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LOS ANGELES (AP) -- TV's "Fresh Off the Boat" creator Nahnatchka Khan was reveling in Oscar host Chris Rock's deft comedic assault on white-fixated Hollywood. Then three Asian-American kids were brought onstage for a gag mocking them as ethnic stereotypes....
CONCORD, N.H. (AP) -- Doctors could keep better tabs on their patients between visits with a simple wave of a magic wand-like device being developed at Dartmouth College....
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Steady rain fell in Northern California and fresh snow blanketed the Sierra Nevada as the first of several powerful storms expected to slam Western states this weekend made its way inland Saturday, ending a dry spell and raising hopes the drought-stricken state can get much needed precipitation....
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) -- Eager to lock up the GOP nomination without a convention fight, Donald Trump battled Saturday to pad his lead in the delegate count as four more states delivered verdicts on the fractious Republican race for president. Democrats in three states were choosing between Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders....
WASHINGTON-Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York called on everyone "concerned about the tragedy of abortion" to recommit to a "vision of life and love, a vision that excludes no one" on January 14. His statement marks the 43rd anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion. Cardinal Dolan chairs the Committee on Pro-Life Activities of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops."Most Americans oppose a policy allowing legal abortion for virtually any reason - though many still do not realize that this is what the Supreme Court gave us," wrote Cardinal Dolan. "Most want to protect unborn children at later stages of pregnancy, to regulate or limit the practice of abortion, and to stop the use of taxpayer dollars for the destruction of unborn children. Yet many who support important goals of the pro-life movement do not identify as 'pro-life,' a fact which should lead us to examine how we present our pro-life vision to others.""Even as Americans rema...
WASHINGTON-Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York called on everyone "concerned about the tragedy of abortion" to recommit to a "vision of life and love, a vision that excludes no one" on January 14. His statement marks the 43rd anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion. Cardinal Dolan chairs the Committee on Pro-Life Activities of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
"Most Americans oppose a policy allowing legal abortion for virtually any reason - though many still do not realize that this is what the Supreme Court gave us," wrote Cardinal Dolan. "Most want to protect unborn children at later stages of pregnancy, to regulate or limit the practice of abortion, and to stop the use of taxpayer dollars for the destruction of unborn children. Yet many who support important goals of the pro-life movement do not identify as 'pro-life,' a fact which should lead us to examine how we present our pro-life vision to others."
"Even as Americans remain troubled by abortion," wrote Cardinal Dolan, a powerful and well-funded lobby holds "that abortion must be celebrated as a positive good for women and society, and those who cannot in conscience provide it are to be condemned for practicing substandard medicine and waging a 'war on women'." He said this trend was seen recently when President Obama and other Democratic leaders prevented passage of the Abortion Non-Discrimination Act, "a modest measure to provide for effective enforcement" of conscience laws.
"While this is disturbing," said Cardinal Dolan, "it is also an opportunity." Pro-life Americans should reach out to "the great majority of Americans" who are "open to hearing a message of reverence for life." He added that "we who present the pro-life message must always strive to be better messengers. A cause that teaches the inexpressibly great value of each and every human being cannot show disdain or disrespect for any fellow human being." He encouraged Catholics to take part, through prayer and action, in the upcoming "9 Days for Life" campaign, January 16-24. More information on the campaign is available online: www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxJwfcefUiU
He also cited the Year of Mercy called by Pope Francis as a time for women and men to find healing through the Church's Project Rachel post-abortion ministry.
The full text of Cardinal Dolan's message is available online.
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Keywords: Roe v. Wade, anniversary, Pro-Life, Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan, 9 Days for Life, USCCB, U.S. bishops, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Year of Mercy, Project Rachel, Pope Francis
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MEDIA CONTACT
Don Clemmer
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WASHINGTON-The Office of General Counsel of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) filed an amicus curiae brief in the U.S. Supreme Court, February 1, on behalf of USCCB, the Texas Catholic Conference and several Christian partners in support of a Texas law mandating health and safety standards protecting women who undergo abortions. Other groups joining the brief include the National Association of Evangelicals, the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, and the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention. The case is Whole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt, currently before the U.S. Supreme Court."There is ample evidence in this case that hospital admitting privileges and ambulatory surgical center requirements protect women's lives and health," said the brief. "When such requirements are not enforced, abuses detrimental to women's lives and health arise."The brief noted that some abortion clinics have decla...
"There is ample evidence in this case that hospital admitting privileges and ambulatory surgical center requirements protect women's lives and health," said the brief. "When such requirements are not enforced, abuses detrimental to women's lives and health arise."
The brief noted that some abortion clinics have declared the standards too strict, although the standards are similar to those issued by the abortion industry. It added that abortion providers "should not be allowed to rely upon their own failure to comply with health and safety laws" as a reason to strike such laws down. The brief said the providers' resistance to such regulations is not in the best interests of women's health and safety. It also noted that over 40 years of precedent, including the Court's 1992 decision in Planned Parenthood v. Casey, reaffirms that states may regulate abortion to protect maternal life and health.
Full text of the brief is available online: www.usccb.org/about/general-counsel/amicus-briefs/upload/Whole-Woman-s-Health-v-Hellerstedt.pdf
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Keywords: General Counsel, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, USCCB, Texas law abortion, amicus curia, National Association of Evangelicals, Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, Southern Baptists of Texas Convention, Whole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt, U.S. Supreme Court
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According to Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Arabia that has jurisdiction over Yemen, the massacre of 16 people by gunmen at the old people’s home run by the Missionaries of Charity in Aden is “religiously-motivated”. Bishop Paul Hinder, the Apostolic Vicar of Southern Arabia, based in Abu Dhabi, told AsiaNews the nuns and civilians "sacrificed their lives by following their own charism." “Getting information was hard," the Swiss Capuchin prelate said, adding, the "signal is clear: it has something to do with religion".The attack began with two gunmen standing guard outside the home for the elderly run by the Missionaries of Charity, while four entered the building on the pretext they wanted to visit their mothers at the facility, according to the nuns, Yemeni security officials and witnesses. The gunmen then moved from room to ro...
According to Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Arabia that has jurisdiction over Yemen, the massacre of 16 people by gunmen at the old people’s home run by the Missionaries of Charity in Aden is “religiously-motivated”. Bishop Paul Hinder, the Apostolic Vicar of Southern Arabia, based in Abu Dhabi, told AsiaNews the nuns and civilians "sacrificed their lives by following their own charism." “Getting information was hard," the Swiss Capuchin prelate said, adding, the "signal is clear: it has something to do with religion".
The attack began with two gunmen standing guard outside the home for the elderly run by the Missionaries of Charity, while four entered the building on the pretext they wanted to visit their mothers at the facility, according to the nuns, Yemeni security officials and witnesses. The gunmen then moved from room to room, handcuffing the victims before shooting them in the head. The nun victims are Sisters Marguerite and Reginette from Rwanda, Anselm from India and Judit from Kenya. The superior survived finding a hiding place, Bishop Hinder said, adding now she is in a safe place.
The attackers also seized Fr Tom Uzhunnalil, an Indian Salesian missionary from Bangalore Province, who lived at the facility. At the time of the attack, he "was in the chapel praying." Bishop Hinder explained that despite the current difficult situation and a previous attack, the nuns “decided to stay no matter what because this was part of their spirituality.”
In July 1998, a gunman shot and killed three Missionaries of Charity, as they left a hospital in the city of Al Hudaydah. Two of them were Indians while the third was a Filipina. Since January 2015, Yemen has been the scene of a bloody civil war pitting the country’s Sunni leadership, backed by Saudi Arabia, against Shia Houthi rebels, close to Iran. Groups linked to al Qaeda and jihadist militias linked to the Islamic State group are active in the country, which adds to the spiral of violence and terror.
A group of women from Kandhamal District of eastern India’s Odisha state is in the national capital seeking justice for their husbands who are languishing in jail for allegedly murdering a Hindu religious leader eight years ago. “Our men are innocent. They could never have committed such professional murders,” said Nilandri Nayak, wife of one of the seven men given life term after convicted of killing Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati and his four associates on August 23, 2008, even though Maoists claimed the murder. The wives of six convicts on March 3 released a book on the case written by journalist and rights activist Anto Akkara at a function in New Delhi’s Constitutional Club. Veteran journalist Kuldeep Nayar, Hindu social reformer Swami Agnivesh and political leaders such as Oscar Fernandes and Annie Raja attended the function where the women narrated their sufferings.In 2013, a Fast Track Cou...
A group of women from Kandhamal District of eastern India’s Odisha state is in the national capital seeking justice for their husbands who are languishing in jail for allegedly murdering a Hindu religious leader eight years ago. “Our men are innocent. They could never have committed such professional murders,” said Nilandri Nayak, wife of one of the seven men given life term after convicted of killing Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati and his four associates on August 23, 2008, even though Maoists claimed the murder. The wives of six convicts on March 3 released a book on the case written by journalist and rights activist Anto Akkara at a function in New Delhi’s Constitutional Club. Veteran journalist Kuldeep Nayar, Hindu social reformer Swami Agnivesh and political leaders such as Oscar Fernandes and Annie Raja attended the function where the women narrated their sufferings.
In 2013, a Fast Track Court awarded their husbands life term and their appeal in the Odisha High Court has been pending since October 2014. The book, “Cry of the Oppressed,” attempts to prove that the men were falsely implicated as part of a sinister game plan hatched by Hindu radical groups. The convicted men are members of Christian sects.
Addressing the function, Akkara said the men were convicted “despite hardly any convincing evidences being produced against them in the Fast Track Court.” He appealed to the Chief Justice of India and other constitutional authorities in the country to “end the travesty of justice and release the seven innocent.” (Source: Matters India)
The Archdiocese of Singapore is preparing 1,227 candidates to join the Catholic Church at Easter this month. 498 non-Christians seeking Baptism and 68 non-Catholics seeking full communion with the Catholic Church participated recently in the Rite of Election of the archdiocese's Christ the King Church parish. At the Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour, there were 393 catechumens and 33 candidates. A Chinese Rite of Election also was held on Feb 21 at the Church of the Holy Trinity with 133 catechumens and two candidates. The Rite of Election that closes the period of the catechumenate or preparation, includes enrollment of names. Archbishop William Goh said there was a 17 percent increase in the Rite of Election over the previous year.Father Erbin Fernandez, archdiocesan catechetical director, told the archdiocesan newspaper CatholicNews that through their courses, workshops and formations sessions, they were encouraging catechetical gro...
The Archdiocese of Singapore is preparing 1,227 candidates to join the Catholic Church at Easter this month. 498 non-Christians seeking Baptism and 68 non-Catholics seeking full communion with the Catholic Church participated recently in the Rite of Election of the archdiocese's Christ the King Church parish. At the Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour, there were 393 catechumens and 33 candidates. A Chinese Rite of Election also was held on Feb 21 at the Church of the Holy Trinity with 133 catechumens and two candidates. The Rite of Election that closes the period of the catechumenate or preparation, includes enrollment of names. Archbishop William Goh said there was a 17 percent increase in the Rite of Election over the previous year.
Father Erbin Fernandez, archdiocesan catechetical director, told the archdiocesan newspaper CatholicNews that through their courses, workshops and formations sessions, they were encouraging catechetical groups to come together to pray as communities as well as to work with others in the parish in the areas of evangelization and discipleship. (Source: UCAN)
Aden, Yemen, Mar 4, 2016 / 04:09 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Updated March 5, 2016 at 12:05 CET: Pope Francis has condemned the “diabolical violence” of Friday’s deadly attack on a nursing home in Yemen, acknowledging in a special way the four Missionaries of Charity sisters who were killed during the siege.“His Holiness Pope Francis was shocked and profoundly saddened to learn of the killing of four Missionaries of Charity and twelve others at a home for the elderly in Aden,” reads the telegram, released Saturday and signed by Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin.The Pope “sends the assurance of his prayers for the dead and his spiritual closeness to their families and to all affected from this act of senseless and diabolical violence,” the message reads.“He prays that this pointless slaughter will awaken consciences, lead to a change of heart, and inspire all parties to lay down their arms and take up the path of dialogue.&rdq...
Aden, Yemen, Mar 4, 2016 / 04:09 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Updated March 5, 2016 at 12:05 CET: Pope Francis has condemned the “diabolical violence” of Friday’s deadly attack on a nursing home in Yemen, acknowledging in a special way the four Missionaries of Charity sisters who were killed during the siege.
“His Holiness Pope Francis was shocked and profoundly saddened to learn of the killing of four Missionaries of Charity and twelve others at a home for the elderly in Aden,” reads the telegram, released Saturday and signed by Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin.
The Pope “sends the assurance of his prayers for the dead and his spiritual closeness to their families and to all affected from this act of senseless and diabolical violence,” the message reads.
“He prays that this pointless slaughter will awaken consciences, lead to a change of heart, and inspire all parties to lay down their arms and take up the path of dialogue.”
Pope Francis called for those involved in the the nation’s ongoing conflict “to renounce violence, and to renew their commitment to the people of Yemen, particularly those most in need,” who the Missionaries of Charity and collaborators “sought to serve.”
“Upon everyone suffering from this violence, the Holy Father invokes God’s blessing, and in a special ways he extends to the Missionaries of Charity his prayerful sympathy and solidarity.”
Original story continues:
At least 16 people are dead after two gunmen attacked a Missionaries of Charity convent and nursing home for elderly and disabled persons in Aden, the provisional capital of Yemen, on Friday.
Four of the victims were sisters of the Missionaries of Charity, the community founded by Blessed Mother Teresa. They have been identified by the Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Arabia as Sr. Anselm from India, Sr. Margherite from Rwanda, Sr. Reginette from Rwanda, and Sr. Judith from Kenya.
A March 4 statement from the Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Arabia stated that Bishop Paul Hinder has “expressed his shock at the incident and prayed that the Lord may accept the sacrifice of these sisters and convert it into a sacrifice for peace.”
The convent's superior is unhurt and in police custody, the vicariate stated.
Fr. Tom Uzhunnalil, a Salesian priest from India who had been staying with the sisters since his church was attacked and burned last September, was abducted from the chapel, a source told CNA. Agenzia Fides reported that he has been missing since the attack.
Other victims of the attack included volunteers at the home, at least five of whom were Ethiopian. Many were Yemenis. The nursing home had around 80 residents, who were unharmed.
The gunmen gained entry to the Missionaries of Charity home by telling the gatekeeper their mothers were residents, The Associated Press reported.
"On entering inside, (they) immediately shot dead the gatekeeper and started shooting randomly," Vikas Swarup, the spokesman of India's External Affairs Ministry, told the agency.
Khaled Haidar told the AP that when he arrived on the scene he saw that each victim, including his brother Radwan, had been handcuffed and shot in the head.
The Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Arabia said the Missionaries of Charity have been present in Yemen since 1973 after the then Government of North Yemen formally invited them to care for the sick and elderly. The home in Aden has been open since 1992.
Three Missionaries of Charity were killed by a gunman in Al Hudaydah, 280 miles northwest of Aden, in 1998.
Yemen is in the midst of a civil war that began in March 2015. That month Houthi rebels, who are Shia Muslims, took over portions of Yemen seeking to oust its Sunni-led government.
Saudi Arabia, which borders Yemen's north, has led a coalition backing the government. Both al-Qaeda and the Islamic State have set up strongholds in the country amid the power vacuum.
The civil war has killed more than 6,000 people, according to the United Nations.
So far no group has claimed responsibility for the attack on the Missionaries of Charity home.
