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NEW YORK (AP) -- Demonstrators took to the streets in San Francisco and gathered in a New York City park Thursday to express their outrage over Donald Trump's unexpected presidential win while Trump supporters took to social media and denounced demonstrators as hypocrites or worse for not accepting defeat in a democratic process....
WASHINGTON (AP) -- President-elect Donald Trump took a triumphant tour of the nation's capital Thursday, holding a cordial White House meeting with President Barack Obama, sketching out priorities with Republican congressional leaders and taking in the majestic view from where he'll be sworn in to office....
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The Archbishop of Gulu has called on the faithful to imitate the courage of blessed martyrs Daudi Okello and Jildo Irwa and other Martyrs in witnessing their faith in Christ. His Grace John Baptist Odama made the remark in his homily during a recent pilgrimage to Wi Polo Paimol Martyrs Shrine in northern Uganda.Please find below an article by Rev. Fr. Samuel Okidi Mwaka, Communications Coordinator, Archdiocese of GuluOn October 20, 2016, thousands of pilgrims from across the country made a pilgrimage to Wi Polo Paimol Martyrs Shrine in Kalongo subcounty, Agago District, to commemorate the beatifiation of Catechists Daudi Okello and Jildo Irwa.The two catechists, both of Acholi decent, were killed on October 18, 1918 for refusing to denounce their faith. They preached equality against the practice of slavery, witchcraft and clan discriminations of the time. They were beatifid by St. Pope John Paul II on October 20, 2002. Since their beatifiation, the celebration has been gaining ra...
The Archbishop of Gulu has called on the faithful to imitate the courage of blessed martyrs Daudi Okello and Jildo Irwa and other Martyrs in witnessing their faith in Christ. His Grace John Baptist Odama made the remark in his homily during a recent pilgrimage to Wi Polo Paimol Martyrs Shrine in northern Uganda.
Please find below an article by Rev. Fr. Samuel Okidi Mwaka, Communications Coordinator, Archdiocese of Gulu
On October 20, 2016, thousands of pilgrims from across the country made a pilgrimage to Wi Polo Paimol Martyrs Shrine in Kalongo subcounty, Agago District, to commemorate the beatifiation of Catechists Daudi Okello and Jildo Irwa.
The two catechists, both of Acholi decent, were killed on October 18, 1918 for refusing to denounce their faith. They preached equality against the practice of slavery, witchcraft and clan discriminations of the time. They were beatifid by St. Pope John Paul II on October 20, 2002. Since their beatifiation, the celebration has been gaining rapid momentum as far as the number and devotions of the pilgrims is concerned.
This year’s celebration was animated by Lacor Deanery which comprises of fie parishes in Amuru, Gulu and Nwoya Districts. It was held under the theme, “For me life is Christ, Death is gain”, extracted from Philippians 1:21.
The Mass was presided over by Most Rev. John Baptist Odama, the Archbishop of Gulu and Chairman of the Uganda Episcopal Conference, and con-celebrated by Rt. Rev. Joseph Franzelli, Bishop of Lira Diocese, Rt. Rev. Sabino Ocan Odoki, Bishop of Arua Diocese, Rt. Rev. Linus Sanctus Wanok, Bishop of Nebbi Diocese and Rt. Rev. Damiano Guzzetti, Bishop of Moroto Diocese. Besides the Bishops, there were over two hundred priests who concelebrated the Holy Mass.
In his homily Archbishop Odama said, the theme of this year’s celebration recalls the experience of St. Paul of being won over by Christ.
“This year’s Provincial Pilgrimage to the Martyrs of Wi Polo Paimol Shrine takes place in a special context of the year of mercy when the Holy Father has invited the whole Church following the example of Christ to make humanity that is wounded by sin and many other ills, experience God’s compassion and mercy. We have as directed by the Holy Father designated the main door of the Church at this Shrine as a door of mercy,” he said.
He called upon the faithful to pay tribute to God for the gift of the Blessed Martyrs as well as the Martyrs of Namugongo, for the courage they showed in witnessing to Christ at their young age and during the period of uncertainty.
“Coming for a pilgrimage to Paimol can be considered as, first gratitude to the Martyrs, secondly as a moment of paying tribute to them for their achievement, thirdly it is also a moment to learn from them how they lived faithfully their faith in Jesus Christ and finally it is a moment to praise God who’s will succeeded in their lives hence making them our intercessor,” the Archbishop explained.
The Guest of Honour was the Vice President of the Republic of Uganda, His Excellency Edward Kiwanuka Ssekandi. He spearheaded the fundraising for the development of the Paimol Martyrs Shrine. In his speech, he encouraged the pilgrims to emulate the example of dedication and sacrifies portrayed by the Martyrs and contribute towards Paimol shrine that should be raised to the level of a National Spiritual Tourism destination. He made a contribution of shs5m towards the Paimol Development fund.
Also in attendance were several government dignitaries who included the Deputy speaker of Parliament, Rt. Honourable Jacob Oulanya and Hon. Salamu Musumba. Oulanyah made a contribution of shs10m towards the development of the Shrine.
The hosting Deanery for 2017 will be Christ the King Deanery in Kitgum Vicariate. Gulu University animated the 2015 celebration.
Source: The New Contact, a publication of the Uganda Episcopal Conference.
IMAGE: CNS photo/Carol GlatzBy Carol GlatzVATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Francis' Year of Mercy hasbeen a refresher course for Catholics -- a reminder and an inspiration tofollow Jesus' command to show compassion through works of mercy.While the pope has spent his whole pontificate offeringGospel reflections and teachings on mercy, nothing stands out more than thememorable real-life examples he has given with his own outreach.He has been painting, in essence, a visual catechism ofthe works of mercy with so many images captured of him embracing prisoners, forexample, or offering shelter to refugees.There is another striking image that makes Chapter 25 ofthe Gospel of Matthew concrete, a U.S. author said."If there is any painting that sums up this Year ofMercy" and Pope Francis' call for compassion and human solidarity, it isthe "The Seven Acts of Mercy" by Caravaggio, said Terence Ward, inhis latest book, "The Guardian of Mercy."Just as the pope seeks to make Christ's teachings realwith...
IMAGE: CNS photo/Carol Glatz
By Carol Glatz
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Francis' Year of Mercy has been a refresher course for Catholics -- a reminder and an inspiration to follow Jesus' command to show compassion through works of mercy.
While the pope has spent his whole pontificate offering Gospel reflections and teachings on mercy, nothing stands out more than the memorable real-life examples he has given with his own outreach.
He has been painting, in essence, a visual catechism of the works of mercy with so many images captured of him embracing prisoners, for example, or offering shelter to refugees.
There is another striking image that makes Chapter 25 of the Gospel of Matthew concrete, a U.S. author said.
"If there is any painting that sums up this Year of Mercy" and Pope Francis' call for compassion and human solidarity, it is the "The Seven Acts of Mercy" by Caravaggio, said Terence Ward, in his latest book, "The Guardian of Mercy."
Just as the pope seeks to make Christ's teachings real with his own actions, Caravaggio sought to "give veracity" to the Gospel with his revolutionary "chiaroscuro" style and shocking use of everyday people as his flawed, flesh-and-blood models, Ward told Catholic News Service. The author was in Rome in October for a book launch.
The immense 13-by-8 1/2-foot painting, located in the Pio Monte della Misericordia church in Naples, answers the question, "What is mercy?" he said, by showing life-size figures engaged in simple yet moving gestures to relieve others of their misery.
For example, some of the seven corporal works shown are: a battle-weary, murderous Samson slaking his thirst; a poor passerby holding the feet of a dead man in need of burial; a woman without food secretly breastfeeding her ailing, elderly father imprisoned in jail; and St. Martin of Tours, whose Nov. 11 feast day comes near the end of the Year of Mercy and symbolizes charity, slices his red cloak in half for a half-naked man on the ground.
"Some people say Caravaggio was too strong" in his use of imagery, Ward said.
So many artists at the time, he said, painted figures from an imaginary ideal or from memory because "we prefer beauty rather than the direct experience. And yet this is what's real. Sometimes we don't want to see the truth and we choose to 'Disney-fy' it."
But Caravaggio, he said, was struck by what was being done by his contemporaries, Sts. Charles Borromeo and Philip Neri. These churchmen inspired a new movement of outreach by laypeople and clergy to those in need, and to "embrace the common man" with charity.
That same impulse is seen in all of Caravaggio's works, Ward said, in that "he reaches out into the streets for his models" and depicts them as saints with all their human imperfections.
His use of "real" versus idealized figures mirrors the same effectiveness of the incarnation, the author said. God became human, humble and poor "so that all of us could identify, so that he could speak to every one of us," he said.
This "theology of Caravaggio" carried the Gospel's own radical message: "If a common person from the street can be plucked out" and become a barefoot disciple, a saint or even the Mother of God, it means "that it could be anyone of us. That we all have that potential inside," Ward said.
Even Pope Francis has been struck by the way Caravaggio captured that same shocking "Who me!?" moment in "The Calling of St. Matthew," who sits in a custom house counting coins, perplexed by the man calling to him, "Follow me."
"That finger of Jesus, pointing at Matthew. That's me. I feel like him. Like Matthew," who is a sinner and wretched, yet is still chosen because of God's mercy, the pope told an interviewer in 2013.
Ward's book explores the painter's power to speak to and change the life of -- not a pope -- but a real life "ordinary man" -- a city sanitation worker who ends up as a custodian at the Pio Monte church. Just as the guardian, named Angelo, felt the painting speaking to him, he began emerging from the shadows of the church to speak up and talk to visitors casually passing through about the power of Caravaggio's approach, Ward explains in his book.
The story juxtaposes the lives of Caravaggio and Angelo and how the figures on the canvas inspire the author to get a glimpse of works of mercy still unfolding on the rough streets of Naples.
The people caught unaware in the middle of an act of mercy on Caravaggio's canvas could be anywhere: in Cairo, Kolkata or the Bronx, Ward said. The universal message is that nothing empowers people more or makes them more human than by showing solidarity, "reaching out to the other, having compassion and being moved."
Both Caravaggio and Pope Francis show that mercy comes alive with the simplest of things. "Begin today, begin with what's next door," Ward said.
When Pope Francis holds the hands of an elderly person or comforts the sick, "the picture -- the action -- says it all. Don't delegate and, he would say, 'If I can do it, can't we all?'"
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