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(Vatican Radio) Three Hong Kong students have been convicted of leading the pro-democracy protest movement that brought tens of thousands of demonstrators out onto the streets of the former British colony in the autumn of 2014.Following the convictions on Thursday, the three men were released on bail and are expected to be sentenced on August 15th, facing a possible two year prison sentence.Listen to the report by Philippa Hitchen in Hong Kong: The court in Hong Kong convicted 19 year old Joshua Wong and fellow student leader Alex Chow of unlawfully climbing a fence and entering a restricted area outside government headquarters in September 2014.Local media here reports that a third pro-democracy activist, Nathan Law, was convicted of inciting dozens of young people, who also took part in the demonstration.Following their arrest, thousands of people took to the streets of the city centre in a pro-democracy protest, dubbed the Umbrella Movement that lasted for almost three mo...
(Vatican Radio) Three Hong Kong students have been convicted of leading the pro-democracy protest movement that brought tens of thousands of demonstrators out onto the streets of the former British colony in the autumn of 2014.
Following the convictions on Thursday, the three men were released on bail and are expected to be sentenced on August 15th, facing a possible two year prison sentence.
Listen to the report by Philippa Hitchen in Hong Kong:
The court in Hong Kong convicted 19 year old Joshua Wong and fellow student leader Alex Chow of unlawfully climbing a fence and entering a restricted area outside government headquarters in September 2014.Local media here reports that a third pro-democracy activist, Nathan Law, was convicted of inciting dozens of young people, who also took part in the demonstration.
Following their arrest, thousands of people took to the streets of the city centre in a pro-democracy protest, dubbed the Umbrella Movement that lasted for almost three months. As well as demanding the release of the student leaders, they called for greater transparency and universal suffrage in the election of the city’s Chief Executive. Many fear this election process is being increasingly influenced by the Beijing government, despite guarantees set down in the Basic Law drawn up ahead of Hong Kong’s handover from British to Chinese rule.
Following the convictions, Wong said the three men do not regret what they have done and will continue their struggle, despite the prospect of prison sentences. “No matter what is the penalty or the price that we need to pay”, he said, “we will still continue” with the “long-term battle” for democracy.
The human rights group Amnesty International criticized the verdicts as “a chilling warning for freedom of expression and peaceful assembly” in this Special Administrative Region of China. Mabel Au, director of the group’s Hong Kong office, said: "The prosecution of student leaders on vague charges smacks of political payback by the authorities".
Catholic and Anglican Church leaders continue to call for dialogue and the building of trust between government and pro-democracy activists. But these tensions are likely to flare again in the autumn, when Hong Kong holds elections for its Legislative Council.
Just last week, the Hong Kong government and the Electoral Affairs Commission sparked anger by saying that candidates for the September ballot cannot support independence and must sign a declaration saying that Hong Kong is an "inalienable" part of mainland China.
Rome, Italy, Jul 21, 2016 / 12:02 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Among the swarms of pilgrims registered for World Youth Day in Poland next week is a large group of Iraqi youth, who aim to witness to the joy of their faith despite ongoing violent persecution.“I want everyone to see a witness of faith, of suffering faith, and the faith of our group,” Fr. Rayan Atto told CNA July 19.He said they don't need “anything special” from the other pilgrims they'll meet in Krakow, but instead want to ensure the others “that we love them, they are our best friends, and we want to work in this mission with them all over the world.”“The only thing we need is (for them) to look at our faces: we are so happy and proud to be Christians in this area,” he added.Fr. Atto is in charge of coordinating the large group of Iraqi youth traveling to Krakow for the July 26-31 event with Pope Francis, which is expected to draw hundreds of thousands of pilgrims from ...
Rome, Italy, Jul 21, 2016 / 12:02 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Among the swarms of pilgrims registered for World Youth Day in Poland next week is a large group of Iraqi youth, who aim to witness to the joy of their faith despite ongoing violent persecution.
“I want everyone to see a witness of faith, of suffering faith, and the faith of our group,” Fr. Rayan Atto told CNA July 19.
He said they don't need “anything special” from the other pilgrims they'll meet in Krakow, but instead want to ensure the others “that we love them, they are our best friends, and we want to work in this mission with them all over the world.”
“The only thing we need is (for them) to look at our faces: we are so happy and proud to be Christians in this area,” he added.
Fr. Atto is in charge of coordinating the large group of Iraqi youth traveling to Krakow for the July 26-31 event with Pope Francis, which is expected to draw hundreds of thousands of pilgrims from across the globe.
Split into three different groups based on the area where they live, there are 315 people in total coming from Iraq, including two bishops, 10 priests and several nuns. There is also a separate group of pilgrims coming from the Neocatecumenal Way.
The youth themselves come from all over the country, including cities such as Erbil, Baghdad, Kirkuk and Dohuk.
Roughly half of the youth who are coming have been displaced from cities such as Baghdad, Mosul and surrounding villages, yet all of them were able to pay their own way, thanks in part to donations made by Aid to the Church in Need and the Vatican’s department for the Laity.
Poland gave visas to the pilgrims free of charge, however, they still had to raise funds for the cost of the paperwork, airfare and lodging.
Fr. Atto said that as coordinator, he and the other organizers have sought to foster a strong sense of unity among the youth, so that those who are displaced don’t feel ashamed.
“We keep this unity in order not to distinguish between the young people,” he said, explaining that they don’t want anyone “to feel that they are displaced,” but rather at home with their peers.
He said keeping their faith strong amid the daily struggles they face “is not that easy,” but is something they fight to maintain through the sacraments and spiritual meetings such as retreats or prayer events.
“Our grandfathers, they kept their faith for us and we are feeding it” through spiritual things, he said, adding that the sacraments and prayer “will help us to show our faith, our Christianity. That’s the only thing we have. We are keeping the faith for other generations.”
The different groups arrived together July 20, and will stay in Krakow through Aug. 1, the day after the official WYD events have finished.
All members of the Chaldean rite, the youth will meet with other communities from around the world and will share Masses and catechesis sessions together.
On July 22 the group will celebrate a large Chaldean-rite Mass which will be followed by a brief catechism on themes related to the official WYD program.
Other activities the group will participate include a cultural show, during which they will introduce their group with dancing and will wear the traditional clothing from Iraq’s Christian villages.
A special catechesis session will be given July 27, in which bishops from around the world will lead a reflection on the WYD theme, “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy,” in different languages. One of the organizers of the Iraqi group will offer a reflection in Arabic.
During the Via Crucis with Pope Francis July 29, a number of the Iraqi youth will form a choir and sing both the Our Father and Psalm 115 in Aramaic in front of the Pope and the rest of the youth from around the world. Aramaic is an ancient language spoken during the time of Jesus and is the language of the Chaldean rite.
Fr. Atto said the choir will be given 10 minutes to sing while the Stations of the Cross are being acted out by youth below.
“Our pilgrims,” he said, “will be there with all the youth from all over the world. We are very happy and excited and we are waiting to give this testimony to all the people.”
“We know that everyone is waiting for us and watching us, and they want to know about us, our faith,” he said, adding that his hope for the Iraqi youth who go is that they “bring with them their faith, improve their faith…and come back with more faith. That’s my goal.”
IMAGE: CNS photo/Carlo Allegri, ReutersBy Mark PattisonWASHINGTON(CNS) -- Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory of Atlanta has been appointed as chair ofa new task force of the U.S. bishops to deal with racial issues brought intopublic consciousness following a series of summertime shootings that left bothcitizens and police officers among those dead.Thetask force's charge includes helping bishops to engage directly the challengingproblems highlighted by the shootings. Task force members will gather anddisseminate supportive resources and "best practices" for their fellow bishops;actively listening to the concerns of members in troubled communities and lawenforcement; and build strong relationships to help prevent and resolveconflicts."Bystepping forward to embrace the suffering, through unified, concrete actionanimated by the love of Christ, we hope to nurture peace and build bridges ofcommunication and mutual aid in our own communities," said a July 21 statementfrom Archbishop Joseph E. K...
IMAGE: CNS photo/Carlo Allegri, Reuters
By Mark Pattison
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory of Atlanta has been appointed as chair of a new task force of the U.S. bishops to deal with racial issues brought into public consciousness following a series of summertime shootings that left both citizens and police officers among those dead.
The task force's charge includes helping bishops to engage directly the challenging problems highlighted by the shootings. Task force members will gather and disseminate supportive resources and "best practices" for their fellow bishops; actively listening to the concerns of members in troubled communities and law enforcement; and build strong relationships to help prevent and resolve conflicts.
"By stepping forward to embrace the suffering, through unified, concrete action animated by the love of Christ, we hope to nurture peace and build bridges of communication and mutual aid in our own communities," said a July 21 statement from Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz of Louisville, Kentucky, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
In addition to creating the task force and appointing its members, Archbishop Kurtz also called for a national day of prayer for peace in our communities, to be held Sept. 9, the feast of St. Peter Claver.
Archbishop Gregory is a former USCCB president. Other task force members are Archbishop Thomas G. Wenski of Miami, chairman of the USCCB Committee on Domestic Social Development; Bishop Shelton J. Fabre of Houma-Thibodaux, Louisiana, chairman of the USCCB Subcommittee for African-American Affairs; Bishop Jaime Soto of Sacramento, California, chairman of the USCCB Subcommittee on the Catholic Campaign for Human Development; and retired Bishop John H. Ricard of Pensacola-Tallahassee, Florida, who is president of the National Black Catholic Congress.
The day of prayer, according to a July 21 USCCB announcement about the task force's formation, will "serve as a focal point for the work of the task force."
The task force's work will conclude with the USCCB's fall general meeting in November, at which time it will report on its activities and recommendations for future work.
"I have stressed the need to look toward additional ways of nurturing an open, honest and civil dialogue on issues of race relations, restorative justice, mental health, economic opportunity and addressing the question of pervasive gun violence," Archbishop Kurtz said. "The day of prayer and special task force will help us advance in that direction."
The task force will have bishop consultants, including Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo of Galveston-Houston, who is USCCB vice president, as well as bishops whose jurisdictions have experienced extreme gun violence, or who otherwise bring special insight or experience on related questions. An equal or smaller number of lay consultants with relevant expertise will be appointed soon thereafter, the USCCB announcement said.
"I am honored to lead this task force which will assist my brother bishops, individually and as a group, to accompany suffering communities on the path toward peace and reconciliation," said Archbishop Gregory in a July 21 statement. "We are one body in Christ, so we must walk with our brothers and sisters and renew our commitment to promote healing. The suffering is not somewhere else, or someone else's; it is our own, in our very dioceses."
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