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Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle ushered in Holy Week in the Philippine capital Manila celebrating the Palm Sunday Mass during which he called on the faithful to welcome Christ in the person of the poor and the oppressed. In his homily at the city cathedral, the Archbishop of Manila said that Palm Sunday is an invitation for everyone to welcome Christ into their life in the image of the hungry, the sick, the lonely and the outcast. The welcoming of the real Jesus is the acceptance of His presence in the poor, those being spat upon by society, those insulted and those who remain silent even when they are slapped,” the cardinal said speaking in Tagalog.Thousands of Catholics packed the cathedral and parishes and churches across the country, to mark the start of the Holy Week that culminates with Easter Sunday. Many people waved palm fronds to symbolize how worshippers greeted Jesus over 2,000 years ago as he entered Jerusalem. Cardinal Talge also focused on how Je...
(Vatican Radio) Egypt’s Muslim leaders have condemned the suicide attacks that hit two Coptic churches on Sunday, killing at least 44 people and wounding more than 100 others.The Grand Imam of al-Azhar, Ahmed Muhammad al-Tayyeb, said in a statement that "attacks against places of worship go against the authentic Islamic religion and its teachings of tolerance, but fail to undermine the unity of the Egyptian people." Pope's safety guaranteedAl-Azhar officials said the safety of Pope Francis would be guaranteed during his planned visit to Cairo on April 28th and 29th.The so-called Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attacks in the Nile Delta town of Tanta and in the coastal city of Alexandria, which came as Christians took part in Palm Sunday celebrations. Egypt’s Coptic Patriarch Pope Tawadros II was still inside the cathedral in Alexandria when the second attack took place.Further attacks foiledEgyptian security officials said th...
(Vatican Radio) The first washing machines and tumble dryers for the homeless in Rome whirred into action on Monday as ‘Pope Francis’ Laundry’ opened its doors to provide a much needed service.One of the many difficulties for those who live on the streets is to be able to wash, dry and iron their clothes and blankets, and the Vatican-sponsored laundry is a response to Pope Francis’s invitation to give concrete signs of solidarity to our brothers and sisters in need.A communiqué released by the Apostolic Almoner quotes from the Pope’s Apostolic Letter, Misericordia et misera, at the conclusion of the Jubilee Year of Mercy: “The desire for closeness to Christ requires us to draw near to our brothers and sisters, for nothing is more pleasing to the Father than a true sign of mercy. By its very nature, mercy becomes visible and tangible in specific acts.”So, Papal Almoner, Archbishop Konrad Krajewski noted: “Here is a concrete sig...
Activists organized a Holy Week protest march in the Philippine capital on Monday drawing attention to the suffering the that urban poor are burdened with. Hundreds of Filipinos from slum communities joined the April 10 procession to the presidential palace in Manila to condemn the government's "anti-poor policies." In what is called the “Calvary of the poor”, protesters carried crosses symbolizing issues that burden the poor, such as lack of housing, killing and human rights abuses, in a dramatization of the passion of Jesus Christ on Monday of Holy Week. "Promises made by the government should not remain as promises," said Gloria Arellano, spokeswoman of the urban poor group Kadamay. President Rodrigo Duterte last week announced that he would provide free housing for the poor and distribute land to landless peasants as part of the government's peace initiatives with communist rebels. The Phil...
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis’ forthcoming visit to Cairo can be “a very powerful effort in reaching out” to Muslim leaders there.That’s the view of a former student at Egypt’s al-Azhar university, currently serving as co-chair of Britain's Christian Muslim Forum.Sheikh Ibrahim Mogra was born in Malawi to a family of Indian origin but currently lives and works in Leicester where he has been at the forefront of deepening interfaith relations.He talked to Philippa Hitchen about the Pope’s planned visit to the Egyptian capital on April 28th and 29th, where he will meet with both Islamic leaders at al-Azhar and the head of the Coptic community, Pope Tawadros II….Listen: Sheikh Ibrahim Mogra says that depending on which Muslim historian you read, al-Azhar is “either the first or second oldest university in the Muslim world”. He adds that it’s “much more than that” as an institute with global influen...
A draft private member’s Bill headed for debate in Zambia’s parliament and aimed at repealing the Law Association of Zambia Act has been described as politically motivated.In a statement of 10 April, made available to Vatican Radio, Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops’(ZCCB) Secretary General, Fr. Cleophas Lungu who is also Oasis Forum Chairperson said the privately sponsored bill of the governing Patriotic Front (PF) party is not only politically motivated but is ultimately intended at disbanding and silencing the Law Association of Zambia. “Whilst the Oasis Forum is not entirely surprised with the misguided and politically motivated agitations against prophetic voices such as the LAZ and some private media houses, we are extremely concerned and worried by the issuance of a draft Private Member’s Bill by a PF Member of Parliament, which is clearly bent on replacing the current piece of legislation upon which the establishment of the Law Associ...
Vatican City, Apr 10, 2017 / 09:50 am (CNA/EWTN News).- The Vatican confirmed Monday that Pope Francis' trip to Egypt at the end of the month will go on as planned, despite terrorist attacks which killed more than 43 people during Palm Sunday celebrations in the country.The Director of the Holy See Press Office, Greg Burke, told journalists April 10 that “the Pope's trip to Egypt proceeds as scheduled.” The Pope himself also confirmed that the trip will take place, according to Franciscan Fr. Marco Tasca.During a meeting April 10 with General Ministers of the Franciscan Order, Francis “very firmly confirmed his trip to Egypt,” Fr. Tasca said, adding that he is “very informed.”Pope Francis plans to visit the Egyptian capital of Cairo April 28-29, in what is largely a bid to foster greater Catholic-Muslim dialogue, particularly on the point of ending extremist violence. The first of Sunday’s attacks, a bomb at the Coptic Christia...
By Cindy WoodenROME(CNS) -- On the eve of Palm Sunday, Pope Francis gave young people severalmissions: to ask their grandparents what their dreams were; to work to makethose dreams reality; and to let their bishops and the pope himself know whatthey need from the church.Officiallylaunching the youths' preparation for the 2018 Synod of Bishops and for WorldYouth Day 2019 inPanama, Pope Francis gathered with youths and young adults for an eveningprayer vigil April 8 at Rome's Basilica of St. Mary Major.The80-year-old pope surprised some people with two references to his own age,first pointing out that while they are preparing for the future, "at myage we are preparing to go." The young people present objected loudly."No?" the pope responded, "Who can guarantee life? No one."Later,returning to his appeal that they speak to their grandparents, the pope said,"I don't know if it will be me, but the pope will be in Panama and he willask you, 'Did you speak with your elders?'"PopeFrancis a...
By Carol GlatzVATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Despiterecent and repeated terrorist attacks against Egypt's minority Christiancommunities, Pope Francis will not cancel his visit to Egypt."The pope's trip toEgypt proceeds as scheduled," Greg Burke, Vatican spokesman, told CatholicNews Service by email April 10. The pope is scheduled to meet governmental andinterfaith leaders during an April 28-29 visit to Cairo."Egyptians are lookingforward to Pope Francis' visit, although the atmosphere at present is heavy,"Father Rafic Grieche, spokesman for the Egyptian bishops, told CNS April 10,the day after the attacks."The pope's mission is tobe beside his brothers at the time of difficulty. Now is the real time that hecan bring peace and hope to the Egyptian people as a whole and to theChristians of the East, in particular," Father Grieche added. He said people were uneasyentering churches with metal detectors and other security measures."It's not like going to anormal church. But we need these measure...
DALLAS (AP) -- Airlines are getting better at sticking to their schedules and are losing fewer bags. Their customers seem to be complaining less often....
