Catholic News 2

Consistory for canonization of five Blessed announced

(Vatican Radio) A consistory was announced Monday to vote on the causes of five Blessed of the Church: Blessed Salomone LeClercq, a French priest martyred for his refusal to swear an oath of allegiance to the French revolutionary government over his allegiance to the Church. Blessed Manuel González García, Bishop of Palencia and founder of the Eucharistic Missionaries of Nazareth, who also established the Disciples of Saint John and the Children of Reparation. Blessed Ludovico Pavoni, priest and founder of the Sons of Mary Immaculate. Blessed Alfonso Maria Fusco, Priest and founder of the Sisters of Saint John the Baptist. Blessed Elizabeth of the Trinity, French Discalced Carmelite nun and mystic.The Ordinary Public Consistory for the Causes of Canonization is scheduled for Monday, June 20th.

(Vatican Radio) A consistory was announced Monday to vote on the causes of five Blessed of the Church:

Blessed Salomone LeClercq, a French priest martyred for his refusal to swear an oath of allegiance to the French revolutionary government over his allegiance to the Church.
Blessed Manuel González García, Bishop of Palencia and founder of the Eucharistic Missionaries of Nazareth, who also established the Disciples of Saint John and the Children of Reparation.
Blessed Ludovico Pavoni, priest and founder of the Sons of Mary Immaculate.
Blessed Alfonso Maria Fusco, Priest and founder of the Sisters of Saint John the Baptist.
Blessed Elizabeth of the Trinity, French Discalced Carmelite nun and mystic.

The Ordinary Public Consistory for the Causes of Canonization is scheduled for Monday, June 20^th.

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Bishop Badejo: Promote values for which Africa is known

The Pan-African Committee for Social Communications (CEPACS) meeting held in Accra, Ghana last week concluded with a call to Catholic media professionals and practitioners in Africa to promote values for which Africa is known and cherished.In a keynote address, Nigeria’s Bishop Emmanuel Badejo of Oyo Diocese, who is the Bishop-President for CEPACS told the meeting that Church media in Africa must take the bull by the horns and recount the African story around long cherished Christian values and worldview common to all Africans.“There is so much demand out there for the African voice to help promote the sense of the sacred, the culture of life, social justice, peace, reconciliation, solidarity, family, and so on as values for which Africa is known and cherished…The prerogative is ours to make a difference,” Bishop Badejo said.Known by its French acronym, CEPACS is the Comité Episcopal Panafricain pour les Communications Sociales or its English equiva...

The Pan-African Committee for Social Communications (CEPACS) meeting held in Accra, Ghana last week concluded with a call to Catholic media professionals and practitioners in Africa to promote values for which Africa is known and cherished.

In a keynote address, Nigeria’s Bishop Emmanuel Badejo of Oyo Diocese, who is the Bishop-President for CEPACS told the meeting that Church media in Africa must take the bull by the horns and recount the African story around long cherished Christian values and worldview common to all Africans.

“There is so much demand out there for the African voice to help promote the sense of the sacred, the culture of life, social justice, peace, reconciliation, solidarity, family, and so on as values for which Africa is known and cherished…The prerogative is ours to make a difference,” Bishop Badejo said.

Known by its French acronym, CEPACS is the Comité Episcopal Panafricain pour les Communications Sociales or its English equivalent - Pan-African Episcopal Committee for Social Communications. It is one of the committees of the continental body of Bishops known as SECAM which itself stands for Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar. SECAM has its headquarters in Accra, Ghana. The association was inaugurated by Blessed Pope Paul VI in 1969 when he visited Uganda.

The Ghana meeting was attended by ecclesiastical regional African Bishops in-charge of social communications together with their Secretaries of Communications. Ghana’s Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Jean-Marie Speich and SECAM first Vice-President, Bishop Louis Portella Mbuyu of the Republic of the Congo were also present. Others were the Secretary General and Staff of SECAM; representatives of the German-based Catholic Media Council (CAMECO); President of the Catholic Press Union of Africa, (UCAP) and the Coordinator of the Nairobi-based Catholic News Agency of Africa, CANAA.

Bishop Badejo said the Africa initiative for a vibrant Catholic media landscape on the continent had the personal blessing of Pope Francis.

“By continuing this task in communications, we are certainly not chasing shadows. The Holy Father Pope Francis, in February 2015 when the Standing Committee of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) visited him in the Vatican, pointedly asked that SECAM ensures that the voice of the African Church is heard in the Universal Church. This is a desirable but challenging order which cannot happen without your cooperation and commitment,” Bishop Badejo emphasised.

Bishop Badejo also said the Chuch in Africa needs to honour the vision of the First African Synod, which wanted that communication to be embraced in the service of evangelization on the continent.

(Fr. Paul Samasumo, Vatican Radio)

Email: engafrica@vatiradio.va

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Zambian villagers pursue mining giant in the UK

Zambia’s Post newspaper reported recently that a UK court had allowed poor Zambian villagers a legal claim against the mining giant Vedanta Resources Plc and its Zambian subsidiary, Konkola Copper Mines.A Zambian man, Dominic Lungowe and 1,812 others are suing Vedanta and Konkola over “serious environmental pollution” in their area.The UK ruling comes close on the heels of the Zambian Catholic Bishops’ call for mining companies and those in the agricultural sector to be more responsive to the needs of the environment and accountable to local communities affected by their activities.“Recognising that mining contributes to job and wealth creation of the country, we, however, challenge the mining sector to begin to practice responsible mining that takes into account the needs of the environment,” the Bishops said in a communiqué issued at the end of a national environmental conference held in Lusaka last month. The meeting was attended by Pr...

Zambia’s Post newspaper reported recently that a UK court had allowed poor Zambian villagers a legal claim against the mining giant Vedanta Resources Plc and its Zambian subsidiary, Konkola Copper Mines.

A Zambian man, Dominic Lungowe and 1,812 others are suing Vedanta and Konkola over “serious environmental pollution” in their area.

The UK ruling comes close on the heels of the Zambian Catholic Bishops’ call for mining companies and those in the agricultural sector to be more responsive to the needs of the environment and accountable to local communities affected by their activities.

“Recognising that mining contributes to job and wealth creation of the country, we, however, challenge the mining sector to begin to practice responsible mining that takes into account the needs of the environment,” the Bishops said in a communiqué issued at the end of a national environmental conference held in Lusaka last month. The meeting was attended by President of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, Cardinal Peter Turkson.

Cardinal Turkson, who was the principal guest speaker, gave an overview of Pope Francis’ encyclical, Laudato sì.

Zambia is one of the leading producers of Copper and Emeralds. Locals, however, do not see much of the benefits from mining. Observers in Zambia have long spoken about the extremely low taxes paid by foreign-owned mines to the state and the unfavourable consequences of mining on local communities. It is not uncommon for poor villagers to be evicted from their ancestral land to make room for new investment projects. The environment is also taking a toll. In some mining areas, locals accuse mine owners of polluting rivers and sources of drinking water.

It is unprecedented therefore for London’s High Court of Technology and Construction to allow Dominic Lungowe and 1,812 other villagers to pursue a powerful multinational such as Vedanta Resources Plc and its subsidiary Konkola Copper Mines (KCM).

Dominic and others allege that they have suffered various health problems due to negligence by Vedanta Resources and its subsidiary KCM.

Vedanta and KCM argued that the UK court had no jurisdiction to try the claims against them, with their lawyers saying the claim needed to be tried in Zambia where the claimants live. Equally unhappy with the suit being prosecuted in London is the Zambian Government. Nevertheless, in his ruling, Justice Coulson granted jurisdiction over the claims involving allegations of serious environmental pollution and rejected the defendants’ arguments that the case could only be brought in Zambia.

(Fr.Paul Samasumo, Vatican Radio)

Email: engafrica@vatiradio.va

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Pakistan's transgenders mocked by most, abhorred by many

PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) -- Abandoned by family and mocked by their society, the life of a Pakistani transgender is lonely....

PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) -- Abandoned by family and mocked by their society, the life of a Pakistani transgender is lonely....

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Palestinians move into new city, part of statehood dream

RAWABI, West Bank (AP) -- After years of setbacks, Palestinians are proudly starting to move into their first planned city being built in the West Bank - a move that isn't just about real estate but also a symbol of their quest for statehood after nearly 50 years of Israeli military occupation....

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Clinton and Sanders to meet as DC marks the final primary

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders are ending the primary calendar with a face-to-face meeting on Tuesday that could set the tone for Democratic unity and next month's party convention in Philadelphia....

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French minister warns of continued threat after 2 police die

PARIS (AP) -- French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve has denounced what he called "an abject terrorist act" after an attacker killed two police officials outside Paris, and warned that France, Europe and the West remain under a high threat of the kind of extremist violence that hit an Orlando night club....

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Puerto Rico prepares for wave of losses after club shooting

PONCE, Puerto Rico (AP) -- Eduardo Pacheco wrote the names of every person killed in an Orlando nightclub on a bright green poster spread across the hood of a car, preparing for a vigil to the fallen. He stopped halfway, unable to go on as tears filled his eyes....

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Making no promises, Obama struggles for solution on violence

WASHIGNTON (AP) -- Was it homegrown terrorism, anti-gay bigotry or random gun violence?...

WASHIGNTON (AP) -- Was it homegrown terrorism, anti-gay bigotry or random gun violence?...

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In Orlando, the 'Happiest Place' confronts a sad reality

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) -- Coloradans Randy and Tammy Harris had been planning the trip for 10 months. Seven-year-old son Jackson had his heart set on Space Mountain; his 4-year-old sister, Anabelle, was hoping to meet her namesake from "Beauty and the Beast."...

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