A coalition of Catholic priests and nuns in Sri Lanka said they stand with the fishing community in their protest against a controversial port project in Colombo. Along with civil society groups and environmentalists, fisherfolk are protesting the new Colombo Port City project, saying it will adversely impact fish breeding areas, damage coral reefs, cause coastal erosion and disrupt their livelihoods. The project was halted but is set to resume following the government's environmental impact assessment report.More than 100 fishermen joined by priests and nuns, marched through Colombo to the government Central Environmental Authority office on Jan. 6 to protest. They want the government to allow them to fish in these same waters as they have done for generations. At present they are not allowed to enter waters that are considered a fish bank and more construction is likely to kill the fish in the future, they said. The Catholic Church has a group of pries...
A coalition of Catholic priests and nuns in Sri Lanka said they stand with the fishing community in their protest against a controversial port project in Colombo. Along with civil society groups and environmentalists, fisherfolk are protesting the new Colombo Port City project, saying it will adversely impact fish breeding areas, damage coral reefs, cause coastal erosion and disrupt their livelihoods. The project was halted but is set to resume following the government's environmental impact assessment report.
More than 100 fishermen joined by priests and nuns, marched through Colombo to the government Central Environmental Authority office on Jan. 6 to protest. They want the government to allow them to fish in these same waters as they have done for generations. At present they are not allowed to enter waters that are considered a fish bank and more construction is likely to kill the fish in the future, they said.
The Catholic Church has a group of priests and nuns working against this project and is representing the fisherfolk who are mostly Catholic. Father Sarath Iddamalgoda of Colombo, who heads the group challenging the government project, said they are planning a protest walk to the Coast Conservation Department to submit their objections and comment on the report. The construction would displace about 50,000 families living on the coast. Different groups from Negombo, Kapungoda, Dehiwala, Moratuwa and Panadura villages had already arrived in Colombo to hand over the document drafted by them to authorities. (Source: UCAN)
An Italian missionary nun who has helped people with leprosy for over four decades in India has been denied a visa and must leave the country. The visa of Missionary Sister Bertilla Capra of the Immaculate, associated with the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions (PIME), expired in November and she has since been denied a renewal. Sister Capra is the director of the Vimala Dermatological Center, which is involved in the rehabilitation of leprosy patients in Mumbai, and she has never had visa problems before. "If I do not get the visa, I will have no choice but to leave," she told UCANEWS. Officials told Sister Capra that the visa application format has changed and she will need to apply using the new format. Since first arriving in India in 1970, Sister Capra had to only apply for a visa renewal every five years up until 2010. After that, rule changes meant she needed to renew her visa annually. Sister Capra said she got the message to leave t...
An Italian missionary nun who has helped people with leprosy for over four decades in India has been denied a visa and must leave the country. The visa of Missionary Sister Bertilla Capra of the Immaculate, associated with the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions (PIME), expired in November and she has since been denied a renewal. Sister Capra is the director of the Vimala Dermatological Center, which is involved in the rehabilitation of leprosy patients in Mumbai, and she has never had visa problems before. "If I do not get the visa, I will have no choice but to leave," she told UCANEWS. Officials told Sister Capra that the visa application format has changed and she will need to apply using the new format.
Since first arriving in India in 1970, Sister Capra had to only apply for a visa renewal every five years up until 2010. After that, rule changes meant she needed to renew her visa annually. Sister Capra said she got the message to leave the country twice: once in November, then again in December.
Bombay Archdiocese spokesman, Father Nigel Barret, told UCANEWS that Sister Capra does not have enough time to file all the papers. "This is not a direct deportation but it is being done very indirectly," he said. Sister Capra added that nuns from her congregation in New Delhi are trying to meet with officials to try and resolve the issue. (Source: UCAN)
The annual Holy Land Coordination pilgrimage of bishops from Europe, North America and South Africa gets underway this weekend in Bethlehem and the Jordanian capital Amman.The Church leaders, including one Anglican bishop, are visiting local parishes, schools and development organisations to show the support of the worldwide Christian community and gain insights into the complex political and religious problems underlying the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.Ahead of their main meetings from January 9th to 14th, the bishops have spent two days in Gaza to see how people there are recovering from the 2014 conflict in which over 2.000 people were killed.South African archbishop Stephen Brislin from Cape Town is among those taking part in this year’s Coordination pilgrimage. He talked to Philippa Hitchen about how people in Gaza are determined to rebuild their lives, despite the lack of any political initiatives for a lasting peace in the regionListen:
The annual Holy Land Coordination pilgrimage of bishops from Europe, North America and South Africa gets underway this weekend in Bethlehem and the Jordanian capital Amman.
The Church leaders, including one Anglican bishop, are visiting local parishes, schools and development organisations to show the support of the worldwide Christian community and gain insights into the complex political and religious problems underlying the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Ahead of their main meetings from January 9th to 14th, the bishops have spent two days in Gaza to see how people there are recovering from the 2014 conflict in which over 2.000 people were killed.
South African archbishop Stephen Brislin from Cape Town is among those taking part in this year’s Coordination pilgrimage. He talked to Philippa Hitchen about how people in Gaza are determined to rebuild their lives, despite the lack of any political initiatives for a lasting peace in the region
By Junno Arocho EstevesVATICAN CITY (CNS) -- True love comes from God and isexpressed through his mercy and forgiveness, not through sentimental expressionsthat can easily vanish, Pope Francis said.Although many people use the word 'love,' "when used, itis not known what it exactly means," the pope said in his homily Jan. 8during his morning Mass in the Domus Sanctae Marthae. "What is love? There are times we think of soap operalove. No, that does not look like love. Or love may seem like enthusiasm for aperson and then it is extinguished," he said.The pope reflectedon St. John's first letter in which the apostle explains the nature of God'slove while acknowledging that "whoever iswithout love does not know God."The origins oftrue love, he said, are from God. However, while God is love, not every lovecomes from God. In distinguishing God's love, the pope said, the one uniquecharacteristic is that God is "the one who loves first." The Gospel,he noted, offers countless examples, from...
By Junno Arocho Esteves
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- True love comes from God and is
expressed through his mercy and forgiveness, not through sentimental expressions
that can easily vanish, Pope Francis said.
Although many people use the word 'love,' "when used, it
is not known what it exactly means," the pope said in his homily Jan. 8
during his morning Mass in the Domus Sanctae Marthae.
"What is love? There are times we think of soap opera
love. No, that does not look like love. Or love may seem like enthusiasm for a
person and then it is extinguished," he said.
The pope reflected
on St. John's first letter in which the apostle explains the nature of God's
love while acknowledging that "whoever is
without love does not know God."
The origins of
true love, he said, are from God. However, while God is love, not every love
comes from God.
In distinguishing God's love, the pope said, the one unique
characteristic is that God is "the one who loves first." The Gospel,
he noted, offers countless examples, from the story of Zacchaeus to the parable
of the prodigal son.
"When we have something in our hearts and we want to
ask the Lord forgiveness, it is he who awaits us to give forgiveness," the
pope said.
"This Year of Mercy is also a bit like this: We
know that the Lord is waiting for us, each one of us. Why? To embrace us; nothing
more. To tell us: 'Son, daughter, I love you. I let my son be crucified for
you; this is the price of my love.' This is the gift of love."
Pope Francis said it is important for Christians to
keep in mind the truth that God is always waiting for them, especially in those
moments when one does not feel worthy of his love.
"He will do the same that he did with the prodigal son
who spent all his money on vices: He will not let you finish your speech, he
will silence you with a hug. The embrace of the love of God," the pope
said.
JOHANNESBURG (AP) -- The gentle chorus of maximum security prisoners sung over simple guitar chords has earned Malawians their first Grammy nomination, but it took nearly 10 days for them to find out....
JOHANNESBURG (AP) -- The gentle chorus of maximum security prisoners sung over simple guitar chords has earned Malawians their first Grammy nomination, but it took nearly 10 days for them to find out....
MUNICH (AP) -- An annotated edition of "Mein Kampf," the first version of Adolf Hitler's notorious manifesto to be published in Germany since the end of World War II, went on sale Friday in an effort to demystify the book and debunk the Nazi leader's writing....
MUNICH (AP) -- An annotated edition of "Mein Kampf," the first version of Adolf Hitler's notorious manifesto to be published in Germany since the end of World War II, went on sale Friday in an effort to demystify the book and debunk the Nazi leader's writing....
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) -- The record Powerball jackpot just got bigger, climbing to $800 million as sales soared in the days leading up to the drawing....
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) -- The record Powerball jackpot just got bigger, climbing to $800 million as sales soared in the days leading up to the drawing....
AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) -- Gov. Paul LePage on Friday apologized for his remark about out-of-state drug dealers impregnating "young white" girls, calling it a slip of the tongue and saying he didn't mean to inject race into discussion of Maine's heroin epidemic....
AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) -- Gov. Paul LePage on Friday apologized for his remark about out-of-state drug dealers impregnating "young white" girls, calling it a slip of the tongue and saying he didn't mean to inject race into discussion of Maine's heroin epidemic....
WASHINGTON (AP) -- American employers added a robust 292,000 jobs in December, suggesting that the U.S. economy is so far defying global weakness and growing solidly....
WASHINGTON (AP) -- American employers added a robust 292,000 jobs in December, suggesting that the U.S. economy is so far defying global weakness and growing solidly....
