India, Latin rite bishops publish Hindi translation of Amoris Laetitia

Francis appeals "to everyone to commit themselves with all their strength to the protection of civilians as an imperative and urgent obligation". Tomorrow "Cor Unum" to meet on Syrian and Iraqi crisis.

 

Students attending catechism in two parishes near Colombo organised the event, showing Jesus’s works and miracles, the holy doors open across the country, and a full-scale reproduction of a Holy Door. With this exhibition, " children were able to express their talents."

On 22 September, prayers were held at All Saints Church for the Taliban’s victims. Some of the injured still require hospital treatment. On Saturday, a Mass was held in St John Vianney Church. Arif Aqeel was left paralysed and mute by the blasts.

"We need to figure out when our spirit is in this state of all-encompassing sadness, when it has almost no breathing space: This happens to us all". We must pray, pray strenuously, just like Job, cry out day and night for God to incline His ear. "It is a prayer of knocking on the door, but forcefully."

 

Lasantha Wickrematunge was killed in 2009 in broad daylight on his way to work. He had been a stalwart critic of the corruption of the government led by President Rajapaksa, human rights violations and the war against the Tamil Tigers. His tomb is guarded, to prevent retaliation of his killers who are still at large.


 

A difficult journey to two countries where Catholics are a small minority. In Tbilisi, for the first time a delegation from the "intransigent" Georgian Orthodox Church will participate in a Papal liturgy. In Baku the meeting with the Sheikh of Caucasus Muslims.

From September 23 to 25 a national assembly of the Right to Food campaign. 3 thousand children die every day of hunger in India; 15.2% of the population is malnourished; 194.6 million do not have enough food. Indian Jesuit: "Continue the training of activists”. Participants include  "Asian Nobel" Bezwada Wilson.

The Catholic organisation was founded 25 years ago to defend the rights of Catholics in the country. "In the past we could not evangelise, but now we are allowed to bring Jesus and the pope’s precious words to everyone,” says new president. More and more Nepalis are asking to convert.

Ashim Gomes, Christian, and Munira Islam, Muslim, have been married for 11 years. They have an eight year old daughter, and have chosen to baptize her. The couple speak of their joys and their sorrows at a pastoral meeting organized by the archdiocese. The major disagreements arise when both try to convince the other that their religion is the best.

 

The premier also announced the date, scheduled for October 2, the day Mahatma Gandhi was born. India is among the countries that emit the most greenhouse gases in the world. The agreement will enter into force upon ratification by 55 countries representing at least 55% of the emissions.

Speaking before thousands of catechists from around the world during the Jubilee Mass, Pope Francis highlighted "the centre" of the faith that is to be proclaimed: "the Lord Jesus is risen, [. . .] and he has given his life for you”. He also focused on the quality of the messenger, who proclaims “not by the power of convincing, never by imposing the truth, no less by growing fixated on some religious or moral obligation.” The rich man is blind because he does not see the poor. He squints because “he looks with adulation at famous people, of high rank, admired by the world, yet turns his gaze away from the many Lazaruses of today”. Nowadays, “we have fallen into this abyss of indifference, worldliness, selfishness". Francis expressed solidarity with Mexican bishops committed to the family against gender ideology. He mentioned the beatification of Fr Engelmar Unzeitig, killed in Dachau as well as the Day of the Deaf.

In his meeting victims of the terrorist attack in Nice on 14 July and their relatives, Pope Francis encouraged religious groups to entertain fraternal relations and refuse hatred. As a token of the who were killed, the pope received the gift of 86 flowers. Some secularists and environmentalists criticised the meeting. Muslim and Jewish leaders express their appreciation.

Activists appeal to the governments of the two countries to an end the war of words and solve peacefully the dispute. For the bishop of Faisalabad, war is no solution for culturally close countries. It is necessary to foster human rights and social justice to counter belligerent slogans.

About 2,000 women and girls took part in a six-kilometre march to back Pope Francis’s Laudato si’ encyclical, which speaks about social justice. Sri Lanka is among the five countries that pollute oceans the most. Developing best practices in school can be passed on in the family.

A retreat for the enrichment of marriage was held in Bhubaneshwar. Five members of ‘Couples for Christ from the Philippines and two from Bangalore, Karnataka, led the event. The lay movement was established in Manila in 1981. It obtained Vatican recognition in 2005 as a private international association for lay faithful.