Sin on elections
PRESIDENT Marcos is "losing the support of the people" of the Philippines, Cardinal Jaime Sin has commented in an interview in Rome following the May 14 parliamentary elections. The cardinal called the results "very encouraging" and said that "at the least, the results are a lesson". Returns so far have given the president's party 72 seats and the combined opposition 40.
Moon conviction
THE US Supreme Court has rejected a request to hear the appeal of the Revd Sun Myung Moon, head of the so-called Unification church, against charges of tax evasion. Bishop Unterkoefler of Charleston had urged the court to hear the appeal saying that the case raised important questions in church-state relations. Mr Moon now faces an 18 month prison sentence.
Cooke beatified?
ARCHBISHOP John O'Connor has begun to gather information for the introduction of a petition for the beatification of his predecessor, Cardinal Terence Cooke, who died last October of cancer. The new archbishop spoke of the vitality that Cardinal Cooke had brought to the archdiocese.
Hungarian film
THE HUNGARIAN government has given its support to the making of a 90-minute film about the life of believers in Hungary. A More Excellent Way depicts the various Christian traditions in Hungary and features the Catholic Primate, Cardinal Lekai, who speaks of the good relations built up between the church and state.
Wing and a prayer
ARCHBISHOP Pio Laghi, the recently appointed papal pro nuncio in Washington, has donated $10 to charity. He won the money playing a hand of blackjack with reporters on a flight from Alaska to Washington. The Washington Post, in a report of the incident, suggested that prayer might have played a hand in the win.
Lost masterpiece
THE NUNS of St Charles Boromee convent are suing the French Culture Ministry for the return of a painting by Lorenzo Lotto, dated 1526, which now hangs in the Louvre. The nuns sold the picture of Christ carrying the cross for £34 in 1980, not realising its true value, currently put at £275,000.
Place in the sun
CARDINAL CORRADO Ursi, the Archbishop of Naples, has conducted a ceremony to mark the reinterment of the bodies of King Francis II, the last reigning sovereign of the Kingdom of Naples who died in 1894, and his wife, Queen Maria Sophia, in the traditional Bourbon burial place at Santa Chiara. The ceremony on May 18 was attended by Sir Harold Acton and Sir Sacheverell Sitwell who can remember seeing the last Queen in person.