The court accepted a petition presented by a Muslim couple. The Qurʾān does not speak of separation between men and women in places of worship. In some cases, women have access to a space through a secondary entrance, but in most they pray at home.
Francis celebrates the Chrism Mass, which precedes the beginning of the Easter Triduum. To the priests Francis proposes faces of the "crowd" that surrounds, follows, admires Jesus. "In the soul of the people the desire to follow Jesus is awakened, arousing admiration, discernment".
Two months after the signing of the important document on "Human Fraternity", the "House of the Abrahamic family" and a fund to finance cultural activities on coexistence were founded. The search for a tolerant Islam, which avoids Wahhabism and Western liberalism. The pontiff has aroused much curiosity among Muslims. But there are still situations of violence and humiliation towards Christian workers.
During Holy Week, by praying "the Our Father, we can ask for one of these graces: to live our days for the glory of God, that is to live with love; to know how to entrust ourselves to the Father in trials and to say 'dad' to the Father and to find forgiveness and the courage to forgive in enountering the Father. Francis again recalled the fire of Notre-Dame: "the work of reconstruction: it can be a choral work, for the praise and glory of God".
Card Ravasi notes that “at a religious level the dialogue between the official Church and the so-called underground Church has begun,” so "What will happen during the Expo will be a different kind of dialogue, purely cultural. Its task is to create an atmosphere in which it is possible to speak a little more about possible exchange, not only in the religious sphere, but also in the fields of art, culture and scientific research."
The place of worship is located in Kundichcham Kulam. A group of 25 people waited for the bishop’s arrival before making death threats against him. They eventually threw stones and firecrackers at the church and locked its entrance.
The 17 km walk lasted four hours. Catholic youth organised the event via social media whose aim was individual penance and group prayer for India.
The Iranian Foreign Minister: "Our thoughts are with the French and all the Catholics". The Thai Prime Minister, Prayut Chan-o-cha, expresses "pain". Japan has indicated its willingness to support France in its restoration work. South Korea announces inspections of national monuments. The South Korean Catholic community offers words of consolation and promises solidarity to the French people.
Disbelief and sadness at the "terrible fire that devastated the cathedral of Notre Dame, a symbol of Christianity in France and the world".
The court has ordered the Indian territories of Dadra and Nagar Haveli (Dnh) and Daman and Diu to restore the festivity, which this year is celebrated on 19 April. The bishops' secretary thanks the many Hindus - starting with the lawyer - who supported the Catholic petition.
Persecution and martyrdom are signs of today's Christians. In Holy Week, we should remember our commitment to evangelization. Even as a minority.
Francis met with members of Italy’s National Amateur League, a football (soccer) association, on the 60th anniversary of its foundation, telling them that overcoming “all the walls that unjustly divide people” is a goal that can be achieved “by promoting the involvement and appreciation of everyone on the basis of a team spirit that is the true hope of humanity.”
The three-city trip (Sydney, Nowra and Melbourne) lasted from 25 March to 8 April. The first Mass in Bengali was held in St John Mary Vianney Parish.
The Bengali New Year or Pohela Boishakh is celebrated in various parts of South Asia and among migrant communities. It began during the Mughal era and celebrates national harmony.
In Lanzhou another priest forcibly taken away. A church destroyed in Xiangtao (Hubei). Underground priests do not feel safe: they can disappear at any time. The faithful are holding a sit-in from this morning in front of the local government office.
