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09_30_24_Headlines Jack Dawson
Pope expels Denver priest, along with nine others connected to “sadistic” abuses
Pope Francis has expelled a Denver priest, along with nine others, from a Catholic movement in Peru over “sadistic” abuses.
Two other members with Denver ties have also been expelled.
The Sodalitium Christianae Vitae – or Sodalitium of Christian Life – is based in Peru but has strong connections to Colorado through the Archdiocese of Denver. A Vatican-led investigation found “sadistic” abuses of power, authority, and spirituality.
The Pope expelled the group’s founder, Luis Figari, last month after he was found to have sodomized his recruits.
The Peruvian Bishops Conference posted a statement from the Vatican embassy on its website, attributing the expulsions to a “special” decision by the Pope.
The abuses cited in the statement have rarely – if ever – been punished canonically, according to The Denver Post. It also cited the people the pope held responsible, and other details that The Post says are rarely released publicly by the Vatican.
Ambitious public land bill hits Senate floor
Two Colorado senators are leading the charge on one of the most ambitious public lands bills in decades.
Colorado’s U.S. Sens. Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper introduced the Gunnison Outdoor Resources Protection Act — or GORP Act — on Thursday. The bill proposes the increase of protections for over 730,000 acres in the Gunnison River Basin.
The Colorado Sun reports that the bill has been in the works for nearly 10 years, and – if passed – would protect the basin’s mountains, rivers, lakes, and valleys.
The bill includes a provision to transfer nearly 20,000 acres belonging to Pinecrest Ranch near Gunnison into a Ute Mountain Ute Tribe reservation trust that will make management of the ranch land easier for the tribe. It doesn’t impact water rights or existing leases for mining or oil and gas drilling, according to The Sun.
The GORP Act has support from six counties, including Gunnison and Delta, as well as five municipalities.
Vote to remove GOP Chairman Dave Williams deemed invalid
El Paso County District Judge Eric Bentley ruled on Wednesday that Williams’ opponents did not have the necessary votes to remove Williams from his leadership.
The ruling all but guarantees that Williams will remain chairman through the November election. That’s according to The Colorado Sun.
The Sun also reports that the decision puts Eli Bremer – who was elected to chair the party at a meeting that Williams’ supporters say was “fake” and “illegal” – on unsteady legal ground.
Bremer told FOX31 he is disappointed with the ruling and is working to “find a path forward” with attorneys.
Even if William’s opposition chooses to appeal the decision, there is not enough time to resolve an appeal before Election Day.
State Republicans have been calling for Williams to step down or be removed after a series of anti-LGBTQ emails and tweets from the Colorado GOP official accounts, calling gay people “godless groomers” and tweeting out calls to burn all Pride flags.
Colorado Oil and Gas Association CEO plans to step down
Colorado Oil and Gas Association CEO Dan Haley will step down from his position after nine years once a successor is found.
Haley is considered the industry’s most high-profile advocate in legislative, regulatory, and ballot initiative battles. That’s according to The Colorado Sun. He was often at odds with Democrats when it came to oil and gas decisions at the state level.
He was a large opponent of Senate Bill 181 during his tenure, which was passed in 2019. The bill changed the mandates for oil and gas regulators towards promoting public health and the environment, and away from developing more rigging sites.
The Sun reports that a successor will likely be named later this year or early next. It is unclear what that process will look like.
The post Pope expels Denver priest, along with nine others connected to “sadistic” abuses; Ambitious public land bill hits Senate floor appeared first on KGNU Community Radio.