Church hampered by state regulations in Israel

Israel, Nov.13,2007 (CINS/totalcatholic) - Israeli visa restrictions and other controls on Church workers are still a serious problem for the church in the Holy Land, said a top Vatican official.

Cardinal Walter Kasper, head of the Pontifical Commission for Religious Relations With the Jews, said Palestinian and some foreign "clergy, religious women and seminarians have to submit to ironclad rules in order to visit relatives and friends" in the Palestinian territories, to which Israel controls entry.

After a trip to Israel and the West Bank which ended on November 2, the cardinal told the Vatican newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano, there was some sense that change might be on the horizon, though "nobody knows the real solutions."

"But the hour has come to ease the restrictions. The visa problems remain serious," he said in the interview.

The Campaign for the Right of Entry/Re-entry to the Occupied Palestinian Territories recently claimed that "Israel's regulation of entry into the occupied (Palestinian) territories by foreign nationals remains arbitrary, abusive and internationally unlawful. Even clergymen are not immune."

Some Catholic bishops and religious have lamented the lack of freedom of movement caused by permit and visa issues.

Cardinal Kasper said he visited with Israeli President Shimon Peres and other Israeli and Jewish authorities. He said they have "taken to heart finding a solution" to this problem quickly.

The cardinal said his meeting with Peres was "very positive" and that the president told him "Christians are welcome" in Israel.

The “gratitude” of the Holy See and the Chinese Church for the work of Fr. Franco Belfiori

Rome, Italy, Nov.13,2007 (CINS/AsiaNews) – The Jesuit community today received the Pope’s condolences as well as the “Holy See’s gratitude” for the commitment of Fr. Franco Belfiori, who died on November 11th after a long illness at the age of 82.  Over 50 years of his life spent in Taiwan and then Hong Kong, he was one of the first to rebuild relations with the Chinese Church in the aftermath of the Cultural Revolution and the death of Mao Zedong.

Msgr. Fernando Filoni, Substitute Secretary of State who presided over this morning’s funeral in the Jesù church, presented Benedict XVI’s condolences, reading from a telegram sent by the Secretary of State which expressed the Holy See’s gratitude as well as his own for the missionary work of Fr. Belfiori. During the ‘90’s, msgr. Filoni,  was sent to Hong Kong by the Holy See on a Mission of Study of China and counted on the friendship and expertise of Fr. Belfiori in introducing him into the world of the Chinese Church.

Relatives of the deceased missionary were present at this morning’s ceremony, at the end of which a fellow Jesuit recalled Fr. Belfiori’s zeal, above all during his Hong Kong period when he dedicated himself to restoring contact with the many priests in the Church in China, aiding their needs and seeking their release from prison.  The priest cited some of the many messages which had arrived from China expressing their prayers and gratitude for all that Fr. Belfiori had done for the Chinese Church.

Many priests from the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions (PIME) were among this morning’s congregation, having met and worked with him in Hong Kong.  Among these Fr. Fernando Galbiati, whose Kowloon City parish of Our Lady of Good Advice was a stones throw from the Jesuit house of Argyle Street, Hong Kong.

“He always took part in important parish celebrations, often accompanied by the Holy See representative – recalls Fr. Galbiati – and it was difficult not to succumb to his kind and gentle manner”. Fr. Galbiati adds that the Jesuit missionary became “the reference point and resident expert for many journalists and scholars of Chinese culture from all over the world, who never failed to visit him when they were in Hong Kong, to learn more from him or exchange their views and arguments with him on the issue of the great communist empire”.  Fr. Galbiati also recalled Fr. Belfiori’s pastoral dedication towards the sisters of Mother Teresa and the poor children of Hong Kong.

Today in Church History

607 Boniface III ends his reign as Catholic Pope

Church In India to celebrate Communications Day Nov 18, To focus on media education for children

New Delhi, Nov.12,2007 (CINS/CBCI) - The Catholic Church in India will celebrate India Communications Day on Sunday, Nov. 18, on the theme: "Children and the Media: a Challenge for Education"

The CBCI General Body Meting held in 2004 at Trichur, Kerala had declared: “Communications Day is a valuable opportunity to sensitize the community, the Sunday before the feast of Christ the King should be celebrated as ‘India Communications Day’ with a meaningful liturgy and relevant programmes.” (CBCI GBM, n. 16)

Also, already over forty years ago the Vatican II Council recognizing the importance of communications had mandated, “To make the Church’s multiple apostolate in the field of social communications more effective, day should be set apart each year in every diocese…on which people will be reminded of the duties in this domain.” (Inter Mirifica, n. 18)

Recognizing the growing importance of the modern communications media and their profound influence on children and youth, for the 41st World Communications Day Pope Benedict XVI gave the theme: "Children and the Media: a Challenge for Education".

Empower children to respond freely and proactively

In his message the focuses on how proper formation can help children learn to be truly free. He looks at how the knowledge of how to exercise their own freedom in the social context in which they find themselves can help them develop a profound joy of life. For this reason, the Holy Father appeals to Church members, families and schools to provide an effective education in the use of the media.

It is important to note that Pope Benedict XVI urges to enter into the world of the media with courage and to choose that which is best for us and the new generations. It is not a call to escape from the media reality or a condemnation of media, rather a free, healthy and pro-active response to media.

Accompany children

The Holy Father reminds that children need to be accompanied as much as possible as they interact with the media and where the risk of sometimes confusing reality with fiction exists. Ideally, parents, teachers and parish communities should become knowledgeable of the languages and techniques used by the media in order to be better selective of what they offer to assist children in discernment and in making better choices.

General criteria based on principles such as beauty, goodness and truth can offer good guidelines in selecting programming, content or even videogames.

Help children to avoid harmful situations

True education helps children to avoid themes or situations which impoverish or deceive them under the guise of freedom, or where a relentless desire for novelty is created which, in the long run, will never be satisfied or bring about real happiness. The ideal is that children can learn how to choose what is best for themselves, helping them to grow in goodness and joy: "Beauty, a kind of mirror of the divine, inspires and vivifies young hearts and minds, while ugliness and coarseness have a depressing impact on attitudes and behaviour," said the Pope.

Media persons need to respect human dignity

All media owners and media persons need to respect human dignity. With awareness of the often intense commercial pressures facing those who work in this field, the Holy Father encourages producers: "to safeguard the common good, to uphold the truth, to protect individual human dignity and promote respect for the needs of the family."

To help the Church personnel and the faithful to celebrate the day meaningfully, the CBCI Commission for Social Communications has distributed throughout India the message of the Holy Father, the liturgical notes for the Communications Day Eucharistic Celebration and multi-coloured posters for display in churches and institutions.

Many of the regional communications centres have translated the above materials into the respective regional languages.

To celebrate the day more meaningfully, the chairman of the commission, Cardinal -Elect Oswald Gracias has the following:

• Celebrating Communications Sunday with a meaningful liturgy during all the Masses, involving wherever possible media professionals and artistes.

• Organising a Study Session on the theme of the day for media persons, communicators, artistes, writers and social activists.

• Holding a get-together for media persons (journalists, writers, publishers, artistes, cable operators, news agencies etc.) of the place and if possible, by awarding a couple of them for their outstanding service to society.

• Encouraging organisations/institutions to hold competitions like quiz, poster-making, skit etc. for children and youth on gainful use media.

• By identifying and encouraging talented children and youth to improve their skills in writing, singing, dramatizing, painting etc.

Today in Church History

1503 Pope Julius II elected

1919 Pope Benedict us XV states Roman Catholics political/business views 

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