Gloria.TV News on the 15th of September 2014

Mixed Message: Pope Francis presided on Sunday a marriage-ceremony for 20 couples, including some who already have children – which according to DPA is a sin under Church teaching. The gesture was seen as a testimony of the pontiff’s belief in a – quote - "merciful" Church. The diocese of Rome selected the couples and said that among the couples there were – quote - "those who are already living together, those who already have children and those who met in church."

Are You Catholic and Divorced: The New York Times has published its own questionnaire regarding divorce in the Church. The title: “Are You Catholic and Divorced? Share Your Experience.” The intention of the questionnaire is to gather material in order to support the divorce pressure group headed by the ultra-liberal German Cardinal Walter Kasper.

Has He Converted to Islam? The former archbishop of Washington, Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, introduced himself on September 10th during a meeting arranged by the Muslim Public Affairs Council with the words: “In the name of God, the Merciful and Compassionate” – the Islamic equivalent of ”In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” The Cardinal continued with statements like: “Catholic social teaching is based on the dignity of the human person… [and] as you study the holy Koran, as you study Islam, basically, this is what Muhammad the prophet, peace be upon him, has been teaching.”

Not very careful: Southern Baptist Republican U.S. senator Ted Cruz left the stage after he was booed during a summit in Defense of Christians for saying that Christians in the Middle East have no better ally than Israel. The conference brought together more than 500 politicians and church leaders from the Middle East and the diaspora. Maronite Bishop Gregory J. Mansour of Brooklyn told CNS that many of those present were Palestinian Christians. Quote: "Come on, you have to talk to your audience. I felt that showed a great insensitivity on his part." And: “We've been very careful, all the organizers and everybody involved. The only one who was not very careful was Sen. Cruz."