Catholic News 2

(Vatican Radio) In the Christian world, the month of November is traditionally associated with remembering the dead and to mark the occasion this year, the Catholic Bishops Conference in England and Wales has produced a new online resource entitled ‘The Art of Dying Well’.

Featuring lots of videos and articles with practical advice, as well as spiritual counselling, the new site was described by one national daily in the UK as providing “a positive contribution to society’s communal wellbeing.”

Launched on November 1st, it draws on the experience of hospital chaplains, medical staff, bereavement counsellors and individuals who share their insights into the Art of Dying Well.

Bishop John Sherrington is auxiliary of Westminster diocese and head of the bishops conference department on life issues. Philippa Hitchen asked him who this new website is primarily designed for…

Listen:

Bishop Sherrington says that in England and Wales over the last couple of years, there’s been very intense debate about assisted suicide, so in the context of this “discussion about how to die” the bishops wanted to make a contribution about “how to die well in the light of Church teaching.

He says the site is designed as a resource for Catholic congregations, but it also broadens the tradition of the so-called “Ars moriendi”, to make it accessible to all people, lead them through the emotional and physiological aspects of dying towards the larger spiritual questions.

“Ars moriendi”, or the art of dying is a tradition originating in the Middle Age with manuscripts describing the way in which people should prepare for death. From that centuries old tradition, this new resource takes elements “to give people strength and hope” as they face death, helping them to feel supported spiritually.

Bishop Sherrington describes the website as “a labyrinth” offering over 30 videos and articles, with sections for the terminally ill, for carers and for those facing bereavement. Above all, he says, it encourages people to go and talk to their priests, chaplains, or other spiritual guides. He says that in this year of mercy, the Pope is reminding us that the Church’s role is to be an “agent of mercy” to help people find reconciliation, especially if they have been away from the Church.

Asked about the Vatican’s new directives on the practice of cremation, Bishops Sherrington says it’s important to help people “understand the mystery of death” and “the dignity of human remains”. While some modern practices associated with the scattering of ashes focus on individual experience, he says, it’s important not to lose sight of “the more communal experience of the Church praying for people who’ve died”.

He says the site is just the beginning of a project which the bishops hope will “stimulate a conversation” about death, eternal life and the Christian message of hope.

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Arlington, Va., Nov 7, 2016 / 02:06 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Following a tumultuous and divided election season, Catholics in the U.S. should find ways to create unity and healing, said Supreme Knight Carl Anderson of the Knights of Columbus.

“(T)he question we should ask ourselves is in what way Catholics in America can be a future source of unity and reconciliation or whether we will be a cause of further division and hostility,” Anderson said Nov. 5.

“The answer to that question will depend in large measure upon what it means today to be a Catholic in America.  In other words, what is fundamental to our identity as Catholics?”

Anderson spoke in Arlington, Virginia at the Catholic Distance University Founder’s Award Dinner, where he was the recipient of the Founder’s Award.

He referenced the WikiLeaks emails involving John Podesta, campaign manager for Hillary Clinton.

In one leaked email, Podesta discusses the idea of planting seeds for a possible “Catholic Spring” in which the laity would revolt against the bishops to demand changes in Church moral teaching.

In another email, Center for American Progress fellow John Halpin, himself a Catholic, calls conservatism among Catholics “an amazing bastardization of the faith,” and Podesta suggests that conservative Catholics are attracted to the Church’s intellectual tradition because “They can throw around ‘Thomistic’ thought and ‘subsidiarity’ and sound sophisticated because no one knows what the hell they're talking about.”

Part of what is so troubling about these emails, Anderson said, is that some of the disparaging comments about Catholics were made by other Catholics.

“This episode presents a serious challenge to Catholics,” Anderson said, “regardless of the outcome of Tuesday’s election, our country will remain deeply divided and those divisions are, to a very real extent, also reflected within our own Catholic faith community.”

The solution to this, he continued, will require “faithful Catholics to fully exercise their responsibilities as citizens” at a time when many are disheartened and frustrated. 

“Now is the time for more – not less – Catholic values in our electoral process.  Now is the time for more – not less – Catholic values in our nation.”

Anderson proposed six concrete areas where Catholicism in the United States has an opportunity to grow and promote unity. 

First, he said, is “the renewal of parish life as a true Eucharistic community,” with a greater appreciation for the Eucharist as the source and summit of unity, charity and Christian life. 

Next, a “renewed evangelization of family life” is needed, “centered upon the calling of every Catholic family to be a domestic church which, in solidarity with other families, would be a source of unity, charity and reconciliation.”

In addition, Anderson said, Catholics should grow in their devotion to Mary as the Patroness of the U.S., seeing in her a model of “understanding our responsibilities toward our neighbors and for the common good as citizens.” 

Also necessary is a “deeper understanding of those moral principles and issues that are non-negotiable for us as a faith community,” which leads to a deeper understanding and application of the Church’s Social Doctrine.  

A greater commitment to authentic Catholic education that forms the entire person at every academic level is also important for Catholic identity, he said.

Finally, he concluded, the Church in the U.S. needs “a greater appreciation of the office of bishop as the source of unity for the local church” and deeper communication among clergy, religious and laity.  

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Vatican City, Nov 7, 2016 / 04:00 am (CNA/EWTN News).- The Vatican announced Monday that recently nominated Cardinal-elect Archbishop Joseph William Tobin of Indianapolis will soon be taking over as the new head of the Newark, N.J. Archdiocese.

Born in Detroit May 3, 1952, Tobin has since 2012 served as the 6th Archbishop of Indianapolis. He was ordained a Redemptorist priest in 1978 and served as the order’s superior general from 1997 to 2009.

On Oct. 9 Pope Francis named him as one of three Americans on his list of 17 new cardinal-elects, who will be elevated during a special Nov. 19 consistory set to coincide with the end of the Jubilee of Mercy.

Other Americans getting the red hat are Archbishop Blase Cupich of Chicago and Bishop Kevin Farrell, former head of the Dallas diocese but who recently moved to Rome to carry out his new role as prefect of the Vatican Congregation for Laity, Family and Life.

As head of the Newark Archdiocese, Tobin will be taking over for Archbishop John J. Myers, who will retire after having reached the age limit of 75 in July.

Tobin’s appointment and elevation as cardinal will mark the first time in its 163 year history that the Archdiocese of Newark has been led by a cardinal. It also signals the first time a member of a religious order will preside over the diocese, which serves roughly 1.2 million Roman Catholics.

The decision fits with Francis’ tendency to appoint cardinals to non-traditional “red-hat sees,” meaning dioceses that typically always have a cardinal, such as Chicago, Philadelphia and Washington.

While Tobin will be taking over in another diocese, he already has an extensive tenure in and around the Vatican, as well as in leadership.

Prior to his appointment as Archbishop of Indianapolis, Tobin served as the Superior General for his congregation from 1997-2009, and then in the Vatican as Secretary of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life from 2010-2012, where he helped oversee the more than 1 million men and women who are vowed religious.

During his time at the congregation, he conducted two separate investigations of American nuns. He was also responsible for the visit and reform of the male communities in Ireland during the sex abuse crisis in the country.

In May he was appointed by the Vatican as the delegate to oversee the ongoing reforms of the Sodalitium Christianae Vitae after scandals involving their founder, Luis Fernando Figari, were made public last year.

Archbishop Tobin also seems to share Pope Francis’ sympathy for migrants and refugees. He recently sparred with Indiana governor and Republican vice-presidential nominee Mike Pence over the resettlement of Syrian refugees, saying he was determined to welcome them despite Pence’s objections.

Under his guidance, the Archdiocese of Indianapolis has also set up several events to help foster Catholic-Muslim dialogue.

He has also been a papal appointee to five synods of bishops: 1998, 1999, 2001, 2005 and 2008, though he did not attend the 2014-2015 Synod of Bishops on the Family.

In addition to English, the archbishop speaks Italian, Spanish, French and Portuguese.

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(Vatican Radio) The chief prosecutor of Montenegro says "nationalists from Russia" were behind an attempt to assassinate the pro-Western prime minister and carry out a coup amid growing political tensions over the future direction of the former Yugoslav republic.

Listen to Stefan Bos' report

Milivoje Katnic told reporters that investigators uncovered a plot to kill Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic because of his plans to have the Balkan nation
join the NATO military alliance. "The plan was to stop Montenegro on its Euro-Atlantic path, especially to prevent is from entering NATO and that was
the initial idea of those organizers," he told reporters.

"We will continue to cooperate with Russia because, at this phase of the process, we gathered evidence that indicate that organizers of this criminal group are nationalists from Russia, Russian citizens," Katnic added. 

The prosecutor said the Russian nationalists planned to break into parliament and kill Montenegrin Prime Minster Djukanovic with a professional
long-distance sharpshooter on October 16 -- the day of the former Yugoslav republic's parliamentary elections.

However he stressed there was no evidence that the Russian state was directly involved amid mounting tensions with Moscow over the allegations.  

DOZENS DETAINED

Some 20 Serbian and Montenegrin citizens, including a former commander of Serbia's special police forces, were detained in Montenegro.
 
Fourteen of them remain in custody on charges of involvement in the coup attempt.

Additionally. authorities in Belgrade have reportedly deported an unspecified number of Russian operatives who were monitoring
Prime Minister Djukanovic's movements from within the territory of neighboring Serbia.

Balkan leaders in strategically located Montenegro and other nations have accused Russia of trying to increase its influence in the region
through extremists and nationalists, charges Moscow denies. 

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