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A group of Indian Christians have decided to observe Martyrdom Day on July 22 in memory of Christians who are persecuted and killed for their faith. It was the initiative of Shibu Thomas who through his ecumenical movement, “Persecution Relief” said special prayers were offered in Churches across the country. The observance is "part of a concerted effort to encourage those who continue to struggle to cope with persecution and challenge to live a true Christian life," Thomas told UCANEWS.Thomas explained that July 22 was chosen as it marked the first anniversary of the rape and murder of a Christian schoolgirl in the central Indian state of Chhattisgarh after her family refused to abandon their Christian faith despite several threats. "This was an act of revenge and intimidation, to get her family to renounce their faith, but they are still firm in their faith despite continuing threats," Thoma...
A group of Indian Christians have decided to observe Martyrdom Day on July 22 in memory of Christians who are persecuted and killed for their faith. It was the initiative of Shibu Thomas who through his ecumenical movement, “Persecution Relief” said special prayers were offered in Churches across the country. The observance is "part of a concerted effort to encourage those who continue to struggle to cope with persecution and challenge to live a true Christian life," Thomas told UCANEWS.
Thomas explained that July 22 was chosen as it marked the first anniversary of the rape and murder of a Christian schoolgirl in the central Indian state of Chhattisgarh after her family refused to abandon their Christian faith despite several threats. "This was an act of revenge and intimidation, to get her family to renounce their faith, but they are still firm in their faith despite continuing threats," Thomas said. "The day is a moral boost for such persons who suffer for the sake of Christ," he said.
Growing persecution
Christian leaders like him say attacks against Christians have increased since 2014 when the right-wing pro-Hindu Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power in a landslide victory. Fundamentalist Hindu groups, who consider BJP as their political wing, took the election victory as a mandate to step up their action to make India a Hindu-only nation.
Data collected by Persecution Relief shows that in 2016 alone, Hindu extremists destroyed 106 Christian places of worship, most of them belonging to Protestant and neo-Pentecostal groups.
Kandhamal, the worst persecution
In one of the worst persecutions against Christians in Indian history, nearly 100 Christians were killed in the orchestrated riots that Hindu extremists unleashed in Kandhamal district of eastern India’s Odisha state in August, 2008. (Source: UCANEWS)
(Vatican Radio) The annual conference of the international apostolate, Courage, which ministers to Catholics who experience same-sex attraction and are interested in living Christian lives, is being held this week at the University of St. Mary of the Lake in Mundelein, Il., in the United States.Conference participants have the opportunity to attend talks on various topics, including pastoral ministry, psychology, and understanding family members and loved ones who experience same-sex attraction.Included among the speakers will be Daniel Mattson, Courage member, and author of the book: Why I Don’t Call Myself Gay: How I Reclaimed My Sexual Reality and Found Peace; Bishop Frank Caggiano, of Bridgeport, Ct., where Courage headquarters is located; Andrew and Annette Comiskey, co-founders of Desert Stream/Living Waters Ministries; Matt Fradd, founder of The Porn Effect; and Fr. Paul Scalia, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Courage International.The Executive Director of Cour...
(Vatican Radio) The annual conference of the international apostolate, Courage, which ministers to Catholics who experience same-sex attraction and are interested in living Christian lives, is being held this week at the University of St. Mary of the Lake in Mundelein, Il., in the United States.
Conference participants have the opportunity to attend talks on various topics, including pastoral ministry, psychology, and understanding family members and loved ones who experience same-sex attraction.
Included among the speakers will be Daniel Mattson, Courage member, and author of the book: Why I Don’t Call Myself Gay: How I Reclaimed My Sexual Reality and Found Peace; Bishop Frank Caggiano, of Bridgeport, Ct., where Courage headquarters is located; Andrew and Annette Comiskey, co-founders of Desert Stream/Living Waters Ministries; Matt Fradd, founder of The Porn Effect; and Fr. Paul Scalia, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Courage International.
The Executive Director of Courage International, Fr. Philip Bochanski, says, “This event is always a moment of grace for our members and chaplains, as we renew old friendships and make new ones. The spirit of fellowship and support is palpable, and the time we spend praying, learning and growing together will bear much fruit throughout the year.”
Courage chaplains and other clerics interested in the Courage ministry are invited to attend a special day of study, free of charge, on July 26th, the day before the opening of the general conference.
The study day will explore anthropological and psychological aspects of same-sex attraction and ministry to people who experience it, and will feature talks on the medical side of transgenderism. Talks are also scheduled on preaching and other aspects of spiritual care, with a view to helping pastors recognize and meet the particular spiritual needs of persons living with same-sex attraction.
Click below to listen to our conversation with Courage President, Fr. Philip Bochanski
(Vatican Radio) Father John Stabeno, one of the U.S. Church’s leading experts on drug abuse, said America’s opioid drugs epidemic is getting "much more serious every day" and "is tearing families apart" across the nation. Director of Catholic Charities’ Addiction Healing Ministry in Camden, New Jersey, Father Stabeno has dedicated the last 30 years of his life to helping addicts and their family members. He was interviewed by Susy Hodges. Listen to the interview with Father John Stabeno: The U.S. is struggling with the worst drug addiction crisis of its history and drug overdoses are now the leading cause of death among Americans under the age of 50. "Killing more Americans than the Vietnam War"Currently over 90 Americans are dying each day from an opioid overdose, four times as many as two decades ago. Father Stabeno said while the causes for this growing epidemic are complex, much of the surface blame can be ...
(Vatican Radio) Father John Stabeno, one of the U.S. Church’s leading experts on drug abuse, said America’s opioid drugs epidemic is getting "much more serious every day" and "is tearing families apart" across the nation. Director of Catholic Charities’ Addiction Healing Ministry in Camden, New Jersey, Father Stabeno has dedicated the last 30 years of his life to helping addicts and their family members. He was interviewed by Susy Hodges.
Listen to the interview with Father John Stabeno:
The U.S. is struggling with the worst drug addiction crisis of its history and drug overdoses are now the leading cause of death among Americans under the age of 50.
"Killing more Americans than the Vietnam War"
Currently over 90 Americans are dying each day from an opioid overdose, four times as many as two decades ago. Father Stabeno said while the causes for this growing epidemic are complex, much of the surface blame can be pinned on pharmaceutical companies who have been marketing these powerful opioid painkillers as well as doctors who have been prescribing them “too easily” to patients. “It’s a money maker” for both of them, he said. Doctors have become, in essence, “drug dealers.”
Asked about the Church’s role in providing help to the victims of this drug addiction epidemic, Father Stabeno explained that the Church “is now getting there” after becoming more aware of the seriousness of this crisis but still needs to ramp up further its outreach to the addicts and their families.
“It’s hitting everywhere”
Contrary to what many might think, this opioid addiction crisis is not just contained to small deprived segments of society but is affecting all social, economic and ethnic groups, Father Stebano said.
He talked of how he has come across parents who have lost not just one son or daughter as a result of a fatal drug overdose but two or occasionally even three of their children.
When it comes to the recovery program, Father Stabeno explained that one of the root causes fuelling the current drug addiction epidemic among young people is a spiritual void and said the healing program they promote helps addicts to connect or reconnect with God.
Vatican City, Jul 25, 2017 / 07:43 am (CNA/EWTN News).- As the city of Rome and much of Italy experiences a severe drought, the Vatican has turned off its fountains in an effort to preserve water and show solidarity with the city, which may be forced to ration water to about 1 million of the city’s residents.As far as is known, this is the first time the Vatican has been forced to turn off its some 100 fountains, “so this is an exception,” Greg Burke, Director of the Holy See Press Office, told Reuters TV.The water that comes into the Vatican is from the same sources as the water to the city of Rome, he said. “This is the Vatican's way of living solidarity with Rome, trying to help Rome get through this crisis.”A prolonged heatwave in southern Europe and two years of well-below-average rainfall have caused a severe drought in Rome and the surrounding areas.The two large fountains in St. Peter’s Square – Baroque masterpieces by 17th-centu...
Vatican City, Jul 25, 2017 / 07:43 am (CNA/EWTN News).- As the city of Rome and much of Italy experiences a severe drought, the Vatican has turned off its fountains in an effort to preserve water and show solidarity with the city, which may be forced to ration water to about 1 million of the city’s residents.
As far as is known, this is the first time the Vatican has been forced to turn off its some 100 fountains, “so this is an exception,” Greg Burke, Director of the Holy See Press Office, told Reuters TV.
The water that comes into the Vatican is from the same sources as the water to the city of Rome, he said. “This is the Vatican's way of living solidarity with Rome, trying to help Rome get through this crisis.”
A prolonged heatwave in southern Europe and two years of well-below-average rainfall have caused a severe drought in Rome and the surrounding areas.
The two large fountains in St. Peter’s Square – Baroque masterpieces by 17th-century sculptors Carlo Maderno and Gian Lorenzo Bernini – were turned off Monday. All 100 fountains will be turned off gradually over the next few days, including those in the Vatican Gardens.
“This decision is very much in line with the Pope’s thinking on ecology: you can’t waste and sometimes you have to be willing to make a sacrifice,” Burke said.
“We have very beautiful gardens in the Vatican. They might not be as green this year, but we'll survive.”
The decision to turn off the fountains is in-line with Pope Francis’ commitment to the environment and concern for the protection of “our common home” that he laid out in his 2015 encyclical on the environment, “Laudato Si.”
To preserve water, the city of Rome has turned off its drinking fountains and has also begun to turn off or lower the flow of many of its historic fountains. A ban on drawing water from the drought-hit Lake Bracciano, which lies about 25 miles from the city and supplies at least part of its water, will go into effect July 28.
Following this ban, the city may be forced to ration the water supply in up to 8 hour intervals to around half of its 3 million residents.
In southern Italy and Greece, temperatures well over 100 degrees Fahrenheit combined with strong winds have caused forest fires leading to the closure of popular tourist sites, such as Mount Vesuvius near Naples, which had 23 wildfires on its slopes earlier this month.
Wildfires near the Calampiso seaside resort west of Palermo, the capital of Sicily, caused more than 700 tourists to be evacuated by boat July 12.
A Vatican seminar on water in February highlighted the complex challenges faced around the world in making the basic human right to water a reality for all people, including under environmental factors such as drought.
Pope Francis addressed participants in the seminar Feb. 24, reaffirming that water is indeed a basic human right.
“Our right to water is also a duty to water,” he said. “Our right to water gives rise to an inseparable duty. We are obliged to proclaim this essential human right and to defend it – as we have done – but we also need to work concretely to bring about political and juridical commitments in this regard.”
“God the Creator does not abandon us in our efforts to provide access to clean drinking water to each and to all,” he continued.
“With the ‘little’ we have, we will be helping to make our common home a more livable and fraternal place, where none are rejected or excluded, but all enjoy the goods needed to live and to grow in dignity.”
IMAGE: CNS photo/Junno Arocho EstevesBy Junno Arocho EstevesVATICANCITY (CNS) -- While Rome reels from one of its worst droughts in decades, theVatican is doing its part to conserve water by shutting down the city-state's100 fountains.The officegoverning Vatican City State announced July 25 that the drought has "ledthe Holy See to take measures aimed at saving water" by shutting downfountains in St. Peter's Square, throughout the Vatican Gardens and in theterritory of the state."Thedecision is in line with the teachings of Pope Francis, who reminds us in hisencyclical 'Laudato Si'' how 'the habit of wasting and discarding' has reached'unprecedented levels' while 'freshdrinking water is an issue of primary importance, since it is indispensable forhuman life and for supporting terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems,'" the officesaid.The prolongeddrought has forced officials from the Lazio region of Italy to halt pumpingwater from Lake Bracciano, located roughly 19 miles north of Rome. Le...
IMAGE: CNS photo/Junno Arocho Esteves
By Junno Arocho Esteves
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- While Rome reels from one of its worst droughts in decades, the Vatican is doing its part to conserve water by shutting down the city-state's 100 fountains.
The office governing Vatican City State announced July 25 that the drought has "led the Holy See to take measures aimed at saving water" by shutting down fountains in St. Peter's Square, throughout the Vatican Gardens and in the territory of the state.
"The decision is in line with the teachings of Pope Francis, who reminds us in his encyclical 'Laudato Si'' how 'the habit of wasting and discarding' has reached 'unprecedented levels' while 'fresh drinking water is an issue of primary importance, since it is indispensable for human life and for supporting terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems,'" the office said.
The prolonged drought has forced officials from the Lazio region of Italy to halt pumping water from Lake Bracciano, located roughly 19 miles north of Rome. Less than usual rainfalls in the past two years have steadily depleted the lake, which provides 8 percent of the city's water supply.
In an interview with Italian news outlet Tgcom24, Nicola Zingaretti, the region's president, said the lake's water level has "fallen too much and we risk an environmental disaster."
While the drought already forced Rome city officials to shut down some of Rome's public drinking fountains in June, it may lead to strict water rationing for the city's estimated 1.5 million residents.
City officials may also take the Vatican's lead and shut down water pouring down from Rome's many ancient fountains.
Pilgrims and visitors alike have marveled at the majestic fountains of St. Peter's Square that have cascaded water for centuries since their construction in the 17th century.
While the source of water was once provided from an ancient Roman aqueduct, the two fountains, as well as 10 percent of Vatican City State's 100 fountains "recirculate water currently," Greg Burke, Vatican spokesman, told Catholic News Service in a July 25 email.
Others, he added, "will eventually be transformed in order to recirculate" the same water rather than let it be wasted by running into the drainage or sewer system.
Burke told CNS that the Vatican's move to switch off the fountains located within its territory is "a way to show a good example" in conserving water as the city deals with the crisis.
"We're not going to be able to solve Rome's water problem this summer, but we can do our part," Burke said. "This is the Vatican putting 'Laudato Si'' into action. Let's not waste water."
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