With many Filipinos subjecting themselves to extreme forms of penance like crucifixion and flagellation during the Holy Week, the country's Catholic bishops are urging their faithful to engage in acts of mercy and give to the poor instead of inflicting pain on themselves. "If you want to truly make a good Holy Week, love much, love more, give to the poor," said Archbishop Socrates Villegas of Lingayen-Dagupan, president of the bishops' conference. "This pilgrimage to the poor will add to the holiness of our times," said Archbishop Villegas during Palm Sunday observance on March 20. "What makes these days holy? Not self-inflicted pain. Not publicized pious devotion. Not daydreaming meditation," Archbishop Villegas explained. "What makes this week holy is the immeasurable, unequaled love that Christ poured into these days," he added. Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle of Manila called on the faithful "t...
With many Filipinos subjecting themselves to extreme forms of penance like crucifixion and flagellation during the Holy Week, the country's Catholic bishops are urging their faithful to engage in acts of mercy and give to the poor instead of inflicting pain on themselves. "If you want to truly make a good Holy Week, love much, love more, give to the poor," said Archbishop Socrates Villegas of Lingayen-Dagupan, president of the bishops' conference. "This pilgrimage to the poor will add to the holiness of our times," said Archbishop Villegas during Palm Sunday observance on March 20.
"What makes these days holy? Not self-inflicted pain. Not publicized pious devotion. Not daydreaming meditation," Archbishop Villegas explained. "What makes this week holy is the immeasurable, unequaled love that Christ poured into these days," he added. Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle of Manila called on the faithful "to bring back mercy" during the observance of Holy Week. "Where is compassion? Where is mercy?" Cardinal Tagle asked in his Palm Sunday homily at Manila Cathedral. The prelate said "trust in God" was the "secret of [Jesus’] silent mercy and compassion even to an enemy." Cardinal Tagle explained that the more the world relies on money, weapon, private armies and connections, the less merciful we become. He said the call to being merciful is very significant not only during Holy Week but also during the observance of the Jubilee Year of Mercy. (Source: UCAN)
A group of Muslim clerics from India and Pakistan said terrorism in South Asia can be combatted successfully if the two traditional rival neighbours respect each other and combat religious extremism. They were speaking during the four-day World Sufi Forum that ended in New Delhi March 20. The Sufi movement is a branch of Islamic mysticism based on a fusion of Hindu and Muslim spirituality that took root in South Asia. "India and Pakistan have fought four wars and have achieved nothing," said Pakistani cleric Tahirul Qadri who addressed the gathering. "India's enemy is not Pakistan; Pakistan's enemy is not India. But the enemy for both countries is terrorism," he said. Both India and Pakistan should act to check terrorists using religion to spread extremist activities, he added. "Over the last few decades, there have been concerted efforts to weaken Sufism in India and replace it with an extremist and radical ideology,&q...
A group of Muslim clerics from India and Pakistan said terrorism in South Asia can be combatted successfully if the two traditional rival neighbours respect each other and combat religious extremism. They were speaking during the four-day World Sufi Forum that ended in New Delhi March 20. The Sufi movement is a branch of Islamic mysticism based on a fusion of Hindu and Muslim spirituality that took root in South Asia. "India and Pakistan have fought four wars and have achieved nothing," said Pakistani cleric Tahirul Qadri who addressed the gathering. "India's enemy is not Pakistan; Pakistan's enemy is not India. But the enemy for both countries is terrorism," he said. Both India and Pakistan should act to check terrorists using religion to spread extremist activities, he added. "Over the last few decades, there have been concerted efforts to weaken Sufism in India and replace it with an extremist and radical ideology," said cleric Hazrat Syed Muhammad Ashraf, a prominent Sufi leader in India.
The World Sufi Forum was inaugurated in New Delhi by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 17 March 2016. More than 200 Indian and international delegates, including Sufi Mashaykh (Masters), spiritual leaders, scholars, academicians and masters of Sufism, participated in the event.
The major objectives of the forum are:
* Strengthening Global Peace, Rejecting Violence & Extremism
* Calling For Unity in Multiplicity, Unconditional Love, Tolerance & Acceptance
* Spreading Spiritual and Universal Messages of Islamic Faith
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Apple is kicking off a busy week: Today the giant tech company will host reporters and analysts at its Silicon Valley headquarters for a product launch event. On Tuesday, its lawyers will square off with authorities in federal court over the FBI's demand for help unlocking a San Bernardino killer's encrypted iPhone....
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(Vatican Radio) The lawyer of the suspected mastermind behind last year's deadly terror attacks in Paris says he will take legal action against a French prosecutor for breaching the confidentiality of the investigation into the November 13 violence that killed 130 people and several terrorists.Listen to Stefan Bos' report: Lawyer Sven Mary's announcement came as France send more troops to its borders amid fears of more terror attacks in the country and other European nations.Mary expressed outrage that French prosecutor Francois Molins expressed details about his client, who was detained in Brussels Friday.Prosecutor Molins told reporters that Abdeslam abandoned his suicide vest the night of November 13 after he drove other attackers to Paris.Speaking about the November 13 attacks, Prosecutor Molins said, "Salah Abdeslam has confirmed to Belgian investigators" during Saturday's interrogations "that he planned to be a suicide bomber at...
(Vatican Radio) The lawyer of the suspected mastermind behind last year's deadly terror attacks in Paris says he will take legal action against a French prosecutor for breaching the confidentiality of the investigation into the November 13 violence that killed 130 people and several terrorists.
Listen to Stefan Bos' report:
Lawyer Sven Mary's announcement came as France send more troops to its borders amid fears of more terror attacks in the country and other European nations.
Mary expressed outrage that French prosecutor Francois Molins expressed details about his client, who was detained in Brussels Friday.
Prosecutor Molins told reporters that Abdeslam abandoned his suicide vest the night of November 13 after he drove other attackers to Paris.
Speaking about the November 13 attacks, Prosecutor Molins said, "Salah Abdeslam has confirmed to Belgian investigators" during Saturday's interrogations "that he planned to be a suicide bomber at France's main stadium Stade de France. But he backed out when it was time to carry out the act."
Abdeslam's Belgian lawyer Mary condemned the comments and made clear he would take legal action. He said the prosecutor's remarks were "a violation, a fault", that he would "not let go unchallenged."
Arrest warrant
Mary also warned that his term would fight any attempt to extradite over his client from a high security jail in Belgium to France. "The European arrest warrant has been given, and we refuse to hand him over to France. And that's it," he told reporters.
French prosecutors still believe that one of Europe's most wanted men will eventually be send to France to stand trial over the Paris massacres that killed 130 people and for which the so-called Islamic State group claimed responsibility.
French authorities also said that more arrests can be expected. France is already sending more troops to its borders since the arrest of Abdeslam.
Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said the additional forces would join more than 5,000 police mobilized since the attacks. The international police oranization Interpol had urged increased border security saying suspects may seek to flee after Abdeslam's arrest on Friday.
Abdeslam reportedly fled himself shortly after the November attacks, returning to the run-down Molenbeek district of Brussels.
