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He Took, Blessed, Broke And Gave Consecration of Nashik Archbishop Cricket For Peace Religious Leaders Bat For Harmony
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VATICAN CITY Vatican Committee discusses Church in China A commission established by Benedict XVI to study topics of major importance concerning the Church in China convened its first meeting. A communiqué issued recently by the Vatican press office said the commission established by the Pope is meeting in Rome through Wednesday. “The commission is composed of superiors of dicasteries of the Roman Curia who have responsibilities in this field, and of certain members of the Chinese episcopate and religious congregations,” said the note. The Vatican said this first meeting of the commission will analyse the reaction caused by the letter the Pope sent to Chinese Catholics in May. The note added, “The rich contents of the pontifical document will be analysed in-depth and, in the light thereof, the principal aspects of the life of the Church in China will be considered.” Some of the members of the commission attending the meeting include Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-kiun, bishop of Hong Kong, Bishop John Tong Hon, coadjutor bishop of Hong Kong, Archbishop John Hung Shan-chuan of Taipei, and Cardinal Paul Shan Kuo-hsi, retired archbishop of Kaoshiung.
Vatican official: Pope’s social encyclical not expected before summer Pope Benedict XVI is still working on his social encyclical, but it probably will not be ready before summer, a top Vatican official said. “The Pope is reflecting and revising, and therefore we cannot predict. But I presume it will not be published before the summer vacation period,” Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the Vatican secretary of state, said March 9. Vatican sources said the Pope began work on the encyclical last year and that it would treat topics related to Catholic social teaching. His first two encyclicals examined the virtues of love and hope. Cardinal Bertone, who spoke with the Italian news agency ANSA while visiting Azerbaijan, said the Pope was preparing his new text carefully. “It needs to be written well. The Pope is making his reflections and annotations and is checking things rigorously,” he said. “I’m not saying the Pope is a true perfectionist, but in a certain sense he is,” the cardinal said.
Pope tells youth Jesus didn’t promise earthly immortality The abundant life Jesus promised is not immortality on earth or heaps of nice things, but rather it is an eternal relationship with God, who is infinite love, Pope Benedict XVI said. “Imagine that medicine was able to come up with a prescription for immortality,” the Pope told young people gathered for Mass March 9 at the Church of St. Lawrence, just off St. Peter’s Square. If such a pill existed, he said, biological life would go on and on; “we would find ourselves in an old world, a world full of the aged, a world that would not have space for the young, for the renewal of life.” He said, “This cannot be the type of immortality to which we aspire; this is not the possibility of drinking at the fountain of life that we all desire.” Pope Benedict celebrated Mass at St. Lawrence to mark the 25th anniversary of the Church’s dedication as an international youth centre. The youth section of the Pontifical Council for the Laity coordinates activities at the church, international students studying in Rome gather for Mass there each Friday night, and a programme to train young evangelists is operated by the French-founded Emmanuel Community.
AUSTRALIA Sydney Archdiocese: Cost of World Youth Day increases 50 per cent The estimated cost of staging World Youth Day in Sydney has increased by 50 per cent to $150 million (US$137.5 million), said a briefing paper circulated to local priests by the Sydney Archdiocese. However, the paper quoted a Sydney Chamber of Commerce report that World Youth Day will deliver long-term economic benefits in excess of $230 million (US$210 million). The briefing paper was released in early March. The briefing paper said that in addition to the immediate economic benefit from tourism and commerce World Youth Day -- scheduled for July 15-20 -- would showcase Sydney and Australia and contribute to tourism and industry for decades to come. “Almost all our leaders -- of whatever religious and political affiliation -- also recognise that beyond the hugely positive economic impact, there is great social value in offering young people spiritual values and ideals, hope and reason to celebrate,” it said. The briefing paper said almost half the costs would be covered by pilgrim fees. The rest would be made up by federal grants, the Church, donors, business partners and sponsors.
JERUSALEM Christian Leaders of Jerusalem appeal for Peace The patriarchs and heads of Churches in Jerusalem appealed for an end to the “infernal cycle” of violence between Israel and the Palestinians that continues to affect the Middle East. Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theophilos III, Armenian Orthodox Patriarch Torkom Manooghian, the Catholic patriarch of Jerusalem, Archbishop Michel Sabbah, and Franciscan Father Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Custos of the Holy Land, sent letters of condolence to the Palestinian and Israeli leaders after an escalation in violence killed more than 130 Palestinians and five Israelis. Since late February, Israel has been launching an offensive to stop the Islamist group Hamas from firing rockets into Israel. Israeli officials have halted military operations after rocket and mortar attacks launched from Gaza sharply dropped. In the note to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, the religious leaders stated their hope to see “the unity of the Palestinian people” restored. The representatives of the Christian Churches offered their condolences “for all the victims who have fallen and are still falling in this wave of violence in Gaza.” The note said, “We know that you do not spare any effort in your attempts to reach a comprehensive and just peace. “Nevertheless, we urge you to do whatever possible to find rapid and opportune ways to bring back the unity of the Palestinian people: Heal all the wounds, in order that the tragedy of which all of us are victims, today more than ever, will come to an end.” The leaders urged Abbas to work “in efficient ways to reach agreement with the concerned Israeli authorities to stop all violence, so as to work for the achievement of peace.” Aware of the “grave difficulties” of the current situation, they expressed their hope that all involved will “work for the achievement of peace.”
THAILAND First Catholic Senator hopes to be voice for Catholics as well as women and children Thailand’s first Catholic senator hopes to be able to reflect her faith community’s views as well as promote the rights of women and children, her area of expertise. The national Election Commission endorsed the appointments of 74 senators on Feb. 19. Teresa Yuwadee Nimsomboon, 62, president of the Catholic Association of Thailand, was among them. “It is God’s will that I have an opportunity to serve his people,” Yuwadee said. “Besides working for women and children’s rights, I hope to be a voice for Catholics in Thailand.” The 2007 Thai Constitution provides for direct election of 76 members of the 150-seat Senate, one from each province counting Bangkok as one province. A special Selection Committee chooses the other 74 senators from the list of qualified nominees forwarded by the Election Commission. An elected senator serves a six-year term and an appointed senator three years. Kirti Bunchua, an academic and one of the few Catholics to have served as a legislator, confirmed that Yuwadee is the first Catholic senator. Election of senators began only within the past 10 years, but appointment of senators goes back decades. Yuwadee pointed to great disparity in the opportunities available to women in Thailand, with poor rural women having the least chance to advance. She sees education, leading to better livelihood prospects, a higher degree of self-dependence and a larger role in societal affairs, as a crucial need. “In our globalised world, many children are getting lost in technology,” she added. “We should guide them and help them choose between bad and good by teaching them morality and ethics. Parents should take active roles in raising their children.” Asked why she thought the Selection Committee chose her, she answered: “Maybe they selected me because they realised the importance of having Catholics and other (minority) religious communities represented.” Close to 95 per cent of Thailand’s 64 million people are Buddhists. “I intend to work for justice and use my position to protect human rights,” Yuwadee said, acknowledging that she also felt a duty to set a good Christian example of living by God’s word. “I hope to be a coordinator between the government and religions,” she added.
LEBANON Church agencies cushion many blows Iraqi refugees face in Lebanon Supported with funds from the U.S. bishops’ Catholic Relief Services and other groups, the Caritas Lebanon Migrant Center successfully has negotiated with Lebanese authorities for the release of hundreds of Iraqi refugees detained because of their illegal status. With the reprieve, Iraqis can search for work without fear of arrest. Thirteen Iraqis were released Feb. 29 and more will be released in coming months. CRS, Caritas branches in France and Italy and the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees have provided funding to regularise the status of the detainees and pay visa fees, said a CRS statement. Most of the estimated 50,000 Iraqis in Lebanon -- including about 5,000 to 10,000 Chaldean Catholics -- have been living in Lebanon illegally, unable to receive work permits or access to health services and schools. Each week, more arrive.
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