HOMEPAGE for this issue: August 17, 2011 //
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Additional WORLD | NATION coverage:

Bishops offer joint appeal for help in stemming East African famine

Vatican announces indulgences for World Youth Day pilgrims

Report says more people around world facing restrictions on religion
WASHINGTON (CNS)—Close to one-third of the world’s citizens have faced increased restrictions on religious practice and expression imposed on them by their respective nations’ governments, according to a study issued Aug. 9 by the Pew Research Center’s Forum on Public Life. The report, “Rising Restrictions on Religion,” noted that such limitations are on the upswing in only 23 of the world’s 198 nations, and that many of those countries are among the world’s most populous and fastest-growing in population, affecting a higher percentage of the world’s residents.

By contrast, 12 nations were judged to have eased restrictions on religion. But the Pew report suggested that those countries “already scored low” in previous studies, while nations imposing greater restrictions “already had high or very high levels of restrictions or hostilities.”

No changes were reported in 163 countries. During a three-year period, between mid-2006 and mid-2009, the study examined a total of 33 measures phrased as questions about government restrictions such as laws, policies and actions, and social hostilities such as acts of religious hostility by private individuals, organizations and social groups.

The study used 18 widely cited, publicly available sources of information, including reports by the United Nations, the U.S. State Department, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International. Pew said the sources “were combed only for factual information on specific policies and actions,” not for commentary or opinions.

“Only about 1 percent of the world’s population lives in countries where government restrictions or social hostilities declined,” the report said. Of the world’s 25 most populous countries, the United States was one of 17 in which neither government-imposed religious restrictions or social hostilities rose substantially. In none of those 17 did restrictions or hostilities measurably decrease.

People of Life Awards given at pro-life leadership conference

ATLANTA (CNS)—Three individuals were given People of Life Awards Aug. 8 by the U.S. bishops’ Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities during a dinner held in conjunction with the annual Diocesan Pro-Life Leadership Conference in Atlanta.

One recipient was Dr. Joanne Angelo, an assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at Tufts University in Boston since 1974, who has held leadership positions in several medical societies, as well as in University Faculty for Life and Women Affirming Life. For the last 14 years, she has served as a member of the Pontifical Academy for Life.

Honoree Mimi Eckstein, current director of the Gabriel Project in the Archdiocese of Denver, introduced Project Rachel, the Church’s post-abortion ministry for women and men seeking healing and reconciliation. Before that, she served for 20 years as director of the archdiocesan Respect Life Office.

The third honoree, Magaly Llaguno, has been involved in pro-life matters since 1972, when she founded Comite Pro Vida Internacional, later known as Vida Humana Internacional. It provides assistance, training and educational materials to 26 affiliated organizations in 18 countries and information to more than 200 pro-life collaborators throughout Latin America.