(Vatican Radio) As Americans prepare to vote in an increasingly divisive presidential election, the Catholic bishops of the United States are urging U.S. Catholics to catch up on some summer reading. They’ve republished an updated version of “Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship,” their teaching document on the political responsibility of Catholics. Listen to our report: Scandals, fear mongering, insults and lies – this electoral campaign pitting Republican Donald Trump against Democrat Hillary Clinton has seen it all. And U.S. bishops have seen enough. Reissuing their 2007 online document, they’re calling on American Catholics to think hard about their political responsibilities. And rather than blindly casting their vote for a certain ideology or a particular political party, to choose the common good and consider” all that protects or threatens human dignity.”Subdivided into three parts, ...
(Vatican Radio) As Americans prepare to vote in an increasingly divisive presidential election, the Catholic bishops of the United States are urging U.S. Catholics to catch up on some summer reading. They’ve republished an updated version of “Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship,” their teaching document on the political responsibility of Catholics.
Listen to our report:
Scandals, fear mongering, insults and lies – this electoral campaign pitting Republican Donald Trump against Democrat Hillary Clinton has seen it all. And U.S. bishops have seen enough. Reissuing their 2007 online document, they’re calling on American Catholics to think hard about their political responsibilities. And rather than blindly casting their vote for a certain ideology or a particular political party, to choose the common good and consider” all that protects or threatens human dignity.”
Subdivided into three parts, the bishops’ document begins with a reflection on the Church’s social doctrine, then presents a summary of the U.S. Bishops’ position on the principal ethical questions facing today’s society: defense of human life, peace and economic justice, the protection of minors and religious freedom, and safeguarding the planet.
The document has been updated from its original version to include the later magisterium of Pope Benedict XVI and that of Pope Francis and takes into account recent developments in the US in both domestic and foreign policy.
It is a call, they say, to “people of good will to use this statement to help form their consciences; to teach those entrusted to their care; to contribute to civil and respectful public dialogue; and to shape political choices in the coming election in light of Catholic teaching.”
New concerns have evolved in recent years
The document specifically cites as concerns:
"The ongoing destruction of over one million innocent human lives each year by abortion • Physician-assisted suicide • The redefinition of marriage—the vital cell of society—by the courts, political bodies, and increasingly by American culture itself • The excessive consumption of material goods and the destruction of natural resources, which harm both the environment and the poor • The deadly attacks on fellow Christians and religious minorities throughout the world • The narrowing redefinition of religious freedom, which threatens both individual conscience and the freedom of the Church to serve • Economic policies that fail to prioritize the poor, • A broken immigration system and a worldwide refugee crisis • Wars, terror, and violence that threaten every aspect of human life and dignity."
“All of these threats, and more,” write the bishops, “speak to a breakdown in what Pope Francis has called an ‘integral ecology.’ Without the proper ordering of relationships of persons with each other, with creation, and ultimately with God himself, sin takes hold. Pope Francis reminds us that all individuals, nations, and members of the global community have the duty to place the needs of others ahead of selfish desires to possess and exploit the good things that come from God’s hand.”
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis has sent his condolences after the attack on the hospital in Quetta, Pakistan, which killed over 70 people.The majority of the victims were lawyers who had gathered to mourn the assassination of the president of the Baluchistan Bar Association, Bilal Anwar Kasi, who was killed earlier in the day.The telegram sent by the Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin reads:Deeply saddened to learn of the loss of life following the attack on a hospital in Quetta, His Holiness Pope Francis sends heartfelt condolences to the relatives of the deceased, to the authorities and to the entire nation, as he offers the assurance of his prayers for the many injured victims of this senseless and brutal act of violence. Upon all who mourn and upon all who have been affected by this tragedy, His Holiness invokes the divine gifts of consolation and strength. ...
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis has sent his condolences after the attack on the hospital in Quetta, Pakistan, which killed over 70 people.
The majority of the victims were lawyers who had gathered to mourn the assassination of the president of the Baluchistan Bar Association, Bilal Anwar Kasi, who was killed earlier in the day.
The telegram sent by the Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin reads:
Deeply saddened to learn of the loss of life following the attack on a hospital in Quetta, His Holiness Pope Francis sends heartfelt condolences to the relatives of the deceased, to the authorities and to the entire nation, as he offers the assurance of his prayers for the many injured victims of this senseless and brutal act of violence. Upon all who mourn and upon all who have been affected by this tragedy, His Holiness invokes the divine gifts of consolation and strength.
Caritas Jordan celebrated the launching of a new project “Preparing to Excel in Emergency Response - PEER” on Monday, in the conference-center of a hotel in Amman.The project will be implemented by Caritas Jordan Volunteers Centre and in partnership with Catholic Relief Services (CRS), and aims to increase synergies and interaction capabilities among Christian groups in Jordan who are engaged in various programs in order to face humanitarian emergencies. Among the ten working groups involved in the project so far there is also the Greek Orthodox Christian youth community and NGOs such as the Orthodox Progress Association.Mr. Wael Suleiman, Director General of Caritas Jordan, expressed his happiness for this gathering that will help to work together in serving refugees and people in need.Jocelyn Braddock, Director of assistance programs supported by CRS Lebanon, stressed the usefulness and the urgency to involve reality and local institutions in the implementation...
Caritas Jordan celebrated the launching of a new project “Preparing to Excel in Emergency Response - PEER” on Monday, in the conference-center of a hotel in Amman.
The project will be implemented by Caritas Jordan Volunteers Centre and in partnership with Catholic Relief Services (CRS), and aims to increase synergies and interaction capabilities among Christian groups in Jordan who are engaged in various programs in order to face humanitarian emergencies. Among the ten working groups involved in the project so far there is also the Greek Orthodox Christian youth community and NGOs such as the Orthodox Progress Association.
Mr. Wael Suleiman, Director General of Caritas Jordan, expressed his happiness for this gathering that will help to work together in serving refugees and people in need.
Jocelyn Braddock, Director of assistance programs supported by CRS Lebanon, stressed the usefulness and the urgency to involve reality and local institutions in the implementation of projects put in place to respond to humanitarian emergencies that afflict the Middle Eastern region.(Fides)
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Aug 9, 2016 / 03:02 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Simone Biles and Katie Ledecky are two of the names to know in this year's summer Olympic games in Rio.Biles, a record-shattering gymnast with a sparkling smile and bubbly energy that shines through her routines, is the U.S. gymnastics team fan favorite and the gymnast to beat for any chance at the gold."Biles competes with a joy and abandon that has been lacking in women’s gymnastics in recent years," wrote Liz Clarke for the Washington Post. "All too often, grim-faced pony-tailed youngsters clench their jaws, furrow their brows and inhale an ocean’s worth of air before hurtling into rigorous tumbling passes. Their feats may be acrobatically eye-popping, but the strain of pulling them off is palpable.”"Biles, by contrast, exudes utter delight, competing as if the four-inch-wide balance beam is the sidewalk in front of her house, the vault and uneven bars mere elements of her b...
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Aug 9, 2016 / 03:02 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Simone Biles and Katie Ledecky are two of the names to know in this year's summer Olympic games in Rio.
Biles, a record-shattering gymnast with a sparkling smile and bubbly energy that shines through her routines, is the U.S. gymnastics team fan favorite and the gymnast to beat for any chance at the gold.
"Biles competes with a joy and abandon that has been lacking in women’s gymnastics in recent years," wrote Liz Clarke for the Washington Post. "All too often, grim-faced pony-tailed youngsters clench their jaws, furrow their brows and inhale an ocean’s worth of air before hurtling into rigorous tumbling passes. Their feats may be acrobatically eye-popping, but the strain of pulling them off is palpable.”
"Biles, by contrast, exudes utter delight, competing as if the four-inch-wide balance beam is the sidewalk in front of her house, the vault and uneven bars mere elements of her backyard swing-set and the mat a magic carpet for high-flying fun," Clarke wrote.
The Texas teenager is a four-time national champion and the first female gymnast in history to win three consecutive world championships. The complex moves written into her Rio routines - including her signature series of flips now called "The Biles" - give her an edge before she even performs.
But behind her jaw-dropping performances is a strong family and faith life that Biles (literally) carries with her.
In a recent interview with Us Magazine, the athlete unpacked her Olympic bag, explaining the significance of each item. Along with her bottled water, bobby pins, Beats headphones and cheetah-print umbrella, Biles carries a white rosary.
"My mom, Nellie, got me a rosary at church," she told the magazine. "I don't use it to pray before a competition. I'll just pray normally to myself, but it's there just in case."
Biles was adopted by her grandparents, Ron and Nellie Biles, when she was five years old. Her mother, a drug addict, had struggled to care for Simone and her siblings.
After the adoption, Simone has called Nellie and Ron "mom and dad." She attends Sunday Mass with her parents, and regularly lights a candle to St. Sebastian, the patron saint of athletes, before big events, according to olympic.org.
Katie Ledecky is also one of the top athletes to watch at this year’s games.
A 19 year-old swimmer, two-time Olympic gold medalist and nine-time world champion, Ledecky returns to the Olympics after taking home the gold in the women's 800-meter freestyle swim at the summer games in London in 2012. At the time, she was just 15 years old.
The Bethesda, Maryland athlete has no obvious physiological advantages. Measuring in at 6 feet tall, she is often on the shorter end of the swim roster. Her hands and feet aren't particularly large, and her general physique offers her no upper hand - so much so that a summary of her physical-assessment tests at the U.S. Olympic Training Center referred to her as "remarkably unremarkable."
But what is remarkable about Ledecky is her inner drive. A young woman with a gentle demeanor outside of the pool, Ledecky swims with an "aggression and the kind of fury" the moment she begins a competition. She's adopted a type of "galloping" stroke typically used by male swimmers like Michael Phelps, and has a "tough as nails" determination to be the best, according to her coaches.
“She’s the greatest athlete in the world today by far,” Michael J. Joyner, an anesthesiologist and researcher for the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., specializing in human performance and physiology, told the Washington Post. “She’s dominating by the widest margin in international sport, winning by 1 or 2 percent. If [a runner] won the 10,000 meters by that wide a margin, they’d win by 100 meters. One or 2 percent in the Tour de France, over about 80 hours of racing, would be 30 or 40 minutes. It’s just absolutely remarkable.”
Like Biles, Ledecky has shattered world records. She is the current world-record holder in the 400-, 800-, and 1,500-meter freestyle (long course). She also holds the fastest times in the 500-, 1000-, and 1,650-yard freestyle events.
Also like Biles, Ledecky's Catholic faith is central to her identity.
Ledecky attended Catholic school - Little Flower School in Bethesda through 8th grade, and then Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart for high school - her whole life.
“My Catholic faith is very important to me. It always has been and it always will be. It is part of who I am and I feel comfortable practicing my faith. It helps me put things in perspective,” Ledecky told the Catholic Standard in a recent interview.
She also confirmed that she says a "Hail Mary" before each event.
“I do say a prayer – or two – before any race. The Hail Mary is a beautiful prayer and I find that it calms me,” she told the Catholic Standard.
After winning her first Olympic gold 4 years ago, Ledecky paid a visit to the convent of the sisters from her grade school, Crux reported. She wanted to thank the sisters for their support over the years, and give them a chance to celebrate with her.
Catherine Ronan Karrels, Stone Ridge’s head of school, told Crux that Ledecky “is so grounded in her faith, and supported by a really loving family and community. She’s an amazing young woman, who happens to swim.”
Catch Biles and Ledecky this week and next on NBC as they compete in the 2016 Olympics in Rio.
Vatican City, Aug 9, 2016 / 04:43 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Pope Francis offered his condolences to those affected by the “senseless and brutal” attack against a hospital in Quetta, Pakistan, which left dozens dead and over a hundred injured.The Pope was “deeply saddened to learn of the loss of life” from Monday's attack, according to the telegram which was signed by Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin.In the message, the pontiff sent his “heartfelt condolences to the relatives of the deceased, to the authorities and to the entire nation as he offers the assurance of his prayers for the many injured victims of this senseless and brutal act of violence.”“Upon all who mourn and upon all who have been affected by this tragedy, His Holiness invokes the divine gifts of consolation and strength.”At least 70 people were killed and around 120 people were wounded when a suicide bomber struck the hospital in Pakistan's south-w...
Vatican City, Aug 9, 2016 / 04:43 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Pope Francis offered his condolences to those affected by the “senseless and brutal” attack against a hospital in Quetta, Pakistan, which left dozens dead and over a hundred injured.
The Pope was “deeply saddened to learn of the loss of life” from Monday's attack, according to the telegram which was signed by Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin.
In the message, the pontiff sent his “heartfelt condolences to the relatives of the deceased, to the authorities and to the entire nation as he offers the assurance of his prayers for the many injured victims of this senseless and brutal act of violence.”
“Upon all who mourn and upon all who have been affected by this tragedy, His Holiness invokes the divine gifts of consolation and strength.”
At least 70 people were killed and around 120 people were wounded when a suicide bomber struck the hospital in Pakistan's south-west, the BBC reports.
Included among the casualties were lawyers and journalists who were accompanying the remains of Bilal Anwar Kasi, a lawyer who had been shot dead earlier that day.
Both a Pakistan faction of the Taliban – known as Jamaat-ur-Ahrar – and the Islamic State have claimed responsibility for the bombing, according to Reuters.
The Jamaat-ur-Ahrar is the same group responsible for a deadly attack earlier this year in which around 70 people – mostly children – were slaughtered during Easter Sunday celebrations.
QINGDAO, China (AP) -- The visit of the U.S. Navy guided missile destroyer USS Benfold to the northern Chinese port of Qingdao this week is the latest development in a long-term effort to build trust between the countries' militaries amid tensions and a rivalry for dominance in Asia....
QINGDAO, China (AP) -- The visit of the U.S. Navy guided missile destroyer USS Benfold to the northern Chinese port of Qingdao this week is the latest development in a long-term effort to build trust between the countries' militaries amid tensions and a rivalry for dominance in Asia....
QUETTA, Pakistan (AP) -- Pakistani lawyers on Tuesday mourned colleagues slain in a shocking suicide bombing the previous day at a hospital in the southwestern city of Quetta that killed 70 people, mostly lawyers....
QUETTA, Pakistan (AP) -- Pakistani lawyers on Tuesday mourned colleagues slain in a shocking suicide bombing the previous day at a hospital in the southwestern city of Quetta that killed 70 people, mostly lawyers....
ST. PETERSBURG, Russia (AP) -- On his first foreign visit after Turkey's failed coup, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan thanked Russian President Vladimir Putin for inviting him for talks Tuesday aimed at repairing ties shattered by Turkey's downing of a Russian warplane along the Syrian border last year....
ST. PETERSBURG, Russia (AP) -- On his first foreign visit after Turkey's failed coup, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan thanked Russian President Vladimir Putin for inviting him for talks Tuesday aimed at repairing ties shattered by Turkey's downing of a Russian warplane along the Syrian border last year....
TOKYO (AP) -- Jeff Quigley, an American who lives in Japan and Indonesia, was one of thousands of passengers caught up in this week's worldwide Delta Air Lines shutdown....
TOKYO (AP) -- Jeff Quigley, an American who lives in Japan and Indonesia, was one of thousands of passengers caught up in this week's worldwide Delta Air Lines shutdown....
