Catholic News 2

Vatican City, Apr 26, 2016 / 05:50 am (CNA/EWTN News).- On Tuesday the Vatican announced that Bishop Edward M. Rice of St. Louis has been tapped by Pope Francis to take charge of the Springfield-Cape Girardeau diocese.

It is an appointment that moved Bishop Rice, who said in an April 26 press release that “I am humbled by the confidence of the Holy Father and I am grateful for his support in appointing me the seventh Bishop of the Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau.”

He extended to Pope Francis “the prayers and love” of Springfield-Cape Girardeau’s clergy, religious and laity, and voiced his excitement to work alongside his fellow priests in “spreading the beauty of our Catholic Faith in the spirit of the New Evangelization” in his new role.

Bishop Rice said he leaves Archdiocese of St. Louis, headed by Archbishop Robert Carlson with “a grateful heart” after having spent 29 years there as a priest and nine as an auxiliary bishop.

“I see the hand of God in this appointment,” he said, adding that the Lord’s loving providence “has brought me to this moment and I rely on that same loving providence to assist me as I strive to walk in the way of Christ, the Good Shepherd, who will continue to guide my way if I but seek to do His will.”

Bishop Rice asked specifically for the intercession of St. Rose Philippine Duchesne and Pope St. Pius X, the patrons of the Springfield-Cape Girardeau diocese, for his new role, entrusting it to Our Lady of Mercy.

The announcement of Bishop Rice’s appointment the new leader of the Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau was made at noon Rome time April 26 in a communique from the Vatican.

He will take over for Bishop James V. Johnston, who was installed as the new Bishop of Kansas City – St. Joseph Nov. 4, 2015.

Born in St. Louis, Miss. July 28, 1960, Bishop Rice studied at the Cardinal Clennon College and the Kenrick- Glennon Seminary in St. Louis before being ordained a priest for the diocese Jan. 3, 1987.

He then served as associate pastor for Our Lady of the Presentation Parish from 1987-1991, before moving on as a religion teacher at St. Mary’s High School. He taught at the school while residing at St. Mary Magdalen Parish from 1991-1995.

In 1995 he was named Director at Cardinal Glennon College Seminary, which is a position he held until his appointment as pastor at St. John the Baptist in 2000. In 2008 he was named as St. Louis’ Director of Vocations and continued in the role until he was named auxiliary bishop of the diocese by Benedict XVI in 2010.

During his brief, five year episcopacy, Bishop Rice has served in various positions, including being vicar for five of the diocesan deaneries.

Additionally, he has overseen various ministries of the Archdiocese of St. Louis, including those of consecrated life, vocations, priest personnel, youth protection, intercultural and interreligious affairs, and the St. Charles Lwanga Center.

The official announcement of Bishop Rice’s appointment to Springfield-Cape Girardeau will be made during a 10a.m. news conference local time.

He will be installed as bishop of the Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau June 1 during a 2 p.m. Mass at the Cathedral of St. Agnes in Springfield.

The Archdiocese of St. Louis will hold a farewell celebration, including a Mass of Thanksgiving and reception, May 23 at 5 p.m. in the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis.

In an April 26 press release, Archbishop Carlson said he is “extremely grateful” for Bishop Rice’s years of service in the Archdiocese of St. Louis and congratulated him on his new appointment.

“The Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau is blessed beyond measure to receive a man of his quality and dedication,” he said, noting that Bishop Rice “is a pastor first, one who carries the joy of the resurrected Christ into his daily ministry.”

Bishop Rice “will be deeply missed,” Archbishop Carlson said, asking that God would grant him “many years of fruitful service leading the faithful in the Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau.”

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The Vice-President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), Archbishop Augustine Akubeze has described the family as the bastion of every successful nation. The Archbishop, who is the Metropolitan of the Archdiocese of Benin, made this assertion in his homily at the opening Mass for the second National Meeting of Families, held in Lagos, recently.

The four-days programme with the theme, “The Nigerian Family: Agent of Mercy and Harmony,” was organised by the Family and Human life unit of the Department of Church and Society at the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN).  It was held at St Agnes Catholic Church, Maryland, Lagos and attended by delegates from eight of the nine Ecclesiastical Provinces in the country.

The CBCN Vice-President disclosed that in recognition of the paramount importance of the family in the life of the Church and nation, the Bishops’ Conference dedicated its first plenary of the year 2015 to discuss the family. In his words, “The thrust of our argument was that, once a society can have good families, the nation will grow and develop,” said the Archbishop.

He continued, “If the family is dysfunctional, society and nation will also be dysfunctional,” adding that, “Any country that wants to build its capacity for development must start with the family. The family is the first place where children are taught values. Values such as honesty, hard work, trust in God, love of neighbour and society, ” the Archbishop said.

Archbishop Akubeze noted that Nigerian Bishops were greatly disturbed to learn of the involvement of parents in vices such as examination malpractices in collusion with their children. He described this as a tendency to “what is evil and illegal to obtain what you want”. The Archbishop went to state that if corruption were to end in Nigeria, it would have to start with the family.

Archbishop Akubeze also spoke extensively on the last Synod of Bishops on the family and Pope Francis’ new Apostolic Exhortation on Love in the Family – Amoris Laetitia.

(CNSNg.org)

Email:engafrica@vatiradio.va

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The Justice and Peace Commission of the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SACBC) has called on all political parties to avoid making statements that could incite election violence and civil war.

Bishop Abel Gabuza‚ the Chairperson of the SACBC Justice and Peace Commission‚ issued the call on behalf of the Conference Monday. He was responding to the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema, who said during a televised interview that if the ANC continues to suppress violently peaceful protests‚ “We will run out of patience very soon, and we will remove this government through the barrel of a gun,”  Bishop Gabuza quoted Malema as saying.

“We are deeply saddened to hear of war rhetoric by the leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters‚” the chairperson of the SACBC Justice and Peace Commission reiterated.

“We have seen the evil consequences of civil war in other African countries‚ including massive loss of lives‚ a refugee crisis and irreparable damage to the economy. We do not want our nation to take such a path. We, therefore, appeal to all political parties to refrain from actions and rhetoric that could fuel election violence and civil war,” the Bishop said.

Bishop Gabuza said that the Church is also concerned about the rising incidence of violent protests as the country approaches the local government elections.

“Both the increasing incidents of violent protests and the use of excessive force by the police to curb the violent protests are a cause of deep concern. Both should stop,” Bishop Gabuza emphasised.

The Justice Commission believes that the use of excessive force, by the government, as a deterrent will not in itself solve the complex problem of violent protests‚ the Bishop said in a statement.

“If the government wants to stop violent protests‚ it should be serious in its efforts to tackle the root causes‚ including the rising economic inequalities‚ youth unemployment‚ a culture of patronage and the fierce scramble for political positions -especially when these positions are considered as an opportunity for self-enrichment,” the statement reads in part.

The SACBC Justice and Peace Commission has since asked all political parties to adhere to the Charter of Election ethics that they signed on 13 April.

The South African Government News Agency reported last week that more than ten political party leaders, in South Africa  signed the “Charter on Election Ethics,” to commit to playing their part in ensuring that free and fair local government elections take place in August. The charter outlines, among other things, values and ethics that political parties need to promote, support and adhere to during the elections. It requires them to strive to elect candidates who are ethical, principled and competent.

(engafrica@vatiradio.va)

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