Catholic News 2
MADISON, W.Va. (AP) -- The U.S. Supreme Court has delivered a commodity that is hard to come by in coal country: hope....
MUNICH (AP) -- Hopes of securing a temporary truce in Syria within a week dimmed Saturday as Syrian government forces tightened the noose around rebel-held parts of Aleppo and Russia's foreign minister put the chances of a quick truce at less than 50 percent. His comments and strong words from U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry underscored deep U.S.-Russian disagreements over Syria....
MUNICH (AP) -- Russia's prime minister accused NATO on Saturday of restarting the Cold War amid increased military maneuvers and troop deployments to countries neighboring Russia, moves the alliance's top official defended as a necessary response to aggression from Moscow....
MEXICO CITY (AP) -- Pope Francis issued a tough-love message to Mexico's political and church elites Saturday, telling them they have a duty to provide their people with security, justice and courageous pastoral care to confront the drug-inspired violence and corruption that are tormenting the country....
GREENVILLE, S.C. (AP) -- Republican presidential candidates turn their sights on the South in Saturday night's debate, with Marco Rubio looking to right his campaign after a costly stumble that gave new hope to some of his rivals....
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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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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Five years after a wave of protests demanding widespread reform rocked Bahrain, hopes for progress on human rights and accountability for past and present abuses have faded, a leading human rights group has said. The mass protests which began on 14 February 2011 were met with violence by the security forces, who shot dead and injured protesters. Others died in custody after being tortured, Amnesty International said on Thursday. “Five years since the uprising, torture, arbitrary detention and a widespread crackdown against peaceful activists and government critics have continued. Today in Bahrain, anyone who dares to criticize the authorities – whether a human rights defender or political activist – risks punishment,” said James Lynch, Deputy Director of the Middle East and North Africa Programme at Amnesty International.“Despite pledges from the authorities to prosecute security forces responsible for human rights violations in 2011, ...
Five years after a wave of protests demanding widespread reform rocked Bahrain, hopes for progress on human rights and accountability for past and present abuses have faded, a leading human rights group has said. The mass protests which began on 14 February 2011 were met with violence by the security forces, who shot dead and injured protesters. Others died in custody after being tortured, Amnesty International said on Thursday.
“Five years since the uprising, torture, arbitrary detention and a widespread crackdown against peaceful activists and government critics have continued. Today in Bahrain, anyone who dares to criticize the authorities – whether a human rights defender or political activist – risks punishment,” said James Lynch, Deputy Director of the Middle East and North Africa Programme at Amnesty International.
“Despite pledges from the authorities to prosecute security forces responsible for human rights violations in 2011, the Bahraini people are still waiting for justice,” Lynch said. “Institutions set up to protect human rights have not only failed to independently investigate or hold perpetrators to account, but now increasingly appear to be used to whitewash continuing abuses,” he added.
Political activists, human rights defenders, teachers and doctors were amongst those arrested for leading or participating in the 2011 protests or speaking out about abuses. Many of them remain behind bars. Several are serving life sentences, in some cases after being convicted based on “confessions” they said were extracted through torture. In stark contrast, there has been no accountability for the overwhelming majority of violations. The few members of the security forces who were prosecuted for committing violations, including those who fatally shot protesters, were either acquitted for “self-defence” or given token sentences that did not reflect the gravity of the violations. “The failure to effectively hold security officers who committed abuses in 2011 to account sends the message that torture and arbitrary and abusive force will go unpunished. The authorities must rein in the security forces and make absolutely clear that violations will not be tolerated and those responsible will be brought to justice.” said James Lynch. (Source: AI)
Authorities in Bangladesh began a survey to determine the number of Rohingya Muslims who have fled persecution in majority-Buddhist Myanmar. Around 33,000 Rohingya have been documented in two official camps in the southern coastal district of Cox's Bazar that borders Myanmar, but officials say another 300,000 to 500,000 remain unaccounted. Bangladesh's Bureau of Statistics began the exercise this week with the help of the Geneva-based International Organization of Migration, said survey director Alamgir Hossain. He said the survey across six districts will end on Wednesday and will be followed by a census of the Rohingya next month. The census will also focus on the living conditions and socio-economic status of the Rohingya and the information gathered will be used to create a community database. The long-persecuted Rohingya, many of whose families arrived in Myanmar generations ago, are treated as illegal migrants from neigh...
Authorities in Bangladesh began a survey to determine the number of Rohingya Muslims who have fled persecution in majority-Buddhist Myanmar. Around 33,000 Rohingya have been documented in two official camps in the southern coastal district of Cox's Bazar that borders Myanmar, but officials say another 300,000 to 500,000 remain unaccounted. Bangladesh's Bureau of Statistics began the exercise this week with the help of the Geneva-based International Organization of Migration, said survey director Alamgir Hossain. He said the survey across six districts will end on Wednesday and will be followed by a census of the Rohingya next month. The census will also focus on the living conditions and socio-economic status of the Rohingya and the information gathered will be used to create a community database.
The long-persecuted Rohingya, many of whose families arrived in Myanmar generations ago, are treated as illegal migrants from neighboring Bangladesh and virtually excluded from the political process. In Myanmar, they are subjected to forced labour, have no land rights, and are heavily restricted in movement. In Bangladesh many are also desperately poor, with no documents or job prospects. (Source: AP)
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis delivered the first major address of his visit to Mexico on Saturday, to the nation’s civil authorities and the corps of diplomats present for the occasion. In his remarks, the Holy Father described himself once again as “a missionary of mercy and of peace,” and also as, “a son who wishes to pay homage to his mother, the Blessed Virgin of Guadalupe, and place himself under her watchful care.”Praising Mexico’s unique cultural richness and stressing the central importance of Mexico in American life, the Holy Father had especial words of encouragement for the young people of the nation. “Mexico’s principal richness today has a young face,” said Pope Francis. “This makes it possible to contemplate and plan for a future, for a tomorrow,” and “offers hope and future prospects.” The Pope went on to say, “A people with a youthful population is a people able to renew and transfo...
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis delivered the first major address of his visit to Mexico on Saturday, to the nation’s civil authorities and the corps of diplomats present for the occasion. In his remarks, the Holy Father described himself once again as “a missionary of mercy and of peace,” and also as, “a son who wishes to pay homage to his mother, the Blessed Virgin of Guadalupe, and place himself under her watchful care.”
Praising Mexico’s unique cultural richness and stressing the central importance of Mexico in American life, the Holy Father had especial words of encouragement for the young people of the nation. “Mexico’s principal richness today has a young face,” said Pope Francis. “This makes it possible to contemplate and plan for a future, for a tomorrow,” and “offers hope and future prospects.” The Pope went on to say, “A people with a youthful population is a people able to renew and transform itself; it is an invitation to look to the future with hope and, in turn, it challenges us in a positive way here and now.”
Renewing his calls for concerted effort to build a just and inclusive society that cares for all its citizens without respect for age, race, or condition, and for responsible participation in and stewardship over the order of creation, Pope Francis said, “This is not just a question of laws which need to be updated and improved – something always necessary – but rather a need for urgent formation of the personal responsibility of each individual, with full respect for others as men and women jointly responsible in promoting the advancement of the nation.”
Pope Francis assured Mexico’s President Enrique Peña Nieto, that the Government of his nation can rely on the cooperation of the Catholic Church, “Which,” he said, “has accompanied the life of this nation and which renews its commitment and willingness to serve the great causes of mankind: the building of the civilization of love.”
