Cardinal Keith O'Brien Urges Christians to 'Proudly' Wear Cross

BBC: Britain's most senior Roman Catholic Church cleric has called for Christians to wear a cross every day.

In his Easter Sunday sermon, Cardinal Keith O'Brien will tell worshippers to "wear proudly a symbol of the cross of Christ" each day of their lives.

The leader of the Church in Scotland, he will voice concern at the growing "marginalisation" of religion.

His comments come as a case is going to the European Court of Human Rights to allow employees to wear crosses.

In his Easter message, Cardinal O'Brien is expected to refer to remarks made by Pope Benedict XVI in 2010 that Christians "need to be free to act in accordance with their own principles".

Former nurse Shirley Chaplin, from Exeter, and Nadia Eweida, from Twickenham, who worked with British Airways, are taking their call for all employees to be able to wear a cross at work to the European Court of Human Rights.

Both women lost their discrimination cases in 2010. Read on and comment » | Saturday, April 07, 2012

Archbishop of Canterbury: Wearing a Cross Does Not Offend Non-Christians
The Archbishop of Canterbury has spoken in support of wearing the cross saying that it does not offend non-Christians on the day he announced he was stepping down.

Read the article here | John-Paul Ford Rojas | Friday, March 16, 2012

Christians Have No Right to Wear Cross at Work, Says Government

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Christians do not have a right to wear a cross or crucifix openly at work, the Government is to argue in a landmark court case.

In a highly significant move, ministers will fight a case at the European Court of Human Rights in which two British women will seek to establish their right to display the cross.

It is the first time that the Government has been forced to state whether it backs the right of Christians to wear the symbol at work.

A document seen by The Sunday Telegraph discloses that ministers will argue that because it is not a “requirement” of the Christian faith, employers can ban the wearing of the cross and sack workers who insist on doing so.

The Government’s position received an angry response last night from prominent figures including Lord Carey, the former Archbishop of Canterbury.

He accused ministers and the courts of “dictating” to Christians and said it was another example of Christianity becoming sidelined in official life.

The Government’s refusal to say that Christians have a right to display the symbol of their faith at work emerged after its plans to legalise same-sex marriages were attacked by the leaders of the Roman Catholic Church in Britain. » | David Barrett, Home Affairs Correspondent | Saturday, March 10, 2012

ACLU Lawsuit Could End 70-Year Tradition
May 23, 2011 – Cross dispute could stall commencement

Lest We Forget! Obama Nixes 'Jesus' at Georgetown
CATHOLIC ONLINE: NEW YORK (Catholic League) - When President Barack Obama spoke at Georgetown University on April 14, the White House requested that all religious symbols and signage that might appear as a backdrop to where the president was to speak be covered up. Georgetown acceded to the request and made sure that the symbol “IHS,” a monogram of the name Jesus Christ, was not in sight.

Catholic League president Bill Donohue spoke to this issue today:

“The cowardice of Georgetown to stand fast on principle tells us more than we need to know about what is going on there, but the bigger story is the audacity of the Obama administration to ask a religious school to neuter itself before the president speaks there.

"No bishop who might speak at the White House would ever request that a crucifix be displayed behind him. Moreover, the same church and state fanatics who go nuts every time a polling place is set up in the basement of a Catholic school have been noticeably silent over this incident. >>> | Friday, April 17, 2009

Italy Appeals against Ban on School Crucifixes
THE TELEGRAPH: Italy has launched an appeal against a ruling by the European Court of Human Rights that banned the display of crucifixes in state schools.

The court's decision last November provoked outrage in predominantly Catholic Italy, with ministers calling it shameful and an attack on the country's Christian values.

The appeal will be heard by the Grand Chamber, the highest body of the Strasbourg-based court.

A decision is not expected for three months, but if Italy loses the appeal it would mean that state-run schools across the European Union would face a ban on crucifixes and other religious symbols. >>> Nick Squires in Rome | Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Espagne: une loi pour exclure les crucifix des écoles
TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: Le gouvernement espagnol prépare une loi sur la "liberté de religion" qui prévoit que l’Etat respecte une stricte "neutralité" en matière de religion, excluant notamment les crucifix des écoles publiques, indique dimanche le journal El Pais. Le gouvernement socialiste espagnol avait déjà annoncé en 2008 qu’il préparerait une loi pour un plus grand respect de la laïcité et du pluralisme religieux, dans un pays où l’église catholique demeure très présente et influente.

Le gouvernement espagnol prépare une loi sur la "liberté de religion" qui prévoit que l’Etat respecte une stricte "neutralité" en matière de religion, excluant notamment les crucifix des écoles publiques, indique dimanche le journal El Pais.

Le gouvernement socialiste espagnol avait déjà annoncé en 2008 qu’il préparerait une loi pour un plus grand respect de la laïcité et du pluralisme religieux, dans un pays où l’église catholique demeure très présente et influente.

Le quotidien de centre-gauche espagnol explique dimanche que d’après le texte de loi "en préparation", les funérailles d’Etat se dérouleront "sans aucun cérémonial à caractère religieux" alors qu’elles sont aujourd’hui généralement organisées selon le rite catholique.

Les pouvoirs publics devront respecter une stricte "neutralité face à la religion et aux croyances, en évitant toute confusion entre fonction publique et activités religieuses", selon le texte du projet de loi. >>> AFP | Dimanche 13 Juin 2010

Attack on Christianity! Devon Nurse Loses Crucifix 'Ban' Claim at Tribunal
BBC: A Christian nurse moved to a desk job after refusing to remove her crucifix at work has lost a discrimination claim against her employers. >>> | Tuesday, April 06, 2010

Post-Christian Britain Interprets Laws In Favour of Islam and Against Christianity: Show you’re a Muslimah by wearing a hijab – okay; show you’re a Christian by wearing a crucifix – no way! >>>

Carey Attacks Judges After Nadia Eweida Loses BA Crucifix Case
TIMES ONLINE: A Christian has lost her appeal against a ruling that British Airways did not discriminate her by banning her from wearing a visible cross at work.

The former Archbishop of Canterbury, Lord Carey, immediately condemned the decision by three Court of Appeal judges against Nadia Eweida and warned that it would lead to more cases of religious discrimination.

Ms Eweida, 58, from Twickenham, southwest London, went to the Court of Appeal to try to overturn a decision by the Employment Appeal Tribunal that she was not a victim of indirect religion or belief discrimination.

But today Lord Justice Sedley said that her case of indirect discrimination was defeated by BA’s case that its actions were justified. >>> Frances Gibb, Legal Editor | Friday, February 12, 2010

L'Italie condamnée pour des crucifix dans les écoles
TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: DROITS DE L'HOMME | L'habitude des crucifix dans les classes est jugée contraire au droit des parents d'éduquer leurs enfants selon leurs convictions et au droit des enfants à la liberté de religion.

La Cour européenne des droits de l'Homme a condamné mardi l'Italie pour la présence de crucifix dans les salles de classe[.]

La requérante, Solie Lautsi, ressortissante italienne, réside à Abano Terme. Ses enfants, Dataico et Sami Albertin, âgés respectivement de onze et treize ans, fréquentèrent en 2001-2002 l'école publique à Abano Terme où toutes les salles de classe avaient un crucifix au mur.

La requérante estimait la présence de ces crucifix contraire au principe de laïcité et informa l'école de sa position, invoquant un arrêt de la cour de cassation qui avait jugé la présence de crucifix dans les bureaux de vote contraire au principe de laïcité de l'Etat.

En mai 2002, la direction de l'école décida de laisser les crucifix dans les salles de classe. Une directive recommandant de procéder ainsi fut ultérieurement adressée à tous les directeurs d'écoles par le ministère de l'Instruction publique. >>> ATS/AFP | Mardi 03 Novembre 2009

Christian Nurse Removed from Frontline Duty for Wearing Cross Necklace
MAIL ONLINE: A Christian nurse was taken off frontline duties after she refused to take off a necklace bearing a cross.

Shirley Chaplin said she believed The Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Trust Hospital was trying to prevent her from expressing religious beliefs.

But the trust said the policy had nothing to do with the crucifix specifically, and was motivated by health and safety concerns about patients grabbing necklaces.

Mrs Chaplin, 54, from Exeter, said: 'For about 30 years I have worked in the NHS and nursed patients day and night and on no occasion has my cross caused me or anyone else any injury - and to my knowledge, no patient has ever complained about me wearing it.

'The Trust even refused to test the 'breaking strain' on the necklace.'

Mrs Chaplin, who is due to retire in eight months, added: 'Everyone I have ever worked with has clearly known I am a Christian: it is what motivates me to care for others.'

She claimed other members of staff have been allowed to wear necklaces.

The Trust said necklaces of all kinds were banned but admitted there may have been 'lapses'. >>> | Sunday, September 20, 2009

Prison Bans Chapel Crucifix to Avoid Offending Muslims
MAIL Online: A prison’s new chapel will not contain a crucifix to avoid offending Muslim inmates, it emerged today.

Bosses at HMP Lewes have been told the traditional Christian symbol, featuring Jesus nailed to a cross, must not be used in the Grade-II listed Victorian jail’s ‘multi-faith space’.

The room - part of a £1million new block - has been split in two, with one half featuring heated foot baths so Muslim worshippers can wash their feet before prayer.

But the other side, dedicated to Christian prayer, contains just a simple wooden cross and portable alter - both of which can be removed if necessary.

According the Independent Monitoring Board (IMB), the traditional Christian crucifix was erased from the chapel’s blueprints after discussion with a Muslim imam. >>> | December 15, 2008

The Dawning of a New Dark Age (Paperback & Hardback) – Free delivery >>>

Les Québécoises Say 'NON' to the Removal of the Crucifix from above the Speaker’s Chair in Parliament
Photo of M. Charest, the Premier of Québec, courtesy of the BBC. M. Charest said the crucifix will remain in Quebec's parliament. “The crucifix is about 350 years of history in Quebec that none of [us] are ever going to erase, and of a very strong presence, in particular of the Catholic Church”
BBC: The government of the Canadian province of Quebec has rejected a proposal to remove a crucifix from above the speaker's chair in the parliament.

Quebec Premier Jean Charest said the crucifix was related to 350 years of history that could not be erased.

The proposal was made in a report into how Quebec's French-Canadian - and traditionally Roman Catholic - population can accommodate minorities.

The report was commissioned to address a perceived identity crisis in Quebec.

'Reasonable accommodation'

Quebec has struggled in recent years as the birth rate of its white, French-Canadian population has fallen and immigration - much of it from Asia and the Middle East - has increased. Quebec Rejects Removing Crucifix >>>

The Dawning of a New Dark Age (Paperback – Canada)
The Dawning of a New Dark Age (Hardback – Canada)