News in Brief

The ex-military members turned themselves in at a military base Aug. 8 and were transported to a Salvadoran court, the government said. They were among 20 former soldiers indicted by a Spanish court for their role in the deaths on the campus of the University of Central America in the Salvadoran capital, where the priests taught and lived. Five of the priests were Spanish. Spain's courts have used the principle of international jurisdiction to prosecute the killings. Gen. Rene Emilio Ponce, the army leader accused of ordering the killings, died in May before the Spanish indictments were handed down. El Salvador's government said in a statement that the former soldiers surrendered as authorities prepared to arrest them on an international warrant issued by Interpol. It was not clear whether the Salvadoran Supreme Court would permit their extradition to Spain.

Crash another reminder 'of terrible tragedy of war,' says archbishop
WASHINGTON (CNS) — The deaths of 30 U.S. service members and eight Afghanis in the crash of a U.S. military helicopter in Afghanistan are another "reminder of the terrible tragedy of war and its toll on all people," said the head of the U.S. Archdiocese for the Military Services. "No person of good will is left unmoved by this loss," Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio said in an Aug. 8 statement. The U.S. service members, who included about 20 Navy SEALs, along with seven Afghan soldiers and an interpreter, were killed as insurgents shot down a NATO Chinook transport helicopter early Aug. 6. It is the single deadliest loss for U.S. troops in the 10-year-old war. "I express my heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of the valiant members of the armed forces and the Afghani citizens who perished in the helicopter crash and the recent fighting in the Tangi province of Afghanistan," Archbishop Broglio said. "As we pray for the repose of their souls and the consolation of their families, we also raise our hearts and minds to Almighty God and beg for the elusive gift of peace on earth and harmony among all people," the archbishop said.

No lack of resources available to prepare Catholics for new missal
WASHINGTON (CNS) — As Catholics look toward Nov. 27, when the new edition of the Roman Missal goes into use in the United States, there is no lack of resources to help them prepare for the new sound and feel of the liturgy. Dozens of books and brochures have been published or are in the works, along with many DVDS and audiotapes aimed at specific audiences — from priests to teens to elementary school students. But how can average Catholics know what the best resources are for their particular circumstances? Father Richard Hilgartner, executive director of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Secretariat on Divine Worship, advises people to look to their pastors, diocesan worship offices or Catholic bookstores for recommendations. "Anything will ultimately be helpful in some way," he told Catholic News Service. "But some materials are more targeted at different age groups and audiences." He does not recommend that Catholics get their information about implementation of the new missal exclusively from the blogosphere, however. Much of the liturgical information on popular Catholic blogs is "not fact but opinion," he said. "And it is hard to discern what is helpful." Some of the resources are designed to work best in an adult religious education or small-group faith formation program. Ascension Press, for example, has released "A Biblical Walk Through the Mass," a five-part DVD series, book and workbook, along with a 20-page "Guide to the New Translation of the Mass," which includes a pull-out reference card detailing the new responses by the people at various parts of the Mass. "Perhaps more than any other time in recent history, people's attention will be focused on the Mass," said Catholic theologian Edward Sri, who wrote "A Biblical Walk Through the Mass" and the briefer guide. "This is an excellent opportunity for catechesis and faith formation."

At Angelus, pope calls for prayers for Syria, Libya
CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy (CNS) — Pope Benedict XVI appealed for reconciliation and respect for human rights in Syria and Libya where the governments have used force to try to end pro-democracy protests. "With deep concern, I am following the dramatic and growing episodes of violence in Syria," the pope said Aug. 7 at the end of his Angelus address to visitors gathered in the courtyard of the papal villa in Castel Gandolfo. A government crackdown on protesters in Hama, Syria, Aug. 5 reportedly left two dozen people dead. The United Nations has said "around 2,000 people are reported to have been killed in clashes in Syria since protesters took to the streets in mid-March demanding greater civil liberties. The violent crackdown by the authorities has received widespread condemnation from the U.N., including the Security Council and top officials, as well as world leaders." Pope Benedict also used his Angelus address to call attention "to Libya where the power of weapons has not resolved the situation." The pope asked "Catholic faithful to pray that an effort for reconciliation would prevail over division and anger" in Syria and that the international community, which has been supporting protesters in Libya with NATO air strikes, would make a new attempt to find "a peace plan for the country through negotiation and constructive dialogue."

Cardinal calls S. African bailout of Swaziland economy 'disappointing'
CAPE TOWN, South Africa (CNS) — South Africa's bailout of neighboring Swaziland is "grossly disappointing, though not surprising," said Cardinal Wilfrid Napier, spokesman for the Southern African Catholic Bishops' Conference. South Africa, which dominates Swaziland's economy and accounts for almost all of its trade, agreed Aug. 4 to lend $355 million to help its struggling tiny neighbor through a budget crunch. The bishops' conference said in June that any bailout of Swaziland should depend upon major reforms including changes in its system of governance "of royal favor and alliance which is a breeding place for corruption and greed." South Africa placed no conditions on the loan. South Africa's finance minister, Pravin Gordhan, said Aug. 4 that it was in his country's interest to have a stable neighbor and it would not force reforms on King Mswati III, who faces widespread accusations of autocratic rule and gross fiscal mismanagement. Cardinal Napier questioned South African President Jacob Zuma's support for the bailout without conditions in an interview with Catholic News Service Aug. 5 from Durban, South Africa. "Zuma was in the fight for freedom in South Africa, so how can he just pretend there is nothing wrong in Swaziland?" the cardinal said. "The king is a dictator," Cardinal Napier added.

New guidelines restrict conscience rights of British pharmacists
MANCHESTER, England (CNS) — Catholic pharmacists in the United Kingdom are concerned that new guidelines from an industry regulator will force them to dispense the morning-after pill against their consciences. They also are troubled that guidelines issued in late July by the General Pharmaceutical Council could lead to the dismissal of Christians from the pharmacy profession and even could prevent them from entering the field if they act on their beliefs by refusing to distribute the abortifacient drug, which prevents a fertilized ovum from implanting into the womb. "Catholic pharmacists have the obligation to respect the fact that life is sacred from the moment of conception to natural death by not supplying, or participating in the supply of, drugs for abortion or euthanasia," said Anna Sweeting-Hempsall, a Catholic hospital pharmacist from Sunderland, England, and a member of the U.S.-based Pharmacists for Life. "Until now, the conscience clause gave Catholic pharmacists the right not to compromise their beliefs, and provided invaluable protection against unethical employers who might have tried to force pharmacists to act against their conscience and supply these drugs," she said. "In other words, the conscience clause is now completely meaningless, and Catholic pharmacists who cannot accept being party to attacks on unborn life or the integrity of the mother are virtually unemployable," Sweeting-Hempsall added. The new "Guidance on the Provision of Pharmacy Services Affected by Religious and Moral Beliefs," governs pharmacists in England, Scotland and Wales. It reinterprets existing conscience protections in the pharmaceutical industry, which have existed since 1967.