European shorts.

Metz, France--A French couple who made clear that they had no plans to have children after marriage were denied the sacrament of matrimony by their parish priest in the northern French diocese of Metz. Bishop Pierre Raffin, in support of the unnamed priest, stated, "The Catholic Church's vision of marriage (is) that marriage is entered into freely, for life, and for the procreation of children." The priest and the bishop acted according to Canon Law.

Trier, Germany--Bishop Reinhard Marx announced the suspension of Father Gotthold Hasenhuettl for violating canon law and for failing to show remorse for admitting Protestants to Communion during a Mass in Berlin. Another Catholic priest, Father Bernhard Kroll from Eichstaett, had previously been suspended for taking bread and wine at a Protestant service during the same Ecumenical Church Congress.

"The Church is not some arbitrary system in which everyone can just apply the roles according to their own convictions", said Bishop Marx, who also stripped Father Hasenhuettl of his right to lecture as a professor of theology at the University of Saarbrucken. "When there is open dissent of this sort, a priest cannot continue in his position--the credibility of the Church is at stake."

Amsterdam, Netherlands--The 8th of May Movement closed shop on June 14. This movement of Catholic dissidents once claimed 14,000 members and had its beginning after Pope John Paul's visit to Holland in May 1985 when feminists, "gays", lesbians, and street punks threw rocks at him. The Pope never wavered, and spoke against contraception, abortion, homosexuality, euthanasia, and women's ordination, despite the tumult. This angered the numerous dissident intellectuals, who still thought their 1960's rebellion against the Roman Magisterium was bringing about a new Church in the image of the Dutch Catechism (which had dropped ten major doctrines such as original sin and the Virgin birth from the Catholic roster). Reasons for closure: arterial sclerosis of the spirit; age; and attrition.