(Vatican Radio) Vatican Weekend for March 20, 2016 features a series of readings and reflections focusing on the Sunday Gospel by the title of 'There's More in the Sunday Gospel than Meets the Eye', followed by a bird's eye view of the past week in the Vatican presented by Joan Lewis, EWTN's bureau chief here in Rome.A programme presented and produced by Veronica Scarisbrick:
(Vatican Radio) Vatican Weekend for March 20, 2016 features a series of readings and reflections focusing on the Sunday Gospel by the title of 'There's More in the Sunday Gospel than Meets the Eye', followed by a bird's eye view of the past week in the Vatican presented by Joan Lewis, EWTN's bureau chief here in Rome.
A programme presented and produced by Veronica Scarisbrick:
The Pakistani National Assembly has passed a resolution granting holidays to Christians and Hindus on their respective holy days. The resolution granting Easter a holiday for Christians, and Diwali a holiday for Hindus, was the effort of Vankwani Ramesh Kumar, an Assembly member of the Hindu faith. While some minority rights activists appreciate the initiative, others point out that it is not enough to recognize some holy days of religious traditions. Rather, equal rights and the concrete protection of minority groups should be guaranteed.Kashif Aslam, activist and coordinator of the National Commission for Justice and Peace (NCJP) of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Pakistan, told AsiaNews the historic decision was the recognition of minorities as citizens of Pakistan. However, he said there were other steps that should be taken, sucha as the proposal submitted by late Shahbaz Bhatti to replace the word Essai with Masihi to denote Christians in government documents o...
The Pakistani National Assembly has passed a resolution granting holidays to Christians and Hindus on their respective holy days. The resolution granting Easter a holiday for Christians, and Diwali a holiday for Hindus, was the effort of Vankwani Ramesh Kumar, an Assembly member of the Hindu faith. While some minority rights activists appreciate the initiative, others point out that it is not enough to recognize some holy days of religious traditions. Rather, equal rights and the concrete protection of minority groups should be guaranteed.
Kashif Aslam, activist and coordinator of the National Commission for Justice and Peace (NCJP) of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Pakistan, told AsiaNews the historic decision was the recognition of minorities as citizens of Pakistan. However, he said there were other steps that should be taken, sucha as the proposal submitted by late Shahbaz Bhatti to replace the word Essai with Masihi to denote Christians in government documents or school texts. But the issue has been sidelined.
Husnain Jamal, a Muslim, noted that while the two religious minorities will have their holidays, the rest of the Muslim population will go to work. He suggested that Islamabad declare these days as national holidays for everyone, so Muslims can rejoice and celebrate with other religious minorities.
Fr. Aftab James Paul of Faisalabad Diocese said the government should rather focus on the protection of rights. He said authorities should ensure the right to education, the freedom to practice one's religion and quotas for minorities in government employment. Finally, they should remove prejudices against minorities from school books. (Source: AsiaNews)
Bangkok, Thailand, Mar 18, 2016 / 06:23 am (CNA/EWTN News).- An American group of cloistered nuns has opened a new monastery to bring their contemplative spirituality to the northeast of Thailand.“Our contribution to the world’s need is prayer,” Sister Joan Claver O.Ss.R, prioress and founder of the new monastery in Thailand, told CNA.Sr. Joan has been a professed nun for 63 years.“We have great admiration for apostolic work like preaching or nursing and family life, but we as Redemptoristine nuns are called to this distinct way of contemplative prayer life,” she explained. “All together we contribute to build a better society and a better world.”Back in 2011, a few members of the Order of the Most Holy Redeemer from St. Louis, Missouri arrived in Thailand to explore whether to plant the seeds of contemplative monastic spirituality in the region.Now their priory has five members: four nuns and one aspirant.The Redemptoristine nuns are affect...
Bangkok, Thailand, Mar 18, 2016 / 06:23 am (CNA/EWTN News).- An American group of cloistered nuns has opened a new monastery to bring their contemplative spirituality to the northeast of Thailand.
“Our contribution to the world’s need is prayer,” Sister Joan Claver O.Ss.R, prioress and founder of the new monastery in Thailand, told CNA.
Sr. Joan has been a professed nun for 63 years.
“We have great admiration for apostolic work like preaching or nursing and family life, but we as Redemptoristine nuns are called to this distinct way of contemplative prayer life,” she explained. “All together we contribute to build a better society and a better world.”
Back in 2011, a few members of the Order of the Most Holy Redeemer from St. Louis, Missouri arrived in Thailand to explore whether to plant the seeds of contemplative monastic spirituality in the region.
Now their priory has five members: four nuns and one aspirant.
The Redemptoristine nuns are affectionately known as the Red Nuns because of their traditional deep red habit. They also wear a scapular and a blue choir-mantle with a colored medallion of the Most Holy Redeemer. They wear a belt that includes a 15 decade rosary. The rosary’s medallion is embossed with the emblems of Jesus Christ’s passion.
“We follow a life of prayer in every moment right from the time we wake till rest,” Sister Maria Suphavadi Kamsamran, a Thai Redemptoristine sister, told CNA March 6. “Our meditation ranges from Jesus Christ’s infancy in the crib to the Passion on the Cross and the Holy Eucharist which are our spiritual sources.”
“We are grateful to God and to the Diocese of Nakhon Ratchasima for granting us support in our prayer ministry,” Sister Maria said.
The Red Nuns’ contemplative spirituality has key elements like psalms, prayer, Eucharistic Adoration and silence. The nuns dedicate every moment of their activity in life to prayer from morning to night. Even their daily community chores involve prayer.
The new monastery building has a private chapel, cloister cells for nuns and a refectory. Many parts of the building are not yet fully furnished.
The Diocese of Nakhon Ratchasima granted the nuns 3.2 acres of prime land in the center of the city of Korat, about 136 miles from Bangkok. The diocese and other benefactors helped establish the maiden contemplative monastery in the diocese.
Bishop Joseph Chusak Sirisut presided at a thanksgiving Mass for the monastery on Oct. 31, 2015. He blessed the monastery in the presence of Redemptoristine nuns visiting from the U.S., Thai Redemptorist priests and several other religious and lay faithful.
“I want the diocese to be also a focal center of prayer,” Bishop Chusak told CNA.
Bishop Chusak explained that there was a lack of contemplative religious congregations in the diocese. He said every diocese ought to have at least one, and the Red Nuns have filled the void.
The bishop said the monastery will serve as a “beacon of prayer” that will energize the region, bear witness to hope, and bolster prayer life in the region.
Bishop Chusak is also the head of the Thai Catholic bishops’ inter-religious dialogue efforts. He noted that the nation’s majority Buddhist population has great admiration and respect for Catholic pastoral and apostolic ministries in education, social services and charities. These efforts are led by various religious missionary congregations.
“The Buddhists and other faiths here have mainly seen sisters in action, but they will also see sisters who continuously pray,” Bishop Chusak added. “It does not mean that our other religious and consecrated nuns don’t pray.”
“People will get to know our silent contemplative monastic way of life,” the bishop said.
The Redemptoristine nuns were founded by the Italian mystic Venerable Maria Celeste Crostarosa in 1731 with the support of St. Alphonsus Liguori, the founder of the Redemptorist priests. The nuns’ rule was approved by Pope Benedict XIV in 1771.
Pope Francis has approved the beatification of Ven. Maria Celeste Crostarosa. The beatification ceremony is scheduled for June 18.
IMAGE: CNS photo/courtesy Clarion HeraldBy Beth DonzeNEW ORLEANS (CNS) -- Christ'sfinal hours will come to life in spectacular fashion on Palm Sunday, March 20,when Fox airs "The Passion," a two-hour, live musical event from NewOrleans.Bolstered by a soundtrack ofcontemporary songs performed live by the cast, the epic television event willbe a modern retelling of Christ's passion, following Jesus as he eats with hisfriends at the Last Supper, is betrayed by Judas, put on trial by PontiusPilate, walks to his crucifixion and rises from the dead."This Palm Sundaytelevision event is a modern-day production of the most famous story of alltime, full of universal themes, which we hope provides a unifying experience(that brings) the sacred and secular together," said Mark Bracco,executive vice president of programming and development at Dick ClarkProductions, one of the event's three executive producers.The Scripture-based narrative,written by Peter Barsocchini, will unfold live on a stage ...
IMAGE: CNS photo/courtesy Clarion Herald
By Beth Donze
NEW ORLEANS (CNS) -- Christ's final hours will come to life in spectacular fashion on Palm Sunday, March 20, when Fox airs "The Passion," a two-hour, live musical event from New Orleans.
Bolstered by a soundtrack of contemporary songs performed live by the cast, the epic television event will be a modern retelling of Christ's passion, following Jesus as he eats with his friends at the Last Supper, is betrayed by Judas, put on trial by Pontius Pilate, walks to his crucifixion and rises from the dead.
"This Palm Sunday television event is a modern-day production of the most famous story of all time, full of universal themes, which we hope provides a unifying experience (that brings) the sacred and secular together," said Mark Bracco, executive vice president of programming and development at Dick Clark Productions, one of the event's three executive producers.
The Scripture-based narrative, written by Peter Barsocchini, will unfold live on a stage erected in the city's Woldenberg Park and through a series of pre-taped segments broadcast on the stage's jumbo screen. (It airs 7-9 p.m. (CDT); check local listings).
A highlight of the production will be the simultaneous mile-and-a-half procession of a 20-foot illuminated cross from Champions Square to Woldenberg Park.
Hosting and narrating the event from the stage in the park will be New Orleans-born actor and film producer Tyler Perry. Actor, singer and songwriter Jencarlos Canela will portray Christ, and three-time Grammy winner Trisha Yearwood will play Mary.
The cast also includes Seal as Pontius Pilate; Chris Daughtry as Judas; and Prince Royce as Peter.
"I think New Orleans is the best place to have 'The Passion' for one reason," said Perry, speaking in a pre-taped Fox media blitz. "Literally, the town rose again, and to come through so much tragedy and so much darkness and find love and find compassion and find forgiveness -? I think the city of New Orleans is the perfect backdrop for the story that has a lot of the same things to say."
As Perry narrates the story from the Woldenberg stage, a giant cross, reminiscent of a glowing light box, will be carried by a pre-selected group of volunteers from Champions Square through the French Quarter, with an anticipated 30,000 spectators lining the route.
The broadcast will include pre-taped scenes -- all filmed in New Orleans -- that will depict Christ and his disciples interacting in iconic New Orleans locations such as Audubon Park, the French Quarter, McDonoghville Cemetery, Duncan Plaza and Jackson Square.
Producers will intermittently cut to the live procession, interspersing these images with the live action taking place on the Woldenberg stage and the pre-taped visuals.
Producers of "The Passion" said that while the narrative is faithful to Scripture, it promises to rivet viewers in a new way by being set in contemporary times. For example, the actors will be costumed in street clothes, rather than the robed garments of Jesus' time. In the arrest scene, Christ will be seen in an orange jumpsuit and metal handcuffs, and his captors in modern-day law enforcement uniforms.
The music, sung live by cast members, includes songs made famous by Whitney Houston, Imagine Dragons, Evanescence, Jewel, Tina Turner, Katy Perry and Hoobastank.
"I cannot wait to bring the greatest-story-ever-told to life through music, in a way that has never been heard before," said Adam Anders, the musical producer behind the hit television series "Glee," who took on the task of arranging the existing songs to reflect the emotion-filled journey experienced by Christ, his friends and his enemies on the road to Calvary.
For example, the Imagine Dragons song "Demons," to be performed by Canela's Jesus and Daughtry's Judas, will underscore the apostle's greed in inner conflict in the scene in which he betrays Jesus with a kiss.
Yearwood's solos -- in songs that include "I Won't Give Up," "You'll Never Walk Alone" and "Broken" -- also will take on fresh meaning as they are sung from the perspective of the grief-stricken yet strong Mary, the mother of God.
The format of "The Passion" was originally created in the Netherlands in 2011 by Jacco Doornbos and Eye2Eye Media. Since then it has become the country's highest-rated live musical television event, a pop culture phenomenon that commanded nearly half of the Dutch TV-viewing market share when it aired in 2015.
The Dutch version, scheduled to air live later this month for the sixth straight year, received the Dutch equivalent of the Emmy for its creator, Doornbos, and as best entertainment program.
A prayer hour, sponsored by the Archdiocese of New Orleans and held independently from the Fox network, will follow "The Passion" at St. Louis Cathedral and will include opportunities for the sacrament of reconciliation and reflection.
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Donze is a staff writer at the Clarion Herald, newspaper of the Archdiocese of New Orleans.
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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.
By Junno Arocho EstevesVATICAN CITY (CNS) -- During Holy Week and in theEaster season, the Vatican will take part in several initiatives highlightingthe importance of ecology and the care for creation.The Governorate of Vatican City State announced March 18 that the thousands of floralarrangements for the Easter morning Mass and the pope's solemn blessing"urbi et orbi" (to the city and to the world), will be repurposed after the celebrations.Thousands of bushes, floweringtrees, tulips and other flowering bulbs, which are a gift of growers in theNetherlands, will be replanted in the Vatican gardens. The plants also will bedistributed to various pontifical colleges and institutions "so that they maybloom in the coming years," the governorate said. Charles van der Voot, who hasdesigned the Vatican Easter floral arrangements for the past 15 years, willarrange the flowers for the last time in 2016, the Vatican said. He will besucceeded by another Dutch florist, Paul Deckers, who has ass...
By Junno Arocho Esteves
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- During Holy Week and in the Easter season, the Vatican will take part in several initiatives highlighting the importance of ecology and the care for creation.
The Governorate of Vatican City State announced March 18 that the thousands of floral arrangements for the Easter morning Mass and the pope's solemn blessing "urbi et orbi" (to the city and to the world), will be repurposed after the celebrations.
Thousands of bushes, flowering trees, tulips and other flowering bulbs, which are a gift of growers in the Netherlands, will be replanted in the Vatican gardens. The plants also will be distributed to various pontifical colleges and institutions "so that they may bloom in the coming years," the governorate said.
Charles van der Voot, who has designed the Vatican Easter floral arrangements for the past 15 years, will arrange the flowers for the last time in 2016, the Vatican said. He will be succeeded by another Dutch florist, Paul Deckers, who has assisted van der Voot.
Heeding the pope's call to care for the environment, the governorate also announced the inauguration of an "ecological island," a recycling center for the separate disposal of waste and compost.
The cupola of St. Peter's Basilica and Bernini's famed colonnade will also go dark March 19 for one hour in an effort to promote climate change awareness.
The Vatican announced it will join countries around the world in turning off non-essential lights for "Earth Hour 2016," an event promoted by the World Wildlife Fund International. The initiative, according to the fund's website, is meant as "a symbol of their commitment to the planet."
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Follow Arocho on Twitter: @arochoju.
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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.
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) -- A lion left Nairobi National Park, walked alongside a highway full of rush-hour traffic and mauled a 63-year-old pedestrian Friday before being captured, officials said....
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- An electrician, who was on just his second day working at what will be Los Angeles' tallest skyscraper, plunged more than 50 floors to his death, onto a busy city intersection that hummed with a normal weekday's bustle....
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Merrick Garland has met with two supportive Senate Democratic leaders and spoken by phone to more of his Republican opponents. But he's moved no closer to weakening the GOP barricade against changing his status from Supreme Court nominee to justice....
NEW YORK (AP) -- Police and the FBI are investigating a threatening letter sent to the Manhattan apartment of Donald Trump's son Eric that contained a white powder, two law enforcement officials said Friday....
BRUSSELS (AP) -- After months of acrimony, the European Union and Turkey reached a landmark deal on Friday to ease the migrant crisis and give Ankara concessions on better EU relations....
