Pope Francis criticized growing economic inequality and Catholic Church hierarchy in first official papal manifesto. Then, when it comes to family inheritance, some personal finance experts advise transparency, not surprise. Next, an odd story out of Florida retirement community, where a man's car was spray painted with "No Kids" after visits from his granddaughter. Then, the FDA is going after at-home genetic tests, and how to navigate conflict this Thanksgiving.
Pope Francis denounces 'tyranny' of capitalism, calls for Catholic Church reforms
Pope Francis continues to surprise Catholics and non-Catholics alike with his frank and unconventional ways. On Tuesday, the Pope released his theological manifesto, criticizing the “tyranny” of unchecked capitalism and calling for big changes in the Roman Catholic Church.
The document, known as Evangelii Gaudium in Latin, or The Joy of the Gospel, brings together much of what the Pope has been preaching and practicing over the last eight months of his papacy. It urges the church to end its obsession with culture war issues and move away from a focus on doctrine, towards one of joyful welcome in a bid to draw in the world’s 1.5 billion believers.
In the statement, the Pope denounced the global financial system “where the powerful feed upon the powerless” and reminded everyone “that the rich must help, respect and promote the poor.”
He also decried the church’s “obsession” with rules saying, “Some of these customs may be beautiful, but they no longer serve as means of communicating the Gospel. We should not be afraid to re-examine them. At the same time, the Church has rules or precepts which may have been quite effective in their time, but no longer have the same usefulness for directing and shaping people’s lives.”
Mostly, the document, which is the first written entirely by Pope Francis, argues that the Catholic church shouldn’t be afraid to get its hands dirty as it offers solace and mercy to society’s outcasts. Francis didn't mention specific reforms, but suggested the possibility of changes at the very top of the church.
How radical is this manifesto? How likely is it to lead to actual change in the church?
Guests:
Juan Martinez, PhD, Vice Provost at Fuller Theological Seminary
Jeff Dietrich, writer for the Catholic Agitator and advocate with LA Catholic Worker, an activist organization that feeds, shelters, clothes, and seeks justice for the homeless
Forget the surprise when it comes to inheritance
As if a death in the family weren't already enough to deal with, cases of unexpected inheritance can often lead loved ones into fights, fallouts, and even lawsuits. To prevent such familial discord, some personal finance experts are advising their clients to take a different path when it comes to inheritance: In short, leave out the surprise part.
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Not only will advance notice and frank conversation alleviate infighting, these experts argue, but they'll also prepare heirs to make better financial decisions with the gift that they receive, no matter the amount.
According to a national study by Ohio State University last year, adults who were given an inheritance only saved about half of what they gained.
Have you discussed the details of your will with your loved ones? Do you think that transparency is effective in preventing a blowout, or does it simply start the fight sooner rather than later? Have you yourself been caught up in the drama of a surprise inheritance? Do you even expect to be the subject of an inheritance?
Guest:
Robert Powell, Editor of Retirement Weekly
Gated community comes between grandparents and grandkids
A Florida grandfather living in the age-restricted community of Vero Beach looked out his window one recent morning and saw that he and his wife’s two vehicles had been vandalized with yellow spray paint. The vandal’s message: “No Kids.”
Turns out, one of Bhaskar Barot’s neighbors wasn’t too pleased with how often Barot’s 4-year-old granddaughter had been visiting the home. Vero Beach, like many communities around the country catering to retirees, requires residents to be at least 55 years old. Overnight stays for the under 55 crowd are limited to 30 days per year, though there is no limit on daily visits.
Barot says the mystery vandal isn’t the first community member to have a problem with the toddler tourist. Several neighbors have filed complaints to the Homeowners’ Association about Barot’s granddaughter.
How common and strict are rules like these in retirement communities? How strongly do folks who choose to in these communities feel about kids stealing their peace and quiet? And how do rules like this impact intergenerational family dynamics?
Guest:
Andrew Scharlach, Eugene and Rose Kleiner Professor of Aging, School of Social Welfare, University of California, Berkeley
FDA orders stop to 23andMe genetic testing kits
At-home genetic testing is about to get a little more difficult if the Food and Drug Administration has its way. The FDA issued a warning letter this week to the company 23andMe, a genetic test maker, to stop sales of its DNA testing kits consumers can order through the mail.
23andMe says its product can tell consumers if they’re at risk for more than 250 diseases and health conditions. For instance, the company says its kits are able to identify the BRCA gene mutation in women that significantly increases the risk of breast and ovarian cancer.
The company has been around for more than five years, but the FDA says 23andMe has failed to prove its testing kits to be safe or effective, even after numerous meetings and letters back and forth with the company.
In the warning letter, the FDA said it’s concerned about the public safety risk of inaccurate tests that could lead consumers to seek out unnecessary medical care and procedures.
23andMe has 15 days to respond to the FDA letter.
Should the FDA have halted the sale of 23andMe’s testing kits or is the move an act of unnecessary regulation? Have you ever used one of these kits? Did you find it to be accurate or helpful?
Guests:
Dr. Maren Scheuner, a clinical geneticist and associate professor at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
Nita Farahany, a bioethicist and professor of genome sciences and policy at Duke University
Arthur Caplan, professor of Medical Ethics at New York University Langone Medical Center
'Meat is murder!' and other things you shouldn’t say at Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is a time for families to come together and be thankful. For many of us, it’s also extremely fraught with unresolved family issues. The differences between us, whether they’re political, culinary or semantic can come with us to the table – whether we like it or not.
Often, the results are explosive and exhausting. But being blood relatives doesn’t have to mean bloody battles.
Take for instance, the escalating public feud between the Cheney sisters. Liz Cheney, who is running to become the next senator of Wyoming, recently told “Fox News Sunday” that while she loves her openly gay and married sister Mary, the matter of same-sex marriage “is just an issue on which we disagree.”
Mary Cheney’s wife, Heather Poe, responded via Facebook posting that “Liz has been a guest in our home, has spent time and shared holidays with our children…To have her now say she doesn't support our right to marry is offensive to say the least.” Their father, Dick Cheney, has come out supporting Liz, but has called for compassion.
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Sounds good, right? Check your baggage at the door and serve up a big helping of compassion. But what if you’re the only one playing nice? What if your mother simply insists, over and over again, that you eat some of that turkey she “slaved over” even though she knows you’ve been a vegetarian for years? What if your knee-jerk lefty brother won’t stop trying to provoke your father over his conservative political beliefs and you’re caught in the middle -- again?
Good news! Advice Goddess Amy Alkon is here to help you navigate the rude people in your life and survive the holidays intact.
Guest:
Amy Alkon, Nationally Syndicated Advice Columnist; Author of “I See Rude People: One woman's battle to beat some manners into impolite society” (McGraw-Hill) and the upcoming book, “Good Manners For Nice People Who Sometimes Say The Eff Word” (St. Martin's Press 2014)