Brazil’s indigenous under threat of violence
THE Indigenous Missionary Council (CIMI) in Brazil has warned in a report, Violence Against Indigenous Peoples in Brazil, that incidents of physical violence more than doubled in one year, from 110 cases in 2018 to 276 in 2019. Since 1985, there have been 1194 recorded murders. The increased violence is accompanied by illegal logging and mining, and the theft of indigenous lands. The executive secretary of the CIMI, Antonio Cerqueira de Oliveira, accused President Bolsonaro of “encouraging such actions”.
Californian priest spent parish funds on himself
THE ministry of the Revd Matthew Dutton-Gillett, in the Episcopal diocese of California, in the United States, will be restricted for four years under a disciplinary accord with the Bishop, Dr Marc Andrus, after forensic investigators concluded that the priest had misused more than $200,000 of parish funds during his time as Rector of Trinity, Menlo Park, San Francisco. He was removed from office in September. Members of the congregation discovered in April that he had been spending money on himself since 2011, and alerted the police.
Cardinal Pell returns to Rome
PAPA
THE Australian Cardinal George Pell (pictured) arrived at the Vatican on Wednesday of last week for the first time since his imprisonment on charges of child sexual abuse. He was acquitted (News, 9 April). Cardinal Pell was allowed to fly from Sydney to Rome because his trip was “official government business”, despite the general ban on leaving Australia introduced to halt the spread of Covid-19. A spokesman for the Vatican, Matteo Bruni, said on Wednesday of last week that no meeting with Pope Francis had yet been planned. On Monday, Cardinal Pell’s lawyer called for an investigation into claims that witnesses in the sexual-abuse case had been bribed. Read more in Andrew Brown’s press column
Campaigners seek security for Iraqi Christians
THE charity Mosaic Middle East has written to the UK Government to draw attention to persecution of Christians and other minority groups in Iraq. The charity urged the Government to seek confirmation from the Prime Minister of Iraq, Mustafa Al-Khadimi, that strengthened security and financial support would be given to the country’s Christians if they heeded his plea for them to return. The letter’s signatories include Christian Solidarity Worldwide and the Evangelical Alliance.