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TIJUANA, Mexico (AP) -- After manning a machine gun on a combat helicopter as a U.S. Marine during the liberation of Kuwait, Antonio Romo came back to the United States traumatized by the death and carnage he saw....
SEATTLE (AP) -- Legal challenges against President Donald Trump's revised travel ban mounted Thursday as Washington state said it would renew its request to block the executive order....
HONOLULU (AP) -- The Latest on Hawaii's lawsuit and legal efforts by other U.S. states challenging President Donald Trump's travel ban (all times local):...
SAN JOSE PINULA, Guatemala (AP) -- A blaze that killed at least 33 girls at a shelter for troubled youths erupted when some of them set fire to mattresses to protest rapes and other mistreatment at the badly overcrowded institution, the parent of one victim said Thursday....
NEW YORK (AP) -- The call came from what looked like a government number. When an immigrant in New York City answered, the voice on the other end told him he was in the U.S. illegally and would have to pay $1,550 to stay....
WASHINGTON (AP) -- WikiLeaks will work with technology companies to help defend them against the CIA's hacking tools, founder Julian Assange said Thursday. The move sets up a potential conflict between Silicon Valley firms eager to protect their products and an intelligence agency stung by the radical transparency group's disclosures....
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Determined House Republicans won early victories Thursday on divisive legislation to undo former President Barack Obama's health care law, winning approval in key committees after marathon all-night sessions despite Democratic protests and intense opposition from doctors and consumer groups....
The Catholic Church encourages its faithful to practice the seven corporal acts of mercy in order to come closer to and touch Christ in the suffering and the needy. These corporal works of mercy were particularly recommended during the Jubilee Year of Mercy by Pope Francis, himself leading the way. And visiting prisoners is one of the seven corporal works of mercy. In this regard, we recall the Last Judgement scene evoked by Jesus in Matthew’s Gospel, chapter 25, where the judge says, “I was in prison and you came to visit me,” and concludes, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did to the least of my brothers and sisters, you did it to me.’’ Prison Ministry India (PMI) is a nation-wide voluntary organization, operating under the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI), for the release, renewal and rehabilitation of prisoners, regardless of religion, class or nationality. Based in Bangalore, in southe...
The Catholic Church encourages its faithful to practice the seven corporal acts of mercy in order to come closer to and touch Christ in the suffering and the needy. These corporal works of mercy were particularly recommended during the Jubilee Year of Mercy by Pope Francis, himself leading the way. And visiting prisoners is one of the seven corporal works of mercy. In this regard, we recall the Last Judgement scene evoked by Jesus in Matthew’s Gospel, chapter 25, where the judge says, “I was in prison and you came to visit me,” and concludes, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did to the least of my brothers and sisters, you did it to me.’’
Prison Ministry India (PMI) is a nation-wide voluntary organization, operating under the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI), for the release, renewal and rehabilitation of prisoners, regardless of religion, class or nationality. Based in Bangalore, in southern India’s Karnataka state, Prison Ministry India was started in 1986. Today it involves some 6000 volunteers serving in over 850 branches or units and 33 rehabilitation centres run by dioceses,, religious congregations and Catholic groups all over the country. To know more about Prison Ministry India we talked on the phone with its national coordinator, Fr. Sebastian Vadakumpadan, who is also secretary to CBCI for Prison Ministry India. Today, Fr. Sebastian begins the first of a 2-part interview, explaining how Prison Ministry India began.
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IMAGE: CNS photo/Massimiliano Migliorato, Catholic Press PhotoBy Junno Arocho EstevesVATICANCITY (CNS) -- Women and men from around the globe gathered for an event inside VaticanCity that celebrated and encouraged the need for women's voices to be heard inthe church and in the world. Theannual Voices of Faith conference was held March 8, coinciding with thecelebration of International Women's Day.Accordingto its website, the Voices of Faith event "provides what has been a notablyabsent -- the voices of Catholic women and their capacity to exercise authoritywithin and outside the church and faith that emerges not from abstracttheological ideals but in confronting the reality of the poor."Theevent featured several guest speakers, including Dr. Mireille Twayigira, a survivor of the Rwandangenocide, and twin sisters Nagham and Shadan, whose last name was not given; the two are refugeesfrom Homs, Syria, who work with Jesuit Refugee Services helping others forcedto flee violence in their...
IMAGE: CNS photo/Massimiliano Migliorato, Catholic Press Photo
By Junno Arocho Esteves
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Women and men from around the globe gathered for an event inside Vatican City that celebrated and encouraged the need for women's voices to be heard in the church and in the world.
The annual Voices of Faith conference was held March 8, coinciding with the celebration of International Women's Day.
According to its website, the Voices of Faith event "provides what has been a notably absent -- the voices of Catholic women and their capacity to exercise authority within and outside the church and faith that emerges not from abstract theological ideals but in confronting the reality of the poor."
The event featured several guest speakers, including Dr. Mireille Twayigira, a survivor of the Rwandan genocide, and twin sisters Nagham and Shadan, whose last name was not given; the two are refugees from Homs, Syria, who work with Jesuit Refugee Services helping others forced to flee violence in their homeland.
Jesuit Father Arturo Sosa Abascal, superior general of the Society of Jesus, said in the opening address for the conference, that women and men of faith need to stand together in today's difficult political and social climate.
Faith, he said, gives the audacity "to seek the impossible, as nothing is impossible for God."
The participation of women is also necessary in positions of leadership, especially in areas of conflict such as the Central African Republic, South Sudan and Colombia, he said.
While it is "hard to imagine peace, can we have the audacity to dream to bring peace to these countries?" he asked.
Among the examples of the need for the voice of women in the political spectrum, Father Sosa cited German Chancellor Angela Merkel who "has been the most courageous and visionary leader in Europe."
"She had the compassion to look at those who were in need and the vision to see that they would make a contribution to Germany and Europe," he said.
He also cited the example of Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, president of Liberia, for bringing peace and reconciliation "to her war-torn country in a way that for most men would be impossible."
Although Pope Francis has voiced his support for broader participation of women's voices in the decisions of the Catholic Church, Father Sosa acknowledged "that the fullness of women's participation in the church has not yet arrived."
"We have to work harder to develop a profound theology of women," he said. However, their "inclusion -- which will bring the gift of resilience and collaboration -- remains stymied."
Among the presenters at an afternoon panel discussion was Sister Simone Campbell, a Sister of Social Service and executive director of Network, a Catholic social justice lobbying organization that sponsored the "Nuns on the Bus" tour in the United States.
Sister Campbell explained it was "essential for women to work for peace" and social justice, particularly for the poor and the marginalized, and she praised Pope Francis' efforts to bring their plight to the forefront of Catholic social teaching.
"We rejoice in 'Laudato Si';' that (says) care for the earth and care for the poor come from the same reality of exploitation of both and that until we learn to end the exploitation, we will not care for those at the margins, we will not care for our earth. And that is what moves me in such a deep way," she said.
Highlighting four virtues young women need to make their voices heard, Sister Campbell said that joy and a holy curiosity to "listen, ask questions and learn from others" was important.
She also encouraged women to engage in "sacred gossip," explaining the need to share the stories they have learned from others so that those stories "can multiply" in others.
Finally, Sister Campbell also called on women to pray so that they discover what their role is within the body of Christ.
Recalling a moment of prayer, Sister Campbell said she "realized that my role is to be stomach acid in the body of Christ."
"That is because I'm called to nourish, to break down food, release energy. But I can be toxic in large quantities so I need to be contained. But if we each do our part, then the body is whole and it all gets done. So, I urge you to do your part," she said.
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Follow Arocho on Twitter: @arochoju.
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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.
IMAGE: CNS/Robert DuncanBy Keanine Griggs ROME(CNS) -- Despite opposing views on some issues, the U.S. Embassy to the HolySee will still look for common ground on global issues, the interim leader ofthe embassy said."There'san expectation that the relationship between President (Donald) Trump and PopeFrancis will be difficult to establish" and that "the bilateralrelationship between the United States and the Holy See is going to suffer andthat is not the case at all," Louis Bono, charge d'affaires to the U.S.Embassy to the Holy See said. Bono temporarily leads the embassy while it waitsfor a new U.S. ambassador to be named and confirmed.Speakingto Catholic News Service March 6, Bono talked about expectationsof the future relationship between the United States and the Holy See under theTrump administration.Theembassy, he said, hopes to continue its joint efforts on global issues, such ascombating human trafficking and ending modern slavery."Ourgoal right now is to keep that relations...
IMAGE: CNS/Robert Duncan
By Keanine Griggs
ROME (CNS) -- Despite opposing views on some issues, the U.S. Embassy to the Holy See will still look for common ground on global issues, the interim leader of the embassy said.
"There's an expectation that the relationship between President (Donald) Trump and Pope Francis will be difficult to establish" and that "the bilateral relationship between the United States and the Holy See is going to suffer and that is not the case at all," Louis Bono, charge d'affaires to the U.S. Embassy to the Holy See said. Bono temporarily leads the embassy while it waits for a new U.S. ambassador to be named and confirmed.
Speaking to Catholic News Service March 6, Bono talked about expectations of the future relationship between the United States and the Holy See under the Trump administration.
The embassy, he said, hopes to continue its joint efforts on global issues, such as combating human trafficking and ending modern slavery.
"Our goal right now is to keep that relationship moving forward, to look for more areas of collaboration" and "to build upon the successes that we've already experienced," he said.
The narrative that portrays Pope Francis and President Trump as adversaries, he added, does not interfere with the relationship between the United States and the Holy See.
"It is also important that we have this strong relationship," because when "there are areas of differences, areas where we disagree," it is important "to be able to speak openly and frankly about those issues and to try and find common ground." he said.
President Trump was scheduled to attend the G7 meeting in Sicily in May, but it wasn't yet announced whether he would also go to Rome.
However, Bono said, "I expect that eventually the pope and the president will meet and they'll have the opportunity to speak frankly if there are any areas of differences, but more so, to focus on those areas where we do have common ground and to identify how we can work together further."
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A video to accompany this story can be found at: https://youtu.be/V0TOBghG1oU
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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.
