The Vatican announced the definitive decision against Archbishop Anthony Apuron on Thursday.
In doing so, it revealed for the first time that he had been originally convicted of sexually abusing minors.
The Vatican confirmed that conviction and the original sentence, which removed Apuron from office and prohibited him from living on the Pacific island.
And in an additional penalty, the Vatican has prohibited him for life for using the insignia of a bishop.
Stay up to date with the latest news stories from a Christian perspective. Sign up to our daily newsletter and receive more stories like this straight to your inbox every morning.
‘All I Could See Was Somebody’s Son or Daughter’: Gynecologist Who Performed 1,200 Abortions Becomes Pro-Life Activist
After performing almost 1,200 first and second trimester abortions, gynecologist and former abortionist Dr. Anthony Levatino experienced something that would change his life and his perspective on abortion forever.
In an interview on “The Billy and Justin Show” with Billy Hallowell and Justin Basch, Levantino discussed what exactly it was that caused him to turn his back on the abortion industry and join the pro-life movement.
According to CBN News, Levantino and his wife began trying to have a family sometime in the 1980s, but after failing to get pregnant they decided to adopt.
Levantino – who plays an abortionist in the recent box office hit Unplanned – found himself questioning the juxtaposition of being an abortionist while seeking to adopt a child. He said it was jarring for him to think about how when he went to work, he was tasked with killing unborn babies and when he went home all he and his wife wanted was to be able to have a child. Levantino even recalled thinking during this time that he wished he could bring one of the babies home to take care of.
While this set off questions for Levantino, after they adopted their daughter Heather – and a few months later found out that they were pregnant with a baby boy – the struggle subsided.
About six years later, however, the tragic death of…
In a statement, they said that while they’ve chosen not to make political statements around Brexit the risk to the poorest families across the UK compels them to speak up.
In a strong worded statement, they said: “As Christians we are called to demand justice for the millions locked in poverty. A No Deal Brexit risks tightening poverty’s grip on families up and down the country.
“Over the past decade, our churches have witnessed and responded to the slowly rising tide of hunger in the UK. A no-deal Brexit risks restricting the nation’s supply of food and increasing prices. This, alongside further cuts to benefits on Monday 8th April, could have grave consequences for many in our communities.
“Many charities are warning us that food supplies to the most vulnerable are most at risk – hospitals, prisons and those reliant on surplus or donated food. Supplies of essential medicines are likely to be disrupted. Again, the most vulnerable will be the least able to cope with this.”
The three church groups represent a combined membership of 350,000.
Explaining the reasons behind the statement on Premier’s News Hour on Friday, Paul Morrison from the Joint Public Issues Team (which represents the three churches) said: “We already see people coming into our churches who are hungry and who need the help of food banks.
“The last thing we want to see is more people in that position…
Many of you have been there and done that. You’ve accepted the call to a new church. You are excited about the possibilities. Your mind is filled with energizing ideas. You are ready to move forward.
Then it happens.
“It” refers to the event that takes you by surprise. You really did not see it coming. Even if it happened to you in a previous church, you viewed it as an exception. But here you go again.
I have been working with local church pastors for over three decades. I love these leaders. I love their hearts. And I hurt with them when they tell me these stories. Six of these stories are so common, I can almost predict them for new pastors. Of course, I hope they don’t take place; but too often they do. Here are the six challenges new pastors did not see coming:
The search committee really does not want the church to change. But they told you they were looking for a pastor to lead change in the church. What happened? Why have their minds changed? To be fair, the search committee members (or their equivalent) aren’t liars. They really wanted the church to change . . . as long as it didn’t affect them.
The deacons/elders really don’t want you to lead. Again, they told you they were looking for a strong leader. They told you they were ready to follow you. And they were ready to follow you . . . until you started leading them somewhere they didn’t want to go.
Your biggest supporter became your most vocal critic. He was there when the moving van pulled up to your church. He wanted to…
Court Upholds Pro-Life Law That Lets Women See Ultrasound before Abortion
A federal appeals court Thursday handed pro-life groups a major victory, upholding a Kentucky law that requires abortion doctors to let women hear the unborn baby’s heartbeat and see images of the baby on an ultrasound.
The 2-1 ruling by the U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a lower-court decision that declared the law unconstitutional.
The law, the Ultrasound Informed Consent Act (House Bill 2), was signed in 2017.
“Because H.B. 2 … requires the disclosure of truthful, nonmisleading, and relevant information about an abortion, we hold that it does not violate a doctor’s right to free speech under the First Amendment,” Judge John K. Bush, a nominee of President Trump, wrote in the majority. He was joined by a Reagan nominee, Judge Alan Eugene Norris.
Judge Bernice Bouie Donald, who was nominated by President Obama, dissented.
“I am gravely concerned with the precedent the majority creates today,” she wrote. “Its decision opens the floodgates to states in this Circuit to manipulate doctor-patient discourse solely for ideological reasons.”
The law requires the abortion doctor to perform an ultrasound and give the woman an opportunity to see it. The doctor also must describe what is on the screen. The patient is not required to look at the screen. The law also requires the doctor to auscultate (make audible) the unborn baby’s…
Police were able to recover Salgado’s truck, but his equipment—including a lawnmower, edger, hand tools, and leaf blower—was gone.
The police officers felt they had to do something to help. They pooled their resources, obtained money from their police association, and went shopping. Home Depot chipped in another hundred dollars and offered military discounts to the officers who serve as reservists.
The police officers gave the new tools to Salgado, who immediately went back to work. One officer said, “I’ve been doing this job for twenty-seven years. Every so often it’s a good day. That was a good day.”
Does God understand?
It is gratifying to see police officers caring so personally for those they serve. In our broken world, there are times when we may wonder if God feels the same way about us.
Each day’s news gives us reason to question whether the Creator cares what happens to his creation. For assurance that he does, let’s explore a question many of us may not have asked before.
Why was Jesus born?
If I asked you why Jesus came to the earth, you’d say: to die for our sins.
Opposition politicians have called for a parliamentary investigation amid claims it’s linked to a more general wave of opposition to Christianity.
Figures from the French police reveal that 75 of France’s 42,258 churches were vandalised last year.
A further 129 incidents of theft were also reported and the interior ministry have said 59 cemeteries were also vandalised.
A fire at St Sulpice – best known for being used in the movie adaptation of Dan Brown’s novel Da Vinci Code, brought to media outlet’s attention other instances of church vandalism after it caught on fire on March 31.
French daily morning newspaper Le Figaro said that the trend was “continuing at a worrying level”.
“Every day, at least two churches are profaned,” Valérie Boyer, an opposition MP for the Republicans party, said to the paper.
With at least two churches being targeted every day, opposition politicians are claiming that these crimes are a threat to the country’s Christian heritage.
Prime Minster Edouard Philippe has been criticised for not doing more to tackle the problem.
Churches and church leaders often struggle to know when to discontinue a ministry or to pivot to something else. Today, we discuss how to process the decision to discontinue a ministry in your church.
Some highlights from today’s episode include:
The culture of a church shifts when you don’t have an outward focus.
Sometimes things in a church would actually be better if a certain ministry or two were to end.
Churches have three big resources for ministry: time, money, and people. And you have to steward in the best possible way.
Sometimes ministries in a church absolutely need to be discontinued.
Vanderbloemen Search Group is the premier pastor search firm dedicated to helping churches and ministries build great teams. They’ve helped thousands of churches just like yours find their church staff and are uniquely geared to help you discern who God is calling to lead your church.
Not Your Ordinary Pastor’s Daughter: Chrystal Evans Hurst Talks Following God’s Will for Her Life
As I pulled up to the church in Southwest Atlanta, I could have believed that the women standing in line were excitedly waiting to get into a concert. Some of the women told me that they had been waiting for over an hour. One woman even shared that she drove over an hour to get to the event. For the women who were attending the “She’s Still There Tour,” there was no question as to why they were waiting in line. The women were there to see Chrystal Evans Hurst, the daughter of megachurch pastor Tony Evans.
A few years ago, many of these women would have never heard of Hurst, but now she is a force to be reckoned with. Hurst herself is even amazed by what God has done in her life.
The author and speaker is authentically honest about her life including when it comes to deeply personal things, like her shortfalls as a mother.
When asked to describe herself, Hurst is clear that first and foremost she is a child of God. Chrystal is the eldest of Tony Evans’ daughters and she doesn’t shy away from the family name, but she is clear that her identity doesn’t come from being an Evans, it comes from Christ.
Hurst recently penned her second solo book, Show Up for Your Life, where she points out the decisions she has made in her life that led to struggles, like having an unplanned pregnancy at the age of 19.
The author is Jared Bilski, a writer and comedian based in Pennsylvania. He tells of growing up in the Catholic church, attending Catholic school from kindergarten through high school, and serving as an altar boy and a church reader. He says he “even strongly considered going into the priesthood.”
However, Bilski writes, “I lost faith in my faith. There were too many unanswered questions, too many problematic absolutes, too much fearmongering and way too much hypocrisy. For a religion that placed such a premium on loving thy neighbor, it sure had a lot of restrictions on whom you were allowed to love.”
The clergy-abuse scandal was the last straw. When it broke, Bilski says, “I knew I’d never return.”
However, he wants his two children to have “a solid understanding of all religions” and “respect for what others believe.” He explains: “After all, the Golden Rule is something that should be instilled in all children, regardless of their religion or lack thereof.”
As a result, Bilski and his wife intend to “expose our children to everything, spiritually speaking, to honestly answer any questions they may have about God and religion, and to let them choose for themselves.”
Most of all, he wants to pass along to his children the morality he learned from his mother. Bilski concludes: “That type of foundation matters far more than what church you belong to or whether you’re baptized because, in the end, actions will always speak louder than words, even the words of the Bible.”
Jared Bilski speaks for many Americans
I am devoting today’s article to Bilski’s commentary for two reasons. One: He clearly intends to be an evangelist for his position, as does the Post in publishing it (apparently without…
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.
