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(Vatican Radio)  Lawmakers in Japan passed a one-off law on Friday allowing Emperor Akihito to abdicate the throne, passing the country's symbolic reins over to his son, Crown Prince Naruhito.

He is set to follow Pope-Emeritus Benedict XVI, choosing retirement next year as old age approaches. The one-time ordinance was required since Japan has no legal provision for an emperor to retire.

Listen to Alastair Wanklyn's report: 

Lawmakers applauded as they approved a one-off measure to allow Emperor Akihito to abdicate. He's 83.

He said last year he'd like to retire, saying old age is already restricting his activities.

It will be Japan's first abdication in about 200 years. Crown Prince Naruhito will take the throne, when the abdication take place next year.

Japan's prime minister said the fact that a special legal measure was needed reflects this nation's long history.

Public attention may now shift to other possible reforms, including changing a long-held rule that only men can take the throne. Beyond the Crown Prince, there is only one other male heir -- a boy aged 10.

Female succession has not been widely debated in public, but some critics say the current situation is unsustainable.

Meanwhile, Emperor Akihito remains a popular figure. He draws large crowds at scheduled appearances.

The emperor is also a rallying point for nationalists. But the imperial family had its power taken away after World War II, rendering the emperor merely a symbol of the state.

Many observers credit Akihito with a reign marked by modesty and concern for social wellbeing. His admission of growing weakness struck a chord with Japan's aging society.

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(Vatican Radio)  Pope Francis on Friday sent his condolences for the victims of Wednesday's terrorist attack in Tehran, Iran, saying he "laments this senseless and grave act of violence".

The Holy Father's words were conveyed in a telegramme sent by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican Secretary of State.

Along with his "heartfelt condolences to all those affected by the barbaric attack in Tehran", the Pope "commends the souls of the deceased to the mercy of the Almighty".

He also "assures the people of Iran of his prayers for peace".

Please find below the original English version of the telegramme:

Telegram of the Holy Father

His Holiness Pope Francis sends his heartfelt condolences to all those affected by the barbaric attack in Tehran, and laments this senseless and grave act of violence. In expressing his sorrow for the victims and their families, His Holiness commends the souls of the deceased to the mercy of the Almighty, and he assures the people of Iran of his prayers for peace.

Cardinal Pietro Parolin
Secretary of State

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Vatican City, Jun 9, 2017 / 07:11 am (CNA/EWTN News).- On Friday Pope Francis said women have an essential role to play in interreligious dialogue given their natural ability to build relationships and fraternity, making their involvement necessary in all areas of society.

“Today more than ever it's necessary that women are present,” the Pope said June 9. “Woman, possessing special characteristics, can offer an important contribution to dialogue with her ability to listen, to welcome and to generously open herself to others.”

Francis spoke to members of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, headed by Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, who are gathered in Rome for their annual plenary assembly.

During the plenary discussion, members of the council explored the theme of “the Role of women in educating in universal fraternity.”

In his speech, Pope Francis said the topic is “of prime importance for the path of humanity toward peace and fraternity; a path which is not at all obvious and clear, but marked by difficulty and obstacles.”

“Unfortunately today we see how the figure of woman as an educator in universal fraternity is blurred and often unrecognized due to many evils that afflict this world and which, in particular, affect women in their dignity and in their role,” he said, noting that women and children are the most frequent victims of the “blind violence” that takes place in the world today.

However, women have a key role to play, he said, stressing women must collaborate with men in carrying out their mission as an educator “in a serene and effective way.”

The Pope pointed to three main areas of reflection for council members to consider regarding the theme of their discussion: valuing the role of women, educating in fraternity and dialogue.

When it comes to valuing the role of women, Pope Francis said that within a complex society marked by plurality and globalization, “there is need for a greater recognition of the ability of women to educate in universal fraternity.”

If women are able to freely put their gifts at the service of the entire community, “the way in which society understands and is organized is positively transformed, reflecting better the substantial unity of the human family,” he said.

Because of this, a beneficial model for society is one that amplifies the presence of women in social, economic and political life at the local, national and international levels, “as well as in the ecclesial,” he said.

“Women have the right to be actively involved in all areas, and their right must be asserted and protected even by legal means wherever they prove necessary.”

This, Francis said, involves “expanding the spaces of a more incisive feminine presence.”

“There are so many and many women who, in their daily commitments, with dedication and conscience, with courage that is at times heroic, have developed and put their genius to use, their precious traits in the most varied, specific and qualified skills combined with the real experience of being mothers and teachers.”

On the plenary theme of educating in fraternity, the Pope said women as educators “have a special vocation, capable of creating and growing new forms of acceptance and esteem.”

“The feminine figure has always been at the center of familiar education, not exclusively as a mother,” he said, adding that the contribution of women in the field of education is “inestimable.”

Education, he said, “ brings a wealth of implications both for the woman herself, for her way of being, and for her relationships, for the way she deals with human life and life in general.”

Because of this, men and women are called to contribute together in fostering universal brotherhood, which is, in the end, also an education “in the peace and complimentarity of their various and sensitive roles.”

“Women, intimately linked to the mystery of life, can do much to promote the spirit of brotherhood, with their care for the preservation of life and with their conviction that love is the only force that can render the world habitable for all,” he said.

In effect, women are often the only ones to accompany others, particularly the weakest in the family and in society, and victims of conflicts.

“Thanks to their contribution, educating in fraternity – due to their nature of inclusion and generating ties – can overcome the culture of waste,” Francis said.

Educating in fraternity is also an essential part of interreligious dialogue, he said, noting that women are often committed more than men in this area, “and so contribute to a better understanding of the challenges characteristic of a multicultural reality.”

However, “women can also become fully involved in exchanges at the religious level, as well as those at the theological level,” the Pope said, noting that many women “are well prepared to face encounters of interreligious dialogue at the highest levels and not just from the Catholic side.”

“This means that the contribution of women is not limited to 'feminine' arguments or to encounters of only women,” he said, adding that dialogue “is a path that man and woman must accomplish together.”

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Vatican City, Jun 9, 2017 / 08:00 am (CNA/EWTN News).- After twin terrorist attacks killed at least 17 people in Tehran, Iran, earlier this week, Pope Francis condemned the 'barbaric' act of violence and offered his prayers for the victims and their families.  

“His Holiness Pope Francis sends his heartfelt condolences to all those affected by the barbaric attack in Tehran, and laments this senseless and grave act of violence,” a June 9 letter signed by Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin read.

“In expressing his sorrow for the victims and their families, His Holiness commends the souls of the deceased to the mercy of the Almighty, and he assures the people of Iran of his prayers for peace.”

On Wednesday, June 7, deadly twin attacks on Iran's parliament building and a monument containing the tomb of the republic's founder, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, killed at least 17 people and wounded several others.

According to CNN, six attackers simultaneously carried out gun and suicide bomb assaults around 10a.m. local time. The violence began when four of the gunmen, allegedly dressed as women, stormed the gate of the parliament building and opened fire.

The assailants took several hostages before one detonated a suicide bomb. Sporadic gunfire was heard before Iranian security forces eventually killed all four of the attackers.

Also called the Islamic Consultative Assembly or Majlis, Iran's parliament is the country's main legislative body. It has a total of 290 members, including women and representatives of minority religions, such as Christians and Jews.

At the same time as the parliament attack, two gunmen went on a shooting spree at the Ayatollah Khomeini mausoleum, which is located roughly 15 miles away and is a popular destination for tourists and pilgrims.

Khomeini, the Iranian Republic's founder and first supreme leader, led the revolution that overthrew the Shah in 1979, and remained the supreme leader of the republic for the next 10 years.

ISIS militants claimed responsibility for the attack, marking the first time the organization, a Sunni Muslim group fighting Iranian-backed forces in Syria, took responsibility for an attack in Iran, a predominantly Shiite nation.

The last major attack in Iran took place in 2010 when a Sunni extremist group launched a suicide attack against a mosque in Sistan-Baluchistan that killed 39 people.

The Tehran attack was the latest in a string of terrorist attacks claimed by ISIS in recent days. On June 4, seven people were killed and 48 others injured when three men drove a van into a crowd of people on London Bridge before going on a knife spree at local bars and pubs.

A separate car and knife attack took place in Westminster in March that left five people dead, and the Manchester bombing at a concert less than two weeks ago, in which 22 people were killed.

Several attacks have also taken place in Egypt over the past few months, raising concerns surrounding terrorism all over the world.

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By Carol Zimmermann

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- The 14th annual report on diocesan compliance with the U.S. Catholic Church's "Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People" shows that church leaders have taken steps to help many find healing as victims of clergy sexual abuse, but there is still work to be done.

Introductory remarks in the 2017 report urge church leaders not to assume that "sexual abuse of minors by the clergy is a thing of the past and a distant memory. Any allegation involving a current minor should remind the bishops that they must rededicate themselves each day to maintaining a level of vigilance," wrote Francesco Cesareo, chairman of the National Review Board, which oversees the audits.

The newly released report -- based on audits conducted between July 1, 2015, and June 30, 2016 -- shows that 1,232 survivors of child sexual abuse by clergy came forward with 1,318 clerical abuse allegations in 132 Catholic dioceses and eparchies. The allegations represent reports of abuse that occurred from the 1940s to the present.

The report also shows an increase of 730 allegations from the previous year's report and stresses that a most of the increase in allegations this year comes from the six dioceses in Minnesota, because the state in 2013 opened its civil statute of limitations for such claims until May 2016, giving victims over age 24 a three-year window to sue for past abuse. These six dioceses reported 351 more allegations than they did in the 2015 audit year.

Deacon Bernie Nojadera, executive director of the U.S. bishops' Secretariat for Child and Youth Protection, said the audits show that even with all of the work being done to fulfill the requirements of the bishops' charter, developed in 2002, allegations involving current minors have still occurred.

In an introductory letter, he said he was grateful that allegations are being reported and "alleged victims are being treated with sensitivity and care" and that alleged offenders are offered treatment and supervision. "But much work is still needed," he said.

Sixty-five dioceses and eparchies participated in on-site audits and 129 dioceses took part in data collection audits. Two eparchies that did not participate in either type of audit are not considered compliant with the charter. Of the 65 dioceses/eparchies that received on-site audits during 2016, two dioceses and one eparchy was found noncompliant. All of the dioceses and eparchies participating in the data collection audits were found compliant with the audit requirements.

Last year, six dioceses or eparchies did not participate in the audit and only two did not participate this year: the Eparchy of Our Lady of Deliverance of Newark for Syrians in New Jersey and the Eparchy of St. Peter the Apostle based in El Cajon, California, but both have indicated their intention to participate in the 2017 audit process.

The report highlights that those abused by clergy at any point in their lives "should be heard with compassion and understanding and receive immediate pastoral care." It notes that all dioceses and eparchies audited have individuals available to listen to those who have been harmed by clergy or diocesan staff or personnel.

Cesareo said progress was made this year toward participation by all dioceses and eparchies in the audit process, but he similarly stressed that concerns raised by the report on the audits point to work that still needs to be done.

Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo of Galveston-Houston, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, likewise noted in an introduction that the church cannot be complacent, stressing that after 15 years the church must "again recommit ourselves more than ever before to not only keeping but enhancing our promise to protect and pledge to heal."

The Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate, based at Georgetown University in Washington, gathers data for the report, and StoneBridge Business Partners, based in Rochester, New York, conducts the annual audits.

The annual report has two parts. The first is the compliance report of StoneBridge, which carried out on-site audits of dioceses and eparchies and reviewed diocesan documentation. Under canon law, dioceses and eparchies cannot be required to participate in the audit, but it is strongly recommended that they do.

The second part of the report is the "2016 Survey of Allegations and Costs," conducted by CARA.

The charter emphasizes that the first obligation of the church toward victims of sexual abuse is to offer outreach and provide a path toward healing and reconciliation. During the audit year, about 250 newly identified abuse victims and members of their families were offered support and similar care was provided to 1,510 abuse survivors and their families who reported abuse in previous years.

The other focus of the charter is to deal with allegations of abuse no matter when it occurred. All dioceses and eparchies that received an allegation of sexual abuse during the 2016 audit year reported them to the appropriate civil authorities. Included in that number are 25 new allegations from minors. As of June 30, 2016, two were substantiated, eight were still under investigation, and 11 were unsubstantiated or unable to be proved. Of the remaining four, two were referred to a religious order, one was referred to another diocese and one investigation was postponed because of an order of confidentiality from the bankruptcy court.

The report also points out that more than 2.4 million background checks on priests, church employees and volunteers is part of what all Catholic parishes and schools do. It also said more than 2.3 million adults and 4.2 million children have been trained on how to identify the warning signs of abuse and how to report those signs.

According to the 2017 report, dioceses and eparchies in 2016 spent $126,914,338 for costs related to abuse allegations including payments for allegations reported in previous years. Forty-five dioceses and eparchies did not have any payments related to abuse allegations.

"Despite all the policies, procedures, codes of conduct, reports and training, unacceptable events still occurred," the report said, noting the 25 allegations made by minors that were reported to local civil authorities.

"Such allegations serve to remind us that we cannot become complacent. We must be ever vigilant in our parishes and schools. One act of abuse is one too many," it said.

It also said previous reports warned church leaders not to be complacent but that the 2017 report shows "complacency still remains an issue in some dioceses." It said the vast majority of dioceses have continued to improve their child protection methods, but others have only sought to meet the minimum standards required by the charter or the audit.

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Editor's Note: The report can be found at http://www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/child-and-youth-protection/upload/2016-Annual-Report.pdf.

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Follow Zimmermann on Twitter:@carolmaczim.

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By Carol Glatz

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The more women are involved in and contribute to communities, politics, economics and the church, the more positive changes will come about, Pope Francis said.

"Women are fully entitled to actively take part in all settings, and their rights must be affirmed and protected, including through legal instruments wherever it may prove necessary," he said June 9.

The pope was speaking to members, consultors and guests of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, which was holding its plenary assembly in Rome June 7-9. Participants had discussed the role of women in teaching universal fraternity.

"We cannot truly call on God, the father of all, if we refuse to treat (others) in a brotherly way," Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran told the pope, quoting from "Nostra Aetate," the Vatican II declaration that addressed the Catholic Church's relations with other religions.

Pope Francis told the assembly that unfortunately the important ability of women to teach these values is "obscured and often unrecognized because of the many evils that afflict this world and that, in particular, damage women's dignity and their role."

Women and children are frequently the victims of "blind violence," he said.

Whenever "hatred and violence have the upper hand, they tear apart families and society, preventing women from easily and effectively carrying out their mission as educators," joining with men to promote common aims and efforts.

More must be done to recognize women's gifts and their ability to find new ways to welcome and respect others in a multicultural, globalized world, he said. It is also important to take advantage of "their conviction that love is the only power that can make the world habitable for everyone."

When women have the opportunity to fully share their gifts with the whole community, the community ends up "transformed" in a positive way, the pope said.

"Therefore, it is a beneficial process -- that of having the growing presence of women in social, economic and political life on the local, national and international levels, as well as in ecclesial life," he said.

He also urged all groups involved in interreligious dialogue to invite women to participate in all aspects of their discussions, not just when a topic or a gathering is about women.

"Many women are well prepared to address very high-level meetings on interreligious dialogue," he said.

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Copyright © 2017 Catholic News Service/U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. www.catholicnews.com. All rights reserved. Republishing or redistributing of CNS content, including by framing or similar means without prior permission, is prohibited. You may link to stories on our public site. This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. To request permission for republishing or redistributing of CNS content, please contact permissions at cns@catholicnews.com.

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