Catholic News 2

Full Article

(Vatican Radio)  Pope Francis has sent his condolences to the Bishop of Bergamo, Italy for the death of Cardinal Loris Francesco Capovilla, the former private secretary of Pope John XXIII.  Upon hearing of the Cardinal’s passing 26 May 2016 at the age of 100, Pope Francis wrote in a telegram to Bishop Francesco Beschi, in whose diocese Cardinal Capovilla lived the last years of his life:  “I think with affection of this dear brother who in his long and fruitful existence gave witness to the Gospel with joy and obediently served the Church, first in the diocese of Venice, then with attentive affection at the side of Pope John XXIII, of whose memory he was the zealous custodian and expert interpreter. In his episcopal ministry, especially in Chieti-Vasto and Loreto (Italy), he was always a pastor totally dedicated to the wellbeing of all priests and the faithful …with a solid fidelity to the teachings of the Second Vatican Council.”

Pope Francis concluded his telegram with a prayer, “with the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary and of Saint Mark the Evangelist,” so that the Lord will receive his soul “nel Gaudio” and “in eternal peace, ” and offered his apostolic blessing to all those who grieve his passing.

Cardinal Capovilla was born on 14 October 1915 in Pontelungo, northern Italy.

He was ordained a priest in Venice, Italy, in 1940; he was appointed and ordained Archbishop of Chieti, in 1967.  From 1971 to 1988, he served as prelate of Loreto, Italy

On 22 February 2014, Pope Francis elevated him cardinal and, cardinal-priest of Santa Maria in Trastevere, Rome.

Full Article

(Vaticna Radio) Vatican Weekend for Saturday 28th of May, 2016 features a report on the weekly general audience of Pope Francis with pilgrims from across the world. This is followed by Linda Bordoni’s interviews relating to the World Humanitarian Summit which include the Vatican’s Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Archbishop Silvano Tommasi, the Holy See’s former envoy to the United Nations and Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle  President of Caritas Internationalis. The last segment in the programme relates to Blessed Paul VI and the world of art.

Listen to a programme presented and produced by Veronica Scarisbrick:  

Full Article

(Vatican Radio)  Vatican Weekend Sunday 29th of May. 2016 features our weeklyreflection on the Sunday gospel presented this week by Monsignor Peter Verity of the Pontifical Beda College here in Rome, a bird’s eye view of the Vatican week with EWTN Bureau chief here in Rome Joan Lewis and a musical meditation to mark the Feast of Corpus Christi.  

A programme presented and produced by Veronica Scarisbrick:

Full Article

Catholic activists in Bangladesh have welcomed a May 24 Supreme Court ruling that effectively strips police of sweeping powers that allow them to make arbitrary arrests on suspicion a crime might take place, prolong the detention of suspects and torture detainees in custody.  These powers were often abused and led to the deaths of a number of detainees while in custody, rights groups said. 

A four-judge bench headed by Chief Justice S.K. Sinha upheld an April 7, 2003, High Court ruling directing the government to amend several controversial provisions in an 1898 law introduced by the British, which provided police discretionary powers relating to the arrest and detention of suspects. These included allowing police to arrest someone who they thought might commit a crime in the future.

The judges agreed with rights groups that petitioned the court that the provisions allowing these powers were in conflict with the constitution.

The Supreme Court also ordered the quick enforcement of a 15-point directive that included proposals to amend provisions in three other pieces of colonial-era criminal legislation saying they compromise people's fundamental constitutional rights concerning liberty and human rights. The May 24 ruling ends an 18-year legal battle between rights groups and the government.

 According to Theophil Nokrek, the secretary of the Justice and Peace Commission of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Bangladesh, this “landmark judgment” is a “triumph for the people.”  "The court has delivered a ruling to safeguard the rights of people as the legal provisions were often misused by law enforcers and the government, and thus became tools for abusing people," Nokrek told UCANEWS. "We have seen many cases of abuse, torture and also custodial deaths at the hands of police because these provisions existed for so long. Now people can be rid of them for good," he said.

Pankaj Gomes, a Dhaka-based legal expert noted that the legal provisions caused massive damage to civil liberties and human rights.  "When these provisions were introduced, they may have had a good purpose but not any more," Gomes told UCANEWS.  "Now, it's time to see how the government and law enforcement agencies implement the [court's] recommendations," he said.

There is no official data on deaths in custody in Bangladesh. Dhaka-based rights group Odhikar claims there were a total of 1,097 deaths in custody from 2001 to until March 2016.  (Source: UCAN)

Full Article

(Vatican Radio)  Around 50,000 civilians trapped in the Iraqi city of Fallujah face starvation as government forces continue their assault to retake it from the so-called Islamic State militants. The grim assessment came from the Norwegian Refugee Council, an NGO that has been delivering aid to those civilians who managed to escape from the outlying areas of Fallujah before the assault commenced.  Nasr Muflahi, the Norwegian Refugee Council’s country director in Iraq, spoke to Susy Hodges about the “dire" situation facing Fallujah’s trapped civilians.

Listen to the interview with Nasr Muflahi of the Norweign Refugee Council:  

The UN says only around 800 people have been able to flee Fallujah since Iraqi government forces launched a major offensive to retake the city. So-called Islamic State militants who control the city have imposed a curfew and its residents have been forbidden from leaving their homes.  A proposal for humanitarian corridors to be established to allow aid to be delivered or for civilians to flee has not yet materialized.

"No food, no medicines and no clean water"

Muflahi said that according to the reports of those who managed to flee earlier, conditions for people inside Fallujah are desperate and they are reduced to eating rotten dates to survive. 

“They have no food, no medicines and no clean water.” People are finding stale or rotten dates, drying them in the sun and eating them. That’s how bad the situation has got.” Muflahi said, adding that the only water available is dirty and “tainted by dead animal carcasses.”

Cut off from the outside, the residents trapped in the city are fast running out of the bare essentials to survive. Muflahi estimated that a total of around 50,000 civilians remain inside Fallujah and pointed out that there are no “safe routes” for them to escape although some families have managed to flee by going through the pipes of “water drainage systems.”

He called on all parties to the armed conflict raging in and around Falluja to “respect humanitarian law” and “allow safe passage for civilians.”  

Full Article

Nearly 1,000 people were killed in attacks on health centres worldwide over the past two years, almost 40 percent of them in Syria, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Thursday in its first report on the growing scourge.  The United Nations agency documented 594 attacks resulting in 959 deaths and 1,561 injuries in 19 countries with emergencies between January 2014 and December 2015.  Syria, torn by civil war since 2011, had the most attacks on hospitals, ambulances, patients and medical workers, accounting for 352 deaths. The Palestinian territories of Gaza and the West Bank, as well as Iraq, Pakistan and Libya, followed.  Some 62 percent of all attacks were deemed intentional and many led to disruption of public health services. 

"This is not an isolated issue, it is not limited to war zones, it is not accidental. The majority of these are intentional," Dr. Bruce Aylward, executive director of WHO's emergency programme, told a news briefing.  "It is also not stopping and it has real complications for what we are trying to do. It is getting more and more difficult to deploy people into these places, it is getting more and more difficult to keep them safe when they are there and it is getting more and more difficult to ensure they survive, let alone recover in crises."

WHO said 53 percent of the attacks were perpetrated by states, 30 by armed groups and 17 percent remain unknown.  (Source: Reuters)

Full Article

In a rare show of solidarity, leaders of various faith communities in Kenya have united and issued a statement on the state of the nation. The statement by the religious leaders comes in the wake of wrangles surrounding the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).

Opposition party supporters last week fought running battles with Police in Nairobi and five other cities. The opposition accuses the IEBC of incompetence, corruption and bias and wants the body to be dissolved.

Presidential elections in Kenya are due next year, 2017.

Police reaction to the protests was swift. They used water cannon and fired tear gas on the demonstrators.

(engafrica@vatiradio.va)

Below is the full statement:

PRESS STATEMENT

For the love of our country, come and reason together

Preamble

We the Religious Leaders representing the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB), National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK), National Muslim Leaders Forum (NAMLEF), Council of Imams and Preachers of Kenya (CIPK), Organization of African Instituted Churches (OAIC), Hindu Council of Kenya (HCK), Seventh Day Adventist Church (SDA) and the Evangelical Alliance of Kenya (EAK) have met at Little Daughters of St. Joseph Retreat Centre, Karen to reflect on the state of our nation, and especially the prevailing political activities ahead of the 2017 General Elections. Having analyzed the situation keenly, we are concerned that the political grand standing exhibited by the two main political formations, especially the dispute around the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), is a threat to national peace, cohesion and unity of Kenyans.

For this reason, we believe that an urgent political solution is required to avert an imminent crisis that could complicate next year’s election and plunge the country into election violence.

While we fully appreciate that the Constitution guarantees Kenyans right of expression, it must be exercised within the confines of the supreme law and not at the expense of the common good of our nation. All Kenyans and people of good will should always endeavor to contribute to building a cohesive and well integrated nation to fulfil our prayer in the National Anthem, “May we dwell in unity, peace and liberty, may plenty be found within our borders”

It is in this regard that we wish to share the following messages:

Message of Condolence to Families of Those who Died in Demonstrations

It is with sad and heavy hearts that we take this moment to condole with the families of our brothers and sister who unnecessarily died during  demonstrations last Monday. We pray that God will grant the bereaved families  strength to heal. We also pray for quick recovery of civilians and security officers who sustained injuries as well as for consolation for all those who lost property during the demonstrations.

Call to Promote a Culture of Dialogue

In its Preamble, the Constitution of Kenya 2010 recognizes “the aspirations of all Kenyans for a government based on essential values of human rights, equality, freedom, democracy, social justice and the rule of law”. For this reason, no political outfit has a right to espouse policies or practices that undermine this aspiration.

In this regard, we strongly urge the political coalitions and their respective leadership to reconsider the current political grandstanding over the term of office of IEBC Commissioners and tone down their rhetoric for the common good of our nation. We thank and appreciate the CORD leadership for calling of the weekly demonstrations. We further urge them to unconditionally call off the planned parallel Madaraka Day event. We are convinced that in so doing, they will provide an enabling environment to convene an all stakeholders’ engagement not only on the IEBC standoff but also other envisaged political reforms. In the same breath, we appeal to the government  to formally invite the CORD Principals to the National Madaraka Day event.

On their part, we urge the leadership of the ruling coalition Jubilee to genuinely reach out to CORD and soberly engage on the issues raised and build consensus on the management of the next election. We wish to remind Jubilee, CORD and other political parties that Kenyans will hold them accountable should the country slide back to anarchy because of unyielding competing political interests.

Call to the Presidency

To facilitate a mutually agreeable settlement of the current dispute over IEBC, we appeal to His Excellency the President, whose mandate rises above party, ethnic and sectoral interests, to support structured discussions with the opposition in person and in addition help create a structure for engagement of other stakeholders. Such talks will help Kenyans find a mechanism for dealing with immediate, short, and medium term issues in order to strengthen our democracy and resolve issues that undermine our national cohesion.

Message to Kenyans

We the religious leaders and your shepherds urge you, our dear brothers and sisters, to exercise restraint as we urgently pursue dialogue to find an amicable solution to the current political dispute.

Parliamentary Support to Electoral Process

We urge Parliament to speedily process the required amendments to the remaining election-related legislations and guarantee a sound and enabling environment for free, fair and credible 2017 elections. 

Conclusion

The people of Kenya declared in the Constitution that they are “determined to live in peace and unity as one indivisible sovereign nation”. For this reason, we the religious leaders are open and willing to be part of the mediation and dialogue process and undertake to promote peace, national cohesion and stability.

We wish all Kenyans a happy and blessed Madaraka Day. May God bless Kenya now and always.

Signed on this 27th day of May 2016 at Little Sisters of St Joseph Retreat Center, Karen, for and on behalf of the Religious Leaders,

Signed:

Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB)        -Rt. Rev. Philip Anyolo        

National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK         -Rev. Canon Rosemary Mbogo        

Evangelical Alliance of Kenya (EAK)                       -Bishop Mark Kariuki  

National Muslim Leaders Forum (NAMLEF)             -Al-Hajj Yussuf Murigu        

Organization of African Instituted Churches (OAIC Kenya) -Rev, Fr. Joseph Mutie        

Seventh Day Adventist Church (SDA)                     -Pastor Alfred Gitonga Marundu

Hindu Council of Kenya (HCK)                                -Nitim       

Council of Imams and Preachers of Kenya (CIPK)   -Sh. Muhamed Khan

Full Article

The Catholic Diocese of Kakamega, in Kenya, has embarked on a programme of self-reliance by encouraging the faithful to contribute funds towards projects and the running of diocesan and parish activities.

According to the Bishop of Kakamega, Joseph Obanyi, dwindling donor funding is what prompted the Diocese to engage Christians beginning with Small Christian Communities upwards to support the Diocese with contributions.  

Speaking at Don Bosco Utume Centre in Nairobi, Bishop Obanyi expressed his appreciation to all those who donated to the fundraising exercise. He said the funds raised would come-in handy for the support of diocesan operations and activities; acquisition of a piece of property and the running of Mukumu farm project where the Diocese is growing tea, coffee and sugar cane. The diocese also rears animals at the farm. 

In all 15 Million shillings (about US$150 000) was raised during 2015. The Diocese of Kakamega hopes to double the amount raised in 2016. Briefing his audience on the use of the money, the Bishop gave the example of priests in the diocese. As a result of the generosity from the faithful, all priests will now be in a position to have medical insurance. The diocese also has plans to build an office block for rentals.

Bishop Obanyi appealed to all in the diocese to rally behind the self-reliance initiatives. “Time for donor funding is long gone, support the local Church,” He said.

The Bishop expressed his gratitude to God for the gift of faith that he has seen in the people of Kakamega. He acknowledged the faithful of his diocese for their role in building the Church.  

(By Fr. Maurice Erambo/Rose Achiego in Kenya)

Email: engafrica@vatiradio.va
 

Full Article

Washington D.C., May 27, 2016 / 06:46 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Religious liberty was among the primary concerns that ultimately defeated controversial legislation aimed at enforcing a 2014 LGBT executive order twice this week.

If passed, the amendments could infringe upon religious liberty of federal contractors, critics say. Since the executive order does not have explicit protections for religious contractors, Catholic institutions could risk losing their contracts if they object to offering spousal benefits for same-sex partners or permitting individuals to use the bathroom that does not align with their biological sex.

The amendment in question, inserted by Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (D-N.Y.), would bar federal money from any federal contractor who makes employment decisions “on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.” It is meant to enforce President Barack Obama’s executive order that forbade contractors from making such employment decisions.

After the amendment initially had the 213 votes needed to be included in a large defense spending bill last week, GOP leadership held the vote open for a few more minutes and persuaded several members to switch their votes, enough to kill the amendment.

A week later, Rep. Maloney inserted another such amendment into an energy and water spending bill. It was approved Wednesday evening.

However, Rep. Joe Pitts (R-Penn.) attached an amendment of his own clarifying that Maloney’s amendment would be limited by the First and Fourteenth Amendments and Article I of the Constitution. Essentially, contractors would be ensured First Amendment protections in choosing not to hire someone because of their behavior, and the government could not terminate the contract purely because of that employment decision.

Another amendment by Rep. Bradley Byrne (R-Ala.) established religious freedom protections: it forbade “the use of funds in contravention of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993.”

Then on Thursday, the spending bill failed as 305 House members – both Democrats and Republicans – voted against it. Many Democrats reportedly opposed the bill because of several other amendments attached.

President Obama’s 2014 executive order was staunchly opposed by leading U.S. bishops who said it would infringe upon the rights of religious contractors to make employment decisions consistent with their religious beliefs.

Two bishops – Archbishop William Lori of Baltimore, chair of the U.S. Bishops’ Conference ad hoc committee on religious liberty and Bishop Richard Malone of Buffalo, chair of the bishops’ family life committee – expressed grave concerns about the order after it was issued, calling it “unprecedented and extreme” and saying it discriminated against religion.

The bishops insisted that “the Church strongly opposes…unjust discrimination against those who experience a homosexual inclination.”

However, they stressed, the order not only forbade contractors from making employment decisions based on someone’s sexual “inclination,” but also on their “behavior.” Thus, employers whose “policies or practices reflect religious or moral objections to extramarital sexual conduct” would not be able to contract with the government.

As for the order’s prohibition on “‘gender identity’ discrimination,” it was wrong on both “principle” and “practice,” the bishops said.

It was wrong on principle because it treated gender as “nothing more than a social construct or psychological reality” that someone could choose rather than something grounded in biological fact, the bishops said. It was also wrong in practice because it could lead to invasions of privacy like a “biological male employee” using the “women’s restroom or locker room,” they added.

 

Full Article