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Catholic News 2

Two Capuchin Franciscan friars were ordained on February 8 by His Exc. Mgr John Barwa in the district of Kandhamal, which had seen  horrific anti-Christian violence in 2008. "A gift and a blessing, in the Year of Mercy": is how the Archbishop of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar, in Orissa, His Exc. Mgr. John Barwa described the two new priests. As Fides learns, the two Capuchin Franciscan friars: Fr. Bonifacio Kanhar OFMCap and Fr. Chandulal Baliarsingh OFM Cap, were ordained by Mgr. Barwa on February 8 in Simon Badi, in Kandhamal district, which is part of the diocese of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar.The new priests belong to the Capuchin province of Andhra-Orissa. The ordination celebration was attended by about 50 priests and more than 1,500 faithful.Archbishop Barwa said that "we are all called to be instruments of the mercy of God. Even Fr. Kanhar and Fr. Baliarsingh and their families were affected by the violence. Their reaction was mercy"."I thank God for the g...

Two Capuchin Franciscan friars were ordained on February 8 by His Exc. Mgr John Barwa in the district of Kandhamal, which had seen  horrific anti-Christian violence in 2008. 

"A gift and a blessing, in the Year of Mercy": is how the Archbishop of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar, in Orissa, His Exc. Mgr. John Barwa described the two new priests. As Fides learns, the two Capuchin Franciscan friars: Fr. Bonifacio Kanhar OFMCap and Fr. Chandulal Baliarsingh OFM Cap, were ordained by Mgr. Barwa on February 8 in Simon Badi, in Kandhamal district, which is part of the diocese of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar.

The new priests belong to the Capuchin province of Andhra-Orissa. The ordination celebration was attended by about 50 priests and more than 1,500 faithful.

Archbishop Barwa said that "we are all called to be instruments of the mercy of God. Even Fr. Kanhar and Fr. Baliarsingh and their families were affected by the violence. Their reaction was mercy".

"I thank God for the gift of the priesthood for me and for the Church", said Father Kanhar remembering the difficult times of persecution in 2008. His younger sister is a nun of St. Joseph of Annecy and one of their uncles is a priest of the diocese of Cuttack -Bhubaneswar.

"We thank our parents, family members and the priests who encouraged us to follow this vocation over the years. We ask everyone to pray for us, so that we can serve God and the Church with mercy" said Father Boliarsingh.

Both the new priests come from the territory of Kandhamal, where in 2008 the worst anti-Christian violence in the history of modern India was recorded.Targeted violence against Christians lasted nearly four months and caused more than 90 victims and 50,000 homeless. (Fides)

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(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis has asked for prayers for the sick in the run-up to the World Day of the Sick.Speaking to the pilgrims gathered in St Peter’s Square for the weekly General Audience, the Pope invited them to pray for the sick and make their love felt to them.He recalled that the “World Day of the Sick” takes place on the feast day of Our Lady of Lourdes and that this XXIVth edition will culminate in a celebration in Nazareth.The Pope mentioned the fact that in his message for this World Day Sick he reflected on the irreplaceable role of Mary at the Wedding in Cana and said that Mary’s concern and attention reflects the tenderness of God and the immense mercy of Jesus.May that same tenderness – he said – be present in the life of so many people who are close to the sick and help them to be attentive to all of their needs, even the most imperceptible ones, because they look at them with eyes full of love.   

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis has asked for prayers for the sick in the run-up to the World Day of the Sick.

Speaking to the pilgrims gathered in St Peter’s Square for the weekly General Audience, the Pope invited them to pray for the sick and make their love felt to them.

He recalled that the “World Day of the Sick” takes place on the feast day of Our Lady of Lourdes and that this XXIVth edition will culminate in a celebration in Nazareth.

The Pope mentioned the fact that in his message for this World Day Sick he reflected on the irreplaceable role of Mary at the Wedding in Cana and said that Mary’s concern and attention reflects the tenderness of God and the immense mercy of Jesus.

May that same tenderness – he said – be present in the life of so many people who are close to the sick and help them to be attentive to all of their needs, even the most imperceptible ones, because they look at them with eyes full of love.   

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(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis departs for Mexico on Friday, for a week-long visit to the country and the people under the sign of mercy and peace. Vatican Radio’s Veronica Scarisbrick is in Mexico ahead of the Holy Father’s arrival, and spoke with the Apostolic Nuncio to Mexico, Archbishop Christophe Pierre. “Many people think that the Pope will come [with] solutions to their problems,” said Archbishop Pierre, “obviously, the Pope does not come for that.” The Apostolic Nuncio went on to say, “I think it is just a question of respect for the people – the people are responsible.”Click below to hear the extended conversation of Vatican Radio's special envoy in Mexico, Veronica Scarisbrick, with the Apostolic Nuncio to Mexico, Archbishop Christophe Pierre Asked about the role of the Church in Mexican history, culture and society, Archbishop Pierre said, “The Pope knows that the faith has a long history in the life of the M...

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis departs for Mexico on Friday, for a week-long visit to the country and the people under the sign of mercy and peace. Vatican Radio’s Veronica Scarisbrick is in Mexico ahead of the Holy Father’s arrival, and spoke with the Apostolic Nuncio to Mexico, Archbishop Christophe Pierre. “Many people think that the Pope will come [with] solutions to their problems,” said Archbishop Pierre, “obviously, the Pope does not come for that.” The Apostolic Nuncio went on to say, “I think it is just a question of respect for the people – the people are responsible.”

Click below to hear the extended conversation of Vatican Radio's special envoy in Mexico, Veronica Scarisbrick, with the Apostolic Nuncio to Mexico, Archbishop Christophe Pierre

Asked about the role of the Church in Mexican history, culture and society, Archbishop Pierre said, “The Pope knows that the faith has a long history in the life of the Mexican people, and has inspired their way of life: the Church is part of the nation, and this comes from the very beginning,” even and especially through the often difficult relationship between the Church and the governing authorities. “The Church has always been present in the soul and the culture of the people,” he said. “The Church has always been, even during the time of persecution, I would say, at the center of the life of the people – and this is what is important.” 

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(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis flies to the Cuban capital on Friday for an unprecedented meeting with the leader of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill. The private conversation between the two leaders will take place at Havana airport and is expected to last for a couple of hours, after which Pope Francis will continue onto Mexico City at the start of his pastoral visit to that Latin American nation.The Pope and the Patriarch will also sign a common declaration on issues of shared concern, such as the problem of persecuted Christians in the Middle East, the challenges of secularization, the protection of life, and other areas where Catholics and Orthodox can cooperate more closely together.The President of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, Cardinal Kurt Koch will be accompanying Pope Francis in Havana for this historic encounter. He talked to Philippa Hitchen about the conditions that made this long awaited meeting possible….Listen:  The ca...

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis flies to the Cuban capital on Friday for an unprecedented meeting with the leader of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill. The private conversation between the two leaders will take place at Havana airport and is expected to last for a couple of hours, after which Pope Francis will continue onto Mexico City at the start of his pastoral visit to that Latin American nation.

The Pope and the Patriarch will also sign a common declaration on issues of shared concern, such as the problem of persecuted Christians in the Middle East, the challenges of secularization, the protection of life, and other areas where Catholics and Orthodox can cooperate more closely together.

The President of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, Cardinal Kurt Koch will be accompanying Pope Francis in Havana for this historic encounter. He talked to Philippa Hitchen about the conditions that made this long awaited meeting possible….

Listen: 

The cardinal recalls Pope Francis’ words on the flight back from Istanbul to Rome (in November 2014) in which he said he would meet the Russian Patriarch wherever and whenever he wanted. “I think this comment has opened the door and the Patriarch is very happy to meet the Holy Father now,” he says.

Asked about resistance to this meeting from within the leadership of the Russian Orthodox Church, the cardinal describes the Patriarch’s decision as “very courageous” since he knows that others do not share his ecumenical vision.

Cardinal Koch says reactions from other patriarchs across the Orthodox world have been “very grateful” for this meeting and he adds he’s hopeful the encounter can “be a path also for deepening dialogue” between the different Orthodox Churches ahead of their pan-Orthodox Council in Crete this summer.

The Cardinal says the meeting in Havana will also focus on the “difficult situation” in Ukraine where that dialogue is complicated by the presence of the Greek Catholic Church and by divisions between the three different Orthodox Patriarchates.

Asked about the political implications of this meeting and the close relations between President Putin and the Russian Orthodox leadership, the cardinal says the Cuban encounter is a “religious, spiritual meeting” but at the same time it is clear that these political themes “will also be present” during the conversation.

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(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis has donated 500 rosaries to the detainees in a prison in the Italian city of Padua. The priest entrusted with delivering the gift is Don Marco Sanavio, who had the idea “more directly” to  involve prisoners in the “Moment of Peace” (Un’ attimo di pace) initiative launched four years ago on the web in Italy.The Vatican's official newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano, reports that the request for the rosaries came from Zhang Augustine Jianqing, a young Chinese man currently incarcerated in the Padua prison, who also participated in Rome at the presentation of the book-length interview of Pope Francis by veteran Italian journalist Andrea Tornielli, The Name of God is Mercy.

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis has donated 500 rosaries to the detainees in a prison in the Italian city of Padua. The priest entrusted with delivering the gift is Don Marco Sanavio, who had the idea “more directly” to  involve prisoners in the “Moment of Peace” (Un’ attimo di pace) initiative launched four years ago on the web in Italy.

The Vatican's official newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano, reports that the request for the rosaries came from Zhang Augustine Jianqing, a young Chinese man currently incarcerated in the Padua prison, who also participated in Rome at the presentation of the book-length interview of Pope Francis by veteran Italian journalist Andrea Tornielli, The Name of God is Mercy.

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(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis commissioned hundreds of “Missionaries of Mercy” during Mass on Ash Wednesday at Saint Peter’s Basilica in Rome.In his Bull announcing the Jubilee Year of Mercy, the Holy Father said the Missionaries of Mercy “would be a sign of the Church’s maternal solicitude for the People of God, enabling them to enter the profound richness of this mystery so fundamental to the faith.” Priests chosen to be Missionaries of Mercy have also been given the authority to pardon “even those sins reserved to the Holy See.” Above all, the Pope said, they will be “living signs of the Father’s readiness to welcome those in search of his pardon.”During Ash Wednesday Mass, the Pope focused on the theme of mercy as we begin the season of Lent.In his homily during the Mass, Pope Francis said the day’s readings present two invitations: First, to be reconciled to God. In order to do so, he said, we must first r...

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis commissioned hundreds of “Missionaries of Mercy” during Mass on Ash Wednesday at Saint Peter’s Basilica in Rome.

In his Bull announcing the Jubilee Year of Mercy, the Holy Father said the Missionaries of Mercy “would be a sign of the Church’s maternal solicitude for the People of God, enabling them to enter the profound richness of this mystery so fundamental to the faith.” Priests chosen to be Missionaries of Mercy have also been given the authority to pardon “even those sins reserved to the Holy See.” Above all, the Pope said, they will be “living signs of the Father’s readiness to welcome those in search of his pardon.”

During Ash Wednesday Mass, the Pope focused on the theme of mercy as we begin the season of Lent.

In his homily during the Mass, Pope Francis said the day’s readings present two invitations: First, to be reconciled to God. In order to do so, he said, we must first recognize that we are in need of mercy: “This is the first step in the Christian journey; it comes in through the open door that is Christ, where He Himself awaits us, the Saviour, and He offers us a new and joyful life.”

The Pope noted a number of obstacles that “close the doors of our hearts” and make reconciliation with God difficult. The Missionaries of Mercy, he said, have a mandate “to be signs and instruments of the forgiveness of God,” called to help their brothers and sisters to “open the doors of their heart, overcome shame, and not flee from the light.”

The second invitation, the Pope said, is heard in the reading from the prophet Joel. God says to His people, “Return to me with your whole heart.” Sin keeps us far from God, but Jesus has offered a “story of salvation” that enables us return to Him. The Gospel for the beginning of Lent, he says, offers us three remedies for sin: prayer, charity, and fasting.

But these three remedies are not merely external acts, the Pope said. Rather, they must come “from the depths of our very being.” During Lent, Christ calls us to live out our acts of prayer, charity, and penance “with coherence and authenticity, overcoming hypocrisy.”

Pope Francis concluded, “Let us set out on this journey together, as a Church, receiving the ashes and keeping our gaze fixed on the Crucified One. Loving us, He invites us to be reconciled with God, and to return to Him, in order to rediscover ourselves.”

Below, please find Vatican Radio’s unofficial translation of Pope Francis’ prepared homily for Mass for Ash Wednesday 2016:

The Word of God, at the beginning of our Lenten journey, offers two invitations to the Church and to each one of us.

The first is that of Saint Paul: “Be reconciled to God.” It is not simply good paternal advice, much less merely a suggestion; it is a true and proper plea in the name of Christ: “We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.” Why so solemn and heartfelt an appeal? Because Christ know how fragile we are, that we are sinners, He knows the weakness of our heart; He sees the wounds of the wrongs we have committed and suffered; He knows how much we need forgiveness; He knows how much we need to feel loved in order to do good. By ourselves we are not up to it: that’s why the Apostle doesn’t tell us, “do something,” but rather, “to be reconciled to God,” to allow Him to forgive us, with confidence, because “God is greater than our hearts.” He overcomes sin and lifts us from our misery, if we trust in Him. It is for us to recognize that we are in need of mercy: It is the first step of the Christian journey; it comes in through the open door that is Christ, where He Himself awaits us, the Saviour, and He offers us a new and joyful life.

There can be some obstacles that close the doors of the heart. There is the temptation to bolt the doors, that is, to live with our own proper sins, minimizing them, always justifying ourselves, thinking we are no worse than others; so, then, the looks of the soul are closed, and we remain closed within, prisoners of evil. Another obstacle is the shame in opening the secret door of the heart. Shame, in reality, is a good symptom, because it indicates we want to break away from evil; above all we must never transform it into fear or dread. And there is a third trap, that of moving away from the door: this happens when we dwell on our miseries, when we brood over them continually, to the point where we plunge ourselves into the darkest cellars of the soul. Then we become even more familiar with the sadness we don’t want, we grow discouraged, and are weaker in the face of temptations. This happens because we remain alone with ourselves, closing in on ourselves and fleeing from the light; while it is only the grace of the Lord that frees us. Let us allow ourselves, then, to “be reconciled,” let us listen to Jesus who says to the tired and oppressed “Come to me!” (Mt 11:28). Do not remain in ourselves, but go to Him! There we will find refreshment and peace.

At this celebration the Missionaries of Mercy are present, to receive the mandate to be signs and instruments of the forgiveness of God. Dear brothers, you will be able to help open the doors of the heart, to overcome shame, to not flee from the light. May your hands bless and lift up your brothers and sisters with paternity; that through you the gaze and the hands of the Father might rest on His sons and cure their wounds!

There is a second invitation from God, who says, by way of the prophet Joel, “Return to me with your whole heart” (2:12). If we need to return it is because we are far away. It is the mystery of sin: we are far from God, from others, even from ourselves. It is not difficult to understand: we all see how we struggle to truly have confidence in God, to trust in Him as a Father, without fear; how difficult it is to love others, instead of thinking ill of them; how much it costs us to work for our own true good, while we are attracted to and seduced by so many material realities that fade away, and in the end, leave us impoverished. Beside this story of sin, Christ has inaugurated a story of salvation. The Gospel that opens Lent invites us to be the protagonists of this story, embracing three remedies, three medicines that heal us from sin (cf. Mt 6:1-6; 16-18).

In the first place is prayer, an expression of openness to and confidence in the Lord: it is the personal encounter with Him, which shortens the distance created by sin. To pray is to say “I am not self-sufficient, I need you, You are my life and my salvation.” In the second place is charity, to overcome estrangement in our relations with others. True love, in fact, is not an exterior act, it is not giving something in a paternalistic way to quiet our conscience, but accepting the one who needs our time, our friendship, our help. It is living out an attitude of service, overcoming the temptation to satisfy ourselves. In the third place is fasting, penance, to free ourselves from dependence in our relationship to what is passing, and to train ourselves to be more sensitive and merciful. It is an invitation to simplicity and to sharing: taking something away from our table and from our goods, to rediscover the true good of freedom.

“Return to me,” the Lord says, “with your whole heart”: not only with some external act, but from the depths of your very being. In fact, Jesus calls us to live out prayer, charity, and penance with coherence and authenticity, conquering hypocrisy. Lent should be a time of beneficial “pruning away” of falsehood, worldliness, indifference: in order not to think that everything is ok as long as I’m ok; to understand that what counts is not the approval of others, or search for success or consensus, but cleanness in one’s heart and in one’s life; in order to rediscover the Christian identity – that is, the love that serves, not the selfishness that is served. Let us set out on this journey together, as the Church, receiving the Ashes and keeping our gaze fixed on the Crucified One. Loving us, He invites us to be reconciled with God and to return to Him, in order to rediscover ourselves.

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By Cindy WoodenVATICAN CITY (CNS) -- A jubilee year that does not openpeople's wallets to share what they have with others is not a true jubilee,Pope Francis said."This pope isn't inventing that," he insisted."It's in the Bible."At his weekly general audience Feb. 10 in St. Peter'sSquare, Pope Francis spoke about the description of a jubilee year in theBook of Leviticus. The religious feast also had serious social implications, hesaid, because it proclaimed a forgiveness of debts, the freedom of indenturedservants and special generosity toward the poor and the stranger."It was a kind of 'general amnesty,' which permittedeveryone to return to their original situation with the cancellation of everydebt, the restitution of land and the possibility of enjoying once again thefreedom proper to members of the people of God," he said.For God's chosen people, who are called to holiness, thepope said, the jubilee prescriptions help "to combat poverty andinequality, guaranteeing a dignified l...

By Cindy Wooden

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- A jubilee year that does not open people's wallets to share what they have with others is not a true jubilee, Pope Francis said.

"This pope isn't inventing that," he insisted. "It's in the Bible."

At his weekly general audience Feb. 10 in St. Peter's Square, Pope Francis spoke about the description of a jubilee year in the Book of Leviticus. The religious feast also had serious social implications, he said, because it proclaimed a forgiveness of debts, the freedom of indentured servants and special generosity toward the poor and the stranger.

"It was a kind of 'general amnesty,' which permitted everyone to return to their original situation with the cancellation of every debt, the restitution of land and the possibility of enjoying once again the freedom proper to members of the people of God," he said.

For God's chosen people, who are called to holiness, the pope said, the jubilee prescriptions help "to combat poverty and inequality, guaranteeing a dignified life for all and a fair distribution of the land on which to live and draw sustenance."

During the Catholic Church's jubilee year, each Christian should think about what they have, he said, and "if they have too many things," they should "give some to someone who has nothing; 10 percent or 50 percent. The Holy Spirit will inspire you."

Pope Francis told the crowd gathered in St. Peter's Square that "a jubilee is for conversion so that our hearts become bigger, more generous, more (like) a child of God, with more love."

"I'll tell you something," he said, "if this jubilee doesn't reach our pockets, it's not a real jubilee. Do you understand? This is in the Bible, eh, this pope isn't inventing that. It's in the Bible."

"The biblical message is very clear: courageously open yourselves to sharing; this is mercy," the pope said. "If we want mercy from God, let us begin by being merciful ourselves."

A biblical jubilee is about sharing and solidarity, Pope Francis said. "The biblical jubilee was a 'jubilee of mercy' because it was lived with a sincere search of the good of one's needy brothers and sisters."

The laws governing God's people in the Bible, he said, also had other means for encouraging people to help others experience God's mercy. One of those things was the command to tithe a tenth of one's earnings to the temple and to widows and orphans or to give a portion of the first fruits of one's harvest.

In addition, he said, the Bible had harsh words for those who charged high interest rates when loaning to the poor. In many countries, he added, usury is still a huge problem and families lose everything and end up on the streets.

"Please, let us pray that in this jubilee the Lord would remove from all our hearts this desire to have more," he said.

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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.

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IMAGE: CNS photo/L'Osservatore RomanoBy Cindy WoodenVATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Meeting Iraqi Prime Minister Haideral-Abadi, Pope Francis expressed his hopes that Iraq and other war-torncountries would have leaders strong enough to bring once-divided peoplestogether."I wish for Iraqis and for all of us -- for the wholeworld -- leaders like this," the pope said Feb. 10 as he gave the Iraqileader a medallion featuring an olive tree -- a sign of peace -- that holds together asplit rock."Inshallah, inshallah," al-Abadi replied, usingthe Arabic word for "God willing."In addition to meeting Pope Francis, the prime minister heldprivate talks with top officials of the Vatican Secretariat of State. With Islamic State militants still operating in large areasof Iraq and with the people still recovering from war, the discussions included"the life of the church in the country" and "the situation ofChristians and ethnic and religious minorities with particular reference to theimportance of their prese...

IMAGE: CNS photo/L'Osservatore Romano

By Cindy Wooden

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Meeting Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, Pope Francis expressed his hopes that Iraq and other war-torn countries would have leaders strong enough to bring once-divided peoples together.

"I wish for Iraqis and for all of us -- for the whole world -- leaders like this," the pope said Feb. 10 as he gave the Iraqi leader a medallion featuring an olive tree -- a sign of peace -- that holds together a split rock.

"Inshallah, inshallah," al-Abadi replied, using the Arabic word for "God willing."

In addition to meeting Pope Francis, the prime minister held private talks with top officials of the Vatican Secretariat of State.

With Islamic State militants still operating in large areas of Iraq and with the people still recovering from war, the discussions included "the life of the church in the country" and "the situation of Christians and ethnic and religious minorities with particular reference to the importance of their presence and the need to protect their rights," the Vatican said in a statement.

"Emphasis was placed on the role of interreligious dialogue and the responsibility of religious communities in promoting tolerance and peace," the statement said. "In this context, mention was made of the importance of the reconciliation process between the various social sectors within the country, and the national humanitarian and regional situations."

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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.

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SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- International debate over whether tampons and other feminine hygiene products should be tax-free has made its way to conservative Utah, where a bill is set to be heard by a committee made up of only men....

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- International debate over whether tampons and other feminine hygiene products should be tax-free has made its way to conservative Utah, where a bill is set to be heard by a committee made up of only men....

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DETMOLD, Germany (AP) -- A 94-year-old former SS guard at the Auschwitz death camp is going on trial this week on 170,000 counts of accessory to murder, the first of up to four cases being brought to court this year in an 11th-hour push by German prosecutors to punish Nazi war crimes....

DETMOLD, Germany (AP) -- A 94-year-old former SS guard at the Auschwitz death camp is going on trial this week on 170,000 counts of accessory to murder, the first of up to four cases being brought to court this year in an 11th-hour push by German prosecutors to punish Nazi war crimes....

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