Catholic News 2
MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) -- A commercial airliner made an emergency landing at Mogadishu's international airport late Tuesday after passengers heard a loud bang and a fire broke out on board, leaving a gaping hole in the fuselage, officials and witnesses said....
PARIS (AP) -- The Latest on the battle against the Zika virus (all times local):...
GENEVA (AP) -- The Syrian government allowed aid into a rebel-held area near Damascus on Tuesday in what appeared to be a goodwill gesture after U.N.-mediated indirect peace talks got off to a rocky start in Geneva....
NORRISTOWN, Pa. (AP) -- The former district attorney who declined a decade ago to bring sex-crime charges against Bill Cosby testified Tuesday that his decision binds his successors and forever closes the door on prosecuting the comedian....
BLACKSBURG, Va. (AP) -- The Latest on the death of a 13-year-old Virginia girl and the two college students charged (all times local):...
BLACKSBURG, Va. (AP) -- Seventh-grader Nicole Madison Lovell was stabbed to death the same day she climbed out her bedroom window, by a Virginia Tech student who got help from a university classmate both before and after the crime, authorities said Tuesday....
NEWBURY, N.H. (AP) -- Next up: New Hampshire....
 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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Diocese of Barisal was inaugurated in the Archdiocese of Dhaka, Bangladesh which has doubled the number of dioceses in the country in 20 years. We inaugurate "the new diocese giving priority to service not only to Catholics, but to other believers as well, to bring them the testimony of Christ." With these words, Msgr. Lawrence Subroto the first bishop of the diocese inaugurated the new diocese of Barisal. The inaugural celebration took place in Udayan High School, in the presence of 25 thousand faithful, two Archbishops, six Bishops and 200 priests from all over Bangladesh. This is the seventh diocese in the country, in the Archdiocese of Dhaka.The Diocese, said the Bishop, "has 16 thousand Catholics in an area inhabited by 15 million non-Christians, who serve with attention and love. The diocese has three high schools, six clinics and different social activities. "The bishop so far was the Auxiliary Bishop of Chittagong - Ba...
Diocese of Barisal was inaugurated in the Archdiocese of Dhaka, Bangladesh which has doubled the number of dioceses in the country in 20 years.
We inaugurate "the new diocese giving priority to service not only to Catholics, but to other believers as well, to bring them the testimony of Christ." With these words, Msgr. Lawrence Subroto the first bishop of the diocese inaugurated the new diocese of Barisal. The inaugural celebration took place in Udayan High School, in the presence of 25 thousand faithful, two Archbishops, six Bishops and 200 priests from all over Bangladesh. This is the seventh diocese in the country, in the Archdiocese of Dhaka.
The Diocese, said the Bishop, "has 16 thousand Catholics in an area inhabited by 15 million non-Christians, who serve with attention and love. The diocese has three high schools, six clinics and different social activities. "
The bishop so far was the Auxiliary Bishop of Chittagong - Barisal diocese which now bifurcated - and is a native of Barisal, 123 kilometers south of Dhaka. He thanked the priests, nuns, religious brothers and catechists who nurtured the faith of Catholics in that area and so a new diocese is formed he said.
Pope Francis established the diocese of Barisal on December 29, 2015. With this the country now has seven dioceses and Archdiocese. Barisal will border Chittagong and the diocese Khulna to the west. The Church of St. Peter in Barisal will be its cathedral and St. Peter the Apostle will be its patron saint. Out of a population of 161 million people, Bangladesh Catholics represent a minority of only 0.1%, against 89.5% of Muslims and 9.6% of Hindus.
(Vatican Radio) As policy-makers, politicians and analysts debate questions such as border closures, taxation for refugees and ‘search and rescue’ missions, hundreds of thousands of refugees and forced migrants – men, women and children – struggle to find footing and dignity in whichever their place of arrival.The Jesuit Refugee Service firmly believes that education is the key to a secure and sustainable future for refugees and their communities.That’s why the JRS “Mercy in Motion” campaign contributes to long-term solutions for refugees, ensuring that displaced generations are equipped to rebuild their lives and communities - either in the country of asylum or upon their return home.Pope Francis himself has expressed his support for the ‘Mercy in Motion’ campaign which also represents JRS’s concrete commitment to the Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy. Father James Martin SJ, best known perhaps for his priz...
(Vatican Radio) As policy-makers, politicians and analysts debate questions such as border closures, taxation for refugees and ‘search and rescue’ missions, hundreds of thousands of refugees and forced migrants – men, women and children – struggle to find footing and dignity in whichever their place of arrival.
The Jesuit Refugee Service firmly believes that education is the key to a secure and sustainable future for refugees and their communities.
That’s why the JRS “Mercy in Motion” campaign contributes to long-term solutions for refugees, ensuring that displaced generations are equipped to rebuild their lives and communities - either in the country of asylum or upon their return home.
Pope Francis himself has expressed his support for the ‘Mercy in Motion’ campaign which also represents JRS’s concrete commitment to the Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy.
Father James Martin SJ, best known perhaps for his prize-winning books and for his work as ‘editor at large’ of America Magazine, spent two years working with refugees in East Africa as part of his Jesuit training.
That life-changing experience resulted in his book “This Our Exile: A Journey with the Refugees of East Africa” and in his whole-hearted support for the “Mercy in Motion Campaign”.
Listen to Linda Bordoni’s interview with Fr James Martin:
“I think ‘Mercy in Motion’ which is JRS’s initiative for education - trying to get refugees in many different sorts of situations they are in educated - is very important” says Fr Martin.
He points out that often people have a hard time implementing what it means to live the Year of Mercy: “they may say I can be nice to someone in my family, or I can give some money to my parish, but here is something you can do globally”.
And pointing out that Mercy in Motion is a programme that can help us expand our mercy globally, Fr Martin says that while it is important to do things on a personal level, it is also important to have a political and economic perspective and reach out to those who have the greatest needs.
“Mercy in Motion is a great way of doing that” he says.
Fr Martin also speaks of how learning and education is actually a 2-way experience.
Recalling his own time spent with JRS in Nairobi, Kenya, he says he learned a great deal about mercy, love and compassion from the refugees themselves.
“Many of them had seen very difficult situations: family members being killed in front of them, dealing with genocide and things like that… and they themselves had to show mercy to the people who had harmed them and also mercy towards themselves by being good to themselves, and mercy, just in general, as a way of living their lives” he says.
Fr Martin reiterates that mercy and education are a 2-way street, that remind us that refugees are not simply objects of charity, but brothers and sisters.
“They are people we enter into a relationship with and learn from” he says.
Asked what he would like to see happen regarding the current debate involving policy-makers and world leaders in their quest to find positive and common solutions regarding border regulations, reception and integration of refugees and forced migrants, Fr Martin says he would like to see his own country do much more.
“For my part I would like to see my home country, the United States, be much more open and welcoming to Syrian refugees” he says.
He says the number of Syrian refugees the US has taken in, compared to the number of refugees fleeing Syria and compared to the absolute number that other countries have taken in “is an embarrassment” to the United States.
Fr Martin comments on a wave of xenophobia that seems to be gripping both the US and other countries.
“We have to remember – Fr Martin concludes - as the Pope continually says: ‘these are our brothers and sisters and we have a responsibility as Christians, as Catholics, as human beings to take care of people in these terrible situations”..
