03/07/2014VATICAN Pope: Christianity is not "ethics", but "a story of salvation" and the "bending over the flesh" of our brothers and sisters "Do not be ashamed of the sick, poor or elderly flesh of our brothers or sisters", because "it is our same flesh. We will be judged for whatever we do for this brother, this sister".
Vatican
City ( AsiaNews) - Christianity is not "ethics", but "a story of
salvation" and the "bending over the flesh" of our brothers and
sisters and not being ashamed of it: It is going to break bread with the
hungry, cure the sick, the elderly, those who...
03/06/2014VATICAN Pope: Time of mercy, closeness to wounded for entire Church Encountering priests of the diocese of Rome, Francis says that “we must think of the Church today like a ‘field hospital'". "I always carry a small cloth pouch" containing a cross, in memory of a "great confessor", and when I have bad thoughts about someone my hand reaches for it". Confessors must be neither too "lax" nor too "rigorous".
03/05/2014EGYPT - ISLAM Samir Khalil Samir: Hamas ban also good for Palestinians by Samir Khalil Samir The Islamist movement accuses the Egyptian government of helping "the Israeli occupation". However, by choosing the path of violence, Hamas has created the current unsustainable situation in Gaza. Egypt shows that the diplomatic path is more fruitful. The court's decision is in line with the Arab Spring, against an ideological and religious dictatorship and for democracy.
03/05/2014VATICAN Pope: Lent, a time of conversion to be able to "react to the reality of evil that always challenges us " Francis points out two "commitments" for the period leading up to Easter: live the redemptive work of Christ with greater awareness and live our baptism with greater commitment. The "risk of not no longer being shocked by the sad reality that surrounds us", such as violence, injustice, "a society that claims it can make do without God".
03/04/2014VATICAN Pope: Remember that among Christians "there are more martyrs today than in the early days of the Church" "The world does not tolerate the divinity of Christ. It doesn’t tolerate the announcement of the Gospel. It does not tolerate the Beatitudes". "They are condemned because they have a Bible. They can not make the sign of the Cross", "they can not go to Mass, because it is forbidden". How often "does a priest come in secret, among them, they pretend they are having a meal, taking tea and there they celebrate Mass", "so they will not see them".
03/03/2014ISRAEL Ultra-Orthodox Jews protest against military service, see it as "an attack on Torah" by Joshua Lapide At least 500,000 people - adults, youth and children - took over Jerusalem for a few hours. According to the Haredim, military service stops them from studying the Bible and undermines the moral education of their youth. Secular Israelis accuse them of being "parasites" because they live off state subsidies.
03/03/2014VATICAN Pope: May God send us priests and nuns free from the idolatry of vanity, power and money "How many young people feel this ' call ' to get closer to Jesus in their hearts, and are enthusiastic " and "want to follow him, but when they have a heart full of something else and are not brave enough to empty it, the take a step back, and that joy becomes sadness".
03/02/2014VATICAN Pope launches "pressing appeal" for Ukraine, for "all initiatives in favor of dialogue and harmony" "This week we begin Lent, which is the journey of the People of God towards Easter, a journey of conversion, to combat evil with the weapons of prayer, fasting and mercy". "The shroud has no pockets! It is better to share, because we bring into Heaven only what we have shared with others".
02/28/2014ISRAEL Israel seizes a playground donated by Italy to a Bedouin school Deemed illegal, the school is part of a settlement hit by dozens of demolition orders. Attended by 128 pupils, the facility was built without a permit, something that the authorities deny to all Bedouin settlements. Residents have turned to the High Court of Justice.
02/27/2014VATICAN Pope: bishops are not managers but witnesses to the Risen Christ who lives for and near his flock Francis chaired a meeting of the Congregation for Bishops today. For him "To identify a bishop, it is not necessary to list his human, intellectual cultural or even pastoral skills". To "choose," we "need to elevate ourselves, to rise to the 'upper level'. We must rise above and overcome any eventual preferences, sympathies, provenances or tendencies to arrive at God's broad horizon".
02/27/2014VATICAN Pope: inconsistency between Christian life and faith causes scandal, "it does so much damage”, it "kills" "If you find yourself in front of an atheist and he tells you that he does not believe in God, you can read him a whole library, where it says that God exists and also prove that God exists, and he will still not believe. But if you give a coherent witness of Christian life to this atheist, something will begin to work in his heart".
02/26/2014ISRAEL New Israeli 'divide and rule' law to separate Arab Christians and Muslims by Joshua Lapide A minor law on equal opportunities is set to appoint distinct Christian and Muslim representatives with the aim of making Christians the "allies" of the State of Israel, at the expense of Muslims. This has raised fears among Christian Arabs. A letter is sent to Pope Francis to stop the recruitment of Christian Arabs into the Israeli Defence Forces (from which Arab Muslims are excluded).
