Uganda's rebels begin attacking churches
Last week, Joseph Kony, head of the Lord's Resistance Army of Uganda, ordered his troops to attack Christians in the northern part of the country.

"Catholic missions must be destroyed, priests and missionaries killed in cold blood, and nuns beaten black and blue," he said on a broadcast Thursday that, shockingly, aired on the local radio network used by the Catholic Church itself.

Yesterday, the raids began. About 20 rebels attacked the parish church in Adjumani, taking 29 hostages — including several orphans, who are refugees from Sudan.

Meanwhile, in the eastern village of Katakwi, LRA rebels attacked a camp, shooting priest Boguslow Zero and killing an intelligence officer as the two men fled. Other attacks were reported elsewhere in the country.

"The LRA are simply trying to create the impression that they are all over the country," army spokesman Maj. Shaban Bantariza told The Monitor.

Catholic schools have closed out of fear, reports the Kampala newspaper New Vision.

Uganda's Roman Catholic Church recently tried to mediate a ceasefire agreement between the LRA and the Ugandan government, but Archbishop of Gulu John Baptist Odama told the BBC's Network Africa that he can't understand why the church is being targeted.

"Up till now, Kony has been talking to us and telling us he is fighting the government of Uganda," Odama said (audio). "I would be very happy if he talked to me and said: Archbishop, the reason I am targeting the people you are leading is this … "

Anglican battle over gay bishops:

• Gay bishop row may spark worldwide schism | The leader of the biggest church in the worldwide Anglican communion yesterday deepened the crisis over homosexuality when he threatened to split with the Church of England if it proceeds with the consecration of its first gay bishop (The Guardian, London)