Munich, Germany, Jul 18, 2016 / 09:55 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Archbishop Georg Ganswein has criticized the German Church Tax process, calling its handling of people opting out of the controversial system “a serious problem.” In a wide-ranging interview published Monday in Schwäbische Zeitung, the Prefect of the Papal Household and secretary to both Pope Francis and Pope emeritus Benedict also spoke candidly about the papal propensity for “flippant” remarks and the media's handling of them. Figures released Friday show that Catholicism in Germany continues to be in decline, with almost 190,000 Catholics leaving the Church in 2015. With a view to the situation in his native country, Ganswein, who is the son of a blacksmith from the Black Forest region, criticized how the Church Tax System in the country handles Church membership. Echoing concerns voiced repeatedly by Pope Benedict, Archbishop Ganswein was particularly critical of how the system ties payment of the tax to membership in the Church. The Catholic Church in Germany received a record windfall of 6 billion Euros in 2015 — about 6.64 billion U.S. Dollars — despite dwindling membership numbers, thanks largely to the strength of the German economy, which translated to more income for Catholic taxpayers. When Germans register as Catholic, Protestant, or Jewish on their tax forms, the government automatically collects an income tax from them which amounts to 8 or 9 percent of their total income tax, or 3-4 percent of their salary. The “church tax” is given to the religious communities, rather than those communities collecting a tithe. The Church uses its funds to help run its parishes, schools, hospitals, and welfare projects. The topic is one of several ongoing debates in Germany, and has been for years. One particularly controversial aspect is how Catholics are dealt with who decide to no longer pay the tax – for whatever reason. “They are effectively excommunicated,” the interviewer suggests to Archbishop Ganswein, and the German prelate agrees, saying: “Yes, that is a serious problem. How does the Catholic Church in Germany react to someone leaving? By automatic expulsion from the community, in other words, excommunication! That is excessive, quite incomprehensible. You can question dogma, no one is concerned about that, no one gets kicked out. Is the non-payment of the Church tax a bigger offense against the Faith than violations of the tenets of Faith?” The Prefect of the Papal Household warned that the impression the current system gives, “is this: As long as the Faith is on the line, that is quite acceptable, however when money enters the equation, things get serious.” The interviewer, Hendrik Groth, also asked Archbishop Ganswein whether he still stands by remarks he publicly made shortly after the election of Pope Francis that theologically, you could not fit a sheet of paper between the new Pope and his predecessor.   “I have asked myself the same question; and judging by everything I hear and perceive, I still positively perceive this to be the case. Considering the base lines of their theological convictions, there is definitely a continuity there.” Given the external differences between the two Popes, Archbishop Ganswein said: “Obviously I am also aware that occasionally doubt might be cast on this, given the differences in representation and expression. But when a Pope wants to change an aspect of the doctrine, then he has to do so clearly, so as to make it binding.” “Important magisterial tenets cannot be changed by half sentences or somewhat ambiguous footnotes,” the German archbishop said, alluding to the controversy over the post-synodal apostolic exhortation Amoris Laetitia. He further warned, “Statements that can be interpreted in different ways are a risky thing.” Acknowledging the cultural and personal differences between Pope Francis and his predecessor, Archbishop Ganswein reflected that “one has to simply accept the fact that his [Francis'] way of speaking can at times be somewhat imprecise, indeed flippant. Every Pope has their own personal style.” The archbishop said he is sure that Pope Francis will not change his way of talking, even if that sometimes “leads to bizarre interpretations.” However, Archbishop Ganswein also reflected on what role the media plays in the perception that the Pope is no longer “as solid as a rock, no longer a final anchor.” "Uncertainties, occasionally even confusion and mayhem, have certainly increased", he said, adding that the “Francis Effect” some German bishops predicted after the election, expecting it would lead to fuller pews and a boost to Catholic life in the nation, “appears not to have transpired.”   Read more

Los Angeles, Calif., Jul 16, 2016 / 02:09 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- On Thursday, the bishops of California announced their support of a state ballot measure that would end the use of capital punishment in the state, replacing it with life in prison without possibility of parole. “Our commitment to halt the practice of capital punishment is rooted both in the Catholic faith and our pastoral experience,” the bishops said in their July 14 statement in support of Proposition 62. The message also states the bishops' opposition to another ballot measure, Proposition 66, which is intended to expedite executions in California by limiting appeals. “All life is sacred … just as Jesus Christ taught us and demonstrated repeatedly throughout His ministry. This focus on the preciousness of human life is fundamental to Christianity,” they wrote. “Jesus makes clear that to love God we must love our neighbor.” Each person “holds an inherent worth derived from being created in God’s own image” and thus “each of us has a duty to love this divine image imprinted on every person,” the bishops recalled. “Our support to end the use of the death penalty is also rooted in our unshakeable resolve to accompany and support all victims of crime. They suffer the very painful consequences of criminal acts,” the bishops acknowledged, while adding that “Their enduring anguish is not addressed by the state-sanctioned perpetuation of the culture of death.” “As we pray with them and mourn with them we must also stress that the current use of the death penalty does not promote healing. It only brings more violence to a world that has too much violence already. We will continue to promote responsibility, rehabilitation and restoration for everyone impacted by the criminal justice system.” In addition to ending the death penalty in California, Proposition 62 would requires that those convicted of murder and sentenced to life without possibility of parole must work while in prison and pay restitution to victims. The ballot measure would apply retroactively to those already sentenced to death in California. The state currently has 747 persons on the condemned inmate list, more than any other state. According to the California Department of State, Proposition 62 would save state and local governments “potentially around $150 million annually within a few years due to the elimination of the death penalty.” The bishops wrote that capital punishment “has repeatedly been shown to be severely and irrevocably flawed in its application. In the long – but absolutely necessary – process of ensuring an innocent person is not put to death, we have seen many accused persons being exonerated as new forms of forensic investigation have enabled us to better scrutinize evidence.” “The high cost of implementing the death penalty has diverted resources from more constructive and beneficial programs both for rehabilitation and restoration of victims and offenders. Finally, repeated research has demonstrated that the death penalty is applied inconsistently along racial, economic and geographical lines,” they noted. Among Proposition 62's supporters is Beth Webb, whose sister was killed in a mass shooting in 2011. At a recent event supporting the measure, she said that “Neither me nor my mom will find closure in the death of another human being … Yes on 62 will relieve our families and let us heal.” The death penalty has been in place in California since 1977, when the state legislature re-adopted the practice. The following year, voters approved a proposition reaffirming its use, and the 1978 statute is that under which the state currently operates. Since 1978, 13 inmates have been executed in California. Two more California inmates were executed in other states. The most recent execution in the state occurred in January 2006. In 2012, state voters disapproved a ballot measure similar to Proposition 62. That measure, rejected by 52 percent of voters, would also have replaced the death penalty with life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. Another supporter of Proposition 62 is Ron Briggs, a former supervisor of El Dorado County. His family was instrumental in the 1978 ballot measure reaffirming capital punishment. In a July 7 opinion piece for the Sacramento Bee, he wrote that “I now feel compelled to admit the policy is destructive to our great state. What we didn’t know then is that the death penalty would become an industry that benefits only attorneys and criminals, and no one else.” “Don’t get me wrong – I’m still as tough on crime as I’ve ever been. I firmly believe those who committed the most heinous acts should do the hardest of time and never again see the light of day. But it’s time to face facts: the ultimate punishment has become the ultimate failed government program,” Briggs stated. The competing death penalty ballot measure, Proposition 66, is meant to hasten the process. It would impose time limits on death penalty reviews, and would also require that death row inmates work and pay restitution to victims. Proposition 66 also says that “When necessary to remove a substantial backlog in appointment of counsel for capital cases, the Supreme Court shall require attorneys who are qualified for appointment to the most serious non-capital appeals and who meet the qualifications for capital appeals to accept appointment in capital cases as a condition for remaining on the court's appointment list.” According to the California Department of State, this “Requires appointed attorneys who take noncapital appeals to accept death penalty appeals.” The California state department also estimates that “Increased state costs that could be in the tens of millions of dollars annually for several years related to direct appeals and habeas corpus proceedings, with the fiscal impact on such costs being unknown in the longer run. Potential state correctional savings that could be in the tens of millions of dollars annually.” California's bishops wrote that they oppose Proposition 66 because “The search for a fair and humane execution process and protocol has failed for decades. Any rush to streamline that process will inevitably result in the execution of more innocent people. Neither the proponents nor the opponents of the death penalty wish this result.” Briggs called Proposition 66 “a sloppy initiative that will make things worse.” He added that “Every attempt to fix the death penalty over the past 40 years has only made it slower and more expensive, wasting resources on criminals, attorneys and a bloated bureaucracy.” California voters will decide on the death penalty measures later this year. Other topics among the state's 17 ballot measures include the legalization of marijuana and health requirements involving the performers and producers of pornographic films. The bishops of California concluded their statement saying that “In November – the concluding month of the Year of Mercy – Californians have the opportunity to embrace both justice and mercy (cf. Ps. 85.11) in their voting.” “We strongly urge all voters to prayerfully consider support for Proposition 62 and opposition to Proposition 66.”   Read more

Sacramento, Calif., Jul 15, 2016 / 12:02 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- On July 8 Pope Francis authorized the Congregation for the Causes of Saints to promulgate a decree recognizing the heroic virtues of Servant of God Alphonse Gallegos, who was auxiliary bishop of Sacramento from 1981 to 1991. The late bishop is now called Venerable, and only one miracle worked through his intercession is needed before he can be beatified. “This is wonderful news for all those who knew him,” Fr. Eliseo Gonzalez, vice-postulator of Venerable Gallegos' cause of canonization, told CNA. Fr. Gonzalez is a member of the Order of Augustinian Recollects, in which Bishop Gallegos was ordained a priest in 1958. Since the cause for canonization opened in December 2005, Fr. Gonzalez has been working to tell the bishop’s story. He explained that many people who knew Bishop Gallegos considered him a “living saint.” The bishop was born Feb. 20, 1931 in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and was the eighth of 11 children.  His mother and father, Caciana and Joseph Gallegos, were very pious according to a biography from Fr. Gonzalez. The family prayed daily rosaries together and often had lessons on the catechism. Bishop Gallegos was born with a “severe myopic condition” impacting his eyesight. Though he had many surgeries, the bishop’s poor vision “remained chronic.” In an effort to seek “better educational opportunities for their children as well as medical treatment for him,” Venerable Gallegos’ parents moved the family to Los Angeles in the early 1930s. It was there that Bishop Gallegos found his religious vocation. The family put down roots in an area known as “Watts”, and they began attending San Miguel parish, which was run by the Order of Augustinian Recollects. Bishop Gallegos began “nurturing a deep desire to follow the religious life.” Venerable Gallegos entered the Order of Augustinian Recollects as a novice in 1950. A year later, he professed his first vows, and his solemn vows three years later. “His visual handicap, however, limited his ability to read and to master all the study requirements for the advancement to the priesthood,” his biography explained. In 1954, Venerable Gallegos was moved to the order’s major seminary, Tagaste Monastery, in Suffern, New York. But his vision worsened, making his studies more difficult. He could not read his breviary so he would instead pray the rosary. “His situation was such that doubts were raised concerning his preparation for the priesthood,” but he was ordained a priest May 24, 1958, given his holiness, humility, and community spirit. Venerable Gallegos’ ministry as a priest began at Tagaste Monastery. He spent eight years working with the neighboring hospitals and religious communities. After, he was appointed novice master for the Augustinian Recollects' Province of St. Augustine in Kansas City, Kansas.  In 1972, he returned home to be pastor at his home parish in Watts. The neighborhood was predominantly African-American and poor. Riots in the 1960s had left the area divided and filled with gangs, crime, and poverty. The priest made it his priority to focus on the local children, greeting them daily at the parish’s school.   On the weekends, Venerable Gallegos would spend time with the lowriders of the community, blessing their cars and encouraging the Hispanic youth to pursue a college education. He also took care of the elderly and opened his home to anyone in need. He later served at Cristo Rey parish. Word spread of his service, and in 1979 Venerable Gallegos was appointed director of the newly-created Hispanic affairs office of the California Catholic Conference. In this role he worked with bishops in both New Mexico and California on such issues as immigration and evangelization. His work there led to his appointment as auxiliary bishop of Sacramento in 1981. “He was Hispanic, yet he ministered to a very diverse group of people,” Olympia Nunez, Venerable Gallegos' long-time secretary, told CNA. “We had a Korean community, Chinese, African-American, Hispanic, and he was the person in charge of all these groups.” Nunez said the bishop was incredibly kind and outgoing, and never complained about his disability. “Once a year for his birthday, everyone got together and celebrated with different ethnic foods and customs,” Nunez reflected. “He brought all these people together.” The bishop’s episcopal motto was “love one another.” He advocated for the culture of life, and personally paid Catholic school tuition for the poor.   Fr. Gonzalez called Bishop Gallegos an inspiration and example of hope and fortitude for all. “If he was able to accomplish such great things, why can’t we? With God’s help we can also accomplish great things.” On Oct. 6, 1991, Bishop Gallegos and his driver were returning home from Gridley, about 60 miles north of Sacramento. They had car troubles, so the two got out and started pushing the car to the side of the road. Another vehicle, driving in the same direction, struck the bishop. More than 2,000 people were present at his funeral, and lowriders formed one of the longest funeral processions ever documented. In addition to his pastoral concern for the poor, Venerable Gallegos was known for his commitment to the culture of life. He had been at a gathering in Gridley to pray the rosary for an end to abortion the day he died. With the announcement of the bishop's cause advancing, Nunez said: “He doesn’t belong to just Sacramento or California, he now belongs to the United States in general, and to the world, as an example of a good, humble, generous human being.” In order for him to be canonized, two miracles through the intercession of Venerable Alphonse Gallegos must be verified. The faithful are encouraged to visit Venerable Alphonse Gallegos’ body at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in downtown Sacramento, his life-size statue in Bishop Gallegos Square, and a mini-museum displaying the bishop’s personal items in Oxnard, some 65 miles west of Los Angeles. Read more