07/28/2014VATICAN - ITALY Pope: for Pentecostals Holy Spirit produces Church diversity but also unity Francis is back in Caserta for a meeting with Rev Giovanni Traettino, a friend from Buenos Aires. He asks for forgiveness for the behavior of some Catholics under Fascist Italy's race laws. Caserta
(AsiaNews)
- Overcoming the boundaries between Christian Churches, which were not
born divided, and awareness that the Holy Spirit produces
Church diversity as well as unity
are ideas Pope Francis voiced today during a meeting at the Pentecostal Church of Reconciliation in Caserta, where he met Rev Giovanni Traettino, a friend from the times when...
07/28/2014ISLAM Eid al-Fitr: Ramadan ends today (for Sunnis) For Shia Muslims, the festival of Eid begins tomorrow. Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, UAE, Tunisia, Egypt, Lebanon (Sunnis) announce the end of Ramadan, which commemorates the period during which the Koran was revealed to Muhammad.
07/27/2014VATICAN "Stop! I am asking you with all my heart. Stop!" says pope as he speaks out on the Middle East, Iraq and Ukraine He mentions children, victims of war, "from whom we take away the hope for a decent life," urging the parties to address "every diatribe with the tenacity of dialogue and negotiation and the power of reconciliation". As tomorrow marks 100 years since the outbreak of the First World War, "a day of mourning," we should learn the lessons of history. The Gospel makes us know the true Jesus, the living Jesus, who speaks to the heart and is a life changer as he was for Saint Francis of Assisi. "The joy of finding the treasure of the Kingdom of God comes through, can be seen. Christians cannot hide their faith."
07/26/2014VATICAN - ITALY For pope in Caserta, we must "have the courage to say no to evil" to "attain" the Kingdom of God "It is terrible for such a beautiful land to be ruined this way," said the pope as he arrived in a region scarred by dioxin caused by toxic and radioactive waste buried by the Camorra. "Whoever becomes God's friend, loves his brothers, commits himself to safeguarding their life and health, as well as the environment and nature."
07/25/2014ASIA Air disasters: 2014 could beat 2005 in terms of fatalities So far this year, 680 people have died, higher than 12-month totals for the past three years. With 916 deaths, 2005 was the worst year. IATA points out that about 100,000 flights take place every day without incident with passenger trips on airlines exceeding three billion last year.
07/20/2014VATICAN Pope: I am with the persecuted Christians of Mosul and the Middle East "May the God of peace inspire in all a genuine desire for dialogue and reconciliation. Violence is never defeated with violence. Violence is defeated with peace." At the Sunday Angelus Francis comments on the parable of the wheat and the weeds. God is "patient" He knows "the same weeds in the end, may become good wheat". But "at the time of the harvest, that is, of judgment, the reapers will execute the order of the master separating the weeds to be burned".
07/18/2014VATICAN - ISLAM Christians and Muslims should work fraternally for "justice, peace and respect for the rights and dignity of every person" The Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue issues a message for the Muslims of the world to mark the end of Ramadan. "Despite being aware of our differences, [. . .] We perceive the importance of promoting a fruitful dialogue built upon mutual respect and friendship. Inspired by our shared values and strengthened by our sentiments of genuine fraternity, we are called to work together for justice, peace and respect for the rights and dignity of every person."
07/17/2014SYRIA - JORDAN Syrian refugees’ suffering worsened by drama of child brides Poverty and fear of sexual violence have doubled the number of girls married before they are 18. Before the start of the civil war marriages of young girls were 13% of all marriages, now the number has doubled. 48% of them are given to men who are at least 10 years older than them. This despite the fact that "girls under 15 are five times more likely to die in childbirth than adult women”.
07/13/2014VATICAN As pope makes "heartfelt appeal" for peace in the Holy Land, he notes that prayer is not "in vain" After the Angelus, Pope Francis called on those present to pray during a minute of silence. He made the same plea to local and international policy makers. Prayer helps us "not allow ourselves be overcome by evil, nor accept that violence and hatred take over from dialogue and reconciliation." The parable of the sower asks, 'How is our heart? To what ground does it look like: a road, rocky ground, or a bush? We must remember that with our words "we too are sowers". Indeed, "Our words can do so much good and so much evil; they can hurt and heal, encourage and depress." And "please, do not forget to pray for me."
07/12/2014ASIA - UNITED NATIONS More than half the world's population lives in cities India will lead the way, as the country's urban population is expected to swell by 404 million people between now and 2050. Tokyo will continue to top the mega-city list followed by Delhi, Shanghai, Mexico City, Sao Paulo, Beijing, Osaka, and Cairo. This trend will be challenge for health care, schools, food, and housing.
07/11/2014ASIA WHO: Coronavirus alert remains high in Asia but its spread is "unlikely" Experts downplay alaram, Philippine government warns to citizens to postpone their pilgrimage to Mecca. However, those who must travel to Saudi Arabia invited to pay particular attention to personal hygiene and avoid contact with likely carriers.
07/09/2014ISLAM The desperate dream of the Islamic Caliphate by Samir Khalil Samir Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi’s rhetoric is bankrupt. No Muslim wants to live in a caliphate. Moreover, no-one accepts him as "caliph". But he is correct in pointing out that the Islamic world is in decline, and Muslims themselves are responsible for this. Israel and "conspiracy” theories. The rebirth of Islam through open dialogue in society, based on universal and shared values. Otherwise the demise of Islam is likely.
07/07/2014VATICAN Pope: "no place" in the Church for those who commit sexual abuse To a group of abuse victims, Francis insists on "zero tolerance" against those who commit what is "something more than despicable actions". "It's like sacrilegious worship, because these children were entrusted to the priestly charism, to lead them to God." "God grant me the courage to follow this path for the sake of the children."
