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WASHINGTON (AP) -- A firm run by Donald Trump's campaign chairman directly orchestrated a covert Washington lobbying operation on behalf of Ukraine's ruling political party, attempting to sway American public opinion in favor of the country's pro-Russian government, emails obtained by The Associated Press show. Paul Manafort and his deputy, Rick Gates, never disclosed their work as foreign agents as required under federal law....
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Obama administration said Thursday that a $400 million cash payment to Iran seven months ago was contingent on the release of a group of American prisoners....
(Vatican Radio) The Holy See Press Office announced on Thursday that Pope Francis will return to the Italian town of Assisi on September 20th.His repeat visit to the birthplace of St. Francis takes place on the 30th anniversary of the World Day of Prayer for Peace, an annual event promoted by the St. Egidio Community.The Holy Father made a private pilgrimage to Assisi earlier this month (4 August) to visit the Porziuncola chapel, marking the 800th anniversary of the "Pardon of Assisi."
(Vatican Radio) The Holy See Press Office announced on Thursday that Pope Francis will return to the Italian town of Assisi on September 20th.
His repeat visit to the birthplace of St. Francis takes place on the 30th anniversary of the World Day of Prayer for Peace, an annual event promoted by the St. Egidio Community.
The Holy Father made a private pilgrimage to Assisi earlier this month (4 August) to visit the Porziuncola chapel, marking the 800th anniversary of the "Pardon of Assisi."
Madrid, Spain, Aug 18, 2016 / 11:56 am (CNA/EWTN News).- While Reconciliation is intended to allow Christ’s victory to overcome sin in our lives, what happens when shame over one’s sins is so great that it keeps people away from the sacrament?The famous Spanish theologian Father José Antonio Fortea discussed this phenomenon and practical solutions to it in a recent blog post.Normally, a sense of Christ’s mercy should be enough to help people overcome their shame and go to Confession, in order to receive forgiveness and healing.However, in some cases, Fr. Fortea acknowledged, people are overwhelmed by their sins, and this shame becomes “a wall” keeping them away from Reconciliation.“They would rather make a 100-mile pilgrimage than have to confess face-to-face certain things they did that are terribly and frightfully humiliating to them,” he said, reflecting on the torment that faces some penitents who struggle approaching the sacramen...
Madrid, Spain, Aug 18, 2016 / 11:56 am (CNA/EWTN News).- While Reconciliation is intended to allow Christ’s victory to overcome sin in our lives, what happens when shame over one’s sins is so great that it keeps people away from the sacrament?
The famous Spanish theologian Father José Antonio Fortea discussed this phenomenon and practical solutions to it in a recent blog post.
Normally, a sense of Christ’s mercy should be enough to help people overcome their shame and go to Confession, in order to receive forgiveness and healing.
However, in some cases, Fr. Fortea acknowledged, people are overwhelmed by their sins, and this shame becomes “a wall” keeping them away from Reconciliation.
“They would rather make a 100-mile pilgrimage than have to confess face-to-face certain things they did that are terribly and frightfully humiliating to them,” he said, reflecting on the torment that faces some penitents who struggle approaching the sacrament.
The Spanish priest first pointed out the importance of priests offering fatherly compassion on those who have “these burdens on their consciences.”
He also noted the importance of ensuring truly anonymous confessions. In each city, he said, “there ought to be at least one confessional where instead of a grill, there is a metal sheet with small holes, making it totally impossible to see the person making their confession.”
The person confessing should not be visible to the priest as they approach or leave, he continued. If there is a window on the priest’s door, it should not be transparent.
“With these measures, the vast majority of the faithful can resolve the problem of shame,” Fr. Fortea said.
But for those “truly very rare” cases where shame is still a major obstacle, even with anonymous confessionals, additional steps can be taken.
In these instances of extreme shame, the person can “make an anonymous phone call to a priest in the city and tell him about this problem.” Confession itself cannot take place over the phone, but “in many cases, the phone conversation will be enough so the penitent can get up his confidence and can approach the kind of above-mentioned confessional.”
If the penitent still finds that the shame of mentioning his sins is too great to bear, he can arrange for a written confession with the priest.
Fr. Fortea said that in several of the confessionals in his city of Alcalá de Henares, Spain, “it's possible for the penitent to move the screen slightly, just a fraction of an inch, and slip in a piece of paper.”
He offered guidelines for such written confessions: they should generally not be longer than one page, sins should be written “in a clear and concise manner,” or if possible, should be typed for clarity in reading.
“The priest will give his counsel, the penance and absolution without needing to bring up any questions for the penitent. In this case asking questions would be counterproductive,” he reflected.
While the general rule is that confession should be vocal, it can be done through writing in some cases, the priest said. He noted that those who are deaf or mute have always been permitted to make written confessions.
And in the case of insurmountable shame, this would also be licit, he said. “A psychological inability can be just as real as a physical one.”
IMAGE: CNS photo/Rebecca Kirstin Patton, The Texas Catholic By David SedenoDALLAS (CNS) -- The importanceof the vocation of marriage and the family is at the core for the future of notonly the Catholic Church, but of society, Bishop Kevin J. Farrell of Dallassaid at a news conference Aug. 17.Earlier in the day the Vaticanannounced that Pope Francis has appointed the bishop to lead a new Vaticanoffice for the laity, family and life. Creation of the office is a continuation of the pontiff's quest tooverhaul the Curia for more efficiency and transparency and tohighlight the growing and important role of the laity among the world's 1.2billion Catholics.At the news conference and in a letter to priests of thediocese and the pastoral center staff, BishopFarrell thanked the pope for having confidence in him to lead the new office, butsaid he also welcomed the appointment with mixed emotions."Dallas has been my home for 10years and, from the beginning, I quickly grew to love the beautiful p...
IMAGE: CNS photo/Rebecca Kirstin Patton, The Texas Catholic
By David Sedeno
DALLAS (CNS) -- The importance of the vocation of marriage and the family is at the core for the future of not only the Catholic Church, but of society, Bishop Kevin J. Farrell of Dallas said at a news conference Aug. 17.
Earlier in the day the Vatican announced that Pope Francis has appointed the bishop to lead a new Vatican office for the laity, family and life. Creation of the office is a continuation of the pontiff's quest to overhaul the Curia for more efficiency and transparency and to highlight the growing and important role of the laity among the world's 1.2 billion Catholics.
At the news conference and in a letter to priests of the diocese and the pastoral center staff, Bishop Farrell thanked the pope for having confidence in him to lead the new office, but said he also welcomed the appointment with mixed emotions.
"Dallas has been my home for 10 years and, from the beginning, I quickly grew to love the beautiful people and the culture here," he said in the letter. "The strong faith, kindness and generosity of the people in the Diocese of Dallas surpassed all of my expectations.
"A bishop can get nothing of significance done in a diocese without the hard work and cooperation of pastors, priests, his senior staff and diocesan employees," he said. "Together, I believe we have accomplished many goals and put others in motion that have improved and enhanced service and ministry to the good people we serve."
Bishop Farrell became the seventh bishop of the Diocese of Dallas when he was appointed March 6, 2007, by Pope Benedict XVI and was installed at the Cathedral Shrine of the Virgin of Guadalupe in downtown Dallas May 1, 2007.
When he became the chief shepherd of the diocese, there were approximately 947,000 Catholics, compared to the current 1.3 million, thanks in part to the arrival of immigrants from across the United States and abroad.
On Sept. 1, the new Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life officially begins its work. It merges the current Pontifical Council for the Laity and the Pontifical Council for the Family; the Pontifical Academy for Life will remain as a separate unit but will report to the new dicastery.
Statutes for the new office, published in June, said it was being established "for the promotion of the life and apostolate of the lay faithful, for the pastoral care of the family and its mission according to God's plan and for the protection and support of human life."
Bishop Farrell was scheduled to travel to Rome in the coming days to open the office and meet with his new staff, which will include a secretary and three lay undersecretaries.
He will celebrate his 69th birthday Sept. 2. He will return to Dallas for a few days in September before relocating permanently to Rome a few weeks later.
Upon Bishop Farrell's departure, Auxiliary Bishop Gregory Kelly will lead the diocese until Pope Francis appoints a successor in the coming months.
During his tenure in Dallas, Bishop Farrell has been outspoken on abortion and the death penalty as well as on gun control, immigration and religious liberty. This year, during the Year of Mercy, he has spoken about love, mercy and charity.
At the news conference, as part of the life issue, he reiterated that the Texas bishops have sent Texas Gov. Greg Abbott a letter requesting clemency for Jeff Wood, who was scheduled for execution Aug. 24 for his capital murder conviction in the shooting death of a store clerk in Kerrville in 1996.
Wood, who was not in the store at the time of the shooting and claimed he did not know a passenger in his truck was going to rob and kill the attendant, also is said to have an IQ of about 80, which supporters said should have disqualified him from standing trial, based on his mental competency.
"We have sympathy for the family of the victims," Bishop Farrell told reporters, "but killing someone doesn't solve the problem, especially when that person was not even there."
He also addressed the acrimony brought on by violence, saying that people must understand commonalities beyond their differences.
"We need to build bridges, not walls," he said.
In Rome, Bishop Farrell will join his brother, Bishop Brian Farrell, who is secretary of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity.
When asked at the news conference if maybe his brother had put in a good word for him with the pope, Bishop Farrell said, "I doubt it."
It will be the first time the two brothers have ministered in the same city.
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Sedeno is executive editor of The Texas Catholic and Revista Catolica, publications of the Diocese of Dallas.
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