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WASHINGTON (AP) -- Top intelligence officials last week told President-elect Donald Trump about an unsubstantiated report that Russia had compromising personal and financial information about him, a U.S. official said Tuesday....
Vatican City, Jan 10, 2017 / 03:00 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Pope Francis warned against the destruction of clericalism in his Jan. 10 homily, stressing that humility was power behind Christ’s authority.“He was at the service of the people. He had an attitude of a servant,” the Pope said of Christ. In his Tuesday homily at the Casa Santa Marta, he linked the authority of Jesus with his service, closeness to the people, and sincerity. When Jesus emptied himself of his divinity, he committed the ultimate act of humility, the Pope said. It was through this humility that Christ's authority was so effective.The opposite view – that of pride and a desire to be served – is seen in the Pharisee’s mentality, Francis said. “We are the masters, the princes, and we teach you. Not service: we command, you obey.”Warning against clericalism, the Pope stressed against the danger of preferring authority over the concern of persons. The Phari...
Vatican City, Jan 10, 2017 / 03:00 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Pope Francis warned against the destruction of clericalism in his Jan. 10 homily, stressing that humility was power behind Christ’s authority.
“He was at the service of the people. He had an attitude of a servant,” the Pope said of Christ. In his Tuesday homily at the Casa Santa Marta, he linked the authority of Jesus with his service, closeness to the people, and sincerity.
When Jesus emptied himself of his divinity, he committed the ultimate act of humility, the Pope said. It was through this humility that Christ's authority was so effective.
The opposite view – that of pride and a desire to be served – is seen in the Pharisee’s mentality, Francis said.
“We are the masters, the princes, and we teach you. Not service: we command, you obey.”
Warning against clericalism, the Pope stressed against the danger of preferring authority over the concern of persons. The Pharisees prefer the approval of the crowd, looking to show off alms giving, fancy clothes, and fasting. Similarly, clericalism is a detachment from persons, he said.
Looking at the characteristics of Christ’s authority, the Pope noted, “First, a servant, of service, of humility: the head is the one who serves, who turns everything upside down, like an iceberg. The summit of the iceberg is seen; Jesus, on the other hand, turns it upside down and the people are on top and he that commands is below, and gives commands from below.”
Second, he continued, is “closeness.” Laying hands on the blind, eating with sinners, and touching lepers was how Christ became closer to the people. Pope Francis then referenced Blessed Paul VI's Evangelii nuntiandi, saying “one sees the heart of a pastor who is close [to his people.]”
Christ did not shudder away from the sick and the sinner, Pope Francis said, mentioning the men who passed the assaulted man in Jesus's parable of the Good Samaritan. The hypocrites speak truth, but do not belong to the truth, he said, because their actions do not match their words.
It is Christ who was sincere, and who lived what he preached, the Pope said.
“Jesus counseled His disciples: ‘But, do what they tell you, but not what they do’: they said one thing and did another...And it is understood that one who considers himself a prince, who has a clericalist attitude, who is a hypocrite, doesn’t have authority.”
Ultimately, clericalism has no authority because people cannot respond to it, Francis said. Jesus, who was the desire of the people, became a servant, sat with the impure, and lived what he preached. People saw His authority because He became a part of the people.
“Jesus…who is humble, who is at the service of others, who is close, who does not despise the people, and who is coherent, has authority. And this is the authority that the people of God senses,” said Pope Francis.
San Antonio, Texas, Jan 10, 2017 / 04:46 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Archbishop emeritus Patricio Fernandez Flores of San Antonio died Monday at the age of 87, prompting many to remember his role in supporting Mexican-American and Latino Catholics.One response came from Archbishop Jose Gomez of Los Angeles, who succeeded Archbishop Flores as Archbishop of San Antonio and who remembered him as “my good friend and mentor.”“Archbishop Flores lived a long and good life and through his priesthood and ministry he touched many people with his love for life and his love for Jesus Christ,” the Los Angeles archbishop said Jan. 10. “He was a beautiful example for me of a priest and a bishop. I will always be grateful for his generosity and kindness to me.”The former San Antonio archbishop died Jan. 9 from pneumonia and congestive heart failure at the Padua Place residence for retired priests in the city he served.He was the first Mexican-American to become a U.S. b...
San Antonio, Texas, Jan 10, 2017 / 04:46 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Archbishop emeritus Patricio Fernandez Flores of San Antonio died Monday at the age of 87, prompting many to remember his role in supporting Mexican-American and Latino Catholics.
One response came from Archbishop Jose Gomez of Los Angeles, who succeeded Archbishop Flores as Archbishop of San Antonio and who remembered him as “my good friend and mentor.”
“Archbishop Flores lived a long and good life and through his priesthood and ministry he touched many people with his love for life and his love for Jesus Christ,” the Los Angeles archbishop said Jan. 10. “He was a beautiful example for me of a priest and a bishop. I will always be grateful for his generosity and kindness to me.”
The former San Antonio archbishop died Jan. 9 from pneumonia and congestive heart failure at the Padua Place residence for retired priests in the city he served.
He was the first Mexican-American to become a U.S. bishop. His life was marked by advocacy for Mexican-Americans and civil rights –and a harrowing hostage situation when he was held captive for nine hours.
Archbishop Flores also hosted St. John Paul II’s visit to San Antonio on Sept. 13, 1987 and rode with him on the popemobile in front of the Alamo. The visit included a Mass for a crowd of 330,000 people, the largest public gathering ever held in Texas.
The future archbishop was born July 26, 1929 in Ganado, Texas, 35 miles northeast of Victoria. He was the sixth of nine children born to migrant workers Patricio Flores and Trinidad Fernandez de Flores. He wanted to be a priest from a young age and often prayed the rosary while walking up and down the road in front of his family’s house, a statement from the Archdiocese of San Antonio says.
He grew up 17 miles from the nearest Catholic parish, in an area with poor roads. Without reliable transportation to get to Sunday Mass, the family would pray the rosary regularly.
The family regularly attended liturgies said by a missionary priest, who gave Flores religious instruction. Acting on his own initiative, the boy then began to teach catechism to area children.
During the summers, the family sometimes all worked picking crops in the field. They lived on an 82-acre farm, growing okra, corn, and cotton, and often prayed as a family for rain. Some years they would travel throughout the state to pick crops.
Flores also took up music. As a teenager he staged entertainment events to raise funds to fight discrimination against Mexican-Americans in education. The efforts helped pay for a legal case that won marginalized Mexican-American children the right to attend the regular public school.
During his studies to prepare for seminary, he was arrested for arson. Police attempted to force a confession from him before he was exonerated.
He was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Galveston in 1956 and served at several Houston-area parishes.
During his life he became prominent in the Cursillo movement and co-founded PADRES, an association of priests that aimed to address problems Hispanics faced in the Church and in society. As a bishop, he founded the Mexican American Cultural Center in San Antonio and the National Foundation for Mexican-American Vocations.
Archbishop Gomez said Archbishop Flores was “a pioneer and role model not only for me but also for a generation of Hispanic priests and Latino leaders.”
“He knew the struggles of Hispanics in this country, and he was a friend to the farmworker and a voice of conscience for dignity and human rights. He taught all of us to celebrate our heritage and traditions and encouraged us to share our faith and values proudly and to become leaders in our communities.”
Archbishop Flores was ordained a bishop in 1970, serving initially as Auxiliary Bishop of San Antonio. He was appointed Bishop of El Paso in 1978, then named by St. John Paul II as Archbishop of San Antonio the following year.
In 1981, he co-founded Catholic Television of San Antonio. He served on several bishops’ committees concerning immigration and Latin America, and he also chaired the Texas Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights.
On June 27, 2000 Archbishop Flores was held hostage for nine hours in his chancery office by a man with a fake hand grenade. The man, born in El Salvador but a legal U.S. resident, had been arrested for driving with a suspended license and feared he would be deported. The man surrendered.
Archbishop Flores retired in 2004. That year, he reflected on his priesthood.
“I’ve spent 48 years as a priest, and I have loved it all. If I had the chance to start all over again, I would not hesitate,” he told Today’s Catholic newspaper. “I might have prepared better academically and in some other ways. But I have literally found great satisfaction in simply being a priest – being a bishop is simply assuming additional responsibility.”
“I have found it very challenging and very satisfying. So I’ve been happy at it and will continue to be happy.”
The archbishop received many honors and recognitions. He was the subject of a 2007 documentary “A Migrant’s Masterpiece”, which considered his life in the context of Latino history in Texas and the Texas civil rights movement.
Funeral services will be held at San Antonio’s San Fernando Cathedral.
Washington D.C., Jan 10, 2017 / 05:22 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- As a new Senate report alleges that the advertising site Backpage.com covered for child sex traffickers, Backpage defends its record of working with law enforcement against trafficking.“How could such a horrific, morally bankrupt business model find success in our America?” Nacole S., a parent of a child who was trafficked for sex on Backpage.com, testified before the U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations on Tuesday.“It is time to accept that child sex trafficking has entered the digital age,” she said, noting the internet has become a “hotbed for the ugliest human behaviors…at the forefront of which are websites like Backpage.com.”The Senate Permanent Committee on Investigations released its report on “Backpage.com's knowing facilitation of online sex trafficking” on Monday, after almost two years of investigations into the company and its practices.B...
Washington D.C., Jan 10, 2017 / 05:22 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- As a new Senate report alleges that the advertising site Backpage.com covered for child sex traffickers, Backpage defends its record of working with law enforcement against trafficking.
“How could such a horrific, morally bankrupt business model find success in our America?” Nacole S., a parent of a child who was trafficked for sex on Backpage.com, testified before the U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations on Tuesday.
“It is time to accept that child sex trafficking has entered the digital age,” she said, noting the internet has become a “hotbed for the ugliest human behaviors…at the forefront of which are websites like Backpage.com.”
The Senate Permanent Committee on Investigations released its report on “Backpage.com's knowing facilitation of online sex trafficking” on Monday, after almost two years of investigations into the company and its practices.
Backpage.com is a website for public ad postings, similar to other sites like CraigsList. It features an “adult” posting section, and it is here where, according to the subcommittee’s report, much of suspected child sex trafficking in the U.S. allegedly travels through Backpage ads.
Online child sex trafficking has skyrocketed in the last few years, with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children saying reports of suspected incidents went up 846 percent between 2010 to 2015, cited in the senate report. The center says the spike is “directly correlated to the increased use of the Internet to sell children for sex.”
“In 2013, it (Backpage) reportedly net more than 80 percent of all revenue from online commercial sex advertising in the United States,” the report noted, and again citing the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, “73 percent of the suspected child trafficking reports it receives from the public involve Backpage.”
Backpage, for its part, announced it closed up its “adult” section on Monday after the report was released, claiming the action resulted from “an accumulation of acts of government censorship using extra-legal tactics” and defending its record of working with law enforcement to fight trafficking.
“It undermines efforts by Backpage.com to cooperate with law enforcement and provide information to identify, arrest and prosecute those who engage in human trafficking,” the statement added.
Backpage.com's CEO Carl Ferrer was arrested in October in Texas on a warrant issued by California for accusations of pimping and attempting to pimp a minor. He was exonerated in a Sacramento County Superior Court in December.
Also on Monday, the Supreme Court denied to hear a case against Backpage of three women who claimed they were forced into sex trafficking through ads posted on the site, Reuters reported. The lower court decision, which stands, said that the company is protected under the Communications Decency Act and is not liable for content posted by third parties.
In Monday's report, the Senate investigation found that for years, Backpage.com officials had “sanitized” ads for criminal offenses like sex trafficking of minors, by removing conspicuous words like “teenage” and “amber alert” and “lolita,” but keeping those ads on the site.
Backpage officials did this manually, but also created an automated system to filter out those keywords, the report alleged, and the system operated that way for years.
When someone would try to post an ad on Backpage with those words, the automated system would tell them not to use the word but they could still post an ad with different language.
“By October 2010, Backpage executives formalized a process of both manual and automated deletion of incriminating words and phrases, primarily through a feature called the 'Strip Term From Ad Filter',” the report stated, adding that according to Backpage executives, they were editing 70 to 80 percent of the advertisements in the “adult” section of the website.
The filter “changed nothing about the true nature of the advertised transaction or the real age of the person being sold for sex,” the report said, but “thanks to the filter, Backpage's adult ads looked 'cleaner than ever.'”
The subcommittee had subpoenaed Backpage officials for a Nov. 2015 hearing but the officials dodged the request, resulting in the first civil contempt action by the Senate in over 20 years being leveled.
In 2016, a federal court ordered Backpage to send the subpoenaed documents to the subcommittee.
“They put profits ahead of vulnerable women and children,” Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio), chair of the subcommittee, said of Backpage on Tuesday.
“Advertisements were deliberately sanitized to conceal evidence of child prostitution, to conceal evidence of child trafficking. We know Backpage has hid its systematic editing practices from the public for years while convincing the courts and Congress it was just a host for third party content, entitled to an immunity under federal law for that reason,” he continued.
“These are not the practices of an 'ally' in the fight against human trafficking. These are the practices of a corporation intent on profiting from human trafficking – and human misery – and profit they have, at the expense of countless innocent victims.”
Backpage has touted its record of cooperating with law enforcement, providing a list of previous statements from the FBI and local police departments thanking them for their assistance in catching pimps responsible for trafficking postings on its site.
Portman, however, said at the hearing “we know now” that Backpage's claims of cooperation with law enforcement and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children were “misleading.”
“It seems likely that Backpage has been breaking the law as it exists right now,” he said, and “based on the evidence we've collected” he and Sen. Claire McCaskill (R-Mo.) “will promptly consider” referring the matter to the Department of Justice.
Parents of child sex trafficking victims testified of the violence and trauma their children endured, along with the emotional trauma of family members.
Parent Nacole S. described how her daughter, during high school, suffered from stress and decided to leave home to make an attempt at “finding herself.” She traveled to Seattle and at a teen homeless shelter met a 22 year-old woman posing as a teen who brought her into a sex trafficking ring.
Her daughter was “repeatedly raped, beatened, threatened, and treated like a sexual object every day,” Nacole testified through tears, “while being posted as an ad on Backpage.”
“When we finally got Natalie back,” she said of her daughter, “the young girl we found wasn't the same Natalie that left our home months earlier.”
“Our new dream is simple,” she said, “to live in an America that doesn’t stand aside while little girls…are sold online like a commodity, purchased with all the same convenience that you would expect as an order on Amazon.”
Kubiiki P., mother of a child sex trafficking victim, revealed that her daughter was trafficked for months on the site. Even after she was recovered, sexually explicit pictures of her daughter were still surfacing in ads on the site.
Kubiiki called Backpage “many times” and “explained that I was the mother of the child pictured in these sexually-explicit ads. I explained that my child had been horribly sexually, physically, and emotionally abused by being trafficked on Backpage through these ads,” she said in her written testimony before the subcommittee.
She asked them to promptly remove the pictures, yet the company ignored her requests to take down the pictures of her daughter, only doing so after a period of time. A court later ordered that the trafficker of her daughter, who was “in and out of jail,” pay restitution to her daughter, but the trafficker never paid and Kubiiki had “no process” through which to collect the money.
She wanted Backpage.com to pay restitution “for being involved and profiting from the escort ads” featuring her daughter, but said the court rejected her case.
Thomas S., who also testified on Tuesday, lamented that “children have become a bargaining chip” today, “collateral damage in a huge industry of modern convenience that we enjoy online.”
“I've been disgusted and shocked by the commitment and stance that Backpage.com has taken. That Backpage somehow thinks it has the right to sell my child, and that the First Amendment gives them that right to do so and there’s nothing anyone can do about it,” he said.
“I can't believe the contempt and lack of humanity they’ve taken,” he added. “Backpage hides behind the Communications Decency Act (CDA), and they collect their money, all the while pretending to support the lofty, high-minded principals of the First Amendment. Even more amazing is that they usually win (in court).”
“Children are not acceptable collateral damage,” he concluded. “They are our hope, our future, America’s conscience.”
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CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) -- An unrepentant Dylann Roof was sentenced to death Tuesday for fatally shooting nine black church members during a Bible study session, becoming the first person ordered executed for a federal hate crime....
CHICAGO (AP) -- In his parting message to the nation, President Barack Obama is declaring his continued faith in the ability of all Americans to bring about powerful national change, despite the trials of the last eight years that so often stood between him and his goals....
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WASHINGTON (AP) -- Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions fervently rejected "damnably false" accusations of past racist comments Tuesday as he challenged Democratic concerns about the civil rights commitment he would bring as Donald Trump's attorney general. He vowed at his confirmation hearing to stay independent from the White House and stand up to Trump when necessary....
