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The apostolic nuncio to Bangladesh has offered a memorial Mass for the victims, mostly foreigners, massacred in Friday’s terror attack on a popular restaurant in Dhaka. In an interview to TV2000 of the Italian Catholic bishops, Archbishop George Kocherry, the nuncio or Vatican ambassador expressed his pain at the death of 20 hostages, particularly 9 Italians. “We are going through a troubling situation. We are afraid but we entrust everything in God’s hands.” “I could not listen to the Pope but he has sent the Bangladeshi Prime Minister a beautiful message, condemning the terror attack,” the archbishop said. Monday evening Archbishop Kocherry concelebrated a memorial Mass for the dead in Dhaka’s major seminary with Archbishop Patrick D’Rozario of Dhaka. Many local faithful as well as Italians and other nationals attended the service. The total death toll from the attack stands at ...
(Vatican Radio) Britain’s decision to leave the European Union after voting in a referendum last month has left the world reeling.The fallout from Brexit has sparked a feeling of uncertainty throughout Europe and many fear that other European countries will follow suit.Catholic aid agency, Caritas Europa, published a statement expressing its concern that “our core European values are being threatened” and it’s urging all factions of society to act together.Vatican Radio’s Georgia Gogarty spoke with Jorge Nuño Mayer, the Secretary General of Caritas Europa, to found out more about the effects Brexit will have on the work Caritas does.Listen: Mayer said that at the moment we cannot measure what the effects of Brexit will be. However he did reiterate that the main concern of Caritas Europa will be to prevent increased poverty both in Europe and Britain.He said “we want to build bridges” and “we need more dialogue”, stressin...
Caritas India is planning ways to reach out to the victims of the flash floods due to incessant rains in northern Uttarakhand state, that have claimed at least 40 lives. "We are planning to start immediate relief work," Father Frederick D'Souza, executive director of Caritas India, the social wing of the local Catholic Church, told UCANEWS. "We will provide sanitation kits, rations, clothing and solar lamps." He said that the floods have been accompanied by landslides that have damaged lives and property in the hilly state. "We are gathering people in temporary shelters like tents and church-run schools," he added.Continuous downpours are hampering rescue operations and around 5,000 people, including tourists, have been stranded due to heavy landslides following a cloudburst July 1. More landslides are feared as forecasters predict more heavy rain.An assessment carried out by Caritas India's local partners revealed that there has b...
(Vatican Radio) On Tuesday, prosecutors in the so-called ‘Vatileaks 2’ case continued the final phase of the trial which sees five people accused of obtaining and leaking confidential Vatican documents which were subsequently published in two books.In a statement, the Director of the Vatican Press Office, Fr Federico Lombardi, said three of the defendants – Msgr. Lucio Angel Vallejo Balda, Francesca Immacolata Chaouqui and Nicola Maio - were present, while the two journalists – Gianluigi Nuzzi and Emiliano Fittipaldi – were represented by their lawyers. Tuesday’s hearing was dedicated to the defense of Msgr Vallejo Balda whose lawyer presented a closing statement in which she pleaded for full acquittal for her client of all charges regarding the disclosure of confidential documents. As a subsidiary plea, she pleaded for the acquittal of the crime of conspiracy ‘because the crime does not exist’ and, in this case, she asked for a...
Dt 30:10-14; Col 1:15-20; Lk 10:25-37Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, in his autobiography Treasure in Clay, recounts a visit he made to a leper colony in Buluba, Africa. He intended to give a silver crucifix to each of the 500 lepers residing in Buluba. The first person who came forward, however, was a man so disfigured by the ravages of leprosy that Sheen was repulsed by the sight. The man's left arm was eaten off at the elbow by the disease; so he extended his right hand. This hand, too, was unspeakably corrupted by this awful disease. Unable to bear the leper's presence, Sheen held the crucifix above the man's palm and dropped it, where it was immediately swallowed up in the decaying flesh. Instantly, Sheen was aware of his unrighteous act. He had taken the crucifix “God’s sign of identification with humanity” and refused to associate himself with one of God's children. Overcome with remorse, Sheen dug his fingers into the man's leprosy and rem...
(Vatican Radio) Catholic bishops in the Philippines say the country must step up efforts in fighting human trafficking, despite its improved rating in the latest US State Department Trafficking in Persons report.Bishop Ruperto Santos, chairman of the bishops’ Commission on Migrants and Itinerant People, said human trafficking is a “major scourge” in the country which requires concerted efforts from all sections of society to tackle the problem.The Catholic Church last month established a “covenant of partnership” together with the National Council of Churches in the Philippines and the Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches to fight human trafficking.The churches vowed to become “places of welcome, healing and hospitality” for victims and survivors of trafficking, providing legal aid, emergency funds, and medical and psychological support.They will also continue to engage in lobbying through international and national networks to ensur...
Vatican City, Jul 5, 2016 / 06:10 am (CNA/EWTN News).- On Monday, it was announced that Pope Francis will make a private pilgrimage to Assisi early next month to celebrate the eighth centenary of the dedication of the Portiuncula chapel, the site where the Franciscan order began.On Aug. 4, the Pope will visit the small chapel, which is located within the larger Basilica of Our Lady of the Angels, according to Archbishop Rino Fisichella, head of the Pontifical Council for the New Evangelization. The visit was announced July 4 by Bishop Domenico Sorrentino of Assisi and representatives of the Franciscan order.The papal pilgrimage will come two days after the 800th anniversary of the “Pardon of Assisi,” a Franciscan feast which commemorates St. Francis persuading Pope Honorius III to allow pilgrims to receive a plenary indulgence at the Portiuncula. Last week, Pope Francis remembered the Portiuncula – translated as the “little portion” – during...
By Cindy WoodenVATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Francis said he will continuepressing for a church that is open and understanding despite opposition fromsome clerics who "say no to everything.""They do their work and I do mine," the pope saidwhen asked, "What is your relationship with ultraconservatives in thechurch?"The question was posed by Joaquin Morales Sola, a journalist for the Argentinenewspaper La Nacion, in an interview published July 3. The Vatican newspaper,L'Osservatore Romano, published a translation of the interview July 5.Most of the interview focused on issues related to Pope Francis' home country and his relationship with Argentine President Mauricio Macri -- "I have no problem with President Macri," the pope said in the interview.But Morales also asked about internal church matters,including criticisms of the pope."I want a church that is open, understanding, thataccompanies families who are hurting," Pope Francis said.Some church leaders do not agree with his approach...
TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) -- The actress who was the first to play Superman's love interest, Lois Lane, on screen has died. Noel Neill was 95....
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Apple wants to encourage millions of iPhone owners to register as organ donors through a software update that will add an easy sign-up button to the health information app that comes installed on every smartphone the company makes....
