THANKSGIVING
Nation offers thanks, shares with the less fortunate
UNDATED (AP) — The nation has given thanks for its collective and singular blessings.
In the nation's capital, President Barack Obama said the country's thoughts and prayers were with the many families "marking Thanksgiving with an empty seat."
The day was also marked by sharing with the less fortunate. In Atlanta, what's billed as the country's largest sit-down meal and meals-on-wheels program marked its 40th anniversary. Officials with Hosea Feed the Hungry say claims are up and donations are down. The program was founded by the late Rev. Hosea Williams.
In New York, the Salvation Army estimates that it served 10,000 meals, at 10 locations in the city.
And some fans attending this year's Macy's Parade said they were thankful for health and family.
Sound:
<<CUT …200 (11/26/09)>> 00:10 "family for people"
Rose Jordan, diner, Salvation Army Thanksgiving dinner
Rose Jordan says she had no place else to go for Thanksgiving dinner.
<<CUT …199 (11/26/09)>> 00:07 "enjoying the meals"
Salvation Army Major Asit (ah-SEET') George
Salvation Army Major Asit George says that as his location alone, 80 volunteers served more than 1,000 Thanksgiving dinners.
<<CUT …198 (11/26/09)>> 00:05 "back to humanity"
Joan Carrington, volunteer, Salvation Army Thanksgiving dinner
Joan Carrington says it's a tradition for her to volunteer on Thanksgiving.
<<CUT …197 (11/26/09)>> 00:31 "''
Julie Walker, correspondent
All across the country the Salvation Army is helping those in need with free Thanksgiving dinners. In New York they served an estimated 10,000 people at 10 different locations. Correspondent Julie Walker visited one.
HOSEA FEED THE HUNGRY
Group's 40th anniversary marked by greater need
ATLANTA (AP) — It's billed as the largest one-day sit-down dinner and meals-on-wheels operation in the country.
Hosea Feed the Hungry was started in 1970 by civil rights icon the Rev. Hosea Williams and his wife, Juanita, to feed Atlanta's homeless.
While it feeds the homeless and working poor each weekend, tens of thousands show up on Thanksgiving. Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank was among the hundreds of volunteers who helped serve dinners.
Executive director Elisabeth Omilani, the Williams' daughter, says many are taking advantage of the group's services for the first time. She says rising unemployment and the September floods in metro Atlanta have made the problem worse. She also says corporate and individual contributions for Hosea Feed the Hungry are down 35 percent, while monthly claims for help are up 45 percent.
The program is heading into its 40th year.
On the Net:
Hosea Feed the Hungry: http://www.hoseafeedthehungry.com
IRELAND-CATHOLIC-ABUSE
Experts: Catholic bishops covered up Dublin priests' abuse, shunned law for decades
DUBLIN, Ireland — An investigation ordered by Ireland's government of Roman Catholic Church leaders in Dublin concludes they spent decades sheltering child-abusing priests from the law. And most fellow clerics turned a blind eye.
Dublin Archbishop Diarmuid (deer-mid) Martin, who handed over more than 60,000 previously secret church files to the three-year investigation, said he felt deep shame and sorrow for how previous archbishops presided over endemic child abuse.
Martin said his four predecessors in Ireland's capital, including retired Cardinal Desmond Connell, must have understood that priests' molestation and rape of boys and girls "was a crime in both civil and canon law." Martin says the church leaders were wrong and "children were left to suffer." Thursday's report detailed "sample" cases. One priest said he abused a child approximately every two weeks for 25 years.
The probe follows a similarly shocking investigation into decades of unchecked child abuse in Irish schools, workhouses and orphanages run nationwide by 19 Catholic orders of nuns, priests and brothers.
Sound:
<<CUT …159 (11/26/09)>> 00:13 "an astonishing scale"
Irish Justice Minister Dermot Ahern (uh-HURN')
Irish Justice Minister Dermot Ahern says the secrecy of Catholic leaders allowed the child abuse to go on.
<<CUT …158 (11/26/09)>> 00:09 "on the innocent"
Irish Justice Minister Dermot Ahern (uh-HURN')
Irish Justice Minister Dermot Ahern says the Catholic Church failed to protect children from sexual abuse.
<<CUT …157 (11/26/09)>> 00:07 "the greater good"
Irish Justice Minister Dermot Ahern (uh-HURN')
Irish Justice Minister Dermot Ahern says the report on child abuse in Dublin's Catholic Church is shocking.
SAUDI-HAJJ
Millions of Muslims gather for annual pilgrimage, rituals
MOUNT ARAFAT, Saudi Arabia (AP) — About 3 million Muslims from around the world have gathered for the annual hajj to perform the rites of the pilgrimage. Yesterday they conducted rituals in the desert plateau of Mount Arafat, about 12 miles east of Mecca.
The site is where Islam's Prophet Muhammad delivered his farewell sermon. The huge crowds of faithful climbed the Mountain of Mercy, a rocky hill at Arafat, and prayed for God's forgiveness of their sins in what Muslims consider the spiritual high point of the pilgrimage.
Today begins a symbolic stoning of the devil. At the nearby valley of Mina, they toss stones at three walls representing Satan in a rejection of temptation.
The first day of stoning also marks the start of the Islamic holiday of Eid al-Adha (id ahl-ahd ha), or feast of sacrifice, when Muslims around the world slaughter sheep and cattle in remembrance of Abraham's near-sacrifice of his son. The stoning lasts three days until the end of hajj on Sunday.
MUSLIM BEATING
Sheriff wants hate crimes indictment in beating
MORRIS, Ill. (AP) — A sheriff in northeast Illinois says he plans to seek a hate crime indictment against two men accused of beating a Muslim man in the village of Kinsman, about 60 miles southeast of Chicago.
That's according to the Morris County Sheriff Terry Marketti. He says one of the two suspects said after being arrested that he was defending the nation against terrorists.
The man who was beaten works at a goat and sheep farm and processing plant in Kinsman that slaughters animals according to Muslim tradition. The defendants already face aggravated battery charges for their alleged Sunday morning attack.
ITALY-POPE-MEDVEDEV
Pope to hold talks with Russian leader at Vatican amid hopes of Moscow visit some day
VATICAN CITY (AP) — The Vatican says Pope Benedict will hold talks next week with visiting Russian President Dmitry Medvedev (dih-MEE'-tree med-VYEH'-dyev).
The meeting on Dec. 3 comes as improved relations between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Vatican have fed hopes of a papal visit some day to Moscow.
Medvedev will be making a one-day visit to Rome that includes talks with Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi.
Decades of tensions between Catholic and Orthodox faithful frustrated the late John Paul II's dream of a papal pilgrimage to Russia. Vatican officials said earlier this year that a papal trip to Moscow is now a "little bit closer" with improved Orthodox-Catholic relations.
ITALY-ABORTION PILL
Italy puts RU-486 abortion pill on hold
ROME (AP) — An Italian Senate committee has decided to keep the RU-486 abortion pill off the market while its safety is evaluated.
Antonio Tomassini, the committee's leader, says there are "many doubts" about the pill's safety and the panel voted yesterday to halt procedures to put the drug on the market until the Health Ministry can give its opinion.
Abortion is legal in Italy. But the Vatican, which wields influence over many Italian politicians, has warned of excommunication for doctors prescribing the pill and for women who use it.
The RU-486 pill is available in much of Europe. Last summer, Italian drug regulatory authorities approved its use.
VATICAN BANK
Reports: Police probe Vatican bank transactions
ROME (AP) — News reports in Italy say investigators are scrutinizing millions of euros worth of Vatican bank transactions to see if they violated money laundering regulations.
The central bank would only say that it has not denied the reports that it alerted Italian financial police to the transactions. It declined to comment on Italian reports that transactions totaling around $90 million annually for three years starting in 2003 were being investigated.
The reports, in two newspapers and on a TV station, said the transactions occurred at a branch near the Vatican of now defunct Banca di Roma, which later came under Unicredit bank.
Unicredit and the Vatican declined to comment.
PRIEST SEX ABUSE
Judge proposes joint trial for VT diocese in sex-abuse cases
BURLINGTON, Vt. (AP) — A Vermont judge says she wants to explore the idea of conducting a joint trial for 15 of 27 clerical sexual-abuse cases against the state's Roman Catholic diocese.
The Burlington Free Press reports the cases that Judge Helen Toor might group involve claims by former altar boys at Christ the King Church. They say they were molested by the same priest, the Rev. Edward Paquette, during a two-year period in the late 1970s.
The other cases involve either alleged misconduct by Paquette at churches in Montpelier or Rutland, or alleged abuse by other Catholic priests.
Jerome O'Neill, who represents the former altar boys, said having a joint trial might be possible on what he called the "liability" portion of the cases. He opposed trying to extend that to the damages portion. Diocese lawyer Thomas McCormick agreed.
SOCAL-CHURCH BURGLARY
Ex-LAPD officer arrested in church burglary probe
IRVINE, Calif. (AP) — Authorities say a former Los Angeles police officer has been arrested for investigation in the alleged burglary of an Orange County church.
Orange County Sheriff's Department spokesman Jim Amormino says former officer Charles Mottern was arrested Tuesday for investigation of burglary, possession of stolen property, and resisting arrest.
Amormino says Mottern was separated from his job as a Saddleback Church security official last year after church officials reported a series of thefts. Amormino says church officials interrupted an attempted burglary last week, but could not identify the suspect.
Amormino says Mottern worked for the Los Angeles police department until 1996.
STATEN ISLAND-PEDESTRIANS STRUCK
Meeting on traffic hazards hours before NY deaths
NEW YORK (AP) — Church leaders say they discussed traffic hazards with city officials just hours before an elderly couple were killed on their way to Mass on Staten Island.
A man was charged with leaving the scene of the Wednesday night accident.
The victims, 78-year-old Peter S. Sabados and his 77-year-old wife, Lillian, were going to Our Lady Queen of Peace Church. They carried canned goods for the poor, which were left scattered by the crash.
The Rev. Pancrose Kalist says he and the parish school's principal met with two Department of Transportation officials about six hours before the tragedy. Kalist said a number of options were discussed. Parish leaders suggested a red-light camera.
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