Catholic News 2
WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Donald Trump's eldest son changed his account over the weekend of a meeting he had with a Russian lawyer during the 2016 campaign, saying Sunday that the woman told him she had information about Democrat Hillary Clinton....
A Catholic archbishop in southern Philippines has condemned alleged attempts by some groups who are taking advantage of the helplessness of those fleeing a conflict in Mindanao region to proselyte them. Archbishop Emeritus Fernando Capalla of Davao joined Muslim leaders and peace groups in voicing concern over reports that Bibles are being distributed to refugees fleeing Marawi, many of them Muslims. Copies of the Bible, translated into the Maranao language, were found in relief goods handed to displaced families last week. Archbishop Capalla warned that the distribution of copies of the Bible along could foment tensions between Christians and Muslims.Christians as well as Muslims are fleeing the Islamic City of Marawi, where government forces are engaged in a fierce fight with the Maute terrorist group linked with the Islamic State (IS). After an assault on the Marawi on May 23, the Islamist gunmen burned the Catholic cathedral and a Protes...
A Catholic archbishop in southern Philippines has condemned alleged attempts by some groups who are taking advantage of the helplessness of those fleeing a conflict in Mindanao region to proselyte them. Archbishop Emeritus Fernando Capalla of Davao joined Muslim leaders and peace groups in voicing concern over reports that Bibles are being distributed to refugees fleeing Marawi, many of them Muslims. Copies of the Bible, translated into the Maranao language, were found in relief goods handed to displaced families last week. Archbishop Capalla warned that the distribution of copies of the Bible along could foment tensions between Christians and Muslims.
Christians as well as Muslims are fleeing the Islamic City of Marawi, where government forces are engaged in a fierce fight with the Maute terrorist group linked with the Islamic State (IS). After an assault on the Marawi on May 23, the Islamist gunmen burned the Catholic cathedral and a Protestant school, and took a priest and several church workers as hostages. President Rodrigo Duterte went on the offensive to wrest back Marawi from the terrorists. More than 350 militants, 87 soldiers and police and 39 civilians have been killed in nearly 7 weeks of fighting.
Archbishop Capalla expressed his condemnation at the alleged proselyting saying, "If they do it deliberately, it's either an insult or ignorance of the needs of Muslims." The prelate who is co-convenor of the interfaith group Bishops-Ulama Conference said “proselytizing” shows lack of respect and calls into question the sincerity of those who are giving aid to the needy. "If you want to help, then give only the ... basic needs, like clothing, food, water, among others," said the 82-year-old archbishop who retired in 2012. "We should be more sensitive," he said, adding that Muslim leaders in the area should be consulted before distributing aid.
There were also reports that some aid organizations are giving out pork-flavored noodles to the evacuees. The evacuees claimed they did not immediately discover the Bibles in plastic bags that contained relief goods. There were also aid packs that contained Bible stories, also in the local language. No group has come forward to admit responsibility.
The non-government group Mindanao Peacebuilding Institute said the act "transgresses some cultural and religious sensibilities." The rebel Moro Islamic Liberation Front described it as "simply exploiting people in times of crisis."
Nearly 400,000 residents have abandoned Marawi and outlying towns in Lanao del Sur province. More than 18,300 displaced people are currently being sheltered in 78 evacuation centers in Mindanao, 34 of which are located in the provinces of Lanao del Norte, one in Misamis Occidental, and 43 in Lanao del Sur. (Source: CBCP News)
(Vatican Radio) Iraqi forces slowly advanced Monday to retake the last patch of ground in Mosul where Islamic State militants are holding on to a tiny sliver of the Old City. The operation comes a day after the prime minister visited the soldiers to congratulate troops on the hard-fought battle.As the conflict comes to an end the Norwegian Refugee Council is warning of the continued suffering of civilians.The spokesperson for the organization in Iraq is Melany Markham. She explained to Lydia O'Kane more about the situation on the ground.Listen: The NRC spokesperson says, “the major needs are for food water and healthcare. The people in West Mosul especially have been under siege for months and have been cut off from food, water and medical supplies.”She also describes the difficulties of getting aid into the city for the people who need it most. “It is hugely problematic and one of the primary concerns for us is the water supply which has been almost co...
(Vatican Radio) Iraqi forces slowly advanced Monday to retake the last patch of ground in Mosul where Islamic State militants are holding on to a tiny sliver of the Old City. The operation comes a day after the prime minister visited the soldiers to congratulate troops on the hard-fought battle.
As the conflict comes to an end the Norwegian Refugee Council is warning of the continued suffering of civilians.
The spokesperson for the organization in Iraq is Melany Markham. She explained to Lydia O'Kane more about the situation on the ground.
Listen:
The NRC spokesperson says, “the major needs are for food water and healthcare. The people in West Mosul especially have been under siege for months and have been cut off from food, water and medical supplies.”
She also describes the difficulties of getting aid into the city for the people who need it most. “It is hugely problematic and one of the primary concerns for us is the water supply which has been almost completely knocked out…”
Attention will inevitably turn to the task of re-building this university city and the NRC is already trying to re-build schools, but as Melany Markham explains, “one of the huge problems for us is the number of unexploded bombs and landmines throughout the city. It’s estimated that around 30% of schools have some kind of unexploded ordinance in there, so we can’t go back into those places and re-build until they’ve been removed.”
Despite all that the civilians have gone through and the conditions they are living in, Ms Markham says they have shown “tremendous resilience”. The NRC also points out that is the responsibility of the international community now to help them rebuild their country and repair the divisions that helped to create the conflict in the first place,”
BEIJING (AP) -- The hospital treating imprisoned Chinese Nobel Peace Prize laureate Liu Xiaobo said Monday his condition is now critical and doctors are in "active rescue" mode for China's best-known political prisoner....
ISTANBUL (AP) -- As the Gulf crisis over Qatar festers, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is embarking on his first shuttle diplomacy mission, heading to the region in a bid to end a deadlock that has badly damaged ties between several key American partners and threatens to hinder counter terrorism efforts....
BAGHDAD (AP) -- The Latest on the developments in Iraq where Iraqi forces are pushing to retake the last sliver of ground held by the Islamic State group in the Old City neighborhood (all times local):...
WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Donald Trump's eldest son changed his account over the weekend of a meeting he had with a Russian lawyer during the 2016 campaign, saying Sunday that the woman told him she had information about Democrat Hillary Clinton....
MIAMI BEACH, Fla. (AP) -- Nicholas Montes put on goggles and a catcher's mitt and crouched....
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) -- Six female students from war-torn Afghanistan who had hoped to participate in an international robotics competition in the U.S. this month will have to watch via video link after their visa applications were denied - not once, but twice....
NEW YORK (AP) -- Pillows that track your snoozing patterns? A bed that adjusts based on how much you twist and turn? Companies are adding more technology into their products, hoping to lure customers craving a better night's sleep....
