Catholic News 2

Caritas to plant trees in Karachi to beat extreme heat

Caritas in Karachi will plant 5,000 trees as part of the Trees for the Earth campaign said Mansha Noor, executive secretary of the Catholic aid and development agency there. "Our planet Earth will no longer be able to support life if we continue cutting down trees, and we all know about the heat wave disaster that killed more than 2,000 in our city last year," Noor said. The elderly and laborers were the main victims from last summer's deadly heat wave, which also badly affected livestock and agricultural crops in surrounding areas.Caritas is also assisting with the planting of mangrove trees in coastal areas near Karachi. "With the collaboration of the Sindh Forest Department about 1,000 mangrove plants will likewise be planted to protect the livelihoods of fishing communities," said Noor.Giyan Chand Essrani, Minister for Forestry and Wildlife for the Sindh government, said that the state has donated 2,000 trees to be planted around Karachi as p...

Caritas in Karachi will plant 5,000 trees as part of the Trees for the Earth campaign said Mansha Noor, executive secretary of the Catholic aid and development agency there.

"Our planet Earth will no longer be able to support life if we continue cutting down trees, and we all know about the heat wave disaster that killed more than 2,000 in our city last year," Noor said. The elderly and laborers were the main victims from last summer's deadly heat wave, which also badly affected livestock and agricultural crops in surrounding areas.

Caritas is also assisting with the planting of mangrove trees in coastal areas near Karachi. "With the collaboration of the Sindh Forest Department about 1,000 mangrove plants will likewise be planted to protect the livelihoods of fishing communities," said Noor.

Giyan Chand Essrani, Minister for Forestry and Wildlife for the Sindh government, said that the state has donated 2,000 trees to be planted around Karachi as part of Caritas' two month-long campaign. "I appreciate the efforts of the church in Karachi and Caritas for taking this initiative to protect our humanity and city from high temperatures," Essrani said.

Archbishop Joseph Coutts of Karachi blessed the first tree to be planted in the campaign at St. Patrick's Cathedral on Earth Day, April 22. The campaign will also include activities and promotions such as seminars and training workshops. (UCAN)

Full Article

Vatican media reform must 'open windows'

(Vatican Radio) The head of the Vatican’s Secretariat for Communications, Mgr Dario Viganò spoke about the ongoing reform of the Holy See’s media operations on Wednesday at a seminar for Catholic communicators which is taking place this week at the ‘Holy Cross’ Pontifical University.Beyond simply reforming structures, Mgr Viganò stressed the need to renew the process of bringing the Good News of the Gospel to all people. Every euro spent in this field, he said, must be used to ensure that the Gospel and the teaching of the Pope reaches the hearts of all people. The goal, he said, is not to substitute for local churches but to support those communities that have the greatest needs.Mgr. Viganò spoke of the reform ‘timeline’, which focuses this year on a closer integration of Vatican Radio and the Vatican Television Centre, of which he is the former director. The reform process, he stressed, must go beyond a mere makeover and a...

(Vatican Radio) The head of the Vatican’s Secretariat for Communications, Mgr Dario Viganò spoke about the ongoing reform of the Holy See’s media operations on Wednesday at a seminar for Catholic communicators which is taking place this week at the ‘Holy Cross’ Pontifical University.

Beyond simply reforming structures, Mgr Viganò stressed the need to renew the process of bringing the Good News of the Gospel to all people. Every euro spent in this field, he said, must be used to ensure that the Gospel and the teaching of the Pope reaches the hearts of all people. The goal, he said, is not to substitute for local churches but to support those communities that have the greatest needs.

Mgr. Viganò spoke of the reform ‘timeline’, which focuses this year on a closer integration of Vatican Radio and the Vatican Television Centre, of which he is the former director. The reform process, he stressed, must go beyond a mere makeover and a change of names. Instead it must lead to a greater efficiency and interactivity through the use of new technologies, yet without forgetting those facing serious communications challenges.

Above all, he said, it is essential to “open the windows” and make sure we are responding to the questions of our users, rather than engaging in a navel-gazing exercise. In this effort, he said the keys are to be found in formation, reorganization, team building, participation and sharing. Finally he stressed that instead of a hierarchical leadership, the new Secretariat is placing the emphasis on a wide network which makes best use of the resource of all its members.

Full Article

True believers serve others, pope says at audience

IMAGE: CNS/Paul HaringBy Cindy WoodenVATICAN CITY (CNS) -- To ignore the suffering of anotherperson is to ignore God, Pope Francis said.And going to church does not automatically make someone lovetheir neighbor, the pope said April 27 as he reflected on the Gospel parable ofthe good Samaritan during his weekly general audience.Christians are called to imitate the good Samaritan,stopping to help the injured, because the good Samaritan is a symbol of Jesus,who bent down to help and to heal all humanity, the pope said.By describing the priest and the Levite who passed bywithout offering help, Pope Francis said, the parable makes it clear that"it is not automatic that one who frequents the house of God and has knownhis mercy knows how to love his neighbor.""You can know the whole Bible, you can know all theliturgical rubrics, you can know all theology, but that knowledge does not makeloving automatic," he said. "Love has another path."Pope Francis insisted there is no such thing as "tr...

IMAGE: CNS/Paul Haring

By Cindy Wooden

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- To ignore the suffering of another person is to ignore God, Pope Francis said.

And going to church does not automatically make someone love their neighbor, the pope said April 27 as he reflected on the Gospel parable of the good Samaritan during his weekly general audience.

Christians are called to imitate the good Samaritan, stopping to help the injured, because the good Samaritan is a symbol of Jesus, who bent down to help and to heal all humanity, the pope said.

By describing the priest and the Levite who passed by without offering help, Pope Francis said, the parable makes it clear that "it is not automatic that one who frequents the house of God and has known his mercy knows how to love his neighbor."

"You can know the whole Bible, you can know all the liturgical rubrics, you can know all theology, but that knowledge does not make loving automatic," he said. "Love has another path."

Pope Francis insisted there is no such thing as "true worship if it does not translate into service to one's neighbor. Let us never forget: in the face of the suffering of so many people worn out by hunger, violence and injustice, we cannot remain spectators.

"To ignore human suffering -- what does that mean? It means ignoring God," he told an estimated 25,000 people in St. Peter's Square. "If I do not draw near to the man or woman or child or older person who is suffering, I cannot draw near to God."

While the priest and the Levite -- the two orthodox religious figures in the story -- have "closed, cold" hearts, the pope said, the Samaritan, who was considered an impure pagan, had a heart that was "synchronized with the heart of God."

The sign that one is close to God, the pope said, is showing compassion to others like God shows compassion to us. "What does that mean? He suffers with us. He feels our suffering."

Like the good Samaritan, he said, God "does not ignore us. He knows our pain. He knows how much we need his help and consolation. He draws near to us and never abandons us."

Pope Francis asked those at the audience to consider whether they believe that God has compassion for them, as they are -- with their sins and their wounds -- and that he "draws near to us, heals us, caresses us. And if we refuse him, he waits. He is patient and always alongside of us."

- - -

Copyright © 2016 Catholic News Service/U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. www.catholicnews.com. All rights reserved. Republishing or redistributing of CNS content, including by framing or similar means without prior permission, is prohibited. You may link to stories on our public site. This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. To request permission for republishing or redistributing of CNS content, please contact permissions at cns@catholicnews.com.

Full Article

South Korea reveals Zika-proof clothing for Rio

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) -- South Korea's Olympic committee on Wednesday unveiled Zika-proof long-sleeved shirts and pants it says will help protect the country's Olympic athletes from the mosquito-borne virus at this year's games in Rio de Janeiro....

Full Article

Sheriff: Milwaukee 2-year-old fatally shoots mother in back

MILWAUKEE (AP) -- A 2-year-old boy fatally shot his mother from the backseat of the car as she drove along a Milwaukee highway, sheriff's officials said Wednesday, less than two months after a Florida mother was shot and wounded in similar circumstances....

Full Article

Undercover squad may mean more covering up for Tehran women

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) -- Tehran resident Sousan Heidari has stopped letting her headscarf slip casually down over her neck and shoulders while driving in the Iranian capital. These days, the 22-year-old with a taste for bold makeup makes sure to pull it tightly over her dark hair, fearful of running afoul of a newly established undercover division of the morality police....

Full Article

Fallout from North Carolina LGBT law worries small business

Small businesses in North Carolina are already losing valuable business because of the new state law limiting protections for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people....

Small businesses in North Carolina are already losing valuable business because of the new state law limiting protections for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people....

Full Article

Michigan governor seeks tougher lead limit for state, nation

LANSING, Mich. (AP) -- In proposing a tougher limit for lead in drinking water, Gov. Rick Snyder wants to lift Michigan from the depths of the Flint crisis to being a national model for lead monitoring that could help assess whether current rules are too lax....

Full Article

Protests as Venezuela embraces 2-day workweek to save power

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) -- Venezuelan cities cleaned up from a night of looting and fiery protests Wednesday as government offices closed their doors for the rest of the week in the face of a worsening energy crisis that is causing daily blackouts....

Full Article

Former athlete says Hastert molested him in locker room

CHICAGO (AP) -- A former high school athlete who said he was sexually abused by Dennis Hastert when the former House speaker was his wrestling coach told a courtroom Wednesday that he was "devastated" after Hastert molested him....

Full Article