Catholic News 2
LE BOURGET, France (AP) -- U.N. climate talks reached a milestone Saturday when more than 190 countries adopted the first accord asking all countries to join the fight against global warming....
LE BOURGET, France (AP) -- The latest on the U.N. climate conference outside Paris (all times local):...
LE BOURGET, France (AP) -- Nearly 200 nations adopted the first global pact to fight climate change on Saturday, calling on the world to collectively cut and then eliminate greenhouse gas pollution but imposing no sanctions on countries that don't....
 WASHINGTON- The United States has a moral obligation to protect unaccompanied children and families from persecution in Central America, said Bishop Mark J. Seitz of El Paso, Texas, in testimony before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, October 21. Bishop Seitz is an advisor to the USCCB Committee on Migration and a member of the board of the Catholic Legal Immigration Network (CLINIC).The humanitarian outflow, driven by organized crime in the northern triangle countries of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras, continues, with nearly 40,000 unaccompanied children and an equal number of mothers with children having arrived in the United States in Fiscal Year 2015."If we do not respond justly and humanely to this challenge in our own backyard, then we will relinquish our moral leadership and moral influence globally," Bishop Seitz said.Bishop Seitz pointed to the human consequences of U.S. policies which are designed to deter migration from the region, i...
 WASHINGTON- The United States has a moral obligation to protect unaccompanied children and families from persecution in Central America, said Bishop Mark J. Seitz of El Paso, Texas, in testimony before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, October 21. Bishop Seitz is an advisor to the USCCB Committee on Migration and a member of the board of the Catholic Legal Immigration Network (CLINIC).
The humanitarian outflow, driven by organized crime in the northern triangle countries of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras, continues, with nearly 40,000 unaccompanied children and an equal number of mothers with children having arrived in the United States in Fiscal Year 2015.
"If we do not respond justly and humanely to this challenge in our own backyard, then we will relinquish our moral leadership and moral influence globally," Bishop Seitz said.
Bishop Seitz pointed to the human consequences of U.S. policies which are designed to deter migration from the region, including U.S. support for Mexican interdiction efforts which are intercepting children and families in Mexico and sending them back to danger, in violation of international law.
Bishop Seitz recommended an end to these interdictions and the introduction of a regional system which would screen children and families for asylum in Mexico and other parts of the region. He also called for Congress to approve and increase a $1 billion aid package proposed by the Administration.
"If we export enforcement," Bishop Seitz said, "we also must export protection."
Bishop Seitz recalled the words of Pope Francis before Congress in September, when he invoked the golden rule in guiding our nation's actions toward those seeking safety in our land.
Quoting the Holy Father, Bishop Seitz repeated to the committee, "'The yardstick we use for others will be the yardstick which time will use for us.'"
"Mr. Chairman, I pray that time, and history, will conclude that we honored this rule in meeting this humanitarian challenge," Bishop Seitz concluded.
Bishop Seitz' testimony can be found at http://www.usccb.org//about/migration-policy/congressional-testimony/upload/seitz-ongoing-migration.pdf
Keywords: Bishop Mark J. Seitz, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, USCCB, Congress, Senate, Committee on Migration, migration, unaccompanied children, violence, Pope Francis
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(Vatican Radio) As Francis is set to open the Holy Door of the Basilica of Saint John Lateran on Sunday 13th December Veronica Scarisbrick asks the Minister General of the Friars of the Atonement Father Jim Puglisi to shed light on why this Church and not Saint Peter's is the Pope's Cathedral. And on a more tricky question as to why it's considered the Mother Church as is inscribed in Latin on its facade.Listen to Father Jim Puglisi speaking to Veronica Scarisbrick:
(Vatican Radio) As Francis is set to open the Holy Door of the Basilica of Saint John Lateran on Sunday 13th December Veronica Scarisbrick asks the Minister General of the Friars of the Atonement Father Jim Puglisi to shed light on why this Church and not Saint Peter's is the Pope's Cathedral. And on a more tricky question as to why it's considered the Mother Church as is inscribed in Latin on its facade.
Listen to Father Jim Puglisi speaking to Veronica Scarisbrick:
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis met with the Council of Cardinals from 10-12 December for their twelfth meeting. A statement from the Holy See Press Office said the Holy Father was present for every session.The Statement said during the first morning, the Council heard from Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, Prefect of the Congregation for Eastern Churches, who gave them an in-depth look at this “important Congregation”, its activities, responsibilities, and its role in ecumenism.During this encounter, the Council noted the importance of the Address of the Holy Father on 17 October, during the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the institution of the Synod of Bishops.In this address, the Pope developed extensively the theme of "collegiality", but also pointed out "the need to proceed with a healthy 'decentralization'." The Council underlined the need to reflect on the significance of this speech and its importance for the work of the r...
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis met with the Council of Cardinals from 10-12 December for their twelfth meeting. A statement from the Holy See Press Office said the Holy Father was present for every session.
The Statement said during the first morning, the Council heard from Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, Prefect of the Congregation for Eastern Churches, who gave them an in-depth look at this “important Congregation”, its activities, responsibilities, and its role in ecumenism.
During this encounter, the Council noted the importance of the Address of the Holy Father on 17 October, during the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the institution of the Synod of Bishops.
In this address, the Pope developed extensively the theme of "collegiality", but also pointed out "the need to proceed with a healthy 'decentralization'." The Council underlined the need to reflect on the significance of this speech and its importance for the work of the reform of the Curia, and decided to dedicate a specific session to this subject during the next meeting in February 2016.
The Council then returned to work on two new departments, which had previously been discussed on numerous occasions.
The Department dedicated to "Laity and family life" – the establishment of which Pope Francis announced during the Synod (October 22) - was the subject of a detailed proposal by the Council to the Holy Father. The proposal is now awaiting the final decision of the Holy Father.
The Department dedicated to "Justice, Peace and Migration" was subject to further considerations, in anticipation of creating the final proposal, which will then be given to the Pope.
On Friday, the Council heard two reports on the reform of the economic structures of the Vatican, which were given by Cardinal Reinhard Marx, President of the Council of Economy, and Cardinal George Pell, Prefect for the Secretariat of Economy. The two Cardinals reported on the activities and achievements of the two institutions.
In the course of his presentation, Cardinal Marx discussed the choice of an external auditor for the consolidated financial statements of the Vatican, PricewaterhouseCoopers (“PwC”). Cardinal Pell gave information about the establishment of a working group to reflect on the future of the economic issues of the Holy See and the Vatican City State, including its present state, and the control of expenditure and revenue.
The working group, which has just begun work and had its first meeting, includes representatives of the Secretariat of Economy, Secretariat of State, the Governorate of the Vatican City State, APSA, the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, the Secretariat for Communications and the Institute for the Works of Religion (IOR).
The Council of Cardinals recognized the importance of the work done by the Council for the Economy and the and Secretariat for the Economy, and encouraged the continuation of their efforts.
Cardinal Sean O'Malley also reported on the work of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, and its different working groups, such as the development of programs for education and training; assistance to Episcopal Conferences for the drafting of guidelines at the local level; and other areas.
On Saturday, the Council established the calendar of future meetings, as well as the agenda for the first meeting in February.
The meetings in 2016 will take place on the following dates:
8 - 9 February
11-12-13 April
6-7-8 June
12-13-14 September
12-13-14 December
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis has issued a legal decree creating a new special commission to help health care organizations belonging to the Church and to Church organizations to manage their finances and stay true to their founding mission and spirit. The decree, called a “rescript”, creates the Pontifical Commission for the Activities of Public Juridical Persons of the Church in the Healthcare Sector.The new Commission shall be composed by a President and six experts the fields of healthcare, real estate, management, business administration, and finance. It shall have power to carry out general studies to ascertain the sustainability of the healthcare systems of the juridical persons of the Church, and to prepare long-range operational sustainability strategies in keeping with the Social Doctrine of the Church.
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis has issued a legal decree creating a new special commission to help health care organizations belonging to the Church and to Church organizations to manage their finances and stay true to their founding mission and spirit. The decree, called a “rescript”, creates the Pontifical Commission for the Activities of Public Juridical Persons of the Church in the Healthcare Sector.
The new Commission shall be composed by a President and six experts the fields of healthcare, real estate, management, business administration, and finance. It shall have power to carry out general studies to ascertain the sustainability of the healthcare systems of the juridical persons of the Church, and to prepare long-range operational sustainability strategies in keeping with the Social Doctrine of the Church.
(Vatican Radio) The Holy See has reacted to the “Concluding observations on the sixteenth to twenty-third periodic reports of Holy See” made by the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.The periodic report is required by the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, to which the Holy See is one of 177 signatories.“What struck me, in particular, was the emphasis the members of the Commission stressed on the positive role of Pope Francis at this particular time, through the clarity with which he addresses the issue of discrimination and the way he speaks of the inclusion of all in society and the respect of every person,” said Archbishop Silvano Tomasi, the Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations offices in Geneva.“Another positive aspect has been the recognition of the new legislation that the Vatican, as a state, has introduced which punish crimes based on racial discrimination,” ...
(Vatican Radio) The Holy See has reacted to the “Concluding observations on the sixteenth to twenty-third periodic reports of Holy See” made by the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.
The periodic report is required by the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, to which the Holy See is one of 177 signatories.
“What struck me, in particular, was the emphasis the members of the Commission stressed on the positive role of Pope Francis at this particular time, through the clarity with which he addresses the issue of discrimination and the way he speaks of the inclusion of all in society and the respect of every person,” said Archbishop Silvano Tomasi, the Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations offices in Geneva.
“Another positive aspect has been the recognition of the new legislation that the Vatican, as a state, has introduced which punish crimes based on racial discrimination,” Archbishop Tomasi said.
The Archbishop also said the recommendations of the Committee were made in a “constructive and positive” tone.
He did say the Committee overlooked certain things, such as the fact the Church educates 65 million people – the majority non-Catholic – around the world, and runs more than 5,000 hospitals.
“The millions of people who come for assistance are never asked for a passport, nor is there ever any consideration given to race or ethnicity,” Archbishop Tomasi told Vatican Radio.
The Committee also mentioned the genocide in Rwanda, and asked that every effort be made to locate those clergy members who may have participated, so that the can be brought to justice, and Archbishop Tomasi said there can be “no loopholes” for those who have committed these crimes.
“The Committee also pointed out that it is part of its responsibility to ensure that discrimination does not apply to new situations that gradually evolve in society,” Archbishop Tomasi said. “And on this we agree: there should not be discrimination against people, and every person should be respected, while taking into account that we have traditions and principles that sometimes are not compatible with those promoted by the international community.”
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) -- Early in World War II, a Japanese tourism official helped rescue Europeans seeking haven from the Nazis. Now, 75 years after seven of those refugees gave Tatsuo Osako photographs of themselves to show their gratitude, a team of Internet sleuths has identified four of the people in the black-and-white snapshots....
WASHINGTON (AP) -- There's no legal or historical precedent for closing U.S. borders to the world's 1.6 billion Muslims, but neither is there any Supreme Court case that clearly prevents a president or Congress from doing so....
