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	Religion Briefs: Mexican Legislator Demands Probe for Coverup against Legionaries of Christ By Associated Press carried in Daily News June 4, 2010 http://tdn.com/lifestyles/article_d1282ee8-701b-11df-b660-001cc4c002e0.html MEXICO CITY — A legislator with Mexico's main leftist party has filed a criminal complaint against a conservative Roman Catholic religious order that acknowledged its recently deceased founder fathered at least one child and sexually abused seminarians. Leticia Quezada Contreras wants Mexican prosecutors to investigate allegations of a cover-up of sexual abuse by the Rev. Marcial Maciel, a Mexican priest who established the Legion of Christ and built the order into a wealthy power in the church. Legion officials denied any wrongdoing but said they would cooperate with Mexican authorities if needed. The Vatican recently completed an international investigation of the Legion and said it would appoint a commissioner to oversee the group. In announcing the takeover, the Vatican excoriated Maciel for creating a "system of power" built on silence, deceit and obedience that enabled him to lead a double life "devoid of any scruples and authentic sense of religion" and allowed him to abuse young boys unchecked. The Legion of Christ operates grade-schools and seminaries in Mexico, Rome, the United States and elsewhere. Anglican leader urges penalty, after Episcopalians, other Anglicans violate gay moratoria LONDON — The spiritual leader of the world's Anglicans wants to sideline provinces that violate moratoria on ordaining partnered gays and on other contentious activity in the splintering fellowship. The proposal is expected to cost Episcopalians their formal role in shaping Anglican doctrine and in conducting dialogue with other faiths. Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams said in a May 28 statement that provinces that fail to heed the requests of Anglican bodies cannot be in a position to "represent the communion as a whole." The Episcopal Church, the Anglican province in the U.S., last month consecrated its second openly gay bishop, Los Angeles assistant Bishop Mary Glasspool, who has a female partner. Two Episcopalians serve on the Anglican-Orthodox Theological Dialogue and one serves on the Inter-Anglican Standing Commission on Unity, Faith and Order, which handles question of church doctrine and authority, according to Anglican and Episcopal news services. Williams said affected provinces will soon be contacted about the changes. The 77-million-member Anglican Communion is a global fellowship that traces its roots to the Church of England. Albania's Muslim community sues journalist who urged ban on Islam TIRANA, Albania — The main group representing Albania's Muslim majority population says it is suing a journalist who suggested the government should ban their faith. The Albanian Muslim Community says in a statement released Tuesday that Kastriot Myftaraj allegedly incited religious hatred with his writings in the small circulation, Tirana-based Sot (Today) daily newspaper. Myftaraj published two articles last month claiming that "Islam harms Albanian national coherence." He wrote that the best response was for the country to "outlaw the Muslim religion in Albania and close down all mosques." About two-thirds of Albania's 3.2 million population is Muslim. Albanians were not allowed to practice any religion under Communist rule between 1967 and 1990. Mass. Muslims call Cahill's criticisms of meeting with Patrick 'bigoted' BOSTON — Local Muslim leaders accused gubernatorial candidate Tim Cahill of making "bigoted" statements after Gov. Deval Patrick met with members of the faith community. A coalition of Muslim leaders called Cahill's remarks "bigoted," ''undignified" and "anti-democratic." Patrick, a Democrat, met last month with around 1,000 Massachusetts Muslim leaders who wanted to raise awareness about their faith and become more civically engaged. Cahill, an independent, said afterwards, "I fully support equal protection under the law for every American, regardless of race or creed, but this is political correctness run amok," Cahill noted that two Muslim Americans recently were arrested in Massachusetts in connection with the investigation of the attempted Times Square bombing. "Gov. Patrick should stop playing politics with terrorism and focus on protecting all the citizens of this commonwealth," said Cahill, the state Treasurer and a former Democrat, who is trailing Patrick and Republican candidate Charlie Baker in the polls. Kemal Bozkurt, publisher of the Lawrence-based Muslim Green Pages of New England, a directory of Muslim-owned businesses, said if Cahill has any evidence that a mosque or Massachusetts Muslim group has terrorist ties he should turn it over to Attorney General Martha Coakley instead of stereotyping. Cahill defended his comments, saying he was criticizing what he called the governor's lack of leadership in combatting terrorism. "Instead, the governor turned it into a conversation about sensitivity training for police," Cahill said in a statement. "That is simply not an adequate response to the threat that we face. That is not leadership."
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