Catholic News 2
DOHA, Qatar (AP) -- A group of Arab nations early on Monday extended a deadline for Qatar to respond to their list of demands in a diplomatic crisis roiling the Gulf by 48 hours, saying Kuwait's emir requested the delay as part of his efforts to mediate the dispute....
MOSUL, Iraq (AP) -- Two women suicide bombers, hiding among a group of fleeing civilians, targeted Iraqi troops in Mosul on Monday morning, killing one soldier and wounding several others, an Iraqi officer said....
NEW YORK (AP) -- Making bombastic boasts. Dropping signature catch phrases. Attaching insults to rivals' names. Shouting down perceived enemies....
BRIDGEWATER, N.J. (AP) -- President Donald Trump crowned his weekend rage against the news media with a mock video that shows him pummeling a man in a business suit - his face obscured by the CNN logo - outside a wrestling ring....
Orlando, Fla., Jul 2, 2017 / 08:01 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- The rapidly changing realities of the Catholic Church in the U.S. bring a host of challenges and unknowns, but also great opportunities for evangelization and engagement, said experts at a gathering of Catholic leaders.“The future of U.S. Catholicism is being forged in areas once not central to U.S. Catholic life,” said Dr. Hosffman Ospino, associate professor of theology and religious education at Boston College. “Are we paying attention?”Dr. Ospino spoke at the “Convocation of Catholic Leaders: The Joy of the Gospel in America” event on July 2 in Orlando, Florida.He explained to more than 3,500 attendees from parishes and Catholic organizations around the country how the face of the Church in the United States is rapidly changing. In particular, he pointed to the rapid growth throughout the nation, particularly in the South and West of Hispanic communities. He also noted swift growth of oth...
Orlando, Fla., Jul 2, 2017 / 08:01 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- The rapidly changing realities of the Catholic Church in the U.S. bring a host of challenges and unknowns, but also great opportunities for evangelization and engagement, said experts at a gathering of Catholic leaders.
“The future of U.S. Catholicism is being forged in areas once not central to U.S. Catholic life,” said Dr. Hosffman Ospino, associate professor of theology and religious education at Boston College. “Are we paying attention?”
Dr. Ospino spoke at the “Convocation of Catholic Leaders: The Joy of the Gospel in America” event on July 2 in Orlando, Florida.
He explained to more than 3,500 attendees from parishes and Catholic organizations around the country how the face of the Church in the United States is rapidly changing. In particular, he pointed to the rapid growth throughout the nation, particularly in the South and West of Hispanic communities. He also noted swift growth of other faith communities, particularly Asian Catholic communities and, within some localities, communities of immigrants from Africa.
These changes have swiftly changed the face of American Catholic life. Fifty years ago, over 80 percent of American Catholics were of European descent. Today, that number is less than 50 percent, with 40 percent of all Catholics claiming Latino heritage, 5 percent of Asian or Pacific Islander descent, 4 percent African-American and 1 percent of Catholics of Native American descent.
Among Catholics under the age of 30, those numbers are even more diverse.
To address these very shifts in American Catholic life, Catholics should imagine what the future of the Church will look like, Ospino said.
“What kind of community of faith will our children and grandchildren inherit?” he asked, encouraging Catholics in attendance to consider the best stories and guidance the Church can offer.
Ospino also suggested Catholics reimagine their relationship with the public square. He warned that the ‘culture wars’ which have been a marker of American discourse in recent decades have hampered, in some cases, the Church’s ability to speak effectively to communities on the margins.
“It has become impossible to speak about anything because one is expected to take an ideological position to make a point,” he commented.
“The Gospel, my friends, is not an ideology, to be a co-opted to advance an ideological position. The Gospel is a message of life and communion,” Ospino said to applause.
Catholics should look for other means of engaging and reaching these growing segments of the Church, and participate in the U.S. Bishops’ National Encuentro program as part of this engagement, he continued.
Dr. Ospino’s talk was followed by a panel discussion, describing the different ways the Church is growing and changing in the United States.
Jesuit Father Thomas P. Gaunt, SJ, executive director of the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate at Georgetown University, explained that demographic changes in the United States do not apply just to Latino Catholics, but to all sections of the Church in the United States. He noted that populations of U.S. Catholic life are shifting away from the historic centers in the Northeast to booming job markets in the South and West. In addition, he noted, shifts are impacting African-American and Asian communities.
Meanwhile, according to CARA’s research, nearly a third of U.S. Catholics are not connected to a local church. While this disparity is a sign for needed improvement, Fr. Gaunt suggested that this gap can also be seen as a resource.
“How do we re-invite and re-engage them once more?” he wondered.
Kerry Weber, executive editor of America magazine, also pointed to these communities on the peripheries and noted that most of these communities have been engaged in the Church for decades or even centuries. The challenge for Catholic journalists, she said, is to show the diversity of the Church that has always been here.
Helen Alvare, professor of law at the Antonin Scalia Law School at George Mason University, pointed to the great strides the Church has made both in promoting its view of the human person in the public square and improving her own witness to the living out of respect for the human person in daily life.
On one hand, she said, “there is an embracing of the role of women in the Church and in the public square,” and embracing of men’s integral role in raising children in the home. Furthermore, “there is a huge emerging consensus that the Church's beautiful way of marriage sex and the family is freeing for all people.”
However, there have also been challenges. She noted that in the past several decades, challenges to the family have been a major contributor to social inequality. In addition, she said, the Church has experienced “profound losses of ideas” and understanding of teaching.
She urged participants not to be afraid to share the Church’s message and vision for the human person – even as it confronts the messages and priorities of the secular world.
“Since when has the Church's message anywhere not been scandalizing to the world?” she remarked.
At the same time, however, Catholics should articulate the fullness and meaning of the faith, and not rely purely on constitutional and legal arguments. “We have to tell them what we're going to use our religious liberty for,” she insisted.
Franciscan Father Agustino Torres, CFR, works extensively with Latino youth in New York City and explained that Latino youth – one of the largest growing populations of Catholics in the United States, “don't want just a program,” but an example of the Church’s message. He pointed to the Church’s teaching on love and sexuality as a concrete example of doctrine that youth can apply to their lives, finding Christ in the process.
“It makes the Church relevant to young people,” Fr. Torres said.
Daniel Owens, who spoke with his wife Melanie on the powerful encounter of love provided in the Church’s message of chastity, echoed Fr. Torres’ insights, saying that he sees a “real opportunity” in sharing the message of the Gospel, and added that the Theology of the Body has the unique ability to speak to the questions many youth face today.
Outside of any specific program or message, however, Fr. Torres stressed the importance of encounter, particularly when reaching out to young people. Within many cultures, particularly Latino youth, young people feel torn between different cultures and identities asking for their attention.
“If the Church were to say 'you belong here, this is your home,’ you're going to get an army of missionary disciples,” he said.
NEW YORK (AP) -- A doctor who appears to have been the target of a former physician who started shooting at a hospital, killing one person and injuring six, said he has no idea why he would have been singled out....
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) -- A rapper whose concert in Little Rock was the site of a shooting that left 28 people injured was arrested early Sunday on unrelated assault charges while outside an Alabama club where he was performing just 24 hours later, and authorities said several firearms were recovered during the arrest....
Vatican City, Jul 2, 2017 / 01:41 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Stepping into a tumultuous legal battle involving a UK couple's push for a say in the treatment and death of their terminally ill son, Pope Francis has offered his prayers for the child, and asked that the parents' wishes be respected.“The Holy Father follows with affection and emotion the story of Charlie Gard and expresses his own closeness to his parents,” read a July 2 statement issued by Vatican spokesman Greg Burke.“He prays for them, wishing that their desire to accompany and care for their own child to the end will be respected.”The statement was made as the tense legal battle between Gard's parents and the UK officials regarding how and when he will die comes to an end.At just 11 months, Gard suffers from a rare degenerative brain disease called infantile onset encephalomyopathic mitochondrial DNA depletion syndrome, or MDDS.With only 16 known cases in the world, the disease caus...
Vatican City, Jul 2, 2017 / 01:41 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Stepping into a tumultuous legal battle involving a UK couple's push for a say in the treatment and death of their terminally ill son, Pope Francis has offered his prayers for the child, and asked that the parents' wishes be respected.
“The Holy Father follows with affection and emotion the story of Charlie Gard and expresses his own closeness to his parents,” read a July 2 statement issued by Vatican spokesman Greg Burke.
“He prays for them, wishing that their desire to accompany and care for their own child to the end will be respected.”
The statement was made as the tense legal battle between Gard's parents and the UK officials regarding how and when he will die comes to an end.
At just 11 months, Gard suffers from a rare degenerative brain disease called infantile onset encephalomyopathic mitochondrial DNA depletion syndrome, or MDDS.
With only 16 known cases in the world, the disease causes extensive brain damage. While Charlie Gard does have some brain function, he requires assistance to breathe, has periodic seizures, and is not expected to develop sophisticated mental abilities without treatment.
Gard's parents were able to raise nearly $2 million in order to take him to the United States for an experimental treatment. Some doctors have been skeptical about the results, however, other patients currently undergoing the treatment have shown significant improvement.
But despite having the funds for the treatment, UK courts have ruled against the possibility, arguing that further treatment would cause harm to Gard. In addition, the European Court of Human Rights ruled Thursday that the Great Ormond Street Hospital, where the infant is staying, is not required to keep him on life support.
When his parents asked to take their son home to die, their request was denied. Gard's life support machines were to be turned off Friday, but the courts allowed the parents to have more time with their child before his death.
Pope Francis' statement follows an earlier response to the case from the head of the Pontifical Academy for Life, Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, who while arguing for the defense of life at all stages, including during illness, appeared sympathetic to the court's ruling, saying “aggressive medical procedures that are disproportionate to any expected results or excessively burdensome to the patient or the family” must be avoided.
Not only did the Pope's statement appear to counter the position previously voiced by Paglia, but on Friday, the day the infant's life support was initially scheduled to be disconnected, he used his Twitter account to send a clear pro-life message in the infant's favor.
To defend human life, above all when it is wounded by illness, is a duty of love that God entrusts to all.
— Pope Francis (@Pontifex) June 30, 2017
Reading “to defend human life, above all when it is wounded by illness, is a duty of love that God entrusts to all,” the tweet was shared by Burke, who added the hashtag “#CharlieGard,” clearly indicating that the Pope's tweet was in reference to the infant.
As Gard's parents continue to spend the remaining time with their son, public debate on the case continues to unfurl, with citizens protesting outside UK parliament.
Orlando, Fla., Jul 2, 2017 / 02:35 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- It’s been nearly four years since Pope Francis released his apostolic exhortation, Evangelii gaudium, or “The Joy of the Gospel.” But what does it look like to truly live out the Joy of the Gospel in the U.S.?That’s the question behind an unprecedented gathering of Catholic leaders from around the country this summer.On the weekend of July 4th, hundreds of bishops are joining with thousands of Catholic leaders from around the country to participate in “The Convocation of Catholic Leaders: The Joy of the Gospel in America,” a four-day conference to share experiences about the Church engaging with modern U.S. culture.“Never before has such a large and diverse group assembled under the guidance of the bishops,” said Bishop Richard J. Malone of Buffalo, who chairs the bishops’ Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth. Speaking to his brother bishops in a June&nbs...
Orlando, Fla., Jul 2, 2017 / 02:35 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- It’s been nearly four years since Pope Francis released his apostolic exhortation, Evangelii gaudium, or “The Joy of the Gospel.” But what does it look like to truly live out the Joy of the Gospel in the U.S.?
That’s the question behind an unprecedented gathering of Catholic leaders from around the country this summer.
On the weekend of July 4th, hundreds of bishops are joining with thousands of Catholic leaders from around the country to participate in “The Convocation of Catholic Leaders: The Joy of the Gospel in America,” a four-day conference to share experiences about the Church engaging with modern U.S. culture.
“Never before has such a large and diverse group assembled under the guidance of the bishops,” said Bishop Richard J. Malone of Buffalo, who chairs the bishops’ Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth. Speaking to his brother bishops in a June talk, he stressed, “This is truly unlike any other meeting.”
Dr. Jonathan Reyes, executive director of the bishops’ Department of Justice, Peace and Human Development, said in an interview with Register Radio that the Church finds herself in a unique moment, which provides a wealth of opportunities for growth and fruit from this convocation.
“I think it’s the kind of moment the Holy Spirit uses for the Church, to open the Church up to ideas and opportunities,” Reyes said. “It’s about an opportunity that we think the Lord has given, that we believe the Lord has given and that we have to respond to.”
The Convocation of Catholic Leaders is taking place July 1-4 in Orlando, Florida, bringing together a broad swath of bishops, clergy and lay Catholic leaders from around the country.
Focusing on what it means to be a Catholic in the United States, delegations from 155 dioceses and roughly 200 Catholic organizations are estimated to be attending, along with 160 bishops. Nearly 4,000 people of all ages, backgrounds, and ministerial focuses are also estimated to be attending.
Bishop Malone explained the major role the bishops have played in organizing the event. “It had to be led by us, the bishops. It had to leverage our best research strategy and people.”
“And,” Bishop Malone continued, “it had to be about forming missionary disciples.”
The bishops are leading each of the panel discussions, round table conversations, liturgies and speeches at the event. Topics range from the Church and politics, youth evangelization, reaching to the peripheries, family dynamics, technology, life issues, disabilities, application of the Church’s social magisterium and more.
Dr. Reyes explained that the strength of the convocation will be found in the participants’ broad range of expertise, geography and background.
“What happens is that conversation evolves. People get to trust each other. What we’re doing is bringing in people from completely different backgrounds. We’ve got college presidents, we’ve got business leaders, we’ve got religious, we’ve got people working the front lines in some of the most difficult socioeconomic situations in this country. We’ve got people who’ve been in basically every aspect of the Church’s ministry but also in worldly life, just doing things, because they’re essential to effective evangelization,” he told Register Radio.
Many of these people would not have any other chance to share their expertise with one another, yet what the bishops are doing is “trying to provide an opportunity for a trusting, balanced conversation because it’s really key to us having a way forward together as a Church,” he continued.
Another key aspect of the convocation, Reyes added, is the bishops’ focus on Evangelii Gaudium’s message of missionary discipleship and bringing the message of the Gospel to new, unprecedented challenges.
“This is Pope Francis’s whole point: it’s the laity out there who are going to change the culture in their conversations with those around them,” Reyes said. “And we need the laity, we need the priests, we need the Church unified proclaiming the Gospel and inviting people to encounter Jesus Christ. The good news is that if we do that, the Gospel works.”
Most of all, however, Reyes said he is excited to see what comes after the convocation. “Everyone is going to come back with key insights. You just can’t help it.”
Often, Reyes offered, “we don’t see enough the great things the Holy Spirit is doing.” He noted that while attention is often placed on the challenges of the 21st Century, there are many different movements, ministries and local examples of life sprouting within the Church that others may not see.
“There’s light all over the place. The Gospel is not failing. I think the Church would benefit from seeing this.”
Buenos Aires, Argentina, Jul 2, 2017 / 04:03 pm (CNA).- The doctors at the Children's Hospital in San Miguel, Argentina, find no explanation for the quick recovery of Martin Chain – a three-year-old boy who fell from the ninth floor when he was playing on the balcony of his apartment.The June 7 accident left the boy on the verge of death. However, he only took 20 days to recover and shows no signs of long-term complications.“I was working when I got a voice mail from my husband Maximo. He was screaming. He told me that Martin had fallen off the balcony,” the child's mother, Florencia Núñez, told the local Clarin newspaper.The day of the accident, Martin's father was fixing something to eat when the little boy went by himself out to the balcony and climbed up onto the railing while playing. Martin then fell almost 100 feet down to the courtyard of the building with nothing breaking the impact.“As he peered out, Maxi saw Piti (Ma...
Buenos Aires, Argentina, Jul 2, 2017 / 04:03 pm (CNA).- The doctors at the Children's Hospital in San Miguel, Argentina, find no explanation for the quick recovery of Martin Chain – a three-year-old boy who fell from the ninth floor when he was playing on the balcony of his apartment.
The June 7 accident left the boy on the verge of death. However, he only took 20 days to recover and shows no signs of long-term complications.
“I was working when I got a voice mail from my husband Maximo. He was screaming. He told me that Martin had fallen off the balcony,” the child's mother, Florencia Núñez, told the local Clarin newspaper.
The day of the accident, Martin's father was fixing something to eat when the little boy went by himself out to the balcony and climbed up onto the railing while playing. Martin then fell almost 100 feet down to the courtyard of the building with nothing breaking the impact.
“As he peered out, Maxi saw Piti (Martin) face down, lying on a patch of wet ground amid debris. And he saw him move,” Núñez said.
The father rushed down to Martin and brought him to the Children's Hospital in Tucuman, where he received immediate care. The doctors were stunned to see the little boy was conscious and crying, but without any broken bones.
However, Martin still suffered from trauma to the abdomen and skull, as well as a pulmonary contusion which caused breathing problems for him. For weeks he was under an induced coma, connected to an artificial respirator and feeding tubes.
Florencia said that in face of her son's serious condition, “we didn't stop praying and Piti gradually began to get better. One day while I was singing to him a song to the Virgin, he finally woke up.”
From that moment, Martin began to recover. He first went to intermediate care, then they took him off the respirator and he was finally discharged.
“He just has a few problems walking, but it's nothing permanent. With physical therapy he can make a 100 percent recovery,” hospital director Cristina García de Alabarse, told Clarin.
“He will have to continue with a psychologist, and physical checkups for a while, but we don't expect he'll have major problems long term. It's incredible.”
Despite being “a woman of science,” Garcia says she has never heard “of a similar case, it is, at the least, unusual that a person could fall from such a height and have so few aftereffects.”
“There are times that for us professionals, there's nothing left but to put ourselves in God's hands. I'm Catholic and I believe that miracles exist. Something happened there,” she said.
