Catholic News 2
TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) -- Taiwan elected Tsai Ing-wen as its first female president Saturday, handing her pro-independence party its first majority in the national legislature and rejecting the China-friendly party that has led the self-governing island for eight years....
COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) -- Hoping to diminish Denmark's appeal to migrants, the country's government plans to force asylum-seekers to hand over any valuables worth more than $1,500 to help cover their housing and food costs while their cases are being processed....
FLINT, Mich. (AP) -- The longest line at Freeman Elementary School's Family Fun Night was not for face painting or food. It was for lead testing....
WASHINGTON (AP) -- There was a time when Democrats fretted about Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign becoming a coronation and leaving her without the tests of a primary season to prepare for a general election matchup against the Republican nominee....
VIENNA (AP) -- The end of Western sanctions against Iran loomed Saturday as Iran's foreign minister suggested the U.N. atomic agency is close to certifying that his country has met all commitments under its landmark nuclear deal with six world powers....
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) -- Iranian state television announced Saturday that the government had freed four dual-nationality prisoners, and a person close to Iran's judiciary confirmed to The Associated Press that Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian was one of them....
 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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(Vatican Radio) The president of the European Union's executive body, the European Commission, has condemned the refusal by several several member states to accept refugees. Jean Claude Juncker also warned that the EU's reputation is being tarnished by its failure to manage Europe's worst refugee crisis since World War Two.Listen to Stefan Bos' report: European Commission President Juncker told reporters that it is unacceptable that in his words "certain member states say they are not going to accept refugees in their countries" and added "That is not possible."It was a clear reference to especially Eastern European countries such as Hungary which has been building fences along its borders with Croatia and Serbia, and where the government is sponsoring an anti-migration media campaign.Neighboring Slovakia has also made clear it does not want to accept more Muslim migrants. Hungary and Slovakia have also launched legal challenges agai...
(Vatican Radio) The president of the European Union's executive body, the European Commission, has condemned the refusal by several several member states to accept refugees. Jean Claude Juncker also warned that the EU's reputation is being tarnished by its failure to manage Europe's worst refugee crisis since World War Two.
Listen to Stefan Bos' report:
European Commission President Juncker told reporters that it is unacceptable that in his words "certain member states say they are not going to accept refugees in their countries" and added "That is not possible."
It was a clear reference to especially Eastern European countries such as Hungary which has been building fences along its borders with Croatia and Serbia, and where the government is sponsoring an anti-migration media campaign.
Neighboring Slovakia has also made clear it does not want to accept more Muslim migrants.
Hungary and Slovakia have also launched legal challenges against an EU plan launched in September last year to share 160,000 potential refugees in Greece and Italy among EU partners.
Few processed
Fewer than 300 people have been processed from those people.
However more than one million people have arrived in Europe in 2015 seeking sanctuary or jobs. The numbers have overwhelmed border authorities and reception centers, particularly in Greece and Italy.
Juncker said he was embarrassed explaining Europe's migrant problems to leaders of countries like Jordan or Lebanon, which are hosting more than two million refugees.
He said Europe was known as a wealthy, admirable continent but that in his words "now we do appear as being the weakest part, and the poorest part of the world."
Yet, he also criticized refugees who often search for wealthier Western nations. "It can not remain that refugees who come to Europe decide themselves where they want go or where they want to live," he said.
EU responsible
"That is absolutely not possible. Not refugees are responsible for dividing the refugees, but the member states states are responsible for that," Juncker added.
And he made clear that no refugee has the right to refuse a local decision on where he or she can stay. He said the European Commission would propose "a new Dublin system" by the spring on dividing asylum seekers among member states.
The EU is also trying stop people leaving Turkey for Greece, and a package of incentives has been rolled out to persuade the Turkish authorities to do more. Yet, Italy is currently blocking a multi-billion euro fund for Syrian refugees in Turkey, insisting the money be paid entirely from EU coffers rather than by member countries.
Dutch Finance Minister Jeroen Dijsselbloem said Friday after chairing a meeting of EU counterparts in Brussels that Italy had not lifted objections to the way the 3 billion euro, some $3.3 billion, should be paid but he said "we hope that that is possible very, very soon."
(Vatican Radio) The siege at a central hotel in Burkina Faso’s capital, Ouagadougou, ended on Saturday after a lengthy operation involving local forces working in concert with French and US special units. At least four attackers were killed in the operation, two of them women.The Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb group has taken responsibility for the attack on the Splendid Hotel, in which at least 23 people of 18 different nationalities were slain, and dozens of others injured – some of them gravely.The attack came at a time in which Burkina Faso is emerging from a major political crisis.The country recently held its first presidential election since a coup earlier last year that toppled leader Blaise Compaore after nearly three decades in power.
(Vatican Radio) The siege at a central hotel in Burkina Faso’s capital, Ouagadougou, ended on Saturday after a lengthy operation involving local forces working in concert with French and US special units. At least four attackers were killed in the operation, two of them women.
The Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb group has taken responsibility for the attack on the Splendid Hotel, in which at least 23 people of 18 different nationalities were slain, and dozens of others injured – some of them gravely.
The attack came at a time in which Burkina Faso is emerging from a major political crisis.
The country recently held its first presidential election since a coup earlier last year that toppled leader Blaise Compaore after nearly three decades in power.
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis received the participants in a gathering of Italy’s Christian Workers Movement on Saturday, together with representatives from other Christian labor organizations from Eastern Europe, Latin America and the Middle East.Italy’s Movimento Cristiano Lavoratori was created in 1972, with the union of two major workers’ organizations committed to building a “capitalism with a human face” as the Movement explains, “in the profound conviction that market freedom, solidarity and subsidiarity are complementary components to any sane liberalism.”Click below to hear our report In his prepared remarks to the participants, Pope Francis focused on three key words: education, sharing, witness.“To educate,” said Pope Francis, “means ‘to draw out’: it is the capacity to extract the best from one’s heart – it is not only instruction in this or that technique, nor is it imparting a particul...
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis received the participants in a gathering of Italy’s Christian Workers Movement on Saturday, together with representatives from other Christian labor organizations from Eastern Europe, Latin America and the Middle East.
Italy’s Movimento Cristiano Lavoratori was created in 1972, with the union of two major workers’ organizations committed to building a “capitalism with a human face” as the Movement explains, “in the profound conviction that market freedom, solidarity and subsidiarity are complementary components to any sane liberalism.”
Click below to hear our report
In his prepared remarks to the participants, Pope Francis focused on three key words: education, sharing, witness.
“To educate,” said Pope Francis, “means ‘to draw out’: it is the capacity to extract the best from one’s heart – it is not only instruction in this or that technique, nor is it imparting a particular set of notions, but rather it means making ourselves and the reality that surrounds us both more human.” The Holy Father went on to say, “this is particularly valid as far as the world of work is concerned: it is necessary to form people for ‘a new humanism of work’ in which man, and not profit, is at the center; in which the economy serves man, and does not simply make use of him.”
Nor is education therefore merely theoretical. It also helps people to resist the falsehood according to which work, daily effort, giving of self and serious study have no intrinsic value. “Today,” said Pope Francis, “it is urgently necessary to teach people how to take the way – luminous as it is challenging – of honesty – avoiding the shortcuts of favoritism and “old boys’ networks (It. raccomandazioni).” The Holy Father also condemned corruption and lawlessness in the world of work as being like a giant, tentacled sea creature that ensnares and poisons its victims and drags them into the unseen depths from which it strikes.
About sharing, Pope Francis praised the civil service projects initiative of the movement particularly, and encouraged the members of the Movement to continue to recognize the hours of the working day as an opportunity to foster unity among colleagues and co-workers.
Under the rubric of witness, Pope Francis recalled the plight of the great many people – especially young people – who desire to work and have good training, but cannot find appropriate employment. “Human justice requires that everyone have access to work,” he said. “High-sounding words will not avail,” he added, “what is needed is rather to communicate hope, to comfort with presence, to sustain with concrete help,” those who would work and can find none.
“I encourage you to bear witness starting with your personal lifestyle and in that of your association – witness of the free gift of self, of a spirit of service,” Pope Francis said. “The disciple of Christ, when he is transparent in his heart and sensible in life, brings the light of Christ into the places where he lives and works.”
