Pagosa churches announce Mass schedule
Pope John Paul II Catholic Church, 353 South Pagosa Blvd. in Pagosa Springs, announces these Mass schedules:
5 p.m. Saturday (Anticipatory).
9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Sunday.
7:30 a.m. Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.
5:15 a.m. Tuesday
Confession will be held from 3:45 to 4:45 p.m. Saturday; and at 8 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Sunday. The church office is open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday to Thursday and from 9 a.m. to noon Friday.
For more information, visit www.popejohnpauliichurch.org or call 731-5744. Confessions also are available by appointment at 731-5744.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, 451 Lewis St. in Pagosa Springs, will hold Mass at 11:15 a.m. Sunday. Confession will take place at 10:45 a.m. Sunday.
The church office is open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday to Friday.
For more information, call 731-5744.
Religious leaders rally against proposed pipeline
FRANKFORT, Ky. – A group of Catholic nuns who successfully redirected the route of a proposed pipeline off their land in Kentucky are joining other religious leaders protesting the ongoing project.
The Sisters of Loretto, along with members of Baptist, Presbyterian and Unitarian churches, delivered a 36,000-signature petition to Gov. Steve Beshear’s office at the state Capitol last week. The group of about 50 demonstrators called on the governor to oppose the project. They say the pipeline, which would carry flammable natural-gas liquids through 14 counties, is a threat to the environment.
An office staff member accepted the petition from the group as they gathered inside the governor’s office and sang a religious hymn.
The company building the Bluegrass Pipeline is currently securing easements along the project’s proposed 180-mile path in Kentucky.
Town council meeting prayer gets Supreme Court review
WASHINGTON – The Supreme Court is weighing the constitutionality of a town council’s opening prayers.
The case argued Wednesday involves prayers offered by local clergy at the start of town council meetings in Greece, N.Y.
A federal appeals court said they violated the Constitution because nearly every prayer in an 11-year span was overtly Christian.
Greece is being backed by the Obama administration and many conservative groups in arguing that the court settled this issue 30 years ago when it held that an opening prayer is part of the nation’s fabric and not a violation of the First Amendment. Some of those groups want the court to go further and get rid of other limits on religious expression in the public sphere.
On the other side are two town residents who sued over the prayers and the liberal groups that support them. Susan Galloway and Linda Stephens say they and others who attend the meetings are a captive audience and should not be subjected to sectarian prayers.
Herald Staff, Associated Press
