Har Shalom rabbi to be honored
Rabbi Eliot Baskin will be honored for his service to Hillel of Colorado at its annual Spring Fling fundraising brunch at 11 a.m. April 26 at University of Denver Hillel, 2390 South Race St., Denver.
Community members are invited to pay tribute to Baskin as he receives the 2015 Marsha Gardenswartz Exemplar of Excellence Award.
Baskin serves as Denver’s Jewish community chaplin, rabbinic director of Rafael Spiritual Healing Center of Jewish Family Service of Colorado and part-time spiritual leader of Congregation Har Shalom in Durango.
He was the founding, part-time Hillel at Colorado State University director from 1989-1991 and currently serves as a volunteer liaison to Fort Lewis Hillel.
Ticket prices are $150 for individuals, $100 for Jewish communal professionals and $72 for young adults. Community members can express their congratulations in a tribute journal. Prices are $100 for an one-eighth page ad, $250 for a quarter page ad, $450 for a half page ad and $800 for a full-page ad.
For more information, call Kelli Theis at (303) 777-2773, ext. 225, or email kelli@hillelcolorado.org.
Methodist church to examine parenting
The First United Methodist Church, 2917 Aspen Drive, will begin a new three-week sermon series called “Confessions of a Struggling Parent” on Saturday.
This will be a light-hearted series of messages that takes a serious look at the reality of parenting. Participants will learn what the Bible teaches about parenting.
Services take place at 5:30 p.m. Saturdays and 8, 9:30 and 11 a.m. Sundays.
For more information, visit www.fumcdurango.org.
Vatican ends takeover of U.S. nun group
VATICAN CITY – The Vatican on Thursday unexpectedly ended its controversial takeover of the main umbrella group of U.S. nuns, cementing a major shift in tone and treatment of U.S. sisters under the social justice-minded Pope Francis.
The Vatican said it had accepted a final report on its overhaul of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious and declared that the “implementation of the mandate has been accomplished” nearly two years ahead of schedule.
When the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith took over the LCWR in 2012, it accused the group of taking positions that undermined Catholic teaching on the priesthood and homosexuality while promoting “certain radical feminist themes incompatible with the Catholic faith.”
It launched a five-year overhaul to fix a “grave” doctrinal crisis, fueled by concerns among U.S. conservatives that the group had strayed from church teaching by not focusing enough on issues like abortion and euthanasia.
But in December, the Vatican’s quality of life investigation ended with sweeping praise for the sisters for their selfless work caring for the poor. Thursday’s conclusion of the doctrinal assessment reflected a similar outcome.
“Alleluia!” tweeted Sister Mary Ann Hinsdale, a theologian at Boston College and member of the Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. “LCWR investigation by CDF is over!”
Pope’s finance czar moves out of Vatican
VATICAN CITY – Pope Francis’ finance minister is on the move, literally.
Four months after he raised eyebrows by taking up residence in the Vatican bank, Cardinal George Pell is moving out and into the permanent offices of his new economy secretariat.
The move coincides with a major reorganization of the Vatican’s financial structures ordered by Pope Francis as part of his reform of the Vatican’s administration. It also removes any question of Pell’s direct authority over the bank, which is governed by a separate commission of cardinals who report to the pope.
Francis tapped the straight-talking Australian to bring order and efficiency to the Vatican’s complicated finances.
Pell has promised a new era of transparency, budgeting accountability and internationally accepted accounting standards, and has been given broad oversight powers.
Herald Staff & Associated Press
