Ousted seminarian reportedly confesses to priest's murder
When Roman Catholic priest William Gulas was shot to death, then burned, in his office at Cleveland's St. Stanislaus Church, neighbors complained about the crime rate in the Slavic Village neighborhood. Others worried about burgeoning anti-Catholicism. But police now say that Gulas's murderer was one of the church's own workers.

Daniel Montgomery, a Catholic Theological Union seminarian who has worked as an intern at the church since July, pled not guilty yesterday to the murder. In court, his lawyer said they hadn't met yet, but he was planning to examine Montgomery's mental health. "Here is an individual with no history of violence and very much of a pacifist," said Henry Hilow. "We have to look at what are the reasons that could explain the behavior he is accused of."

Montgomery's father agreed that his son was against guns, but indicated that he believes his son is guilty. "All his life he was against violence, against guns. As far as I know he never handled a gun. That would be the first one he picked up and unfortunately his aim was good," Joe Montgomery told Philadelphia's WCAU (video). "Seven years of frustration, he was in there, and he thought he was coming close to being established and he was told he had to leave the order and I think he just snapped."

Despite the plea, The Plain Dealer reported this morning that Montgomery has confessed to the murder and arson.

"In the weeks before the slaying, Franciscan officials had decided to terminate Montgomery's internship at St. Stanislaus," the Cleveland newspaper reports. "They told Montgomery the day before Thanksgiving, and he was scheduled to move out of the rectory today. One of the primary reasons for terminating him, sources said yesterday, was his use of profanity at the church's elementary school."

Montgomery, who was an unordained "Brother" at the church, tutored the kids in reading, especially the second graders. Rayvin Kelly, 7, says he "was nice to all the kids."

But others say he didn't really fit in well.

Thomas Luczak, provincial leader of the Franciscan order, told the Associated Press that Montgomery had shown himself unfit to be a Franciscan. (Other news reports say police accused him of misconduct with a male parishioner.) Gulas made reports on Montgomery's performance, Luczak said, but he wasn't the one who decided to end the internship.

Montgomery was the one to report the fire to authorities ("The 911 tape raised some flags," Cuyahoga County prosecutor William Mason told The New York Times). He even talked to reporters after it was clear that Gulas had died.

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War:

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  • Groups gather to protest Iraq war | About half the 200 protesters outside the U.S. mission to the United Nations in New York were arrested for disorderly conduct, including clergy members (Associated Press)

  • Antiwar effort gains momentum | Growing peace movement's ranks include some unlikely allies (The Washington Post)

  • Murder in religion's name | The United States cannot win this fight without the cooperation of governments in the Islamic states (Editorial, The New Haven Register)

Missions and Ministries:

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Music:

Church life:

  • And the Lord delivered them from evil | For five years his congregation at the Newmarket Community Church prayed that the city's only strip club, Lookers, would pack up and move. None imagined that their prayers would be answered—by their own church. (The Globe and Mail, Toronto)

  • Scandal leaves church changed | Rifts created by allegations against the ex-pastor will not heal soon, analysts say (The Press Enterprise, inland California)

  • Setting their own schedules | More Boomers are fitting jobs around other pursuits (The Washington Post)

  • Break-off group forms Lutheran church | A group of local Lutherans committed to strict adherence to the biblical message is opening its doors to the public after quietly building its foundation over the past two years (The Flint [Mich.] Journal)

  • 2002 Yearend: Faith—Bad news and good news | While denominations are shrinking—and their leaderships seem often more preoccupied with accommodating all kinds of sexual urges than with spreading the Gospel—confessional movements within these same churches are growing fast and sturdily (Uwe Siemon-Netto, UPI)

  • Is the influence of Christianity waning? Survey says so | Forty-one percent of those surveyed predicted Christianity will be less of an influence in the lives of Americans a decade from now (Daily Herald, Chicago suburbs)

Church buildings:

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  • Church goes to court over zoning conflict | The church seeks a temporary and permanent injunction before the case goes to trial on Jan. 13, since it is illegal to pray inside the existing structure, according to court documents (The South Florida Business Journal)

Corporal punishment:

  • Charges spur clergy debate on discipline | Criminal charges against a Newport News minister have raised debate among local clergy about the use of corporal punishment by parents and other authority figures when disciplining a child (Daily Press, Hampton Roads, Va.)

  • Clergy ask Government to spare the rod | Auckland church leaders yesterday entered the smacking debate, asking the Government to repeal the law that allows parents to smack their children (The New Zealand Herald)

  • Beat on the brat | The economics of spanking (Steven E. Landsburg, Slate.com)

Other stories of interest:

  • Vicar strips for saucy calendar | Canon Michael Storey, 66, posed as Mr. October with only a filling cabinet drawer to protect his modesty (BBC)

  • BBC: Mary was no virgin | Firstly it looks at the possibility that she slept with Joseph while she was engaged to be married to him, secondly that she was raped by a Roman soldier, and thirdly that she fell pregnant to an unidentified man before marrying Joseph (The Sunday Herald, Scotland)

  • Lightning: myths, beliefs and truths | Scientists, traditionalists and Christians or religious people in general have different perceptions about it, and can only all agree on its existence (The Times of Zambia)

  • Black leaders plan Jesse Jackson protest | The protesters, a loosely knit group of about 300 who call themselves Voices of Morality, are also asking businesses and corporations to ignore Mr. Jackson (The Washington Times)

  • Earlier: Still Somebody | Despite an embarrassing scandal and widespread irritation with his methods, Jesse Jackson continues to be an influential voice in the church. Should evangelicals listen? (Christianity Today, Feb. 8, 2002)

  • eBay won't allow church to exploit car's fame in online auction |A Colorado church won't be able to have a second auction if it plays on the fame of a car once owned by the Texas Seven escapees, although it can still put the Honda up for bids without linking it to the crimes (Motor Trend)

  • Is there a God? Pair trade opinions | Many listen to the debate, but few seem to have changed their minds (Sacramento Bee)

  • Voyage into the unknown | Hiding behind the comfort of belief are destructive forces. (David Bryant, The Guardian, London)

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