Anti-gay remarks

Anti-gay remarks
BOSTON (AP) -- Two Episcopal bishops say that anti-gay comments from the Vatican could lead to crimes in the United States.
Bishop M. Thomas Shaw and assistant Bishop Roy F. Cederholm Jr. of the Massachusetts Diocese told The Boston Globe they hesitated to enter another denomination's controversy but found it necessary.
The Vatican is preparing a statement that is expected to address whether homosexuals should enter training to be priests. A cardinal who led a top Vatican agency wrote recently that gay ordinations are imprudent and risky.
"I'm really concerned about hate crimes and homophobia that comes from supposedly responsible people" making statements against gay clergy, said Shaw, who has ordained openly homosexual priests since becoming head of the diocese in 1994.
End of coverage
ERIE, Pa. (AP) -- Faculty members and employees at Gannon University, a Roman Catholic school, criticized the administration for removing birth control coverage from their health plan.
Eighty employees signed a protest letter charging that the university is coercing staff on private moral decisions, the Erie Times-News reported. Besides sterilizations and oral contraceptives, the school eliminated coverage for Viagra prescriptions.
The Roman Catholic Church opposes sterilization and artificial birth control methods, but not all employees at the diocesan school are Catholic.
Informal study
BOARDMAN -- Boardman Christian Church will begin a study of Jesus at 7 p.m. Jan. 6. The discussion will be based on the book "Who Is This Jesus?" Call (330) 758-8189.
Grants target clergy
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- The Lilly Endowment is granting $76.8 million to 39 church-related U.S. colleges, Protestant and Catholic, to help overcome growing clergy shortages.
The grants support campus programs that encourage students to consider clergy careers or related forms of service. Over three years, Lilly has granted $171.3 million to 88 schools.
In a related program, Lilly, the largest religion grant-maker among U.S. foundations, gave $30,000 each to 135 congregations for clergy to take leaves for renewal programs.