2 of 7

5. Eviction notices
At least one Belgian church has been cleared of the illegal immigrants—mostly Muslim—that have been squatting there with the support of church leaders. Expatica reports that police raided Our Sweet Lady of the Immaculate Conception in Anderlecht, and arrested four dozen immigrant protesters. "Residents also claimed that they heard heated discussions and witnessed fights because only foreigners without proper identification documents were being allowed to enter the church," said the news service. About 40 other churches in Belgium are also occupied by immigrant protesters—with the support of Belgian church leaders.

Meanwhile, in Goa, India, church officials are the ones behind some new eviction notices. Tourism guides are no longer welcome at the Bom Jesus Basilica, the Herald reports. "The move comes in the backdrop of severe criticism voiced by the Catholic community that tourists were barging into the Basilica during religious services, while non-Christians were even found rushing to receive the Holy Communion, thus hurting the religious sentiments of the Catholics," says the paper. Tourists are still welcome. But tours must end at the basilica's entrance.

Quote of the day
"I don't think it is a sin to be rich; it's a sin to die rich. I want people to make as much money as they can as long as they give it away as much as they can."

—Rick Warren, quoted by the Sydney Morning Herald. The Saddleback Church pastor is in Australia for the Hillsong Conference.

Mt. Soledad cross | Graven images | Church and state | Politics | Obama's speech | Life ethics | Abortion | Sexual ethics | Anglicanism | Australia's Uniting Church | Crime and abuse | AIDS speaker busted | Education | America's founding fathers | History | Catholicism | Reclaiming churches abroad | Church life | Missions and ministry | Interfaith relations | India | Other stories of interest

Mt. Soledad cross:

1. Cross gets high court reprieve | U.S. justice issues stay on Aug. 1 removal date (San Diego Union-Tribune)
   
   
2. Supreme Court gives cross in San Diego a reprieve | The United States Supreme Court temporarily blocked a lower court's ruling that had ordered the city to remove a 29-foot-tall cross from one of its highest hills (The New York Times)
   
   
3. Jurist puts hold on order to remove Mt. Soledad cross | U.S. Supreme Court justice says the San Diego landmark can remain until he or the entire panel issues a further ruling (Los Angeles Times)
   
   
4. Court intervenes in Calif. cross fight (Associated Press)
   
   

Back to index

Graven images:

1. Church's statue unveiled, blessed | Cross-bearing 'Liberty' receives mixed reviews (Commercial Appeal, Memphis, Tenn.)
   
   
2. Also: Lady Liberty trades in some trappings | A Memphis church has built a giant replica of the Statue of Liberty, replacing the torch with a large gold cross (The New York Times)
   
   
3. Fallen soldier gets a Bronze Star but no pagan star | More on the military memorial controversy (The Washington Post)
   
   

next page... |  2 of 7

share this page

July (Web-only) 2006, Vol. 50