Catholic News 2

Pope Francis on Friday approved the election of a new Auxiliary Bishop to the southern India’s Archeparcy or Archdiocese of Changanacherry belonging to the Syro-Malabar rite Catholic Church.  The Synod of Bishops of the Syro-Malabar Church elected Fr. Thomas Tharayil as the Auxilary of Changanacherry, in Kerala state.   In the eastern-rite Catholic Churches the synods have the autonomy of electing their bishops, to which the Pope gives his assent.  

Bishop-elect, Fr. Tharayil, was born in Changanacherry on Feb 2, 1972, and after passing through the minor seminary of Kurichy he pursued his studies at St. Thomas Apostolic Seminary, Vadavathoor.  After his priestly ordination on Jan. 1, 2000, he went to Rome where he obtained a licentiate as well as a doctorate in psychology from the Pontifical Gregorian University.  Besides his native tongue, Malayalam, Fr. Tharayil knows Italian, Spanish and German.  Among his various responsibilities, he served as secretary to Archbishop Emeritus Joseph Powathil, assistant parish priest in several parishes, professor in various seminaries and institutes and until now, the director of the Danahalaya Institute of Formation.

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) is the apex body of the Catholic Church of India, that is composed of the Latin Rite and the two ‎eastern rites – the Syro-Malabar and Syro-Malankara Churches, which claim their origin from St. Thomas the Apostle.  According to website of the Apostolic Nuncio to India, out of a total of 176 archdioceses and dioceses, 136 belong to the Latin Rite, 31 to the Syro-Malabar and 9 to the Syro-Malankara Churches.  ‎

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Card. Patrick D'Rozario, Archbishop of Dhaka is urging his faithful to seek out families in need to help them.  "Go and seek out the homes of Christians that are the farthest from your parishes and visit them.  Bring the joy of the Gospel to these families. Their members need closeness and spiritual advice," Bangladesh’s first cardinal told 50 priests, 20 nuns and 30 lay Catholics at a ceremony at the Archbishop’s Residence. He said many Christian families are in difficulty, needing need love and compassion.  Men and women religious are needed to take care of them.”  Calling the family “a small church”, “the root of the Church”, the 73-yer old cardinal argues the Church cannot live if its roots are cut.  Citing Pope Francis, Card. D’Rozario urged that family members to get together for a few minutes daily to pray for one another.   In a Muslim-majoirty country where Christians account for just 0.6 percent of more than 160 million population, inter-faith marriages are commonplace.  In this regard the Archbishop of Dhaka called for renewed interest in the real meaning of the marital bond. (Source:AsiaNews)

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A Pakistani Senate committee is set to debate how to prevent the country's blasphemy laws being applied unfairly, despite opposition from religious conservatives who support legislation that carries a mandatory death penalty for insulting Islam.  Senator Farhatullah Babar told Reuters that the Senate Committee on Human Rights, of which he is a member, will start discussions on blasphemy laws as early as next week, based on recommendations from a 24-year-old report.  He said it would be the first time in decades that any parliamentary body had considered a formal proposal to stop the abuse of the blasphemy laws. 

According to Babar, the committee would consider a proposal making it binding to investigate complaints before registering a case, to ensure "genuine blasphemy" had been committed and the law was not being used to settle scores, as critics say it is.  He also said the committee would debate whether life imprisonment was an adequate punishment, instead of the mandatory death penalty.

Many conservatives in Pakistan consider even criticizing the laws as blasphemy, and in 2011 Governor Salman Taseer of Punjab Province, was assassinated by his bodyguard after calling for reform of the laws.  His killer, Mumtaz Qadri ,was hailed as a hero by religious hardliners, and tens of thousands of supporters attended his funeral after he was executed last year.  A shrine has been built over his grave.

A Christian woman, Asia Bibi, is in jail for 7 years on charges of blasphemy.  She was sentenced to hang in 2010 for insulting the Prophet Muhammad during an argument with Muslim women which began over a cup of water. She denies the charge.  Pakistan's Supreme Court adjourned her death row appeal on October 13 last year, after one of the 3 judges recused himself from the case.

Christian minorities minister Shahbaz Bhatti and Muslim politician Salmaan Taseer, the governor of Punjab Province, were both assassinated in 2011 for advocating on her behalf and opposing the blasphemy laws.  Hundreds of Pakistanis are on death row for blasphemy convictions, and at least 65 people, including  lawyers, defendants and judges, have been murdered over blasphemy allegations since 1990, according to figures from the Center for Research and Security Studies based in the capital Islamabad.

Pakistan's religious and political elites almost universally steer clear of speaking against blasphemy laws, but a small group of lawmakers has been looking for ways to reduce abuses.  However, powerful religious conservatives who have millions of followers strongly support the laws. Last week, Pakistani police arrested 150 hardline activists rallying in support of the blasphemy laws on the anniversary of the assassination of Taseer.   Police have also resisted a demand by hardliners to register a blasphemy case against Shaan Taseer, the slain governor's son, over a Christmas message calling for prayers for those charged under the "inhumane" legislation.  ‎(Source: Reuters) ‎

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Vatican City, Jan 14, 2017 / 09:33 am (CNA/EWTN News).- On the 10 month anniversary of the kidnapping of Fr. Tom Uzhunnalil in Yemen, the Salesians are inviting people around the world to join them in praying a novena for the priest’s safety and release. 

The Salesian order, to which Fr. Tom belongs, is inviting the faithful to trust the "intercession of the Mother of the Savior” and asking them to include the “special intention” of Fr. Tom in a novena to Mary, Help of Christians, according to Salesian newsletter “Agenzia Info Salesiana” (ANS). 

The novena, proposed to the Salesians by the Association of Mary Help of Christians (ADMA) of Turin, will last from Jan. 15-23.

“As an association, we feel particularly committed to praying for priests, so we would like to request the intervention of Mary Immaculate Help of Christians for the prompt release of Fr Tom,” Mr. Tullio Lucca and Fr. Pierluigi Cameroni, President and Spiritual Animator of ADMA, said in a Jan. 10 article published on ANS.

Rector Major of the Salesians Fr. Ángel Fernández Artime has given the initiative his full support, and is encouraging all members of the Salesian family to participate in the novena.

Prayers for the novena, to be offered three times daily for the duration of the nine consecutive days, include: an Our Father, Hail Mary and a Glory Be offered to the Holy Eucharist, followed by the short prayer: “Blessed and praised every moment be the Most Holy and Divine Sacrament.”

Then participants must pray, again three times, the Hail Holy Queen followed by “Mary Help of Christians, pray for us.”

Personal conditions required for the novena include participating in the sacraments of Confession and the Holy Eucharist, making an offering to or participating in the work of an apostolate, particularly one aimed at youth, and renewing one’s faith in the Eucharistic Jesus and their devotion to Mary, Help of Christians. 

The proposition of the novena comes just 10 days after the Salesian province of Bangalore in India requested that the 11 Salesian communities of South Asia to mark Jan. 4 as day of prayer and adoration for Fr. Tom’s release. 

Both prayer initiatives come after a video was posted to YouTube Dec. 26 allegedly showing Fr. Tom appealing to Pope Francis, and bishops all over the world, for help.

“Dear Pope Francis…as a father, please take care of my life,” Fr. Tom said. “My health is deteriorating; I am in need of hospitalization soon. Please come to my help quickly.”

Fr. Tom was kidnapped in Yemen in March of last year during an attack on a Missionaries of Charity house that left 4 sisters dead. 

No one has claimed responsibility for the kidnapping, making it difficult for the Indian government to broker the priest’s release, which has been exacerbated by the political instability in Yemen.

Yemen has been embroiled in civil war since March 2015, when Shia rebels attempted to oust Yemen’s Sunni-led government. Saudi Arabia has led a pro-government coalition. Both al-Qaeda and the Islamic State have set up strongholds in the country amid the power vacuum. More than 6,000 people have been killed in the conflict, according to the United Nations.

Fr. Tom garnered international attention last spring when rumors spread that he was to be crucified on Good Friday after his kidnapping. The rumors were later discredited.

Pope Francis appealed for the priest’s release April 10 after his Sunday Regina Caeli address in St. Peter’s Square.

“I renew my appeal for the freeing of all kidnapped persons in armed conflict zones,” the Pope said. “In particular, I wish to remember Salesian priest Tom Uzhunnalil, who was abducted in Aden, Yemen last March 4.”

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