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WASHINGTON (AP) -- The county government that owned the iPhone in a high-profile legal battle between Apple Inc. and the Justice Department paid for but never installed a feature that would have allowed the FBI to easily and immediately unlock the phone as part of the terrorism investigation into the shootings that killed 14 people in San Bernardino, California....
KALAMAZOO, Mich. (AP) -- A gunman who seemed to choose his victims at random opened fire outside an apartment complex, a car dealership and a restaurant in Michigan, killing at least six people during a rampage that lasted nearly seven hours, police said....
KALAMAZOO, Mich. (AP) -- The Latest on the shootings in the Kalamazoo, Michigan, area (all times local):...
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Donald Trump's resounding victory in South Carolina had Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz playing tug-of-war Sunday over who's the stronger anti-Trump....
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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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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(Vatican Radio) Russia has denied that it is targeting civilians in Syria amid fresh accusations that Moscow's military intervention in that country has displaced more than half a million Syrians since September, while 2016 is expected to see even more Syrians flooding Europe than the record numbers seen last year. Turkish and American leaders have accused Russia of using refugees from Syria as a geopolitical tool to further undermine stability in Turkey, the European Union, and the NATO military alliance.Listen to Stefan Bos' report: Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu says Russia is in his words "behaving like a terrorist organization and forcing civilians to flee" by carrying out air strikes "without any discrimination between civilians and soldiers, or children and the elderly."Outspoken U.S. Senator John McCain agrees. He believes Russian President Vladimir Putin's support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime is intentiona...
(Vatican Radio) Russia has denied that it is targeting civilians in Syria amid fresh accusations that Moscow's military intervention in that country has displaced more than half a million Syrians since September, while 2016 is expected to see even more Syrians flooding Europe than the record numbers seen last year. Turkish and American leaders have accused Russia of using refugees from Syria as a geopolitical tool to further undermine stability in Turkey, the European Union, and the NATO military alliance.
Listen to Stefan Bos' report:
Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu says Russia is in his words "behaving like a terrorist organization and forcing civilians to flee" by carrying out air strikes "without any discrimination between civilians and soldiers, or children and the elderly."
Outspoken U.S. Senator John McCain agrees. He believes Russian President Vladimir Putin's support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime is intentionally creating a fresh, destabilizing flood of refugees aimed at overwhelming Turkey and the rest of Europe.
"Mr. Putin is not interested in being our partner," McCain said. "He wants to re-establish Russia as a major power in the Middle East. He wants to use Syria as a live-fire exercise for Russia's modernizing military, he wants to turn Latakia province into a military outpost from which to harden and enforce a Russian sphere of influence — a new Kaliningrad, or Crimea — and he wants to exacerbate the refugee crisis and use it as a weapon to divide the trans-Atlantic alliance and undermine the European project."
Yet, the Kremlin has denied wrongdoing saying its forces have never attacked hospitals, either intentionally or mistakenly. And Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev claims Russia is fighting terror as well as defending its interests in Syria. "We are fighting there because a lot of the militias fighting there are from Russia and they would otherwise return to us to carry our terror attacks. But these people must stay there. Civilians are not affected."
Though Moscow says its actions are primarily aimed at the Islamic State group, Western officials maintain that its actions have created a new wave of as many as half a million refugees.
Many kilometres away from the front lines, European countries have expressed concerns over an expected influx of refugees to Europe through the notorious Balkans route.
Hungary announced it is closing three key railway crossings with Croatia, while neighbouring Austria said it plans to further reduce the number of asylum seekers allowed entry into that country.
On Friday Austria's government officially introduced a daily quota of 80 migrants a day to apply for asylum at its borders while allowing up to 3,200 other people looking for asylum elsewhere to pass through its territory.
The measure is seen by critics as German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s “open door” policy for refugees and the European Union attempt quest to seek a solution for the refugee crisis along with Turkey.
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis reflected on his Apostolic Voyage to Mexico during his Angelus address in St Peter’s Square on the Second Sunday of Lent.The Sunday Gospel tells the story of the Transfiguration of Jesus, when “He allowed His divine glory to shine forth in the presence” of the disciples Peter, James, and John. Pope Francis said his journey to Mexico was also “an experience of transfiguration,” where “the Lord showed the light of His glory through the body of His Church, of the holy People who live in that land.”The Pope said the focus of his pilgrimage to Mexico was the visit to the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Meditating before the miraculous image, the Holy Father reflected on the love and compassion the Blessed Virgin has for the many pilgrims who come to her with their sorrows. “From all over America,” he said, “they come to pray at the place where the “Virgen Morenita” showed herself to...
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis reflected on his Apostolic Voyage to Mexico during his Angelus address in St Peter’s Square on the Second Sunday of Lent.
The Sunday Gospel tells the story of the Transfiguration of Jesus, when “He allowed His divine glory to shine forth in the presence” of the disciples Peter, James, and John. Pope Francis said his journey to Mexico was also “an experience of transfiguration,” where “the Lord showed the light of His glory through the body of His Church, of the holy People who live in that land.”
The Pope said the focus of his pilgrimage to Mexico was the visit to the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Meditating before the miraculous image, the Holy Father reflected on the love and compassion the Blessed Virgin has for the many pilgrims who come to her with their sorrows. “From all over America,” he said, “they come to pray at the place where the “Virgen Morenita” showed herself to the Indian Juan Diego, giving a beginning to the evangelization of the continent and to its new civilization, the fruit of the encounter between different cultures.”
And this, he said, is the true heritage Mexico has received from the Lord: “to guard the riches of diversity, and, at the same time, to manifest the harmony of the common faith.” Pope Francis said he had come to Mexico, like his predecessors, to confirm the faith of the Mexican people, but also to be confirmed by them — and he pointed to the witness of Mexican families, of young people, of priests and religious, of workers and of prisoners; “a testimony of a clear and strong faith, the testimony of a lived faith, of a faith that transfigures life.”
Pope Francis offered thanks “to the Lord and to the Virgin of Guadalupe” for the Voyage; and also expressed his gratitude to all those who welcomed him to Mexico and made the journey so successful.
Finally, Pope Francis praised the Most Holy Trinity for his meeting with his “dear brother Kirill,” the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, which took place in Cuba on his way to Mexico. The Pope concluded his address with the prayer that “the Mother of God might continue to guide us in the journey to unity.”
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis has said that “all Christians and people of good will are called today to work not only for the abolition of the death penalty,” but also to improve conditions in prisons, out of respect for the human dignity of prisoners.In particular, the Holy Father appealed “to the consciences of government leaders” that they might join the “international consensus for the abolition of the death penalty” — and spoke directly to Catholic leaders, asking them, as a “courageous and exemplary act,” to not carry out any death sentences during the Holy Year of Mercy.The Holy Father made his remarks following the Angelus on Sunday, in the context of an international convention for the abolition of death penalty set to take place in Rome on Monday. The convention, promoted by the Sant’Egidio Community, has for its title “For a world without the death penalty.”“I hope,” the Pope said, &ldquo...
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis has said that “all Christians and people of good will are called today to work not only for the abolition of the death penalty,” but also to improve conditions in prisons, out of respect for the human dignity of prisoners.
In particular, the Holy Father appealed “to the consciences of government leaders” that they might join the “international consensus for the abolition of the death penalty” — and spoke directly to Catholic leaders, asking them, as a “courageous and exemplary act,” to not carry out any death sentences during the Holy Year of Mercy.
The Holy Father made his remarks following the Angelus on Sunday, in the context of an international convention for the abolition of death penalty set to take place in Rome on Monday. The convention, promoted by the Sant’Egidio Community, has for its title “For a world without the death penalty.”
“I hope,” the Pope said, “that this symposium can give a renewed impulse to efforts for the abolition of capital punishment.” He said growing opposition to the death penalty, even as an instrument of legitimate social defence, was a sign of hope. Modern society, he continued has the means of fighting crime without definitively taking from criminals the possibility of redemption. He placed the question of capital punishment within the context of a system of justice that continues to conform more closely “to the dignity of man and the design of God for and for society.” “The commandment, ‘Thou shalt not kill’,” Pope Francis said, “has absolute value, and concerns both the innocent and the guilty,” and even criminals “maintain the inviolable right to life, the gift of God.”
(Vatican Radio) It’s time for another dose of the “spiritual medicine” Misericordin. Following the Angelus on Sunday, Pope Francis offered the faithful gathered in St Peter’s Square the gift of a small box, designed to look like a box of medicine, containing a small Rosary and an image of the Merciful Jesus.“Lent is a good time to complete a journey of conversion, that has mercy at its centre,” the Pope said. He invited the faithful to “welcome this gift as a spiritual aid in order, especially during this Year of Mercy, to spread love, forgiveness, and brotherhood.”It is the second time Pope Francis has offered Misericordin to the faithful. In November of 2013, the Pope encouraged the faithful to use the “spiritual medicine” in order “to make concrete the fruits of the Year of Faith” which was coming to an end.On both occasions, the gifts were distributed by volunteers, including homeless people, refugees, and...
(Vatican Radio) It’s time for another dose of the “spiritual medicine” Misericordin. Following the Angelus on Sunday, Pope Francis offered the faithful gathered in St Peter’s Square the gift of a small box, designed to look like a box of medicine, containing a small Rosary and an image of the Merciful Jesus.
“Lent is a good time to complete a journey of conversion, that has mercy at its centre,” the Pope said. He invited the faithful to “welcome this gift as a spiritual aid in order, especially during this Year of Mercy, to spread love, forgiveness, and brotherhood.”
It is the second time Pope Francis has offered Misericordin to the faithful. In November of 2013, the Pope encouraged the faithful to use the “spiritual medicine” in order “to make concrete the fruits of the Year of Faith” which was coming to an end.
On both occasions, the gifts were distributed by volunteers, including homeless people, refugees, and the poor.
