Media Watch

Theologian Prays for Hunted Animals

EKKLESIA NEWS, Oct. 3 — An Anglican theologian based at Oxford University has composed prayers to be offered for hunted animals. The prayers were to be used in churches on the World Day for Animals, observed on the feast of St. Francis, Oct. 4.

The Rev. Andrew Linzey's prayers were released by the Campaign to Protect Hunted Animals to support its ongoing campaign to ban hunting with dogs, according to Ekklesia news service. Promoters hoped the prayers would help garner Christian support for a total ban on hunting being debated in the British House of Lords.

No prayers have yet been composed for the hunting dogs — some 40,000 of whom will be put to death if the ban succeeds. The patron saint of hunters and hunting is St. Hubert, whose feast day, Nov. 3, marks the beginning of hunting season throughout Europe.

New Scots Cardinal Questions Church Teachings

THE SCOTSMAN (U.K.), Sept. 30 — Newly-named Cardinal Keith O'Brien of St. Andrew's and Edinburgh, Scotland, has made headlines by raising questions about settled Church teachings, including the condemnation of contraception, The Scotsman reported.

Speaking at a Mass of Thanksgiving following the announcement that he would be in the Oct. 21 consistory, Archbishop O'Brien reportedly called for “full and open discussion” about Church teaching on birth control and a reconsideration of the requirement for clerics in the Latin rite to be celibate.

The paper reported that Archbishop Mario Conti of Glasgow, meanwhile, planned to issue a letter to be read aloud at all Masses in his diocese reaffirming Church teaching on sexuality.

Indian Woman Insists Mother Teresa Cured Her

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, Oct. 5 — In spite of what the French news agency called “widespread skepticism” about Monica Besra's recovery from a stomach tumor, the 35-year-old Indian tribal woman is convinced it was the prayers of Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta that cured her, not medicine.

Besra was so ill she had been unable to stand on her own, and Missionaries of Charity sisters took her to one of their homes. As she approached the chapel for Mass there on Sept. 5, 1998, the first anniversary of the death of Mother Teresa, she said she felt a beam of light from a picture of Mother Teresa on her face and body.

That evening, two sisters placed a Miraculous Medal that had been blessed by Mother Teresa on her stomach. When Besra awoke later that night, she noticed that the lump in her abdomen had disappeared and she had enough strength to get up on her own.

Not everyone is convinced. The former West Bengal health minister told the news agency that Besra, who is now a Catholic, was cured with the help of “very strong medicines.” The agency quoted “leading Indian rationalists” as saying it would be a shame if Mother Teresa's beatification were based on “lies” and that she deserved to be considered a saint on the basis of her work for the poor.