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AMMAN, Jordan (AP) -- It's been an emotional roller coaster for Mahmoud Mansour and his family, Syrian refugees tapped for possible resettlement to the United States, since President Donald Trump issued his first travel ban six weeks ago....
WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Donald Trump on Monday signed a reworked version of his controversial travel ban Monday, aiming to withstand court challenges while still barring new visas for citizens from six Muslim-majority countries and temporarily shutting down America's refugee program....
(Vatican Radio) The fourth annual Voices of Faith storytelling event takes place in the Vatican on Wednesday March 8th, which is also International Women’s Day.The initiative was started by Catholic philanthropist Chantal Goetz as she puts it, “to enhance the dignity, participation and leadership of women and girls through persistent and good storytelling."Voices of Faith is supported by the Fidel Goetz Foundation and partnered this year by the Jesuit Refugee Service.At this year’s event women from all over the world are making their voices heard in the name of peace with the gathering itself entitled, “Stirring the waters: Making the impossible possible.”One of the participants at this year’s forum is Dr Scilla Elworthy, founder of the Oxford Research Group, and co- founder of Peace Direct, UK. She is also the author of "Pioneering the possible: Awakened leadership for a world that works."She spoke to Lydia O’Kane abo...
(Vatican Radio) The fourth annual Voices of Faith storytelling event takes place in the Vatican on Wednesday March 8th, which is also International Women’s Day.
The initiative was started by Catholic philanthropist Chantal Goetz as she puts it, “to enhance the dignity, participation and leadership of women and girls through persistent and good storytelling."
Voices of Faith is supported by the Fidel Goetz Foundation and partnered this year by the Jesuit Refugee Service.
At this year’s event women from all over the world are making their voices heard in the name of peace with the gathering itself entitled, “Stirring the waters: Making the impossible possible.”
One of the participants at this year’s forum is Dr Scilla Elworthy, founder of the Oxford Research Group, and co- founder of Peace Direct, UK. She is also the author of "Pioneering the possible: Awakened leadership for a world that works."
She spoke to Lydia O’Kane about the importance of having more women in leadership roles
Listen:
Women in Leadership
Speaking of women’s leadership potential and the importance of it, she said, “I think it’s absolutely vital not just for women but for humanity as a whole at the moment because humanity is facing major crises that are unprecedented, that are man-made like global warming, like over population, like the rich poor gap like massive migration and we need to up our consciousness… and up to now for 5 thousand years we have been missing the feminine; we haven’t had true equality in feminine leadership and boy do we need it now.”
Women and Conflict resolution
Dr Elworthy noted that in the world today many conflicts are diminishing in most parts of the world expect she said, the Middle East where it is escalating. She went on to say, “I simply noticed that the Middle East is an area where women traditionally have been excluded, in some places totally excluded. She did however, observe that there are notable exceptions where women are making a real difference, such as in Rojava in Syria.
Celebrating Women
Asked about the importance of an event like this, Dr Elworthy spoke about the need for women in prominent roles in the Church, adding that women have unique skills to give. She also said that on International Women’s Day, “I am very glad that this (Voices of Faith) discussion can take place inside the Vatican.”
Thousands of the faithful from across Uganda recently thronged the refurbished Sacred Heart of Jesus Cathedral, Ediofe, in Uganda’s Arua Diocese for its re-dedication. The ceremony commemorating the Cathedral’s re-opening, re-dedication and consecration was officiated by Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, President of the Pontifical Academy for Life and President of the St. John Paul II Pontifical Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family.After seven years of work on the Cathedral, the faithful were welcomed amidst jubilation to witness the newly re-furbished Church, featuring blue and yellow stained glass windows, an altar restored with marble, a large crucifix with painted details and several pieces of artwork. The celebration was marked with a Holy Mass that was presided over by Archbishop Paglia and concelebrated by Uganda’s Archbishop Emeritus of Kampala, Emmanuel Cardinal Wamala; Archbishop August Blume, the Apostolic Nuncio to Uganda; Archbishop John Baptist O...
Thousands of the faithful from across Uganda recently thronged the refurbished Sacred Heart of Jesus Cathedral, Ediofe, in Uganda’s Arua Diocese for its re-dedication. The ceremony commemorating the Cathedral’s re-opening, re-dedication and consecration was officiated by Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, President of the Pontifical Academy for Life and President of the St. John Paul II Pontifical Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family.
After seven years of work on the Cathedral, the faithful were welcomed amidst jubilation to witness the newly re-furbished Church, featuring blue and yellow stained glass windows, an altar restored with marble, a large crucifix with painted details and several pieces of artwork. The celebration was marked with a Holy Mass that was presided over by Archbishop Paglia and concelebrated by Uganda’s Archbishop Emeritus of Kampala, Emmanuel Cardinal Wamala; Archbishop August Blume, the Apostolic Nuncio to Uganda; Archbishop John Baptist Odama, of Gulu Archdiocese and Chairman of the Uganda Episcopal Conference.
Bishop Sabino Ocan Odoki, the Ordinary of Arua Diocese was the host. Several other bishops from various dioceses also attended the colourful event. There were also over 50 priests, deacons and religious sisters. In his homily, Archbishop Paglia said that to open the door of the Cathedral is a symbol of opening the depths of our hearts.
“To open the house of the Lord to the people, a house which is a place of prayer and encounter, is a great and beautiful event. In this world where too often doors and borders are closed, we instead are opening doors. This is what Jesus asks us to do: To open our hearts to our sisters and brothers especially the most poor and vulnerable so that no one is left alone and no one is left outside the mercy of God,” he said.
Archbishop Paglia also expressed his gratitude towards Bishop Odoki for his invitation to reopen and consecrate the Cathedral saying, “It is a great honour for me to participate at the celebration for the dedication of the Cathedral of Arua Diocese. It has been a work for many years requiring much commitment to renew and expand this Cathedral.”
Bishop Odoki in his speech urged the faithful to respectfully receive the Cathedral as a gift of God through which God’s blessings will flow through the Sacraments and Sacramentals. The bishop stressed that, in the Cathedral, the gift of life, Baptism, Confirmation, and other Sacraments would be administered. He further expressed his gratitude to Archbishop Paglia, the Apostolic Nuncio, the Cardinal, Archbishop Odama, other Bishops, priests and the faithful for their presence and contribution towards the renovation and the celebration of the re-opening of the Cathedral.
Archbishop Odama appealed to Christians and all humankind to love one another and cautioned the leaders in South Sudan to stop fighting and killing one another.
Meanwhile, some of the lay people present were close friends of Bishop Odoki, Larry and CeCe Carroll, who contributed significantly towards the completion of the Cathedral. They were presented with gifts of recognition and appreciation.
At the end of the Holy Mass, Fr. Tonino Pasolini, the chairman of the Central Organising Committee for the renovation and extension of the Cathedral, handed over keys and other documents of the Cathedral to Bishop Odoki. The renovation of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Cathedral, Ediofe started on 18 May 2010.
Arua Diocese erected as a diocese on 23 June 1958
(Gaetano Apamaku, Radio Pacis in Uganda )
More than 13,000 people on Sunday attended the feast of a new Marian shrine in the Kandhamal district of Odisha, an eastern Indian state.“Mother Mary loves us all. She wants us to grow in faith, love and affection,” said Archbishop John Barwa of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar, who was the main celebrant for the feast Mass at Mother Mary of Partomah, a substation of Daringbadi parish. The parish is under the Archdiocese of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar in Odisha.Around 30 priests and about 25 nuns attended the feast day Mass at the shrine situated on a mountain.The bishop urged the faithful to pray, fast and abstain from comforts and pleasure “in our spiritual journey.” He noted that the feast fell on the first week of lent, the 40-day period of fast and prayer for Christians before Easter.The archbishop said the Blessed Virgin “is ever ready to intercede” for the people of Kandhamal, who in 2008 suffered the worst anti-Christian violence of modern India. (matt...
More than 13,000 people on Sunday attended the feast of a new Marian shrine in the Kandhamal district of Odisha, an eastern Indian state.
“Mother Mary loves us all. She wants us to grow in faith, love and affection,” said Archbishop John Barwa of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar, who was the main celebrant for the feast Mass at Mother Mary of Partomah, a substation of Daringbadi parish. The parish is under the Archdiocese of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar in Odisha.
Around 30 priests and about 25 nuns attended the feast day Mass at the shrine situated on a mountain.
The bishop urged the faithful to pray, fast and abstain from comforts and pleasure “in our spiritual journey.” He noted that the feast fell on the first week of lent, the 40-day period of fast and prayer for Christians before Easter.
The archbishop said the Blessed Virgin “is ever ready to intercede” for the people of Kandhamal, who in 2008 suffered the worst anti-Christian violence of modern India. (mattersindia)
IMAGE: CNS photo/Giorgio Onorati, EPABy Junno Arocho EstevesVATICANCITY (CNS) -- Christians should care about reading God's messages in the Bibleas much as they care about checkingmessages on their cellphones, Pope Francis said. AsChrist did in the desert when tempted by Satan, men and women can defendthemselves from temptation with the word of God if they "read it often,meditate on it and assimilate it" into their lives, he said before prayingthe Angelus with those gathered in St. Peter's Square March 5."Whatwould happen if we turned back when we forget it, if we opened it more times aday, if we read the messages of God contained in the Bible the way we readmessages on our cellphones?" the pope asked the crowd. Thepope's reflection centered on the day's Gospel reading (Mt. 4:1-11) in whichJesus is tempted by the devil while fasting in the desert for 40 days andnights before beginning his ministry. Satan,he said, attempts to dissuade Jesus from fulfilling his message and to undermi...
IMAGE: CNS photo/Giorgio Onorati, EPA
By Junno Arocho Esteves
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Christians should care about reading God's messages in the Bible as much as they care about checking messages on their cellphones, Pope Francis said.
As Christ did in the desert when tempted by Satan, men and women can defend themselves from temptation with the word of God if they "read it often, meditate on it and assimilate it" into their lives, he said before praying the Angelus with those gathered in St. Peter's Square March 5.
"What would happen if we turned back when we forget it, if we opened it more times a day, if we read the messages of God contained in the Bible the way we read messages on our cellphones?" the pope asked the crowd.
The pope's reflection centered on the day's Gospel reading (Mt. 4:1-11) in which Jesus is tempted by the devil while fasting in the desert for 40 days and nights before beginning his ministry.
Satan, he said, attempts to dissuade Jesus from fulfilling his message and to undermine his divinity by tempting him twice to perform miracles like "a magician" and lastly, by adoring "the devil in order to have dominion over the world."
"Through this triple temptation, Satan wants to divert Jesus from the path of obedience and humiliation -- because he knows that through that path evil will be defeated -- and take him on the false shortcut of success and glory," the pope said.
However, Jesus deflects "the poisonous arrows of the devil" not with his own words but "only with the Word of God."
Christians, the pope continued, are called to follow Jesus' footsteps and "confront the spiritual combat against the evil one" through the power of God's word which has the "strength to defeat Satan."
"The Bible contains the word of God, which is always relevant and effective. Someone once said: What would happen if we treated the Bible like we treated our cellphones? What would happen if we always brought it with us, or at least a small pocket-sized Gospel?" he asked.
While the comparison between the Bible and a cellphone is "paradoxical," he added, it is something that all Christians are called to reflect on during the Lenten season.
"If we have the Word of God always in our hearts, no temptation could separate us from God and no obstacle would deviate us from the path of good," the pope said.
After praying the Angelus prayer with the faithful in the square, Pope Francis asked for prayers before departing for a weeklong Lenten retreat with members of the Roman Curia.
Lent, he said, "is the path of the people of God toward Easter, a path of conversion, of fighting evil with the weapons of prayer, fasting and works of charity," Pope Francis said. "I wish everyone a fruitful Lenten journey," 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.
IMAGE: CNS/Paul HaringBy Junno Arocho EstevesVATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The Vatican's doctrinal chief dismissedaccusations that some Vatican officials are resisting recommendations on bestpractices for protecting children and vulnerable adults from clergy sex abuse. "I think this cliche must be put to an end: the ideathat the pope, who wants the reform, is on one side and, on the other, a group ofresisters who want to block it," said Cardinal Gerhard Muller, prefect ofthe Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. The congregation is charged with carrying out canonicaltrials and seeking justice for victims of clerical abuse, while local bishopsand heads of religious orders must care for their pastoral needs, he said in aninterview with the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, published March 5.Cardinal Muller responded to complaints made by MarieCollins, who resigned her post on the Pontifical Commission for the Protectionof Minors March 1, citing what she described as resistance com...
IMAGE: CNS/Paul Haring
By Junno Arocho Esteves
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The Vatican's doctrinal chief dismissed accusations that some Vatican officials are resisting recommendations on best practices for protecting children and vulnerable adults from clergy sex abuse.
"I think this cliche must be put to an end: the idea that the pope, who wants the reform, is on one side and, on the other, a group of resisters who want to block it," said Cardinal Gerhard Muller, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.
The congregation is charged with carrying out canonical trials and seeking justice for victims of clerical abuse, while local bishops and heads of religious orders must care for their pastoral needs, he said in an interview with the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, published March 5.
Cardinal Muller responded to complaints made by Marie Collins, who resigned her post on the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors March 1, citing what she described as resistance coming from Vatican offices against implementing recommendations.
In an editorial published online March 1 by National Catholic Reporter, Collins said an unnamed dicastery not only refused to cooperate on the commission's safeguarding guidelines, but also refused to respond to letters from victims.
Collins said the refusal "to implement one of the simplest recommendations the commission has put forward to date" was the last straw that led to her resignation.
While acknowledging that personal care of victims is important, Cardinal Muller said Collins' accusations "are based on a misunderstanding" and that bishops and religious superiors "who are closer" to victims of clergy sex abuse are charged with their pastoral care.
"When a letter arrives, we always ask the bishop that he take pastoral care of the victim, clarifying that the congregation will do everything possible to do justice. It is a misunderstanding that this dicastery, in Rome," can be aware of everything happening in all the dioceses and religious orders in the world, the cardinal said.
The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, he added, "acts as the supreme apostolic tribunal" on matters dealing with clerical abuse.
"All of our collaborators humanly suffer with the victims of abuse. Our task is to do everything possible to do justice and avoid further crimes," he said.
Through the work of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, the cardinal said, Pope Francis "wished to offer an exemplary service" as a help for the church and the world in dealing with the scourge of child sex abuse.
"Pedophilia is monstrous crime as well as a grave sin. We must remember Jesus' words to the children and his condemnation against those who harm them," Cardinal Muller 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.
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) -- Malaysia is protecting its "sovereignty and dignity" by expelling the North Korean ambassador, the prime minister said Monday, as relations between the countries unraveled further over the poisoning of Kim Jong Nam, the estranged half brother of North Korea's leader....
THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) -- The economy is up, unemployment is down and some Dutch prisons are so empty the government has been renting out cells....
