lived. The 8-year-old boy, who attended St. Ann Parish Neponset in Dorchester with his family, was one of three people killed when two bombs exploded in the crowded streets near the finish line of the marathon April 15. More than 170 people were injured, including the boy’s mother and sister, who were seriously injured. (CNS photo/Brian Snyder, Reuters)

Two bombs exploded near the finish line of the marathon, killing three people and wounding more than 170. The two others killed included Krystle Campbell, 29, from Medford and Lu Lingzi, 23, a graduate student at Boston University from China.

Richard received first Communion at St. Ann Parish in Dorchester last May. His father, Bill Richard, released a statement before the vigil thanking family, friends and people they don’t even know “for their thoughts and prayers.”

“I ask that you continue to pray for my family as we remember Martin. We also ask for your patience and for privacy as we work to simultaneously grieve and recover,” the statement said.

Father John J. Connolly, pastor of neighboring St. Brendan Parish who lives at St. Ann, led the prayer vigil, while Father Sean M. Connor, pastor of St. Ann, stayed with the Richard family.

Father Connolly told those gathered that Bill Richard was thankful for their prayers, support and kindness and he requested that his “family be granted the necessary space and time both to mourn and to recover.”

Earlier in the day, neighbors had done just that. At the family’s home in Dorchester, police officers carried flowers from community members who stopped by across the perimeter they set up to protect the privacy of the Richard family.

At the vigil, Father Connolly greeted the crowd and introduced Courtney Grey, director of trauma services at the Boston Public Health Commission.

“This audience is extremely beautiful. I wish you could see what we see from here, the candles and the beautiful faces that are coming together for this reason. What we want to say to you is that we are sorry, but also that there are things that we can do to take care of ourselves and our community members,” Grey said.

Grey invited anyone in need of counseling to speak with counselors present at the vigil or to contact the commission later.

Father Connolly began the prayer portion of the vigil by recognizing the emotions of those who held their candles high and waved flags at the park that night.

“Good and gracious God, we come before you this evening with hearts full of sorrow and sadness, anger and confusion. We come before you as residents of a neighborhood who have been touched all too directly by the reality of violence and evil in our midst,” he said.

“We come tonight as citizens of the United States and citizens of Boston, as residents of Dorchester, because what once seemed to be something we watched at a distance or on television has come all too close to home.”

At the end of the vigil, the crowd spontaneously began singing “God Bless America.”

“It is good to see the community come out to support the family,” said Zach Holland, a sophomore baseball player at Boston Latin Academy. “It is good, but I don’t think I like to see the community like this, even though a death like this helps to bring everybody together.”

Chris Gross, 44, a St Ann’s parishioner, said he saw Richard Martin frequently since he coached a team in the same CYO basketball league Martin played in.

“He was a great kid who loved life, loved the Bruins, loved basketball, soccer and baseball. I just can’t believe that he is gone,” he told The Pilot, newspaper of the Boston Archdiocese.

By TheDialog

Catholic News Service

BOSTON — Within hours of two explosions taking place near the finish line of the Boston Marathon April 15, Cardinal Sean P. O’Malley sent a message of prayer and support for those injured, their loved ones and those who experienced the trauma of the tragedy.

“The Archdiocese of Boston joins all people of good will in expressing deep sorrow following the senseless acts of violence perpetrated at the Boston Marathon today,” he said.

Runners head to finish line of the Boston Marathon as an explosion erupts nearby April 15. Two bombs exploded in the crowded streets near the finish line of the marathon, killing at least three people, including an 8-year-old boy, and injuring more than 140. (CNS photo/Dan Lampariello, exclusive to Reuters)

Pope Francis responded to the bombings in Boston by invoking peace for the souls of the departed, consolation for the suffering and strength for emergency and medical personnel.

In a message sent to Cardinal Sean P. O’Malley of Boston, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone said Pope Francis was “deeply grieved by the loss of life and grave injuries caused by the act of violence perpetrated.”

Close to 3 p.m., the Boston Police Department reported that officers had responded to two large explosions along the Boston Marathon route that left three people dead, including an 8-year-old boy, and more than 170 wounded.

The boy was identified as Martin Richard, whose family belongs to St. Ann Catholic Parish in Dorchester. His mother and sister were seriously injured.

“The citizens of the city of Boston and the commonwealth of Massachusetts are blessed by the bravery and heroism of many, particularly the men and women of the police and fire departments and emergency services who responded within moments of these tragic events,” the cardinal said.

Many expressed fear the explosions, which were seconds apart, were carried out by terrorists, and AP reported that federal officials were treating the bombings as an act of terrorism.

As of early April 16, no one had yet stepped forward to claim responsibility for the act, which took place on Patriot’s Day, a civic holiday in Massachusetts that commemorates the first battles of the American Revolution.

Cardinal O’Malley commended the leadership efforts of Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick, Boston Mayor Thomas Menino and the city’s police commissioner, Ed Davis.

“(They) are providing the leadership that will see us through this most difficult time and ensure that proper procedures are followed to protect the public safety,” said Cardinal O’Malley, who issued his statement from the Holy Land, where he said a Mass for the family of the youngster who died in the tragedy. Later Cardinal O’Malley was in the process of returning to Boston.

The cardinal also commended those who rushed to help at the scene of the tragedy.

“In the midst of the darkness of this tragedy we turn to the light of Jesus Christ, the light that was evident in the lives of people who immediately turned to help those in need today,” he said.

Cardinal O’Malley promised the Catholic Church’s support for other faith communities, promoting a message of hope in response to the tragedy.

“We stand in solidarity with our ecumenical and interfaith colleagues in the commitment to witness the greater power of good in our society and to work together for healing,” the cardinal said.

New York Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York, as president of the U.S. bishops’ conference, urged all “to pray for the souls of those killed, the healing of those injured and the restoration of peace for all of us unsettled by the bombings at a world renowned sporting event.”

“Our special prayers are with the Archdiocese of Boston and the people there who are working in the aftermath of this crisis to address those wounded in so many ways by these events,” he added in a statement issued a few hours after the explosions.

The tragic end to the marathon “reminds us all that evil exists and that life is fragile,” Cardinal Dolan said.

“The growing culture of violence in our world and even in our country calls for both wise security measures by government officials and an examination by all of us to see what we can personally do to enhance peace and respect for one another in our world,” he said.

In a press briefing President Barack Obama offered the nation’s condolences to the victims and their families, saying he was confident residents of the “resilient town” that Boston is would pull together to take care of one another.

“And as they do, the American people will be with them every single step of the way,” he said.

In Boston, archdiocesan spokesman Terrence C. Donilon said the pastor at Our Lady Comforter of the Afflicted Parish, Father James DiPerri, was to offer a special eucharistic Holy Hour with the rosary for the Boston bombing victims at Our Lady’s Parish in Waltham.

Massachusetts’ governor also called for prayer in a statement issued after the explosions.

“This is a horrific day in Boston. My thoughts and prayers are with those who have been injured,” Patrick said.

The public was invited to attend a Mass celebrated at 12:05 p.m. April 16 at the Boston archdiocesan Pastoral Center, followed by a eucharistic prayer service and recitation of the rosary. The prayer service included intercessions for those who died and those injured as well as the first responders and all mourning the tragedy.

The later afternoon broadcast of the archdiocesan radio program “The Good Catholic Life” was to address various aspects of how the Catholic community can help all those suffering and grieving.

That evening, local residents attended a candlelight vigil April 16 in the Dorchester section of Boston to remember young Martin and pray for his family.

Cardinal O’Malley was to host an interfaith prayer service April 18 at Boston’s Cathedral of the Holy Cross. The White House announced April 17 that Obama would attend the service. The CatholicTV Network in Boston planned to broadcast the Mass live. It was to be live streamed on the Internet at www.catholictv.com.

Among condolences sent by Catholic leaders to Cardinal O’Malley on behalf of the victims of the bombings were statements from Archbishop Richard Smith of Edmonton, Alberta, who is president of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, and Cardinal Francisco Robles Ortega of Guadalajara, Mexico, and Auxiliary Bishop Eugenio Lira Rugarcia of Puebla, Mexico, who are president and secretary-general, respectively, of the Mexican bishops’ conference.

By Catholic News Service

WASHINGTON — The chairman of the U.S. bishops’ Committee on International Justice and Peace urged U.S. leaders to take fast action on a United Nations treaty that will regulate arms sales across international borders.

Bishop Richard E. Pates of Des Moines, Iowa, called upon Secretary of State John Kerry to “expedite a thorough review of the treaty” so that the U.S. Senate can adopt it and President Barack Obama can sign it in early June.

Noting that the Catholic Church has supported arms control as a means to limiting violence in the world, Bishop Pates told Kerry in an April 11 letter that the U.S. can set an example for the world by adopting the treaty quickly.

“As a world leader and major arms exporter, our nation should set a positive example for other nations to follow in efforts to reduce the flow of weapons into situations that violate human rights and cause terrible suffering,” Bishop Pates said.

The U.N. General Assembly adopted the treaty April 2 with 154 nations in favor of it and three against it with 23 countries abstaining. Only Iran, North Korea and Syria voted against the pact.

“The treaty is not perfect, but it is an important step,” Bishop Pates wrote.

Citing comments by Archbishop Francis Chullikatt, permanent observer of the Holy See to the United Nations, Bishop Pates said church officials viewed the treaty’s adoption as “constituting a step toward establishing in the world a culture of responsibility and accountability.”

The bishop also cited church teaching on the sale of arms as found in the Catechism of the Catholic Church in saying that “public authorities have the right and duty to regulate them.”

The United States, as the world’s largest arms dealer, pushed for the treaty’s passage and despite pressure from pro-gun ownership groups to scuttle it. The groups maintained that the treaty could be invoked to control arms sales within the U.S. However, Kerry said the treaty covered only international deals.

The legal arms trade accounts for about $70 billion in sales annually. The treaty covers attack helicopters, tanks and other larger arms as well as small arms and ammunition for such weapons.

Under the agreement, nations are required to determine whether an arms shipment to another country would be used to commit atrocities or violate human rights or if they could be diverted for such purposes and report back to the U.N. on their efforts.

The full text of Bishop Pates letter is online at www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/human-life-and-dignity/war-and-peace/arms-trade/upload/04-11-2013-letter-to-john-kerry-arms-trade-treaty.pdf.

By Patricia Zapor

Catholic News Service

WASHINGTON — A Catholic Korean War chaplain who selflessly pulled wounded men from enemy fire and helped his fellow prisoners of war keep a sense of hope was honored posthumously with the Medal of Honor, the highest military honor, in an April 11 White House ceremony.

In paying tribute to Father Emil J. Kapaun, an Army captain, President Barack Obama told multiple stories of the “shepherd in combat boots” from Kansas who voluntarily stayed behind with the wounded to face certain capture, rather than evacuate when his division was overrun at Unsan, Korea, in November 1950.

President Barack Obama holds a pocket stole that belonged to Father Emil Kapaun, a U.S. Army chaplain who died in the Korean War, as the president meets with Kapaun’s family in the Oval Office of the White House April 11.

“This is the valor we honor today, an American soldier who didn’t fire a gun, but who wielded the mightiest weapon of all, a love for his brothers so pure that he was willing to die so that they might live,” said Obama.

Father Kapaun received the Bronze Star before his capture and the Distinguished Service Cross after he died. Within the Catholic Church, he has an active cause for sainthood, having been recognized by the Vatican as a “servant of God,” a first step in the investigation of someone who is being considered for sainthood.

Some of Father Kapaun’s fellow prisoners, who walked out of their prison camp carrying a crucifix they’d fashioned to honor their deceased chaplain, were in attendance at the ceremony. The medal, given to members of the armed forces for distinguished gallantry above and beyond the call of duty in active service, was presented to Ray Kapaun, a nephew of the priest, who never knew his uncle.

Guests for the ceremony in the East Room of the White House included Father Kapaun’s extended family, military chaplains and other officers, people from his hometown parish, St. John Nepomucene Catholic Church in Pilsen, Kan.; and various members of the Archdiocese for Military Services including Auxiliary Bishop Richard B. Higgins, vicar for Veterans Affairs.

Also in attendance was Herb Miller, who as a sergeant in 1951, was injured when a grenade exploded near him. As Obama told the story, a Chinese soldier was about to execute Miller, when Father Kapaun stepped in to stop him. The priest then carried Miller and assisted other wounded prisoners on a lengthy march to a prison camp at Pyoktong.

“He carried that injured American, for miles, as their captors forced them on a death march,” said Obama. “When Father Kapaun grew tired, he’d help the wounded soldier hop on one leg. When other prisoners stumbled, he picked them up. When they wanted to quit, knowing that stragglers would be shot, he begged them to keep walking.”

Father Kapaun’s actions that day are what was being recognized with the Medal of Honor, Obama said, but he continued with stories of the priest’s selfless actions in the prison camp — helping smuggle in more food; giving away his clothes to freezing men; fashioning pots to boil water to battle dysentery; praying with the men in their huts; celebrating Easter Mass.

Obama said Father Kapaun’s background reminded him of his own grandfather’s.

“Now, I obviously never met Father Kapaun,” Obama said. “But I have a sense of the man he was, because in his story I see reflections of my own grandparents and their values, the people who helped to raise me. Emil and my grandfather were both born in Kansas about the same time, both were raised in small towns outside of Wichita.

“They were part of that Greatest Generation — surviving the Depression, joining the Army, serving in World War II. And they embodied those heartland values of honesty and hard work, decency and humility, quiet heroes determined to do their part.”

For the priest, he continued, that meant joining the Army in World War II and returning to military service after a two-year hiatus during which Father Kapaun earned a master’s in education at The Catholic University of America.

“After the Communist invasion of South Korea, he was among the first American troops that hit the beaches and pushed their way north through hard mountains and bitter cold,” Obama said. “In his understated Midwestern way, he wrote home, saying, ‘this outdoor life is quite the thing’ and ‘I prefer to live in a house once in a while.’

Suffering from an assortment of ailments, Father Kapaun died in that prison camp in Pyoktong on May 23, 1951.

By Patricia Zapor

Catholic News Service

WASHINGTON — From across the country, by bus, plane and train, tens of thousands of people calling for comprehensive immigration reform covered the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol April 10, in one of more than a dozen similar events taking place around the United States.

Cries of: “Si, se puede,” Spanish for “yes, we can,” and “What do we want? Citizenship. When do we want it? Now!” rose from the crowd in Washington. Read more »

By Catholic News Service

ST. FRANCIS, Wis. — The Archdiocese of Milwaukee announced April 3 that it will publicly release approximately 3,000 pages of documents that contain details about clergy sexual abuse and will post them to the archdiocesan website by July 1.

The documents, taken from priest personnel files, files of the bishops and vicar for clergy and other sources in the archdiocese, include the depositions of retired Milwaukee Archbishop Rembert G. Weakland, as well as those of Milwaukee Auxiliary Bishop Richard J. Sklba and Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan that were taken in Chapter 11 proceedings. Cardinal Dolan, now New York’s archbishop, headed the Milwaukee Archdiocese from 2002 to 2009.

The records will be posted online at www.archmil.org/archmil/home.htm.

The announcement came a day before a scheduled hearing before Judge Susan V. Kelley in U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin to discuss a motion filed by the creditors committee and attorneys Michael Finnegan and Jeffrey Anderson to lift the protective order to make public documents and depositions taken as part of the proceedings.

Calling the decision to release the documents an effort to build “upon our commitment to transparency,” Milwaukee Archbishop Jerome E. Listecki, in “Love One Another” his email communique to priests and others involved in ministry in the archdiocese said: “My hope is by making these documents public, we will shed much-needed light on how the archdiocese responded to abuse survivors over the past 40-plus years when confronting this issue and they will aid abuse survivors and others in resolution and healing.”

The documents have already been provided to attorneys for the claimants and creditors in the Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings, wrote the archbishop in his email explaining their release.

“The bishops voluntarily waived their right to have these depositions remain under seal as was promised by the court and each welcomes the opportunity to have the depositions in the public view as a way of getting out the truth of what happened,” he wrote.

The deposition by Cardinal Dolan to be released was taken Feb. 20 by Anderson in New York.

“I am pleased with the decision of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee to release more documents in its Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceeding, including my February 2013 deposition,” said Cardinal Dolan in a statement issued by the Archdiocese of New York April 3.

“As I stated at the time of the deposition, I was grateful for the opportunity to go on-the-record with a full account of how the Archdiocese of Milwaukee responded to abuse survivors, and to answer any questions that I could,” he said, adding he stands ready to assist in any way he can in the future.

“It is my hope that the release of these documents will also help in the healing process for abuse survivors, as well as their families and loved ones. Archbishop Jerome Listecki has my sincere thanks and full support in this matter.”

In his “Love One Another” email, Archbishop Listecki warned that much of the information in the documents is not pleasant.

“As a shepherd, I worry about those who will feel outrage, anger and embarrassment. I share these emotions. But none of these things should diminish the good work that has been accomplished these past 10-plus years as we have worked fervently with abuse survivors to bring healing and resolution,” he wrote.

He added he hopes sharing these documents publicly “will finally bring to a close a criticism that the church continues to hide or conceal information, or that there are ‘secret files’ tucked away in our archives. I can assure you, there are not.”

He summarized the contents of the documents saying they show incidents of abuse date back 25, 50, even 80 years; reports of abuse were often not brought to the archdiocese or civil authorities until decades after they occurred and in the 1970s and 1980s, and “priests were often removed from their parish for ‘medical reasons,’ sent for counseling and then reassigned to another parish, with the recommendation of their therapist or medical professional.”

Archbishop Listecki also noted that in the early 1990s, a more formalized approach of outreach to abuse survivors and in dealing with offenders emerged.

Explaining his decision to authorize the documents be unsealed, he said, “The release of documents is something abuse survivors have asked for and if it can help us keep moving forward, I am willing to do it.” He noted the church’s response to abuse survivors will be part of the mission of the church forever.

In a news conference held on the courthouse steps April 4, members of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, hailed the decision to release the documents as a major, historic victory for victim/survivors and called it a “sudden and dramatic shift” on the part of the archdiocese.

Yet, spokesman Peter Isely, Midwest director of SNAP noted documents pertaining to only 45 priests are scheduled to be unsealed. He said at least half the offender documents from the archdiocese, those involving religious order clerics, employees, permanent deacons, volunteers and newly named offenders or alleged offenders will not be released.

But Isely said he was happy for the partial release and predicted release of further documents will be argued in court.

In his letter, Archbishop Listecki addressed critics who believe the documents verify that the church was sweeping this issue under the rug.

“I won’t debate that issue; we will let the facts stand for themselves within the culture and societal practices of the times,” he wrote, adding that now he sees the church as an example of reform.

“Have you seen an institution change more radically in its approach to an issue as the Catholic Church has done regarding sexual abuse of minors? In the past, the church may have been an example of what not to do, but now, the church is an example of what to do and a model for other institutions in our society to follow,” wrote Archbishop Listecki.

By Catholic News Service

WASHINGTON — Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Archbishop Jerome G. Hanus of the Archdiocese of Dubuque, Iowa, and named Bishop Michael O. Jackels of Wichita, Kan., as his successor.

The pope also appointed Msgr. John Folda, a seminary rector in Nebraska, to be the bishop of Fargo, N.D. He succeeds Archbishop Samuel J. Aquila, who was named to head the Denver Archdiocese in May 2012.

The changes were announced April 8 in Washington by Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, apostolic nuncio to the United States.

By Catholic News Service

WASHINGTON — An April 5 decision by a New York federal judge to lift age limits on purchases of over-the-counter emergency contraceptives should be “appealed and overturned,” according to an official of the U.S. Catholic Conference of Bishops.

“No public health consideration justifies the unregulated distribution of such drugs to children,” said Deirdre McQuade, spokeswoman for the USCCB’s Secretariat for Pro Life Activities.

In 2006, the Food and Drug Administration approved over-the-counter sales of Plan B to women 18 and older; three years later, a court ruling made it available to women 17 and older without a prescription. On April 5, a federal judge lifted age limits on over-the-counter purchases of “emergency contraceptives.” (CNS from Women’s Capital Corporation)

Many studies have shown that wider access to emergency contraception among young people does not reduce pregnancy or abortion rates, but can contribute to higher rates of sexually transmitted disease,” she said in a statement.

The ruling by U.S. District Court Judge Edward Korman in Brooklyn, N.Y., said that within 30 days, the Food and Drug Administration must make emergency contraceptives available to women of all ages.

Korman said the case wasn’t about the potential misuse by 11-year-olds of the contraceptive called the morning-after pill or “Plan B.” He said the number of girls that age likely to use the drugs was minuscule.

Plan B, known generically as levonorgestrel, uses large doses of birth-control pills to prevent conception up to 72 hours after unprotected sex.

In 2006, the Food and Drug Administration approved over-the-counter sales of Plan B to women 18 and older; three years later, a court ruling made it available to women 17 and older without a prescription. Until Korman’s ruling, anyone younger still needed a prescription.

According to McQuade, “Plan B does not prevent or treat any disease, but makes young adolescent girls more available to sexual predators.”

She said the court’s action “undermines parents’ ability to protect their daughters from such exploitation and from the adverse effects of the drug itself.”

Sean Fieler, chairman of the Pro-Life Commission of the Archdiocese of New York, similarly disapproved the decision saying it takes away from parents “their legitimate rights to know what medical care and medications their children are receiving.”

“As a society, we properly regulate the decisions that children can make on their own, and so a child can’t be given an aspirin without parental supervision, get an ear pierced, or, here in New York, even use a tanning bed. But now young girls can be given these strong dangerous abortion-inducing drugs without a parent’s approval, or even a doctor’s supervision. This is very sad and simply wrong,” he said.

Korman’s decision came in a lawsuit filed by the Center for Reproductive Rights over a decision by the Obama administration to set the age limit on over-the-counter sales of emergency contraceptives.

By Catholic News Service

VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis has named Bishop Gintaras Grusas, a 51-year-old Washington, D.C., native, to be the new archbishop of Vilnius, Lithuania.

The new archbishop, who has served as head of Lithuania’s military ordinariate since 2010, succeeds 76-year-old Cardinal Audrys Backis.

The Vatican announced April 5 that the pope had accepted Cardinal Backis’ resignation and had appointed the former IBM technical consultant for marketing to succeed him.

Shortly after Pope Benedict XVI named him a bishop in 2010, Archbishop Grusas said, “I’m not sure if the marketing world took it from Jesus, but there are some basic principles that apply like: People buy from people they like.”

“When you evangelize, you don’t want to come around with a stick and beat it into people. It just doesn’t work,” he said.

The new archbishop was born to Lithuanian immigrants and grew up in the Los Angeles area.

His parents were separated by World War II and, after 16 years of being caught behind the Iron Curtain, his mother and 17-year-old sister were among just 200 families allowed to leave the Soviet Union to be reunited with family in the United States. His mom and sister joined his father in 1960, and he was born a year later.

Archbishop Grusas earned a degree in mathematics and computer science at the University of California at Los Angeles and spent five years working as a technical consultant of marketing for IBM, which, he said, helped prepare him for the management and project-planning skills that are necessary as a pastor. During his time at IBM, he also served a four-year term as president of the World Lithuanian Youth Association.

He entered the seminary hoping to serve other Lithuanians outside their homeland. He spent a year at the Franciscan University of Steubenville, Ohio, then moved to Rome, where he studied at the Pontifical Beda College, the Pontifical Lithuanian College and the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas. He was ordained to the priesthood and incardinated for the Archdiocese of Vilnius in 1994.

As a seminarian, he went to Lithuania in 1992 for what was to have been a brief summer pastoral program. Instead, Cardinal Backis asked him to interrupt his studies and stay on to help prepare for Blessed John Paul II’s visit in September 1993.

He earned his bachelor’s in theology from the University of St. Thomas Aquinas in 1994. Later, he received a license in canon law from the university, and he completed his doctorate there in 2001. Since 2004, he has served as secretary-general of the Lithuanian bishops’ conference, a position he also held from 1994 to 1997.

By Catholic News Service

INDIANAPOLIS — Indianapolis archdiocesan officials praised the Indiana Supreme Court’s unanimous decision March 26 that said the state’s school voucher program is constitutional.

“It’s great for our students and our schools, and it’s great for the state of Indiana,” said Harry Plummer, executive director of the archdiocesan Office of Catholic Education. “It’s a major step toward an educational system that truly reinforces that parents are the primary educators of their children.”

The court’s 5-0 decision to uphold the nation’s broadest school voucher program also drew praise from Glenn Tebbe, executive director of the Indiana Catholic Conference, the public policy arm of the state’s bishops. Read more »