Catholic News 2
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Better cut down on sugar, especially those 16-ounce drinks, and limit your salt. But you might not need to worry quite as much about eggs....
LAS VEGAS (AP) -- Hillary Clinton wants you to know that she won't need a "tour of the White House" if she wins the presidency, warning again and again that a Republican in the Oval Office would derail everything the Democrats have achieved....
TRIPOLI, Libya (AP) -- A massive truck bomb exploded near a police base in the western Libyan town of Zliten on Thursday, killing at least 60 policemen and wounding around 200 others, officials said....
BEIJING (AP) -- The latest trigger was currency jitters, but Thursday's plunge in Chinese stocks was just one in a series of aftershocks from last year's boom and bust that could shake markets for months to come....
NEW YORK (AP) -- China's tumbling stock prices are, in themselves, nothing for investors outside the country to panic over. But some of the reasons for the slide are plenty troubling....
NEW YORK (AP) -- Stocks and oil prices plunged again on more worries about a slowdown in China, giving the market its worst drop in three months....
The Church of Our Lady of Bandel or simply Bandel Church, is the oldest and most famous Catholic Marian shrine in eastern India. Some 50 kms from Kolkata, the capital of West Bengal state, the historic monastery on the river Hooghly was built by Portuguese traders in 1599 and entrusted to small group of Augustinian Friars. Later a church was built with the statue of Our Lady of the Rosary, which now is on the balcony of Bandel Church, revered as Our Lady of Happy Voyage. Bandel Church came under the charge of the Salesians of Don Bosco in 1928. Archbishop Thomas D’Souza of Calcutta has designated Bandel Church as a special Jubilee of Mercy Church during the current Jubilee of Mercy, which Pope Francis officially inaugurated for the worldwide Catholic Church by opening the Holy Door of Mercy of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome on Dec. 8. Since June 2015, Indian Salesian Fr. T.L. Francis has been the prior as well as parish priest of Bandel Chur...
The Church of Our Lady of Bandel or simply Bandel Church, is the oldest and most famous Catholic Marian shrine in eastern India. Some 50 kms from Kolkata, the capital of West Bengal state, the historic monastery on the river Hooghly was built by Portuguese traders in 1599 and entrusted to small group of Augustinian Friars. Later a church was built with the statue of Our Lady of the Rosary, which now is on the balcony of Bandel Church, revered as Our Lady of Happy Voyage. Bandel Church came under the charge of the Salesians of Don Bosco in 1928. Archbishop Thomas D’Souza of Calcutta has designated Bandel Church as a special Jubilee of Mercy Church during the current Jubilee of Mercy, which Pope Francis officially inaugurated for the worldwide Catholic Church by opening the Holy Door of Mercy of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome on Dec. 8. Since June 2015, Indian Salesian Fr. T.L. Francis has been the prior as well as parish priest of Bandel Church. Visitors and pilgrims at the shrine now have a few pleasant surprises that Fr. Francis has introduced. We called Fr. on his mobile phone to know about them.
Last week, in the first of a 2-part interview Fr. Francis spoke about the opening of the Holy Door of Mercy of Bandel shrine on Dec. 13, the same day Archbishop D’Souza opened the Holy Door in Kolkata. Fr. Francis said that that main Jubilee of Mercy event being organized in the parish substations is the exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and adoration. He said that end of February the shrine is hosting a Bible convention to help the faithful experience the forgiveness and mercy of the Father through the Word of God. With regard to reconciliation or confession, which is an integral part of the Jubilee of Mercy, Fr. TL Francis said the Salesians are ever ready to serve pilgrims who request for confession and Mass. He said he is organizing visits to persons and families who have strayed away from the Catholic Church, to help them taste the forgiveness and mercy of God.
Those who are visiting Bandel after more than a year have some surprises. The prior of Bandel shrine said that due to the huge crowds, the church was close to the public on Christmas Day following the morning Mass. But entering the shrine grounds, pilgrims could see a huge nativity scene of the birth of Jesus. Another outstanding feature that no can miss is the open-air Way of the Cross – the 14 life-size Stations of the Cross, piously depicting Christ’s suffering and death. The Way of the Cross is a recent addition to the shrine by Fr. Francis who took over as prior in June. He said the Way of the Cross is something that evokes awe, piety and devotion in both Christians as well as non-Christians, and many watch, meditate and pray in front of the figures. In the monastery, one can also see pictures of Mary and near the entrance there is a large statue of Jesus on the Mount inviting all to come to Him. Local media reported that at Christmas over 100,000 people had visited Bandel.
Fr. Francis admitted that his faith is growing witnessing the faith and devotion of the pilgrims, many of them non-Christians. Recently, he said, a man, probably a non-Christian, handed him a packet of rice that he begged for Jesus. Deeply moved by the gesture, Fr. Francis placed it at the feet of Baby Jesus in the Crib. Another new feature at Bandel Shrine now is the exposition of the historic mast of a ship. Today, Fr. Francis begins the final part of this interview by telling us about this centuries old mast.
Listen:
Christian leaders ask government to provide protection against Hindu hardliners who continue to threaten the community in eastern Indian Odisha state that has witnessed major anti-Christian violence. Using a strike that called for tribal rights as a pretext, the mobs blocked roads on Christmas morning with logs and stones in several villages to ensure that villagers were unable to get any help during an attack. Although police later cleared the roads, "Christmas was celebrated in fear and sadness. Father Santosh Digal from Cuttuck-Bhubaneswar Archdiocese said the roadblocks always create panic among local Christians because of past experiences.Christian leader Amir Nayak said mobs have been blocking roads in the tribal-dominated district that witnessed several instances of violence against Christians, the worst being four-months of violence that broke out in September 2008. Rampaging Hindu mobs that month burned down Christian houses, convents and ...
Christian leaders ask government to provide protection against Hindu hardliners who continue to threaten the community in eastern Indian Odisha state that has witnessed major anti-Christian violence.
Using a strike that called for tribal rights as a pretext, the mobs blocked roads on Christmas morning with logs and stones in several villages to ensure that villagers were unable to get any help during an attack. Although police later cleared the roads, "Christmas was celebrated in fear and sadness. Father Santosh Digal from Cuttuck-Bhubaneswar Archdiocese said the roadblocks always create panic among local Christians because of past experiences.
Christian leader Amir Nayak said mobs have been blocking roads in the tribal-dominated district that witnessed several instances of violence against Christians, the worst being four-months of violence that broke out in September 2008. Rampaging Hindu mobs that month burned down Christian houses, convents and churches and raped women. At least 100 people were killed and some 50,000 were displaced.
In a further effort to get help to end the threats they face, Christian leaders have written a report about the issue which will be submitted to state chief minister Naveen Patnaik and to the National Human Rights Commission. (UCAN)
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis warned against false spirituality and worldliness saying many people appear to be spiritual but live in a way that is totally detached from the presence or needs of others. He stressed that works of mercy are at the heart of our faith in God and the visible sign of that faith. The Pope was speaking at his first Mass at the Santa Marta residence since the Christmas break. The cue for the Pope’s homily came from the first letter of John where the Apostle writes of remaining in the Lord. The Pope explained that a Christian is somebody who remains in God, who has the Holy Spirit and who is guided by Him. Noting that John warned against Antichrists, Pope Francis said not every spirit is to be trusted and it's necessary to test them to see whether they are from God. He said to do this we need to discern if we follow the spirit of God. And this is the daily rule of life that John teaches us."But what does it mean to "...
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis warned against false spirituality and worldliness saying many people appear to be spiritual but live in a way that is totally detached from the presence or needs of others. He stressed that works of mercy are at the heart of our faith in God and the visible sign of that faith. The Pope was speaking at his first Mass at the Santa Marta residence since the Christmas break.
The cue for the Pope’s homily came from the first letter of John where the Apostle writes of remaining in the Lord. The Pope explained that a Christian is somebody who remains in God, who has the Holy Spirit and who is guided by Him. Noting that John warned against Antichrists, Pope Francis said not every spirit is to be trusted and it's necessary to test them to see whether they are from God. He said to do this we need to discern if we follow the spirit of God. And this is the daily rule of life that John teaches us."
But what does it mean to "test the spirits," asked the Pope? It is not about "ghosts", it is about testing, to see "what happens in my heart", what is at the root "of what I'm feeling now, where does it come from? This is to test if "what I’m hearing comes from God" or comes from the other," from the Antichrist.
Pope Francis went on to warn against worldliness, saying this is the spirit that distances us from the Spirit of God. He said we need to have a good discernment of what is happing in our soul and the Apostle John gives us that guideline.
"The criterion is the Incarnation. I can feel so many things inside, even good things, good ideas. But if these good ideas, these feelings, do not lead to God who became flesh, do not lead me to my neighbour, my brother, then they are not from God. For this reason, John begins this passage of his letter by saying: 'This is God's commandment that we should believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another.'"
We can, the Pope continued, have "many pastoral plans", imagine new "methods to get closer to the people", but "if we do not follow the path of God who became flesh, the path of the Son of God who became man to walk with us, we are not on the path of the good spirit: it is the Antichrist, it is worldliness, it is the spirit of the world."
"How many people seem spiritual: 'How spiritual that person is!' but they do not talk about doing works of mercy. Why? Because the works of mercy are the visible sign of our confession that the Son of God became flesh: visiting the sick, feeding the hungry, taking care of those who are abandoned... works of mercy: why? The reason is because each of our brothers, whom we must love, is the flesh of Christ. God became flesh to identify with us. And those who suffer are one and the same as the suffering Christ."
Pope Francis went on to warn against believing every spirit, saying “you have to test to test the spirits to see whether they are from God." "Serving our neighbour, our brother, our sister in need", maybe "in need, also, of good advice, of a listening ear," "these are the signs that we are following the path of the good spirit, namely the path of the Word of God made flesh."
"Let us ask the Lord today, he concluded, for the grace to know exactly what happens in our hearts, our desires, if we are more open to the spirit of God, that brings me to the service of others, or to the spirit of the world that revolves around myself, my closed views, my selfishness, so many other things ... Let us ask for the grace to discern what happens in our hearts."
Listen to this report by Susy hodges (includes clips of the Pope's voice):
(Vatican Radio) Relics associated with St Gregory the Great and St Augustine of Canterbury will be brought together in Canterbury Cathedral next week as Anglican leaders meet for an encounter concerning the future of the worldwide Communion.Part of a precious pastoral staff from the Rome Church of San Gregorio al Celio is being shipped across to the UK on Friday, where it will be on display, alongside a rare 6th century book of the Gospels given by Pope Gregory to St Augustine as he set off on his mission to take the Christian faith to England. The manuscript is the oldest surviving Latin illustrated Gospel book and one of the most ancient European books in existence.The idea of loaning the relic, just ahead of the annual week of prayer for Christian Unity, was the brainchild of Australian Fr Robert McCulloch, a longtime missionary in Pakistan who currently serves as Procurator General of the Society of St Columban here in Rome. Fr Robert, together with Rev Marcus Walker, as...
(Vatican Radio) Relics associated with St Gregory the Great and St Augustine of Canterbury will be brought together in Canterbury Cathedral next week as Anglican leaders meet for an encounter concerning the future of the worldwide Communion.
Part of a precious pastoral staff from the Rome Church of San Gregorio al Celio is being shipped across to the UK on Friday, where it will be on display, alongside a rare 6th century book of the Gospels given by Pope Gregory to St Augustine as he set off on his mission to take the Christian faith to England. The manuscript is the oldest surviving Latin illustrated Gospel book and one of the most ancient European books in existence.
The idea of loaning the relic, just ahead of the annual week of prayer for Christian Unity, was the brainchild of Australian Fr Robert McCulloch, a longtime missionary in Pakistan who currently serves as Procurator General of the Society of St Columban here in Rome. Fr Robert, together with Rev Marcus Walker, associate director of Rome’s Anglican Centre, will accompany the relic on its historic pilgrimage to and from Canterbury Cathedral.
Just before leaving Rome, Fr Robert came to Vatican Radio to talk to Philippa Hitchen about the significance of this important ecumenical event…
Listen:
Fr Robert says the relic is an ivory carved head of the pastoral staff traditionally associated with Pope St Gregory the Great. It was he who, in 597, sent St Augustine to convert the English after the famous incident at the Roman forum where he saw some English slave boys and called them ‘not Angles, but angels’ (non Angli, sed angeli). The story, Fr Robert remarks, underlines Pope Gregory’s concern for evangelization throughout Europe.
Fr Robert says the idea of this ecumenical venture came to him after the Archbishop of Canterbury, last July, invited Australian Cardinal George Pell to celebrate Mass at the High Altar of Canterbury Cathedral – the first cardinal to do so since the Reformation.
Fr Robert notes with a chuckle that all the necessary permits and insurance documents were gathered from the Vatican, the Italian government ministries and the British government in just two weeks – described by some as an ongoing miracle of Pope Saint Gregory the Great!
The relic, valued at £250.000, will be escorted by security guards to the airport in Rome, and again from Heathrow airport to Canterbury Cathedral, where it will be officially received by the Dean at the conclusion of Evensong on Friday.
It will go on public viewing for the weekends of January 9th/10th and 16th/17th and during the week it will be available as an object of meditation for the Anglican Primates meeting at their closed door encounter.
On January 15th the St Augustine book of the Gospels will also be on display there, in what Fr Robert describes as “an extraordinary coming together” of the head of the staff, symbol of ecclesial authority and the book of the Gospels, symbol of the authority of the Word of God. He notes that the relic will be returned to Rome on January 18th, the first day of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, thus through this particular object, he says, we can recapture the missionary link in common faith, heritage and history between Catholics and Anglicans.
