05/23/2013VATICAN Pope: bishops should not be career-oriented, interested in money or compromises with the spirit of the world Celebrating the Liturgy of the Word with Italian Bishops, Francis outlines how the pastors of souls ought to be. They must be men capable of "listening to the silent stories of those who suffer, and help those who are afraid of not making it." We must also lift, reassure and inspire hope by leading our "life in accordance with God's plan, and fully commit ourselves to the Lord Jesus. From this, comes the discernment that recognises and takes on the thoughts, expectations, and needs of the people of our times." Vatican City (AsiaNews) - For Pope Francis "to be a
pastor means believing every day in the grace and power that comes from the
Lord," despite our weakness. It also means being "vigilant" about oneself
and the flock, because "the lack of vigilance," as we know, "makes the...
05/23/2013VATICAN Pope: 'salt' of faith, hope and love gifted us by Jesus must be shared, or Christians risk becoming “a museum piece” There are two “outlets” to prevent this salt from growing stale. Firstly: using this salt “at meals, in the service of others, to serve people". Second, "transcendence toward the author of this salt, the Creator". "Christian originality is not a uniformity! It takes us all as we are, each with our own personality, characteristics, culture and leaves us with that, because it is a treasure. "
05/23/2013IRAN IAEA reports "significant progress" in Iran's uranium enrichment programme In its quarterly report, the UN says Tehran has accelerated the installation of centrifuges at Natanz and is making further progress in the construction of a reactor at Arak. The West fears it could produce plutonium and enriched uranium, necessary for military purposes.
05/23/2013SYRIA - JORDAN Jordan’s Catholics march in silence for release of Syrian Orthodox bishops A candlelight vigil yesterday in Amman. Initiative was attended by hundreds of people. The march is a message of solidarity with the Patriarchate of Antioch of the Greek-Orthodox and the Syrian Orthodox Church. The kidnap of Msgr. Yohanna Ibrahim and Msgr. Boulos Yaziji afflicts not only Christians, but also secular society and Muslim.
05/22/2013IRAN Iran's vote worthless as Rafsanjani and Mashaei are out The two men are excluded from the list of admissible candidates the Guardians Council made public today. Only one reformist candidate, Mohammed Reza Araf, is allowed. He was former President Khatami's vice president. Police are deployed across the country's cities and sensitive sites.
05/22/2013VATICAN Pope says no to intolerance, everyone can and must do good, even atheists As he celebrated Mass this morning, Francis said that the possibility of doing good is part of creation, and that Christ redeemed all of us, not only Catholics. Doing good "is a beautiful path towards peace" whilst "killing in the name of God is blasphemy."
05/22/2013VATICAN-CHINA Pope: pray for Chinese Catholics that they may "never be afraid to speak of Jesus to the world and the world to Jesus" At the General audience, Francis speaks of the "duty" to evangelize that belongs to every Christian: the Spirit urges us to preach the Good News “courageously, loudly" and to all. Also a prayer "for the victims, especially the children of the disaster in Oklahoma. May the Lord himself console everyone, in particular parents who have lost a child in such a tragic way".
05/22/2013SYRIA Aleppo prays for Orthodox bishops kidnapped a month ago Bishop Audo, Chaldean Archbishop of Aleppo, speaks of the pain of the Syrian Christian community. For a month the population has been waiting for news on the conditions of Msgr. Youhanna Ibrahim and Msgr. Boulos Yaziji kidnapped on 22 April. The appeal of Bartholomew I, for the liberation of the two prelates and peace in Syria. The hopes for an end to the conflict is supported by the hymn "Christ is Risen Alleluia", which is heard every day in all the churches of the city.
05/21/2013IRAN Guardians Council might exclude Rafsanjani for not meeting necessary criteria The former president has the support of moderates, but he might be too old, has led a lavish lifestyle and could be unable to perform his tasks. Ahmadinejad's ally Esfandiar Rahim Mashaie might also be excluded because he is disliked by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. The official list of presidential candidates will be released on Thursday.
05/21/2013VATICAN Pope: there should be no power struggle within the Church, because real power, according to Jesus, is service In this morning's Mass at Domus Sanctae Marthae, Francis stressed how the Gospel shows that the disciples were already arguing over who was greatest among them. In the Church however, "the greatest is the one who serves the most, the one who is in the service of others the most." This "is the rule." And yet, from the start until now, there have been "power struggles within the church."
05/21/2013IRAQ Patriarch Sako: unity, a fundamental good for "wounded" Chaldean Church, to continue by Joseph Mahmoud In a letter to the clergy the affirmation of the "ecumenical nature" of a Church which "has been and will always be open to all nations and languages, because Christ has sent it forth to proclaim the Gospel to all nations" and therefore cannot and will not get involved in nationalist campaigns. "It 's time to understand that our Church is invited to transform her reality in light of the resurrection."
05/20/2013LEBANON Maronite patriarch slams Lebanese politicians who "don't deserve to rule" Bisharah Al-Rahi attacks the government's action during a trip to South America. The electoral law and poverty top the list of problems. However, Syria's civil war continues to be the main concern. Lebanon should not "interfere in the conflict in Syria".
05/20/2013PIME Father Ferruccio Brambillasca new PIME Superior General Elected today by a two-thirds majority, he was regional superior in Japan. Before that, he was an educator (1989-1993) in Ducenta, Italy, and a teacher at the seminary in Pune, India.
05/20/2013VATICAN Pope: courageous “open-hearted prayer"," enables Jesus to perform miracles During Mass this morning Francis says that we must overcome that "piece of disbelief" that is in all of us. "Prayer to ask for a miracle, ask for an extraordinary action must be an involved prayer, which unites us all." An episode in Argentina demonstrates that at times we must also “struggle” in our prayer.
_0523_-_Marcia.jpg)
_0522_-_Masheai_e_rfsanjani_(508_x_301).jpg)
_0522_-_Anniversario_rapimento_vescovi.JPG)
_0521_-_Rasfsanjani.jpg)
