In brief
Austria. Death of Cardinal Gröer
Cardinal Hans Hermann Gröer, former archbishop of Vienna, died in the night of March 23-24 at the age of 83. September 14 1986, Mgr Gröer was consecrated bishop and took leadership of the archdiocese of Vienna. He was named a cardinal on May 23 1988 and occupied the presidency of the Austrian Episcopal Conference. He was forced to resign in 1995 after being subjected to malicious accusations. His conservative stance earned him numerous enemies in this country where the progressivist thrust is particularly virulent. He showed himself to be favorable to Tradition and to the Society of St. Pius X. R.I.P.
Persecutions in Sudan
Despite peace talks, in Sudan the persecution and agony of the people in the South continues amid general indifference.
More than 120 villages in the South were bombarded in 2002, causing numerous victims. Often it is during the Mass or when children are going to or from school that the fundamentalist government of Khartoum begins the bombing. At the same time, the Christian and Animist villages of the southern and central part of the country are attacked by militias in the service of the regime. More than 1500 villagers were thus massacred in a single village at the end of July 2002, and 1500 others elsewhere.
While the peace negotiations seem once again to be in deadlock, the populations of the south , who have lost everything and live under the permanent threat of persecution or forced conversion to Islam are turning to the Church.
England. The symbol of the cross potentially offensive.
Several educational establishments have been forbidden by the local authorities to distribute the traditional hot cross buns this Easter. The origin of this practice dates back to Elizabeth I (1558-1603). Decorated with a cross, they are, in the eyes of the authorities, liable to upset non-Christians. This, at least, is what the instigators of these interdictions assure us, following the example of the municipality of Liverpool, which maintains that the "symbol of the cross is potentially offensive." Offensive for the authorities alone, no doubt. Surprised by this decision, the Muslims themselves have openly criticized it.
