06/18/2013VATICAN Pope: in loving our enemy we become "poorer", like Jesus, who made himself poor for us To be able to love our enemies we must pray. Pray for them, and say to God: "Change their heart. They have a heart of stone, but change it, give them a heart of flesh, that feels good and love." And for us too, "so that the Lord teaches us this wisdom which is so hard, but so beautiful, because it makes us look like the Father and like the Son." Vatican
City (AsiaNews) - It's hard to love our enemies, but Jesus
asks it of us. Loving our enemies "impoverishes us", it makes "us
poor" like Jesus, who became poor for us. In
this poverty, "in Jesus' lowering of himself is the grace that has...
06/18/2013THAILAND Bangkok: Catholic physician calls for organ donations to help medicine by Weena Kowitwanij A neurosurgeon at Mahidol University also pleads with people to leave their bodies for medical research after death. The aim is to improve students' practical skills in surgery and ensure the growth of the medical industry. In Asia, practical and cultural factors prevent significant blood and organ donations.
06/18/2013LEBANON - SYRIA Beirut: appeal for Catholic-Orthodox unity and an end to the war in Syria The synods of the Melkite Catholic and Greek Orthodox Churches got underway today in Lebanon. As the bishops pray for Mgrs Bouls Yazigi and Youhanna Ibrahim, abducted on 22 April, Gregory III Laham, patriarch of Antioch, criticises the Western decision to send weapons to the rebels. For the bishops, Christians in Syria and Lebanon have a duty to bear witness to the Gospel with their lives. This is the true "political action" and duty that every believer must undertake. The Melkite Church plans to set up a solidarity committee in Syria to help the needy and rebuild destroyed or damaged churches.
06/18/2013PAKISTAN Punjab: young Christian dies under torture in police custody with 22 broken bones by Jibran Khan Irfan Masih was arrested on 8 June suspected of a murder he did not commit. For days, he was subjected to abuse in order to extort a confession. He died on Sunday from the serious injuries he suffered. "So what if he died? So many die anyway every day," a police officer said. Human rights activists call for justice, whilst the victim's family is in hiding for fear of reprisals.
06/18/2013INDIA - CAMEROON From mission territory to a territory of missionaries: India goes to Africa by Piero Gheddo Even if persecuted, the Church in India continues to grow: more than 2500 priests and 6 thousand nuns are abroad. The experience of Fr. Sleeva, a PIME Indian missionary in Cameroon since 2009. Comparing the two different civilizations the need to export the Indian model of the family to Africa emerges, because "there is a lot of love here, but little opportunity to express it."
06/18/2013JAPAN - VATICAN Church honours Dr Yamaura, translator of 'Bibles of hope' Apostolic Nuncio Mgr Chennoth gave him the 'Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice' medal, an award given to laity and clergy who distinguished themselves in the service of the Church. One of his achievements was the translation of the Gospel into the Kesen dialect. He also offered the Catholic faith as a response to the Fukushima tragedy.
06/18/2013CHINA China, the domestic market for ivory endangers the survival of elephants One-tenth of elephants on the planet killed last year. Despite the international ban on the ivory trade, the sale of "white gold" in China is lawful and widespread. A researcher: "The species is at risk, Beijing must recognize the problem."
06/18/2013VIETNAM - VATICAN Vietnamese Catholics celebrate new auxiliary bishops in Vinh and Hung Hoa by Paul N. Hung Prayers and celebrations welcome Pope Francis's decision to appoint Fr Alphonse Nguyen Huu Long and Fr Pierre Nguyen Van Vien. The first is an expert in canon law who served as rector of the major seminary in Hue; the second holds a doctorate in theology and was vicar general in the same diocese.
06/18/2013EGYPT - ISLAM Islamists' long reach over Egypt as suspected terrorist is appointed Luxor governor President Morsi appoints 17 new provincial governors. Seven are from the ranks of the Muslim Brotherhood. Protests break out in Luxor, Ismailia, Gharbiya and Menoufiya, Mubarak's birthplace. 'The Rebels' pro-democracy movement "collects 13 million signatures to undercut Morsi's legitimacy.
06/18/2013AFGHANISTAN Kabul, attack on the Vice-President: three dead The attack took place this morning, a few hours after the official announcement of the withdrawal of NATO troops from Afghanistan. Mohammad Mohaqeq, vice-president and Hazara minority leader was unhurt. Three members of his entourage were killed. Catholic source: "The handover will be very hard."
06/18/2013INDIA Floods in India: more than 65 dead and 60 thousand people trapped by mud The most affected areas are Uttarkhand (40 victims) and Uttar Pradesh (18), in the north of the country. Tens of thousands of pilgrims blocked. Heavy rains will continue for at least two days, flooding of the Ganges feared.
06/17/2013ISLAM Oasis: with the death of secular humanism, it is time to build new bridges by Bernardo Cervellera On the first day of the Oasis Centre's annual conference, participants hear that secularism and the 'crisis of man'-that of an inward-looking man, stalked by radical environmentalism, man as an animal, a 'monkey'-appear to be at an end. Islamic parties brought to the fore by the Arab spring are failing. As new religious experiences emerge in the Arab world, states try to bring under their bureaucratic control. But, as Benedict XVI put it, faith and reason must engage in dialogue. In Najaf (Iraq), a Council for dialogue between religions has been set up for the purpose of promoting basic universal human rights and full citizenship for all of the country's religious communities.
06/17/2013SOUTH KOREA In Korea, religions march together for life by Joseph Yun Li-sun In Seoul, more than 3,000 people from different religious backgrounds call on the government to promote the sanctity of life. Inspired by the slogan 'Life says, Life listens, and Life walks!', protesters want change to boost births. "Let us give people an opportunity to do the right thing," said the president of the Pro-Life Commission of the Bishops' Conference.
06/17/2013VATICAN Pope: "Things mean everything to this world: wealth, vanity," but for Christians, this is nothing, Jesus is"everything" During the Mass celebrated this morning, Francis denounces that all Christians mistakes, all the mistakes of the Church, all of our mistakes are born here, when we say 'nothing' is 'everything' and that 'everything' does not count ... "." "A Christian is a person who widens his or her heart, with this magnanimity, because they have “everything”,, which is Jesus Christ. Everything else is 'nothing.' They are useful, needed, but when it counts we must know how to choose that ‘everything’, with that mildness, that Christian meekness which is the sign of the disciples of Jesus, meekness and patience. "
06/17/2013NEPAL Caritas Nepal against slave-like child labour by Kalpit Parajuli Nepali law bans child labour under the age of 14, but children are the most sought after domestic workers. Torture and abuse often go along with the job, especially if children spend too much time studying. For Caritas, children's rights should be respected, including the "right to practice one's own religion".
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