Pope, archbishop express condolences over Fidel Castro's death
http://www.myspiritfm.com/apps/articles/default.asp?blogid=0&view=post&articleid=147806&link=1&fldKeywords=&fldAuthor=&fldTopic=0
By Rhina GuidosWASHINGTON (CNS) -- Quoting from the Book of Ecclesiastes and referencing judgment, Archbishop Thomas G. Wenski of Miami issued a statement on the Nov. 25 death of Cuban leader Fidel Castro."Now he awaits the judgment of God who is merciful but also just," wrote Archbishop Wenski in a brief statement posted on the archdiocese's website Nov. 26. "His death provokes many emotions -- both in and outside the island. Nevertheless, beyond all possible emotions, the passing of this figure should lead us to invoke the patroness of Cuba, the Virgin of Charity, asking for peace for Cuba and its people."Castro was 90 and ruled Cuba from 1959 -- when his regime overthrew the government of Fulgencio Batista -- until 2009 when he handed power over to his brother Raul.Pope Francis sent a telegram in Spanish to Cuba expressing condolences over the "sad news" of "the death of your dear brother" to Raul Castro, who currently rules the island. He also expressed condolences to the gover...
By Rhina Guidos
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Quoting from the Book of Ecclesiastes and referencing judgment, Archbishop Thomas G. Wenski of Miami issued a statement on the Nov. 25 death of Cuban leader Fidel Castro.
"Now he awaits the judgment of God who is merciful but also just," wrote Archbishop Wenski in a brief statement posted on the archdiocese's website Nov. 26. "His death provokes many emotions -- both in and outside the island. Nevertheless, beyond all possible emotions, the passing of this figure should lead us to invoke the patroness of Cuba, the Virgin of Charity, asking for peace for Cuba and its people."
Castro was 90 and ruled Cuba from 1959 -- when his regime overthrew the government of Fulgencio Batista -- until 2009 when he handed power over to his brother Raul.
Pope Francis sent a telegram in Spanish to Cuba expressing condolences over the "sad news" of "the death of your dear brother" to Raul Castro, who currently rules the island. He also expressed condolences to the government and to its people, and said he was offering prayers and entrusting the nation through intercession of Our Lady of Charity of El Cobre, the patron saint of Cuba.
Granma, the official newspaper of the Communist party in Cuba, said the formal public mourning period and homages to Fidel Castro will begin today and go through Dec. 4. On Nov. 30 the transport of his ashes to the province of Santiago will begin, concluding Dec. 3 at the cemetery of St. Ifigenia in Santiago de Cuba, where the Cuban national leader Jose Marti is buried.
Archbishop Wenski concluded his message asking that "Our Lady of Charity, hear her people's prayers and hasten for Cuba the hour of its reconciliation in truth, accompanied by freedom and justice."
Through the intercession of the Mary, may "the Cuban people know how to traverse that narrow road between fear which gives in to evil and violence, which under the illusion of fighting evil only makes it worse," he added.
- - -
Copyright © 2016 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.
Full Article
http://www.myspiritfm.com/apps/articles/default.asp?blogid=0&url=10&view=post&articleid=275611&link=1&fldKeywords=&fldAuthor=&fldTopic=0
The "Holy Fire" is passed from inside Christ's tomb to pilgrims gathered inside the Basilica of the Holy Sepulcher in Jersusalem on May 4, 2024, for the annual Orthodox Christian ceremony, held on the day before Easter, according to the Julian calendar. / Credit: Marinella Bandini/CNAJerusalem, May 5, 2024 / 09:00 am (CNA).Pilgrims gathered in Jerusalem on Saturday for the annual "Holy Fire" ceremony at the revered site of Jesus' burial and resurrection, an ancient custom considered by many believers to be a miraculous event that takes place the day before the Orthodox Christian celebration of Easter.For safety reasons, attendance at the May 4 event was capped at 4,200 people inside the Basilica of the Holy Sepulcher, though the crowds were more manageable and somewhat subdued this year because of a lack of pilgrims from the Palestinian territories and abroad due to the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.Israeli police man a checkpoint inside the Old City of Jerusalem duri...
http://www.myspiritfm.com/apps/articles/default.asp?blogid=0&url=10&view=post&articleid=275610&link=1&fldKeywords=&fldAuthor=&fldTopic=0
Pope Francis greets the crowd gathered at St. Peter's Square on May 5, 2024. / Credit: Vatican MediaVatican City, May 5, 2024 / 09:30 am (CNA).Pope Francis asked for a moment of silence as he spoke from the window of the Apostolic Palace on Sunday for people to thank the Lord for their friends. The pope reflected on the gift of friendship during his Regina Caeli address on May 5."Since childhood, we learn how beautiful this experience is: We offer friends our toys and the most beautiful gifts; then, growing up, as teenagers, we confide our first secrets to them; as young people we offer loyalty; as adults, we share satisfactions and worries; as seniors, the memories, considerations, and silences of long days," the 87-year-old pope said."The word of God, in the Book of Proverbs, tells us that 'Oil and perfume make the heart glad, and the sweetness of a friend comes from his earnest counsel' (Prv 27:9). Let us think a moment of our friends and thank the Lord for them."S...
http://www.myspiritfm.com/apps/articles/default.asp?blogid=0&url=10&view=post&articleid=275607&link=1&fldKeywords=&fldAuthor=&fldTopic=0
Archbishop Filomeno do Nascimento Vieira Dias of Angola's Archdiocese of Luanda. / Credit: Radio EcclesiaACI Africa, May 5, 2024 / 07:00 am (CNA).Archbishop Filomeno do Nascimento Vieira Dias of Angola's Archdiocese of Luanda has asked the people of God under his pastoral care to dedicate the last Sunday of the month to adoration of the Blessed Sacrament as part of the preparations for the Church's 2025 Jubilee Year. Pope Francis on Jan. 21 announced the start of a Year of Prayer in preparation for the Church's 2025 Jubilee Year, the second in his pontificate after the extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy in 2015."Following the Holy Father's call, as an archdiocese, we will be holding adoration of the Blessed Sacrament on the last Sunday of each month in all parishes and, in alternate months, a meditation on the importance of prayer in the life of the Church," the archbishop said in his April 18 message.Eucharistic adoration, he said, facilitates "a true encounter with Chri...