2014-10-28T16:58:00+00:00

Last updated on: October 28, 2014 at 4:58 pm   By

Vatican City, Oct 28, 2014 / 10:58 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Pope Francis said that those waiting at the threshold of the Church without going inside are not true members of the Church which Jesus established and on whom it is built. “We are citizens, fellow citizens of this Church. If we do not enter into this temple to be part of this building so that the Holy Spirit may live in us, we are not in the Church,” the Pope told those present in the Vatican’s Saint Martha guesthouse for his Oct. 28 daily Mass. Rather, “we are on the threshold and look inside…Those Christians who do not go beyond the Church’s reception: they are there, at the door: 'Yes, I am Catholic, but not too Catholic.'” The Pope centered his reflections on both the day's first reading from St. Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians and the Gospel, taken from Luke, Chapter 6. In the first reading St. Paul explains to the Christians of Ephesus that they are no longer strangers, but have become fellow members of the house of God, which is built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, and has Jesus himself as the “capstone.” The Gospel reading recounts how Jesus, after spending the night in prayer, comes down from the mountain and calls the Twelve Apostles by name. By reflecting on the gospel reading, there are three clear actions that Jesus carried out when founding the Church, the Pope observed, saying that the first action is prayer, the second was choosing his disciples, and the third was welcoming and healing the crowds. “Jesus prays, Jesus calls, Jesus chooses, Jesus sends his disciples out, Jesus heals the crowd. Inside this temple, this Jesus who is the corner stone does all this work: it is He who conducts the Church,” the pontiff noted, explaining that the Church is built on the apostles. However, despite the fact that the Twelve were chosen by Jesus, they were all still sinners, the Pope said, explaining that although no one knows who sinned the most, there could have been one that sinned more than Judas did. “Judas, poor man, is the one who closed himself to love and that is why he became a traitor. And they all ran away during the difficult time of the Passion and left Jesus alone. They are all sinners. But (Jesus) chose (regardless).” And Jesus, the Pope added, wants everyone to be inside of the Church he founded, not as strangers passing through, but rather with the “rights of a citizen” where they have roots. The person who stands at the threshold of the Church looking in but not entering has no sense of the full love and mercy that Jesus gives to every person, Francis said, adding that proof of this can be seen in Jesus' relationship with Peter. Even though Peter denies the Lord he is still the first pillar of the Church, the pontiff explained. “For Jesus, Peter’s sin was not important: he was looking at (Peter’s) heart. But to be able to find this heart and heal it, he prayed.” It is Jesus who prays and heals, Pope Francis noted, saying that it is something he does for each one of us. “We cannot understand the Church without Jesus who prays and heals,” he said, praying that the Holy Spirit would help all to understand that the Church draws her strength from Jesus’ prayer which can heal us all. Read more

2014-10-28T16:09:00+00:00

Last updated on: October 28, 2014 at 4:09 pm   By

Vatican City, Oct 28, 2014 / 10:09 am (CNA/EWTN News).- A Catholic woman condemned to death in Pakistan for allegedly violating the country's blasphemy law has asked Pope Francis for his prayers, saying that she trusts in God’s plan for her life. “Pope Francis, I am your daughter, Asia Bibi. I implore you: pray for me, for my salvation and for my freedom. At this point I can only entrust (myself) to God Almighty who can do anything for me.” In a letter to the Holy Father, which was obtained and made public by Vatican Insider, Bibi offered a heartfelt plea for prayer, while voicing her trust in God. On Oct. 16, the Lahore High Court rejected Bibi's appeal against her death sentence. Bibi had been convicted under Pakistan's strict blasphemy laws in 2010. She allegedly made derogatory comments against Muhammad while arguing with a Muslim woman. She has denied the allegations, and says the case stems from an argument she had with a Muslim woman over a pot of water. During his Nov. 17, 2010 General Audience address, Benedict XVI urged that she be granted “complete freedom … as soon as possible.” The lawyers defending Bibi had warned that local influential Muslims were pressuring the court to uphold the death sentence. Pakistan’s blasphemy laws are said to be often used to settle scores or to persecute minorities. Her lawyers now intend to submit her case to Pakistan's Supreme Court within the allotted 30 days. “I am holding tightly onto my Christian faith and trust that God my Father will defend me and give me back my freedom,” Bibi said in her letter. “I also trust in you, Holy Father Francis, and in your prayers.” “Pope Francis,” she continued, “I know you are praying for me with all your heart. I know that thanks to your prayer, I could be set free. In the name of the Almighty Father and his glory, I thank you for your support in this moment of suffering and disappointment.” “My only hope is that I will one day be able to see my family reunited and happy again. I believe that God will not abandon me and that he has a plan of happiness and wellbeing for me which will come into being very soon. I am grateful to all Christians across the world who are praying for me and doing everything to help me.” Bibi also expressed her gratitude to the Renaissance Education Foundation in Lahore which is providing support to her husband and family. “May God illuminate and bring wisdom to all those who are working on my case,” she wrote.   Read more

2014-10-28T10:48:00+00:00

Last updated on: October 28, 2014 at 10:48 am   By

Washington D.C., Oct 28, 2014 / 04:48 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Saint John Paul II’s deep love for the world and for God continues to inspire people today to draw near to Christ, teaching them not only about sanctity, but about humanity, say those who... Read more

2014-10-28T08:01:00+00:00

Last updated on: October 28, 2014 at 8:01 am   By

Erbil, Iraq, Oct 28, 2014 / 02:01 am (Aid to the Church in Need).- Bombs are falling and the sound of the explosion is sending shock and fear into the hearts of the people. Amid the sound of crying and frenzied activity, people pack up what belongings ... Read more

2014-10-28T06:04:00+00:00

Last updated on: October 28, 2014 at 6:04 am   By

Damascus, Syria, Oct 28, 2014 / 12:04 am (CNA/EWTN News).- As the civil war in Syria continues its fourth year, Christians who remain in the country’s capital are finding it harder just to get by – even with the help of the Maronite local Church. “The number of people taking the sacraments is falling from year to year – very sharply,” Samir Nassar, Maronite Archbishop of Damascus told Aid to the Church in Need Oct. 24, explaining that he is unable to keep track of how many of his faithful have fled Syria. “In 2012 there were more baptisms and weddings than in 2013. The number of funerals, on the other hand, is rising.” “There were previous plans to build a kindergarten or a school, but now we are planning for the enlargement of the Christian cemetery.” Archbishop Nassar added, “you can die any number of ways in Damascus.” Whether it is from snipers, shelling, or malnutrition, Archbishop Nassar said Damascenes are very much at risk in their daily lives.   “For instance, you can be shot by a sniper or blown up by car bombs. And of course there are the shells. Then again, you can die from lack of medical care if you are injured. The hospitals no longer have sufficient supplies of medicines.” Though international attention has shifted from the Syrian civil war as a whole, to the rise of the Islamic State in both Iraq and northern Syria, Syrians throughout the country still face extreme hardships. Although the Maronite Archeparchy of Damascus is trying to help individuals and families who remain, it is very difficult because of the toll the war has taken on the country. “The economy is dead. The people have no work. Inflation is rising. Our currency is rapidly losing value against the dollar,” Archbishop Nassar said. In March 2011, when Syria's civil war began, around 50 Syrian pounds could be exchanged for one U.S. dollar. Now, the exchange rate is 164 Syrian pounds for every U.S. dollar. “Gradually everyone is becoming poor,” the Maronite prelate reflected. “People have used up their savings. They all need help.” Damascenes can buy food, he said, but only canned goods and imperishables such as rice or lentils. “What's lacking is fresh foodstuffs, like vegetables, cheese and meat. The problem is also that you have to keep fresh food in cold storage because of the heat. But unfortunately we have problems with the power supply.” The Maronite Archeparchy of Damascus is supporting between 300 and 400 Christian families, the bishop said, who explained the difficulties – being robbed or kidnapped – that come with getting aid to these families. “But we have to take this risk. Otherwise our people will leave. We've already been forced to close down three parishes because the faithful have left. So if we don't help the few that remain, there will no longer be a Church in Damascus.” With the Syrian government unable to help, the eparchy is putting its efforts towards helping those who remain by supporting families and the elderly. “The family is basically the only intact institution. It's the family which helps, shares and supports. People’s identification with their families is very pronounced. Without the family, the situation would be an utter and complete disaster.” He added that “we as a Church are at the moment doing more social work than pastoral work, as we are trying to to alleviate the people's distress. There is no other help available.” Despite the dismal situation, Archbishop Nassar said this period of war has marked a “definite return to the faith.” “They have nothing left but faith …people are praying a lot more. The churches stay open longer. Many of the faithful go there to pray in silence, often for hours on end.” “At the end of Mass they make a point of saying goodbye, because they don't know whether they will see one another the next day.” The Syrian conflict began when demonstrations sprang up nationwide on March 15, 2011 protesting the rule of Bashar al-Assad, Syria's president and leader the country's Ba'ath Party. In April of that year, the Syrian army began to deploy to put down the uprisings, firing on protesters. Since then, the violence has morphed into a civil war which has claimed the lives of more than 191,000 people. There are 3 million Syrian refugees in nearby countries, most of them in Lebanon, Turkey, and Jordan. An additional 6.5 million Syrian people are believed to have been internally displaced by the war. Archbishop Nassar said that “in the beginning everybody was afraid of the fighting, the bombs and the missiles. Now we've got used to it. Life must go on.” Read more

2014-10-28T06:04:00+00:00

Last updated on: October 28, 2014 at 6:04 am   By

Damascus, Syria, Oct 28, 2014 / 12:04 am (CNA/EWTN News).- As the civil war in Syria continues its fourth year, Christians who remain in the country’s capital are finding it harder just to get by – even with the help of the Maronite local Church. “The number of people taking the sacraments is falling from year to year – very sharply,” Samir Nassar, Maronite Archbishop of Damascus told Aid to the Church in Need Oct. 24, explaining that he is unable to keep track of how many of his faithful have fled Syria. “In 2012 there were more baptisms and weddings than in 2013. The number of funerals, on the other hand, is rising.” “There were previous plans to build a kindergarten or a school, but now we are planning for the enlargement of the Christian cemetery.” Archbishop Nassar added, “you can die any number of ways in Damascus.” Whether it is from snipers, shelling, or malnutrition, Archbishop Nassar said Damascenes are very much at risk in their daily lives.   “For instance, you can be shot by a sniper or blown up by car bombs. And of course there are the shells. Then again, you can die from lack of medical care if you are injured. The hospitals no longer have sufficient supplies of medicines.” Though international attention has shifted from the Syrian civil war as a whole, to the rise of the Islamic State in both Iraq and northern Syria, Syrians throughout the country still face extreme hardships. Although the Maronite Archeparchy of Damascus is trying to help individuals and families who remain, it is very difficult because of the toll the war has taken on the country. “The economy is dead. The people have no work. Inflation is rising. Our currency is rapidly losing value against the dollar,” Archbishop Nassar said. In March 2011, when Syria's civil war began, around 50 Syrian pounds could be exchanged for one U.S. dollar. Now, the exchange rate is 164 Syrian pounds for every U.S. dollar. “Gradually everyone is becoming poor,” the Maronite prelate reflected. “People have used up their savings. They all need help.” Damascenes can buy food, he said, but only canned goods and imperishables such as rice or lentils. “What's lacking is fresh foodstuffs, like vegetables, cheese and meat. The problem is also that you have to keep fresh food in cold storage because of the heat. But unfortunately we have problems with the power supply.” The Maronite Archeparchy of Damascus is supporting between 300 and 400 Christian families, the bishop said, who explained the difficulties – being robbed or kidnapped – that come with getting aid to these families. “But we have to take this risk. Otherwise our people will leave. We've already been forced to close down three parishes because the faithful have left. So if we don't help the few that remain, there will no longer be a Church in Damascus.” With the Syrian government unable to help, the eparchy is putting its efforts towards helping those who remain by supporting families and the elderly. “The family is basically the only intact institution. It's the family which helps, shares and supports. People’s identification with their families is very pronounced. Without the family, the situation would be an utter and complete disaster.” He added that “we as a Church are at the moment doing more social work than pastoral work, as we are trying to to alleviate the people's distress. There is no other help available.” Despite the dismal situation, Archbishop Nassar said this period of war has marked a “definite return to the faith.” “They have nothing left but faith …people are praying a lot more. The churches stay open longer. Many of the faithful go there to pray in silence, often for hours on end.” “At the end of Mass they make a point of saying goodbye, because they don't know whether they will see one another the next day.” The Syrian conflict began when demonstrations sprang up nationwide on March 15, 2011 protesting the rule of Bashar al-Assad, Syria's president and leader the country's Ba'ath Party. In April of that year, the Syrian army began to deploy to put down the uprisings, firing on protesters. Since then, the violence has morphed into a civil war which has claimed the lives of more than 191,000 people. There are 3 million Syrian refugees in nearby countries, most of them in Lebanon, Turkey, and Jordan. An additional 6.5 million Syrian people are believed to have been internally displaced by the war. Archbishop Nassar said that “in the beginning everybody was afraid of the fighting, the bombs and the missiles. Now we've got used to it. Life must go on.” Read more

2014-10-28T00:21:00+00:00

Last updated on: October 28, 2014 at 12:21 am   By

Philadelphia, Pa., Oct 27, 2014 / 06:21 pm (CNA).- A 55-year-old priest in Philadelphia was placed on immediate administrative leave after being arrested on child pornography charges. According to the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, Father Mark J. Hayn... Read more

2014-10-27T23:35:00+00:00

Last updated on: October 27, 2014 at 11:35 pm   By

Washington D.C., Oct 27, 2014 / 05:35 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Promoting religious freedom abroad is vital for U.S. national security interests in preventing the rise of threats such as ISIS, said the chair of the U.S. Commission on International Religious... Read more

2014-10-27T18:46:00+00:00

Last updated on: October 27, 2014 at 6:46 pm   By

Vatican City, Oct 27, 2014 / 12:46 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Addressing the Pontifical Academy of Sciences on Monday, Pope Francis unveiled a bust of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, lauding his predecessor, and stressed the uniqueness of humanity among the created world. Benedict's spirit, Pope Francis said, “far from crumbling over the course of time, will emerge from generation to generation always greater and more powerful. Benedict XVI: a great Pope. Great for the power and penetration of his intellect, great for his significant contribution to theology, great for his love for the Church and of human beings, great for his virtue and piety.” The Pope's Oct. 27 address at Casina Pio IV came in the midst of the plenary session of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, which commissioned Fernando Delia to produce a bust of the Pope Emeritus for its halls. “As you know, (Benedict's) love of truth is not limited to theology and philosophy, but is open to science,” Pope Francis reminded the group, adding that Benedict had been appointed to the academy and had invited its president to attend the 2012 synod on the new evangelization, “aware of the importance of science in modern culture. Surely we could never say of him that study and the science have withered his person and his love for God and neighbor, but on the contrary, that science, wisdom, and prayer have enlarged his heart and his spirit. We give thanks to God for the gift that he has given to the Church and to the world with the presence and the pontificate of Pope Benedict.” Turning to the topic of the assembly – the evolution of the concept of nature – Pope Francis encouraged the academy “to pursue scientific progress and to improve the living conditions of the peoples, especially the poorest.” The Pope said he wanted to point out that “God and Christ walk with us and are also present in nature.” “When we read in Genesis the account of Creation, we risk imagining God as a magician, with a wand able to make everything. But it is not so,” the Bishop of Rome affirmed. “He created beings and allowed them to develop according to the internal laws that he gave to each one, so that they were able to develop and to arrive and their fullness of being. He gave autonomy to the beings of the universe at the same time at which he assured them of his continuous presence, giving being to every reality. And so creation continued for centuries and centuries, millennia and millennia, until it became which we know today, precisely because God is not a demiurge or a magician, but the creator who gives being to all things.” Pope Francis said that “the beginning of the world is not the work of chaos that owes its origin to another, but derives directly from a Supreme Principle who creates out of love.” “The Big Bang, which nowadays is posited as the origin of the world, does not contradict the divine act of creating, but rather requires it. The evolution of nature does not contrast with the notion of creation, as evolution presupposes the creation of beings that evolve.” “With regard to man, however, there is a change and something new.” “When, on the sixth day of the account in Genesis, man is created, God gives the human being another autonomy, an autonomy that is different from that of nature, which is freedom,” Pope Francis said. When God tells man “to name everything and to go ahead through history,” he stated, “this makes him responsible for creation, so that he might steward it in order to develop it until the end of time.” “Therefore the scientist, and above all the Christian scientist, must adopt the approach of posing questions regarding the future of humanity and of the earth, and, of being free and responsible, helping to prepare it and preserve it, to eliminate risks to the environment of both a natural and human nature. But, at the same time, the scientist must be motivated by the confidence that nature hides, in her evolutionary mechanisms, potentialities for intelligence and freedom to discover and realize, to achieve the development that is in the plan of the creator.” Pope Francis called human acts a “participation in God's power,” adding that humanity is “able to build a world suited to his dual corporal and spiritual life; to build a human world for all human beings and not for a group or a class of privileged persons. “This hope and trust in God, the creator of nature, and in the capacity of the human spirit can offer the researcher a new energy and profound serenity,” said the Roman Pontiff. “But it is also true that the action of humanity – when freedom becomes autonomy – which is not freedom, but autonomy – destroys creation and man takes the place of the creator. And this is the grave sin against God the creator.” Concluding his address, Pope Francis encouraged the members of the Pontifical Academy for Sciences to continue their work and their initiatives for the benefit of human beings.   Read more

2014-10-27T18:12:00+00:00

Last updated on: October 27, 2014 at 6:12 pm   By

Montecassino, Italy, Oct 27, 2014 / 12:12 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- The European Union could be significant and helpful in solving crises around the world, but its common effort should lie in its Christians roots which are somewhat forgotten, Cardinal Pietro Parolin said on Friday. The Vatican's Secretary of State spoke to CNA Oct. 24 during a visit to the Benedictine abbey of Montecassino. The event coincided with the appointment of a new abbot for the community, and its reorganization, and commemorated the 50th anniversary of Bl. Paul VI's visit to the first community of the Order of St. Benedict. When he visited Montecassino in 1964, Bl. Paul VI read his apostolic letter Pacis nuntius, proclaiming St. Benedict a patron of Europe and acknowledging the monk's work in building a common European identity. Cardinal Parolin lamented that 50 years later, it seems “there is no more wish for 'Europe' as there was 50 years ago.” He underscored that the European Union could be one of the most important actors in the world arena, but added that it needs to “speak with one voice,” and look back to its common roots. “I believe that Europe is suffering of the common loss of historical memory, which forbids us to remember where we hail from and what are the deep roots of this Europe.” In his analysis of the Middle East situation and plight of Christian there given during the Oct. 20 consistory, Cardinal Parolin had also blamed on the international community – including the European Union – for having remained silent as the situation worsened. “Europe should find one voice … we believe that the problems of the Middle East should be solved by the Middle Eastern countries, but we also believe that Europe can help those countries in their purpose, since we know that a big part of this conflicts comes from outside the Middle East.” And Europe should “even more” give its contribution in “solving the Ukraine situation, trying to put together the interests of everyone,” Cardinal Parolin said. The cardinal suggested that Europe's inability to solve such problems as those in Ukraine and the Middle East stem from its tendency to remove its Christian roots from the public square. According to Archbishop Angelo Massafra of Shkodre-Pult, a bishop in Albania who is deputy president of the Council for European Bishops' Conferences, Pope Francis addressed the issue in an off the cuff – and still unpublished - speech delivered Oct. 3 to the European bishops gathered in Rome for their plenary session. “The Pope said: ‘I don’t understand why its Christian roots have not been acknowledged in the European constitution,'” Bishop Massafra shared with CNA shortly after the address. Cardinal Parolin said, “the issue of Christian roots is not in the public agenda since the European Constitution is no longer under discussion,” but “we are always aware that Europe should build itself on its deep roots, though we are not giving so many public interventions on this issue.” “That Christian roots be not forgotten is a warranty for a healthy laity in Europe. Christian roots are not just a historical memory of the past, they are still very current,” explained the Secretary of State. Cardinal Parolin asked: “Where do human rights have their foundation? Where does solidarity have its foundation? These topics are of typically Christian inspiration, even if they have continued to evolve.” In his Oct. 20 address to the consistory, Cardinal Parolin also praised to Iran’s efforts, and he stressed that Vatican-Iranian relations will continue to be fostered, despite continued concerns over the country's respect for human rights. “The more we open to reality, the more we open to the world, the more we build relations of community – I might say, in more lay terms, of cooperation – the more human rights will be developed in the nations,” Cardinal Parolin said. Following Pope Francis’ push for a culture of encounter, the Secretary of State underscored that “dialogue must never end. Dialogue is the tool used by the strongest. Only who has patience and internal strength is able to dialogue.” “There are no alternatives to dialogue, given that the only alternative is war, destruction, mutual destruction. Dialogue is indispensable.” Read more

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