CATHOLIC WORLD NEWS: JULY 23, 2009. VIS reports that on 24 July, Benedict XVI will lead Vespers in the cathedral of Aosta, Italy. The ceremony will have 400 people including priests, religious, two lay people from each of Aosta's ninety-three parishes, and representatives from diocesan offices and ecclesial organisations. The Holy See Press Office Director also explained that Benedict XVI "makes regular phone calls to his brother, Msgr. Georg Ratzinger who, in a few day's time, will travel to Castelgandolfo to spend four weeks with the Pope"
VIS also notes that the Holy Father appointed: - Fr. Theodorus van Ruijven C.M., apostolic prefect of Jimma-Bonga, Ethiopia, and apostolic administrator of Nekemte, Ethiopia, as apostolic vicar of Nekemte (area 98,972, population 6,501,000, Catholics 45,000, priests 32, religious 48). The bishop-elect was born in Rijswijk, Holland in 1938 and ordained a priest in 1964. - Archbishop Giovanni Angelo Becciu, apostolic nuncio to Angola and to Sao Tome e Principe, as apostolic nuncio to Cuba. (With files from VIS 090723 (90)
AFRICA
CONGO CARITAS WORKER KILLED
Caritas Australia reports that an aid worker from the Secours Catholique (French Caritas) was killed in Congo.
“The Caritas confederacy was saddened to hear of the tragic death of Ricky Agusa Sukaka, who was recently shot dead in Musezero, North Kivu, on his way home from work”, said Caritas Australia’s CEO Jack de Groot.
“Mr Sukaka was part of the relief effort assisting the almost one million people displaced in North and South Kivu following violent clashes between the army and rebel forces”, said Groot.
The victim was stopped by two men wearing Congolese army uniforms before he was killed. His colleagues later found his body.
“While we cannot speculate as to who the perpetrators are as yet, his death adds to the growing number of victims stemming from the increased activity of rebel groups and the army in the region”, said Mr de Groot.“The violence has been particularly predatory as it targets the largely unprotected civilian populace, with looting and rape accompanying the killings. Those that flee their homes often end up in camps where they have to rely on aid for basic necessities such as food, water and clothes.“The world is dotted with such ‘forgotten’ conflicts like the DRC but we as an international community must not turn our backs on the many men and women, who like Mr Sukaka, confront injustice even to the point of death.
(With files from: http://www.caritas.org.au/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Media_releases&TEMPLATE=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&CONTENTID=5875
ASIA
CAMBODIAN BISHOP DIES
UCAN that Bishop Jean Sommeng Vorachak in Thakhet, Laos, died on July 14. The funeral Mass was held at the Thakhet cathedral. His body was later buried at Ban Sian Vangtha, his hometown, about 30 kilometers away.A letter of condolence was read from Pope Benedict XVI.
He was ordained a priest in 1963, appointed pro-vicar of the Savannakhet apostolic vicariate in 1975 and ordained bishop in 1997.
There are about 43,000 Catholics in Laos, out of a total population of about 6 million, most of whom are Buddhists, according to a Church source in Laos. The Catholics are served by 13 priests and 89 nuns in the four Church jurisdictions. (With files & image from: http://www.ucanews.com/2009/07/23/cambodian-church-shares-laotian-catholics%e2%80%99-sorrow-at-loss-of-bishop/
EUROPE
ARCHBISHOP ENCOURAGES PARENTS TO BRING CHILDREN TO MASS
The Catholic Herald of England had an interview with Archbishop Nichols. He encourages parents to take their children to Mass. Archbishop Vincent Nichols of Westminster He said that even though teenage years were a time of "testing boundaries, seeing what you can get away with", the "backcloth" of their parents' faith stayed with them."That steady backcloth and foundation of faith is often a real summons later in life," he said. "So I would say to parents: don't panic, read the parable of the Prodigal Son and see that it is actually a parable about a loving father. "So be a loving father, be a loving mother. Be patient. But don't waver in your own living of the faith and cherishing of it. And that will pay dividends."The Archbishop said the "heartache" of parents seeing their children leave the Church was not new. The task of preparing young people for adult Catholic life, he said, was "jolly difficult". "I'm not sure if we've ever had it that right," he said. "He said schools could prepare children for the feast days earlier in the week by holding processions and talking about their meaning at assemblies and in Religious Education. But the parish, he said, "should be the central place where the mysteries of the faith are celebrated. There's no doubt that more people are able to go to Mass on a Sunday than on a working Thursday." (With files from http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/articles/a0000596.shtml)
AUSTRALIA
FIJI MILITARY DETAIN CHURCH LEADERS
CathNews Australia reports that Fiji's millitary regime detained key members of the country's Methodist Church, a day after a few leaders were held for questioning and released, over an annual Church conference planned for August.
The government officials said that Church authorities planned to push a political discussion rather than spiritual development at the conference, a breach of the island's Public Emergency Regulations, ABC and Radio New Zealand International both report.
Among those arrested was former president of Fiji Methodist Church Reverend Manasa Lasaro, general secretary Reverend Tuikilakila Waqairatu, the secretary for pastoral ministry Tomasi Kanailagi, and the church's finance secretary Viliame Gonelevu. The leaders said the conference planned for the end of August in Rewa, near Suva, will go ahead, although the government said it is cancelling the event.
(With files from: http://www.cathnews.com/article.aspx?aeid=15323 )
AMERICA
MOVIE ABOUT UGANDAN NUN
CathNews Austrailia reports that "Girl Soldier", is the true and tragic story of 140 Ugandan girls who were kidnapped and enslaved in 1996. "Girl Soldier" is based on Kathy Cook's first hand account of the incident, "Stolen Angels". The book recounts the story of girls who were kidnapped from their school by Joseph Kony, leader of Uganda's Lord Resistance Army. They were forced to become soldiers and sex slaves, and would have been forgotten had it not been for their mothers and a group of interfaith clerics who fought to rescue them from their captors.
Actress Uma Thurman will play one of the religious, a nun by the name of Sister Caroline. She tracked the LRA members back to their camp and demanded the release of the kidnapped. 110 girls were returned to her, but Caroline refused to turn her back on the rest.
She began a crusade to rally parents, the Ugandan government, the United Nations and even the Pope to assist in rescuing all of the children living in captivity.
It is being produced by Caspian Pictures.
(With files from: http://www.cathnews.com/article.aspx?aeid=15322
TODAY'S SAINT
Bridget was born in Sweden in 1303. When she was fourteen, she married eighteen-year-old Ulf. They had eight children, of whom one was St. Catherine of Sweden. Bridget and Ulf served the Swedish court. After her husband died, Bridget lived as a nun. She was devoted to the Passion of Jesus. Later, she started the order of the Most Holy Savior, also known as Bridgettines. St. Bridget died in Rome on July 23, 1373.
SAINTLY QUOTE
God is Love. We eventually have to ask ourselves the question; why was Love nailed to a cross?Pope John Paul II
TODAY'S GOSPEL
Matthew 13: 10 - 17
Then the disciples came and said to him, "Why do you speak to them in parables?"
And he answered them, "To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.
For to him who has will more be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away.
This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.
With them indeed is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah which says: `You shall indeed hear but never understand, and you shall indeed see but never perceive.
For this people's heart has grown dull, and their ears are heavy of hearing, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should perceive with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and turn for me to heal them.'
But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear.
Truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous men longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.
