Pope: mercy, compassion at heart of new covenant
by ELISE HARRIS
Vatican City, Aug 6, 2014 / 05:13 am (CNA/EWTN News) - In his first general audience since June, Pope Francis continued his catechesis on the Church, explaining that Jesus fulfills the Old Testament by giving a new teaching on mercy in the beatitudes.
“At the heart of the new covenant is our realization that, in Christ, we are embraced by God’s mercy and compassion, and that our lives must bear witness to his love for all our brothers and sisters,” the pontiff stated in his Aug. 6 general audience.
Beginning a catechesis on the Church shortly before breaking for summer, Pope Francis continued this line of reflection with those gathered in the Vatican’s Paul VI Hall.
“Prepared for in the Old Testament and established by Christ in the fullness of time, the Church is a new people, founded on a new covenant...sealed with the blood of Jesus,” he said.
Bring Jesus to those outside Church, Pope tells altar servers
Vatican City, Aug 5, 2014 / 04:51 pm (CNA/EWTN News) - Pope Francis on Tuesday met with more than 50,000 altar servers on an annual pilgrimage to Rome from Germany, urging them to bring Jesus to the world, especially those outside the Church.
“You are called to speak of Jesus to your contemporaries, not only those within your parishes or associations, but especially to those outside,” he told the altar servers after a Vespers prayer service Aug. 5.
He stressed that there must be a priority placed on remembering God, the giver of life, who loves each person.
The Pope had arrived in St. Peter’s Square at 6 p.m. Rome time for Vespers. He greeted some of the altar servers before the prayers.
Pittsburgh Pirates honor Mercy nun as ‘Fan of the Game’ on opening day
By GARY LONCKI
Catholic News Service
PITTSBURGH (CNS) -- Seated in her wheelchair parked on the sun-drenched field next to the Pittsburgh Pirate dugout, Mercy Sister Mary Bride Diamond peered excitedly over a railing to see her favorite players enter from the clubhouse.
Her special access was part of being the Pirates’ “Fan of the Game” April 5, opening day at PNC Park in Pittsburgh.
“I’m so excited ... I’m getting goose bumps,” she said as the Pirates in their bright white uniforms began to fill the dugout ready to play the Philadelphia Phillies.
Reviews are in: Cathedral successfully stages parish mission
It sounded a bit like a Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland musical, but in this case, instead of “gathering the kids” together to put on a backyard musical, Sister Rose Mary Stein, OP, gathered local talent to put on a parish mission.
What makes the move note-worthy is that it’s somewhat unprecedented for a parish to both organize their own parish mission and utilize local talent to serve as guest speakers. Typically a mission is run by an outside party hired to come in and run the show.
Not only was the mission a success, but it drew raves from the attendees.
Catholic religious brother dies of Ebola in Liberia
Monrovia, Liberia, Aug 5, 2014 / 03:41 pm (CNA/EWTN News) - Saint Joseph’s Catholic Hospital and the Hospitaller Order of Saint John of God in Liberia have announced that a hospital director passed away Aug. 2 after contracting the Ebola virus.
Brother Patrick Nshamdze, 52, had been a member of the Hospitaller Order of Saint John of God for 23 years. He reportedly contracted the Ebola virus on July 29, just two weeks after testing negative for the illness.
So far the Ebola virus has killed nearly 900 people across Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. According to the World Health Organization, Ebola has no vaccine and no specific treatment. The virus is spread through direct contact with blood, secretions or other bodily fluids of infected persons. This outbreak has a fatality rate of around 60 percent, according to reports.
Students display writing, speaking skills at Oration Contest
For the second year running, Abigail Murrell, a sixth grader at St. Dominic School in Garden City, placed first in the Diocesan Civic Oration Contest, sponsored by the Modern Woodmen of America. It was held April 14 at the St. Dominic School gym in Garden City. The theme for the contest was, “A Time When Volunteers Made a Difference.” In second and third place were Baleigh Fry, sixth grader at Holy Family School in Great Bend, and Kaileigh Ummel, an eighth grader at Sacred Heart School in Ness City, respectively. Congratulations to Abby, Baleigh and Kaileigh, and to all those from across the diocese who competed in the oration contest.
‘Honor Flight’
By ABBY MURRELL
Many were drafted and many volunteered, but all sacrificed for us.
During World War I and II, they liberated nations and stormed beaches against terrible odds with incredible bravery. They returned home heroes and are known as the Greatest Generation.
During Korea and Vietnam, they fought Communism for two nations who could not defend themselves alone. Most of them were teenagers, a world away from the hometowns they grew up in, and sadly many came home unappreciated.
In Desert Storm, Iraqi Freedom, and Afghanistan they defeated a dictator and his army, and a terrorist and his followers, who wanted to do one thing, destroy the western world.
Pope will meet with survivors of Korean ferry disaster
Seoul, South Korea, Aug 5, 2014 / 10:17 am (CNA/EWTN News) - The organizing committee of Pope Francis’ trip to South Korea next week have revealed that he will meet with survivors of the April 16 ferry disaster, as well as relatives of those who died.
“During a Mass in Daejeon, Pope Francis will meet with the survivors of the Sewol ferry disaster and family members of the victims,” Hur Young-yup, spokesman for a committee organizing the papal visit, stated in a press conference, the Korean Times reported Aug. 5.
“There will be some face-to-face time,” Hur added.
In April, a ferry carrying 476 people capsized and sank as it sailed from Incheon to Jeju island. Only 172 people were rescued; most were trapped inside as the ship went down.
Education crucial to limiting Ebola outbreak, relief agency says
By KATE VEIK Kate
Freetown, Sierra Leone, Aug 1, 2014 / 05:04 pm (CNA/EWTN News) - As the deadly Ebola virus continues to claim victims in West Africa, Catholic Relief Services is working to fight the outbreak by educating affected communities and dispelling local myths.
“This is the first time West Africa has experienced an Ebola outbreak,” said Michael Stulman, CRS Regional Information Officer for West and Central Africa.
“A lot of people don’t know what Ebola is, or they don’t believe it exists,” he told CNA July 31. “There are a lot of myths surrounding the virus.”
Stulman explained that many misconceptions about Ebola are facilitating the virus’ fatal spread throughout West Africa.
It is rumored that “when you go to the hospital, doctors will give you injections that kill you, or once you go in, you won’t come out alive,” he said. But the truth is, there are survivors of Ebola, and “receiving early treatment is critical.”
Trina Delgado named Superintendent of Catholic Schools
Trina Delgado, who has served as principal at both St. Mary and St. Dominic schools in Garden City, has been appointed as the new Superintendent of Schools for the Diocese of Dodge City.
She replaces the outgoing Randall Steinle who was serving as the interim superintendent.
Delgado will continue her position as principal of St. Dominic School, while St. Mary lead teacher Michelle Mead will take over as principal at St. Mary School.
“The most important thing for me right now is to learn as much as I can about the superintendent’s role,” Delgado said. “Bishop [John] Brungardt is a very pro-school bishop. I’ll learn from him as well as from the Wichita Diocese. What they’re doing is obviously working. They have the growth of many new Catholic schools, and it only makes sense to learn from the success in all areas that they are having.”
Tulsa bishop urges prayer, fasting in response to black mass
Tulsa, Okla., Aug 4, 2014 / 05:01 pm (CNA/EWTN News) - A novena of prayer and fasting leading up to the Feast of the Assumption has been planned to combat the Satanic black mass slated to take place at Oklahoma City’s Civic Center in September.
“(The Satanic black mass) blasphemes everything which we hold as sacred and redemptive; and the spiritual dangers it poses ought not be dismissed,” Bishop Edward J. Slattery of Tulsa wrote in a letter to the people of his diocese.
“Since the Civic Center has not responded positively to the pleas of the Archbishop of Oklahoma City not to host this event in a tax-payer supported public venue, I am asking the faithful Catholics in the Diocese of Tulsa to fight this blasphemy through prayer and fasting.”
A black mass is a sacrilegious ceremony that invokes Satan and mocks the Mass, involving the desecration of the Eucharist, generally by stealing a consecrated Host from a Catholic church and using it in a profane, sexual ritual.
The occult group Dakhma of Angra Mainyu is scheduled to hold a black mass at the city-funded Oklahoma City Civic Center Music Hall Sept. 21. Despite protest from local individuals and groups who object to the event as being an offensive mockery of their faith, the civic center has said it will be allowed to proceed.