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SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador (AP) -- The leader of a small, Caribbean nation, Fidel Castro was a major figure across much of the world, inspiring quixotic insurgencies, pouring soldiers into successful wars of liberation, helping define the politics of a whole continent. His death has been met with mourning, honors and recriminations....
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Lahore, Pakistan, Nov 30, 2016 / 11:49 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Five men in Pakistan's Punjab province were sentenced to death last week for their leading role in the November 2014 murder of a Christian couple. Another eight were given two years in prison for their participation in the lynching.Judge Chaudhry Muhammad Azam of Lahore's Anti-Terrorism Court handed down the sentences Nov. 23. The guilty have also been fined 200,000 Pakistani rupees (about $1,900).On Nov. 4, 2014, Shahzad Masih and his wife Shama, who was pregnant with the couple's fourth child, were attacked by a lynch mob and their bodies burned after they were accused of desecrating the Quran. The couple lived in Kot Radha Kishan, a city located nearly 40 miles southwest of Lahore.The couple worked at a brick kiln, and it has been reported that the kiln owner noticed Shama – who was illiterate – burning some belongings of her recently-deceased father-in-law, and charged that some pages she burnt w...
Lahore, Pakistan, Nov 30, 2016 / 11:49 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Five men in Pakistan's Punjab province were sentenced to death last week for their leading role in the November 2014 murder of a Christian couple. Another eight were given two years in prison for their participation in the lynching.
Judge Chaudhry Muhammad Azam of Lahore's Anti-Terrorism Court handed down the sentences Nov. 23. The guilty have also been fined 200,000 Pakistani rupees (about $1,900).
On Nov. 4, 2014, Shahzad Masih and his wife Shama, who was pregnant with the couple's fourth child, were attacked by a lynch mob and their bodies burned after they were accused of desecrating the Quran. The couple lived in Kot Radha Kishan, a city located nearly 40 miles southwest of Lahore.
The couple worked at a brick kiln, and it has been reported that the kiln owner noticed Shama – who was illiterate – burning some belongings of her recently-deceased father-in-law, and charged that some pages she burnt were from the Quran – he then detained them. They owed him money, and he refused to release them without being paid.
It was then announced from local mosques that the couple had desecrated the Quran, and a mob forced their way into the room where the Masihs were held, and beat them with bricks and shovels. Reports vary as to whether or not the couple's bodies were thrown into the kiln before or after their deaths.
According to Dawn, a Pakistani English-language daily, the Anti-Terrorism Court heard that the five men given the death penalty “gathered a large mob of hundreds by making announcements over a mosque loudspeaker and incited them to violence with incendiary speech.”
Riaz Anjum, the lawyer representing the Masih family, told AFP that according to the judgement, “the five people awarded the death sentence were involved in dragging, beating and burning the couple while the other eight played a supportive role.”
The chairman of the Pakistan Inter-faith League, Sajid Ishaq, told The News International that the guilty verdict has “revived [Christians'] confidence in the supremacy of judiciary and enhanced their faith in fair and free investigations conducted in this case. I would not say I support the death sentence but I would say that such a decision has become essential to prevent violence in the society amidst prevailing conditions in our country.”
He added that “the crime was so gruesome that it plunged the whole Christian community in a shock.”
“I sincerely hope and wish that the decision by the ATC in ‘Sajjad and Shama’ lynching case will serve as a strong preventive step against any such incident in future. The minority communities of our country will indeed feel reassured and will draw a sense of protection from this decision,” Ishaq concluded.
In total, 103 people had been charged in the lynching case, according to Anjum. But 90, including the owner of the brick kiln, were acquitted.
Pakistan's state religion is Islam, and around 97 percent of the population is Muslim. The nation has adopted blasphemy laws which impose strict punishment on those who desecrate the Quran or who defame or insult Muhammad.
The blasphemy laws are said to be often used to settle scores or to persecute religious minorities; while non-Muslims constitute only three percent of the Pakistani population, 14 percent of blasphemy cases have been levied against them.
Many of those accused of blasphemy are murdered, and advocates of changing the law are also targeted by violence.
IMAGE: CNS photo/Christina Gray, Catholic San FranciscoBy Christina GraySAN FRANCISCO (CNS) -- ThomasMyron Hooker lived the last 20 years of his life without a roof over his head,but his death proved he was hardly without a home.Hundreds of people -- churchfamilies, neighbors, shopkeepers and perhaps even strangers touched by thecheerful kindness and generosity of the man who for years had made camp under atarp on a street corner in San Francisco's Richmond District -- streamed intoStar of the Sea Catholic Church Nov. 7 to express their respect and affection.Hooker had endeared himself tothe parish and surrounding community with his gentle spirit. He spent a part ofeach day praying in the back pews, said Star of the Sea pastor Father JosephIllo, who eulogized him as "a kind of patron saint of the homeless.""The meaning of being homelessbeyond shelter is when you lack a home, lack a family who understands you. Youare homeless when you don't feel you belong anywhere," said Father Illo...
IMAGE: CNS photo/Christina Gray, Catholic San Francisco
By Christina Gray
SAN FRANCISCO (CNS) -- Thomas Myron Hooker lived the last 20 years of his life without a roof over his head, but his death proved he was hardly without a home.
Hundreds of people -- church families, neighbors, shopkeepers and perhaps even strangers touched by the cheerful kindness and generosity of the man who for years had made camp under a tarp on a street corner in San Francisco's Richmond District -- streamed into Star of the Sea Catholic Church Nov. 7 to express their respect and affection.
Hooker had endeared himself to the parish and surrounding community with his gentle spirit. He spent a part of each day praying in the back pews, said Star of the Sea pastor Father Joseph Illo, who eulogized him as "a kind of patron saint of the homeless."
"The meaning of being homeless beyond shelter is when you lack a home, lack a family who understands you. You are homeless when you don't feel you belong anywhere," said Father Illo. "Many of us who live in more comfort are more homeless than Thomas was. He had a home with us."
Thomas had "overcome his homelessness," said Father Illo, who claimed Hooker's body after his death Oct. 26 and planned the funeral Mass and reception that followed. McAvoy O'Hara & Evergreen Mortuary donated a casket and prepared the body for burial. A special collection was taken during the Mass so that Hooker might be laid to rest with dignity and a headstone at Holy Cross Cemetery in Colma.
According to a Richmond District blog, Hooker was originally from Trinidad and had spent time in Chicago before coming to San Francisco.
Every day, Hooker worked his way along Clement Street with his shopping cart and would stand at a corner near Walgreens, usually talking to himself.
"This was a man who never asked for anything," Lea Grey Dimond, owner of Thidwick Books on Clement Street, told Catholic San Francisco, the archdiocesan newspaper.
Hooker was one of three individuals profiled in a documentary about mental illness called "Voices." In the trailer for the documentary, Hooker says with a huge grin: "I suffer a lot, you know, and when you suffer, you must know to be kind."
At a reception in the school gym following the funeral Mass for him, the community took turns sharing memories of Hooker and offering parting thoughts. "Voices" was shown afterward.
"Thomas had a gift for loving generously and unconditionally," said one speaker. "He brought our community something rare and special."
A man in tears said he was overcome by the overflowing crowd who had come out to honor Hooker. The tears turned to laughter when he confessed he often "gave my money to Thomas instead of the church."
Star of the Sea parishioners Arnold and Jean Low had brought food to Hooker for more than 20 years and were the ones to find him unresponsive on the morning of his death.
"Thomas was a kind and friendly soul, always had a smile on his face, always had something complimentary to say to you," said Arnold Low. "There are other homeless souls for you to reach out to.
Also keep this in mind, he said: "When I am thirsty, you gave me to drink, when I was hungry, you gave me to eat, when I was cold you gave me clothes. Whatever you do for others, you do for me your Lord our God."
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Gray is on the staff of Catholic San Francisco, newspaper of the Archdiocese of San Francisco.
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PARIS (AP) -- The laciest, if not raciest, catwalk event of the year - aka, the Victoria's Secret fashion show - was taking place in Paris on Wednesday night. Among the anticipated highlights: performances by Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars, as well as a $3 million Fantasy bra modelled by Jasmine Tookes. Here's a behind-the-scenes look:...
LONDON (AP) -- The Bank of England's new plastic 5-pound note is stronger, cleaner and safer - but apparently not suitable for vegetarians....
