Find within these pages a clearinghouse of articles, news, links, events, collaboration tools and other resources shared with fellow priests. New pages every week — look forward to an expanding toolbox of practical resources at your fingertips!
News Bytes for Your Parish Bulletin
- Uruguay President Vetoes Abortion Bill
- Benedict XVI says: Drive Safely
- Fear Undermines Talents, says Pontiff
- Cardinal Points to "Essential" Lay Vocation
Boys, Dads and Esteem
Boys who never feel as if they have been affirmed by a male authority figure might spend their lives proving to everyone that they are worthy of approval. So says teen-health expert Meg Meeker, author of "Boys Should Be Boys: 7 Secrets to Raising Healthy Sons." Every boy needs to receive a "blessing" from his father, says Meeker. "He needs to hear with his ears, see with his eyes and believe in his heart, that ... [he] is good enough in his father's eyes," she contended. "Hundreds of thousands of men live desperately trying to prove to themselves that they are worthy of the blessing because their fathers never dispensed it."
Organ Donors and Doubt
The death of an organ donor must be certified beyond a doubt before transplants can take place, insists Pope Benedict XVI. He also reminded participants in an international congress on organ transplants about the importance of receiving the family's informed consent. Benedict XVI didn't discuss in detail the criteria for when someone is truly dead, but stated that they should not be arbitrary, and that there should be wide consensus in the scientific community. The Holy Father also assailed the creation and destruction of human embryos destined for therapeutic objectives.