"Today, the celebration of the Synod concludes with the signing of the Exhortation 'Africae Munus'", he said. "The Synod gave an impetus to the Catholic Church in Africa, which prayed, reflected on and discussed the theme of reconciliation, justice and peace.
He prayed for Mary to "fulfill the noblest aspirations of African youths, fulfill the hearts that hunger for justice, peace and reconciliation, fulfill the hopes of child victims of hunger and war." His trip is likely to bring into focus the enormous potential of many nations on a continent with the world's fastest growing number of Catholics, but also its numerous struggles.
China has taken an aggressive stance against the Vatican over the key question of the nomination of bishops, in the run up to its leadership elections in 2012. Will the Holy See and Beijing manage to reach an agreement in time to prevent a meltdown in relations?
Promoting the New Evangelization is becoming a priority for the Catholic Church. The pope is calling on everyone to revitalize the message of the Gospel, and that of course, includes women. "We believe that in this case specifically, women can contribute so much in matters of listening, creativity and beauty,” says Marta Rodríguez, director of the Institute of Advanced Studies on Women in Rome.
Major national Churches are often the focus of protest. A homeless man, known to the authorities for his radical activism, once slipped into one with his supporters and wrecked it, overturning tables and lashing out with a homemade whip. His point was that what should have been a place of prayer for all people had become an institution fleecing the poor. Those were tougher times than now, and he was executed a week later.
Pope Benedict XVI has announced a “Year of Faith” to help Catholics appreciate the gift of faith, deepen their relationship with God and strengthen their commitment to sharing faith with others. Celebrating Mass on Sunday with participants in a Vatican conference on new evangelisation, the Pope said the Year of Faith would give “renewed energy to the mission of the whole Church to lead men and women out of the desert they often are in and toward the place of life: friendship with Christ who gives us fullness of life”.
Archbishop-elect Luis Antonio Tagle has revealed he was “overwhelmed” and “humbled” after being appointed to head the Manila archdiocese.I can’t understand what I’m feeling right now; it’s like I don’t have emotion. I feel dizzy, I have nothing in mind. I don’t know what is going on with me,” the prelate told Church-run Radio Veritas in an interview last weekend.
The Vatican has prepared a document on reform of the global financial system and the potential role of a public regulatory authority. The document, prepared by the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, was to be released Oct. 24 in four languages, and presented the same day at a Vatican news conference by Cardinal Peter Turkson, head of the council.
Lone gunman reportedly kills Fr. Fausto Tentorio, a leading anti-crime campaigner in Kidapawan, Mindanao. The priest was due to attend a regular meeting of Kidapawan diocese clergy at the house of Bishop Romulo de la Cruz in Kidapawan City today. Father Tentorio had been an active law and order campaigner in Arakan town. Only recently, he was appointed as head of a civilian anti-criminal task force in the town.
The visiting non-resident pontifical representative for Vietnam has received a rapturous welcome in the south as he continues his working tour of the country “Catholics should have a clear conscience and live a life of love as a way to sow the seeds of the Good News in this country,” Archbishop Leopoldo Girelli told some 20,000 people who attended a special Mass at the Pilgrimage Center of Our Lady at Tan Hiep in Kien Giang province on Monday.
Does the proportion of Catholic children in Catholic schools actually matter? According to the latest census data from the Catholic Education Service of England and Wales (CES), Catholic schools in some dioceses, such as Plymouth, are more likely than not to have a majority of non-Catholic pupils.
The Church in Germany is superbly organized. But behind the structures, is there also a corresponding spiritual strength, the strength of faith in the living God? We must honestly admit that we have more than enough by way of structure but not enough by way of Spirit. I would add: the real crisis facing the Church in the western world is a crisis of faith. If we do not find a way of genuinely renewing our faith, all structural reform will remain ineffective.
Church people expect the first Vietnamese Catholic dictionary, launched with great fanfare yesterday, will make a major contribution in developing theology in Vietnam. “Today I would like to introduce you to the first Catholic Dictionary in Vietnamese,” Bishop Paul Bui Van Doc of My Tho, head of the bishops’ Episcopal Commission for the Doctrine of the Faith, told about 200 Catholics at the launch ceremony yesterday at the Archbishop’s Residence in Ho Chi Minh City.
Recognising the seriousness of the crimes detailed in the report, which should never have happened within the Church of Jesus Christ, and wishing to respond to the Irish Government's request, the Holy See, after carefully examining the Cloyne Report and considering the many issues raised, has sought to respond comprehensively.
Correcting the behavior of those gone astray is an essential part of Christian life, said Pope Benedict XVI in his Sunday Angelus address Sept. 4. The Pope made his comments in the light of today’s Gospel in which Jesus suggests that “if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone.”
These last few days Catholic faithful inside and outside China have noted with sadness and indignation words pronounced by Mr Liu Bainian, Rev Guo Jincai, Mgr Fang Xingyao and Rev Yang yu, which are hardly distinguishable from being schismatic. But today's statement by the Religious Affairs Bureau has reached the extreme of absurdity.
“The Church has something to learn from bloggers”, that is, from those who communicate through the internet, beginning “with their way of freely expressing themselves in an up-to-date language”. Archbishop Claudio Maria Celli.
To be against clericalism is not the same as being anticlerical. Clericalism was dealt a heavy blow by the emphasis in the teaching of Vatican II on the priesthood of all believers and on common baptism. But there is evidence of a clericalist backlash among some of those undergoing training for the priesthood or recently ordained.
“What has the Church ever done for us?” Fr Andrew Pinsent is a priest of the diocese of Arundel and Brighton and Research Director of the Ian Ramsey Centre for Science and Religion at Oxford University. He was formerly a particle physicist at CERN. He is co-founder, with Fr Marcus Holden, of the Evangelium Project, which is dedicated to improving the quality of Catholic education.
