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Reforming Binding Arbitration
The City of San Jose was a pioneer in reforming their rules governing binding arbitration, rules that may seem obscure and complex to the uninitiated, but which have profound consequences. Until the San Jose city council put arbitration reform on the ballot in 2010, unelected arbitrators could end labor negotiations with decisions that were devastating the city's finances.
In 2007, an outside arbitrator granted a pension increase to firefighters, extending a process of granting financially reckless concessions. Between 2000 and 2010, the city's payments for retirement benefits tripled, while at the same time budget cuts forced a 20% reduction in overall city employees.
A 2009-2010 Santa Clara County Grand Jury report entitled "Cities Must Rein In Unsustainable Employee Costs," concluded the arbitration process in San Jose "has resulted in wage and benefit decisions that have been greater than the growth in basic revenues sources.
For these reasons, in 2010 the San Jose City Council placed a measure onto the November ballot designed to reform the arbitration process. The measure, which voters approved by a margin of 66% to 34%, among other things, placed important limitations on what an arbitrator could do. Crucially, by reforming the arbitration process, it was no longer possible during negotiations for the unions representing city employees to coerce the city into accepting a bad deal because the arbitration process would likely result in an even worse deal. Here are highlights:
1 – If the two sides cannot agree on the neutral arbitrator, then either party may request the Santa Clara County Superior Court to appoint a retired Superior Court judge as the neutral arbitrator. Previously the third appointed arbitrator, the tie-breaker, would come from a from a list provided by the State of California Conciliation and Mediation Service.
2 – Arbitration hearings would be open to the public and documents submitted would be public records, unless provided otherwise by law.
3 – The city's "ability to pay for employee compensation from on-going revenues without reducing City services" would become the primary factor that the Arbitration Board must consider when making a decision.
4 – Specific criteria was added to give weight to the obligation of an arbitration board to consider how their decision would impact the financial condition of the city. For example, the arbitration board could not approve a new deal that would:
- increase the projected cost of compensation at a rate that is more than the 5-year average increase for sales tax, property tax, utility tax, and telephone tax,
- retroactively increase or decrease compensation (other than base wages) for service already rendered,
- create a new unfunded liability for the City, or,
- interfere with the discretion of the Police or Fire chiefs to make operational or staffing decisions.
Critical to the success of San Jose's arbitration reform was the support from a bipartisan coalition of city council members, lead by Mayor Chuck Reed, along with influential members of the community including the president of the San Jose Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce, a local School District Superintendent, the president of the Santa Clara County Taxpayers Association, and small business owners.
That Section 1111 of the City Charter be amended to read as follows:
SECTION 1111. Compulsory Arbitration for Fire and Police Department Employee Disputes.
(a) It is hereby declared to be the policy of the City of San Jose that strikes by firefighting and peace officers are unlawful in the state of California and not in the public interest and should be prohibited, and that a method should be adopted for peacefully and equitably resolving disputes that might otherwise lead to such strikes.
If any firefighter or peace officer employed by the City of San Jose willfully engages in a strike against the City, said employee shall be dismissed from his or her employment and may not be reinstated or returned to City employment except as a new employee. No officer, board, council or commission shall have the power to grant amnesty to any employee charged with engaging in a strike against the City.
(b) The City, through its duly authorized representatives, shall negotiate in good faith with the recognized fire and police department employee organizations on all matters relating to the wages, hours, and other terms and conditions of City employment, including the establishment of procedures for the resolution of grievances submitted by either employee organization over the interpretation or application of any negotiated agreement including a provision for binding arbitration of those grievances. Unless and until agreement is reached through negotiations between the City and the recognized employee organization for the fire or police department or a determination is made through the arbitration procedure hereinafter provided, no existing benefit or condition of employment for the members of the fire department or police department bargaining unit shall be eliminated or changed.
(c) All disputes or controversies pertaining to wages, hours, or terms and conditions of employment which remain unresolved after good faith negotiations between the City and either the fire or police department employee organization shall be submitted to a three-member Board of Arbitrators upon the declaration of an impasse by the City or by the recognized employee organization involved in the dispute. All issues concerning the scope of the Arbitration Board's authority, jurisdiction or powers shall, upon the request of either party, be resolved by petition to the Superior Court.
(d) Representatives designated by the City and representatives of the recognized employee organization involved in the dispute, controversy or grievance shall each select one arbitrator to the Board of Arbitrators within three (3) days after either party has notified the other, in writing, that it desires to proceed to arbitration. The third member of the Arbitration Board shall be selected by agreement between the two arbitrators selected by the City and the employee organization, and shall serve as the neutral arbitrator and Chairman of the Board. In the event that the arbitrators selected by the City and the employee organization cannot agree upon the selection of the third arbitrator within ten (10) days from the date that either party has notified the other that it has declared an impasse, then either party may request the Superior Court of the County of Santa Clara to appoint an arbitrator who shall be a retired judge of the Superior Court.
Any arbitration convened pursuant to this section shall be conducted in conformance with, subject to, and governed by Title 9 of Part 3 of the California Code of Civil Procedure to the extent that such procedures do not conflict with this Charter Section. Unless otherwise mandated by state or federal law, all arbitration hearings shall be open to the public and all documents submitted in arbitration shall be public records. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Charter to the contrary, the authority, jurisdiction and powers of the Board of Arbitrators are limited by the provisions of this Section.
(e) At the conclusion of the arbitration hearings, the Arbitration Board shall direct each of the parties to submit, within such time limit as the Board may establish, a last offer of settlement on each of the issues in dispute. The Arbitration Board shall decide each issue by majority vote by selecting whichever last offer of settlement on that issue it finds by the preponderance of the evidence submitted to the Arbitration Board satisfies section (f) below, is in the best interest and promotes the welfare of the public, and most nearly conforms with those factors traditionally taken into consideration in the determination of wages, hours, and other terms and conditions of public and private employment, including, but not limited to, changes in the average consumer price index for goods and services, the wages, hours, and other terms and conditions of employment of other employees performing similar services, and the financial condition of the City and its ability to meet the cost of the award.
(f) In all arbitration proceedings conducted pursuant to this section, the primary factors in decisions regarding compensation shall be the City's financial condition and, in addition, its ability to pay for employee compensation from on-going revenues without reducing City services. No arbitration award may be issued unless a majority of the Arbitration Board determines, based upon a fair and thorough review of the City's financial condition and a cost analysis of the parties' last offers, that the City can meet the cost of the award from on-going revenues without reducing City services. The arbitrators shall also consider and give substantial weight to the rate of increase or decrease of compensation approved by the City Council for other bargaining units.
"Compensation" shall mean all costs to the City, whether new or ongoing, for salary paid and benefits provided to employees, including but not limited to wages, special pay, premium pay, incentive pay, pension, retiree medical coverage, employee medical and dental coverage, other insurance provided by the City, vacation, holidays, and other paid time off.
(g) Additionally, the Board of Arbitrators shall not render a decision, or issue an award, that:
1. increases the projected cost of compensation for the bargaining units at a rate that exceeds the rate of increase in revenues from the sales tax, property tax, utility tax and telephone tax averaged over the prior five fiscal years; or
2. retroactively increases or decreases compensation, including, but not limited to, enhancements to pension and retiree health benefit for service already rendered, but excluding base wages; or
3. creates a new or additional unfunded liability for which the City would be obligated to pay; or
4. deprives or interferes with the discretion of the Police Chief or Fire Chief to make managerial, operational or staffing decisions, rules, orders and policies in the interest of the effective and efficient provision of police and fire services to the public.
(h) Compliance with the provisions of this Section shall be mandatory and enforceable pursuant to section 1085 of the Code of Civil Procedure; failure to comply with these provisions shall also constitute an act in excess of jurisdiction.
(i) After reaching a decision, the Arbitration Board shall mail or otherwise deliver a true copy of its decision to the parties. The decision of the Arbitration Board shall not be publicly disclosed and shall not be binding until ten (10) days after it is delivered to the parties. During that ten-day period the parties may meet privately, attempt to resolve their differences, and by mutual agreement amend or modify any of the decisions of the Arbitration Board. At the conclusion of the ten-day period, which may be extended by mutual agreement between the parties, the decision of the Arbitration Board together with any amendments or modifications agreed to by the parties shall be publicly disclosed and shall be binding upon the parties. The City and the recognized employee organization shall take whatever action is necessary to carry out and effectuate the award.
(j) The expenses of any arbitration convened pursuant to this section, including the fee for the services of the Chairman of the Arbitration Board, shall be borne equally by the parties. All other expenses which the parties may incur individually are to be borne by the party incurring such expenses.
(k) This Section shall be effective immediately upon passage by the voters, and shall apply to any arbitration in which hearings commence after November 2, 2010.
Council Agenda: 8-3-10
(l) The voters declare that the provisions of this Section are not severable, and none would have been enacted without the others. Should any portion of this Section 1111 be enjoined or declared invalid, all provisions shall be deemed invalid and inoperative and there shall be no compulsory arbitration for fire and police department employee disputes.
Ballotpedia – San Jose Repeal of Binding Arbitration, Measure V (November 2010)
City of San Jose (via Wayback Machine) – San Jose Repeal of Binding Arbitration, full text of original council resolution
City of San Jose (via Wayback Machine) – Informational summary of Ballot Measure V
City of San Jose (via Wayback Machine) – Impartial analysis of Measure V by City Attorney
California Policy Center – average pension for post 2000 retiree from San Jose police or fire is $130,000 per year (ref. Table 4-B)


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MADRID (Reuters) - A spokeswoman for Spain's Abertis ABE.MC said on Wednesday that the company has not received an offer for its stake in Cellnex CLNX.MC following a report that American Towers AMT.N may be interested.
Bloomberg reported on Tuesday that American Towers is exploring a bid for the Spanish telecommunications tower operator to expand in Europe, though the offer depends on a successful merger of Abertis and Italy's Atlantia ATL.MI.
Cellnex said its management has had no contact with American Towers.
At 0745 GMT, Cellnex was up 6.53 percent, leading gains on the Ibex .IBEX, down 0.09 percent.
Reporting by Robert Hetz; Writing by Paul Day; Editing by Rodrigo de Miguel
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

subset: commoncrawl


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Books, Burgers, and Bun'n'Barrel
For a household wherein the last time we packed out from an overseas assignment and the movers had a pool going on how many cartons of books they would finish up with - the count eventually topped out at 65 - we have an unseemly greed for more. We do not disdain any opportunity to explore second-hand bookstores, rummage sales, Half Price Books, the massive yearly PTA book sale at the Blossom Athletic Center, and the regular sales at our local San Antonio Library branch. The management there very kindly puts out a banner at the well-trafficked corner of Judson and Nacogdoches, and I have scored some lovely book bargains there in the past, notably when it came to Texiana.
Yes, my need for reference books on aspects of Texas history is practically bottomless, mostly because I never know when I might have to look up some relevant factoid, because I need it now this very minute for the current chapter of the current book I am scribbling and to drive two blocks to the Semmes branch, or to order it from the central stacks is just too inconvenient because I need it NOW. On the whole, it's just faster and easier to reach up and get the reference I need from a book on the shelf within arm's reach - so, yes. More books.
We got in line about 9:30 last Saturday morning - and if that sounds as if it were too early - there were already a goodly assortment of people gathered in front of the library, a few of whom had sent their significant others around the corner for breakfast tacos. There weren't any professional book purchasers this time; the experts who have very specific requirements, and usually plastic crates on luggage carriers, and make a tidy living skimming off the cream of the books and re-selling them on the internet. The doors opened at 10:00 sharp, everyone crammed into the little room to the left of the main doors where the books were laid out - eh, a thin collection, this time, only a few volumes of Texiana, and nothing much to speak of in the way of cookbooks. My daughter found more to her interest - Wine for Dummies, a book of jokes and one of directions to knit afghans, among some others.
We took our harvesting home, and went to check out an estate sale in Alamo Heights, but nothing really took our attention at it, so finished up for lunch at one of the Austin Highway's landmark eateries - the Bun 'n' Barrel. A friend who has lived a long time in San Antonio remembers when the Bun 'n' Barrel had car-hops on roller-skates; it was then a classic 1950s' burger joint and teen hang-out. The car-hops are long gone, but the burgers and BBQ are not. The BBQ pit is out back, and they have expanded into catering, and will also do custom cooking . . . just bring in your beast - venison, a wild boar or whatever, thawed if previously frozen, please, and allow twenty-four hours for maximum succulence.
We didn't want to wait that long - just a burger and a brisket sandwich, please - and my daughter indulged herself with an order of mozzarella sticks, which were delish. The burgers and brisket - good, not as good as Sams' on Broadway, or Easy Pickins in Harper, but still quite good, much better than your average fast food franchise place. Over the next few months, we plan to eat our way along the Austin Highway, so stay tuned.


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Editor's note: The National Gallery of Art provided source material to Resource Library for the following article or essay. If you have questions or comments regarding the source material, please contact the National Gallery of Art directly through either this phone number or web address:
Cotton Puffs, Q- tips®, Smoke and Mirrors: The Drawings of Ed Ruscha
February 13 - May 30, 2005
One of America's most important and influential contemporary artists and the U.S. representative to the 2005 Venice Biennale, artist Ed Ruscha (b. 1937) has cast a critical eye on American popular culture for over four decades. Cotton Puffs, Q- tips®, Smoke and Mirrors: The Drawings of Ed Ruscha is the first museum retrospective of the artist's drawings. On view at the National Gallery of Art, Washington, from February 13 through May 30, 2005, the exhibition features works from the past four decades, highlighting Ruscha's genius for the wry and deadpan juxtaposition of words and objects.
"Ruscha is a recognized master who has inspired many of today's young artists," said Earl A. Powell III, director, National Gallery of Art. "We are grateful to our funders for their support of this exhibition, a particularly timely occurrence in light of Ruscha's selection as the featured U.S. artist at the Venice Biennale." (right: Ed Ruscha, The End #23, 2002, acrylic and ink on paper, 24 x 30 inches (61 x 76.2 cm). On loan from The American Contemporary Art Foundation, Inc., Leonard A. Lauder, President. Photograph by Paul Ruscha © Ed Ruscha)
The Exhibition
The title of the exhibition derives from a conversation between exhibition curator Margit Rowell and the artist, in which Ruscha stated, "You know, it's just cotton puffs, Q-tips ®, smoke and mirrors." "Cotton puffs" and "Q-tips ®" are items Ruscha regularly utilizes in the making of his drawings; "smoke and mirrors" refers to the illusory quality of the works.
Ranging in date from 1959 to 2002, the drawings in the exhibition are made with conventional materials such as graphite and pastel but also unorthodox ones, including gunpowder, vegetable juices, and tobacco stain.
As much a photorealist as a pop artist, a conceptualist as a minimalist, Ruscha defies easy categorization. He has recorded the shifting emblems of American life in the form of classic Hollywood logos and stylized gas stations. Examples include Trademark #5 (1962), an image of the Twentieth Century Fox trademark complete with klieg lights and dramatically streamlined diagonals, as well as Standard Study #2 (1962), a brightly colored study of a classic 1950s gas station in Amarillo, Texas.
Ruscha also embraces language as the very subject of his work, probing both its power and relativism as a means of communication. In a variety of scripts and styles -- from gothic to longhand, from ribbonlike lettering to words that seem poured rather than printed -- Ruscha gives words a physical voice. "They're almost not words," he remarks. "They are objects that become words." Examples in the exhibition include Pool (1968), a so-called "liquid" drawing, Dirty Baby (1977), and The End #23 (2002), a seemingly scratched image of that now virtually obsolete cinematic tag line.
About the Artist
Born in 1937 in Omaha, Nebraska, Edward Ruscha moved to Oklahoma City in 1941 and to Los Angeles in 1956 to complete his education at the Chouinard Art Institute. In 1963, he began showing his work at the progressive Ferus Gallery in L.A. In 1968 Ruscha had his first international show in Cologne, Germany at Galerie Rudolf Zwirner. A few years later, Ruscha began showing his working with the legendary Leo Castelli in New York, and subsequently with the Gagosian Gallery in New York and Beverly Hills.
Ed Ruscha has consistently mingled his context of Los Angeles with the motifs of language and landscape to communicate a particular urban experience. Encompassing photography, drawing, painting, and film, Ruscha's work elevates the viewer out of the banality of urban life in order to recognize the barrage of mass media-fed images and information that assault us daily. His early career as a graphic artist continues to strongly influence Ruscha's aesthetic and thematic approach.
In 1998, the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles organized a retrospective of Ruscha's works on paper. The following year, Gagosian Gallery, Beverly Hills showed new paintings by Ruscha as well as "Metro Plots" in New York, a series of work in which Ruscha transformed city planning maps into sublime landscapes. A major retrospective of Ruscha's career opened at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden in Washington, D.C. in June 2000 and traveled to the Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago, The Miami Art Museum, and the Modern Art Museum of Ft. Worth, TX. In 2001 Ruscha was elected to The American Academy of Arts and Letters as a member of the Department of Art. Ruscha was recently chosen by a committee of American museum curators to represent the United States at the 2005 Venice Biennale. His work will be featured in the U.S. pavilion at the prestigious art festival during June 2005.
Ruscha's most recent major solo exhibitions have been at the Gagosian Galleries: the "Palindrome Paintings" series was unveiled at the Chelsea space in May 2002 while the most comprehensive display of the artist's photographs was shown at the Beverly Hills location in March 2003.
The exhibition is curated by independent curator Margit Rowell, formerly at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, the Musée National d'Art Moderne, Paris, the Fundació Joan Miró, Barcelona, and The Museum of Modern Art, New York. National Gallery curator of modern prints and drawings Judith Brodie is coordinating the Washington presentation.
The exhibition was organized by the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, where it was on view from June 24 through September 26, 2004, before traveling to the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles from October 17, 2004, through January 17, 2005. Pared down to ninety-four works, the National Gallery of Art's presentation is a more condensed version of the original exhibition.
The exhibition catalogue Cotton Puffs, Q-tips ®, Smoke and Mirrors: The Drawings of Ed Ruscha showcases the artist's singular vision and his wide range of highly personal media and techniques. The catalogue includes essays by Margit Rowell and Cornelia Butler, curator, the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles. Published by the Whitney Museum of American Art and distributed by Harry N. Abrams, Inc. and Steidl, the catalogue is available through th Museum.
On Sunday, February 13, at 2:00 p.m., the artist will present the opening day lecture, "Ed Ruscha on Ed Ruscha," followed by a book signing. The lecture takes place in the East Building Auditorium.
Exhibition Support
This project is funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services by an Act of Congress. Q-tips ®is a registered trademark of Chesebrough-Pond's Inc. The exhibition in Washington is made possible by The Broad Art Foundation.
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From November 17, 2017 through April 23, 2018, the courtroom at the Toulson Federal Building in Salisbury, MD will be undergoing extensive renovation. During this time only, all bankruptcy court hearings will be temporarily relocated to the Circuit Court for Wicomico County, 101 North Division Street, Courtroom 3, in Salisbury, MD. Click here for more detailed information.


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Has someone sent you a video that appears to move for a split second when you first open it? That wasn't your mind playing tricks on you. Some iPhones have the ability to take "Live" pictures that include that small amount of movement when the picture is first viewed. This is a fun feature that you might want to try out yourself.
Our guide below will show you which button to press so that you can start taking Live pictures on your iPhone. You can use the same button to turn the setting on or off as needed.
How to Turn On or Turn Off Live Photos on an iPhone 7
The steps in this guide were performed on an iPhone 7 Plus in iOS 10.3.3. The Live Photo feature is the one that makes a picture appear to move for a second when you first look at the picture. This effect is viewable on pictures that you share with other iPhone owners as well. The steps below will show you where to locate the button that allows you to toggle this option on or off as desired.
Step 1: Open the Camera app.
Step 2: Touch the circular button near the top of the screen.
When Live Photos are enabled that circle will be a yellowish-orange color. The Live Photo option is turned on in the picture below.
Did you know that your iPhone 7 Plus video recorder lets you change the recording quality of the video you create? Find out how to record video in 4K resolution on an iPhone 7 Plus to create some beautiful high-definition videos.


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Catholic Schools in Hollywood
7450 Stirling Road Hollywood 33024
Hollywood 0
Little Flower
1805 Pierce Street Hollywood 33020
5220 Johnson Street Hollywood 33021
CNA Daily News - US
ACI Prensa's latest initiative is the Catholic News Agency (CNA), aimed at serving the English-speaking Catholic audience. ACI Prensa (www.aciprensa.com) is currently the largest provider of Catholic news in Spanish and Portuguese.
San Francisco archbishop asks DA to prosecute Serra statue vandalism
Denver Newsroom, Oct 28, 2020 / 03:56 pm (CNA).- Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone of San Francisco has asked the Marin County district attorney to prosecute those arrested after an Oct. 12 riot at a mission church to the "full extent of the law," after several of the rioters defaced and pulled to the ground a statue of St. Junipero Serra.
"This attack on a cherished religious symbol on our own church property is not a minor property crime, but an attack on Catholics as a people," Cordileone wrote in an Oct. 26 letter to Lori Frugoli, the Marin County district attorney.
"If the perpetrators of this crime are not brought to justice, small mobs will be able to decide what religious symbols all people of faith may display on their own property to further their faith, and they will continue to inflict considerable spiritual suffering on ordinary Catholic people who would see our sacred spaces as unprotected by law."
The riot that led to the statue's destruction took place Oct. 12— which California and several other states mark as Indigenous Peoples Day— at Mission San Rafael Arcángel in San Rafael, about 20 miles north of San Francisco.
Critics have lambasted Serra as a symbol of European colonialism and the erasure of Native culture, and have in recent years sought to remove monuments to him and change the names of streets or landmarks named for him.
During the hourlong protest, organized by members of the Coast Miwok tribe, several masked people peeled off the duct tape and threw red paint in the statue's face. At least five people can be seen pulling on the statue's head with nylon cords and ropes.
Catholics rallied in a peaceful prayer demonstration the day after the riot, with Father Kyle Faller, parochial vicar at the mission, leading a rosary and urging the crowd of 75-100 people to persevere in prayer, and offering a reflection on Jesus' forgiveness in the face of persecution.
Cordileone performed an exorcism at the site of the statue Oct. 17, calling the statue's destruction an "act of blasphemy."
The San Rafael Police Department said in an Oct. 13 statement that five women had been arrested, issued citations and released, and that the cases had been forwarded to the district attorney's office for prosecution. Police have also recommended charges for a sixth person they identified later, but whose name they have not released publicly.
Two of the women charged hailed from Oakland, one was a local, and two were from nearby communities.
Cordileone seconded the San Rafael Police Department's request that the six individuals be charged with— in addition to trespassing and conspiracy— felony vandalism and vandalism in a house of worship, a hate crime.
Cordileone also thanked the police for their efforts. The department said they had worked with representatives from the Archdiocese of San Francisco to develop a plan in response to the Oct. 12 protest, as the protest's organizers had announced the gathering on social media before it took place.
"I would like, on behalf of thousands of Catholics in the Bay Area and around this country, to thank the San Rafael Police both for arresting the miscreants and for being the first lawful civil authority to recognize that this crime they witnessed is a serious assault against a whole people's right to display the religious symbols they wish on their own property," Cordileone said.
Frugoli said last week that her office was reviewing the case and had not yet made a decision about whether to pursue criminal charges, the Marin Independent Journal reported.
Lucina Vidauri, one of the event's organizers, told the Marin Independent Journal that the organizers of the demonstration never intended to vandalize the statue.
The demonstrators were calling for the mission to remove the Serra statue, and "it just got carried away," she told the paper.
Vidauri declined CNA's request for an interview.
CNA also attempted to contact Dean Hoaglin, chair of the Coast Miwok Tribal Council of Marin and another organizer of the Oct. 12 protest, for further information on the tribe and their reasons for opposing Serra, but did not receive a reply by press time.
The Coast Miwok people were the original inhabitants of what is today Marin and southern Sonoma Counties of California. The tribe gained federal recognition as the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria in December 2000.
In 2008, the former bishop of Sacramento, Francis Quinn, apologized to the Coast Miwok tribe that the Spanish "tried to impose a European Catholicism on the natives."
The vandalism in San Rafael is the latest in a series of attacks on churches and Catholic statues across the country this year. On July 11, a fire under investigation for arson gutted the 249-year-old Mission San Gabriel in Los Angeles, a mission church founded by St. Serra.
During the eighteenth century, Serra founded nine Catholic missions in the area that would later become California, and many of those missions would go on to become the centers of major California cities. Though Serra himself did not found Mission San Rafael, it owes its existence to Serra's legacy.
Serra's defenders say that he was actually an advocate for native people, noting an episode of his life when he drafted a 33-point "bill of rights" for the Native Americans living in the mission settlements, and walked from California to Mexico City to present it to the viceroy.
While many Native peoples did suffer horrific abuse, an archaeologist told CNA earlier this year that activists tend to conflate the abuses the Natives suffered long after Serra's death with the period when Serra was alive and building the missions.
The Benedict XVI Institute for Sacred Music and Divine Worship, a ministry of the archdiocese, on Oct. 28 announced a new fund, under the archbishop's personal discretion and control, to support "ongoing efforts to advocate for fair treatment for faith communities in exercising their First Amendment right to worship and for protection of our holy ground from vandalism and mob attacks."
Supreme Court adoption case could have national impact on religious liberty
Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Oct 28, 2020 / 03:30 pm (CNA).- As the Supreme Court prepares to hear a case touching religious liberty and adoption next week, one Washington couple will be watching closely.
In 2019, Gail Blais and her husband James wanted to adopt her biological great-granddaughter, who is now just over one year old and currently in foster care. They were prevented from doing so by the state of Washington, because of their religious views against hormone therapy for gender dysphoria. The Blaises are Seventh-day Adventists.
As the Supreme Court hears oral arguments in another religious foster care case on Nov. 4, Fulton v. Philadelphia, its ruling could impact a number of other cases including the Blais's.
"It shows what is coming next," said Becket senior counsel Lori Windham on a conference call with reporters on Wednesday.
In the Fulton case, Philadelphia stopped contracting with local Catholic Social Services (CSS) on foster care referrals because CSS refused to work with same-sex couples. The city told CSS that it had to change its religious practice and work with same-sex couples, after which Philadelphia-area foster mothers joined CSS in suing the city, alleging a violation of religious freedom.
The case could decide the fate of other religious adoption agencies facing nondiscrimination ordinances, but according to Becket—which represents CSS—it could also impact prospective foster parents like the Blaises.
"If you are able to kick out these religious foster care agencies," Windham said of Philadelphia's ordinance, the next logical target for state and local nondiscrimination rules are "parents who have traditional views about marriage and sexuality."
In Sept., 2019, Gail Blais's biological great-granddaughter was born in Idaho but placed in foster care by the state. Gail and her husband James, who live in neighboring Washington, wanted to adopt the child but would have to receive a foster care license to do so. The licenses are dispensed by the Washington Department of Children, Youth, and Families.
A licensor from the state, Patrick Sager, then conducted a home visitation and interviewed the Blaises. He posed a series of hypothetical scenarios to the couple, asking them how they would react if their child eventually identified as a lesbian, or if she developed gender dysphoria and wanted to receive hormorne therapy.
The state department had enacted a policy in 2018 that forbids "discrimination or harassment" for children who identify as LGBTQ+ or are questioning their orientation.
According to district court Judge Salvador Mendoza, Jr., who eventually ruled in the Blais's favor, the department apparently "applies Policy 6900 to prospective foster parents," and the department sought to ensure an environment in foster homes that would affirm gender transitioning and LGBTQ+ ideology.
When the Blaises responded that they would love and support the child but could not assent to hormone therapy—according to their religious beliefs as Seventh-day Adventists—Sager was "alarmed," according to court documents.
After that meeting, the Department sent the Blaises material on LGBTQ+ children and asked them to review it to "make a more informed decision about supporting LGBTQ+ youth in foster care."
When Sager followed up with the Blaises on their application for a foster care license, the couple reiterated their faith-based stance against hormone therapy.
He asked them another series of questions, seeking their reactions to various scenarios involving their foster child: dressing as a boy, identifying as a lesbian and wanting to bring her girlfriend on a family trip or having a doctor's order for hormone therapy.
When the Blaises repeated their faith-based stance to support their child but refuse to recognize fluid sexual orientation or gender identity, Sager encouraged them to drop their application - which that made in order to care for their own great-grandchild.
At a third meeting between the Blaises, Sager, and the Department's LGBTQ+ head, the Blases answered in the same way as before.
The Department concluded they had reached an "impasse" in the process, after which the Blaises sued. The Department then denied their application for a foster care license.
The Blases then asked the court for a preliminary injunction granting them a foster care license. On Oct. 8, they won their case—in part. Judge Mendoza ruled that they couldn't be denied a license based on their religious beliefs, but as they had not completed all the steps of the application process, he wouldn't grant them a license. Instead, the Department would give them time to complete the necessary steps.
Mendoza called the Department's policy a "religious gerrymander" against members of certain creeds.
"The Department denied the Blaises the privilege and benefit of providing foster care because of their sincerely held religious beliefs," he wrote.
While the Department can take LGBTQ+ matters into account when considering prospective foster care licensees, it cannot make rulings based on hypotheticals—as it did with the Blases, Judge Mendoza wrote.
"If the only factor weighing against an otherwise qualified applicant has to do with their sincerely held religious beliefs, the Department must not discriminate against a foster care applicant based on their creed," he said.
Senators condemn Chinese 'genocide' against Uyghurs
CNA Staff, Oct 28, 2020 / 02:30 pm (CNA).- A bipartisan group of senators introduced a resolution on Monday to declare China's actions against the Uyghur population as a genocide.
The Oct. 26 resolution was co-sponsored by Sens. John Cornyn (R-TX) and Robert Menendez (D-NJ). Senators Ben Cardin (D-MD), Jeff Merekly (D-OR), James Risch (R-ID) and Maco Rubio (R-FL) also joined in the resolution.
The resolution would express "the sense of the Senate that the atrocities perpetrated by the Government of the People's Republic of China against Uyghurs, ethnic Kazakhs, Kyrgyz, and members of other Muslim minority groups in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region constitutes genocide."
It would declare that China is violating the norms outlined in the 1948 United Nations Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, and would trigger an international response to China's actions.
"For far too long, the Chinese government has carried out a despicable campaign of genocide against millions of Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims," said Cornyn. "This resolution recognizes these crimes for what they are and is the first step toward holding China accountable for their monstrous actions."
Menedez said that there was "no question" that the Chinese government's actions in Xinjiang constitute genocide.
"Stopping a genocide is consistent with our national security and our values, and it starts by standing up and speaking the truth," he said. Menendez added that he hopes President Donald Trump and Sec. Mike Pompeo will endorse the resolution and work to respond to China.
Risch pointed to the Chinese government's "systematic use of forced sterilization, abortion, and other practices" in the province of Xinjiang as proof they were committing genocide against an ethnic group.
"I am proud to join colleagues on both sides of the aisle in introducing a resolution that defines them as such," he said. "The United States and countries around the world must continue to draw attention to what is happening in Xinjiang."
Whistleblowers have come forward to report their participation in systematic campaigns of forced abortions and sterilizations on the Uyghur population.
Free nations "must urgently come together and press for an end" to the Chinese government's actions in Xinjiang, said Rubio. He said there was a need to be "clear about the nature of these atrocities."
"Congress cannot – and must not – turn a blind eye to China's shocking, systematic abuse of its Uyghur population, as well as of ethnic Kazakhs, Kyrgz, and members of other Muslim minority groups in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region," said Cardin. He added that human rights violations of this level "demand a forceful U.S. response."
"That is why I am proud to join my colleagues in introducing this resolution, which makes clear that the Senate will not shy away from calling these atrocities what they are: a genocide," he said.
Catholic bishops back Title IX law on 'trans athletes'
CNA Staff, Oct 28, 2020 / 11:00 am (CNA).- The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has given its support to a new piece of legislation that aims to keep male athletes from competing in athletic teams and competitions for women and girls.
Bishop Michael C. Barber, S.J. of Oakland and Bishop David A. Konderla of Tulsa sent a letter on October 27 to Sen. Kelly Loeffler (R-GA) and Rep. Greg Steube (R-FL), the lead sponsors of the Senate and House versions of the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, applauding their bill.
The legislation would prevent entities receiving federal Title IX funds from allowing male students to participate in athletic programs and teams for female students.
Barber is the leader of the USCCB's committee on Catholic education; Konderla is the chairman of the subcommittee for the promotion and the protection of marriage.
"Youth who experience gender identity discordance should be assured the right to participate in, or try-out for, student athletics on the same terms as any of their peers, in co-educational activities or, where sexes are separated, in accord with their given sex," said the bishops, adding that "Harassment or unjust discrimination against them in this regard is unequivocally immoral."
The bishops advocated for a "loving response" to these students, saying that it would assist in developing "a genuine peace with their mind and body, rather than facilitating drastic 'transitions' in pursuit of an identity fully independent of their physical body."
Allowing male students to participate in athletics with girls "can be both unfair, and especially in high-contact sports, unsafe," said the bishops.
While they acknowledged that some women have been able to play successfully in mostly-male sports, "any time a policy facilitating such male competition takes an athletic opportunity away from a female, it is a loss for basic fairness and the spirit of Title IX."
Several female track athletes from Connecticut are presently suing the state's interscholastic athletic conference after two students, born male but who identify as female, dominated the girl's track competitions at the state level. The female athletes argued that the two male runners took away chances for them to compete on the national and state levels.
"In general, males possess distinct physical advantages in a number of sports, and this is already playing out in athletic events worldwide," said the bishops.
"Their stature can also pose physical safety concerns in high-contact sports. Neither of these concerns is remediated by cross-sex hormone procedures which are required by some athletic associations for participation in sports of the opposite sex, as they do not fully address disparities in average muscle mass, bone characteristics, and lung capacity once puberty is underway (which is typically the case for student athletes)."
The bishops also raised concerns that undergoing various hormonal therapies to better resemble their chosen gender could be harmful for an athlete. Lupron, a chemotherapy drug that is frequently prescribed off-label as a "puberty blocker" to children seeking to change their gender, has a side effect of reducing bone density.
"The Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act would address these increasing questions in the important context of education, from primary school through college, and reestablish a fair and safe playing field for all children and young adults," said the bishops.
"We can do better by all students, and should continue to uphold the progress made with Title IX in promoting the opportunities for women and girls."
A history of anti-Catholicism: Telling the story of the Church in America
Washington D.C., Oct 28, 2020 / 10:00 am (CNA).- If you've ever seen an old cartoon of the pope taking over the White House but wanted to hold the original piece of paper, you're in luck.
At the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., the special collections department has a trove of historical material, spanning centuries. From political smears of 1928 Al Smith, the first Catholic to be nominated by one of the parties to run for president, to the papers of a Massachusetts convent torched by mobs in 1834, U.S. Catholic history is a long and difficult story worth preserving and understanding.
The collection is "trying to tell the story of American Catholics writ large," university archivist William Shepherd told CNA in an interview last week.
The Catholic University of America holds a particular place in U.S. Catholic history, founded by the country's bishops under an 1887 papal charter of Pope Leo XIII.
While other Catholic universities have special historical collections too, the university is strategically located. Many Catholic organizations, including the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, are headquartered in the nation's capital, several only blocks away.
Shepherd told CNA that the role of the archive is to help Catholics better understand their story in the United States, including a history of persecution. The university has saved and maintained a collection of old anti-Catholic literature, pamphlets, and cartoons.
Protestants who came to America from England brought with them their English anti-Catholic sentiments. On Nov. 5, many would burn an effigy of the pope on "Pope Night," a commemoration of the English Guy Fawkes' Day.
In 1834, mobs burned a Catholic Ursuline convent to the ground in Charlestown, Massachusetts. The university's collection offers evidence of the level of anti-Catholic bigotry at the time. It includes documents on the convent's founding, the work of the Ursulines in the Boston area, the burning of the convent, and the prosecution and acquittal of the rioters.
Another collection features attacks on 1928 Democratic presidential nominee Al Smith, which tried to smear him as a puppet of the pope. A cartoon 'Cabinet Meeting - If Al Were President' shows the pope and bishops sitting around a table drinking wine and liquor, during Prohibition. The Democratic National Committee donated the collection on Smith to Catholic University in 1929.
Other materials include anti-Catholic polemics. There is the 1729 "Letter from a Romish Priest in Canada to one who was taken captive in her infancy, and was instructed in the Romish faith," by Francois Seguenot.
One 1928 flyer advertises a "lecture by ex-priest's wife" Mrs. James K. Boyland, a common attempt at this time to portray the Church as a sort of cult. Another book review promotes the 1915 broadside on the Church by William Lloyd Clark, "Three Keys to Hell; or, Rum, Romanism, and Ruin."
Catholics also fought back against such propaganda, and the archives tell of how they promoted themselves as good, patriotic Americans.
During the First World War, the National Catholic War Council was established to support U.S. intervention in the war—at the same time Pope Benedict XV was urging peace. Some American Catholics wanted to prove their patriotism amid anti-Catholic and anti-immigrant suspicion.
A papal mandate brought about the 1938 Commission on American Citizenship, a project which sought to teach democracy within the Catholic tradition, at parochial schools.
Other illustrations tell how Pope Pius XII was fighting Communism, opposition to which became an area of common ground for American Catholics and Protestants in the 1950s.
The collection also includes more recent USCCB material, documentation of Catholic labor history in the U.S., American Catholic artwork, and a rare books collection which goes back to the fifteenth century. There are more than 100 manuscripts from the fourteenth to the twentieth centuries, including papal bulls and choir books.
Papers of famous Catholics tell stories of diplomats and activists, like Monsignor John Ryan, who fought for a living wage and supported the New Deal, or the former U.S. Ambassador to the Vatican, Mary Ann Glendon.
Academics and students visit to conduct research, but so do all kinds of Catholics, including journalists, and even high school students working on school projects will stop in and are welcome, said Shepherd.
Louisiana voters will decide whether to amend constitution to exclude 'right to abortion'
Denver Newsroom, Oct 27, 2020 / 04:21 pm (CNA).- Voters in Louisiana will decide Nov. 3 on a constitutional amendment, authored by a pro-life Democrat, which would prevent Louisiana's courts finding a "right to abortion," or to public abortion funding, in the state's constitution.
Under Amendment 1, also known as the "Love Life Amendment," the Louisiana constitution would be updated to state that "nothing in this constitution shall be construed to secure or protect a right to abortion or require the funding of abortion."
State Senator Katrina Jackson, a pro-life Democrat, authored the amendment when she was a state representative, along with dozens of co-sponsors from both parties.
The purpose of the amendment, Jackson wrote in an op-ed last week, is to ensure that the state's courts cannot circumvent the state's existing pro-life laws by finding a right to abortion in the state's constitution.
This situation has already occured in 13 other states, most recently in Kansas, despite the fact, Jackson notes, that "the word abortion can't be found in the Kansas Constitution."
"It's important to understand that Amendment 1 is not a ban on abortion. It simply keeps abortion policy in the hands of our legislators rather than state judges," Jackson wrote.
Louisiana already has a "trigger law" that would ban abortion in the state— with some exceptions to save the life of the mother— should the Supreme Court overturn Roe v. Wade.
"Our body of pro-life laws ensure that women are empowered with the truth about their pregnancy prior to an abortion, that minors seeking an abortion have parental consent, and that babies born alive following a botched abortion receive immediate medical care. Our law also makes sure that not a dollar of your state tax dollars fund abortion. Yet these laws and others are at risk unless we pass Amendment 1," Jackson said.
Kristen Day, Executive Director of Democrats For Life of America, noted that over a dozen states have introduced proposals to write explicitly a "right to abortion" into their state constitutions.
In May 2019, Vermont's legislature advanced Proposal 5, which would write a right to abortion into the state's constitution. Before this can happen, it must be passed once again by the 2021-2022 legislature, and be approved by voters in the November 2022 election.
If the measure passes, Vermont would become the first state to list abortion as a constitutional right.
Louisiana's proposal would do the opposite, and would prevent the state's courts from finding a right to abortion or abortion funding in the future, Day said.
"Louisiana's a very pro-life state— nobody wants public funding of abortion, so if the legislature flipped and somebody wanted to try to fund abortion with state money, it would be clear that that is not constitutional," she told CNA.
"Large majorities of people oppose public funding of abortion. And so to have those protections in there is important," she said.
"We're very hopeful that it will pass, and send a strong message to the rest of the country."
Sophie Trist, a recent college graduate and activist with Democrats for Life, wrote in an Oct. 22 op-ed in The Advocate, a Baton Rouge daily, that Amendment 1 is consistent with Democratic principles, and that it will protect the will of Louisianans, at least 63% of whom identify as pro-life.
"A so-called right gained at the expense of another living human being is no right at all. I'm voting yes because killing another human being, no matter their circumstances, is never social justice," she wrote.
Trist, who is blind, wrote that an abortion supporter once told her that she should favor abortion because it prevents disabled people, like her, from being born into suffering. "Sadly, I'm all too aware of how society often views those of us who are less developed, physically weaker, or less able-bodied, as less human," she wrote.
"I had always respected a pro-life ethic before, but this encounter made me even more passionately pro-life because I know that every human life, including mine and those of unborn children in the womb, is worth living and worth protecting. The fact of the matter is that I love my life and am grateful to have been born," she wrote.
Jackson also authored a bipartisan Louisiana law requiring that abortion clinics be held to the same standards as surgical centers, which the Supreme Court threw out in June.
Four justices ruled in June Medical Services, LLC v. Russo that Louisiana's requirement that abortion doctors have admitting privileges at a local hospital would have made it "impossible" for abortion clinics to comply, without offering a significant health benefit for women. Justice Stephen Breyer authored the opinion, and Chief Justice John Roberts concurred to tip the court's balance 5-4 against Louisiana's law.
The Unsafe Abortion Protection Act, as Jackson's law was known, received widespread support from both parties in the state legislature and was signed into law by then-governor Bobby Jindal (R) in 2014.
In Kansas, an effort during February to place a referendum on the Kansas ballot clarifying that abortion is not a constitutional right fell four votes short of the support needed in the House of Representatives.
The push for the referendum was instigated in 2019 after the Kansas Supreme Court blocked a 2015 law banning dilation-and-evacuation abortions, which are the most common procedure for second-trimester abortions and use suction devices and other equipment to dismember the fetus and remove it from the mother's womb.
As part of the ruling, the Kansas Supreme Court determined for the first time that provisions of the state constitution dating back to 1859 extends to a "natural right of personal autonomy" regarding abortion.
The federal Hyde Amendment bars federal funds for abortions except in cases of rape, incest, or life endangerment. Presidential candidate Joe Biden has said that he no longer supports the Hyde Amendment and would repeal it if he is elected.
At least 16 states currently use their own funds to pay for additional abortions outside of those conditions.
New Orleans archdiocese seeks laicization for all clergy credibly accused of sex abuse
Denver Newsroom, Oct 27, 2020 / 02:45 pm (CNA).-
While allegations against two New Orleans-area priests have again raised questions about the Church's response to clergy misconduct, the Archdiocese of New Orleans has confirmed that for the past two years it has been seeking to laicize clergy who have been removed from ministry for credible reports of sexual abuse.
"In the Archdiocese of New Orleans, very soon after the publication of the 2018 Clergy Abuse Report, conversations began in an effort to seek the laicization of those living clergy that had been removed from ministry for abuse of a minor and this is in process," Sarah McDonald, communications director at the New Orleans archdiocese, told CNA Oct. 26.
"This is a highly technical canonical process and clergy have canonical rights that must be respected."
On Oct. 1. the archdiocese announced the removal from ministry of Father Pat Wattingy, who on that day self-reported sexually abusing a minor in 2013. The archdiocese said the priest admitted the abuse after undergoing psychological treatment and going on a spiritual retreat this summer, the New Orleans CBS affiliate WWL-TV reports.
The St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office investigated and then issued a warrant for the priest's arrest on four counts of molestation of a juvenile, alleged to have taken place between December 2013 and December 2015. He was arrested as a fugitive at his home in West Point, Georgia on Oct. 22 and extradited to Louisiana.
"Mr. Wattigny stated that he knew he had warrants in Louisiana but that he did not know that we would catch him," said the West Point Police Department's incident report on the arrest.
The priest faces additional controversy concerning allegations that he sent inappropriate text messages to a minor at a Catholic high school where he was recently chaplain.
In Pearl River on Sept. 30, 37-year-old priest Father Travis Clark, recently the pastor of Sts. Peter and Paul Parish, has been charged with obscenity after he was discovered filming himself in sex acts with two women on the altar of the parish church.
A local resident told police they noticed the lights were on in the church and looked through the windows, discovering the three people. One of the women is reported to be a self-avowed satanist. Archbishop Aymond has since performed a penitential rite required for continued use of the church for sacramental purposes.
Both Clark and Wattigny have been asked to "seek laicization immediately," McDonald told CNA. If the priests do not request to be laicized by the Vatican, each could be laicized as the result of a formal canonical trial.
"The removal of Clark and Wattigny from priestly ministry marks the first time Archbishop Aymond as Archbishop of New Orleans has had to remove an active clergyman from ministry for abuse or scandal." McDonald said. Aymond became New Orleans' archbishop in August 2009.
While priests who are found by a canonical process to have committed an act of serious sexual abuse can be laicized, or removed from the clerical state, other priests who have been credibly accused of abuse but not found guilty in such a process remain clerics, even if they will not be returned to priestly ministry.
Under canon law, a priest or deacon has the right to housing and minimal financial support if he has not been formally laicized, even if he is not eligible for priestly ministry. Dioceses have sometimes been criticized for payments to priests accused of abuse but not laicized, even while the diocese is canonically obliged to make some provision for them.
In addition to those laicized after a canonical penal process, priests can also be laicized at the discretion of the Vatican if they request it, or if the diocesan bishop makes such a request under limited circumstances established by the Vatican's Congregation for Clergy in 2009.
The Archdiocese of New Orleans did not offer specifics about its efforts to laicize priests accused of abuse.
At least seven diocesan priests on the archdiocese's list of 72 credibly accused clergy are still living, according to the New Orleans Advocate. This list does not include accused religious clergy who are under their religious orders' jurisdictions.
In the New Orleans archdiocese, benefits to accused priests had included retirement benefits, until a federal judge overseeing its Chapter 11 bankruptcy said that the archdiocese could only pay for health insurance.
Archbishop Aymond held a day of prayer, fasting and atonement on Friday, Oct. 23 and encouraged the Catholic faithful to participate, especially those feeling wounded.
"We know that it's been a very challenging time in our archdiocese, for a number of reasons, especially because of the news we have received recently about two of our priests who have not fulfilled their vocation," he said in an Oct. 19 video at the archdiocese's YouTube channel.
"It is important that we come together as a community of faith and pray for the wounds of our Church: personal wounds and the wounds that so many are feeling at this time, with a sense of disappointment and betrayal," he said.
"I'm asking you specifically to enter into fasting if you wish to, to enter into prayer, and we are providing for you a Litany of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, which helps us to get into the heart of Jesus, to give him our suffering, and to ask him for the healing and peace that he alone can give," said the archbishop.
"Let us also pray for all the victims of abuse. They need our prayers and support as we reach out to them," he said.
On Oct. 16, Aymond met with all the archdiocese's priests regarding the scandal caused by the two priests.
The Council of Deans and the Presbyteral Council, both composed of leading priests in the archdiocese, wrote an Oct. 16 letter on behalf of the 335 priests of the archdiocese. While acknowledging that some have questioned his leadership, the letter voiced the clergy's support for the archbishop.
The letter gave an account of the meeting, reporting an "open and honest dialogue" with the archbishop followed by time together in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament, then a collective renewal of their ordination promises by the archbishop and the clergy together.
"He exhorted all of us to pray regularly for victims of sexual abuse. At the end of his remarks, all of us present stood in unanimous support of Archbishop Aymond," said the letter, which the archdiocese carried on its website.
"We emphatically support Archbishop Aymond and his leadership of our local church," the priests' letter continued. "Archbishop Aymond is a dedicated, faithful, and holy priest of Jesus Christ. He has always faithfully served the people of God throughout his priesthood."
"While the archbishop did not create the problems of sexual abuse, he has always courageously addressed the issue," said their letter. They characterized Aymond's decision to publish a list of credibly accused clergy as a "bold step." In their view, the archbishop has acted quickly to any new allegations
"While the last few years have been difficult, we believe that his leadership is helping to shed light on the darkness of the past, to heal past wounds, and to renew the Church in New Orleans," said the letter.
"Although a small number of priests have betrayed us and you, we commit ourselves and our lives wholeheartedly to the mission of Jesus Christ made present in the Church," said the priests. "Be assured that the Church cannot and will not tolerate any sexual abuse or misconduct on the part of any cleric."
Before his arrest on an obscenity charge and removal from ministry, Father Clark had been named to fill Wattigny's role as chaplain at John Paul II High School in Slidell, Louisiana. Wattigny had resigned from the faculty in July.
The details of Father Wattigny's recent misconduct involving texting are still in dispute.
On Oct. 2, Aymond told the principal of John Paul II High School that Wattigny allegedly sent inappropriate texts to a male student.
Although the student's parents and attorney first alerted the archdiocese in February, school administrators were allegedly not told, and Wattigny was allowed to remain in ministry at the school until the end of the academic year.
According to a letter written by Aymond to parents of the school, reported by the Advocate, the texts did not contain "sexual references or innuendo" but still violated the archdiocesan policies about communication with youth.
The priest was reportedly admonished by archdiocesan officials to stop sending texts but permitted to remain in ministry at the school. He remained chaplain until he sent additional texts to at least one student and was reportedly sent by the archdiocese for a psychological evaluation.
Bill Arata, an attorney for the student, has said the priest's texts had the aim of grooming the teen. Among other things, the priest asked the student repeatedly when he would turn 18. The priest texted the boy late at night, the attorney said, and his texts contained suggestive remarks. The attorney said he was told in June that the priest was being sent for a psychological evaluation. He said sending the priest for an evaluation confirms that the archdiocese knew the texts were not appropriate.
In an Oct. 9 statement, Aymond said Wattigny would never again serve in public ministry, and defended an archdiocesan decision not to remove Wattigny from the school when reports that he was sending inappropriate text messages first arose in February.
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How to Learn German in Vienna
I thought I'd learn German in about 12 months. I figured that seen as I lived in a German-speaking city and had decent motivation (desperate need to order coffee without stumbling on my words) it would simply come to me in good time. Presumably in the night, like a lightning strike, or a giant slap to the side of the head. One year seemed, to my naive ambitious self, a perfectly reasonable amount of time to pick up the intricacies of conversation.
I've since discovered 3 things;
1) I'm not a patient person
2) 12 months flies by when you move to a new country
3) Learning a language is not as easy as movie montages make it appear (damn you Colin Firth in Love, Actually!)
I'm now two years into my Expat life in Vienna and still at a beginners level of German. I can follow conversation in a group of Deutsch speaking friends, thankfully coffee & brunch ordering is now possible too. But the true art of expressing myself fluently still eludes me.
Life priorities
I've tried intensive courses at IKI, which were challenging but got me the building blocks. I've experimented with reading children's books with S to reach the language the same way I learned English – through a love of reading. Now I'm enrolled at the Deutschinsitut, a slightly slower paced course better suited to full-time work schedules.
The kicker in Vienna is – everybody speaks English. Including my entirely English-speaking workplace. With such a flood of tourists and International organisations in the city, you could actually get by without learning a scrap of Deutsch. But I'm pretty sure that makes you an Expat arsehole.
Never, ever, be this guy
So here are a few ways I'm trying to force myself to speak more Deutsch everyday – if you have any language learning tips to add please let me know in the comments!
– Talk and talk and talk at home. I wuss out of talking Deutsch at home. All. The. Time. I'm like a 1950's housewife avoiding sex, with my standard lines of 'I'm just so tired today' 'Its been a really long week' 'Do you really want to? Right now?'. It's the biggest challenge, but should be one of the easiest to overcome – it just takes discipline from you and your housemates.
– Text message auf Deutsch. This is an everyday activity that will sharpen your writing skills. I can follow conversation face to face, but my spelling and conjugation when writing Deutsch isn't great. Texting gives you some everyday practice. Just make sure you only try this with your native German-speaking friends – group Whats App messages in German with the English-speaking family don't go down so well.
– Read the free papers & familiar magazines. The U-bahn daily metro papers are filled with small, easy to follow articles with pictures. I can't understand every word, but the gist of the article can be pieced together with regular reading to extend your vocab. I've also had a go at purchasing the Deutsch version of Cosmo. Even when written in another language the articles about 'This seasons hottest Winter Coats' & celebrity interviews are the same format as in English, making it easier to follow along.
– Ask for help. When you're talking to a native speaker and they say a word you've never heard, ask what it is. Yes, it will be excruciating, yes it makes you feel about 10 feet tall, but if you don't ask, your friends can't help and you won't learn. Suck it up and ask for help (still my biggest challenge!)
Lastly, there's a few different language schools that offer courses at varying price levels to get you on your way to comfortably speaking. Courses aren't for everyone – some friends have learnt German from reading comic books or spending time deep in the countryside where there is no other option – but for me, the structure of a school and deadlines keep me honest. A few of the better known ones are:
www.berlitz.com – One of the most expensive. Strictly only apply if your workplace can afford to cover the costs. They have 1 to 1 sessions, small groups and private office tutoring available.
www.IKI.com – My first Deutsch Kurs experience, it's very thorough, moves at a decent pace and they offer intensive day time courses and 8 week evening courses. Your certificate from the OIF is included in the price, which is worth keeping in mind when you compare to other cheaper schools.
www.deutschinstitut.com The current option I'm trialling, these guys are reasonably priced, in the central 6th district and use the same workbooks as IKI. Their evening courses are particularly popular.
www.deutschakademie.at These guys are the budget conscious option in Vienna. When I first moved here and money was super tight we looked into courses here. To be honest, their offices and setup put me completely off when I went to enrol – everything felt cramped in, they were using old computers despite their location on the Ringstrasse it just seemed, well, cheap & nasty. Friends have studied there and liked the additional materials but I'm not sold on it myself.
My Deutsch is still a work in progress, but I'd love to hear anyone else's tricks to picking up a language – if only to give me hope that I will one day conquer the dreaded German Grammar!
Bali Tips – Nusa Lembongan
I'm jumping around a bit in my posts – I've been on so many little trips recently that I still need to fill you in on, from Venice, to Valencia, London, Oktoberfest and a few little side trips around Austria still to come – so I hope you'll forgive the broken timelines. Despite all these wonderful little jaunts, my heart right now keeps returning to memories of Bali. Perhaps because the weather here in Vienna is turning grey and the daylight hours are getting shorter, or maybe because we've had enough distance from the after-effects of Bali-belly (yes, its real, and no, you don't want the details). Whatever the reason my brain keeps skipping to snippets of our little paradise island and the incredible start to our summer break. So, to make my daydreams more useful, I thought I'd share a few insider tips for travelling to Bali, in particular, Nusa Lembongan.
I straight up loved Nusa Lembongan. It was the perfect mix of a small-scale touristy development and rough island escape, just off the east coast of the main island, between Bali & Lombok.
Our main reason for visiting Bali was a wedding, so we had a lovely first week filled with family, cocktails, friends and celebrating on the mainland of Bali. However, after a week of Aussie-style partying and touristy resort-style holidaying in Legian we were ready for a change of gears, which Nusa Lembongan certainly delivered.
The easiest way to get there is via little local boats, as there's a number of companies that run transfers direct from Sanur. We went with Scoot because the internetz assured us it was the most reliable and well priced cruise line, but we later found out any one of the 6 or so major operators would be cheaper and just as reliable. It can be a rough ride over if the weather is a little choppy, so if you're not great with small boat transfers, brace yourself to look like this after a 45 minute ride:
Arriving on the island felt like stepping back to how Bali might have been 20-odd years ago. Before the mega clubs, the Aussie influx and 'investment properties boom', before super-hotels and McDonalds and Starbucks and KFC and cheap surf-shops and Eat, Pray, Love tours. Nusa Lembongan is still a touristy spot, but I actually saw locals in the streets, grilling fish, working, riding mopeds and going about their daily lives that weren't wholly focussed on servicing tourists. Speaking of streets – there's one. Just one, single street. It consists wholly of broken up bitumen, gravel and dirt – suitable only for mopeds.
The 'main drag' and best stretch of road on the entire island….peak hour traffic in action, obviously.
There's also only one ATM on the whole island – which can cut out for days at a time depending on the power supply, so come to the island cashed up and make sure you have credit cards to pay at hotels and some restaurants. The warungs where locals eat will most definitely not have EFTPOS machines, but the bigger, regular restaurants will.
In terms of food there's only really two restaurants I would wholeheartedly recommend:
Bali Hai Located on Mushroom Bay, right where a lot of day-transfer boats do drop-offs, this restaurant was connected to the Hai Tide Beach Resort and had reliably, deliciously good food. Toward our second week on the island both S and I were struggling with the delicate Bali-belly, so Bali Hai became one of our go-to restaurants, as we knew the food quality was good, nothing was going to make us sick(er) and most of all, the views were to die for. You are literally sat on the beach-front watching the waves roll in as the sun sets. It's open seating so you can stroll up in your thongs (flip flops for you non-Aussies) straight from the beach and enjoy their excellent service and drinks list. There's even little bean bags out the front on the sand so you can sit and relax in a group. I really enjoyed my steak here and the creme brûlée is excellent – but you could stay for the views alone…..
Sand and ocean are RIGHT THERE, behind the cute boy's head
Sandy Beach Resort: This was our brunch lifesaver. I'm all about eating local and enjoying the culture of a place i'm visiting, but when it comes to brunch, all bets are off. Sandy Beach Resort has been designed exactly for the likes of me – a traveller who enjoys their home-style good coffee, likes to indulge in breakfasts and cannot pass up a beautiful beachfront seat. While dinner here is superb, it's a lot pricier than anywhere else on the island. We tended to visit here in the mornings to mix up the monotony of our hotel brekkie. Sandy Bay is best when it's near-to-empty, quiet and you can be guaranteed a table right on the sand to luxuriate over breakfast. The bliss of waking up early, jumping on a moped with your lover to enjoy a relaxed brunch overlooking the surf is as close to heaven as it gets for me. This place also hosts weddings and is jam packed at night – you're best to book a table in advance. The restaurant will also organise a shuttle to pick you up and drop you off at your hotel. Otherwise the moped journey home in the dark can be treacherous!
We loved it over coffee in the morning….
….and over cocktails at sunset
Which brings us to my final tip for Nusa Lembongan. Beware where you stay. Although looking at the map on Booking.com you will notice most hotels are situated on the main central strip of Jungut Batu Beach, do not stay there. You'll be close to the sometimes-working ATM, but the hotels and restaurants and beachfront here are not great. They were some of the earliest built accommodations and the area is more designed for the serious surfers who want a cheap place to stay that's super close to the surf breaks. If you want a proper island getaway resort, find a place in and around Mushroom Bay, Tamarind Beach or Dream Beach, all of which have very reasonably priced options. Or if you really want to get away from the world then there's a few special places on the connected island of Nusa Cenigan – slightly further removed from the 'town centre' but completely idyllic and quiet. There'll be more about my favourite beach there in a later post….
We stayed at the lovely Nanuk's Beach Bungalows in traditional thatch-roof huts and enjoyed the extremely friendly staff (Jacob is the BEST) and laid-back atmosphere. Most accommodations will rent you out a moped to get around easily. For about €4 a day its an absolute must-do to explore the wilds of the tiny island and really feel like a local.
There's a lot of reasons to visit Nusa Lembongan. For the cheesy photos, for the authentic Balinese atmosphere (even though tourism is clearly taking hold of the place) for the views, for the slower pace of daily life that forces you to relax, for the stories you'll bring back. But mostly, you should go there to strong-arm your mister into taking freckle-faced selfies, to run around barefoot in a sarong all day and to feel completely young and free on the back of a moped, no matter what age you are.
Thank You!!
Yes YOU! To any and every one who shared, liked, commented, followed, showed their friends, posted on Facebook or generally got excited about my post 28 Ways to be Austrian. I am so completely overwhelmed with the incredible response it got and especially pleased that so many Austrians enjoyed it! With over 200,000+ views and a brilliant comment thread to say I'm grateful would be a massive understatement. So THANK YOU ALL!!
I'm also very happy to announce that the post led to me landing a dream job with a wonderful company – Tour Radar. Unbelievable. Thank you, all you delightful blog readers out there, for being an integral part of this exciting change! I will keep you updated as the new challenges and delights of the job unfold.
For now, I'm in Melbourne reconnecting with my hometown for 10 days – so stay tuned for some Australian- based posts and photos…. until then have a Happy Monday!!
Embracing the Everyday Expat Struggle
Its been a really long time since I wrote here. For some reason I have it in my head that my posts need to be always uplifting, or about fun or exciting activities – but surely that's more what Facebook and twitter are for, amirite? (Queue canned laughter).
If I'm being honest I haven"t written because I've been struggling the last few weeks. Not in a massive OH DEAR GOD WHAT HAVE I DONE dramatic way, just in an everyday, average adjustment period way.
The thing is, I haven"t lived a normal life for 2 years. I haven't worked an office job for a long time, and when I did, I certainly didn't love it. I'm also facing up to the reality that I maaaayy not have considered that there are sacrifices for the decision I made to stay here and be with S.
Firstly, the job. It is, for what I need in Vienna now, great. Lovely people, great company, decent pay and (once I learn German) opportunity to develop I'm sure. Its just not THE job. The job that gets your brain zinging and your inspiration flowing and energy levels up. Its a desk job, and while each day has its own challenges it essentially comprises the same thing. Get email, research flights, meet criteria, book flights, repeat. I feel like i've seen the possibility beyond boring jobs. I know how good it is to work a job that means something, that invigorates you, that you enjoy doing every damn day even when its exhausting to the point of delirium. And now, having less than that feels twice as empty. Maybe this is just a natural dip in career progression, or maybe this time in my life is when my job has to take back seat to say, learning German, travelling on weekends and putting my energy into building my own life here. But still, it niggles at me every day. Until I nut out what work I can do that I will love as much as trip leading, that will get me up and active and excited, and that won"t drag me away from S and a happy home to come to at the end of the day then I'm going to feel conflicted.
Secondly, sacrifice. I haven't touched on my trip home here because it threw up a lot of emotional reactions. I'm sure any homecoming after 2 years will do that. What has stuck with me most of all though, is the feeling that I've betrayed some people back home by choosing to stay here. 'Choosing' to fall in love with a foreigner and 'choosing' to live here for the next year or so at least. At the time, it didn't seem like a choice, it felt like an inevitability – call it fate, call it blind stubbornness, naivety or youthful hope but whatever drove S and I together was something I never had any doubt over. Explaining that to the people and family members you've 'left behind' at home is a little harder.
Logic tells me there's a natural growing apart that happens to all families when the kids get to their mid-twenties and 'real life' creeps up. Careers, serious relationships and the process of becoming an adult all drive us out into our own worlds to create an independant existence. The trouble is, in creating that existence on the other side of the world, there's a hard line drawn under just how far apart I am.
Recently, I've been beating myself up a bit, feeling guilty at 'betraying' some of my friends & family by being here. Like i'm being a shit friend or sibling by choosing to stay away. But would I be just as unhappy in betraying myself by going back to Australia for their sake? Damn right. When I was just here working for Topdeck, it was, for them, all very up in the air and temporary. For me, I was just getting started. Now, the reality that I have an apartment, a job, a residency and my own life over here is looking a lot more permanent. I think that was a huge shock for them, where for me it was an almost natural progression.
So is this guilt about those at home just the price I pay in choosing my expat life? Can you ever really be sure that you're living in the 'right' country if its the one that takes you away from your family? Will time make it better or worse??
These are the thoughts I drive myself mad with. Not all the time, and not loudly, but they spring up. And with the weather of Spring being so very delightful (there is STILL SNOW ON CARS!!) they sometimes get the better of my mood.
So apologies folks, my own madness made me unable to write. But to shake off this attitude and to keep me honest I'm going to make Sunday my blog post day from here on out! Thanks to all the other blogs I follow for keeping me inspired to do so.
Real Life
With my impending trip home I'm anticipating the many many conversations about 'what I've been up to'. Given the impossibility of describing two years of travel, growth, adventure, terror and joy i'm thinking in snazzy screen-grab terms. Summing everything up in a few short sentances. Because, on paper, my life sounds amazing (don't get me wrong I know it is). Paid to see Europe with Topdeck, met amazing fellow travellers and lifelong friends, worked a ski season and met an amazing man on a bar crawl, travelled a little more and now establishing my life in Vienna. Rosy, right?
The gap between the snazzy summary you tell people and the mundanity of everyday existence is huge. I'm sure everyone does it – Facebook and social media were basically invented to advertise how awesome your life is to everyone you know. The thing is, in my instance, how do you possibly explain to someone the excruciating stress of waiting for Visa approval for months? How do you express the daily feeling of being a failed feminist because of your current dependancy and lack of employment? I 'have it all' on paper but no career or gainful employment to speak of. Which, for this modern 20 something woman is a huge huge issue. Unavoidable but grating just the same. (More on that in another post). How do you tell people that the life of the eternal traveller is as exhausting as it is rewarding? You can't avoid people reducing the responsibilities and work of the job down to flippant comments and misunderstanding.
Expat life is hard. There's reams of blogs, books, stories and writings dedicated to it. What's harder is trying to explain why this is so to those who only see your life through the rosy shades of Facebook, or occasional conversations. For the most part, and for my own sanity I like to play up the positives, tell people i'm keeping busy, trying to get fit, writing and reading lots and engaging with the expat community. Which I am. What I don't tell them is the reality – that not speaking the language is a constant struggle, that lacking a job burns my sense of self and independance daily and that 'expat life' isn't as glamourous as it sounds.
The main point though, is that I don't regret any of this struggle. I wouldn't change it. I wouldn't move back to Australia, and I don't feel lonely (yet). I'm lacking in some things but the gut sense that I'm doing the right thing by being here, that my European adventure isn't done yet is what drives me though these endless, mindless, repetitive days of nothingness in the apartment.
There is a job interview on Friday. If the Universe sees fit to grant me gainful employment before we leave for Oz I think I may weep with the relief of it. I can't face January treading water (snow?) day after day. Vienna is enchanting, I'm genuinely happy with my life right now but I fear if this stagnation continues it might just drive me bonkers. So, fingers crossed. I have a fabulous new pair of boots to get me through (courtesy early 6th December present from S) so surely the odds will be in my favour! Here's hoping!


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(CBS News) Millions can't imagine life without an iPhone. But it was just five years ago that the first ones went on sale. Since then, consumers have learned to love touch screens, and particularly, apps.
Apple iPhone revenue hits $150 billion in five years, says analyst
But what can consumers expect from the rumored "iPhone 5," expected to debut this fall?
Referring to photos apparently leaked from a Chinese Apple factory, David Pogue, New York Times technology columnist, said on "CBS This Morning," "(The next iPhone is) the same size and shape, but longer, like a wider screen."
He added, "We know that Apple could not get away without making it 4G, which means just faster on the internet in big cities. And to make it 4G, it has to have a bigger battery, because 4G slurps down power like crazy. I think that explains the larger size."
However, the famously secretive Apple seems to have put a lid on its latest rumored device. Pogue said, "Other than that, we don't really know much."
For a look back at what changes made the iPhone so successful and how it became an industry leader, watch Pogue's full "CTM" interview in the player above.


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Plants vs Zombies Adventures launching this month
PopCap's social spin-off to its popular tower defence title arrives on Facebook this month.
Plants vs Zombies Adventures follows Bejeweled and Peggle in bringing PopCap's popular casual formulae to social networks.
Announced back in March, it has been in closed beta but will finally go live on May 20, according to an announcement on its Facebook page.
We still don't know very much about the adaptation, but the developer is posting a series of images as it counts down towards release showing a softer, more stylised aesthetic.


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Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Like a comet returning to our solar system after a long journey, this month marks the arrival of Destiny 2: the second installment in Bungie's outsized shared-world shooter. While the first Destiny landed to mixed reviews, hopes are high that the sequel will deliver on many of the promises that its predecessor did not. Can Destiny 2 live up to weight of these mighty expectations? Can any game? In Episode 32 this week, Chris and Derek venture forth to begin answering these questions, offering their first impressions of Destiny's world, gameplay, and social systems. Grab your ghost, don your best exotic helm, and let's find out what Destiny has in store!
Show Notes
- Destiny 2 official site
- Skill Up's insightful and entertaining long-form review of Destiny 1 is a superb overview of how that game has grown and evolved in the three years since its release.
- Interested in learning more about Destiny's tantalizing but often vague lore? My Name is Byf is an excellent source of consistently interesting musings on and discussion of Destiny's world.
Image credit: Bungie


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The Mus'ab ibn Umair Fund (MIUF) is committed to supporting students of knowledge who cannot afford the cost of studying courses at Ebrahim College. If financial constraints are a barrier for you, we encourage you to apply to the MIUF for financial assistance. Subject to your status, we will find a way to support you, inshaAllah, and if we are unable to, we will advise you on other funding sources or we will help you support yourself. One way or the other, we will try our best to enable committed students to study the programmes they are interested in.
General Pre-requisites
- The applicant will have to demonstrate that they are committed to a sustained study of the Islamic sciences.
- The applicant must be fully committed to their course of study attaining minimum 70% in any assessments and minimum 80% attendance.
- The course must be an Ebrahim College course.
- The applicant must demonstrate a commitment to positively serving their community.
- The applicant must demonstrate a commitment to removing financial barriers faced by other students by supporting the MIUF.
What kind of financial support is available
- Interest free student loans.
- Means tested grants.
- Merit based grants.
1 and 2 are means tested. All applications will be considered as student loan applications unless a loan is not suitable, or MIUF decides to award a grant on a discretionary basis. Merit based grants are not means tested, and are only available to Alimiyyah and Dawrah students based upon their performance in prior studies at EC.
How we process applications
Due to limited funds, we will prioritise funding based upon the course applied for in the following order:
- Full time Alimiyyah and Dawrah al-Hadith students;
- Full time Arabic Intensive students;
- Part time Arabic Intensive students.
This means an applicant who is unsuccessful in securing MIUF funding for the Arabic intensive would normally stand a better chance of receiving funding when they progress to the Alimiyyah. Each individual application will be assessed based on the applicant's need, background, and personal statement.
Applications will not be processed if forms are not fully completed or evidence of financial circumstances is not provided. All applicants are advised to submit a strong personal statement as it will form a major part of funding decisions.
Financial support does not include any other expenses, for example living, transport and book costs. As it is purely to assist in cost of fees for the course and will be paid directly to Ebrahim College. MIUF reserves the right to provide support as it sees appropriate. Its decision on suitability of funding is final and reasons for not being awarded support are not provided. Students who receive financial support do not qualify for any other discounts.
Failure to Complete the Programme or Comply with student agreement
Students on financial support who drop out of the course or do not comply with the requirements of the student agreement without a valid reason will be charged the full course fees.
How to Apply
Click on the button below to apply for financial assistance


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Celltech pulls out
A British company has stopped making the key ingredient for a potential
HIV vaccine because of its 'enormous' production cost.
Celltech, which is based in Slough, confirmed last week that it had
stopped producing a genetically engineered, pure form of HIV's protein coat,
gp120. The sale price of the protein, $10 000 per milligram, was little
more than it cost to make, said a spokesman.
Celltech had previously supplied the protein on contract to the Medical
Research Council and to the US National Institutes of Health for laboratory
research. The company, which harvested the protein from cultured animal
cells, has no plans to make any more.


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- A Certified Refurbished product has been refurbished, tested and certified to look and work like new. The product ships with all relevant accessories, a 1-year limited warranty and may arrive in a generic box.
- Intel Core i5 [650] 3.20GHz Processor
- 4GB RAM, a 750GB HDD and DVD-ROM
- VGA & DisplayPort (HD) video output
- Windows 7 Professional Pre-Installed with Certificate of Authenticity
Lenovo (formerly IBM) is the largest PC manufacturer in the world and has been at the summit for a number of years now, producing some of the highest quality equipment on the market. Their flagship ThinkCentre range caters to medium-large business enterprise customers who demand high-end performance and full accessibility for their machines. The refurbished range has recently increased in popularity with home users recently due to the power and speed capabilities in comparison with similarly priced new computers from high street retailers. The Lenovo M90p comes with a Westmere 1st generation 3.20GHz Core i5 processor with integrated Intel HD Graphics and a quad thread count. This model also comes with 4GB of memory for operational efficiency and a huge 750GB hard disk drive for storing documents, photos and videos. The M90 has VGA and DVI video output, a serial port as well as x8 USB 2.0 slots, audio input/output and wired Internet connectivity.


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Life doesn't require that we be the best, only that we try our best.
A beautiful night out in the old port in Montreal city. It is clearly a place to visit, especially during the night.
Taking a walk in some good company is the best thing ever. It is not easy but it is worth it, so if you have the chance to have someone special by your side, BE THANKFUL.
May you all have a bless day ❤


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In the Vocabulary section you will find all the new words you have learnt during the unit: you will consolidate your vocabulary and learn how to pronounce the words correctly.
- Click on a sentence in English to listen to it
- Click to record the sentence and once again when you have finished
- Compare the sentence you've recorded with the native's
To complete this section, you must do the Listen-Record-Compare (LRC®) exercise with all the words.
The counter will indicate the number of words you have learnt.
Click here to find out more about the "Assessment" section.