Survey Studies Catholics’ Observance of Lent

WASHINGTON – While a majority of U.S. Catholics say they abstain from meat on Fridays during Lent, slightly less than half follow other customary Lenten practices.

The findings, released March 11, come from a survey of 1,007 randomly selected, self-identified Catholics, age 18 or older, conducted Feb. 1-20 by the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate at Georgetown University.

The survey had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points. Sixty percent said they do not eat meat on Fridays during Lent, but only 45% said they typically receive ashes on Ash Wednesday.

A slightly smaller percentage, 44%, said that besides giving up something, they do something positive during Lent, like giving money to the needy or trying to be a better person.

Only 38% said that besides meat on Fridays, they give up or abstain from something else during Lent.

Stronger adherence to those Lenten practices were seen in the nine in 10 Catholic adults who said they attend Mass at least weekly.

Bishop Criticizes ‘Vagina Monologues’ at Notre Dame

FORT WAYNE, Ind. – The bishop of Fort Wayne-South Bend has criticized the University of Notre Dame for once again allowing an on-campus production of “The Vagina Monologues,” a play that explicitly discusses women’s sexuality.

Bishop John M. D’Arcy reiterated his objections to the play being performed at Notre Dame as it has been in previous years, calling it “an affront to human dignity.”

The bishop noted that this year’s production at the university was even more offensive because performances were scheduled on Monday and Tuesday of Easter week.

The play, based on interviews with numerous women, is a series of monologues in which women discuss their sexual experiences, including rape and other forms of violence against them.

For the 10th year in a row, college campuses across the country have sponsored limited productions of the play with students reading the script.

The shows are put on to benefit a campaign called V-Day, which raises money for organizations working to stop violence against women and girls.

Bishops Hopeful to Work For ‘Common Good’ of N.Y.

ALBANY, N.Y. – The head of the New York State Catholic Conference in Albany, on behalf of the conference and the state’s Catholic bishops, assured New York’s new governor of prayers as he “assumes his awesome responsibilities under extraordinarily difficult circumstances.”

“I look forward to working closely with Gov. (David) Paterson and the Legislature on behalf of the common good” of the state, said Richard E. Barnes, the conference’s executive director.

Paterson, the state’s lieutenant governor, was to be sworn in as governor March 17 to succeed Gov. Eliot Spitzer, who announced his resignation March 12 in the wake of a prostitution-ring scandal.

Barnes described Paterson as “highly intelligent, well versed on the issues and extremely affable.”

He noted that they have not always agreed, but said that Paterson has been respectful of the state’s Catholic conference “in our role as advocates for the most vulnerable members of society.”

Papal Encyclical to Cover Globalization, Digital Divide

VATICAN CITY – Pope Benedict XVI’s upcoming encyclical is titled “Charity in Truth” and covers a wide range of issues related to globalization and social justice, said an Italian report.

The text is still under revision and has yet to be translated, according to Church sources.

A leading Vatican official said he doesn’t expect the encyclical to be published before summer.

The Italian news agency ANSA reported March 12 that the encyclical, whose Latin title is “Caritas in Veritate,” is divided into four chapters.

The lengthy text begins with a reflection on the 1967 encyclical, “Populorum Progressio” (“The Progress of Peoples”), and the social changes that have occurred since then, it said.

Among the topics examined by the pope are the relationship of economic and social development with human dignity, and the gap between the rich and poor, it said.

It said the text touches on issues of war and peace, international cooperation and economic globalization, environmental and energy issues, the “digital divide” and disarmament.

Vatican Calls for Protection Of Unborn, Seriously Ill

GENEVA – A Vatican official urged government delegates to help protect the lives of the unborn and those suffering from serious and deadly illnesses.

Archbishop Silvano Tomasi, Vatican representative to U.N. agencies in Geneva, said “no compromise can be made with a person’s right to life itself, from conception to natural death, nor with that person’s ability to enjoy the dignity which flows from that right.”

He made the remarks March 11 during a session on the protection of human rights by the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva.