As Year of Mercy ends, Holy Doors close around the world
Vatican City, Nov 13, 2016 / 01:09 pm (CNA/EWTN News) - As Holy Doors close in churches and basilicas around the world, including in Rome, it is estimated that over 20 million people participated in the Church’s Jubilee Year of Mercy at the Vatican – and a billion people may have participated in churches worldwide.
According to Msgr. Rino Fisichella, President of the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelization, it is estimated that 20.4 million people attended Year of Mercy events at the Vatican over the course of this year.
The Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelization was in charge of putting Pope Francis’ vision for the Year of Mercy into practice – both in the Vatican and abroad.
As the year comes to a close, the Holy Doors at three basilicas in Rome – St. Paul Outside the Walls, St. John Lateran and St. Mary Major – were closed during special Masses held Nov. 13. The Holy Doors at churches and basilicas around the world are also closing the same day.
The year will officially end on Nov. 20, the Solemnity of Christ the King, when Pope Francis will close the Holy Door at St. Peter’s Basilica. It was opened on Dec. 8, 2015, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception.
The opening of the door is meant to symbolically illustrate the idea that the Church’s faithful are offered an “extraordinary path” toward salvation during the time of Jubilee. Pilgrims who walked through the Holy Door were able to receive a plenary indulgence under the usual conditions.
In his homily for the Mass at St. John Lateran, Cardinal Agostino Vallini spoke about how the Holy Door, just closed, was a visible sign of the Jubilee of Mercy, a year where we learned “once again” that the fate of the world is not in the hands of men, “but in the mercy of God.”
“What has it taught us, the meditation of God’s mercy in this year?” he asked. “First of all that mercy is not a sign of weakness or surrender,” but the “strong, magnanimous,” radiation of the loving omnipotence of the Father, who “heals our weaknesses, raises us from our falls and urges us to the good.”
Cardinal Vallini quoted the Pope saying, “The mercy of God is not an abstract idea, but a concrete reality.”
If we look closely, he said, we can see how the whole history of salvation until today and into the future, has been an “economy of mercy.”
“If we stop to consider the love of Jesus toward sinners, the poor, the sick, the marginalized, and especially if we contemplate the passion and death on the cross, we will not find any other explanation than the manifestation of his mercy towards us.”
“Fixing our prayerful gaze on Jesus Crucified it will be easier to follow and imitate him in our human affairs, even painful ones,” he said.
During his address for the Angelus the same day, Pope Francis said that we must “stand firm in the Lord” and work “to build a better world;” that despite difficulties and sad events, what really matters is how Christians are called “to encounter the ‘Lord’s Day.’”
“Precisely in this perspective we want to place the commitment resulting from these months in which we have lived with faith the extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy,” he said, “which concludes today in the dioceses of the whole world with the closing of the Holy Door in the cathedral churches.”
“The Holy Year has urged us, on the one hand, to keep our eyes fixed toward the fulfillment of God’s Kingdom and on the other, to build the future of this land, working to evangelize the present, so that it becomes a time of salvation for all.”
This past week the oldest wooden crucifix of St. Peter’s Basilica, dating from the 14th century, was returned to the church for the devotion of the faithful, the Pope noted.
“After a laborious restoration,” the cross “has been restored to its former splendor and will be placed in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel to commemorate the Jubilee of Mercy,” he said.
The Vatican marked the Jubilee Year with the addition of many events, including a special audience with the Pope, which happened on one Saturday each month in St. Peter’s Square.
There were also many larger events which took place, including a 24-hour long period of Eucharistic adoration and a prayer vigil. Additionally, “jubilees” were held which centered on, among others, the sick and disabled, catechists, teenagers, deacons, priests, religious, volunteers of mercy, and most recently, the poor and homeless.
Pope Francis also spent one Friday a month during the year making private visits to groups he found in special need of being shown God’s mercy. These “Mercy Fridays,” as they were called, included visits with refugees, victims of sex trafficking, those in hospitals and retirement homes, and children in difficult situations.
Ordinary jubilees occur every 25 or 50 years, and extraordinary jubilees are called for some momentous occasion. Two extraordinary jubilees were called in the 20th century – 1933, to mark the 1900th anniversary of Christ’s redemption in 33 A.D., and 1983, its 1950th anniversary.
St. John Paul II also held a “Great Jubilee” in the year 2000, marking the 2000th anniversary of Jesus’ birth and the start of the new millennium.
At the start of the Jubilee of Mercy, during a general audience Dec. 9, Pope Francis asked pilgrims, “Why a Jubilee of Mercy? What does this mean?”
The answer, he said, is because “the Church needs this extraordinary moment. I’m not (just) saying ‘it’s good,’ no! I'm saying: the Church needs it.”
Kidnapped Mexican priest found alive with signs of torture
Mexico City, Mexico, Nov 14, 2016 / 01:47 pm (CNA/EWTN News) - The Mexican Conference of Bishops issued a statement acknowledging that Fr. José Luis Sánchez Ruiz, who was kidnapped Nov. 11 in his home state of Veracruz was found alive, but with visible signs of torture.
The statement, issued by the bishop of San Andrés Tuxtla, Bishop Fidencio López Plaza praised God for hearing their prayer, and confirmed that “Indeed, Father José Luis Sánchez Ruiz was abandoned with remarkable traces of torture.”
Fr. Sánchez Ruiz is the 54 year-old pastor of the Parish of the Twelve Apostles in the diocese of San Andrés Tuxtla, located in the state of Veracruz. In recent months, priests have been the target of violence and kidnappings, particularly in the states of Veracruz, Guerrero and Michoacan. Since the election of Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto in 2012, at least 15 priests have been killed in the country.
Fr. Sánchez Ruiz is the third Catholic priest kidnapped in Veracruz since September, 2016, but the first found alive.
Previously, Fr. Sánchez Ruiz has denounced the upheaval and violence in the region. According to the BBC, the priest “received threats in recent days because he is a defender of human rights," said a spokesman for the diocese, Fr Aaron Reyes. "He has criticized the system of corruption and the crime problem in Catemaco."
The pastor’s abduction from his parish sparked two days of protests in the town of Catemaco, where the church is located.
Bishop Fidencio López Plaza thanked the authorities for their help searching for Fr. Sánchez Ruiz, and asked for patience in waiting for the intervention of the prosecutor. He also thanked "all the lay faithful who from their parishes and encouraged by their priests, have remained in a state of prayer."
"Thank God and thank you all for so many signs, and so many gestures of faith and brotherhood. May God bless them, may God protect them, may God give them peace,” the bishop said.
Sacerdote secuestrado en México es hallado vivo pero con signos de tortura https://t.co/i427jx2qB2
— ACI Prensa (@aciprensa) November 13, 2016
Keep calm and follow Jesus, US bishops say after the election
Baltimore, Md., Nov 14, 2016 / 12:50 pm (CNA/EWTN News) - As the country recovers from a divisive election and many in the U.S. are living in uncertainty, the Church must offer everyone hope, the outgoing president of the U.S. bishops' conference maintained Monday.
“The Church at her best has always been a beacon of hope,” Archbishop Joseph Kurtz of Louisville stated Nov. 14 at a press conference during the bishops’ fall general assembly in Baltimore.
He added that the Church “advocates for people who feel that they’re disenfranchised or are filled with fear,” and pointed to statements he made earlier in the morning to migrants and refugees, who might be fearful after the recent presidential election.
Just as Christ said in the Gospels “I am with you,” he exhorted his fellow bishops to repeat to these persons who have fled violence and persecution: “we are with you.”
The bishops are meeting for their annual general assembly Nov. 14-16 in Baltimore. On Monday they heard the final presidential address of outgoing president Archbishop Kurtz, as well as an address by the Apostolic Nuncio to the U.S., Archbishop Christophe Pierre.
Regarding the recent presidential election, Archbishop Kurtz said earlier on Monday that he had written to President-elect Donald Trump expressing a “willingness to work together” for the “protection of life” and the “promotion of human dignity.”
The bishops “have been very clear for the right to life of the child in the womb,” Archbishop Kurtz insisted, adding that the Church is defending human dignity by opposing the legalization of assisted suicide, which was recently approved by voters in Colorado and by the city government of Washington, D.C.
Trump’s victory has been met with protests in cities across the country, capping what was already a polarizing election cycle.
Bishops responded to the protests by stating their respect for freedom of speech while insisting that a “peaceful transition of power” take place. “I think that these can be reconciled,” said Archbishop Thomas Wenski of Miami, chair of the bishops’ domestic justice and human development committee, of the protests and peace.
There is nothing “more American than a peaceful transition of power,” he stated.
The bishops were also asked about the fear of immigrants and refugees. Trump ran on a strong immigration platform that called for, among other things, a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border and a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison for those deported from the U.S. who try to illegally re-enter.
Last year he called for a halt on Muslims being able to enter the country, for national security reasons. He expanded that policy this past summer by saying that the U.S. should not accept refugees from countries “compromised by terrorism.”
He said on CBS’ “60 Minutes” that he plans to deport 2 to 3 million undocumented persons “that are criminal and have criminal records” after he is sworn in as president.
Archbishop Wenski recognized the validity of fears many in the U.S. have of being deported, but exhorted them to stay calm.
In 1980, when President Reagan was elected, the archbishop recalled he met with Haitian detainees who were crying in fear. He recalled telling them, “don’t worry, nothing’s changed,” pointing to other countries where violent riots might take place during a transition of power.
“We have a rule of law,” Archbishop Wenski said on Monday. “Nobody can arbitrarily try to send out of the country, in one fell swoop, 11 million people.”
“Those people [Haitians] are still here,” he added, saying that “it’s time to take a deep breath” and to “continue our advocacy.”
“If they build a wall, we have to make sure they put some doors in that wall,” he said, referring to Trump’s campaign promise to build a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border.
Catholics should also support those who have been helping immigrants all along, Archbishop Kurtz added. Many Catholic Charities workers have been serving immigrants for a long time, and we must “encourage and even salute in some ways” these workers, he said.
Plus, there is public support for immigration reform which would include a “path to permanent residency” and “eventual citizenship,” Archbishop Wenski said.
The bishops were also asked about the implementation of Amoris laetitia, Pope Francis’ apostolic exhortation on love in the family, and if it would uphold Pope St. John Paul II’s teaching in Familiaris consortio that the divorced-and-remarried may receive reconciliation in the sacrament of Confession only if they have repented of having broken the sign of the covenant and, if for serious reasons they cannot separate, they agree to live in complete continence, living as brother and sister.
Archbishop Kurtz instructed Catholics to “read first chapter four and five” of the letter, and pointed to what “our Holy Father has said,” that “very clearly that there is no desire on his part to make any canonical changes or any new doctrine.”
Pope Francis at cemetery: Christ gives us hope – even in death
By Hannah Brockhaus
Rome, Italy, Nov 2, 2016 / 10:57 am (CNA/EWTN News) - While it's sad to think about our own death or that of a loved one, we can never be truly hopeless because of Christ's resurrection, Pope Francis said on All Souls day at a cemetery outside of Rome.
“The commemoration of the dead has a dual meaning,” Francis said Nov. 2. “Sadness mixes with hope, and this is what we all feel today in this celebration. The memory of our loved ones, in front of their remains, and hope.”
“But we also feel that this hope helps, because we too have to make this journey! All of us will make this journey. Sooner or later, but everyone. With pain, some more some less, but all. But with the flower of hope, with that strong thread of hope that is anchored in the hereafter.”
Traditionally, popes have gone to Rome's 19th century Campo Verano cemetery to celebrate Mass for the Feast of All Souls, however this year Pope Francis celebrated the Mass at the Prima Porta Cemetery on the northern outskirts of Rome.
Cemeteries are often sad places because they remind us of our loved ones who are gone, the Pope noted: “But in this sadness we bring flowers as a sign of hope, and also, I dare to say, of celebration – not now, but in the future.”
He explained that the reason for this hope is the Resurrection, that “Jesus is the one who made this journey first.”
“We are walking the path that he walked, and he brings us through the door that he himself opened. With his cross, he opened the door of hope. He opened the door so that we can enter into where we will contemplate God.”
After the Mass, Pope Francis went to the grottoes beneath the Vatican for a moment of private prayer for the deceased popes.
Also known as Prima Porta cemetery, Flaminio Cemetery was consecrated in 1941 and is considered to be a masterpiece of contemporary architecture.
Over 345 acres in size, it is the largest cemetery in Italy, and contains sections dedicated to the Catholic, Evangelical, Jewish and Islamic faiths. The Catholic church in the cemetery is dedicated to St. Michael the Archangel.
The Jewish Temple and Polish Chapel were both erected by Poles living in Italy and St. John Paul II consecrated them on Nov. 1, 1991.
Many famous Italians choose to be buried there, including people from the worlds of art, entertainment, sports and politics. Inside, there is also an archaeological site of a Roman villa from 25 BC.
The Pope concluded his homily by reminding those present that the hope of the Resurrection “doesn’t delude” and that even Job, in his moment of anguish, expresses hope through the words: “I know that my Redeemer lives.”
“Let us go home today with this dual memory: the memory of the past, of those who have gone, and the memory of the future, the path on which we will go with the certainty, the security of the words that came from the lips of Jesus: I will raise him up on the last day.”
You've got questions (about death)? The Church has answers.
By Mary Rezac
London, England, Nov 2, 2016 / 03:02 am (CNA/EWTN News) - In the 14th century, approximately one third of the population of Europe - or anywhere from 75 million to 200 million people - was wiped out due to what became known as the Black Death.
Characterized by and named for the black, bulbous sores that oozed pus and blood, the affliction typically killed its victims within two to seven days.
The Black Death, also known as the Black Plague, understandably shook the faith of the people of Europe at the time. It was shortly after its reign of terror that an anonymous Dominican friar wrote “Ars moriendi”, or “The Art of Dying,” a six-chapter work explaining the Church’s perspective on a good death.
It included catechesis on why death was not to be feared, how the soul could prepare itself for death, and proper prayers to for the individual and loved ones to say at the time of death. A shorter version translated the book into 11 woodcuts illustrating the work.
Now, more than 600 years later, “The Art of Dying” got a facelift, thanks to the Catholic Church in England and Wales.
The teachings have been translated onto a website, complete with animations, video interviews with experts and priests, and explanations of various aspects of preparing well for death as a Catholic. The new resource was debuted today, a day before All Souls’ feast day, where the Church remembers and prays for the dead.
“Most people have an instinctive fear of death, but many also have a conviction that something lies beyond, that death does not have the last word,” the website explains.
“The Catholic faith is rooted in the belief that God made us to enjoy eternal life with him.”
The Art of Dying website is split into five categories - What is dying well?, Talking about death, Facing death personally, Losing a loved one, and Caring for the dying.
It also explains the various means of spiritual support available through the Church for a dying person, including the Anointing of the Sick, and final reception of the sacraments of confession and communion.
It also addresses the big questions people often have at the end of their lives the meaning of life, suffering, and the goodness of God.
“Sometimes people wonder, when confronted by tragedy or suffering, why God lets it happen. When we are tempted to echo those words, we need to remember that God is now and forever at the heart of any human suffering,” Fr. Peter Harries, the Catholic chaplain at University College London Hospital, told The Art of Dying.
“The Christ who was cruelly tortured and crucified on Calvary suffers still whenever there is pain, suffering or death, among those he now identifies with. If we ask ‘where was God in all this?’, the answer has to be ‘There, wherever there are human beings’.”
But The Art of Dying is not just for Catholics, the creators of the website explain in their ‘About’ section.
“There is a shared interest in discussing how we can make death more peaceful and meaningful. It is likely that you will share the Church’s concern that sometimes, particularly in hospital, dying patients are subjected to unnecessary medical interventions that prolong suffering,” they said.
“You will probably agree with the Church that they should be kept as comfortable as possible and given appropriate pain relief. You will probably want to know more about what you can do to achieve a good death for you and your loved ones.”
In an age where physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia, both of which the Catholic Church strongly opposes, have become increasingly popular, the updated Art of Dying could serve as a valuable resource for Catholics and people everywhere who are looking for answers to their questions about how to die a good death.
“After centuries of ministering to the dying, the Catholic Church has a fund of experience to share in what was traditionally called the art of dying well,” the website explains.
A victory for the seal of Confession in Louisiana
By Matt Hadro
Baton Rouge, La., Nov 1, 2016 / 03:08 pm (CNA/EWTN News) - Catholic priests do not have to break the seal of Confession to report the alleged abuse of minors, the Louisiana Supreme Court ruled on Friday.
The Diocese of Baton Rouge, at the center of the case, responded that they were “very pleased” with the court’s Oct. 28 opinion, “which affirms the sanctity of the Sacrament of Reconciliation.”
The case of Fr. Jeff Bayhi, a priest of the Baton Rouge diocese, made national news after he was sued for not reporting the alleged sexual abuse of a child to authorities. The woman who said she was abused, Rebecca Mayeux, claimed that in 2008, when she was a minor, she told Fr. Bayhi during Confession that she had been abused by someone at his parish.
In 2009, she sued the now-deceased parishioner, the diocese, as well as Fr. Bayhi for allegedly knowing about the abuse but not reporting it under the state’s mandatory reporting law.
Fr. Bayhi said he could not testify as to whether the conversation he had with Mayeux even took place, because of the seal of Confession. Priests may not reveal the contents of a sacramental confession or even say whether the confession even took place.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church paragraph 1467 states regarding the Sacrament of Confession:
“Given the delicacy and greatness of this ministry and the respect due to persons, the Church declares that every priest who hears confessions is bound under very severe penalties to keep absolute secrecy regarding the sins that his penitents have confessed to him. He can make no use of knowledge that confession gives him about penitents' lives.”
According to the Code of Canon Law, “a confessor who directly violates the sacramental seal incurs a latae sententiae excommunication reserved to the Apostolic See; one who does so only indirectly is to be punished according to the gravity of the delict.”
Louisiana has a mandatory reporting law that an adult, if told of a possible case of sexual abuse of a minor, must report the case to the authorities, even if the adult is a member of the clergy. However, an exemption in the law does exist in cases of “confidential communication.”
The court had earlier said it had not resolved the question of whether Fr. Bayhi met the exemption or was a “mandatory reporter” under the state’s law. It decided on the former last Friday.
Their opinion stated that in cases of alleged abuse of a minor, “priests are not mandatory reporters of information acquired”, so long as their “communication is confidential communication” as described in the state’s law, “the priest in the course of the discipline or practice of that church, denomination, or organization, is authorized or accustomed to hearing the confidential communication,” and if he “under the discipline or tenets of the church, denomination, or organization has a duty to keep such communication confidential.”
“Accordingly, any communication made to a priest privately in the sacrament of confession for the purpose of confession, repentance, and absolution is a confidential communication,” the court added, “and the priest is exempt from mandatory reporter status in such circumstances by operation of La. Child. Code art. 603, because ‘under the … tenets of the [Roman Catholic] church’ he has an inviolable ‘duty to keep such communications confidential.’”
The inviolability of the seal had also been affirmed by a state appeals court in August.
The diocese praised the decision to respect the religious exemption to the reporting law, saying it “protects religious freedom, while leaving in place our state's rigorous reporting requirements which serve to protect our children from harm.”
Earlier this year, Bishop Robert Muench of Baton Rouge offered prayers for the victim in the case and for all victims of abuse:
“I extend my compassion and offer prayer not only for the plaintiff who may have been harmed by the actions of a man who was not an employee of the church, but also for all who have been abused by anyone.”
Pope Francis reiterates a strong 'no' to women priests
By Hannah Brockhaus
Aboard the papal plane, Nov 1, 2016 / 10:36 am (CNA/EWTN News) - During a press conference Tuesday aboard the papal plane from Sweden to Rome, Pope Francis said the issue of women priests has been clearly decided, while also clarifying the essential role of women in the Catholic Church.
“On the ordination of women in the Catholic Church, the final word is clear, it was said by St. John Paul II and this remains,” Pope Francis told journalists Nov. 1.
The question concerning women priests in the Catholic Church was asked during the flight back to Rome after the Pope’s Oct. 31-Nov. 1 trip to Sweden to participate in a joint Lutheran-Catholic commemoration of the 500th anniversary of the Reformation.
While there, the Pope participated in ecumenical events alongside Swedish Lutheran and Catholic leaders, including the first female Lutheran archbishop in Sweden, Antje Jackelén. She is the head of the Church of Sweden, the largest denomination of Lutheranism in Europe.
After stating that the issue of female ordination is closed, the Pope added that women are very important to the Church, specifically from a “Marian dimension.”
“In Catholic ecclesiology there are two dimensions to think about,” he said. “The Petrine dimension, which is from the Apostle Peter, and the Apostolic College, which is the pastoral activity of the bishops, as well as the Marian dimension, which is the feminine dimension of the Church.”
Pointing out that the Holy Mother Church “is a woman,” Francis said that the “spousal mystery” of the Church as the spouse of Christ can help us to understand these two dimensions.
“I ask myself: who is most important in theology and in the mysticism of the Church: the apostles or Mary on the day of Pentecost? It's Mary!” he said.
The Church “doesn’t exist” without this feminine dimension, or “maternity,” the Pope said, because the Church herself is feminine.
Pope Francis did express that he thinks women “can do so many things better than men, even in the dogmatic field,” but he clarified how it is still a separate dimension from that of priests and bishops in the Petrine dimension.
From the beginning of his papacy, Francis has been clear on the issue of women priests, while still emphasizing the unique and important role of women in the Church.
In a press conference returning from Rio de Janeiro on Aug. 5, 2013, he answered the same question: “with reference to the ordination of women, the Church has spoken and says, ‘No.’ John Paul II said it, but with a definitive formulation. That is closed, that door.”
He said that on the theology of woman he felt there was a “lack of a theological development,” which could be developed better. “You cannot be limited to the fact of being an altar server or the president of Caritas, the catechist … No! It must be more, but profoundly more, also mystically more.”
On his return flight from Philadelphia for the World Meeting of Families Sept. 28, 2015, the Pope again said that women priests “cannot be done,” and reiterated that a theology of women needs to “move ahead.”
“Pope St. John Paul II after long, long intense discussions, long reflection said so clearly,” that female ordination is not possible, he said.
Among concerns surrounding the Pope’s trip to Sweden, and the hope for continued progress on the path to communion between Lutherans and Catholics, was the issue of female ordination.
This is alongside other social and ethical issues, such as homosexuality and abortion, which are points of division not only between Catholics and Lutherans, but also within the global Lutheran community.
Carl Anderson: In battle for Mosul, don't forget persecuted groups
New Haven, Conn., Oct 24, 2016 / 04:04 pm (CNA/EWTN News) - The battle to free Mosul from the hands of ISIS must be accompanied by concrete efforts to support the groups that have been targeted by the extremist group, said Carl Anderson, Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus.
“While welcoming the ongoing liberation of the Nineveh plain and Mosul, we must not forget that the genocide begun by ISIS will continue through attrition and neglect unless the United States and international community prioritizes those groups that were targeted for extermination and risk disappearing altogether,” Anderson said in an Oct. 21 statement.
On Oct. 17, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced a ground offensive to retake Mosul, which has been under the control of the Islamic State since June 2014.
In addition to the Kurdish Peshmerga forces, U.S. troops, British and French Special Forces, and a number of Turkish soldiers are supporting the Iraqi army in the battle, which was initially expected to take between several weeks to several months to complete.
Mosul is the last major stronghold the Islamic State has in Iraq. They have been steadily retreating since the end of last year in battles against Iraqi and Peshmerga forces, as well as airstrikes from the U.S-led coalition.
The United Nations has warned that ISIS is using civilians as human shields in the fight for Mosul, estimating that the militants have so far taken roughly 550 families from smaller towns close to Mosul in an effort to prevent them from leaving the area.
According to CNN, some 285 men and boys have already been used by ISIS as human shields in recent days, and their bodies dumped in a mass grave.
The Knights of Columbus have been heavily involved in supporting persecuted Christians in the Middle East. The Catholic fraternal group successfully advocated for the State Department to recognize the genocide of religious minorities at the hands of ISIS.
In 2014, the Knights established the Christian Refugee Relief Fund, which has raised $10.5 million to provide food, clothing, shelter, education, and medical care to persecuted Christians in the Middle East. They have also encouraged prayer for those facing persecution.
In his statement, Anderson stressed that liberating Mosul and the Nineveh plain are not enough. In addition, aid must be offered to ensure the survival of groups that ISIS had been trying to exterminate.
“This must include direct financial support from our government that actually reaches endangered groups like Christians and Yazidis,” he said. “Those Iraqi citizens who belong to these groups also need to be given equal rights based on the Universal Declaration Of Human Rights.”
“We must also insist that the two-tiered system of rights – resulting in the second class citizenship of Christians and other non-majority religious groups – end if we really want to ensure that such genocide never again occurs in this region,” he continued.
“Celebrations over the ongoing liberation of the historically Christian towns of the Nineveh, should not obscure the fact those minority groups who lived there for generations are now displaced and in danger of disappearing.”
Arizona Mass for migrants shows Catholic unity crosses borders
Tucson, Ariz., Oct 26, 2016 / 12:22 am (CNA/EWTN News) - Catholic unity transversed the border on Sunday when Archbishop Christophe Pierre, the new apostolic nuncio to the U.S., celebrated Mass at Arizona’s border with Mexico.
“His decision to join us is a reminder that this is an issue very important to our Holy Father,” said Bishop Gerald F. Kicanas of Tucson, the Associated Press reports.
The Mass was celebrated Sunday afternoon near the Port of Entry in downtown Noagles, Ariz. About 250 people attended the Mass from the U.S. side, while it was unclear how many attended on the Mexico side. Previous Masses have included the distribution of Holy Communion through the border fence, but border patrol officers did not allow this on Sunday.
Bishop Kicanas said the Oct. 23 Mass aimed to bring attention to immigrants and refugees.
“The economic migrant is not a criminal. The economic migrant is someone seeking a decent way of life for themselves, for their family,” he said.
The Mass also aimed to highlight the close relationship between the neighboring dioceses.
Prayers were said at the Mass for border patrol agents and those who work around the border.
It was the last of three Masses organized by the group Dioceses Sin Fronteras, also known as Dioceses without Borders. The organization aims to broaden awareness of the need to treat people on both sides of the border with dignity and respect, “in the spirit of faith,” the Diocese of Tucson said.
The previous two Masses on the border were concelebrated by Bishop Kicanas and Bishop Jose Leopold Gonzalez of Noagles in Mexico’s Sonora state. They had invited the apostolic nuncio to celebrate the Mass.
Archbishop Pierre had served as apostolic nuncio to Mexico from 2007 through 2016. Pope Francis named him to his new post in the U.S. this April.
During the Pope’s trip to Mexico in February 2016, the pontiff visited the U.S. border at Ciudad Juarez and looked out over the Rio Grande River from a memorial built to commemorate those who have died along the Mexican border.
END
Rome's poor to be guests of honor at Vatican concert
By Hannah Brockhaus
Vatican City, Oct 26, 2016 / 10:48 am (CNA/EWTN News) - The Vatican will host a concert for the poor and homeless of Rome next month, not only using the concert to raise money for Pope Francis’ charities, but also inviting the poor to attend as the guests of honor.
Called “With the Poor and for the Poor,” free-will donations taken at the end of the concert will benefit Pope Francis’ charitable projects: this year, the building of a new cathedral in Moroto, Uganda, and an agrarian school in Burkina Faso.
The concert will take place Nov. 12 in the Vatican’s Paul VI Hall.
Following the concert, volunteers of the Jubilee of Mercy and members of the choir of the Diocese of Rome will distribute a meal and a small gift to the invited guests as a reminder of the evening.
Performances at the concert will be by the Roman Symphonic Orchestra and the National Choir of Saint Cecilia, directed by Academy Award-winner Ennio Morricone. They will be performing excerpts from some of Morricone’s most famous works.
Alongside them, Msgr. Marco Frisina will direct the choir of the Diocese of Rome in performing several sacred songs and will lead those present in reflections on the theme of charity in honor of the end of the Jubilee of Mercy.
The event, organized by the Opera Nova Onlus and the choir of the Diocese of Rome, is sponsored by the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelization and by the St. Matthew Foundation in memory of Cardinal Van Thuan, a Vietnamese cleric who was imprisoned by his nation's communist government for 13 years.
Guests of an earlier edition of the concert which took place at the Vatican May 14, 2015 included detainees from Rome’s Rebbibia prison, in addition to elderly, the sick, families and young persons from Roman parishes, particularly in poorer areas.
In his speech for the announcement of the 2015 concert, Msgr. Diego Giovanni Ravelli drew attention to the emphasis on poverty, and quoted Pope Francis, saying it is something which “calls us to plant hope!”
In reference to the event’s title, he explained that the concert will be “with” the poor because the protagonists will be those most in need.
All donations made by the sponsors of the concert as well as those who wish to make an offering will be given to Pope Francis’ charitable projects, which in 2014 boasted over one and a half million in charitable giving. Distribution of the funds is a responsibility of the papal almoner, Archbishop Konrad Krajewski.