Bishops United States

A committee of U.S. Roman Catholic bishops has issued detailed, frankly worded criticisms of the first Vatican-proposed catechism, or summary of religious doctrine, to be issued since the 16th Century. Copies of the "Catechism for the Universal Church" circulated by Rome for comment by the world's Catholic bishops have not been made public, but U.S. scholars privy to the 434-page draft and now an ad hoc committee of American prelates have cited what they see as numerous inadequacies.

The U.S. Catholic hierarchy, pointing to United Nations help in the Persian Gulf crisis, has called on the United States to immediately pay the $661 million in back dues owed to the international organization. Congress should free the funds needed "to meet all U.S. obligations to the United Nations," according to Archbishop Roger Mahony, the Catholic bishops' chief spokesman on international affairs.

The U.S. Catholic hierarchy, pointing to United Nations help in the Persian Gulf crisis, has called on the United States to immediately pay the $661 million in back dues owed to the international organization. Congress should free the funds needed "to meet all U.S. obligations to the United Nations," according to Archbishop Roger Mahony, the Catholic bishops' chief spokesman on international affairs.

A committee of U.S. Roman Catholic bishops has issued detailed, frankly worded criticisms of the first Vatican-proposed catechism, or summary of religious doctrine, to be issued since the 16th Century. Copies of the "Catechism for the Universal Church" circulated by Rome for comment by the world's Catholic bishops have not been made public, but U.S. scholars privy to the 434-page draft and now an ad hoc committee of American prelates have cited what they see as numerous inadequacies.

Archbishop John Roach, 81, former head of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis who also served as president of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops / United States Catholic Conference from 1980-83, died Friday in St. Paul. Roach, the first Minnesota native to head the Twin Cities' archdiocese, had had heart and lung problems for some time. The exact cause of death was not reported. Born in Prior Lake, Roach attended Nazareth Hall Seminary in St. Paul.

Pope John Paul II and the U.S. Catholic hierarchy, who sparred over the issue of church dissent during the pontiff's visit to Los Angeles in 1987, will tackle the volatile issue of U.S.-Vatican relations in a March meeting in Rome. More than 30 U.S. bishops and two Eastern Rite metropolitans have been invited to the March 8-11 meeting, which follows a year of private discussions with U.S. bishops, the United States Catholic Conference said Monday.