CATHOLIC WORLD NEWS THURS. SEPT. 16, 2010: HEADLINES-
SOUTH AFRICA: INTERVIEW WITH BISHOP PONCE -
AMERICA: CANADA: HUSBAND RISKS LIFE AND DIES TO SAVE WIFE AND UNBORN -
AUSTRALIA: CATHOLIC SCHOOLS ACHIEVE HIGH GRADES ON TESTS -
AMERICA: CANADA: HUSBAND RISKS LIFE AND DIES TO SAVE WIFE AND UNBORN CHILD
LIFESITENEWS REPORT – A heroic split-second decision by a young husband and father in the moments before a severe car accident that ultimately took his life has made headlines across the continent.Brian and Erin Wood were driving
across Washington State to visit relatives Friday when a car, later found to contain drugs, swerved suddenly into oncoming traffic in front of the couple's car. Erin maintains that her husband made the quick decision to serve the car to the right as he braked, thereby ensuring that he took the brunt of the impact, while saving her life and the life of her unborn child, the couple's first. A week after the crash, Erin says she is doing well physically and that the baby appears not to have suffered significant trauma."His first thought was for that baby and his wife, so I'm sure he did it without consciously realizing it," said Brian's mother Janice Wood.An ABC TODAY show headline celebrated Woods' sacrifice for both his wife and his child in the womb, and featured an interview with Erin, who said that the sacrifice of her husband of 4 years was "not a surprise at all" to those who knew him."He was very excited for this baby, and always just incredibly loving towards me and putting me first, and just an amazing guy," she said. "I'm just glad that he's being remembered as someone who was willing to make that sacrifice."The young mother also said she took comfort in taking care of her baby in the weeks leading up to her November 5 due date.“It gives me some comfort just to focus on [the baby] and to focus on the joy that we’ll have once this baby is born,” she said on TODAY. “I’m just trying to draw a lot of strength right now knowing that [Brian] made that choice to save me and the baby, so I can’t waste that gift — and he wouldn’t want me to.”"I'm trying to focus on what I need to do right now, which is eat and sleep and take my vitamins, and just do my job as a mom," she said.“I really would give anything just to see Brian and hug him one more time,” she added, saying that she hopes people will learn from her husband’s sacrifice. “So if that just acts as a reminder to everyone to do that with people that they’re blessed to have in their lives, that’s my hope.”
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2010/sep/10091604.htmlitenews.com/ldn/2010/sep/10091604.html
Posted by JesusCaritasEst at 3:59 PM 0 comments
Email This BlogThis! Share to Twitter Share to Facebook Share to Google Buzz
EUROPE/GERMANY - 8TH CHINA-EUROPE COLLOQUIUM ON CHINESE
Agenzia Fides REPORT – From September 16 to 19, Freising (Germany) will host the Eighth European Catholic China Colloquium, organized by China-Zentrum in Sankt Augustin, whose theme will be social and religious integration of the Chinese in Europe (The Chinese in Europe — Trends and Catholic Perspectives). The presence of the Chinese in different European countries, future prospects, and the response of the Church will be the topics discussed in the talks, group sessions, and meetings on specific topics. Opening the Colloquium will be Fr. Eric Englert, OSA, President of Missio Munich and China-Zentrum, along with Fr. Anton Weber, SVD, Director of the China-Zentrum. Their introduction will be followed by a speech from Archbishop Reinhard Marx of Munich on "Catholic Social Doctrine in the Context of Global Challenges." Within the six sessions planned, speeches will be given by academics, representatives from the Chinese world, representatives from European Catholic organizations working with China, as well as members of Protestant and Orthodox churches in Europe. In the final session, dedicated to commitment and solidarity from the European and Chinese perspectives, there will be talks given by Archbishop Agostino Marchetto, former Secretary of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants, and Fr. Peter Cui Xingang, the Italian Bishops' Conference's representative for Chinese Catholics in Italy. There will also be a particular analysis of the experience of Fr. Matteo Ricci in this, the 4th centenary of his death. http://www.fides.org/aree/news/newsdet.php?idnews=27418&lan=eng
Posted by JesusCaritasEst at 3:58 PM 0 comments
Email This BlogThis! Share to Twitter Share to Facebook Share to Google Buzz
AUSTRALIA: CATHOLIC SCHOOLS ACHIEVE HIGH GRADES ON TESTS
Cath News report: Sydney Catholic systemic schools have achieved above state and national means in every component of Literacy and Numeracy in every Year group of the NAPLAN tests.Sydney's Catholic Education Office said in a statement that the percentage of students who scored in the top two bands for each Year group was above the national mean in every category of Literacy and Numeracy, and above the State mean in 19 of the 20 categories assessed.The percentage of students who achieved in the lowest two NAPLAN bands is also below both State and national percentages in all components of Literacy and Numeracy in all Year groups."The 2010 NAPLAN scores are clear evidence that our students are gaining the skills they need in these foundational areas of Literacy and Numeracy," said Dr Dan White, Executive Director of Catholic Schools in the Archdiocese of Sydney."These results are all the more remarkable as around 62 percent of our students are from non-English-speaking backgrounds, with many arriving at our schools with little understanding of English. It is also worth remembering that all of our schools are non-selective, which demonstrates clearly that these successes are built on high-quality teaching."He said the ongoing success was no fluke."I believe there are some clear reasons for this sustained success," Dr White said. "At the core of it all is the use of targeted invention: in other words, we focus on where the student needs are greatest." http://www.cathnews.com/article.aspx?aeid=23277
Posted by JesusCaritasEst at 3:56 PM 0 comments
Email This BlogThis! Share to Twitter Share to Facebook Share to Google Buzz
TODAY'S SAINT: ST. CYPRIAN: DIED 258
St. CyprianBISHOP AND MARTYRFeast: September 16Information:Feast Day:September 16Born:3rd century AD, North AfricaDied:September 14, 258, Carthage, Africa Province, Roman EmpirePatron of:Algeria, North AfricaCYPRIAN was an African of noble birth, but of evil life, a pagan, and a teacher of rhetoric. In middle life he was converted to Christianity, and shortly after his baptism was ordained priest, and made Bishop of Carthage, notwithstanding his resistance. When the persecution of Decius broke out, he fled from his episcopal city, th
at he might be the better able to minister to the wants of his flock, but returned on occasion of a pestilence. Later on he was banished, and saw in a vision his future martyrdom. Being recalled from exile, sentence of death was pronounced against him, which he received with the words "Thanks be to God." His great desire was to die whilst in the act of preaching the faith of Christ, and he had the consolation of being surrounded at his martyrdom by crowds of his faithful children. He was beheaded on the 14th of September, 258, and was buried with great solemnity. Even the pagans respected his memory.
http://www.ewtn.com/saintsHoly/saints/C/stcyprian.asp
TODAY'S GOSPEL- Luke 7: 36 - 50
Luke 7: 36 - 5036One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee's house, and took his place at table.37And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was at table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment,38and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.39Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw it, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner."40And Jesus answering said to him, "Simon, I have something to say to you." And he answered, "What is it, Teacher?"41"A certain creditor had two debtors; one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty.42When they could not pay, he forgave them both. Now which of them will love him more?"43Simon answered, "The one, I suppose, to whom he forgave more." And he said to him, "You have judged rightly."44Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I entered your house, you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.45You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet.46You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment.47Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little."48And he said to her, "Your sins are forgiven."49Then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves, "Who is this, who even forgives sins?"50And he said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."
Posted by JesusCaritasEst at 3:40 PM
Email This BlogThis! Share to Twitter Share to Facebook Share to Google Buzz
VATICAN: POPE VISIT TO UNITED KINGDOM
POPE PRAISES DEEP CHRISTIAN ROOTS OF THE UNITED KINGDOM VATICAN CITY, 16 SEP 2010 (VIS) - This morning Benedict XVI began the seventeenth apostolic trip of his pontificate, travelling to the United Kingdom where, in the city of Birmingham this Sunday 19 September, he is due to beatify Cardinal John Henry Newman. The Pope departed from Rome's Ciampino airport at 8.10 a.m., landing in the Scottish capital city of Edinburgh at 10.30 a.m. local time. There he was welcomed by Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh and consort to Queen Elizabeth II. From the airport, the Holy Father travelled by car to the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the Queen's official Scottish residence during the summer months. The palace, built as an Augustinian monastery in the year 1128, was dedicated to the Holy Cross by King David I of Scotland after he saw a vision of the crucifix between the antlers of a stag that attacked him. In the sixteenth century it was transformed into a royal residence and in the twentieth century, under King George V, it became the summer home of the royal family. Arriving at Holyroodhouse the Holy Father was greeted by Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh. Then, following military honours and the playing of the national anthems, the Pope and the Queen met in private in the palace's Morning Room. After the meeting, the Pontiff was accompanied to a stage set up behind Holyroodhouse where four hundred guests awaited him, among them representatives of the Catholic and Anglican Churches, and politicians including members of the Scottish Parliament. Following a brief bagpipe concert and some remarks by Queen Elizabeth, the Pope arose to pronounce his address. "The name of Holyroodhouse", he said, "recalls the 'Holy Cross' and points to the deep Christian roots that are still present in every layer of British life. The monarchs of England and Scotland have been Christians from very early times and include outstanding saints like Edward the Confessor and Margaret of Scotland. ... Many of them consciously exercised their sovereign duty in the light of the Gospel, and in this way shaped the nation for good at the deepest level. As a result, the Christian message has been an integral part of the language, thought and culture of the peoples of these islands for more than a thousand years. Your forefathers' respect for truth and justice, for mercy and charity come to you from a faith that remains a mighty force for good in your kingdom, to the great benefit of Christians and non-Christians alike". Among the "many examples of this force for good throughout Britain's long history", the Pope mentioned William Wilberforce and David Livingstone who worked to stop the international slave trade, Florence Nightingale who "served the poor and the sick and set new standards in healthcare", and John Henry Newman "whose goodness, eloquence and action were a credit to their countrymen and women. These, and many people like them, were inspired by a deep faith born and nurtured in these islands", he said. In more recent times, "Britain and her leaders stood against a Nazi tyranny that wished to eradicate God from society and denied our common humanity to many, especially the Jews, who were thought unfit to live". In this context the Pope also dwelt on the Nazi regime's attitude "to Christian pastors and religious who spoke the truth in love, ... and paid for that opposition with their lives. "As we reflect on the sobering lessons of the atheist extremism of the twentieth century, let us never forget how the exclusion of God, religion and virtue from public life leads ultimately to a truncated vision of man and of society", he added. The Holy Father then went on to consider the key role Great Britain played sixty-five years ago "in forging the post-war international consensus which favoured the establishment of the United Nations and ushered in a hitherto unknown period of peace and prosperity in Europe". On the subject of the Good Friday Agreement and the devolution of powers to the Northern Ireland Assembly, he noted: "Your Majesty's government and the government of Ireland, together with the political, religious and civil leaders of Northern Ireland, have helped give birth to a peaceful resolution of the conflict there. I encourage everyone involved to continue to walk courageously together on the path marked out for them towards a just and lasting peace". And he continued his remarks: "Looking abroad, the United Kingdom remains a key figure politically and economically on the international stage. Your government and people are the shapers of ideas that still have an impact far beyond the British Isles. This places upon them a particular duty to act wisely for the common good. Similarly, because their opinions reach such a wide audience, the British media have a graver responsibility than most and a greater opportunity to promote the peace of nations, the integral development of peoples and the spread of authentic human rights. May all Britons continue to live by the values of honesty, respect and fair-mindedness that have won them the esteem and admiration of many. "Today, the United Kingdom strives to be a modern and multicultural society. In this challenging enterprise, may it always maintain its respect for those traditional values and cultural expressions that more aggressive forms of secularism no longer value or even tolerate. Let it not obscure the Christian foundation that underpins its freedoms; and may that patrimony, which has always served the nation well, constantly inform the example your government and people set before the two billion members of the Commonwealth and the great family of English-speaking nations throughout the world. May God bless Your Majesty and all the people of your realm". The Pope's address complete, Queen Elizabeth, in keeping with tradition, accompanied him to meet certain of the dignitaries present, then to the internal courtyard of the palace where he was greeted by a group of Scottish youth wearing traditional costumes. At the end of the ceremony, the Pope bade farewell to the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh at the main entrance to Holyroodhouse. He then travelled by car to the residence of Cardinal Michael Patrick O'Brien, archbishop of Saint Andrews and Edinburgh, where he had lunch.PV-UNITED KINGDOM/
POPE PRAISES DEEP CHRISTIAN ROOTS OF THE UNITED KINGDOM VATICAN CITY, 16 SEP 2010 (VIS) - This morning Benedict XVI began the seventeenth apostolic trip of his pontificate, travelling to the United Kingdom where, in the city of Birmingham this Sunday 19 September, he is due to beatify Cardinal John Henry Newman. The Pope departed from Rome's Ciampino airport at 8.10 a.m., landing in the Scottish capital city of Edinburgh at 10.30 a.m. local time. There he was welcomed by Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh and consort to Queen Elizabeth II. From the airport, the Holy Father travelled by car to the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the Queen's official Scottish residence during the summer months. The palace, built as an Augustinian monastery in the year 1128, was dedicated to the Holy Cross by King David I of Scotland after he saw a vision of the crucifix between the antlers of a stag that attacked him. In the sixteenth century it was transformed into a royal residence and in the twentieth century, under King George V, it became the summer home of the royal family. Arriving at Holyroodhouse the Holy Father was greeted by Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh. Then, following military honours and the playing of the national anthems, the Pope and the Queen met in private in the palace's Morning Room. After the meeting, the Pontiff was accompanied to a stage set up behind Holyroodhouse where four hundred guests awaited him, among them representatives of the Catholic and Anglican Churches, and politicians including members of the Scottish Parliament. Following a brief bagpipe concert and some remarks by Queen Elizabeth, the Pope arose to pronounce his address. "The name of Holyroodhouse", he said, "recalls the 'Holy Cross' and points to the deep Christian roots that are still present in every layer of British life. The monarchs of England and Scotland have been Christians from very early times and include outstanding saints like Edward the Confessor and Margaret of Scotland. ... Many of them consciously exercised their sovereign duty in the light of the Gospel, and in this way shaped the nation for good at the deepest level. As a result, the Christian message has been an integral part of the language, thought and culture of the peoples of these islands for more than a thousand years. Your forefathers' respect for truth and justice, for mercy and charity come to you from a faith that remains a mighty force for good in your kingdom, to the great benefit of Christians and non-Christians alike". Among the "many examples of this force for good throughout Britain's long history", the Pope mentioned William Wilberforce and David Livingstone who worked to stop the international slave trade, Florence Nightingale who "served the poor and the sick and set new standards in healthcare", and John Henry Newman "whose goodness, eloquence and action were a credit to their countrymen and women. These, and many people like them, were inspired by a deep faith born and nurtured in these islands", he said. In more recent times, "Britain and her leaders stood against a Nazi tyranny that wished to eradicate God from society and denied our common humanity to many, especially the Jews, who were thought unfit to live". In this context the Pope also dwelt on the Nazi regime's attitude "to Christian pastors and religious who spoke the truth in love, ... and paid for that opposition with their lives. "As we reflect on the sobering lessons of the atheist extremism of the twentieth century, let us never forget how the exclusion of God, religion and virtue from public life leads ultimately to a truncated vision of man and of society", he added. The Holy Father then went on to consider the key role Great Britain played sixty-five years ago "in forging the post-war international consensus which favoured the establishment of the United Nations and ushered in a hitherto unknown period of peace and prosperity in Europe". On the subject of the Good Friday Agreement and the devolution of powers to the Northern Ireland Assembly, he noted: "Your Majesty's government and the government of Ireland, together with the political, religious and civil leaders of Northern Ireland, have helped give birth to a peaceful resolution of the conflict there. I encourage everyone involved to continue to walk courageously together on the path marked out for them towards a just and lasting peace". And he continued his remarks: "Looking abroad, the United Kingdom remains a key figure politically and economically on the international stage. Your government and people are the shapers of ideas that still have an impact far beyond the British Isles. This places upon them a particular duty to act wisely for the common good. Similarly, because their opinions reach such a wide audience, the British media have a graver responsibility than most and a greater opportunity to promote the peace of nations, the integral development of peoples and the spread of authentic human rights. May all Britons continue to live by the values of honesty, respect and fair-mindedness that have won them the esteem and admiration of many. "Today, the United Kingdom strives to be a modern and multicultural society. In this challenging enterprise, may it always maintain its respect for those traditional values and cultural expressions that more aggressive forms of secularism no longer value or even tolerate. Let it not obscure the Christian foundation that underpins its freedoms; and may that patrimony, which has always served the nation well, constantly inform the example your government and people set before the two billion members of the Commonwealth and the great family of English-speaking nations throughout the world. May God bless Your Majesty and all the people of your realm". The Pope's address complete, Queen Elizabeth, in keeping with tradition, accompanied him to meet certain of the dignitaries present, then to the internal courtyard of the palace where he was greeted by a group of Scottish youth wearing traditional costumes. At the end of the ceremony, the Pope bade farewell to the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh at the main entrance to Holyroodhouse. He then travelled by car to the residence of Cardinal Michael Patrick O'Brien, archbishop of Saint Andrews and Edinburgh, where he had lunch.PV-UNITED KINGDOM/
QUEEN WELCOMES POPE BENEDICT
Independant Catholic news report; Her Majesty the Queen officially welcomed the His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI to the UK, and spoke of her memories of her own visits to the Vatican and meeting some of his predecessors. She said: "Much has changed in the world during the nearly thirty years since Pope John Paul’s visit. In this country, we deeply appreciate the involvement of the Holy See in the dramatic improvement in the situation in Northern Ireland. Elsewhere the fall of totalitarian regimes across central and eastern Europe has allowed greater freedom for hundreds of millions of people. The Holy See continues to have an important role in international issues, in support of peace and development and in addressing common problems like poverty and climate change". The Pope thanked the Queen for her hospitality, and extended his own greetings to all the people of UK. He spoke of the force for good throughout Britain’s long history, coming from a "respect for truth and justice, for mercy and charity" that benefits Christians and non-Christians alike. Speaking of the UK's international relations, he said: "Looking abroad, the United Kingdom remains a key figure politically and economically on the international stage. Your Government and people are the shapers of ideas that still have an impact far beyond the British Isles. This places upon them a particular duty to act wisely for the common good. Similarly, because their opinions reach such a wide audience, the British media have a graver responsibility than most and a greater opportunity to promote the peace of nations, the integral development of peoples and the spread of authentic human rights. May all Britons continue to live by the values of honesty, respect and fair-mindedness that have won them the esteem and admiration of many".The Pope also met Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, Foreign Office Minister Henry Bellingham and Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond. After the State welcome and reception at Holyrood House, the Pope travelled through Edinburgh in the Popemobile, watched by thousands of wellwishers. This evening, he will lead an open-air Mass in Bellahouston Park, Glasgow.The trip is the first official Papal visit to the UK, because the Pope has been invited by the Queen rather than the church. It is the first visit to Britain by a Pontiff since John Paul 11 in 1982, which was a purely pastoral visit.http://www.indcatholicnews.com/news.php?viewStory=16735ws.com/news.php?viewStory=16735
OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS VATICAN CITY, 16 SEP 2010 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Bishop James Peter Sartain of Joliet in Illinois, U.S.A., as metropolitan archbishop of Seattle (area 64,269, population 5,141,000, Catholics 964,000, priests 313, permanent deacons 104, religious 551), U.S.A. The archbishop-elect was born in Memphis, U.S.A. in 1952, he was ordained a priest in 1978 and consecrated a bishop in 2000. He succeeds Archbishop Alexander J. Brunett, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same archdiocese the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.
Posted by JesusCaritasEst at 4:08 PM 0 comments
Email This BlogThis! Share to Twitter Share to Facebook Share to Google Buzz
VATICAN: POPE VISITS SCOTLAND
Independant Catholic report: Pope Benedict arrived in Edinburgh this morning. He was greeted by the Duke of Edinburgh, Cardinal O'Brien and other Church leaders and a 30-strong honour guard from the Royal Regiment of Scotland. Lord Patten also welcomed him on behalf of the gove
rnment.Large crowds greeted his motorcade as it travelled through Edinburgh to Holyrood House, where he was welcomed by Queen Elizabeth.Her Majesty said the visit was an opportunity to "deepen the relationship" between Catholicism and the Churches of England and Scotland. She also praised the Catholic Church's "special contribution" to helping the poorest and most vulnerable around the world.Speaking after the Pope's arrival today, Cardinal Keith O'Brien said: "It has indeed been very very exciting, the Pope seems in excellent form, as did Her Majesty, and of course they both appear to be extremely happy in one another's company. "Along Princes Street I really felt so proud. You could look to one side and see the backcloth of the Castle and the ramparts and so on, and on the other side a sea of faces, and just welcoming Pope Benedict XVI to our country. "The Pope is a wonderful warm friendly character, radiating a certain calm and a certain peace from him, and the respect which was being shown him, and just the love that was radiating to him from the people who were lining along Princes Street. "Yes, well I think that he's aware of all that has been done to make him so welcome from everybody in our country, from the First Minister in the Scottish Government down to the smallest school child."Bishop John Cunnigham Bishop of Galloway said: "I feel it's something important for me. It's quite different when it's in your own country and specific to your own people and your own language. To have it there face to face is a wonderful experience. All the hard work that had to go in advance, it becomes worthwhile when you actually see it coming to fruition."Bishop Joe Toal Bishop of Argyle and the Isles said: "I'm delighted to have him here and to make him feel that this is a country which appreciates his presence, appreciates the effort he has made as an elderly man to come to us and to be and to give us such an opportunity to celebrate together our Catholic faith and our Christian heritage."Bishop Peter Moran Bishop of Aberdeen said: "One of the problems, obviously is, that we are a country where Catholics are very much in the minority. And in the Diocese of Aberdeen that's even more obvious than in most of the other areas of Scotland. The problem is how to be Christian in a country which is secular. I¹m sure the Pope will have something to say on that."Bishop Joe Devine Bishop of Motherwell said: "Great, I never thought this would happen. Given his age and the fact that he's got to be very careful in marshalling his energy, I mean the man is well into his eighties now, it's a kind of miracle that he has decided tomake this visit. And the most astonishing thing of all is he actually arrives in Scotland on the Feast of St Ninian, today the Feast of Ninian our prime Apostle. So it's absolutely wonderful that he is coming at this time."Christine Allen, director of Progressio, was at Holyrood. In a message sent from her phone, she said: "I just introduced myself as from Progressio, adding 'as in Populorum Progressio, because of the importance of international development today'. But we didn't really have much time to chat. I did say to the Queen (!) How good it was that she mentioned poverty, international development and climate change in her speech."The text of Pope Benedict's address at Holyrood House follows: Your Majesty, Thank you for your gracious invitation to make an official visit to the United Kingdom and for your warm words of greeting on behalf of the British people. In thanking Your Majesty, allow me to extend my own greetings to all the people of the United Kingdom and to hold out a hand of friendship to each one. It is a great pleasure for me to start my journey by saluting the members of the Royal Family, thanking in particular His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh for his kind welcome to me at Edinburgh Airport. I express my gratitude to Your Majesty’s present and previous Governments and to all those who worked with them to make this occasion possible, including Lord Patten and former Secretary of State Murphy. I would also like to acknowledge with deep appreciation the work of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on the Holy See, which has contributed greatly to strengthening the friendly relations existing between the Holy See and the United Kingdom. As I begin my visit to the United Kingdom in Scotland’s historic capital city, I greet in a special way First Minister Salmond and the representatives of the Scottish Parliament. Just like the Welsh and Northern Ireland Assemblies, may the Scottish Parliament grow to be an expression of the fine traditions and distinct culture of the Scots and strive to serve their best interests in a spirit of solidarity and concern for the common good. The name of Holyroodhouse, Your Majesty’s official residence in Scotland, recalls the “Holy Cross” and points to the deep Christian roots that are still present in every layer of British life. The monarchs of England and Scotland have been Christians from very early times and include outstanding saints like Edward the Confessor and Margaret of Scotland. As you know, many of them consciously exercised their sovereign duty in the light of the Gospel, and in this way shaped the nation for good at the deepest level. As a result, the Christian message has been an integral part of the language, thought and culture of the peoples of these islands for more than a thousand years. Your forefathers’ respect for truth and justice, for mercy and charity come to you from a faith that remains a mighty force for good in your kingdom, to the great benefit of Christians and non-Christians alike. We find many examples of this force for good throughout Britain’s long history. Even in comparatively recent times, due to figures like William Wilberforce and David Livingstone, Britain intervened directly to stop the international slave trade. Inspired by faith, women like Florence Nightingale served the poor and the sick and set new standards in healthcare that were subsequently copied everywhere. John Henry Newman, whose beatification I will celebrate shortly, was one of many British Christians of his age whose goodness, eloquence and action were a credit to their countrymen and women. These, and many people like them, were inspired by a deep faith born and nurtured in these islands. Even in our own lifetime, we can recall how Britain and her leaders stood against a Nazi tyranny that wished to eradicate God from society and denied our common humanity to many, especially the Jews, who were thought unfit to live. I also recall the regime’s attitude to Christian pastors and religious who spoke the truth in love, opposed the Nazis and paid for that opposition with their lives. As we reflect on the sobering lessons of the atheist extremism of the twentieth century, let us never forget how the exclusion of God, religion and virtue from public life leads ultimately to a truncated vision of man and of society and thus to a “reductive vision of the person and his destiny” (Caritas in Veritate, 29). Sixty-five years ago, Britain played an essential role in forging the post-war international consensus which favoured the establishment of the United Nations and ushered in a hitherto unknown period of peace and prosperity in Europe. In more recent years, the international community has followed closely events in Northern Ireland which have led to the signing of the Good Friday Agreement and the devolution of powers to the NorthernIreland Assembly. Your Majesty’s Government and the Government of Ireland, together with the political, religious and civil leaders of Northern Ireland, have helped give birth to a peaceful resolution of the conflict there. I encourage everyone involved to continue to walk courageously together on the path marked out for them towards a just and lastingpeace. Looking abroad, the United Kingdom remains a key figure politically and economically on the international stage.Your Government and people are the shapers of ideas that still have an impact far beyond the British Isles. This places upon them a particular duty to act wisely for the common good. Similarly, because their opinions reach such a wide audience, the British media have a graver responsibility than most and a greater opportunity to promote the peace of nations, the integral development of peoples and the spread of authentic human rights. May all Britons continue to live by the values of honesty, respect and fair-mindedness that have won them the esteem and admiration of many. Today, the United Kingdom strives to be a modern and multicultural society. In this challenging enterprise, may it always maintain its respect for those traditional values and cultural expressions that more aggressive forms of secularism no longer value or even tolerate. Let it not obscure the Christian foundation that underpins its freedoms; and may that patrimony, which has always served the nation well, constantly inform the example your Government and people set before the two billion members of the Commonwealth and the great family of English-speaking nations throughout the world. May God bless Your Majesty and all the people of your realm. Thank you. image: radiovaticanaTo watch Pope Benedict's visit in real time, click on: www.fco.gov.uk/en/news/latest-news/?view=News&id=22871314 http://www.indcatholicnews.com/news.php?viewStory=16734
Posted by JesusCaritasEst at 4:06 PM 0 comments
Email This BlogThis! Share to Twitter Share to Facebook Share to Google Buzz
ASIA: INDIA: ISLAMIC FUNDAMENTALISTS BURN SCHOOL
Asia News report: It is the St Francis S
chool, owned by Muslims, who use the Christian name to attract more students. Four dead and 19 injured in Mendhar, while protests spread in Kashmir. The influence of fundamentalist groups on the masses, dragged from their villages to demonstrate. Missionary priest Jim Borst under police protection. Mendhar (AsiaNews) - A mob of Muslim radicals have tried to burn a school with a Christian name (St. Francis School), unaware that it is governed by Muslim and Christian in name only. The police managed to stop the arsonists, but fired into the crowd, killing four people and wounding 19. Christian leaders say "these people are being manipulated.The protest against the "Burn the Koran" campaign is spreading in several areas of Kashmir and has already left 22 dead and hundreds injured. The events used the announced (but subsequently cancelled) desecration of the Koran in the United States, to increase the tension against the Indian government, which refuses to grant autonomy to the region, also disputed by Pakistan.After three days of demonstrations and violence, protests erupted yesterday in Mendhar, about 60 km from Poonch near the border with Pakistan. From 10 am at least 3,000 people gathered also from nearby villages, marching towards the school of St Francis and the residences of teachers.The crowd were stopped by the police who used firearms, batons and tear gas grenades. In the clashes four demonstrators were killed and 19 wounded. The mob destroyed dozens of government offices, the police station and burned at least eight cars.The irony is that the school targeted is Christian in name only and is owned by local Muslims, even if the teaching staff is made up of Christians from Kerala.Mgr. Peter Celestine, bishop of Srinagar tells AsiaNews: "The so-called St Francis School has nothing to do with Catholic Protestant or evangelical institutions. They only use the Christian name to attract students. This shows that even for the local Muslims, Christian educational institutions have a very high standard”."These people - he added –are rounded up from nearby villages and incited to attack, inflamed by religious zeal."In recent days, however, some Catholic schools were affected. Among them the Good Shepherd's School of missionary Jim Borst, in Pulwama. The mob burned the main building and two other buildings were looted. Witnesses said the protesters were from villages under the influence of "Allahwales" and Devbandis "fundamentalist groups close to the Wahhabis.Local people, Muslim, expressed solidarity with the missionary and say they are ready to help re-start the school. Fr. Jim, for his part, sent a letter to the families linked to the school, promising to reopen immediately as soon as the curfew ends. Meanwhile the priest is under police protection to prevent attacks against him.On 14 September another school risked being burnt: it is the Christ School in Poonch. Only police intervention stopped the mob just 500 meters from the building.Fr. Matthew, the principal told AsiaNews: "We have 1522 students and only 40 are Christians, 40% of the students are Muslims, then there are Hindus and Sikhs. We have always enjoyed a deep respect from the locals. Many Islamic authorities have expressed their displeasure at the attempt to burn the school and condemned the attack. But people are manipulated and have been driven to a frenzy by false news reports".
http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Kashmir:-Muslims-try-to-burn-a-Christian-school-(only-in-name)-19476.html
Posted by JesusCaritasEst at 4:03 PM 0 comments
Email This BlogThis! Share to Twitter Share to Facebook Share to Google Buzz
SOUTH AFRICA: INTERVIEW WITH BISHOP PONCE
Agenzia Fides REPORT– A missionary Bishop from Argentina in South Africa. That would describe Bishop Jose G. Ponce de Leon, Vicar Apostolic of Ingwavuma, who has been in Rome for the seminar for newly appointed bishops organized by the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples (see Fides 09/06/2010). The following is an interview with Bishop Ponce de Leon by Fides.How has your missionary vocation unfolded?I am a Consolata missionary. Our training is 'international.' I did the novitiate and theology studies in Colombia. I was in that country for 4 ½ years, from 1982 to 1986. After graduating, we mention three places of mission where we would like to go. I mentioned Ethiopia, Mozambique, and South Africa and I also made myself available to go to Asia. My superiors, however, asked me to return to Argentina instead. I was in Argentina for seven years running missionary activities, through a magazine and through missionary training. In 1993, I was sent to South Africa to the Province of KwaZulu, where I worked from 1994 to 2005. I was then sent to Rome to lead the mission there and later serve as Secretary General. Could you tell us a little about the Vicariate of Ingwavuma? The Vicariate was established in 1990 and was assigned to the Servants of Mary. The Bishop was an Irish Servant of Mary, Michael Mary O'Shea, who died in 2006. The Vicariate is located in the north-eastern Province of KwaZulu, on the border with Mozambique and Swaziland. Apart from some celebrations done in English, all our pastoral activity is done in Zulu. I also celebrate the Mass in Zulu. It took me forever to learn it! At 15 years since the birth of a new South Africa, seeing someone who makes the effort to learn the language of another causes joy, especially for those who were forced to learn the language of those who came from the outside, the colonizers. Currently, we have 6 diocesan priests and 6 religious priests, and 2 deacons will be ordained this year, so in the future there will be 8 diocesan priests. Thus, the number of diocesan priests is higher than that of religious priests, something unique for a Vicariate. These priests are young because they have been ordained in the last five years and are a sign of hope for the Vicariate. What are the most serious problems in your Vicariate? AIDS is the main scourge of KwaZulu. According to statistics ,at least 30% of the population is affected with HIV, one in three are ill or are carriers of the virus. This means that there is not one family that has not suffered due to HIV. The number of orphans is very high. We have no orphanages, because we prefer that these children continue to live in their communities of origin, with neighbors, or relatives. The eldest son often takes on the role of father for their siblings. The SACBC (Southern African Catholic Bishops Conference) has had the wonderful initiative of creating an AIDS office which collects the funds to be distributed to individual dioceses. I, as a single bishop, would not be able to raise the necessary funds to cure the sick of my Vicariate. Each diocese has its own aid projects for AIDS patients, in connection with the SACBC office, in order to raise/allot funds. This results in sending groups of volunteers who visit the sick, in projects for orphans, and especially in the administration of antiretroviral drugs. We also have a blood laboratory. We do not have to send blood samples to Johannesburg to be analyzed. I was impressed by the remark made by a physician who works with us who is not Catholic, who said: "There is no other Church that does as much as the Catholic Church for our people." We have a clinic near the Cathedral, which attends 80 patients every Tuesday. On other days, the doctors and nurses visit the rural areas and small communities of the Vicariate. These activities are a sign of hope, because if we have been able to continue it is not only thanks to the funds, but also thanks to the participation of people. The locals, not the foreigners coming in from the outside, who volunteer their time to care for the sick. http://www.fides.org/aree/news/newsdet.php?idnews=27419&lan=eng
Posted by JesusCaritasEst at 4:02 PM 0 comments
Email This BlogThis! Share to Twitter Share to Facebook Share to Google Buzz
Independant Catholic news report; Her Majesty the Queen officially welcomed the His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI to the UK, and spoke of her memories of her own visits to the Vatican and meeting some of his predecessors. She said: "Much has changed in the world during the nearly thirty years since Pope John Paul’s visit. In this country, we deeply appreciate the involvement of the Holy See in the dramatic improvement in the situation in Northern Ireland. Elsewhere the fall of totalitarian regimes across central and eastern Europe has allowed greater freedom for hundreds of millions of people. The Holy See continues to have an important role in international issues, in support of peace and development and in addressing common problems like poverty and climate change". The Pope thanked the Queen for her hospitality, and extended his own greetings to all the people of UK. He spoke of the force for good throughout Britain’s long history, coming from a "respect for truth and justice, for mercy and charity" that benefits Christians and non-Christians alike. Speaking of the UK's international relations, he said: "Looking abroad, the United Kingdom remains a key figure politically and economically on the international stage. Your Government and people are the shapers of ideas that still have an impact far beyond the British Isles. This places upon them a particular duty to act wisely for the common good. Similarly, because their opinions reach such a wide audience, the British media have a graver responsibility than most and a greater opportunity to promote the peace of nations, the integral development of peoples and the spread of authentic human rights. May all Britons continue to live by the values of honesty, respect and fair-mindedness that have won them the esteem and admiration of many".The Pope also met Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, Foreign Office Minister Henry Bellingham and Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond. After the State welcome and reception at Holyrood House, the Pope travelled through Edinburgh in the Popemobile, watched by thousands of wellwishers. This evening, he will lead an open-air Mass in Bellahouston Park, Glasgow.The trip is the first official Papal visit to the UK, because the Pope has been invited by the Queen rather than the church. It is the first visit to Britain by a Pontiff since John Paul 11 in 1982, which was a purely pastoral visit.http://www.indcatholicnews.com/news.php?viewStory=16735ws.com/news.php?viewStory=16735
OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS VATICAN CITY, 16 SEP 2010 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Bishop James Peter Sartain of Joliet in Illinois, U.S.A., as metropolitan archbishop of Seattle (area 64,269, population 5,141,000, Catholics 964,000, priests 313, permanent deacons 104, religious 551), U.S.A. The archbishop-elect was born in Memphis, U.S.A. in 1952, he was ordained a priest in 1978 and consecrated a bishop in 2000. He succeeds Archbishop Alexander J. Brunett, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same archdiocese the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.
Posted by JesusCaritasEst at 4:08 PM 0 comments
Email This BlogThis! Share to Twitter Share to Facebook Share to Google Buzz
VATICAN: POPE VISITS SCOTLAND
Independant Catholic report: Pope Benedict arrived in Edinburgh this morning. He was greeted by the Duke of Edinburgh, Cardinal O'Brien and other Church leaders and a 30-strong honour guard from the Royal Regiment of Scotland. Lord Patten also welcomed him on behalf of the gove
rnment.Large crowds greeted his motorcade as it travelled through Edinburgh to Holyrood House, where he was welcomed by Queen Elizabeth.Her Majesty said the visit was an opportunity to "deepen the relationship" between Catholicism and the Churches of England and Scotland. She also praised the Catholic Church's "special contribution" to helping the poorest and most vulnerable around the world.Speaking after the Pope's arrival today, Cardinal Keith O'Brien said: "It has indeed been very very exciting, the Pope seems in excellent form, as did Her Majesty, and of course they both appear to be extremely happy in one another's company. "Along Princes Street I really felt so proud. You could look to one side and see the backcloth of the Castle and the ramparts and so on, and on the other side a sea of faces, and just welcoming Pope Benedict XVI to our country. "The Pope is a wonderful warm friendly character, radiating a certain calm and a certain peace from him, and the respect which was being shown him, and just the love that was radiating to him from the people who were lining along Princes Street. "Yes, well I think that he's aware of all that has been done to make him so welcome from everybody in our country, from the First Minister in the Scottish Government down to the smallest school child."Bishop John Cunnigham Bishop of Galloway said: "I feel it's something important for me. It's quite different when it's in your own country and specific to your own people and your own language. To have it there face to face is a wonderful experience. All the hard work that had to go in advance, it becomes worthwhile when you actually see it coming to fruition."Bishop Joe Toal Bishop of Argyle and the Isles said: "I'm delighted to have him here and to make him feel that this is a country which appreciates his presence, appreciates the effort he has made as an elderly man to come to us and to be and to give us such an opportunity to celebrate together our Catholic faith and our Christian heritage."Bishop Peter Moran Bishop of Aberdeen said: "One of the problems, obviously is, that we are a country where Catholics are very much in the minority. And in the Diocese of Aberdeen that's even more obvious than in most of the other areas of Scotland. The problem is how to be Christian in a country which is secular. I¹m sure the Pope will have something to say on that."Bishop Joe Devine Bishop of Motherwell said: "Great, I never thought this would happen. Given his age and the fact that he's got to be very careful in marshalling his energy, I mean the man is well into his eighties now, it's a kind of miracle that he has decided tomake this visit. And the most astonishing thing of all is he actually arrives in Scotland on the Feast of St Ninian, today the Feast of Ninian our prime Apostle. So it's absolutely wonderful that he is coming at this time."Christine Allen, director of Progressio, was at Holyrood. In a message sent from her phone, she said: "I just introduced myself as from Progressio, adding 'as in Populorum Progressio, because of the importance of international development today'. But we didn't really have much time to chat. I did say to the Queen (!) How good it was that she mentioned poverty, international development and climate change in her speech."The text of Pope Benedict's address at Holyrood House follows: Your Majesty, Thank you for your gracious invitation to make an official visit to the United Kingdom and for your warm words of greeting on behalf of the British people. In thanking Your Majesty, allow me to extend my own greetings to all the people of the United Kingdom and to hold out a hand of friendship to each one. It is a great pleasure for me to start my journey by saluting the members of the Royal Family, thanking in particular His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh for his kind welcome to me at Edinburgh Airport. I express my gratitude to Your Majesty’s present and previous Governments and to all those who worked with them to make this occasion possible, including Lord Patten and former Secretary of State Murphy. I would also like to acknowledge with deep appreciation the work of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on the Holy See, which has contributed greatly to strengthening the friendly relations existing between the Holy See and the United Kingdom. As I begin my visit to the United Kingdom in Scotland’s historic capital city, I greet in a special way First Minister Salmond and the representatives of the Scottish Parliament. Just like the Welsh and Northern Ireland Assemblies, may the Scottish Parliament grow to be an expression of the fine traditions and distinct culture of the Scots and strive to serve their best interests in a spirit of solidarity and concern for the common good. The name of Holyroodhouse, Your Majesty’s official residence in Scotland, recalls the “Holy Cross” and points to the deep Christian roots that are still present in every layer of British life. The monarchs of England and Scotland have been Christians from very early times and include outstanding saints like Edward the Confessor and Margaret of Scotland. As you know, many of them consciously exercised their sovereign duty in the light of the Gospel, and in this way shaped the nation for good at the deepest level. As a result, the Christian message has been an integral part of the language, thought and culture of the peoples of these islands for more than a thousand years. Your forefathers’ respect for truth and justice, for mercy and charity come to you from a faith that remains a mighty force for good in your kingdom, to the great benefit of Christians and non-Christians alike. We find many examples of this force for good throughout Britain’s long history. Even in comparatively recent times, due to figures like William Wilberforce and David Livingstone, Britain intervened directly to stop the international slave trade. Inspired by faith, women like Florence Nightingale served the poor and the sick and set new standards in healthcare that were subsequently copied everywhere. John Henry Newman, whose beatification I will celebrate shortly, was one of many British Christians of his age whose goodness, eloquence and action were a credit to their countrymen and women. These, and many people like them, were inspired by a deep faith born and nurtured in these islands. Even in our own lifetime, we can recall how Britain and her leaders stood against a Nazi tyranny that wished to eradicate God from society and denied our common humanity to many, especially the Jews, who were thought unfit to live. I also recall the regime’s attitude to Christian pastors and religious who spoke the truth in love, opposed the Nazis and paid for that opposition with their lives. As we reflect on the sobering lessons of the atheist extremism of the twentieth century, let us never forget how the exclusion of God, religion and virtue from public life leads ultimately to a truncated vision of man and of society and thus to a “reductive vision of the person and his destiny” (Caritas in Veritate, 29). Sixty-five years ago, Britain played an essential role in forging the post-war international consensus which favoured the establishment of the United Nations and ushered in a hitherto unknown period of peace and prosperity in Europe. In more recent years, the international community has followed closely events in Northern Ireland which have led to the signing of the Good Friday Agreement and the devolution of powers to the NorthernIreland Assembly. Your Majesty’s Government and the Government of Ireland, together with the political, religious and civil leaders of Northern Ireland, have helped give birth to a peaceful resolution of the conflict there. I encourage everyone involved to continue to walk courageously together on the path marked out for them towards a just and lastingpeace. Looking abroad, the United Kingdom remains a key figure politically and economically on the international stage.Your Government and people are the shapers of ideas that still have an impact far beyond the British Isles. This places upon them a particular duty to act wisely for the common good. Similarly, because their opinions reach such a wide audience, the British media have a graver responsibility than most and a greater opportunity to promote the peace of nations, the integral development of peoples and the spread of authentic human rights. May all Britons continue to live by the values of honesty, respect and fair-mindedness that have won them the esteem and admiration of many. Today, the United Kingdom strives to be a modern and multicultural society. In this challenging enterprise, may it always maintain its respect for those traditional values and cultural expressions that more aggressive forms of secularism no longer value or even tolerate. Let it not obscure the Christian foundation that underpins its freedoms; and may that patrimony, which has always served the nation well, constantly inform the example your Government and people set before the two billion members of the Commonwealth and the great family of English-speaking nations throughout the world. May God bless Your Majesty and all the people of your realm. Thank you. image: radiovaticanaTo watch Pope Benedict's visit in real time, click on: www.fco.gov.uk/en/news/latest-news/?view=News&id=22871314 http://www.indcatholicnews.com/news.php?viewStory=16734Posted by JesusCaritasEst at 4:06 PM 0 comments
Email This BlogThis! Share to Twitter Share to Facebook Share to Google Buzz
ASIA: INDIA: ISLAMIC FUNDAMENTALISTS BURN SCHOOL
Asia News report: It is the St Francis S
chool, owned by Muslims, who use the Christian name to attract more students. Four dead and 19 injured in Mendhar, while protests spread in Kashmir. The influence of fundamentalist groups on the masses, dragged from their villages to demonstrate. Missionary priest Jim Borst under police protection. Mendhar (AsiaNews) - A mob of Muslim radicals have tried to burn a school with a Christian name (St. Francis School), unaware that it is governed by Muslim and Christian in name only. The police managed to stop the arsonists, but fired into the crowd, killing four people and wounding 19. Christian leaders say "these people are being manipulated.The protest against the "Burn the Koran" campaign is spreading in several areas of Kashmir and has already left 22 dead and hundreds injured. The events used the announced (but subsequently cancelled) desecration of the Koran in the United States, to increase the tension against the Indian government, which refuses to grant autonomy to the region, also disputed by Pakistan.After three days of demonstrations and violence, protests erupted yesterday in Mendhar, about 60 km from Poonch near the border with Pakistan. From 10 am at least 3,000 people gathered also from nearby villages, marching towards the school of St Francis and the residences of teachers.The crowd were stopped by the police who used firearms, batons and tear gas grenades. In the clashes four demonstrators were killed and 19 wounded. The mob destroyed dozens of government offices, the police station and burned at least eight cars.The irony is that the school targeted is Christian in name only and is owned by local Muslims, even if the teaching staff is made up of Christians from Kerala.Mgr. Peter Celestine, bishop of Srinagar tells AsiaNews: "The so-called St Francis School has nothing to do with Catholic Protestant or evangelical institutions. They only use the Christian name to attract students. This shows that even for the local Muslims, Christian educational institutions have a very high standard”."These people - he added –are rounded up from nearby villages and incited to attack, inflamed by religious zeal."In recent days, however, some Catholic schools were affected. Among them the Good Shepherd's School of missionary Jim Borst, in Pulwama. The mob burned the main building and two other buildings were looted. Witnesses said the protesters were from villages under the influence of "Allahwales" and Devbandis "fundamentalist groups close to the Wahhabis.Local people, Muslim, expressed solidarity with the missionary and say they are ready to help re-start the school. Fr. Jim, for his part, sent a letter to the families linked to the school, promising to reopen immediately as soon as the curfew ends. Meanwhile the priest is under police protection to prevent attacks against him.On 14 September another school risked being burnt: it is the Christ School in Poonch. Only police intervention stopped the mob just 500 meters from the building.Fr. Matthew, the principal told AsiaNews: "We have 1522 students and only 40 are Christians, 40% of the students are Muslims, then there are Hindus and Sikhs. We have always enjoyed a deep respect from the locals. Many Islamic authorities have expressed their displeasure at the attempt to burn the school and condemned the attack. But people are manipulated and have been driven to a frenzy by false news reports".http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Kashmir:-Muslims-try-to-burn-a-Christian-school-(only-in-name)-19476.html
Posted by JesusCaritasEst at 4:03 PM 0 comments
Email This BlogThis! Share to Twitter Share to Facebook Share to Google Buzz
SOUTH AFRICA: INTERVIEW WITH BISHOP PONCE
Agenzia Fides REPORT– A missionary Bishop from Argentina in South Africa. That would describe Bishop Jose G. Ponce de Leon, Vicar Apostolic of Ingwavuma, who has been in Rome for the seminar for newly appointed bishops organized by the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples (see Fides 09/06/2010). The following is an interview with Bishop Ponce de Leon by Fides.How has your missionary vocation unfolded?I am a Consolata missionary. Our training is 'international.' I did the novitiate and theology studies in Colombia. I was in that country for 4 ½ years, from 1982 to 1986. After graduating, we mention three places of mission where we would like to go. I mentioned Ethiopia, Mozambique, and South Africa and I also made myself available to go to Asia. My superiors, however, asked me to return to Argentina instead. I was in Argentina for seven years running missionary activities, through a magazine and through missionary training. In 1993, I was sent to South Africa to the Province of KwaZulu, where I worked from 1994 to 2005. I was then sent to Rome to lead the mission there and later serve as Secretary General. Could you tell us a little about the Vicariate of Ingwavuma? The Vicariate was established in 1990 and was assigned to the Servants of Mary. The Bishop was an Irish Servant of Mary, Michael Mary O'Shea, who died in 2006. The Vicariate is located in the north-eastern Province of KwaZulu, on the border with Mozambique and Swaziland. Apart from some celebrations done in English, all our pastoral activity is done in Zulu. I also celebrate the Mass in Zulu. It took me forever to learn it! At 15 years since the birth of a new South Africa, seeing someone who makes the effort to learn the language of another causes joy, especially for those who were forced to learn the language of those who came from the outside, the colonizers. Currently, we have 6 diocesan priests and 6 religious priests, and 2 deacons will be ordained this year, so in the future there will be 8 diocesan priests. Thus, the number of diocesan priests is higher than that of religious priests, something unique for a Vicariate. These priests are young because they have been ordained in the last five years and are a sign of hope for the Vicariate. What are the most serious problems in your Vicariate? AIDS is the main scourge of KwaZulu. According to statistics ,at least 30% of the population is affected with HIV, one in three are ill or are carriers of the virus. This means that there is not one family that has not suffered due to HIV. The number of orphans is very high. We have no orphanages, because we prefer that these children continue to live in their communities of origin, with neighbors, or relatives. The eldest son often takes on the role of father for their siblings. The SACBC (Southern African Catholic Bishops Conference) has had the wonderful initiative of creating an AIDS office which collects the funds to be distributed to individual dioceses. I, as a single bishop, would not be able to raise the necessary funds to cure the sick of my Vicariate. Each diocese has its own aid projects for AIDS patients, in connection with the SACBC office, in order to raise/allot funds. This results in sending groups of volunteers who visit the sick, in projects for orphans, and especially in the administration of antiretroviral drugs. We also have a blood laboratory. We do not have to send blood samples to Johannesburg to be analyzed. I was impressed by the remark made by a physician who works with us who is not Catholic, who said: "There is no other Church that does as much as the Catholic Church for our people." We have a clinic near the Cathedral, which attends 80 patients every Tuesday. On other days, the doctors and nurses visit the rural areas and small communities of the Vicariate. These activities are a sign of hope, because if we have been able to continue it is not only thanks to the funds, but also thanks to the participation of people. The locals, not the foreigners coming in from the outside, who volunteer their time to care for the sick. http://www.fides.org/aree/news/newsdet.php?idnews=27419&lan=eng
Posted by JesusCaritasEst at 4:02 PM 0 comments
Email This BlogThis! Share to Twitter Share to Facebook Share to Google Buzz
AMERICA: CANADA: HUSBAND RISKS LIFE AND DIES TO SAVE WIFE AND UNBORN CHILD
LIFESITENEWS REPORT – A heroic split-second decision by a young husband and father in the moments before a severe car accident that ultimately took his life has made headlines across the continent.Brian and Erin Wood were driving
across Washington State to visit relatives Friday when a car, later found to contain drugs, swerved suddenly into oncoming traffic in front of the couple's car. Erin maintains that her husband made the quick decision to serve the car to the right as he braked, thereby ensuring that he took the brunt of the impact, while saving her life and the life of her unborn child, the couple's first. A week after the crash, Erin says she is doing well physically and that the baby appears not to have suffered significant trauma."His first thought was for that baby and his wife, so I'm sure he did it without consciously realizing it," said Brian's mother Janice Wood.An ABC TODAY show headline celebrated Woods' sacrifice for both his wife and his child in the womb, and featured an interview with Erin, who said that the sacrifice of her husband of 4 years was "not a surprise at all" to those who knew him."He was very excited for this baby, and always just incredibly loving towards me and putting me first, and just an amazing guy," she said. "I'm just glad that he's being remembered as someone who was willing to make that sacrifice."The young mother also said she took comfort in taking care of her baby in the weeks leading up to her November 5 due date.“It gives me some comfort just to focus on [the baby] and to focus on the joy that we’ll have once this baby is born,” she said on TODAY. “I’m just trying to draw a lot of strength right now knowing that [Brian] made that choice to save me and the baby, so I can’t waste that gift — and he wouldn’t want me to.”"I'm trying to focus on what I need to do right now, which is eat and sleep and take my vitamins, and just do my job as a mom," she said.“I really would give anything just to see Brian and hug him one more time,” she added, saying that she hopes people will learn from her husband’s sacrifice. “So if that just acts as a reminder to everyone to do that with people that they’re blessed to have in their lives, that’s my hope.”http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2010/sep/10091604.htmlitenews.com/ldn/2010/sep/10091604.html
Posted by JesusCaritasEst at 3:59 PM 0 comments
Email This BlogThis! Share to Twitter Share to Facebook Share to Google Buzz
EUROPE/GERMANY - 8TH CHINA-EUROPE COLLOQUIUM ON CHINESE
Agenzia Fides REPORT – From September 16 to 19, Freising (Germany) will host the Eighth European Catholic China Colloquium, organized by China-Zentrum in Sankt Augustin, whose theme will be social and religious integration of the Chinese in Europe (The Chinese in Europe — Trends and Catholic Perspectives). The presence of the Chinese in different European countries, future prospects, and the response of the Church will be the topics discussed in the talks, group sessions, and meetings on specific topics. Opening the Colloquium will be Fr. Eric Englert, OSA, President of Missio Munich and China-Zentrum, along with Fr. Anton Weber, SVD, Director of the China-Zentrum. Their introduction will be followed by a speech from Archbishop Reinhard Marx of Munich on "Catholic Social Doctrine in the Context of Global Challenges." Within the six sessions planned, speeches will be given by academics, representatives from the Chinese world, representatives from European Catholic organizations working with China, as well as members of Protestant and Orthodox churches in Europe. In the final session, dedicated to commitment and solidarity from the European and Chinese perspectives, there will be talks given by Archbishop Agostino Marchetto, former Secretary of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants, and Fr. Peter Cui Xingang, the Italian Bishops' Conference's representative for Chinese Catholics in Italy. There will also be a particular analysis of the experience of Fr. Matteo Ricci in this, the 4th centenary of his death. http://www.fides.org/aree/news/newsdet.php?idnews=27418&lan=eng
Posted by JesusCaritasEst at 3:58 PM 0 comments
Email This BlogThis! Share to Twitter Share to Facebook Share to Google Buzz
AUSTRALIA: CATHOLIC SCHOOLS ACHIEVE HIGH GRADES ON TESTS
Cath News report: Sydney Catholic systemic schools have achieved above state and national means in every component of Literacy and Numeracy in every Year group of the NAPLAN tests.Sydney's Catholic Education Office said in a statement that the percentage of students who scored in the top two bands for each Year group was above the national mean in every category of Literacy and Numeracy, and above the State mean in 19 of the 20 categories assessed.The percentage of students who achieved in the lowest two NAPLAN bands is also below both State and national percentages in all components of Literacy and Numeracy in all Year groups."The 2010 NAPLAN scores are clear evidence that our students are gaining the skills they need in these foundational areas of Literacy and Numeracy," said Dr Dan White, Executive Director of Catholic Schools in the Archdiocese of Sydney."These results are all the more remarkable as around 62 percent of our students are from non-English-speaking backgrounds, with many arriving at our schools with little understanding of English. It is also worth remembering that all of our schools are non-selective, which demonstrates clearly that these successes are built on high-quality teaching."He said the ongoing success was no fluke."I believe there are some clear reasons for this sustained success," Dr White said. "At the core of it all is the use of targeted invention: in other words, we focus on where the student needs are greatest." http://www.cathnews.com/article.aspx?aeid=23277
Posted by JesusCaritasEst at 3:56 PM 0 comments
Email This BlogThis! Share to Twitter Share to Facebook Share to Google Buzz
TODAY'S SAINT: ST. CYPRIAN: DIED 258
St. CyprianBISHOP AND MARTYRFeast: September 16Information:Feast Day:September 16Born:3rd century AD, North AfricaDied:September 14, 258, Carthage, Africa Province, Roman EmpirePatron of:Algeria, North AfricaCYPRIAN was an African of noble birth, but of evil life, a pagan, and a teacher of rhetoric. In middle life he was converted to Christianity, and shortly after his baptism was ordained priest, and made Bishop of Carthage, notwithstanding his resistance. When the persecution of Decius broke out, he fled from his episcopal city, th
at he might be the better able to minister to the wants of his flock, but returned on occasion of a pestilence. Later on he was banished, and saw in a vision his future martyrdom. Being recalled from exile, sentence of death was pronounced against him, which he received with the words "Thanks be to God." His great desire was to die whilst in the act of preaching the faith of Christ, and he had the consolation of being surrounded at his martyrdom by crowds of his faithful children. He was beheaded on the 14th of September, 258, and was buried with great solemnity. Even the pagans respected his memory.http://www.ewtn.com/saintsHoly/saints/C/stcyprian.asp
2010
TODAY'S SAINT: ST. CORNELIUS, POPE, DIED 253
St. CorneliusPOPE AND MARTYRFeast: September 16Information:Feast Day:September 16Died:253Patron of:against earache, against epilepsy, against fever, against twitching, cattle, domestic animals, earache sufferersMartyr (251 to 253).We may accept the statement of the Liberian
catalogue that he reigned two years, three months, and ten days, for Lipsius, Lightfoot, and Harnack have shown that this list is a first-rate authority for this date. His predecessor, Fabian, was put to death by Decius, 20 January, 250. About the beginning of March, 251 the persecution slackened, owing to the absence of the emperor, against whom two rivals had arisen. It was possible to assemble sixteen bishops at Rome, and Cornelius was elected though against his will (Cyprian, Ep. lv, 24), "by the judgment of God and of Christ, by the testimony of almost all the clergy, by the vote of the people then present, by the consent of aged priests and of good men, at a time when no one had been made before him, when the place of Fabian, that is the place of Peter, and the step of the sacerdotal chair were vacant". "What fortitude in his acceptance of the episcopate, what strength of mind, what firmness of faith, that he took his seat intrepid in the sacerdotal chair, at a time when the tyrant in his hatred of bishops was making unspeakable threats, when he heard with far more patience that a rival prince was arising against him, than that a bishop of God was appointed at Rome" (ibid., 9). Is he not, asks St. Cyprian, to be numbered among the glorious confessors and martyrs who sat so long awaiting the sword or the cross or the stake and every other torture?A few weeks later the Roman priest Novatian made himself antipope, and the whole Christian world was convulsed by the schism at Rome. But the adhesion of St. Cyprian secured to Cornelius the hundred bishops of Africa, and the influence of St. Dionysius the Great, Bishop of Alexandria, brought the East within a few months to a right decision. In Italy itself the pope got together a synod of sixty bishops. (See NOVATIAN.) Fabius, Bishop of Antioch, seems to have wavered. Three letters to him from Cornelius were known to Eusebius, who gives extracts from one of them (Church History VI.43), in which the pope details the faults in Novatian's election and conduct with considerable bitterness. We incidentally learn that in the Roman Church there were forty-six priests, seven deacons, seven subdeacons, forty-two acolytes, fifty-two ostiarii, and over one thousand five hundred widows and persons in distress. From this Burnet estimated the number of Christians in Rome at fifty thousand, so also Gibbon; but Benson and Harnack think this figure possibly too large. Pope Fabian had made seven regions; it appears that each had one deacon, one subdeacon and six acolytes. Of the letters of Cornelius to Cyprian two have come down to us, together with nine from Cyprian to the pope. Mgr. Merrati has shown that in the true text the letters of Cornelius are in the colloquial "vulgar-Latin" of the day, and not in the more classical style affected by the ex-orator Cyprian and the learned philosopher Novatian. Cornelius sanctioned the milder measures proposed by St. Cyprian and accepted by his Carthaginian council of 251 for the restoration to communion, after varying forms of penance, of those who had fallen during the Decian persecution.At the beginning of 252 a new persecution suddenly broke out. Cornelius was exiled to Centumcellæ (Civita Vecchia). There were no defections among the Roman Christians; all were confessors. The pope "led his brethren in confession", writes Cyprian (Ep. lx, ad Corn.), with a manifest reference to the confession of St. Peter. "With one heart and one voice the whole Roman Church confessed. Then was seen, dearest Brother, that faith which the blessed Apostle praised in you (Romans 1:8); even then he foresaw in spirit your glorious fortitude and firm strength." In June Cornelius died a martyr, as St. Cyprian repeatedly calls him. The Liberian catalogue has ibi cum gloriâ dormicionem accepit, and this may mean that he died of the rigours of his banishment, though later accounts say that he was beheaded. St. Jerome says that Cornelius and Cyprian suffered on the same day in different years, and his careless statement has been generally followed. The feast of St. Cyprian was in fact kept at Rome at the tomb of Cornelius, for the fourth century "Depositio Martirum" has "XVIII kl octob Cypriani Africæ Romæ celebratur in Callisti". St. Cornelius was not buried in the chapel of the popes, but in an adjoining catacomb, perhaps that of a branch of the noble Cornelii. His inscription is in Latin: CORNELIUS* MARTYR* whereas those of Fabian and Lucius are in Greek (Northcote and Brownlow, "Roma sotteranea", I, vi).http://www.ewtn.com/saintsHoly/saints/C/stcornelius.asp
TODAY'S SAINT: ST. CORNELIUS, POPE, DIED 253
St. CorneliusPOPE AND MARTYRFeast: September 16Information:Feast Day:September 16Died:253Patron of:against earache, against epilepsy, against fever, against twitching, cattle, domestic animals, earache sufferersMartyr (251 to 253).We may accept the statement of the Liberian
catalogue that he reigned two years, three months, and ten days, for Lipsius, Lightfoot, and Harnack have shown that this list is a first-rate authority for this date. His predecessor, Fabian, was put to death by Decius, 20 January, 250. About the beginning of March, 251 the persecution slackened, owing to the absence of the emperor, against whom two rivals had arisen. It was possible to assemble sixteen bishops at Rome, and Cornelius was elected though against his will (Cyprian, Ep. lv, 24), "by the judgment of God and of Christ, by the testimony of almost all the clergy, by the vote of the people then present, by the consent of aged priests and of good men, at a time when no one had been made before him, when the place of Fabian, that is the place of Peter, and the step of the sacerdotal chair were vacant". "What fortitude in his acceptance of the episcopate, what strength of mind, what firmness of faith, that he took his seat intrepid in the sacerdotal chair, at a time when the tyrant in his hatred of bishops was making unspeakable threats, when he heard with far more patience that a rival prince was arising against him, than that a bishop of God was appointed at Rome" (ibid., 9). Is he not, asks St. Cyprian, to be numbered among the glorious confessors and martyrs who sat so long awaiting the sword or the cross or the stake and every other torture?A few weeks later the Roman priest Novatian made himself antipope, and the whole Christian world was convulsed by the schism at Rome. But the adhesion of St. Cyprian secured to Cornelius the hundred bishops of Africa, and the influence of St. Dionysius the Great, Bishop of Alexandria, brought the East within a few months to a right decision. In Italy itself the pope got together a synod of sixty bishops. (See NOVATIAN.) Fabius, Bishop of Antioch, seems to have wavered. Three letters to him from Cornelius were known to Eusebius, who gives extracts from one of them (Church History VI.43), in which the pope details the faults in Novatian's election and conduct with considerable bitterness. We incidentally learn that in the Roman Church there were forty-six priests, seven deacons, seven subdeacons, forty-two acolytes, fifty-two ostiarii, and over one thousand five hundred widows and persons in distress. From this Burnet estimated the number of Christians in Rome at fifty thousand, so also Gibbon; but Benson and Harnack think this figure possibly too large. Pope Fabian had made seven regions; it appears that each had one deacon, one subdeacon and six acolytes. Of the letters of Cornelius to Cyprian two have come down to us, together with nine from Cyprian to the pope. Mgr. Merrati has shown that in the true text the letters of Cornelius are in the colloquial "vulgar-Latin" of the day, and not in the more classical style affected by the ex-orator Cyprian and the learned philosopher Novatian. Cornelius sanctioned the milder measures proposed by St. Cyprian and accepted by his Carthaginian council of 251 for the restoration to communion, after varying forms of penance, of those who had fallen during the Decian persecution.At the beginning of 252 a new persecution suddenly broke out. Cornelius was exiled to Centumcellæ (Civita Vecchia). There were no defections among the Roman Christians; all were confessors. The pope "led his brethren in confession", writes Cyprian (Ep. lx, ad Corn.), with a manifest reference to the confession of St. Peter. "With one heart and one voice the whole Roman Church confessed. Then was seen, dearest Brother, that faith which the blessed Apostle praised in you (Romans 1:8); even then he foresaw in spirit your glorious fortitude and firm strength." In June Cornelius died a martyr, as St. Cyprian repeatedly calls him. The Liberian catalogue has ibi cum gloriâ dormicionem accepit, and this may mean that he died of the rigours of his banishment, though later accounts say that he was beheaded. St. Jerome says that Cornelius and Cyprian suffered on the same day in different years, and his careless statement has been generally followed. The feast of St. Cyprian was in fact kept at Rome at the tomb of Cornelius, for the fourth century "Depositio Martirum" has "XVIII kl octob Cypriani Africæ Romæ celebratur in Callisti". St. Cornelius was not buried in the chapel of the popes, but in an adjoining catacomb, perhaps that of a branch of the noble Cornelii. His inscription is in Latin: CORNELIUS* MARTYR* whereas those of Fabian and Lucius are in Greek (Northcote and Brownlow, "Roma sotteranea", I, vi).http://www.ewtn.com/saintsHoly/saints/C/stcornelius.asp TODAY'S GOSPEL- Luke 7: 36 - 50
Luke 7: 36 - 5036One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee's house, and took his place at table.37And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was at table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment,38and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.39Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw it, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner."40And Jesus answering said to him, "Simon, I have something to say to you." And he answered, "What is it, Teacher?"41"A certain creditor had two debtors; one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty.42When they could not pay, he forgave them both. Now which of them will love him more?"43Simon answered, "The one, I suppose, to whom he forgave more." And he said to him, "You have judged rightly."44Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I entered your house, you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.45You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet.46You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment.47Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little."48And he said to her, "Your sins are forgiven."49Then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves, "Who is this, who even forgives sins?"50And he said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."
Posted by JesusCaritasEst at 3:40 PM
Email This BlogThis! Share to Twitter Share to Facebook Share to Google Buzz
