The news of the death of Father Lawrence Zhang Wenchang has sparked heated words on the popular Chinese website Tianzhujiao Zaixian (Catholic Church online). Some netizens praised Fr Zhang’s fidelity to Rome. He was arrested in 1958 and sent to prison for counter-revolutionary crimes. He received reform-through-labor in a farm from 1962-82, after which he began to visit Catholics and work part-time.
It is good, too, as Pope Benedict reminded us, to remember what we have in common. For years I was Chairman of something called ‘ARCIC - The Anglican-Roman Catholic Ecumenical Commission' - and we used to study together many matters. But the key to our work was a term called, koinonia, which means ‘communion'.
‘The Games are coming and we need to make the most of this unique opportunity. School sport is a place where so many Christian beliefs can be learnt and expressed but two in particular stand out: communion and integrity. Communion is the central reality of contemporary Catholic theology, a reality much more profound than contemporary understandings of community.
6 February 2012 was a day of both sad reflection and celebration for millions of Britons, as well as the citizens of 15 other countries around the world that count Queen Elizabeth as their Head of State.
The card is designed to be a daily reminder of the carrier's religion. Catholics are being encouraged to carry a "faith card" to remind them of their faith responsibilities. One million credit card-sized cards are being printed to be handed out in dioceses across England and Wales.
Father Antoine Rafic Greiche, official spokesman for the Catholic Church in Egypt, warned that the success of the Salafists was a grave concern for Christians. "We were expecting the Muslim Brothers to do well but we did not expect at all the success of the Salafists," he said.
Results of a £12-million research project on the place of religious belief in public life will be aired in a series of groundbreaking debates as well as in The Tablet beginning next month. One of the main aims, argues the project’s head, is to help correct the secular bias at universities.
Pope Benedict XVI has urged bishops in the United States to mobilise Catholics against “powerful new cultural currents” in American society that are “increasingly hostile to Christianity” and endanger church freedoms.
96,000 postcards have been sent to Ireland’s prime minister protesting the closing of country’s Embassy to the Holy See. The Irish Government is coming under increased pressure to reverse a controversial decision to close the country’s Embassy to the Holy See.-
In a statement released to coincide with the World Day for Migrants and Refugees celebrated on Sunday January 15, Bishop Patrick Lynch said that parishes have been greatly enriched by “the strong sense of community and commitment to family life within many of our migrant communities, by their love for the Scriptures, by their devotion to Our Lady and especially by their joyful participation in the celebration of the Eucharist.
Cardinal Thuan was named coadjutor archbishop of Saigon archdiocese seven days before South Vietnam fell to the communist North on April 30, 1975. The communist authorities rejected his appointment and imprisoned him for 13 years, nine of them in solitary confinement in the north.
The FIDES news service noted the words of Pope Benedict XVI, who said on December 26 of that year, “As in ancient times, today the sincere adherence to the Gospel may require the sacrifice of life, and many Christians in various parts of the world are sometimes exposed to persecution and martyrdom”. Fides’ list includes not only missionaries ad gentes in the strict sense, but all pastoral care workers who died violent deaths.
Speaking in his annual BBC New Year message, the Archbishop of Canterbury reflects on the importance that Christianity bestows on young people and challenges us to actively support our local youth facilities and opportunities which, he argues, play a crucial part in a healthy society.
New Year Pastoral Letter from the Bishop of Lancaster. "At the beginning of this New Year I would ask you to join me in grappling with the two-fold task of planning how our diocese’s parishes and schools adapt to these new circumstances and secondly to make ourselves ready to launch into the challenge of the New Evangelisation."
The new translation, which seeks to introduce concepts that do not exist in English-speaking cultures and, consequently, the words or grammatical constructions to express them do not exist either.
Speak up for Christianity, Cameron tells Archbishop: PM calls on the Church to defend 'values and moral code' of the Bible.Mr Cameron declared Britain ‘a Christian country’ and said politicians and churchmen should not be afraid to say so.
Archbishop Dominique Mamberty, head of the Delegation of the Holy See addresses the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and thanks its efforts in promoting a growing political will that seeks to reinforce a dialogue of culture and of peace within the OSCE region.
“Historic” was the word used by Filipino priests to describe their First National Assembly held Nov. 8-11 in Los Angeles, which included an opening Mass followed by a day of workshops on spiritual growth and pastoral enrichment, a Mass at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, a priests’ concert and the election of a new leadership council.
The U.S. Roman Catholic Church will establish a body in January to house disaffected members of the Episcopal Church, beginning with a few dozen ministers and at least two congregations seeking communion, U.S. bishops were told Tuesday.
A study commission headed by the Claretian Missionary Father Michael presented a report to the assembly of Bishops and Major Superiors to take practical measures for the church presence in developmental activities. This joint initiative of Regional Bishops and Major Superiors is to be grounded in the poor areas of West Bengal which is traditional considered as Maoists stronghold.
