Come again?

In March, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) released guidelines, after 10 years of research, evaluating Reiki as an alternative therapy. The guidelines state: "For a Catholic to believe in Reiki therapy presents insoluble problems. In terms of caring for one's physical health or the physical health of others, to employ a technique that has no scientific support (or even plausibility) is generally not prudent."

[USCCB, "Reiki Therapy Unscientific, 'Inappropriate for Catholic Institutions,' Say Bishops' Guidelines," March 26, 2009.]

So, the bishops spent ten years and countless dollars evaluating Reiki therapy. What's next? Fen shui? Tai chi? Perhaps time and money would be better spent researching issues that matter a bit more. Or perhaps we are all better off when they waste time investigating red herrings.

In reflecting upon his papal visit to Cameroon and Angola, Pope Benedict had this to say about the African continent: "Africa is a very young continent, but too many of her sons and daughters--children and adolescents--have suffered serious wounds."

[Vatican Information Services, "Holy Father Recalls his Apostolic Trip to Africa," April 1, 2009.]

We know the pope is not a biblical literalist, or he would believe that Africa was as old or as young as the rest of the continents. However, surely he knows that Africa is considered to be the oldest inhabited territory on Earth. Depicting Africa as "young" only furthers the stigma of Africa and Africans as young, irresponsible and unworthy of a place at the table.