Catholic News 2
BOZEMAN, Mont. (AP) -- Greg Gianforte spent the day of his greatest political victory out of sight, avoiding questions about the assault charge filed against him on the eve of a congressional race that some cast as a referendum on Donald Trump's presidency....
MANCHESTER, England (AP) -- British police investigating the Manchester Arena bombing have arrested a ninth man while continuing to search addresses associated with the bomber who killed 22 people....
WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Donald Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, is willing to cooperate with federal investigators looking into ties between Russia and the Trump campaign, his attorney said....
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) -- The general sat on a plastic lawn chair in the garden of his mother's home, the scent of tropical blooms filling the air as he talked about the alleged rape and sodomy of a Haitian teenager by a Sri Lankan peacekeeper....
TAORMINA, Sicily (AP) -- The differences are well-known: climate change, trade and migration threaten to throw a summit of the Group of Seven wealthy democracies off its consensus game, with U.S. President Donald Trump cast as the spoiler-in-chief. But it may not play out exactly that way, according to long-time G7 observers....
Bucharest, Romania, May 25, 2017 / 07:27 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Romania’s lower house of parliament has overwhelmingly approved a proposed constitutional amendment to define marriage as a union between one man and one woman.The Chamber of Deputies passed the measure by a vote of 232-22, with 13 abstentions.If approved, the amendment would change Paragraph 1 of Article 28 of the Romanian Constitution to say: “The family is founded on the freely consented marriage between one man and one woman, on their equality and on the right and duty of parents to assure the growth, education and training of their children.”The proposed amendment began with a signature drive, initiated by the Coalition for the Family, which collected 3 million signatures from Romanian citizens in support of the constitutional language.It has also garnered support from Orthodox, Catholic and Evangelical leaders, along with legal groups such as ADF International and the European Center for Law and Ju...
Bucharest, Romania, May 25, 2017 / 07:27 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Romania’s lower house of parliament has overwhelmingly approved a proposed constitutional amendment to define marriage as a union between one man and one woman.
The Chamber of Deputies passed the measure by a vote of 232-22, with 13 abstentions.
If approved, the amendment would change Paragraph 1 of Article 28 of the Romanian Constitution to say: “The family is founded on the freely consented marriage between one man and one woman, on their equality and on the right and duty of parents to assure the growth, education and training of their children.”
The proposed amendment began with a signature drive, initiated by the Coalition for the Family, which collected 3 million signatures from Romanian citizens in support of the constitutional language.
It has also garnered support from Orthodox, Catholic and Evangelical leaders, along with legal groups such as ADF International and the European Center for Law and Justice.
The measure has already been approved by the Romanian Constitutional Court as satisfying all requirements for a constitutional amendment.
It will next go to the Senate. If it is approved there, it will become a referendum to be voted on by the Romanian people.
Romania is not the only country in the region to consider a defense-of-marriage amendment. Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, and Slovakia all define marriage as the union of one man and one woman within their constitutions.
MARAWI, Philippines (AP) -- Philippine troops backed by armored vehicles and rocket-firing helicopters fought to re-take control of a city that has been under attack by gunmen linked to the Islamic State group since a raid earlier this week failed to capture one of Asia's most-wanted militants....
WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Donald Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, is willing to cooperate with federal investigators looking into ties between Russia and the Trump campaign, his attorney said Thursday....
TAORMINA, Italy (AP) -- President Donald Trump has faced a much cooler reception in Europe than the welcome he received in the Middle East....
Rome, Italy, May 25, 2017 / 04:51 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Pope Francis is headed to Colombia this summer, and one of the nation's leading bishops believes the visit will be a chance for progress for many countries in the region.Cardinal Rubén Salazar Gómez of Bogota said the Pope’s message will be relevant for all Latin American countries. The visit is “truly going to help all of us create stronger bonds between the different countries and also to be able to work toward common solutions,” he said.“I think the Holy Father is aware that Colombia has a certain emblematic character in Latin America, because perhaps it is the best sample of the problems we suffer from on the continent,” said the cardinal, who is also president of the Latin American Episcopal Council (CELAM).He was speaking to reporters after the CELAM president met with ambassadors accredited to the Holy See.The cardinal discussed a few details of Pope Francis’ Sept. 6-1...
Rome, Italy, May 25, 2017 / 04:51 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Pope Francis is headed to Colombia this summer, and one of the nation's leading bishops believes the visit will be a chance for progress for many countries in the region.
Cardinal Rubén Salazar Gómez of Bogota said the Pope’s message will be relevant for all Latin American countries. The visit is “truly going to help all of us create stronger bonds between the different countries and also to be able to work toward common solutions,” he said.
“I think the Holy Father is aware that Colombia has a certain emblematic character in Latin America, because perhaps it is the best sample of the problems we suffer from on the continent,” said the cardinal, who is also president of the Latin American Episcopal Council (CELAM).
He was speaking to reporters after the CELAM president met with ambassadors accredited to the Holy See.
The cardinal discussed a few details of Pope Francis’ Sept. 6-11 trip to Colombia, saying the Pope is aware of the problems facing Colombia and Latin America.
Cardinal Salazar named poverty as a problem. He also noted the “cancer of corruption”, which Pope Francis has described as “a cancer that has metastasized everywhere, that has infiltrated all areas of society.”
Violence is another scourge on the continent, the cardinal said, calling the papal visit “a balm of hope and consolation.”
“The Holy Father is going to give us courage, make us realize that if we really want to resolve our problems in depth, we have to start with a change of heart,” he said.
Cardinal Salazar told CNA that Colombians “are preparing ourselves well” to receive the Pope.
“Not only because for the people the Pope’s visit is extremely important, but also because we are doing everything possible to prepare ourselves spiritually,” he added.
“There is going to be a very strong evangelization effort on all levels,” he said. “Meetings, forums, catechesis, and preaching are being prepared so the people will be truly prepared, so the Pope's message falls on good ground and, therefore, produces fruit. We are doing all this and we are very hopeful.”
He also explained some points on the program for the trip.
“The Mass to be celebrated in Bogota will have a special emphasis on respect for, care for and the promotion of life,” Cardinal Salazar said. “There will also be special priority for the disabled, the sick and the elderly to attend.”
“In Villavicencio,” he continued, “the emphasis will be ecological: the whole Amazon region’s problems, and (the need for) respect for the Earth, but also respect for indigenous cultures, ethnic minorities.”
He also discussed the peace process with FARC rebels and other guerrillas, acknowledging that “the situation is not easy, but despite the difficulties there have been, it’s going gradually moving forward.”
“I hope that what we have achieved so far not only won’t be destroyed, but that we can move forward to the point of achieving complete peace,” he said. “There is genuine hope. We're sure that despite the difficulties, peace will prevail.”
He recognized concern that Colombia is polarized on the “very complex issue” isssue.
“The political polarization that we are experiencing which every day seems to be getting stronger, deeper, more difficult. We hope the Pope works those miracles that politically are not easy to do,” said Cardinal Salazar.
