Even God Was Sad

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS, April 6 — This month marks the fifth anniversary of the Rwandan genocide that left more than half a million Tutsi dead at the hands of the majority Hutu tribe.

“For Bishop Frederic Rubwejangaof Ibungo a recounting of the 1994 Rwandan genocide has become a teaching moment,” reports the AP. “He is keen to brace the battered souls of his flock.”

“Rwandans have a right to say that what God allowed is evil, yet still say, ‘I believe in you anyway,’” said Rubwejanga. “They have a right to say, ‘I don't understand but I believe, because faith is beyond understanding.’”/p>

About 4.8 million people, or 62% of the pre-genocide population of 7.8 million was Catholic, making Rwanda was the most Catholic country in Africa. Scores of priests and nuns were killed in the 100-day violent spree. After the reburial of many victims from his own parish, Bishop Rubwejanga told AP, “We were all sad. Even God was sad.”

Reporter Shows True Colors on General Absolution

THE AGE, April 4—In his coverage of the Vatican's and the Australian bishops’ efforts to eliminate the improper use of general absolution, Sydney reporter Martin Daly revealed his own particular point of view—and a rather well-worn opinion it is.

Writes Daly: “But what of the anguish among Catholics who see the Vatican as interfering with their strong, genuine faith through man-made laws that are out of touch with the people in a Church that is supposed to interpret teachings in tune with contemporary times?”

To his credit, Daly provides some of the answer elsewhere in the story when he quotes the Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Melbourne, Bishop Denis Hart, who explained that the practice “grew with the mentality of the time” following Vatican II, and was never official church policy.

Bishop Hart said that Australians cannot simply make up their Catholic Faith as they go along. “When Jesus said, ‘Whose sins you shall forgive they are forgiven them, whose sins you shall retain they are retained,’ he entrusted to the church the whole discipline of forgiveness of sins.”

We Want Our Catholic Schools, Thank You

MONTREAL GAZETTE, April 4—Catholic University of Montreal professor and former journalist Jean-Pierre Proulx has led a task force for the Quebec provincial government that calls for an end to Catholic control over thousand of public schools.

His report recommends that the long era of distinguishing public schools as Catholic and Protestant, and instead identifying them as English- or French-speaking. “The group's proposal is being greeted on phone-in shows and elsewhere with all the subtlety of a blast from hell,” reported the Gazette's Yvonne Zacharias.

Proulx, who has a doctorate in Catholic theology, and who was educated in a Catholic public school in Sherbrooke, understands the sentiments of the vast majority who oppose him. “Not for a moment would he deny Catholics their place of glory on the street or in the church,” reported Zacharias. “But not in the school.”

Concludes the article: “Both Proulx and Education Minister Francois Legault have pleaded for calm.”