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BERLIN (AP) -- A truck rammed into a crowded Christmas market in central Berlin on Monday evening, killing at least nine people as it tore through tables and wooden stands. Police said the driver was arrested nearby....
Indonesian police said Monday that they will take action against groups that use violence to enforce an edict from the country's leading Islamic body forbidding Muslims from wearing Christmas attire. National police chief Gen. Tito Karnavian said the edict is not a law in Indonesia and that he has reprimanded police who circulated leaflets based on the edict from the Indonesian Ulema Council. Karnavian's remarks came after reports that members of the Islamic Defenders Front, a vigilante group, went to shopping malls in Surabaya, East Java province's capital, to remind businesses not to require Muslim employees to wear Christmas attire such as Santa hats. They were accompanied by about 200 police officers. Surabaya police chief Col. Muhammad Iqbal said they escorted the group in order to prevent any violence. ``Although it is a peaceful action, we keep guard to anticipate undesired things,'' Iqbal said on Sunday. ``They are not allowed to...
Indonesian police said Monday that they will take action against groups that use violence to enforce an edict from the country's leading Islamic body forbidding Muslims from wearing Christmas attire. National police chief Gen. Tito Karnavian said the edict is not a law in Indonesia and that he has reprimanded police who circulated leaflets based on the edict from the Indonesian Ulema Council. Karnavian's remarks came after reports that members of the Islamic Defenders Front, a vigilante group, went to shopping malls in Surabaya, East Java province's capital, to remind businesses not to require Muslim employees to wear Christmas attire such as Santa hats. They were accompanied by about 200 police officers. Surabaya police chief Col. Muhammad Iqbal said they escorted the group in order to prevent any violence. ``Although it is a peaceful action, we keep guard to anticipate undesired things,'' Iqbal said on Sunday. ``They are not allowed to go inside because the malls are public areas.''
The Ulema Council issued an edict on Wednesday forbidding the use of non-Muslim attire such as Santa hats and called on companies to guarantee the rights of Muslims to practice their religion in accordance with their beliefs. Muslim-majority Indonesia recognizes six religions and has a large Christian minority. Christmas decorations are commonplace in shopping malls and offices during the festive season. Karnavian said Islamic groups can use social media to promote understanding of the edict.
The Islamic Defenders Front was behind protests in the past two months against Jakarta's minority Christian governor, who is on trial for blasphemy. A Nov. 4 protest in Jakarta, the capital, that attracted at least 100,000 people turned violent, with one death and dozens of police and protesters injured. (Source: AP)
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis on Monday welcomed to the Vatican South Korea’s new ambassador to the Holy See, Jonghyu Jeong. At a formal ceremony in the Vatican, Jeong presened his credentials to Pope Francis at the start of his diplomatic mission with the Holy See. The 66-year old father of 3 children is a law graduate and holds a doctorate in law from Kyoto University, Japan. An academic linked with several universities in Korea, Japan, Germany and the US, Jeong has served in the Korean Catholic Bishops Conference’s bioethics committee, has been president of the Korean Association for Legal History, and the Korean Civil Law Association and special envoy of the Korean president to the Holy See. Besides his native Korean, he speaks Esperanto, Japanese, English and German.
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis on Monday welcomed to the Vatican South Korea’s new ambassador to the Holy See, Jonghyu Jeong. At a formal ceremony in the Vatican, Jeong presened his credentials to Pope Francis at the start of his diplomatic mission with the Holy See. The 66-year old father of 3 children is a law graduate and holds a doctorate in law from Kyoto University, Japan. An academic linked with several universities in Korea, Japan, Germany and the US, Jeong has served in the Korean Catholic Bishops Conference’s bioethics committee, has been president of the Korean Association for Legal History, and the Korean Civil Law Association and special envoy of the Korean president to the Holy See. Besides his native Korean, he speaks Esperanto, Japanese, English and German.
IMAGE: CNS photo/Paulo Chunho, EPABy Junno Arocho EstevesVATICANCITY (CNS) -- The Vatican confirmed that Pope Francis will visit Portugal in2017 to mark the 100thanniversary of the Marian apparitions of Fatima.Thepope, who accepted the invitation made by President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa and the bishopsof Portugal, "will go on a pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Fatimafrom May 12-13," the Vatican announced Dec. 17.Thepilgrimage will mark the anniversary of the Marian apparitions, which firstbegan on May 13, 1917, when three shepherd children reported seeing the Virgin Mary.The apparitions continued once a monthuntil Oct. 13, 1917, and later were declared worthy of belief by the CatholicChurch.Followingthe announcement, FatherCarlos Cabecinhas, rectorof the Fatima shrine told Agencia Ecclesia, the news agency of the Portuguesebishops' conference, that the visit was a "cause for joy" for theshrine."Forthe shrine ofFatima, it is a great joy to receive this confirmation of Pope F...
IMAGE: CNS photo/Paulo Chunho, EPA
By Junno Arocho Esteves
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The Vatican confirmed that Pope Francis will visit Portugal in 2017 to mark the 100th anniversary of the Marian apparitions of Fatima.
The pope, who accepted the invitation made by President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa and the bishops of Portugal, "will go on a pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima from May 12-13," the Vatican announced Dec. 17.
The pilgrimage will mark the anniversary of the Marian apparitions, which first began on May 13, 1917, when three shepherd children reported seeing the Virgin Mary.
The apparitions continued once a month until Oct. 13, 1917, and later were declared worthy of belief by the Catholic Church.
Following the announcement, Father Carlos Cabecinhas, rector of the Fatima shrine told Agencia Ecclesia, the news agency of the Portuguese bishops' conference, that the visit was a "cause for joy" for the shrine.
"For the shrine of Fatima, it is a great joy to receive this confirmation of Pope Francis' visit," he said.
"We know that those days will be a pilgrimage marked by this festivity that, on the one hand is for the centennial of the apparitions and, on the other hand, marks the presence of the pope in our midst and a pope as beloved as Pope Francis," Father Cabecinhas said.
While the Vatican confirmed the dates of the visit, the pope had already said that he intended to go.
"Certainly, as things presently stand, I will go to Portugal, and only to Fatima," he told journalists during his return flight to Rome from Azerbaijan Oct. 2.
Pope Francis will be the fourth pontiff to visit the Marian shrine, following the footsteps of Blessed Paul VI, Saint John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI, who each paid homage different years to Mary on the anniversary of the first apparition May 13.
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Copyright © 2016 Catholic News Service/U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. www.catholicnews.com. All rights reserved. Republishing or redistributing of CNS content, including by framing or similar means without prior permission, is prohibited. You may link to stories on our public site. This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. To request permission for republishing or redistributing of CNS content, please contact permissions at cns@catholicnews.com.
IMAGE: CNS photo/L'Osservatore Romano, handout via EPABy Junno Arocho EstevesVATICAN CITY (CNS) -- People from around the world,especially the poor and the homeless, had a chance to send their good wishesfor Pope Francis' 80th birthday.Eight homeless people -- two women and six men -- madetheir way to the pope's residence at Domus Sanctae Marthae for an earlybirthday breakfast, the Vatican said Dec. 17.The people, who hailed from Italy, Moldova, Romania andPeru, were accompanied by ArchbishopKonrad Krajewski, papalalmoner."Pope Francis met with the them, greeting themaffectionately one by one. The homeless gave the Holy Father three bouquets ofsunflowers," which he immediately placed in the residence's chapel, theVatican said Dec. 17.People from around the world also tweeted messages using thehashtag #Pontifex80 or sent email's according to their preferred language,including Latin.According to the Vatican press office, more than 70,000birthday emails were sent to Pope Francis, the ...
IMAGE: CNS photo/L'Osservatore Romano, handout via EPA
By Junno Arocho Esteves
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- People from around the world, especially the poor and the homeless, had a chance to send their good wishes for Pope Francis' 80th birthday.
Eight homeless people -- two women and six men -- made their way to the pope's residence at Domus Sanctae Marthae for an early birthday breakfast, the Vatican said Dec. 17.
The people, who hailed from Italy, Moldova, Romania and Peru, were accompanied by Archbishop Konrad Krajewski, papal almoner.
"Pope Francis met with the them, greeting them affectionately one by one. The homeless gave the Holy Father three bouquets of sunflowers," which he immediately placed in the residence's chapel, the Vatican said Dec. 17.
People from around the world also tweeted messages using the hashtag #Pontifex80 or sent email's according to their preferred language, including Latin.
According to the Vatican press office, more than 70,000 birthday emails were sent to Pope Francis, the majority of which were sent in English, Spanish, Polish and Italian. The Vatican also noted that over 1,000 birthday greetings were sent to the pope in Latin.
Prisoners from the "Due Palazzi" prison in Padua, northern Italy, also had a chance to wish the pope a happy birthday via Skype.
Father Marco Pozza, the prison's chaplain, told Vatican Radio that he had arranged a Skype video call between Pope Francis and several inmates, guards and personnel from the prison.
The prisoners thanked the pope "for your daily witness, which nourishes our hopes and our dreams," Father Pozza told Vatican Radio.
Thanking them for their "tenderness and closeness," the pope gave his blessings to the inmates, personnel and their families.
"God bless you all. I pray for you. I am close to you and I give you the Lord's blessing," the pope said.
The pope also received birthday greetings from his predecessor, retired Pope Benedict XVI who sent "a handwritten and very affectionate message that was particularly appreciated," the Vatican press office said in a statement.
Pope Benedict also called Pope Francis and sent him "three small gifts which the Holy Father received as three very personal and significant signs for both of them," the Vatican said.
After his breakfast with the homeless, the pope concelebrated morning Mass with cardinals living in Rome.
"The past few days one word that seems a bit awful keeps coming to mind -- old age. It's scary, at any rate, scary," he said at the end of the Mass in the Pauline Chapel of the apostolic palace.
But, he said, like he told the cardinals a few days after his election in 2013, "'old age is where wisdom resides.' Let's hope this goes for me, too. Let's hope this is the case!"
With "the silent passage of time," as Ovid called it, old age charges right at you. It's a blow. But when one thinks of it as a stage of life that is for giving joy, wisdom, hope, one begins to live again," he said.
"Pray that it will be like this for me -- tranquil, religious and fruitful, and also joyful. Thank you!"
In his homily, the pope told the cardinals how important it was to remember the past in order to move forward in life better.
Looking back one can see the beautiful people and gifts one has received from God and also one's sins, which remind us how important God is for our salvation, he said.
One can say in prayer before God, "I am a sinner but you can save me. You will carry me ahead," the pope said.
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Follow Arocho on Twitter: @arochoju.
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Copyright © 2016 Catholic News Service/U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. www.catholicnews.com. All rights reserved. Republishing or redistributing of CNS content, including by framing or similar means without prior permission, is prohibited. You may link to stories on our public site. This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. To request permission for republishing or redistributing of CNS content, please contact permissions at cns@catholicnews.com.
Fifth Harmony has announced that Camila Cabello has decided to leave the girl group....
AMMAN, Jordan (AP) -- Tourists from Canada, Britain and Malaysia were hiding inside a Crusader castle during armed clashes between Jordan troops and gunmen at the site, Jordan's interior minister said Monday, denying that foreigners had been held hostage at any point....
NEW YORK (AP) -- Pregnancy affects not only a woman's body: It changes parts of her brain too, a new study says....
BEIJING (AP) -- U.S. assertions that China is the top source of the synthetic opioids that have killed thousands of drug users in the U.S. and Canada are unsubstantiated, Chinese officials told the Associated Press....
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) -- North Carolina legislators will repeal the contentious HB2 law that limited protections for LGBT people and led to an economic backlash, the state's incoming governor said Monday....
