Catholic News 2

BRUSSELS (AP) -- Britain is thinking of leaving. Greece feels isolated. Austria and Denmark are pushing controversial measures for coping with asylum-seekers despite what their neighbors think....

WASHINGTON (AP) -- American F-15E fighter-bombers struck an Islamic State training camp in rural Libya near the Tunisian border Friday, killing dozens, probably including an IS operative considered responsible for deadly attacks in Tunisia last year, U.S. and local officials said. The strike did not appear to mark the beginning of a sustained U.S. campaign in Libya but a Pentagon spokesman said "it may not be the last."...

ROCK HILL, South Carolina (AP) -- Jeb Bush has long kept his family at arm's length in his effort to become commander-in-chief, but with the South Carolina primary looming, he's embracing them like never before in the state that has historically stood by the Bush family in its previous White House bids....

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (AP) -- The Republican battle for South Carolina turned deeply personal on the eve of Saturday's high-stakes presidential primary, as New York businessman Donald Trump eyed a delegate sweep and his Republican rivals fought for a southern surprise....

 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-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...

WASHINGTON-Pope Francis has named Bishop J. Douglas Deshotel, 64, as bishop of the Diocese of Lafayette, Louisiana, and accepted the resignation of Bishop C. Michael Jarrell, 75, from pastoral governance of that diocese. Bishop Deshotel has served as an auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Dallas since 2010.The appointment was publicized in Washington, February 17, by Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, apostolic nuncio to the United States.John Douglas Deshotel was born in Kinder, Louisiana, January 6, 1952. He attended the University of Dallas, where he earned Bachelor of Arts and Master of Divinity degrees. He was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Dallas on May 13, 1978.Assignments after ordination included parochial vicar, St. Patrick Parish, Dallas, 1978-1980; parochial vicar, St. Anthony Parish, Longview, Texas, 1980-1982; parochial vicar, St. Elizabeth of Hungary Parish, 1982-1983; parochial vicar, St. Thomas Aquinas Parish, Longview, 1983-1988; pastor, St. William Parish, Greenv...

In this Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy, the Church calls on missionaries to be leaders of renewed evangelization, directed to all especially the poor and marginalised.Addressing Diocesan Pontifical Mission Society (PMS) directors and Holy Childhood coordinators during the Annual General Meeting (AGM) at Little Daughters of St. Joseph in Nairobi, the Apostolic Nuncio to Kenya and South Sudan, Archbishop Charles Daniel Balvo has said, missionaries are called to be attentive and sensitive to the needs of the people they serve particularly poorest.“You, therefore, are instruments of communion among the local Churches, fostering and realising the sharing of human and economic resources.” The Nuncio said. Archbishop Balvo added that the proclamation of the Gospel is a primary and perpetual concern of the Church hence the need for missionaries to develop a credible and effective approach to evangelization.“It is absolutely essential for the Church and for the ...

In this Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy, the Church calls on missionaries to be leaders of renewed evangelization, directed to all especially the poor and marginalised.

Addressing Diocesan Pontifical Mission Society (PMS) directors and Holy Childhood coordinators during the Annual General Meeting (AGM) at Little Daughters of St. Joseph in Nairobi, the Apostolic Nuncio to Kenya and South Sudan, Archbishop Charles Daniel Balvo has said, missionaries are called to be attentive and sensitive to the needs of the people they serve particularly poorest.

“You, therefore, are instruments of communion among the local Churches, fostering and realising the sharing of human and economic resources.” The Nuncio said.
 
Archbishop Balvo added that the proclamation of the Gospel is a primary and perpetual concern of the Church hence the need for missionaries to develop a credible and effective approach to evangelization.

“It is absolutely essential for the Church and for the credibility of her message that she herself live and testify to mercy. Her language and her gestures must transmit mercy, so as to touch the hearts of all people and inspire them once more to find the road that leads to the Father.”
The Nuncio whose speech was inspired by Pope Francis said, in mercy, one finds proof of how God loves his people. “In this Holy Year, we look forward to the experience of opening our hearts to those living on the outermost fringes that have been created by modern society, uncertain and painful situations. There are so many wounds borne by the flesh of those who have no voice because their cry is muffled and drowned out by indifference of the wealthy.” He added that, the Lent Season during this Jubilee Year of Mercy, should be lived more intensely as a privileged moment to celebrate and experience God’s mercy.

The PMS AGM, held from 15 to 20 February, 2016 brought together more than twenty directors and coordinators from different dioceses and the national Kenyan office. The gathering was also attended by the Bishop of Marsabit who is Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Chairman for the Commission for Missions, Bishop Peter Kihara.

(By Rose Achiego in Nairobi)

Email: engafrica@vatiradio.va

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(Vatican Weekend)  Vatican Weekend for February 20th, 2016  features an in-depth look at Pope Francis’ pastoral visit to Mexico that took place from February 12th to 17th.  Veronica Scarisbrick was in Mexico City throughout the journey, reporting on the Pope’s message to the people of Mexico and you can also hear analysis from the director of the Holy See press office, Jesuit Father Federico LombardiA programme presented and produced by Philippa Hitchen: 

(Vatican Weekend)  Vatican Weekend for February 20th, 2016  features an in-depth look at Pope Francis’ pastoral visit to Mexico that took place from February 12th to 17th.  Veronica Scarisbrick was in Mexico City throughout the journey, reporting on the Pope’s message to the people of Mexico and you can also hear analysis from the director of the Holy See press office, Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi

A programme presented and produced by Philippa Hitchen: 

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(Vatican Radio) Vatican Weekend for February 21st, 2016, the Second Sunday of Lent, features our regular reflections in ‘There’s more in the Sunday Gospel than meets the eye”, plus a look back at some of the highlights of Pope Francis’ pastoral visit to Mexico with EWTN’s Rome Bureau chief, Joan LewisA programme presented and produced by Tracey McClure: 

(Vatican Radio) Vatican Weekend for February 21st, 2016, the Second Sunday of Lent, features our regular reflections in ‘There’s more in the Sunday Gospel than meets the eye”, plus a look back at some of the highlights of Pope Francis’ pastoral visit to Mexico with EWTN’s Rome Bureau chief, Joan Lewis

A programme presented and produced by Tracey McClure: 

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