CATHOLIC WORLD NEWS: TUES. APRIL 13, 2010: HEADLINES-
VATICAN: INVESTIGATIVE COMMISSION ON MEDJUGORJE MEETS/MEMORIAM
ASIA: CHINA: EARTHQUAKE KILLS 300 PEOPLE AND MORE SUSPECTED DEAD-
AMERICA: MEXICO: CHURCH ATTACKED BY ARSONISTS-
EUROPE: GERMANY: POPE'S BIRTH HOME VANDALISED-
AFRICA: UGANDA: UNIVERSITY HELPS THE POOR-
AUSTRALIA: TEENAGER ARRESTED FOR ASSAULTING A HOMELESS MAN-
VATICAN
INVESTIGATIVE COMMISSION ON MEDJUGORJE MEETS
VATICAN CITY, 13 APR 2010 (VIS) - The Press Office of the Holy See today published the following communique:
"The International Investigative Commission on Medjugorje met for its first session on 26 March 2010."
"The Commission, presided over by Cardinal Camillo Ruini, His Holiness' vicar general emeritus for the diocese of Rome, is composed of the following members: Cardinal Jozef Tomko, prefect emeritus of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples; Cardinal Vinko Puljic, Archbishop of Vrhbosna, president of the Bishops' Conference of Bosnia-Herzegovina; Cardinal Josip Bozanic, Archbishop of Zagreb and vice-president of the Council of European Bishops' Conference; Cardinal Julian Herranz, president emeritus of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts; Archbishop Angelo Amato, S.D.B., prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints; Msgr. Tony Anatrella, psychoanalyst and specialist in Social Psychiatry; Msgr. Pierangelo Sequeri, professor of Fundamental Theology at the Theological Faculty of Northern Italy; Fr. David Maria Jaeger, O.F.M., consultant to the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts; Fr. Zdzislaw Jozef Kijas, O.F.M. Conv., relator of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints; Fr. Salvatore M. Perrella, O.S.M., teacher of Mariology at the Pontifical Marianum Faculty of Theology; and Fr. Achim Schutz, professor of Theological Anthropology at the Pontifical Lateran University as secretary. Msgr. Krzysztof Nykiel, an officer of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith serves as additional secretary."
"Other experts have also participated in the commission's work: Fr. Franjo Topic, professor of Fundamental Theology in Sarajevo; Fr. Mijo Nikic, S.J., professor of Psychology and Psychology of Religion at the Philosophical and Theological Institute of the Society of Jesus in Zagreb, Fr. Mihaly Szentmartoni, S.J., professor of Spirituality at the Pontifical Gregorian University, and Sr. Veronica Nela Gaspar, professor of Theology at Rijeka." "As announced previously, the work of the Commission will be carried out with the utmost reserve. Its conclusions will be submitted to the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith for study."OP/ VIS 20100413 (320)
IN MEMORIAM
VATICAN CITY, 13 APR 2010 (VIS) - The following prelates died in recent weeks:
- Bishop Hilario Chavez Joya M.N.M., emeritus of Nuevo Casas Grandes, Mexico, on 4 March at the age of 82.
- Bishop Paul Kim Ok-kyun, former auxiliary of Seoul, Korea, on 1 March at the age of 84.
- Bishop Carlo Chenis S.D.B. of Civitavecchia-Tarquinia, Italy, on 19 March at the age of 55.
- Bishop Franco Gualdrini, emeritus of Terni-Narni-Amelia, Italy, on 22 March at the age of 86.
- Bishop Josef Homeyer, emeritus of Hildesheim, Germany, on 30 March at the age of 80.
- Bishop Leroy Theodore Matthiesen, emeritus of Amarillo, U.S.A., on 22 March at the age of 88.
- Bishop Vincent Mensah, emeritus of Porto Novo, Benin, on 10 March at the age of 85.
- Bishop Zygmunt Jozef Pawlowicz, former auxiliary of Gdansk, Poland, on 18 March at the age of 82.
- Archbishop Jose Antonio Peteiro Freire O.F.M., emeritus of Tanger, Morocco, on 25 March at the age of 73.
- Bishop Fernando Iorio Rodrgiues, emeritus of Palmeira dos Indios, Brazil, on 20 March at the age of 80.
ASIA
CHINA: EARTHQUAKE KILLS 300 PEOPLE AND MORE SUSPECTED DEAD
Asia News report: The area is the border between Qinghai and Tibet. Victims among the Tibetans. Rescue operations difficult because the area is remote.
Beijing (AsiaNews / Agencies) - An earthquake measuring 7.1 hit the area of Qinghai (northwest China) this morning killing at least 300 people and injured more than 8 thousand. Many others are still trapped under the rubble of collapsed houses. The area is in the Tibetan plateau and is inhabited by many Tibetan ethnic groups.
In several cities, especially in the Yushu area, low brick buildings were destroyed, police and residents are working to extract the wounded from under the collapsed buildings. The remoteness of the area from major population centers makes it difficult for rescue operations.
The epicenter of the earthquake occurred 240 km north-northwest from Qamdo, Tibet and 375 km south-southeast of the mining town of Golmud in Qinghai at a depth of 10 km.
The Tibetan plateau is regularly shaken by earthquakes, but the victims are usually few because there are no high concentrations of population. In May 2008, the south-east of Qinghai and Tibet, an earthquake in Sichuan killed 80 thousand people.
http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Earthquake-on-the-Tibetan-plateau:-At-least-300-dead-18132.html
AMERICA
MEXICO: CHURCH ATTACKED BY ARSONISTS
CNA report: The parish of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, located in El Porvenir, a town about 62 miles from the city of Juarez, Mexico, was attacked by unidentified arsonists in plain sight of parishioners whose faces displayed “helplessness” as they struggled to control the flames.
According to the Bulletin of the Council of Catholic Analysts in Mexico, the parish priest, Fr. Salvador Salgado Murguia said that with much “toil, sweat, and tears, parishioners were able to control the flames that were ignited when masked gunmen sprayed the doors to the parish with gasoline.”
“The main door to the church was reduced to a pile of embers. Fortunately, there were no injuries,” Fr. Salgado Murguia added. “The attack on the church damaged parts of the choir and vestibule,” but also has harmed the Catholic community, whose members' “faces displayed utter helplessness.”
The pastor went on to explain that this tragedy was the straw that broke the camel’s back for many parishioners. The faithful of the area have come to him with “sadness, saying that because they have seen their parish burned, they are leaving. “They don’t want to stay and risk becoming victims again if their homes are burned by delinquents,” he explained.
Fr. Salgado Murguia also remarked that local authorities have done little to nothing in the week since the event. He cited the “constant violence of the criminal organizations and their accomplices who work under the broad light of inefficiency of the agencies in charge of national security.”
Recently, the Mexican newspaper, La Jornada, indicated that criminal groups in that area “have already killed more than 80 people this year, burned 16 houses, and distributed messages on blankets or pieces of cardboard warning the local residents “ to leave the area.
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/arsonists_target_mexican_parish_on_easter/
EUROPE
GERMANY: POPE'S BIRTH HOME VANDALISED
Cath News report: A foot-high profane slogan, saying "F*** Yourselves", has been spray painted onto the facade of the house where Pope Benedict was born in Germany.
The 30-centimetre high letters of the slogan over the door of the 264-year-old building in Marktl, first noticed yesterday, were hastily painted over, according to reports by the ABC and an AFP article in the Herald Sun. Police spokesman Konrad Rutzinger is cited saying that the message seems to be linked to the abuse scandals that have engulfed the Catholic Church.
http://www.cathnews.com/article.aspx?aeid=20636
AFRICA
UGANDA: UNIVERSITY HELPS THE POOR
All Africa report: Nestled in Lubowa opposite Quality Shopping Village, African Bible University commands unique beauty and design. Established five years ago, the university has two degree programmes of bachelor of biblical studies and bachelor of Christian community leadership that is further divided into bachelor of education, business administration and communication.
The university also has a community outreach service programme whose objective is to serve the community. Prof. Palmer Robertson, the university's vice-chancellor says the university has a work scholarship programme, where the students work on the university farm, library, computer library or the administration and use the money to pay for tuition, food and accommodation.
Unlike many other universities in Uganda that run three-year degree programmes, the university runs a four-year degree programme. One year is devoted to studies like journalism, business administration, education and counselling.
Reaching the needy
The university has students from seven other countries including Kenya, Ethiopia, Malawi, Zambia, Rwanda, Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The community outreach services have reached students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Most of the 200 students at the university benefit from work programmes. Those who can afford, pay sh1.5m per semester for tuition, accommodation, feeding and scholastic materials.
Beneficiaries
Grace Angee, 29, a first year student of bachelor of christian community leadership in education is a beneficiary of the University's community outreach.
A native from Amida Village in Kitgum district, Angee was abducted three times by the Lords Resistance Army (LRA), which has killed over 100,000 people and displaced over 1.7 million people in northern Uganda.
The rebels also killed her father. "I managed to escape from captivity three times. My mother supported me through primary and my cousin paid my fees for secondary, but there was no money for my higher education. I dropped out to do odd jobs but this did not raise my tuition."
While working in the church. One day, Angee heard over the radio that the African Bible University was having a seminar in Kitgum and were calling for people to attend.
"I was working as a secretary so I spared some time to attend. After the seminar, they told us that the university has a community outreach service, where they support disadvantaged students in their studies. But we had to sit for an exam," she says.
Angee did the exam and emerged the best and was enrolled at the university. She is on a work scholarship. She works for the university and she is paid money which she uses to pay for accommodation, tuition and feeding.
Twenty five-year-old Charles Juuko, another beneficiary of the community outreach is a student of biblical studies in education.
As a young man, Juuko suffered at the hands of his father and relatives. His father was a witchdoctor, polygamous and used to abuse Juuko and his mother. At one time, he was forced to inherit the witchcraft work of his father.
Juuko was later denied education by his father because he had become a born-again Christian against his father's wishes.
"A Christian at the church offered to pay for my primary to secondary education. But it was hard to raise fees for university."
One day, Juuko heard an announcement over radio from the African Bible University, requesting students from poor backgrounds to apply for work scholarships in which he succeeded.
The Africa Renewal Ministries based in Ggaba, offered him a scholarship at the university. Juuko plans to become a pastor.
"I also want to have orphanages to mentor some people. I do not want other people to suffer like I did," he says.
The university has a student population of about 200. They intend to keep this small number to maintain a close contact and relationship with them.
Each lecture room has about 30 students and the lecturers know each student by name. "We are not looking for students who want to make a lot of money but students to build the word of God and also serve the community," Robertson explains.
The African Bible University in Uganda is the third in Africa. It has other branches in Liberia and Malawi. As the vice-chancellor observes, African Bible University does not aim at building huge profits through big numbers. From its humble beginning, the university strives to produce graduates who will impact their world. It is a tough journey but they are taking it one day at a time.
http://allafrica.com/stories/201004140485.html
AUSTRALIA
TEENAGER ARRESTED FOR ASSAULTING A HOMELESS MAN
News.com.au report: A TEENAGER boasted to friends that he knocked out a homeless man with one punch, a court was told.
William Kiss, 18, allegedyly assaulted James Grace, 46, last Friday night as Mr Grace slept outside a Westpac Bank in Brisbane.
Brisbane Magistrates Court was told that Mr Grace is not expected to survive his injuries.
Mr Kiss, an apprentice diesel fitter, was granted conditional bail despite police arguments had that was "highly likely" that the charge against him would be up-graded to murder.
Prosecutor Karen Friedrichs said as a result of Mr Grace's head injury and his already poor state of health there was little medical staff could do for him and it seemed only a matter of time before he passed away.
The court was told that Mr Kiss had been at a party before he came across Mr Grace and argued with him.
"(Kiss allegedly) punched (Mr Grace) just once with a closed fist,'' Ms Friedrichs said.
"(Kiss) has then boasted to a number of people that he knocked (Mr Grace) out."
She said Mr Grace fell to the ground after being struck and that it was likely he would have died at the scene had by-standers not called for an ambulance.
Kiss was remanded to appear for committal mention of his charge of May 31.
http://www.news.com.au/national/william-kiss-boasted-he-knocked-out-homeless-man-with-one-punch-court-told/story-e6frfkvr-1225853870382
TODAY'S SAINT
Pope St. Martin I
POPE, MARTYR
Feast: April 13
Born: Todi, Tuscany, Italy
Died: 655 at Cherson, Crimea
Martyr, born at Todi on the Tiber, son of Fabricius; elected Pope at Rome, 21 July, 649, to succeed Theodore I; died at Cherson in the present peninsulas of Krym, 16 Sept., 655, after a reign of 6 years, one month and twenty six days, having ordained eleven priests, five deacons and thirty-three bishops. 5 July is the date commonly given for his election, but 21 July (given by Lobkowitz, "Statistik der Papste" Freiburg, 1905) seems to correspond better with the date of his death and reign (Duchesne "Lib. Pont.", I, 336); his feast is on 12 November.The Greeks honor him on 13 April and 15 September, the Muscovites on 14 April. In the hymns of the Office the Greeks style him infallibilis fidei magister because he was the successor of St. Peter in the See of Rome (Nilles, "Calendarium Manuale", Innsbruck, 1896, I, 336).
Martin, one of the noblest figures in a long line of Roman pontiffs (Hodgkin, "Italy", VI, 268) was, according to his biographer Theodore (Mai, "Spicil. Rom.", IV 293) of noble birth, a great student, of commanding intelligence, of profound learning, and of great charity to the poor. Piazza, II 45 7 states that he belonged to the order of St. Basil. He governed the Church at a time when the leaders of the Monothelite heresy, supported by the emperor, were making most strenuous efforts to spread their tenets in the East and West. Pope Theodore had sent Martin as apocrysiary to Constantinople to make arrangements for canonical deposition of the heretical patriarch, Pyrrhus. After his election, Martin had himself consecrated without waiting for the imperial confirmation, and soon called a council in the Lateran at which one hundred and five bishops met. Five sessions were held on 5, 8, 17, 119 and 31 Oct., 649 (Hefele, "Conciliengeschichte", III, 190). The "Ecthesis" of Heraclius and the "Typus" of Constans II were rejected; nominal excommunication was passed against Sergius, Pyrrus, and Paul of Constantinople, Cyrus of Alexandria and Theodore of Phran in Arabia; twenty canons were enacted defining the Catholic doctrine on the two wills of Christ. The decrees signed by the pope and the assembled bishops were sent to the other bishops and the faithful of the world together with an encyclical of Martin. The Acts with a Greek translation were also sent to the Emperor Constans II.
The pope appointed John, Bishop of Philadelphia, as his vicar in the East with necessary instructions and full authority . Bishop Paul of Thessalonica refused to recall his heretical letters previously sent to Rome and added others,—he was, therefore, formally excommunicated and deposed. The Patriarch of Constantinople, Paul, had urged the emperor to use drastic means to force the pope and the Western Bishops at least to subscribe to the "Typus". The emperor sent Olympius as exarch to Italy, where he arrived while the council was still in session. Olympius tried to create a faction among the fathers to favor the views of the emperor, but without success. Then upon pretense of reconciliation he wished to receive Holy Communion from the hands of the pontiff with the intention of slaying him. But Divine Providence protected the pope, and Olympius left Rome to fight against the Saracens in Sicily and died there. Constans II thwarted in his plans, sent as exarch Theodore Calliopas with orders to bring Martin to Constantinople. Calliopas arrived in Rome, 15 June, 653, and, entering the Lateran Basilica two days later, informed the clergy that Martin had been deposed as an unworthy intruder, that he must be brought to Constantinople and that another was to be chosen in his place. The pope, wishing to avoid the shedding of human blood, forbade resistance and declared himself willing to be brought before the emperor. The saintly prisoner, accompanied by only a few attendants, and suffering much from bodily ailments and privations, arrived at Constantinople on 17 Sept., 653 or 654, having landed nowhere except the island of Naxos. The letters of the pope seem to indicate he was kept at Naxos for a year. Jaffe, n. 1608, and Ewald, n 2079, consider the annum fecimus an interpolation and would allow only a very short stop at Naxos, which granted the pope an opportunity to enjoy a bath. Duchesne, "Lib. Pont.", I, 336 can see no reason for abandoning the original account; Hefele,"Conciliengeschichte" III, 212, held the same view (see "Zeitschr. für Kath. Theol.", 1892, XVI, 375).
From Abydos messengers were sent to the imperial city to announce the arrival of the prisoner who was branded as a heretic and rebel, an enemy of God and of the State. Upon his arrival in Constantinople Martin was left for several hours on deck exposed to the jests and insults of a curious crowd of spectators. Towards evening he was brought to a prison called Prandearia and kept in close and cruel confinement for ninety-three days, suffering from hunger, cold and thirst. All this did not break his energy and on 19 December he was brought before the assembled senate where the imperial treasurer acted as judge. Various political charges were made, but the true and only charge was the pope's refusal to sign the "Typus". He was then carried to an open space in full view of the emperor and of a large crowd of people. These were asked to pass anathema upon the pope to which but few responded. Numberless indignities were heaped upon him, he was stripped of nearly all his clothing, loaded with chains, dragged through the streets of the city and then again thrown into the prison of Diomede, where he remained for eighty five days. Perhaps influenced by the death of Paul, Patriarch of Constantinople, Constans did not sentence the pope to death, but to exile. He was put on board a ship, 26 March, 654 (655) and arrived at his destination on 15 May. Cherson was at the time suffering from a great famine. The venerable pontiff here passed the remaining days of his life. He was buried in the church of Our Lady, called Blachernæ, near Cherson, and many miracles are related as wrought by St Martin in life and after death. The greater part of his relics are said to have been transferred to Rome, where they repose in the church of San Martino ai Monti. Of his letters seventeen are extant in P.L., LXXXVII, 119.
http://www.ewtn.com/saintsHoly/saints/M/stmartini.asp
TODAY'S GOSPEL
John 3: 7 - 15
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7 Do not marvel that I said to you, `You must be born anew.'
8 The wind blows where it wills, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know whence it comes or whither it goes; so it is with every one who is born of the Spirit."
9 Nicode'mus said to him, "How can this be?"
10 Jesus answered him, "Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand this?
11 Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen; but you do not receive our testimony.
12 If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things?
13 No one has ascended into heaven but he who descended from heaven, the Son of man.
14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of man be lifted up,
15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life."
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