As Hurricane Katrina was about to make landfall, Bishop Charles Jenkins of Louisiana sent a message to the Presiding Bishop asking for the Church's prayers. Now that we are beginning to realize the extent of the devastation wrought by the storm, and the flooding unleashed by Tuesday's break in the levees, it is time for us also to begin to provide aid to the thousands whose lives have been uprooted by and washed over by this catastrophe. The need will be enormous.

The courthouse here in BR was just evacuated of all personnel for fear of violence. 30,000 military are on the way. New born babies, new moms and expecting moms showing up here at St. Luke's, being life-flighted here. No room at area hospitals.

Traditional Christian teachings frown upon homosexuality, as does African culture. It is against this background that the majority of African Christians, Anglicans in particular, are agonising over the consecration of Gene Robinson, an openly gay American divorcee of two, as bishop of an Episcopal Church, the American version of the Anglican Church. Most are horrified, and the consecration was met with harsh condemnation across Africa.

The document expresses the church's belief that gay men should no longer be allowed to enter seminaries to study for the priesthood. Currently, as all priests take a vow of celibacy, their sexual orientation has not been considered a pressing concern.

Vatican-watchers believe the Pope harbours doubts about whether the church should publish the document, which has already been the subject of three drafts.