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UNITED NATIONS (AP) -- President Barack Obama conceded Tuesday that the United States and other world powers have limited ability to solve the most profound challenges facing the world, while calling for a "course correction" for globalization to ensure that nations don't retreat into a more sharply divided world....
(Vatican Radio) The city of Assisi has seen a good bit of history: from foreign invasions to civil wars to natural disasters, the small hilltop city in Umbria seems to have been in the way of everything; and its most famous native son, Francis, is credited with almost single-handedly repairing a broken – and by some accounts, dying – Church in the early 13th century, and with sparking a renascence of faith and zeal for the Gospel that, eight centuries later, continues to inform and direct the energies of the whole Church and the Catholic faithful throughout the world.Pope Francis is coming to this place, to pray and to lead the leaders of the world’s religions in supplication to the Lord of creation for the gift of peace.Thirst for Peace: religions and cultures in dialogue is the theme of this 30th anniversary edition of the World Day of Prayer for Peace, in preparation for which the Community of Sant’Egidio has organized three days of conferences taking th...
(Vatican Radio) Among the world’s religious leaders gathered in Assisi on Tuesday for the World Day of Prayer for Peace is the Archbishop of Canterbury and head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, Justin Welby.The Anglican leader was moderating one of the many panel discussions organised by the St Edigio community as part of a three day international meeting focused on the theme ‘Thirst for peace – religions and cultures in dialogue’. Since the first Day of Prayer for Peace in Assisi, called for by Pope John Paul II exactly 30 years ago, St Egidio has organised an annual interfaith encounter to highlight the vital role of dialogue among all people of faith in promoting peace in the world.Listen: Archbishop Welby was joined by the founder of the St Egidio community, Andrea Riccardi, by the former head of the Vatican’s Council for Christian Unity, Cardinal Walter Kasper, by Jewish interfaith expert, Rabbi David Rosen and by Italy’s de...
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis has landed in Assisi, the hilltop town in central Italy where Saint Francis was born.His one day visit to Assisi sees him taking part in the closing of the interreligious World Day of Prayer for Peace, organized by the Community of Sant’Egidio. The theme of the 3-day international meeting this year is “Thirst for Peace. Religions and Cultures in Dialogue”.This year marks the 30th anniversary of the First World Day of Prayer for Peace that St. John Paul convened back in 1986, an historic event which saw world leaders of different religions come together for the very first time to pray for peace. The Pope has travelled to Assisi by helicopter and after his landing near the Basilica of St Mary of the Angels where Bishop Domenico Sorrentino of Assisi and the local authorities greeted him, the Pope travels by car to the Holy Convent of Assisi. Here he is welcomed by Father Mauro Gambetti, Custodian of the Holy Convent, the...
(Vatican Radio) The world needs to go “beyond the divisions of religions,” and feel the “shame” of war, without turning a “deaf ear” to the cries of those who are suffering: that’s what Pope Francis said in his Homily at Mass at Santa Marta Tuesday morning. The Holy Father was speaking just hours before he was to leave for the Umbrian hill town of Assisi where he was to take part September 20, 2016 in the closing ceremony of an international summit of interfaith leaders to pray for world peace. The first such gathering in Assisi was convened by Pope St. John Paul II in 1986."There is no god of war". War, the inhumanity of a bomb that explodes, killing and injuring people, and cutting off humanitarian aid so that it cannot get to children, the elderly, the sick, is uniquely the work of “the evil one” who "wants to kill everyone," said the Pope. For this, it is necessary for all faiths ...
(Vatican Radio) If dialogue is the path to peace, and if authentic dialogue consists in careful listening and frank speaking, then the Cardinal-Archbishop of Abuja, Nigeria, John Onaiyekan, is to be counted as one who “gets it”. In a brief, but intense moment of conversation with Vatican Radio following a panel discussion on terrorism, which took place Monday afternoon in Assisi as part of events in preparation for the World Day of Prayer for Peace, Cardinal Onaiyekan made remarks that left no doubt regarding his own commitment to dialogue.Listen to Chris Altieri's interview with Cardinal Onaiyekan: Speaking of the terrorist insurgency of the Boko Haram group, which has killed scores of thousands of people since its founding in 2002 with the express purpose of overthrowing Nigeria's legitimate government and establishing Islamic law throughout the country, Cardinal Onaiyekan said, “These are religious extremists.” The significance of the assertion c...
BEIRUT (AP) -- The Latest on developments in Syria, where a cease-fire is faltering further after airstrikes hit an aid convoy overnight (all times local):...
HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) -- Zimbabwe's economy is falling apart, and police are cracking down on growing anti-government protests. But the country's comedy scene is booming. No subject seems taboo....
UNITED NATIONS (AP) -- Standing before the United Nations for the last time as president, Barack Obama will reassure foreign leaders that the world is better equipped to tackle its challenges than at almost any point in history despite a cascade of harrowing crises that seem devoid of viable solutions....
