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WASHINGTON (AP) -- Donald Trump's pick to run the CIA told Congress on Thursday that he accepts the findings in an intelligence assessment that Russia interfered in the U.S. election with the goal of helping Trump win, even though the president-elect has been skeptical of some of the report's conclusions....
WASHINGTON (AP) -- In yet another aftershock from the chaotic presidential campaign, the Justice Department inspector general opened an investigation Thursday into department and FBI actions before the election, including whether FBI Director James Comey followed established policies in the email investigation of Hillary Clinton....
The 4th World Apostolic Congress on Mercy (WACOM4) is taking place in the Philippine capital Manila, next week. “Communion in Mercy, Mission for Mercy”, is the theme of the January 16-20 event. WACOM is an international gathering of Divine Mercy devotees and promoters, among whom are cardinals, bishops, priests, religious and the laity. So far three WACOMs have been convened since it began in 2008. Pope Francis has nominated French Cardinal Philippe Barbarin, Archbisop of Lyon, as his special envoy to WACOM4. To know more about WACOM4, we called Secular Carmelite Monina Tayamen, the WACOM-Asia Lay Coordinator. Talking to us on the phone from Manila, the mother of 6 and formation director for Divine Mercy devotees in the Philippines, began by giving us a brief background to WACOM. Listen:
The 4th World Apostolic Congress on Mercy (WACOM4) is taking place in the Philippine capital Manila, next week. “Communion in Mercy, Mission for Mercy”, is the theme of the January 16-20 event. WACOM is an international gathering of Divine Mercy devotees and promoters, among whom are cardinals, bishops, priests, religious and the laity. So far three WACOMs have been convened since it began in 2008. Pope Francis has nominated French Cardinal Philippe Barbarin, Archbisop of Lyon, as his special envoy to WACOM4.
To know more about WACOM4, we called Secular Carmelite Monina Tayamen, the WACOM-Asia Lay Coordinator. Talking to us on the phone from Manila, the mother of 6 and formation director for Divine Mercy devotees in the Philippines, began by giving us a brief background to WACOM.
Listen:
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis celebrated Mass in the chapel of the Casa Santa Marta on Thursday morning. In remarks to the faithful following the readings of the day, the Holy Father reflected on the unique and unrepeatable opportunities each day offers to grow in faith and love of God.The day in which we have received God's lovePope Francis took as the focal point of his reflections the text from Psalm 95, which the author of the Letter to the Hebrews took up in the 3rd chapter, a portion of which was read at Mass. There is “only one ‘today’, in our lives,” – only one real, concrete today. Our temptation and everyone’s temptation is to say: “Yes, I will do tomorrow,” though this is the temptation of a “‘tomorrow’ there will not be,” as Jesus says in the parable of the ten virgins – the five foolish ones who had not taken oil with them along with their lamps, then find the door locked when they ...
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis celebrated Mass in the chapel of the Casa Santa Marta on Thursday morning. In remarks to the faithful following the readings of the day, the Holy Father reflected on the unique and unrepeatable opportunities each day offers to grow in faith and love of God.
The day in which we have received God's love
Pope Francis took as the focal point of his reflections the text from Psalm 95, which the author of the Letter to the Hebrews took up in the 3rd chapter, a portion of which was read at Mass. There is “only one ‘today’, in our lives,” – only one real, concrete today. Our temptation and everyone’s temptation is to say: “Yes, I will do tomorrow,” though this is the temptation of a “‘tomorrow’ there will not be,” as Jesus says in the parable of the ten virgins – the five foolish ones who had not taken oil with them along with their lamps, then find the door locked when they go to buy it. Francis also referred to the parable of the man who knocks on the door saying to the Lord, “I ate with you, I was with you,” and hear him respond, “I do not know you, you came late.”:
“I say this not to scare you, but simply to say that our life is today: now or never. I think of this: tomorrow will be the eternal tomorrow that never sets, with the Lord forever – if I am true to this day; and the question that I put to you is the same the Holy Spirit is putting to all of us, i.e. ‘How ought I to live, this day?”
Let our hearts be open to the Lord
The second word that is repeated in the Reading is “heart”. For with the heart “we meet the Lord” and many times Jesus rebukes people saying they are “slow of heart”, late to understand. The call is therefore not to harden the heart and to wonder whether it is not “without faith” or “deceived by sin”:
“‘Today’ is played out in our hearts. Are our hearts opened to the Lord? To me it always strikes me when I find an older person – often priests or nuns – who tell me, ‘Father, pray for my final perseverance’ – ‘But, you did well all your life long, all the days of your ‘today’ are in the service of the Lord, and still you are afraid?’ ‘No, no, my life has not yet waned: I want to live it fully, I pray that the day arrives full, full, with a heart strong in faith, and not ruined by sin, vices, corruption.’”
To ask about our day and our hearts
Pope Francis went on to urge the faithful present – and all of us – to question ourselves about our own time and our own heart. Today is “full of days” but “we will not repeat” any one of them. Days go by until the Lord says “enough”:
“Today does not repeat itself: this is life. –and the heart, the open heart, open to the Lord, not closed, not hard, not hardened, not without faith, not perverted, not deceived by sin. The Lord has met so many of these, who had closed their hearts: the doctors of the law, all these people who persecuted him, put him to the test to convict him – and in the end they managed to do it. We go home with these two words only: how is my ‘today’? The sunset can be today, this day or many days later. But how are you, my today, in the presence of the Lord? And how is my heart? Is it open? Is it firm in the faith? is it led by the Lord? With these two questions we ask the Lord for the grace which each of us needs.”
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis on Thursday met separately with the Mayor of Rome, Virginia Raggi, and the President of the Region of Lazio, Nicola Zingaretti.It is tradition for the Bishop of Rome to meet with local officials during the month of January to exchange New Year greetings.The meetings were private, and no official statement was released afterward. However, Zingaretti told reporters meeting the Pope is “always a very emotional experience.”
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis on Thursday met separately with the Mayor of Rome, Virginia Raggi, and the President of the Region of Lazio, Nicola Zingaretti.
It is tradition for the Bishop of Rome to meet with local officials during the month of January to exchange New Year greetings.
The meetings were private, and no official statement was released afterward. However, Zingaretti told reporters meeting the Pope is “always a very emotional experience.”
(Vatican Radio) At a meeting of the Permanent Council of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), the Holy See’s Permanent Representative to the organization pointed out “2017 begins in the shadow of the many conflicts in, and violent attacks on, the OSCE region in 2016.”“We must acknowledge that far too many of our fellow citizens know too well the horror and consequences of conflict, strife and terrorism, and sadly, look to the future with fear in their hearts rather than confidence and a clear sense of security,” said Msgr. Janusz S. Urbanczyk.“This worrying reality spurs us to action,” – the Vatican diplomat continued – “Peace, and peaceful co-existence, must be at the top of our Organization’s agenda. For that very reason the Holy See will support any and all initiatives … that seek to advance the cause of peace and stability, especially when such initiatives strive to defuse conf...
(Vatican Radio) At a meeting of the Permanent Council of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), the Holy See’s Permanent Representative to the organization pointed out “2017 begins in the shadow of the many conflicts in, and violent attacks on, the OSCE region in 2016.”
“We must acknowledge that far too many of our fellow citizens know too well the horror and consequences of conflict, strife and terrorism, and sadly, look to the future with fear in their hearts rather than confidence and a clear sense of security,” said Msgr. Janusz S. Urbanczyk.
“This worrying reality spurs us to action,” – the Vatican diplomat continued – “Peace, and peaceful co-existence, must be at the top of our Organization’s agenda. For that very reason the Holy See will support any and all initiatives … that seek to advance the cause of peace and stability, especially when such initiatives strive to defuse conflict, re-establish trust between the 57 participating States and fight radicalization and violent extremism.”
Msgr. Urbanczyk said in this regard, “the Holy See would like to draw attention to the need, the profound need, to reject violence and embrace nonviolence.”
The full text of the speech can be found below
STATEMENT BY MONSIGNOR JANUSZ S. URBANCZYK PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF THE HOLY SEE, AT THE 1127th (SPECIAL) MEETING OF THE OSCE PERMANENT COUNCIL 12 JANUARY 2017
RE: ADDRESS BY THE CHAIRPERSON-IN-OFFICE OF THE OSCE, FEDERAL MINISTER FOR EUROPE, INTEGRATION AND FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF AUSTRIA, H.E. SEBASTIAN KURZ
Mr Chairman,
The Holy See warmly welcomes the Federal Minister for Europe, Integration and Foreign Affairs of Austria, H.E. Sebastian Kurz, back to the Permanent Council, congratulates him on assuming the charge of 2017 OSCE Chairman-in-Office, thanks him for his presentation, and assures him of the cooperation and support of the Holy See during the Austrian Chairmanship. To you, Ambassador Koja, and to the entire staff of the Austrian Delegation and Chairmanship Task Force, the Holy See extends its congratulations and best wishes. Let me also take this opportunity to renew the gratitude of my Delegation to the 2016 German Chairmanship for its leadership over the course of the past year.
Mr Chairman,
The year 2017 begins in the shadow of the many conflicts in, and violent attacks on, the OSCE region in 2016. We must acknowledge that far too many of our fellow citizens know too well the horror and consequences of conflict, strife and terrorism, and sadly, look to the future with fear in their hearts rather than confidence and a clear sense of security.
This worrying reality spurs us to action. Peace, and peaceful co-existence, must be at the top of our Organization’s agenda. For that very reason the Holy See will support any and all initiatives of the Austrian Chairmanship that seek to advance the cause of peace and stability, especially when such initiatives strive to defuse conflict, re-establish trust between the 57 participating States and fight radicalization and violent extremism.
In this regard, the Holy See would like to draw attention to the need, the profound need, to reject violence and embrace nonviolence. As Pope Francis has recently pointed out: “Nonviolence is sometimes taken to mean surrender, lack of involvement and passivity, but this is not the case… For the force of arms is deceptive”.1
My Delegation would be remiss if it did not reinforce these words by recalling the Nobel Laureate, Bertha von Suttner, the Austrian peace activist and the first woman ever to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, who in her most famous call for peace, the book Lay down your arms, summoned and continues to summon the world to embrace peace, and reject the glorification of war. She wrote: “This question of whether violence or law should prevail between states is the most vital of the problems of our eventful era, and the most serious in its repercussions. The beneficial results of a secure world peace are almost inconceivable but even more inconceivable are the consequences of the threatening world war which many misguided people are prepared to precipitate”.
Moreover, the Holy See wishes to highlight once again “the constructive and important role that religions can play, especially with a view to the prevention of war, and the reconciliation, rehabilitation and reconstruction of post-conflict societies … Religions, in fact, can be harnessed as an innate positive force given the contribution that believers strive to bring to their communities and societies”.2
Mr Chairman,
The Holy See is most pleased that the Ministerial Council in Hamburg adopted the Decision on OSCE’s Role in the Governance of Large Movements of Migrants and Refugees. As peoples fleeing from wars and persecutions, as well as from poverty and exclusion will likely remain a significant feature in our States in the years ahead, we congratulate the Austrian Chairmanship for its pledge to advance the work done by the Swiss, Serbian and German Chairmanships on migration, refugees and the displaced. In particular, since many migrants and refugees, especially from the MENA Region, flee from violations of fundamental freedoms – including freedom of religion or belief – participating States have a duty to guarantee to them, as to all people, the enjoyment of human rights. Moreover, as Pope Francis has noted,
“we need to take action against the causes and not only the effects” of this phenomenon.3 “Many of the causes of migration could have been addressed some time ago. So many disasters could have been prevented, or at least their harshest effects mitigated. Today too, before it is too late, much could be done to end these tragedies and to build peace”.4 This issue will also be advanced through increased and intensified common efforts with the Partners for Co-operation, in particular those of the Mediterranean region.
Pope Francis has repeatedly called for just financial and economic systems that advance integral human development and ensure protection and care for our common home through sound environmental policies. The Holy Father has pointed out that: “The urgent challenge to protect our common home includes a concern to bring the whole human family together to seek a sustainable and integral development, for we know that things can change”.5 The Holy See is, therefore, most supportive of the intentions of the Austrian Chairmanship in the Economic and Environmental Dimension, building on the successful adoption at the Ministerial Council in Hamburg of the Decision on Strengthening Good Governance and Promoting Connectivity.
1 Pope Francis, Message for the celebration of the 50th World Day of Peace, 1 January 2017, 4.
2 Archbishop Paul R. Gallagher, Address to the 2016 OSCE Ministerial Council, MC.DEL/12/16.
3 Pope Francis, Address to the Members of the European Parliament, Strasbourg, 25 November 2014.
4 Pope Francis, Address to the members of the diplomatic corps accredited to the Holy See, Vatican, 11 January 2016.
Mr Chairman,
Throughout the 40+ years of the great project that was launched with the signing of the Helsinki Final Act, the Holy See has given special emphasis to the third dimension, focusing on human rights, so as to protect the inherent dignity of all human persons, without distinction as to race, sex, language or religion. Therefore, the Holy See is pleased to express support for the overall priorities of the Austrian Chairmanship in the Human Dimension.
The Holy See remains confident that, under your Chairmanship, it will be possible to reach the consensus on the Ministerial Council Declarations on enhancing efforts to combat intolerance and discrimination, including against Muslims, Christians and members of other religions, in accordance with the tasking given by the Basel Declaration on enhancing efforts to combat anti-Semitism. We applaud the informal consultations initiated by the German Chairmanship in connection with the MC in Hamburg; however, more work is needed. The Holy See calls for a meeting, during the coming year, of the Human Dimension Committee to be devoted to the Basel tasking and to the manifestations of intolerance and discrimination[, including hate crimes,] that affect religious and belief communities across the OSCE Region.
My Delegation attaches great importance to dialogue and partnership among the religions, as well as between States and religions, as an important means to promote confidence, trust, reconciliation, mutual respect and understanding as well as to foster peace. Therefore, we welcome the interest of your Chairmanship in this issue and we encourage you to continue efforts to reach a Ministerial Council declaration on the topic.
Finally, the Holy See – which fully supports the political, economic, social and cultural participation of women, alongside and on the same level as men, as clearly expressed in OSCE agreed commitments – considers that much still needs to be done to advance a true and authentic equality between women and men; as well as to combat violence against women, which continues to affect many women and greatly violates their dignity and fundamental human rights.
Minister Kurz,
As you undertake the responsibilities incumbent on you as the 2017 OSCE Chairman-in-Office, the Holy See notes that significant organizational issues and decisions must be resolved and adopted this year: a revised system of the OSCE Scales of Contributions should be adopted, a new Secretary General, ODIHR Director, Representative on Freedom of the Media, and High Commissioner for National Minorities are to be appointed by consensus, and the question of the OSCE Legal Framework and Personality remains – alas – open, as no resolution seems imminent. Although they may perhaps appear rather administrative and bureaucratic, the Holy See urges that priority be given to these issues, as without their resolution, the very functioning of the OSCE is placed in jeopardy. Therefore, we should keep in mind that the 57 participating States form a community not only of values, but also of responsibility, not just for the common good of the OSCE area, but also for the Organization as such.
In conclusion, I wish you the very best and every success in promoting further the security and co-operation among all 57 participating States. With the 2017 Austrian Chairmanship, the centrality of the city of Vienna is underlined anew. May the year 2017, for all men and women, both East and West of this city of engaged and constructive negotiations, of diplomacy, and of compromise, be marked by concrete and necessary steps towards peace, security and co-operation. Thank you Mr Chairman.
5 Pope Francis, Encyclical Letter Laudato Si’, No. 13.
(Vatican Radio) The leader of Syria's Catholic Church has urged the West and the United Nations to immediately end sanctions against his country and to stop supporting rebels, saying this is the only way to find a solution to a war that has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives. Ignatius Ephrem Joseph III Younan made the comments in an interview with Vatican Radio in Budapest, Hungary, where he also thanked Pope Francis for his prayers. Listen to the report by correspondent Stefan Bos: The patriarch is a man on a mission. After giving a lecture at Budapest's Pázmány Péter Catholic University he was to meet Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and expected to discuss how Hungary can support persecuted Christians. He also wants Hungary to pressure the European Union and U.N. to end the war in his home country. "I still hope that the Western countries, that means the Western politicians, would accept to stop financ...
(Vatican Radio) The leader of Syria's Catholic Church has urged the West and the United Nations to immediately end sanctions against his country and to stop supporting rebels, saying this is the only way to find a solution to a war that has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives. Ignatius Ephrem Joseph III Younan made the comments in an interview with Vatican Radio in Budapest, Hungary, where he also thanked Pope Francis for his prayers.
Listen to the report by correspondent Stefan Bos:
The patriarch is a man on a mission. After giving a lecture at Budapest's Pázmány Péter Catholic University he was to meet Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and expected to discuss how Hungary can support persecuted Christians.
He also wants Hungary to pressure the European Union and U.N. to end the war in his home country.
"I still hope that the Western countries, that means the Western politicians, would accept to stop financing and arming so-called because there would be otherwise no end to the sectarian war, " he said.
"And I would hope, asking, for lifting the embargo, the sanctions on Syria. Those sanctions surely harm the population, not those who are in the government," he added.
MANY KIDNAPPINGS
He also expressed concern about the kidnapping of many Christians, including Bishops Yohanna Ibrahim and Boulos Yazigi, who have been missing since their abduction in the northern city of Aleppo on April 22, 2013.
"We hope to get news [from them], but till now, since the time of their kidnapping...we have no news."
"What we can do?", he wondered. "We have had many kidnapped people. Till now we have at least hundreds and perhaps thousands of kidnapped people," the patriarch explained. "I regret to say that we don't know about them."
With the war ongoing, as many as 600,000 Christians have fled, and thousands died. Those staying behind are facing multiple challenges: they are in the crossfire in fighting between opponents and supporters of President Bashar Assad or face attacks by the Islamic State group and other militants.
Yet the Syrian church leader says he hopes Christian refugees will one day return to Syria, after Russian-backed Syrian forces "freed" the eastern part of the devestated Aleppo. "By the unification of Aleppo there is hope that Christians will be back like other residents who left Aleppo," he stressed.
RECONCILIATION POSSIBLE?
However, "Ofcourse it will take time to get the needed reconciliation between the government and those who call themselves the opponents," the patriarch acknowledged.
Amid the misery, he said, churches have been supplying water and other humanitarian aid. And he has a special message for Pope Francis. "Ofcourse Pope Francis is doing a lot [such as] praying and calling on the international community to help stop the war either in Syria or in Iraq and not allowing those terrorists to get the possibility to kill others in the name of God [but] to stop them."
The patriarch is in Hungary as it is the first country in the world to have opened a government office for persecuted Christians.
"We don't want to discriminate against Muslim refugees", said Tamás Török, Hungary's deputy state secretary for combating persecution of Christians.
Hungary was among the first EU countries to erect razor wire fences , backed by police and soldiers, to stop migrants fleeing war and poverty.
'REAL REFUGEES'
"I realize that these measures could also have impacted Christians. However real refugees will always be welcome in Hungary," Török told Vatican Radio.
Behind the scenes talks have been held however on Hungary adopting at least some Christian refugees, though officials say the focus of the 'Office of the Deputy State Secretary for Persecuted Churches' will focus on providing aid to persecuted Chistians in their home countries and other areas.
In recent days a government delegation already visited Iraq investigate the plight of persecuted Christians, Török explained.
Officials say the office will also provide aid to churches in the Middle East and other troubled areas, especially in the areas of Christian studies and by providing books.
Saltillo, Mexico, Jan 12, 2017 / 06:01 am (CNA/EWTN News).- The Mexican bishops' conference on Tuesday asked authorities to provide more information on the disappearance of Father Joaquín Hernández Sifuentes of the Diocese of Saltillo.The bishops called upon the competent authorities Jan. 10 to “provide more information to civil society and the entire ecclesial community on the events that led to his disappearance, so they can collaborate with their search and so that Fr. Joaquín Hernández Sifuentes returns alive to his community.”The priest, who serves at Sacred Heart parish in Saltillo's Aurora neighborhood, has not been seen since Jan. 3. The diocese reported his disappearance Jan. 7. Reportan desaparición en Saltillo del sacerdote Joaquín Hernández Sifuentes https://t.co/sH7PyhP9fl pic.twitter.com/gt3iMkUNfK— EjeCentral (@EjeCentral) January 8, 2017 After celebrating New Year's Masses ...
Saltillo, Mexico, Jan 12, 2017 / 06:01 am (CNA/EWTN News).- The Mexican bishops' conference on Tuesday asked authorities to provide more information on the disappearance of Father Joaquín Hernández Sifuentes of the Diocese of Saltillo.
The bishops called upon the competent authorities Jan. 10 to “provide more information to civil society and the entire ecclesial community on the events that led to his disappearance, so they can collaborate with their search and so that Fr. Joaquín Hernández Sifuentes returns alive to his community.”
The priest, who serves at Sacred Heart parish in Saltillo's Aurora neighborhood, has not been seen since Jan. 3. The diocese reported his disappearance Jan. 7.
Reportan desaparición en Saltillo del sacerdote Joaquín Hernández Sifuentes https://t.co/sH7PyhP9fl pic.twitter.com/gt3iMkUNfK
— EjeCentral (@EjeCentral) January 8, 2017
After celebrating New Year's Masses – the last one at 10:00 pm – Fr. Hernández was to have taken vacation time.
However, that day he traveled in the morning to Monclova, 120 miles to the north, and came back around 3:00 pm, taking his vacation time starting Jan. 3; he was scheduled to return to his parish work Jan. 7.
However, after trying to contact Fr. Hernández and not getting any response, one of his friends, Friar Víctor Sifuentes Méndez, went to the rectory Jan. 3 and found the priest's room in disorder, which was atypical for him.
The friar returned to the rectory Jan. 5, and amid the mess noticed Fr. Hernández' suitcase and glasses. Missing were his car, mobile phone, tablet, and computer. Additionally, a neighbor saw two men “getting into the priest's car” Jan. 3 and leaving in the vehicle.
The Saltillo diocese has indicated that this “has led us to presume that the priest may have been a victim of kidnapping,” and so on Jan. 7 a formal complaint was filed with the attorney general's office of the state of Coahuila.
The Mexican bishops' conference has warned that “crime and violence destroy the most sacred thing we have: life. Let us look for the ways of the Gospel to encourage our hope, to seek dialogue and reconciliation at all times, as the platform of a just society, worthy of human beings and with comprehensive and humane development for everyone.”
Finally, they encouraged Mexicans to “unite in prayer for our fatherland, for all the disappeared, and let us ask the intercession of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Queen of Peace for Our People in her Son Jesus Christ, to have and find a life with dignity.”
Drug trafficking has led to increased murder and kidnapping in Mexico, with priests not unaffected.
In the last four years, 15 priests in the country have been murdered.
Vatican City, Jan 12, 2017 / 08:56 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Pope Francis reflected on Thursday how each person, not knowing what will happen in the future, has only “today” to love God and open their heart to the Holy Spirit – while the temptation to put things off is foolish, because there may not be another day.“I do not say this in order to scare you, but simply to say that our life is the present moment: today or never,” he said Jan. 12. “I think upon this. Tomorrow will be the eternal tomorrow, without sunset, with the Lord, forever. If I am faithful to this moment.”In his homily at Mass, Pope Francis reflected on the day’s first reading, which comes from the Letter to the Hebrews and says, “Oh, that today you would hear his voice, ‘harden not your hearts…’”And a few lines later: “Encourage yourselves daily while it is still ‘today,’ so that none of you may grow hardened by the deceit o...
Vatican City, Jan 12, 2017 / 08:56 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Pope Francis reflected on Thursday how each person, not knowing what will happen in the future, has only “today” to love God and open their heart to the Holy Spirit – while the temptation to put things off is foolish, because there may not be another day.
“I do not say this in order to scare you, but simply to say that our life is the present moment: today or never,” he said Jan. 12. “I think upon this. Tomorrow will be the eternal tomorrow, without sunset, with the Lord, forever. If I am faithful to this moment.”
In his homily at Mass, Pope Francis reflected on the day’s first reading, which comes from the Letter to the Hebrews and says, “Oh, that today you would hear his voice, ‘harden not your hearts…’”
And a few lines later: “Encourage yourselves daily while it is still ‘today,’ so that none of you may grow hardened by the deceit of sin.”
As this passage points out, the Pope said, it is “a present moment in which we have received the love of God, God’s promise to find him.” Therefore, he said, even though it is tempting to say, “I will do it tomorrow,” it is possible that tomorrow simply “will not be.”
Francis illustrated his point using two of Jesus’ parables: The 10 foolish virgins who did not have oil for their lamps, so when they returned, found the door closed to them, and the man who knocked at the door, but to whom the Lord said, “I do not know you: you arrived late.”
It is “only this day in our life,” he emphasized, “the present moment,” that we are able to renew “our alliance with God’s fidelity.”
If you struggle with this, one thing you can do is ask the Holy Spirit directly for help, the Pope said, simply praying: “How do I live, this moment?”
It is also important to cultivate a heart that is open to the Lord, one that has faith and is not caught in the snare of sin, he said.
The present moment is played out in our hearts, he said, since it is there that we are able to truly encounter God and have a relationship with him.
The Pope said it always strikes him when an elderly person, many times a priest or a sister, asks him to pray for them in their “final perseverance” before death. He responds to them, he said, saying, “But, you have lived your whole life well, all the moments of your day are in the service of the Lord, but you have fear…?”
No, they respond, they are not afraid, but they know that “even now my life is not set: I wish to live it fully, to pray that the moment arrives full, full, with the heart steadfast in the faith, and not ruined from sin, from vices, from corruption…”
For ourselves then, he said, we must search our hearts, asking ourselves the questions: “how does it go, my present moment, in the presence of the Lord? And my heart, how is it? Is it open? Is it solid in the faith?” Does it leave space for “the Lord’s love?”
With these questions, he said, “we ask the Lord for the grace of which every one of us has need.”
IMAGE: CNS photo/Gregory A. ShemitzBy James MartoneWASHINGTON (CNS) -- An emerging Catholic dialogue with Muslims aims to show public support for Islamic American communities.The dialogue stems from concerns expressed by U.S. bishops in the wake of "a serious uptick in violence against American Muslims ... to make sure that they are sensitive to what is going on in the (Muslim) communities," said Anthony Cirelli, associate director of the Secretariat for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.The dialogue, underway since last February, will build on three already existing regional Catholic-Muslim dialogues, also overseen by the secretariat. Those gatherings have involved Muslim and Christian scholars and religious leaders and have focused largely on academic discussions and comparisons of their respective religious texts, Cirelli said.The regional dialogues -- mid-Atlantic, Midwest and West Coast -- have been effective in creating a better u...
IMAGE: CNS photo/Gregory A. Shemitz
By James Martone
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- An emerging Catholic dialogue with Muslims aims to show public support for Islamic American communities.
The dialogue stems from concerns expressed by U.S. bishops in the wake of "a serious uptick in violence against American Muslims ... to make sure that they are sensitive to what is going on in the (Muslim) communities," said Anthony Cirelli, associate director of the Secretariat for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
The dialogue, underway since last February, will build on three already existing regional Catholic-Muslim dialogues, also overseen by the secretariat. Those gatherings have involved Muslim and Christian scholars and religious leaders and have focused largely on academic discussions and comparisons of their respective religious texts, Cirelli said.
The regional dialogues -- mid-Atlantic, Midwest and West Coast -- have been effective in creating a better understanding among Muslim and Catholic leaders on a theological level, Cirelli explained. The national dialogue also will help Muslim leaders to better advocate for current concerns, "especially with the incoming (U.S.) administration," said Cirelli, referring to calls by President-elect Donald J. Trump and others to monitor American Muslims and limit entry of Muslim visitors from abroad.
"While our meetings will still have as a central component the all-important theological conversation, right now there is an urgency to engage more in a kind of advocacy and policy in support of the Muslim community," Cirelli told Catholic News Service.
Cirelli cited statistics documenting a higher number of anti-Muslim activities nationwide as well as a recent study by The Bridge Initiative, a Georgetown University research project on Islamophobia, showing that Catholics who regularly obtained information from Catholic media were more likely to unfavorably view Muslims than those who did not.
"The bishops' priority at the moment is to listen to (Muslims') concerns, their fears, their needs ... and so discern how we as Catholics can help them achieve their goals of full participation in their communities," Cirelli said.
He said Muslim counterparts to the dialogue were still being identified.
"At this point in our nation's history, the bishops, are mainly concerned with listening to and, when appropriate, coming to stand with our Muslim colleagues in their own difficult work of addressing the fears of ordinary Americans with respect to Muslims as well as their work in trying to change the negative narrative surrounding Muslims in our popular media," Cirelli said.
The creation of the dialogue was motivated by the call of "Nostra Aetate," the Second Vatican Council's declaration on the relations with non-Christian religions.
"As the national conversation around Islam grows increasingly fraught, coarse and driven by fear and often willful misinformation, the Catholic Church must help to model real dialogue and goodwill," Bishop Mitchell T. Rozanski of Springfield, Massachusetts, chairman of the bishops' Committee on Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs, said at the time the dialogue started in February.
Cardinal Blase J. Cupich of Chicago was designated as the dialogue's Catholic chairman and assumed the position Jan. 1, Cirelli said.
Cardinal Cupich explained that the regional dialogues helped establish "wider ties of friendship, collaboration on projects of mutual interest and greater theological understanding" facilitated by scholars in each group. The successes of the regional dialogues over the past 20 years made a national dialogue possible, he said.
Beyond building relationships, the national dialogue will "strive to contribute tangible fruits ... that benefit not only those who pray and worship in our churches and mosques but also the American public and the international community of Christians and Muslims as each tries to replace narratives of hate and distrust with love and affection," Cardinal Cupich said.
Cirelli added that as part of the dialogue's launch last February, Bishop Robert W. McElroy of San Diego held a public discussion with Sayyid M. Syeed, national director of the Islamic Society of North America's Office for Interfaith and Community Alliances.
During the widely publicized event at the University of San Diego's Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice, Bishop McElroy challenged U.S. Catholics to take an active role in combating "the scourge of anti-Islamic prejudice."
The next dialogue is set for March 7-9 in Chicago. On March 8, Bishop McElroy will discuss the common good tradition in the Catholic Church. An Islamic scholar, who has yet to be named, will address the Islamic understanding of hospitality in the Quran.
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