 VATICAN : POPE - MESSAGE FOR WORLD DAY OF PEACE AND OTHER NEWS CATHOLIC MOVIES - WATCH ST. JOHN BOSCO- PART 19ASIA : PHILIPPINES - CATHOLICS AGAINST RH LAW(Vatican Radio IMAGE SHARE) PRESENTATION OF THE POPE'S MESSAGE FOR WORLD DAY OF PEACEVatican City, 14 December 2012 (VIS) - A press conference was held this morning in the Holy See Press Office to present Benedict XVI's Message for the 46th World Day of Peace, which will take place on 1 January with the theme "Blessed are the peacemakers". Participating in today's conference were Cardinal Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson and Bishop Mario Toso S.D.B., respectively president and secretary of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace. The cardinal referred first to the "concrete" nature of the document. "The title, drawn from the Gospel, would induce us to think of the Message as having a rather spiritual or, so to speak, theoretical nature", he said. "However, the Pope's message is very closely linked to reality. It states a fact - the existence, in the midst of conflicts, tension and violence, of numerous peacemakers; in the explanation of the Gospel beatitude it explains that this is a promise that is guaranteed, in that it is made by God and does not refer merely to the future but already finds fulfilment in this life. It clearly indicates the duties of peacemakers: they must promote life in its fullest expression, in its entirety and therefore in all the dimensions of the human person, and draws attention to urgent problems issues such as the correct vision of marriage, the right to conscientious objection, religious freedom, the issues of work and unemployment, the food crisis, the financial crisis, and the role of the family in education. He then went on to emphasise the "positivity" of the Message which, "aside from opening the way to hope, reflects love for life and life in its completeness. Alongside the theme of the defence of life, the Pope highlights matters connected to justice, necessary for a worthwhile life, lived fully, or rather in which all people have the opportunity to develop their own potential". A further characteristic of the text is its "educational and pedagogical perspective. ...This is an aspect which is always close to the heart of the Church, one of whose tasks is to 'form consciences'", the cardinal emphasised. "In this regard, the Pontiff calls for responsibility on the part of the various educational institutions who must form capable leaders and propose new economic and financial models. This is necessary to overcome the particularly grave situation the globalised world is currently facing, a phase of profound spiritual and moral crisis in which there are still bloody conflicts and numerous threats to peace". Bishop Mario Toso observed that Benedict XVI's message is "an invitation to become peacemakers 'at three hundred and sixty degrees', in our entirety, protecting and implementing all the rights and duties of the individual and of communities". He continued, "Typical of the Pontiff's view is the part of the Message in which he urges us not to erode social rights, foremost among which he includes the right to work, which is a fundamental rather than marginal right. This is in spite of the context of economic recession, provoked in part by the financial crisis which began in 2007, and ideologies of radical liberalism and technocracy according to which development can be achieved without social and democratic progress. Without the defence and promotion of social rights - as recognised by liberals, communists, socialists and Catholics during the last century - civil and political rights cannot be adequately attained, and democracy itself - substantial, social and participatory - would be undermined. "In summary, the Message promotes the growth of a human family that is not divided into groups and peoples in favour of life, and those who work for peace without equal passion for the defence of human life from conception to natural end. Peace is a common goal to be pursued as a community, to the full benefit of every human being and population", concluded the secretary of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace. |
| BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS Vatican City, 14 December 2012 (VIS) - "Blessed are the Peacemakers" is the title chosen by the Holy Father for his Message for the 46th World Day of Peace, celebrated every year on 1 January. Given below is the full text of the Message: "1. Each new year brings the expectation of a better world. In light of this, I ask God, the Father of humanity, to grant us concord and peace, so that the aspirations of all for a happy and prosperous life may be achieved. "Fifty years after the beginning of the Second Vatican Council, which helped to strengthen the Church’s mission in the world, it is heartening to realise that Christians, as the People of God in fellowship with Him and sojourning among mankind, are committed within history to sharing humanity’s joys and hopes, grief and anguish, as they proclaim the salvation of Christ and promote peace for all. "In effect, our times, marked by globalisation with its positive and negative aspects, as well as the continuation of violent conflicts and threats of war, demand a new, shared commitment in pursuit of the common good and the development of all men, and of the whole man. "It is alarming to see hotbeds of tension and conflict caused by growing instances of inequality between rich and poor, by the prevalence of a selfish and individualistic mindset which also finds expression in an unregulated financial capitalism. In addition to the varied forms of terrorism and international crime, peace is also endangered by those forms of fundamentalism and fanaticism which distort the true nature of religion, which is called to foster fellowship and reconciliation among people. "All the same, the many different efforts at peacemaking which abound in our world testify to mankind’s innate vocation to peace. In every person the desire for peace is an essential aspiration which coincides in a certain way with the desire for a full, happy and successful human life. In other words, the desire for peace corresponds to a fundamental moral principle, namely, the duty and right to an integral social and communitarian development, which is part of God’s plan for mankind. Man is made for the peace which is God’s gift. "All of this led me to draw inspiration for this Message from the words of Jesus Christ: 'Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God'. Gospel beatitude "2. The beatitudes which Jesus proclaimed are promises. In the biblical tradition, the beatitude is a literary genre which always involves some good news, a 'gospel', which culminates in a promise. Therefore, the beatitudes are not only moral exhortations whose observance foresees in due time – ordinarily in the next life – a reward or a situation of future happiness. Rather, the blessedness of which the beatitudes speak consists in the fulfilment of a promise made to all those who allow themselves to be guided by the requirements of truth, justice and love. In the eyes of the world, those who trust in God and His promises often appear naïve or far from reality. Yet Jesus tells them that not only in the next life, but already in this life, they will discover that they are children of God, and that God has always been, and ever will be, completely on their side. They will understand that they are not alone, because He is on the side of those committed to truth, justice and love. Jesus, the revelation of the Father’s love, does not hesitate to offer Himself in self-sacrifice. Once we accept Jesus Christ, God and man, we have the joyful experience of an immense gift: the sharing of God’s own life, the life of grace, the pledge of a fully blessed existence. Jesus Christ, in particular, grants us true peace, which is born of the trusting encounter of man with God. "Jesus’ beatitude tells us that peace is both a messianic gift and the fruit of human effort. In effect, peace presupposes a humanism open to transcendence. It is the fruit of the reciprocal gift, of a mutual enrichment, thanks to the gift which has its source in God and enables us to live with others and for others. The ethics of peace is an ethics of fellowship and sharing. It is indispensable, then, that the various cultures in our day overcome forms of anthropology and ethics based on technical and practical suppositions which are merely subjectivistic and pragmatic, in virtue of which relationships of coexistence are inspired by criteria of power or profit, means become ends and vice versa, and culture and education are centred on instruments, technique and efficiency alone. The precondition for peace is the dismantling of the dictatorship of relativism and of the supposition of a completely autonomous morality which precludes acknowledgement of the ineluctable natural moral law inscribed by God upon the conscience of every man and woman. Peace is the building up of coexistence in rational and moral terms, based on a foundation whose measure is not created by man, but rather by God. As Psalm 29 puts it: 'May the Lord give strength to His people; may the Lord bless His people with peace'. Peace: God’s gift and the fruit of human effort "3. Peace concerns the human person as a whole, and it involves complete commitment. It is peace with God through a life lived according to His will. It is interior peace with oneself, and exterior peace with our neighbours and all creation. Above all, as Blessed John XXIII wrote in his Encyclical Pacem in Terris, whose fiftieth anniversary will fall in a few months, it entails the building up of a coexistence based on truth, freedom, love and justice. The denial of what makes up the true nature of human beings in its essential dimensions, its intrinsic capacity to know the true and the good and, ultimately, to know God Himself, jeopardises peacemaking. Without the truth about man inscribed by the Creator in the human heart, freedom and love become debased, and justice loses the ground of its exercise. "To become authentic peacemakers, it is fundamental to keep in mind our transcendent dimension and to enter into constant dialogue with God, the Father of mercy, whereby we implore the redemption achieved for us by His only-begotten Son. In this way mankind can overcome that progressive dimming and rejection of peace which is sin in all its forms: selfishness and violence, greed and the will to power and dominion, intolerance, hatred and unjust structures. "The attainment of peace depends above all on recognizing that we are, in God, one human family. This family is structured, as the Encyclical Pacem in Terris taught, by interpersonal relations and institutions supported and animated by a communitarian 'we', which entails an internal and external moral order in which, in accordance with truth and justice, reciprocal rights and mutual duties are sincerely recognized. Peace is an order enlivened and integrated by love, in such a way that we feel the needs of others as our own, share our goods with others and work throughout the world for greater communion in spiritual values. It is an order achieved in freedom, that is, in a way consistent with the dignity of persons who, by their very nature as rational beings, take responsibility for their own actions. "Peace is not a dream or something utopian; it is possible. Our gaze needs to go deeper, beneath superficial appearances and phenomena, to discern a positive reality which exists in human hearts, since every man and woman has been created in the image of God and is called to grow and contribute to the building of a new world. God Himself, through the incarnation of His Son and His work of redemption, has entered into history and has brought about a new creation and a new covenant between God and man, thus enabling us to have a 'new heart' and a 'new spirit'. "For this very reason the Church is convinced of the urgency of a new proclamation of Jesus Christ, the first and fundamental factor of the integral development of peoples and also of peace. Jesus is indeed our peace, our justice and our reconciliation. The peacemaker, according to Jesus’ beatitude, is the one who seeks the good of the other, the fullness of good in body and soul, today and tomorrow. "From this teaching one can infer that each person and every community, whether religious, civil, educational or cultural, is called to work for peace. Peace is principally the attainment of the common good in society at its different levels, primary and intermediary, national, international and global. Precisely for this reason it can be said that the paths which lead to the attainment of the common good are also the paths that must be followed in the pursuit of peace. Peacemakers are those who love, defend and promote life in its fullness "4. The path to the attainment of the common good and to peace is above all that of respect for human life in all its many aspects, beginning with its conception, through its development and up to its natural end. True peacemakers, then, are those who love, defend and promote human life in all its dimensions, personal, communitarian and transcendent. Life in its fullness is the height of peace. Anyone who loves peace cannot tolerate attacks and crimes against life. "Those who insufficiently value human life and, in consequence, support among other things the liberalization of abortion, perhaps do not realize that in this way they are proposing the pursuit of a false peace. The flight from responsibility, which degrades human persons, and even more so the killing of a defenceless and innocent being, will never be able to produce happiness or peace. Indeed how could one claim to bring about peace, the integral development of peoples or even the protection of the environment without defending the life of those who are weakest, beginning with the unborn. Every offence against life, especially at its beginning, inevitably causes irreparable damage to development, peace and the environment. Neither is it just to introduce surreptitiously into legislation false rights or freedoms which, on the basis of a reductive and relativistic view of human beings and the clever use of ambiguous expressions aimed at promoting a supposed right to abortion and euthanasia, pose a threat to the fundamental right to life. "There is also a need to acknowledge and promote the natural structure of marriage as the union of a man and a woman in the face of attempts to make it juridically equivalent to radically different types of union; such attempts actually harm and help to destabilize marriage, obscuring its specific nature and its indispensable role in society. "These principles are not truths of faith, nor are they simply a corollary of the right to religious freedom. They are inscribed in human nature itself, accessible to reason and thus common to all humanity. The Church’s efforts to promote them are not therefore confessional in character, but addressed to all people, whatever their religious affiliation. Efforts of this kind are all the more necessary the more these principles are denied or misunderstood, since this constitutes an offence against the truth of the human person, with serious harm to justice and peace. "Consequently, another important way of helping to build peace is for legal systems and the administration of justice to recognize the right to invoke the principle of conscientious objection in the face of laws or government measures that offend against human dignity, such as abortion and euthanasia. "One of the fundamental human rights, also with reference to international peace, is the right of individuals and communities to religious freedom. At this stage in history, it is becoming increasingly important to promote this right not only from the negative point of view, as freedom from – for example, obligations or limitations involving the freedom to choose one’s religion – but also from the positive point of view, in its various expressions, as freedom for – for example, bearing witness to one’s religion, making its teachings known, engaging in activities in the educational, benevolent and charitable fields which permit the practice of religious precepts, and existing and acting as social bodies structured in accordance with the proper doctrinal principles and institutional ends of each. Sadly, even in countries of long-standing Christian tradition, instances of religious intolerance are becoming more numerous, especially in relation to Christianity and those who simply wear identifying signs of their religion. "Peacemakers must also bear in mind that, in growing sectors of public opinion, the ideologies of radical liberalism and technocracy are spreading the conviction that economic growth should be pursued even to the detriment of the state’s social responsibilities and civil society’s networks of solidarity, together with social rights and duties. It should be remembered that these rights and duties are fundamental for the full realisation of other rights and duties, starting with those which are civil and political. "One of the social rights and duties most under threat today is the right to work. The reason for this is that labour and the rightful recognition of workers’ juridical status are increasingly undervalued, since economic development is thought to depend principally on completely free markets. Labour is thus regarded as a variable dependent on economic and financial mechanisms. In this regard, I would reaffirm that human dignity and economic, social and political factors, demand that we continue 'to prioritise the goal of access to steady employment for everyone'. If this ambitious goal is to be realised, one prior condition is a fresh outlook on work, based on ethical principles and spiritual values that reinforce the notion of work as a fundamental good for the individual, for the family and for society. Corresponding to this good are a duty and a right that demand courageous new policies of universal employment. Building the good of peace through a new model of development and economics "5. In many quarters it is now recognized that a new model of development is needed, as well as a new approach to the economy. Both integral, sustainable development in solidarity and the common good require a correct scale of goods and values which can be structured with God as the ultimate point of reference. It is not enough to have many different means and choices at one’s disposal, however good these may be. Both the wide variety of goods fostering development and the presence of a wide range of choices must be employed against the horizon of a good life, an upright conduct that acknowledges the primacy of the spiritual and the call to work for the common good. Otherwise they lose their real value, and end up becoming new idols. "In order to emerge from the present financial and economic crisis – which has engendered ever greater inequalities – we need people, groups and institutions which will promote life by fostering human creativity, in order to draw from the crisis itself an opportunity for discernment and for a new economic model. The predominant model of recent decades called for seeking maximum profit and consumption, on the basis of an individualistic and selfish mindset, aimed at considering individuals solely in terms of their ability to meet the demands of competitiveness. Yet, from another standpoint, true and lasting success is attained through the gift of ourselves, our intellectual abilities and our entrepreneurial skills, since a 'liveable' or truly human economic development requires the principle of gratuitousness as an expression of fraternity and the logic of gift. Concretely, in economic activity, peacemakers are those who establish bonds of fairness and reciprocity with their colleagues, workers, clients and consumers. They engage in economic activity for the sake of the common good and they experience this commitment as something transcending their self-interest, for the benefit of present and future generations. Thus they work not only for themselves, but also to ensure for others a future and a dignified employment. "In the economic sector, states in particular need to articulate policies of industrial and agricultural development concerned with social progress and the growth everywhere of constitutional and democratic states. The creation of ethical structures for currency, financial and commercial markets is also fundamental and indispensable; these must be stabilised and better coordinated and controlled so as not to prove harmful to the very poor. With greater resolve than has hitherto been the case, the concern of peacemakers must also focus upon the food crisis, which is graver than the financial crisis. The issue of food security is once more central to the international political agenda, as a result of inter- related crises, including sudden shifts in the price of basic foodstuffs, irresponsible behaviour by some economic actors and insufficient control on the part of governments and the international community. To face this crisis, peacemakers are called to work together in a spirit of solidarity, from the local to the international level, with the aim of enabling farmers, especially in small rural holdings, to carry out their activity in a dignified and sustainable way from the social, environmental and economic points of view. Education for a culture of peace: the role of the family and institutions "6. I wish to reaffirm forcefully that the various peacemakers are called to cultivate a passion for the common good of the family and for social justice, and a commitment to effective social education. "No one should ignore or underestimate the decisive role of the family, which is the basic cell of society from the demographic, ethical, pedagogical, economic and political standpoints. The family has a natural vocation to promote life: it accompanies individuals as they mature and it encourages mutual growth and enrichment through caring and sharing. The Christian family in particular serves as a seedbed for personal maturation according to the standards of divine love. The family is one of the indispensable social subjects for the achievement of a culture of peace. The rights of parents and their primary role in the education of their children in the area of morality and religion must be safeguarded. It is in the family that peacemakers, tomorrow’s promoters of a culture of life and love, are born and nurtured. "Religious communities are involved in a special way in this immense task of education for peace. The Church believes that she shares in this great responsibility as part of the new evangelisation, which is centred on conversion to the truth and love of Christ and, consequently, the spiritual and moral rebirth of individuals and societies. Encountering Jesus Christ shapes peacemakers, committing them to fellowship and to overcoming injustice. "Cultural institutions, schools and universities have a special mission of peace. They are called to make a notable contribution not only to the formation of new generations of leaders, but also to the renewal of public institutions, both national and international. They can also contribute to a scientific reflection which will ground economic and financial activities on a solid anthropological and ethical basis. Today’s world, especially the world of politics, needs to be sustained by fresh thinking and a new cultural synthesis so as to overcome purely technical approaches and to harmonise the various political currents with a view to the common good. The latter, seen as an ensemble of positive interpersonal and institutional relationships at the service of the integral growth of individuals and groups, is at the basis of all true education for peace. A pedagogy for peacemakers "7. In the end, we see clearly the need to propose and promote a pedagogy of peace. This calls for a rich interior life, clear and valid moral points of reference, and appropriate attitudes and lifestyles. Acts of peacemaking converge for the achievement of the common good; they create interest in peace and cultivate peace. Thoughts, words and gestures of peace create a mentality and a culture of peace, and a respectful, honest and cordial atmosphere. There is a need, then, to teach people to love one another, to cultivate peace and to live with good will rather than mere tolerance. A fundamental encouragement to this is 'to say no to revenge, to recognize injustices, to accept apologies without looking for them, and finally, to forgive', in such a way that mistakes and offences can be acknowledged in truth, so as to move forward together towards reconciliation. This requires the growth of a pedagogy of pardon. Evil is in fact overcome by good, and justice is to be sought in imitating God the Father Who loves all His children. This is a slow process, for it presupposes a spiritual evolution, an education in lofty values, a new vision of human history. There is a need to renounce that false peace promised by the idols of this world along with the dangers which accompany it, that false peace which dulls consciences, which leads to self-absorption, to a withered existence lived in indifference. The pedagogy of peace, on the other hand, implies activity, compassion, solidarity, courage and perseverance. "Jesus embodied all these attitudes in His own life, even to the complete gift of Himself, even to 'losing His life'. He promises His disciples that sooner or later they will make the extraordinary discovery to which I originally alluded, namely that God is in the world, the God of Jesus, fully on the side of man. Here I would recall the prayer asking God to make us instruments of His peace, to be able to bring His love wherever there is hatred, His mercy wherever there is hurt, and true faith wherever there is doubt. For our part, let us join Blessed John XXIII in asking God to enlighten all leaders so that, besides caring for the proper material welfare of their peoples, they may secure for them the precious gift of peace, break down the walls which divide them, strengthen the bonds of mutual love, grow in understanding, and pardon those who have done them wrong; in this way, by His power and inspiration all the peoples of the earth will experience fraternity, and the peace for which they long will ever flourish and reign among them. "With this prayer I express my hope that all will be true peacemakers, so that the city of man may grow in fraternal harmony, prosperity and peace." |
| CHRISTMAS TREE: A SIGN AND REMINDER OF DIVINE LIGHT Vatican City, 14 December 2012 (VIS) - This morning Benedict XVI received in audience a delegation from the Italian region of Molise, which this year has donated the fir tree raised next to the Nativity scene in St. Peter's Square. The lighting ceremony will take place later on today. The Pope thanked the delegation for the silver fir - which was accompanied by eight other smaller trees destined for the Apostolic Palace and various other locations around the Vatican - and greeted them following a brief address. "God became man and came among us to dispel the shadows of sin, bringing His divine light to humanity. This highest of lights, symbolised and recalled by the Christmas tree, has not only shown no sign of dimming through the passing of the centuries and the millennia, but rather continues to shine upon us and to illuminate every person who comes into the world, especially in moments of uncertainty and difficulty. Jesus Himself declared, 'I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life'. ... And, the attempts made through the ages to extinguish the light of God, to replace it with the glare of illusion and deceit, have heralded episodes of tragic violence against mankind. This is because the attempt to cancel the name of God from the pages of history results in distortion, in which even the most beautiful and noble words lose their true meaning". |
| AUDIENCES Vatican City, 14 December 2012 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in audience Cardinal Marc Ouellet P.S.S., prefect of the Congregation for Bishops. |
CATHOLIC MOVIES - WATCH ST. JOHN BOSCO- PART 19
IN HONOR OF THE YEAR OF FAITH - JCE NEWS WILL BE SHOWING SOME OF THE TOP CATHOLIC MOVIES OF ALL TIME. TUNE IN FOR THE NEXT PART OF ST. JOHN BOSCO- TOMORROW
6 - http://jceworld.blogspot.ca/2012/12/catholic-movies-watch-st-john-bosco.html
7 - http://jceworld.blogspot.ca/2012/12/catholic-movies-watch-st-john-bosco_3.html
7 - http://jceworld.blogspot.ca/2012/12/catholic-movies-watch-st-john-bosco_3.html
8 - http://jceworld.blogspot.ca/2012/12/catholic-movies-watch-st-john-bosco_7934.html
9 - http://jceworld.blogspot.ca/2012/12/catholic-movies-watch-st-john-bosco_4.html
10 - http://jceworld.blogspot.ca/2012/12/catholic-movies-watch-st-john-bosco_6.html
11 - http://jceworld.blogspot.ca/2012/12/catholic-movies-watch-st-john-bosco_3708.html
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16 - http://jceworld.blogspot.ca/2012/12/catholic-movies-watch-st-john-bosco_6575.html
17 - http://jceworld.blogspot.ca/2012/12/catholic-movies-watch-st-john-bosco_12.html
9 - http://jceworld.blogspot.ca/2012/12/catholic-movies-watch-st-john-bosco_4.html
10 - http://jceworld.blogspot.ca/2012/12/catholic-movies-watch-st-john-bosco_6.html
11 - http://jceworld.blogspot.ca/2012/12/catholic-movies-watch-st-john-bosco_3708.html
12 - http://jceworld.blogspot.ca/2012/12/catholic-movies-watch-st-john-bosco_7.html
13 - http://jceworld.blogspot.ca/2012/12/catholic-movies-watch-st-john-bosco_9.html
14 http://jceworld.blogspot.ca/2012/12/catholic-movies-watch-st-john-bosco_1388.html
15 - http://jceworld.blogspot.ca/2012/12/catholic-movies-watch-st-john-bosco_10.html
16 - http://jceworld.blogspot.ca/2012/12/catholic-movies-watch-st-john-bosco_6575.html
17 - http://jceworld.blogspot.ca/2012/12/catholic-movies-watch-st-john-bosco_12.html
AMERICA : SHOOTING IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN CONNECTICUT - 26 KILLED - 20 CHILDREN
AFRICA : EGYPT : CHRISTIANS URGED TO VOTE IN REFERENDUM
ASIA NEWS REPORT
Orthodox Coptic Patriarch Tawadros II last night confirmed his support. Christians will be free to vote for or against the proposed constitution in accordance with their conscience. Catholic Church spokesman believes 'No' side will grow against the Islamist constitution, and that this cannot be ignored.
Cairo (AsiaNews) - Egypt's Churches have called on their members to take part in tomorrow's referendum. "Every citizen has the freedom to vote," Orthodox Coptic Patriarch Tawadros II said last night at the end of a meeting with representatives of all Christian denominations (Orthodox Copts, Catholics, Protestants and Anglicans).
"The Churches have not said how people should vote. Everyone is free to vote in favour or against the new constitution," Fr Rafic Greiche, spokesman for the Egyptian Catholic Church and organiser of the meeting, told AsiaNews.
Christians, who are about 10 per cent of the population, will probably follow the lead of liberal parties, which told voters not to boycott the referendum but instead vote no to the Islamist-drafted instead. This way, Egyptians can show they trust the democratic system whilst trying to defeat the Islamist majority through the ballot box.
"Our hope is that this constitution will not be approved," the priest said. "The climate is very different from the previous vote on the constitution right after Mubarak's fall. This time, the 'No' side will be stronger and cannot be ignored."
In November, Church representatives pulled out of the constituent assembly in protest against articles that denied both Christians and muslims basic rights and freedoms, by subordinating legal interpretation on the Qur'an, thus Islamising Egyptian society.
Many religious and non-religious leaders accuse President Mohamed Morsi and Islamist groups of sowing division within the country by using Islam to stay in power.
Meanwhile, thousands of people gathered again in Tahrir Square to protest peacefully against a referendum held in an atmosphere of tensions and chaos without the consent of much of the people.
For their part, Islamist groups organised pro-constitution rallies at the mosques of Al-Rahman Al-Rahim, Al-Rashdan and al-Rabaa Adaweya after Friday prayers.
Today, Islamist leaders released threatening statements against attempts to interfere with the referendum, claiming that a 'Yes' vote is the only way out of the chaos. (S.C.)
Orthodox Coptic Patriarch Tawadros II last night confirmed his support. Christians will be free to vote for or against the proposed constitution in accordance with their conscience. Catholic Church spokesman believes 'No' side will grow against the Islamist constitution, and that this cannot be ignored.
Cairo (AsiaNews) - Egypt's Churches have called on their members to take part in tomorrow's referendum. "Every citizen has the freedom to vote," Orthodox Coptic Patriarch Tawadros II said last night at the end of a meeting with representatives of all Christian denominations (Orthodox Copts, Catholics, Protestants and Anglicans).
"The Churches have not said how people should vote. Everyone is free to vote in favour or against the new constitution," Fr Rafic Greiche, spokesman for the Egyptian Catholic Church and organiser of the meeting, told AsiaNews.
Christians, who are about 10 per cent of the population, will probably follow the lead of liberal parties, which told voters not to boycott the referendum but instead vote no to the Islamist-drafted instead. This way, Egyptians can show they trust the democratic system whilst trying to defeat the Islamist majority through the ballot box.
"Our hope is that this constitution will not be approved," the priest said. "The climate is very different from the previous vote on the constitution right after Mubarak's fall. This time, the 'No' side will be stronger and cannot be ignored."
In November, Church representatives pulled out of the constituent assembly in protest against articles that denied both Christians and muslims basic rights and freedoms, by subordinating legal interpretation on the Qur'an, thus Islamising Egyptian society.
Many religious and non-religious leaders accuse President Mohamed Morsi and Islamist groups of sowing division within the country by using Islam to stay in power.
Meanwhile, thousands of people gathered again in Tahrir Square to protest peacefully against a referendum held in an atmosphere of tensions and chaos without the consent of much of the people.
For their part, Islamist groups organised pro-constitution rallies at the mosques of Al-Rahman Al-Rahim, Al-Rashdan and al-Rabaa Adaweya after Friday prayers.
Today, Islamist leaders released threatening statements against attempts to interfere with the referendum, claiming that a 'Yes' vote is the only way out of the chaos. (S.C.)
SHARED FROM ASIA NEWS IT
AUSTRALIA : END OF THE SISTERS ROAD SHOW
Catholic Communications, Sydney Archdiocese REPORT
14 Dec 2012
14 Dec 2012
Wise and warm Sr Julianne brought the story of Mary MacKillop to thousands of children across Australia
After two years on the road across Australia, the Sesame Street-style Mary MacKillop puppet and her puppet companion, Bobs the dog, can finally take a rest. The distinctive vibrant-painted Sister's Travelling Roadshow van is also in storage and South Australian Josephite, Sister Julianne Murphy is back home at last and able to sleep in her own bed once more.
After months of sleeping in a different bed each night or bunking down in the back of the van, Sr Julianne says she still can't believe she has spent the past four nights sleeping in the same bed.
"And even better my own bed," she says laughing.
But she also insists the experience of helming the two year Travelling Roadshow and visiting virtually every corner of Australia, speaking to schools, parishes and communities has been a life changing experience she will treasure forever.
"I have been very privileged to have been able to see so much of Australia. It has been a remarkable journey and what struck me wherever I went, no matter how remote the community I visited, was the awareness and enormous interest in Mary MacKillop, with everyone keen to get on board and keep her spirit alive," she says.
In her two year epic journey accompanied by the two puppets and various Josephite sisters who shared different legs of her travels, Sr Julianne drove an incredible 70,254 kilometres visiting every major Australian city as well as hundreds of towns large and small, and as many rural and remote communities as possible.
With her enthusiasm, warmth, sense of fun and her popular puppets, Sr Julianne delighted young and old with her presentations about the founder of the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart, her work and her legacy.
The Governor General with Sr Julianne Murphy, the Josephite puppet schoolchildren love and the Travelling Sisters Roadshow van
Over the two year period Sr Julianne gave presentations on Australia's first saint and the ongoing work of the Mary MacKillop Foundation to more than 58,600 children as well as thousands of adults who listened spell-bound to the story of the Melbourne-born religious who was the first to provide free education to Australia's poor, vulnerable and marginalised.
They also heard how the legacy of this remarkable woman continues today not only through the work of the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart, the community she founded, but through the Mary MacKillop Foundation which provides annual grants of up to $10,000 to individuals and communities across the country to support small life-changing projects designed to help rebuild and change lives.
Established in the 1980s by the Sisters of St Joseph, the Foundation is committed to continuing the work of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop and her mantra to "never see a need without doing something about it."
Established in the 1980s by the Sisters of St Joseph, the Foundation is committed to continuing the work of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop and her mantra to "never see a need without doing something about it."
The idea for the roadshow came as a direct response by the Foundation to help children and communities deal with the devastating natural disasters that swept across Australia from late December 2010 through to February and March 2011.
By the time Sr Julianne first took the wheel of the roadshow van and embarked from Mary MacKillop Place North Sydney on the first leg of her two year travels, Australians were struggling to cope in the aftermath of the worst floods in more than a century that had taken lives and swept away entire communities in Queensland, NSW and Victoria. In February another disaster followed with the arrival of Cyclone Yasi which roared through Northern Queensland, cutting a swathe of destruction as it decimated homes and livelihoods. Simultaneously on the other side of the country, Western Australia was battling catastrophic bushfires that turned the outskirts of Perth into blackened smoking ruins.
Wherever they went the puppets were a big hit
"Even children who lived well away from any of the areas affected by these disasters were upset and stressed after seeing images of these events as they unfolded on television," Sr Julianne explains.
With more than 20 years experience as a teacher as well as a principal at schools in South Australia, she devised ways to help children cope. With the younger ones, she used puppets of Mary MacKillop and her dog Bobs to encourage the youngsters to confide their fears and find hope.
"Children open up when they talk to puppets in a way they may not when talking directly to an adult of family friend," Sr Julianne explains and laughs as she recalls how often the Mary MacKillop puppet was hugged and kissed and the needle and thread repair jobs she would have to undertake at night. She also laughs about Bobs the dog who looks like a collie pup rather than Mary MacKillop's beloved terrier.
"We couldn't find a terrier puppet so we grabbed this one as the next best thing," she explains.
Another part of her presentation at both primary and secondary schools was to place pairs of shoes on the floor and encourage students to step into them and to imagine what it is like to "walk in somebody else's shoes."
This part of the presentation helped build empathy and understanding of others, not only those involved in natural disasters but for those who came here as asylum seekers and remained held in detention, or those children struggling with poverty in families that had little or nothing.
The Travelling Sisters Roadshow epic journey has now ended
During the first months of the roadshow the initial aim to help children cope with the aftermath of the floods, cyclone and bushfires was expanded and broadened.
"Travelling in the roadshow van from school to school and community to community was also a wonderful way to meet a wide variety of people and also gave me an opportunity to see many of the projects supported by the Mary MacKillop Foundation in action," Sr Julianne says.
The journey also helped her pinpoint where the additional 10 grants given by the Foundation in the wake of the natural disasters might go and the projects that would help communities help themselves, rebuilding lives, and getting them back on their feet.
Originally Mary MacKillop's Roadshow was expected to run for just one year but the response from schools, towns, parishes and communities was so great and invitations to visit their school or town so overwhelming, it was decided for Sr Julianne and her roadshow to continue her travels in 2012 as well.
For Sr Julianne this year's journey included visits to many state primary and secondary schools who had specifically asked the roadshow to visit.
"Although they were not religious schools, the students knew the story of Mary MacKillop and were eager to know more. They had no religious teaching at these schools but I discovered Mary MacKillop is now part of the history syllabus at public schools across the country."
The two puppets are now in storage along with the Roadshow van
But now the journey is over. Next year there will be a different initiative from the Foundation to support and help those with grants for projects as well as the financing ongoing tertiary scholarships which have so far enabled 50 Indigenous students to graduate from some of Australia's top universities.
For Sr Julianne though her travels are about to continue and after spending time over Christmas with family and friends she is heading for the Kimberley in WA and the remote community of Warmun where she will take over as teacher and educator at the school there.
"It will be great to be part of the community and not just passing through a community as I've done over the past two years," she says admitting she is very excited and very much looking forward to her appointment and her new life in Warmun.
ASIA : PHILIPPINES - CATHOLICS AGAINST RH LAW
UCAN NEWS REPORT
Lay groups campaign against Congressmen who passed the law
ucanews.com reporter, Manila
Disgruntled Catholic lay groups yesterday launched a movement that will campaign in elections against politicians supporting the controversial Reproductive Health (RH) bill.
"There will be a Catholic vote in 2013. We will deliver it through our membership and from among our fellow parishioners," said Dr Ricardo Boncan, a group spokesman.
Anna Cosio, another movement spokesperson, said the group will conduct voter education programs and spell out criteria for electing national and local officials, such as having "high Christian moral standards, sound judgment, integrity, honor, dignity and independence."
Organizers said the new movement, Catholic Vote Philippines, was prompted by the government’s "apparent resolve to pass ‘anti-family’ laws in Congress, the most prominent of which is the RH bill."
The House of Representatives yesterday ignored Church protests and passed the bill that will allow artificial contraception as a family planning method if it becomes law.
The country’s upper house, the Senate, is due to vote on the bill next week.
The movement, initiated by the Couples for Christ, the Knights of Columbus and the Catholic Women’s League, said it would fight against all proposed laws dealing with population control, divorce and same sex marriage.
Mid-term polls to elect local leaders and members of Congress are scheduled to take place in May next year.
Related reports
Reproductive health bill passes despite protests
Bishops' last-ditch appeal against RH bill
SHARED FROM UCAN NEWS
"There will be a Catholic vote in 2013. We will deliver it through our membership and from among our fellow parishioners," said Dr Ricardo Boncan, a group spokesman.
Anna Cosio, another movement spokesperson, said the group will conduct voter education programs and spell out criteria for electing national and local officials, such as having "high Christian moral standards, sound judgment, integrity, honor, dignity and independence."
Organizers said the new movement, Catholic Vote Philippines, was prompted by the government’s "apparent resolve to pass ‘anti-family’ laws in Congress, the most prominent of which is the RH bill."
The House of Representatives yesterday ignored Church protests and passed the bill that will allow artificial contraception as a family planning method if it becomes law.
The country’s upper house, the Senate, is due to vote on the bill next week.
The movement, initiated by the Couples for Christ, the Knights of Columbus and the Catholic Women’s League, said it would fight against all proposed laws dealing with population control, divorce and same sex marriage.
Mid-term polls to elect local leaders and members of Congress are scheduled to take place in May next year.
Related reports
Reproductive health bill passes despite protests
Bishops' last-ditch appeal against RH bill
SHARED FROM UCAN NEWS
TODAY'S MASS ONLINE : FRI. DEC. 14, 2012
Matthew 11: 16 - 19
16"But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the market places and calling to their playmates,17`We piped to you, and you did not dance; we wailed, and you did not mourn.'18For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, `He has a demon';19the Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, `Behold, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds."
TODAY'S SAINT: DEC. 14: ST. JOHN OF THE CROSS
St. John of the Cross
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DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH, FOUNDER, GREAT MYSTICAL THEOLOGIAN
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Feast: December 14
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