Muslim enrollment at Catholic colleges increasing - but why?

Higher Ed. Morning reports:

Catholic schools are seeing a spike in Muslim students – but why?

Enrollment of Muslim students in Catholic colleges has seen a steady increase in recent years, according to the Higher Education Research Institute. Last year, Catholic schools even had a higher percentage of Muslim students than the average four-year institution in the United States.

Muslim students – most often from Saudi Arabia – say they enroll at Catholic colleges for the usual reasons: strong academic programs, engaging professors and attractive campuses. But the schools’ spiritual culture has proved to be a major draw as well.

Catholic school rules line up with multiple Muslim cultural values, including daily prayer, periodic fasting and separate dorms for men and women.

By making religious worship a priority, there is some overlap between Catholic schools and Muslim faith – Muslim students can feel they fit in better in an overtly religious setting, even if it’s not their religion.

Continue>>>

Chase Bank wants Christmas tree removed

Christmas is about Jesus and if you seek Jesus first, everything will be added unto you. To some, it's business first. If Chase Bank wants the Christmas tree removed from their lobby to favor customers who might be offended, does this mean they don't care about their customers who will be offended if the Christmas tree is removed? There is a reason for those decorated trees to be everywhere and it's been done for ages - it's one of the many ways we celebrate the birth of our Lord. Therefore, every person, Christian or non-Christian should already know that by now and have already accepted that that it is so. Apparently, still not.

From the Fort Worth Star-Telegram:

SOUTHLAKE -- Chase Bank told a Texas businessman to remove the Christmas tree he donated to a local branch because it could offend people.

Antonio Morales, owner of Bellagio Day Spa in Southlake northeast of Fort Worth had assembled and decorated a 9-foot-tall tree in the lobby of the Chase Bank branch at 1700 E. Southlake Boulevard as a favor to the branch manager, who is one of his clients.

The tree remained in the lobby from the Monday before Thanksgiving until Tuesday. Morales said his friend called him Wednesday to tell him the tree had to go. She later showed him an e-mail from JPMorgan Chase saying that the tree had to be removed because some people were offended by it.

The bank referred questions to corporate offices.

Greg Hassell, a JPMorgan Chase spokesman, said that the company's policy isn't anti-Christmas. "People wish their customers merry Christmas when it's appropriate," he said.

However, to ensure that everyone who visits Chase branches feels welcome and comfortable, the bank's policy is to use only decorations supplied by the company.

"We appreciate the thoughtful gesture from Mr. Morales," Hassell said. "Unfortunately, we're unable to keep it [the tree] on display for the remainder of the holiday season." JPMorgan Chase ensures that decorations are "something everyone is comfortable with, regardless of how they celebrate the season," Hassell said.

But others see the tree as a symbol of the season.

Read the rest of the article here.

Continue>>>

Pope ‘commends’ Philippines' church

ROME - Pope Benedict XVI said on Monday he "commended" the Philippines' Church for its pro-life stance and defense of the institution of marriage.

"I commend the Church in the Philippines for seeking to play its part in support of human life from conception until natural death, and in defense of the integrity of marriage and the family," Benedict told visiting Philippine bishops.

"In these areas you are promoting truths about the human person and about society which arise not only from divine revelation but also from the natural law," he added.

Benedict said he appreciated "the Church's work to abolish the death penalty" and acknowledged the "on-going commitment to the struggle against corruption."

Philippine President Benigno Aquino III recently announced that the government will pay for contraception for the poorest couples in the devoutly the catholic country, despite strong opposition by the Catholic Church.

In the four months since Aquino came to power the impoverished country's population has grown by about 600,000 -- the fastest rate of increase in Southeast Asia.

Continue>>>

No to women as priests; how about women as deacons

The Roman Catholic Church is pretty clear on who may join the priesthood: men only.

And the way church leaders see it, there's no room for debate, even though many adherents to the faith would like to see women in the ranks.

Now, an Evanston pastor, the Rev. Bill Tkachuk, is raising the question of whether women can become deacons -- ordained ministers a step below priests.

His parish, St. Nicholas, has been kicking around the topic for months, and a longtime female member has expressed interest in becoming a deacon should the Vatican open up the option to women.

Experts said that's unlikely to happen anytime soon, given how slowly change comes to the church.

Like bishops and priests, deacons are ordained through a sacrament called Holy Orders, which is available only to men. Deacons aren't allowed to consecrate the Eucharist at mass or hear confessions, but they can preside at baptisms and weddings. They often help priests with other liturgical and administrative duties.

Continue>>>