U.S. Catholics now have one of their own sitting in the White House. In addition to joy, there is also harsh criticism, in some cases stronger than that directed at predecessor Trump. Behind this is an old conflict within the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Interviewer: With Joe Biden, for the first time since John F. Kennedy a Catholic U.S. president. One would think that Catholics in the U.S. would be happy to have one of their own as president again. Still, there seems to be more Catholic criticism right now than there is of the Trump administration. How do you explain that?

Christina Cherry

The Round Table on Abuse wants to enforce uniform nationwide regulations for the prevention of sexual abuse – a result of the meeting of the Working Group on Prevention and Intervention on Tuesday. Already in the run-up the federation of the German catholic youth had itself opposite this site.He has strictly opposed compulsory certificates of good conduct for volunteers.

Who demands this, places "hundreds of thousands under general suspicion". Such a "useless piece of paper" hinders the social formative force, so the BDKJ Federal President Ursula Fehling. This Tuesday, the "Prevention and Intervention" working group of the Round Table against Sexual Abuse, which was set up by the federal government, met for the first time at the Family Ministry. Among other things it was discussed to obligate also honorary forces to the submission of police certificates of good conduct; for full-time employees this regulation already exists for a long time. According to Federal Family Minister Kristina Schroder, however, the working group has so far dealt "only marginally and also with differing opinions" with the ie of mandatory certificates of good conduct for volunteers.

Christina Cherry

After the ruling of the Constitutional Court on the tax equality of homosexual partnerships, there is a heated debate about equality in adoption law as well.

"I don't know of any study that says that children who grow up in same-sex civil partnerships fare differently than children who grow up in mixed-sex marriages," CDU deputy leader Ursula von der Leyen told Deutschlandfunk radio in Cologne on Sunday. On the other hand, other Union politicians, such as the head of the NRW CDU, Armin Laschet, warn against such an adoption right.

Christina Cherry

Dominican Father Pawel Guzynski observes a change of mood in Polish society © tomertu (shutterstock)

Polish Dominican priest and sociologist Pawel Guzynski observes a sharp change in the social mood in Poland. The ruling PiS party is setting the direction in this process.

"The tone against gays and lesbians in public is getting tougher," Dominican Father Guzynski said in "Spiegel" interview. "We've enjoyed an increasingly liberal climate in Poland in recent years, but that's about to change."

Christina Cherry

On 18. november forum on the dynamics of (e/e) architectures in vehicles takes place

RTI automotive forum 2021 on 18. November from 16:00 – 18:45 CET

Real-time innovations (RTI) announces its first virtual automotive forum:

  • When: 18. November from 16:00 – 18:45 CET
  • Where: virtual
  • To register for the free event

The interactive, three-hour virtual forum includes panel discussions and presentations by RTI executives and automotive experts addressing the rapidly changing dynamics of vehicle electrical and electronic (E/E) architectures.

The event participants will also be the first exclusively from RTI from a new software in connext drive® experience reducing both costs and risks in vehicle programs by working with the world’s leading automotive suppliers to deploy automotive-grade stacks.

Christina Cherry

Religious order Legionaries of Christ announced more decisive action against sexual abuse in its own ranks. The General Chapter published a policy document on this entitled "Protect and Heal".

In addition, the assembly of religious leaders and delegates in Rome, which has been meeting since January, adopted a statement entitled "Conversion and Reparation".

According to the statement, the Legionaries of Christ, with its new superior general, John Connor, pledges to "vigorously pursue" the investigation of all abuse cases that have been documented since 1941. Anyone guilty of cover-up or gross negligence in dealing with these cases could no longer hold office in the congregation.

Christina Cherry

Christian Kurzke © Protestant Academy of Meissen

The working group (WG) "Church for Democracy – Against Right-Wing Extremism" has made it its mission to promote awareness of the value of democracy. The AG advocates that people be strengthened to courageously oppose right-wing extremist slogans and their protagonists.

The Pegida movement has once again mobilized thousands of supporters in Dresden to demonstrate. Christian Kurzke of the "AG Kirche fur Demokratie gegen Rechtsextremismus" (Church for Democracy against Right-Wing Extremism) told our site the increasing influx a.

Christina Cherry
In a clinch - even with themselves

AfD poster © Oliver Dietze

Non-denominationals are the largest ideological group among AfD voters. But religiously conservative Christians also have a say in the party's affairs. The party is in a permanent clash with the big churches.

The AfD sees itself as a defender of Christianity and the Occident. In a motion presented by her parliamentary group in the Bundestag this Thursday, she calls on the German government to cut development aid to countries where Christians are discriminated against and persecuted. At the same time, entry bans should be imposed on the political elites of these states or accounts frozen.

Christina Cherry

Preparations for the first state visit of a pope to Great Britain are in full swing. But not everyone expects Benedict XVI. with open arms. While many Catholics are pleased, others see the trip critically. Perhaps beatification can reconcile.

Organizers expect several hundred thousand faithful at events in Edinburgh, Birmingham and London. Those who can't see the pope in person can watch the church leader's visit to Britain via livestream on the Internet. Cameras follow the pope at every turn, and his supporters can share what's happening on the social networking sites Facebook and Twitter. But the faithful's anticipation is clouded.

Christina Cherry

Several Jewish members of the AfD plan to found their own association "Jews in the AfD" next Sunday. Not only the Jewish community warns of the consequences.

Since it became known, the news has caused consternation – not only among representatives of Jewish communities in Germany: on 7. October 2018, AfD members of the Jewish faith want to establish the association "Jews in the AfD".

Among others, federal board members Beatrix von Storch and Joachim Kuhs are expected to attend the founding meeting, as well as the party's spokesman on religious policy in the Bundestag, Volker Munz.

Christina Cherry