Spiritual guidance belongs in politics, Bishop Tobin says

April 20, 2018 CNA Daily News News Briefs 0 Print

Providence, R.I., Apr 20, 2018 / 01:55 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Speaking out on political issues is not only a right, but a duty, for religious leaders, said Bishop Thomas J. Tobin of Providence in a recent interview.

“What we try and do is take the Gospel, the basis of our faith, and apply it to the issues of the day,” Bishop Tobin told the Providence Journal in an article published April 17.

“Now, some people will like it, some people won’t like it; some will agree, some will not. I think we have not just a right but the need to be involved in these public conversations.”

Bishop Tobin said that when he speaks about issues such as immigration and gun control, he draws criticism from conservatives, who say, “Stay out of it, it’s not your business.” When speaking about abortion or same-sex marriage, he said, he gets the same response from liberals.

“So sometimes I’m accused of being too conservative, and sometimes I’m accused of being a raging liberal.”

However, he said, it is important to preach the Gospel no matter how people respond.

One tool the bishop has been using to weigh in on political and moral debates is Twitter. In February, the prelate opened an account, @bishoptjt, which now has over 1,300 followers.

Because he alone controls the subject of his tweets, he said “there’s no filter there,” unlike his Facebook account which is managed by someone in his office.

“I thought, if the president can do it and the pope can do it, there’s no reason why I shouldn’t be doing it,” he said.

Bishops Tobin uses his Twitter account to discuss both serious topics – such as liturgy and politics – and lighthearted, personal interests.

“I’ve done some devotional things, some spiritual things, and some liturgical things and some prayerful things,” the bishop said. “I’ve also put some things up about the Steelers and about my dog and about some political things and about the weather and April Fools Day.”

 

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Man who went on vandalism spree at Louisiana Catholic church arrested

September 11, 2020 CNA Daily News 1

Denver Newsroom, Sep 11, 2020 / 02:57 pm (CNA).- A man who went on an hours-long vandalism spree on Wednesday at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church in Tioga, Louisiana has been arrested and has confessed to the crime, according to local authorities.

During the act of vandalism, which lasted more than two hours, the assailant broke at least six windows, beat several metal doors, and broke numerous statues around the parish grounds.

Father Rickey Gremillion, the church’s pastor, told CNA Sept. 11 that the damage took place between 12:30-3:00 am Sept. 9. No one saw or heard anything while the vandalism was occurring, but the entire incident was captured on the church’s security cameras. 

Gremillion discovered the damage upon arriving at the church for Mass later that morning.

“Obviously he never realized there were cameras watching him,” Gremillion said.

The Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Department announced Sept. 11 that they had arrested Chandler D. Johnson. Johnson, 23, has been charged with one count of criminal trespassing and one count of institutional vandalism.

Johnson, shirtless and wearing blue jeans, can be seen on video breaking numerous small flowerpots around the church and knocking over some larger concrete ones.

He beat one of the metal doors with a statue that he uprooted from outside the church, and beat another metal door with another statue. He also threw a statue at part of the church’s siding, and broke the heads of Mary and Jesus off of a concrete statue of Our Lady of Prompt Succor.

Johnson used a hard object to beat a hole in a large fiberglass statue of Mary that had been at the church for many years, the priest said.

The parish recently weathered Hurricane Laura with no major damage, Gremillion said, except for two of the church’s security cameras. The two functional cameras that remained were able to capture the act of vandalism on video.

Gremillion said he does not know of Johnson having any ties to the parish, or reason to target it.

Gremillion said Johnson did no damage inside the church building; though he had ample opportunity to enter the church building through the broken windows, he never did.

Most of the glass will be replaced once the insurance company gives him the go-ahead, Gremillion said. A number of parishioners helped to clean up and board up the broken windows the morning the vandalism was discovered.

Gremillion said he is hoping to beef up the security system at the parish after the incident. Despite the incident being captured on video, the alarm system was not triggered.


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