Catholic News 2
CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) -- The Latest on the trial of a fired South Carolina police officer charged with murder in the shooting of an unarmed black motorist (all times local):...
KHAZIR, Iraq (AP) -- The U.N. refugee agency distributed aid on Monday to dozens of Iraqi families uprooted from their homes in and around the city of Mosul, warning that their needs will only increase as winter progresses and temperatures continue to fall below freezing....
COX'S BAZAR, Bangladesh (AP) -- The Myanmar soldiers came in the morning, the young mother says. They set fire to the concrete-and-thatch homes, forcing the villagers to cluster together. When some of her neighbors tried to escape into the fields, they were shot. After that, she says, most people stopped running away....
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) -- The death toll in the Oakland warehouse fire has grown to 36 and authorities say they expect the number to rise when they resume work later Monday following a temporary work stoppage. A wall is leaning inward, posing a safety hazard to those who have been searching the building which erupted in fire Friday night....
(Vatican Radio) Several European leaders across the continent are relieved that Austria’s euroskeptic anti-immigration candidate, who could have become the country’s first far-right head of state since the Second World War, was defeated in Sunday's presidential election. Former Green party leader Alexander van der Bellen was elected in a closely fought poll after far-right candidate Norbert Hofer conceded defeat.Listen to Stefan Bos' report: As preliminary results showed he secured just 46 percent of the vote, far right Freedom Party candidate Hofer, was quick to admit that he lost a bitterly fought election that was overshadowed by concerns over migration and relations with the European Union. “I have always said, the winner will be a good winner and the loser will be a good loser," he said."And I ask all the people who have voted for me to accept that in a democracy the voter is always right, always. And that in the end we all have to un...
(Vatican Radio) Several European leaders across the continent are relieved that Austria’s euroskeptic anti-immigration candidate, who could have become the country’s first far-right head of state since the Second World War, was defeated in Sunday's presidential election. Former Green party leader Alexander van der Bellen was elected in a closely fought poll after far-right candidate Norbert Hofer conceded defeat.
Listen to Stefan Bos' report:
As preliminary results showed he secured just 46 percent of the vote, far right Freedom Party candidate Hofer, was quick to admit that he lost a bitterly fought election that was overshadowed by concerns over migration and relations with the European Union. “I have always said, the winner will be a good winner and the loser will be a good loser," he said.
"And I ask all the people who have voted for me to accept that in a democracy the voter is always right, always. And that in the end we all have to unite and stand together. That is of special importance,” Hofer added.
The 45-year-old former aeronautical engineer warned however that he would run again for president in 2022.
GREENS HAPPY
His opponent, former Green party leader Van der Bellen, who is 72, was pleased that he had won the vote with roughly 53 percent of the vote. “I hope that when people recognize me on the street or on the village green or in Vienna’s underground six years from now at the end of my term they’ll say, ‘look, there is our federal president’, not the federal president but everyone’s president,” he added.
His victory was welcomed across Europe with German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier calling the outcome a "good omen against populism in Europe".
European Parliament president Martin Schulz called Van der Bellen's "victory a heavy defeat of nationalism and anti-European, backward-looking populism."
And French President President Francois Hollande said the "Austrian people have chosen Europe and open-mindedness." Migration was a key issue in the election with euroskeptic Hofer calling for a ban on economic migrants, while Van der Bellen called for faster integration of recognized asylum seekers and seemed more pro-EU than his rival.
Austria – a nation of 8.7 million – has taken in more than 120,000 migrants from the Middle East, Africa and Asia since since last year, bearing much of the burden of the influx together with Germany and Sweden.
(Vatican Radio) Tens of thousands of people in Jakarta have staged a unity rally, two days after a divisive protest by Muslim groups. Sunday's rally saw people travelling to Indonesia's capital from across the country.Listen to Alastair Wanklyn's report: Tens of thousands of people gathered on a boulevard in Jakarta, under the slogan: "We are Indonesia."Several minority ethnic groups were present. There was dancing by Chinese Indonesians, and some protestors travelled to the event from Bali, an island that is traditionally Hindu.The gathering was seen as a response to chants of "Arrest him!"Several hundred thousand Muslims who during outdoor prayers on Friday called for the arrest of the governor of Jakarta, a Christian man who is accused of insulting Islam.That rally had a clear message: "Defend Islam!", that is, that Islam is under attack and must be defended.By contrast, the gathering on Sunday was one of unity.Political...
(Vatican Radio) Tens of thousands of people in Jakarta have staged a unity rally, two days after a divisive protest by Muslim groups. Sunday's rally saw people travelling to Indonesia's capital from across the country.
Listen to Alastair Wanklyn's report:
Tens of thousands of people gathered on a boulevard in Jakarta, under the slogan: "We are Indonesia."
Several minority ethnic groups were present. There was dancing by Chinese Indonesians, and some protestors travelled to the event from Bali, an island that is traditionally Hindu.
The gathering was seen as a response to chants of "Arrest him!"
Several hundred thousand Muslims who during outdoor prayers on Friday called for the arrest of the governor of Jakarta, a Christian man who is accused of insulting Islam.
That rally had a clear message: "Defend Islam!", that is, that Islam is under attack and must be defended.
By contrast, the gathering on Sunday was one of unity.
Political leader Surya Paloh told the crowd Indonesians cannot live together if they are humiliating one another. He called for a restoration of tolerance and trust.
Indonesia's Constitution guarantees freedom of religion. However, the nation's Christians have long suffered persecution, including sporadic deadly attacks on churches.
Campaign group Human Rights Watch has called the situation a "theatre of hatred," saying Indonesia's minorities may face greater persecution in the future if the government doesn't tackle the problem.
Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena met on Wednesday with a delegation of Asian bishops and thanked them for the immense contribution made by the Catholic Church to socially uplift and help the poor and disadvantaged of Sri Lanka. 'It is indeed a blessing to Sri Lanka having such high and learned leaders to lead not only the Catholics but also the people in Sri Lanka,” the president said.Over 140 bishops, archbishops, cardinals and priests from 40 countries gathered to discuss Asian family values, the church of the poor and the mission of mercy from Nov. 28 – Dec. 4. It was the 11th plenary assembly of the FABC and was the first to be held in Sri Lanka. The Sri Lankan government contributed to the organisation of the event with some 10 million rupees, or about US$ 70,000.The president met the bishops at his official residence in Colombo on Nov. 30. He took the opportunity to praise the Catholic Church and highlight the work done in Sri Lanka, a war-ridd...
Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena met on Wednesday with a delegation of Asian bishops and thanked them for the immense contribution made by the Catholic Church to socially uplift and help the poor and disadvantaged of Sri Lanka. 'It is indeed a blessing to Sri Lanka having such high and learned leaders to lead not only the Catholics but also the people in Sri Lanka,” the president said.
Over 140 bishops, archbishops, cardinals and priests from 40 countries gathered to discuss Asian family values, the church of the poor and the mission of mercy from Nov. 28 – Dec. 4. It was the 11th plenary assembly of the FABC and was the first to be held in Sri Lanka. The Sri Lankan government contributed to the organisation of the event with some 10 million rupees, or about US$ 70,000.
The president met the bishops at his official residence in Colombo on Nov. 30. He took the opportunity to praise the Catholic Church and highlight the work done in Sri Lanka, a war-ridden land of past decades.
"It is very significant that you have selected Sri Lanka to hold this conference," he told FABC delegation comprising Card Oswald Gracias, archbishop of Mumbai and president of the FABC, Card Malcolm Ranjith, archbishop of Colombo, and Archbishop Pierre Nguyen Van Tot, apostolic nuncio to Sri Lanka. "I appreciate the work accomplished by the Catholic Church for the poor, in fact, a few weeks ago, I declared 2017 as 'poverty eradication year' in Sri Lanka," he said.
“Sri Lanka is a nation of different religions and diverse cultures and has a tradition going back several centuries,” Sirisena said. “We have a closer understanding and respect for each other’s culture, customs, traditions and values.”
The president stressed the importance of meeting the bishops in a country like Sri Lanka where peace and harmony reign. "If you travel from North to South and East to West you will come across places of religious worship of Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims and Christians in all the villages and cities,” he said.
With respect to the conference’s theme, ‘The Asian Catholic Family: Domestic Church of the Poor on a Mission of Mercy’, Sirisena said, “I appreciate the work of the Catholic Church in the promotion of the social and religious life of the people”.
President Sirisena presented a memento to FABC representatives and they watched a number of cultural performances together. While in Colombo, FABC delegates also visited Buddhist and Christian shrines and several other places of interest.
A number of ministers were present at the meeting with the president including John Amaratunga, the tourism, Christian affairs and lands minister. Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said that his government welcomes suggestions from the FABC.
"The government promotes peace, reconciliation and recovery from decades of civil war," said Wickremesinghe addressing FABC members on Nov. 29. "The government waits for the support of Catholic bishops and other religious leaders to promote family values," he added.
(Source: AsiaNews; UCANews)
(Vatican Radio) Let us allow ourselves to be transformed by Christ; let us allow ourselves to be able to be re-created, freeing us from our sins. That was the message of Pope Francis at the morning Mass at Casa Santa Marta, centred on the theme of the renewal that the Lord brings. The Pope put us on guard about painting over our sins without truly being ashamed in our hearts. Only by calling sins by their name, he said, will we be able to allow God to make us new women and men.The desert will bloom, the blind will see, the deaf will hear. The first reading, from the Prophet Isaiah, speaks to us about renewal, the Pope said. Everything will be changed, from ugly to beautiful, from wicked to good.” A change for the better: this, he said, is what the People of Israel were expecting from the Messiah.The change that Jesus brings is not simply make-upTurning then to the Gospel of the day, Pope Francis noted that Jesus went about healing people, helping them “to see a path of...
(Vatican Radio) Let us allow ourselves to be transformed by Christ; let us allow ourselves to be able to be re-created, freeing us from our sins. That was the message of Pope Francis at the morning Mass at Casa Santa Marta, centred on the theme of the renewal that the Lord brings. The Pope put us on guard about painting over our sins without truly being ashamed in our hearts. Only by calling sins by their name, he said, will we be able to allow God to make us new women and men.
The desert will bloom, the blind will see, the deaf will hear. The first reading, from the Prophet Isaiah, speaks to us about renewal, the Pope said. Everything will be changed, from ugly to beautiful, from wicked to good.” A change for the better: this, he said, is what the People of Israel were expecting from the Messiah.
The change that Jesus brings is not simply make-up
Turning then to the Gospel of the day, Pope Francis noted that Jesus went about healing people, helping them “to see a path of change” and this is why they followed Him. They didn’t follow Jesus because He was some sort of novelty; “they followed Him because the message of Jesus touched their hearts.” And “the people saw that Jesus healed, and they followed Him” for that reason as well:
But what Jesus did was not only change things from ugly to beautiful, from wicked to good: Jesus made a transformation. It’s not a problem of making something beautiful, it’s not a problem of cosmetics, of make-up: He changed everything from the inside! He made a change that was a re-creation: God had created the world; man fell into sin; Jesus came to re-create the world. And this is the message, the message of the Gospel, that we can clearly see: before healing that man, He forgave his sins. Go that way, to a re-creation, He re-creates that man, [changing him] from a sinner to a just man: He re-creates him as a just man. He makes him new, totally new. And this gives scandal: this gives scandal!
For this reason, the Pope said, the Doctors of the Law, “began to discuss, to murmur,” because they weren’t able to accept His authority. Jesus, he said, “is capable of making us – us sinners – new persons.” It is something, Pope Francis said, “that Mary Magdalen intuits.” She was healthy, “but she had a wound within: she was a sinner.” She had an intuition that Jesus was able to heal not only the body, “but the wounds of the soul. He could re-create it!” And for reason “great faith” is needed.
Opening the heart before the Lord: calling sin by its name
The Lord, the Pope said, “helps us to prepare ourselves for Christmas with great faith” because “for the healing of the soul, for the existential healing the re-creation that Jesus brings requires great faith in us.” Being transformed, he said “is the grace of salvation that Jesus brings.” We need to overcome the temptation to say “I can’t do it,” and to allow ourselves instead to be transformed, to be re-created by Jesus. “Courage” is the word of God:
We are all sinners, but look to the root of your sin, and that the Lord goes there and re-creates it; and that bitter root will flourish, flourish with works of justice; and you will be a new man, a new woman. But if we [say]: ‘Yes, yes, I have some sins; I go, I confess myself… two little words, and then I go on as before,” I don’t allow myself to be re-created by the Lord. Only two coats of paint, and we believe that with this the story’s over. No! Naming my sins, with name and surname: I’ve done this, and this, and this, and I am ashamed at heart. And I open my heart: ‘Lord, the only thing I have. Re-create me! Re-create me! And so we have the courage of going with true faith – as we asked – towards Christmas.’
The Pope said we always “seek to hide the gravity of our sins.” For example when we diminish envy. This, on the other hand, said Pope Francis, “is a very ugly thing. It is like the venom of a serpent” that seeks “to destroy the other!”
Let us allow the Lord to cancel our sins in order to make us truly new
And so the Pope encourages us “to get to the bottom of our sins and then give them to the Lord, so that He will cancel them and help us go forward with faith.” And he emphasized this passage, telling the story of a Saint, a great Bible scholar, who had a very strong character, who was often moved to anger, and who sought forgiveness from the Lord, doing so many acts of renunciation and penance:
The Saint, talking to the Lord said, ‘Are you content, O Lord’ – ‘No!’ – ‘But I have given you everything!’ – ‘No, there’s something missing…’ And this poor man did another penance, said another prayer, did another vigil: ‘I have done this for you, O Lord. Is everything ok? – ‘No! Something’s missing…’ – ‘But what is missing, Lord?’ – ‘Your sins are lacking! Give me your sins!’ This is what the Lord is asking of us today. ‘Courage! Give me your sins and I will make you a new man, a new woman.’ May the Lord give us faith, to believe this.
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Police say a man who said he was investigating a conspiracy theory about Hillary Clinton running a child sex ring out of a pizza place fired an assault rifle inside the Washington, D.C., restaurant Sunday....
ALEPPO, Syria (AP) -- Rebel shelling of the Syrian government-held part of Aleppo killed a Russian nurse in a makeshift Russian hospital in the city on Monday while the Defense Ministry in Moscow said a Russian fighter jet crashed into the Mediterranean Sea after returning from a sortie over Syria....
