An Orthodox priest from Pensacola is coming to Orlando to lead a demonstration in support of a group that has faced legal trouble for feeding the homeless in Orlando’s Lake Eola Park.

“The criminalization of public service to the poor is to criminalize poverty itself,” said the Rev. Nathan Monk. “The continued efforts of the City of Orlando to prevent distribution of food to the poor is a violation of the constitution at its highest form. To prevent one human from reaching out to help another human in need is contrary to the decency we have all been taught from our youth.”

Monk, of the Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese, has scheduled the protest for Saturday, July 9 at 4 p.m. at Lake Eola Park. He also plans to distribute a hot meal of bread loaves and fish to the people present at the event.

Monk, a homeless rights activist known to many as “Father Nathan,” has set up a Facebook page for the event and expects a crowd of about 300 people. He once protested an ordinance than banned panhandling in Escambia County by holding a sign bearing the words “Feed the Poor” in the areas where homeless people had formerly gathered.

Several members of the group Orlando Food Not Bombs have been arrested for violating a city rule that prohibits providing food to large groups of people in the city’s downtown parks without a permit.

Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer has called the group’s members “food terrorists.”

Monk said he supports Food Not Bombs.

“We stand alongside Food Not Bombs and any person that wishes to distribute free food to those who are in need,” Monk said. “Beyond this, we are standing up for those who are hungry and forgotten, as it is them who are suffering at the hands of this unjust policy.”

‘Anonymous,’ a computer hacking group, has also hacked three Orlando-related websites — including the site of the city’s Chamber of Commerce — as a protest against the ordinance.

As Pope John Paul II is beatified Sunday at the Vatican, a sex-abuse-victims group plans to mount several demonstrations in Central Florida.

The Chicago-based Survivors Network of Those Abused By Priests (SNAP) announced today that it will hand out fliers to churchgoers in seven countries and 70 cities on Sunday — including three Roman Catholic churches in Central Florida.

The group said several victims of sex abuse at the hands of priests and other Catholic officials will be at Annunciation Church in Longwood, St. James Cathedral in Orlando and Sts. Peter and Paul Church in Winter Park at 1 p.m. Sunday.

SNAP members will ask congregants to sign a pledge that reads, “I will watch out for all the children in my church as if they were my own and I will immediately report known or suspected abuse to the authorities, no matter when it occurred.” The pledge is also available online at www.pledgetoprotectkids.org.

Continue reading Sex-abuse-victims group to demonstrate at 3 Central Florida churches on Sunday »

A prayer group is planning to be outside Bishop Moore Catholic High School next Tuesday when members of Westboro Baptist Church, are scheduled to protest at the school.

Westboro Baptist Church is an organization that has become infamous for protesting outside churches and the funerals of American soldiers who died serving the country in Iraq or Afghanistan. The group plans to protest at the school from 3 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

A rosary prayer group also will be at the school in a counter-protest from 2:45 p.m. to 3:45 p.m. in silent prayer.

More details about the counter-protest are here.

WBC also plans to be in Orlando on April 29 to protest outside Dr. Phillips High School.

The Vajrapani Buddhist Center was victimized by thieves on Tuesday night, according to Orlando police.

The thieves took money and a computer. Read more here.

The Vajrapani Kadampa Buddhist Center in Orlando is hosting a meditation day course about depression on Sunday.

The course, called Dharma for Depression, will teach people how to “transform our daily experiences into personal insight and healing,” according to the center. Resident Teacher Kadam Ricc Bishop will be leading the session.

The course begins at 9:30 a.m. at the center, 813 Montana Street, Orlando.

A former Orlando priest, facing a trial after allegations that he molested an Indiana teen, has filed for bankruptcy according to NWITimes.com.

Richard Emerson reportedly filed for Chapter 7 personal bankruptcy in a Georgia court on Feb. 24.

Most recently, Emerson was accused of molesting a Munster, Indiana, teen in 2003; the case is set for trial in 2012.

While he worked in Orlando from 1987 to 1991, Emerson was accused of “inappropriate attention” to two teen boys. He also was accused of fondling a St. Charles Borromeo Church altar boy.

Emerson was laicized in 2006.

Read more at NWITimes.com.

New St. Mark’s Methodist Church in Orlando was burglarized Monday afternoon, according to police.

Officers responding to the church at 1001 Grand Street about 5:37 p.m. after an alarm thought they saw a suspicious male in the church’s courtyard, but couldn’t find him after searching for him extensively.

The search included a canine unit, police said.

The only thing missing from the church was a cordless microphone.

The thief is described as a black man aged 30 to 40 who was about 5 feet, 7 inches to 5 feet, 8 inches tall and 180 pounds to 190 pounds. The man wore a blue shirt and black pants.

Orlando Diocese Episcopal Bishop John W. Howe announced at the end of January his intention to retire in 2012, setting in motion the selection of his successor. Howe has served as the 15-county Diocese’s bishop since 1990.

The standing committee of four lay people and four clergy will oversee the selection process. They have established the following timetable:

February — The standing committee selects committees for the Diocean Profile (which establishes the criteria for the new bishop’s selection) and Transition Process.

March — A survey will be discritubed to members of the Diocese of Central Florida asking them what they want in a new bishop in terms of gifts, skills and vision.

April — Deans and presidents hold forums to gather more information on what qualities the next bishop should possess.

May — From the surveys and forums, a “Profile” is created of the kind of bishop the people of the Diocese desire

June — The Profile and nomination instructions are sent to Episcopal Convention delegates who serve, in effect, as the Search and Nominating Committees.

July-August — Nominations are submitted.

September-October – Background screenings of nominees are completed and the names of nominees are submitted to the electing Convention.

Nov. 19 – Delegates to the Convention elect a new bishop.

April 21, 2012 – The new bishop is consecrated and Howe officially retires.

My co-blogger, Jeff Kunerth, attended the installation Mass for Bishop John Noonan, who was  recently named leader of Orlando’s Catholic diocese.

An excerpt:

In his homily to the capacity crowd at the south Orange County cathedral, Noonan spoke in English, Spanish, and — less proficiently — Creole and Vietnamese. But he impressed many with his determination to communicate.

He’s trying to speak in other languages, which is very nice and sweet-hearted,” said Marisol Mendez, of Kissimmee.

The two-hour installation mass was attended by bishops from throughout Florida, many of the priests in Central Florida, costumed members of the Knights of Columbus, parochial students, seminarians, parishioners and employees of the diocese.

Read the story here.

The 17th Annual Baha’i Social and Economic Development Conference will be held at the Rosen Centre Hotel in Orlando from Dec. 18-21, featuring 25 speakers who will address issues of health, poverty, parenting, neighborhood development, agriculture, literacy, environment, education and several other topics.

Key speakers include Dr. Roy Steiner, deputy director of global development for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Steiner helps manage a $1.5 billion portfolio of agricultural projects to improve the livelihoods of small farmers in sub-Saharan Africa and India. Steiner will offer reflections on applying spiritual principles to agricultural development.

Peter Adrianceis board secretary of the U.S. Partnership for Education for Sustainable Development.  Adriance has encouraged the development of practical solutions to the environmental crisis through the application of spiritual principles—using faith as a force to motivate improvements in energy efficiency, conversion to renewable energy, planting trees, conserving water, applying green design principles, reducing waste and increasing recycling.

For information on the Baha’i Social and Economic Development Conference, contact Richard Brill at 847-251-5522 or midwest.pr@comcast.net.