The Vatican has forced the editor of a prominent New York-based Catholic magazine to resign because he had published articles critical of church positions including gay marriage and the use of condoms. Father Thomas Reese — a Jesuit — had served as editor of the weekly magazine “America” for the past seven years. He is one of the most prominent commentators in the country on issues related to the church. The order to dismiss him was issued in March by the section of the Vatican then headed by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger who has since become Pope. Meanwhile in North Carolina, a small Baptist church has voted to kick out nine members of its parish because they didn’t support President Bush in November’s election.