Catholics and Muslims dine together in Church for the end Ramadan
Faisalabad, Palistan, Oct.13,2007 (CINS/AsiaNews) – In a move to promote harmony and understanding between the nation’s religious communities, Faisalabad’s Council for Inter-religious dialogue hosted Muslim leaders and faithful in the cathedral of Sts. Peter and Paul, offering them an iftar, [a bequest with which Ramadan fasting is ended ndr].
Among the banquets’ guests, which took place on October 11th last, was Sufi Masood Ahmad Lassani, a well known Muslim scholar, and the bishop of the diocese Msgr. Joseph Coutts. Speaking to AsiaNews, the bishop explained: “in order to bring harmony in society we have to seek out and reach out to all people of good will, like Ahmad Lassani”.
These are the people, the prelate adds, “Who give us courage to carry on work on peace and harmony knowing that there are so many peace loving Muslims of good will who want to work with us. Perhaps meeting more often we will be able to have a more concrete impact”.
Speaking with AsiaNews, Lassani condemned the death threats which are oppressing Pakistan’s Christians who refuse to convert to Islam: “force and violence is not acceptable and can not bring any positive change but spread hate among masses. I myself have faced threats for his interfaith activities but he is firm to keep continue this struggle”.
The scholar also attacked the misuse of blasphemy laws in the country, underlining how they are almost always used to settle personal issues: “many innocent people had been trapped falsely to settle the personal disputes and false accusers went unpunished. This is a total ‘Taliban’ mentality and we condemn this strongly”.
Catholic Charities counselors offer help after Wisconsin shootings
Crandon, USA,Oct.11,2007 (CINS/CNS) -- Following a shooting rampage in Crandon that left six victims and the gunman dead, a crisis team of mental health counselors from Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Green Bay headed to St. Joseph Parish in Crandon.
"We hope to use the parish as a base to assist the staff there," said Karen Johnston, director of diocesan Catholic Charities, "and reach out to families who may wish to share their grief."
The shootings early Oct. 7 came after Crandon High School's homecoming. The six victims -- all students or graduates of Crandon High School -- were shot by 20-year-old Tyler Peterson, an off-duty Forest County sheriff's deputy and part-time Crandon police officer.
Peterson, also a Crandon High graduate, admitted to the shootings while speaking to the Forest County district attorney before he died in a shootout with police in Argonne on the afternoon of Oct. 7. How he died was still being investigated.
Johnston and her husband, Tom, were on vacation in the area in the week before the shootings and stopped, as they often do, at a restaurant in Crandon.
"There were homecoming posters in every shop window," she told The Compass, Green Bay's diocesan newspaper. "That's all anyone was talking about. They were so excited."
The team of mental health counselors from the Catholic Charities offices in Green Bay and Marinette planned to be in Crandon at least through Oct. 10, when classes were scheduled to resume at the public schools and religious education classes were scheduled at St. Joseph.
Crandon, about 120 miles northwest of Green Bay, is a rural community in Forest County, with a population of fewer than 2,000. St. Joseph is the only Catholic parish in town, and it serves two station churches: St. Mary in Argonne and St. Michael in Hiles.
Marge Bocek, who coordinates religious education at St. Joseph, described the experience and its aftermath as "very surreal."
Shortly after arriving in Crandon and talking with staff, Val Helander-Paque, manager of clinical service for Green Bay Catholic Charities, said she believed that "the entire congregation has definitely been affected" by the shootings.
"Our hearts are broken and we're trying to support the parish and the families and the community at this time, as a diocese," said Father Paul Demuth, director of parish ministry for the diocese. "Tragedy is unexplainable and we have to put it in God's hands."
Auxiliary Bishop Robert F. Morneau of Green Bay planned to be in Crandon Oct. 11 to preside at a 6 p.m. Mass.
"This past week, the entire Crandon community experienced a great tragedy," he said. "The loss of family members and dear friends has caused indescribable grief."
The bishop added that he prayed that "God's grace strengthen and heal all" people in Crandon.
Rosemary Bartel, religious education director for the diocese, said she encouraged St. Joseph Parish to have evening religious education classes Oct. 10 "since it was a chance to meet together."
Bartel felt this was especially important, since one of the parish staff members had lost a family member in the shootings.
"Younger children really need the time to talk," she said. "I've been in other crisis situations and so many times people think to cancel things. That's the worst thing. Children need time to ask the questions they need to ask."
Bartel and Rich Curran, youth and young adult director, both planned to be at St. Joseph for the classes.
Curran said he has received calls and e-mails from other parishes and other dioceses, offering assistance. He asked everyone to pray for the community and said he would tell the St. Joseph community about the far-reaching care and concern.
Father Ralph Gillis, pastor at St. Joseph since 1994, was unable to speak with The Compass because he was with victims' families.
Peterson's victims were Jordanne Murray, Katrina McCorkle and Leanna Thomas, all 18; Bradley Schultz and Aaron Smith, both 20; and 14-year-old Lindsey Stahl. Injured was 21-year-old Charlie Neitzel, whose condition was upgraded to serious Oct. 9.
British Catholics Seek Emergency Funds to Fight Starvation in Zimbabwe
London, UK, Oct.10, 2007 (CINS/CISA) - A British Catholic charity today launched an 8 million dollar appeal to save lives in Zimbabwe, as the Archbishop of Harare said the country is on the edge of collapse.
The emergency programme by the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (CAFOD) will provide over 120,000 people in some of the worst affected areas with food supplies and seeds and tools.
CAFOD said all money raised from its annual Harvest Fast Day, marked Friday, would go to helping the most vulnerable people in Zimbabwe.
“With food supplies already running short and a poor harvest forecasted, usual coping strategies are simply not enough this year. One in three people are expected to be without food by March and many will run out very soon,” the charity said.
Archbishop Robert Ndlovu of Harare said Zimbabwe was unable to feed its people and the coming months would bring deeper hunger and desperation for many.
"We have already lost too many of our children, friends, brothers and sisters to hunger and disease. Many more have fled the country, fleeing from lives that have become unbearable through poverty and hunger.
"Now the Zimbabwean people stand at the edge of a precipice. Our country is in deep crisis. Our harvest has failed, through a combination of severe drought, HIV and AIDS and the consequences of economic decline.”
Archbishop Ndlovu appealed for urgent help. “On behalf of my Zimbabwean brothers and sisters living in hunger, I appeal to their fellow Christian brothers and sisters to walk alongside them during this difficult time in faith and Christian charity.”
In London, the head of the Catholic Church in England and Wales, Cardinal Cormac Murphy O'Connor, backed the CAFOD appeal, saying, “Many of us have held the people of Zimbabwe close in prayer over the last few years and watched with sadness as it continues to decline into poverty and conflict. I urge the Catholic community to support CAFOD's appeal for Zimbabwe and to remember the people of Zimbabwe in their prayers.”
According to the United Nations, Zimbabwe's total harvest this year dropped by 40 percent. And many areas harvested less than half their usual crop.
Inflation at 7,000 percent has wiped out people's savings and there is very little casual work available. Across Zimbabwe bad harvests, high unemployment, high levels of HIV and AIDS and continued instability have combined to make daily life a painful struggle.
Pope at General Audience: Urges prayer for full unity between Catholics and Orthodox
Vatican City , Oct.10,2007 (CINS/AsiaNews) – A fresh appeal for Christian unity, in particular between Catholics and Orthodox was made by Benedict XVI today, who at the end of his general audience asked the faithful to pray for the successful outcome of the meeting of the International Mixed Commission for theological dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church currently underway in Ravenna.
At the end of his weekly encounter with over 20 thousand faithful gathered in St Peter’s square – among them also a group of Buddhist monks from Sri Lanka – Benedict XVI recalled that the tenth plenary assembly of the mixed commission is taking place this week in Ravenna, Italy. It is “discussing a theme of particular ecumenical importance: ‘the ecclesiological and canonical consequences of sacramental nature of the Church – ecclesial communion, conciliation and authority’. I ask you to join me in prayer – concluded the pope – so that this important encounter help the journey towards full communion between Catholics and Orthodox, and that they may soon share in the one and same Chalice of the Lord”.
The mixed commission meeting began Monday and continues through to Sunday. It is made up of 60 members, 30 Catholics and 30 Orthodox, and is jointly presided by Cardinal Walter Kasper, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, and His Excellency Ioannis (Zizioulas), metropolitan of Pergamo. During Benedict XVI’s trip to Turkey last November the idea that pope and patriarch Bartholomew I attend the session had been launched, as a sign of the strong desire between the two Churches to proceed towards unity. However, rumour has it that some Orthodox leaders strongly opposed the idea, first and foremost the Patriarch of Moscow, who maintains that there is no existing hierarchical structure within the Orthodox Church equivalent to the Catholic Church – with one single leader – and that the primacy of the ecumenical patriarch – unlike the pope – is “an honorary” one.
The commission which is due to publish a document at the end of its working session was established in 1979 by Pope John Paul II and Ecumenical Patriarch Dimitrios I, and held its first assembly in Patmos-Rhodes in 1980. These meetings have confronted various questions, but were suspended for a number of years, because of the deep seated disaccord of the Oriental rite Catholic Churches, the so-called uniates.
Today, before his ecumenical appeal, Benedict XVI continued his reflections on the figures of the “Early Church Fathers”, speaking of St Hilary of Poitiers. The “great” 4th century bishop was remembered above all for his “defence of our faith in the divinity of Jesus Christ, Son of God and God as the Father”. He fought against the Arians, who believed Jesus was a created being, to confirm instead Christ’s divinity. In the words of the pope he “Hilary’s insight was the importance of our Trinitarian baptismal faith: I baptise you in the name of the Father Son and Holy Spirit”.
Benedict XVI’s final observation was that for Hilary, “humanity finds salvation in Christ alone”. By becoming human, Christ in fact took upon himself the nature of every man. “This is why the journey towards Christ is open to every individual” even if personal conversion is always required.
Church in Rwanda holds 1st Catholic Bible Meeting to mark 40th anniversary of Dei Verbum
Kigali, Rwanda, Oct.10,2007 (CINS/ Fides)- “This has been the first Catholic Bible Meeting in the history of the Catholic Church in Rwanda” says the closing statement of the Bible Meeting held in Kabgayi 17 - 20 September. The statement explains that the Catholic Bishops of Rwanda decided to organise the Meeting as part of celebrations to mark the 40th anniversary of the Vatican II's dogmatic constitution Dei Verbum”.
The Meeting ““The Bible in Christian life in Rwanda: achievements, challenges and prospects ”
Brought together 75 bishops, experts in Sacred Scripture, delegates for Bible apostolate, representatives of religious congregations, leaders of other Christian communities, delegates of lay associations and movements and institutions of higher education including major seminaries.
The topics for reflection included: Sacred Scripture in the life of the Church 40 years after the dogmatic Constitution “Dei Verbum”; The Bible in Rwanda, present situation and prospect; the Word of God, source of reconciliation, justice and peace: achievements, challenges, future prospects,; Bible School Tumenye Bibiliya and Bible Camps as testimony and means of evangelisation through the Bible; the Bible and the world of intellectuals; the Bible Society in Rwanda.
Among the speakers Bishop Augustin Misago, of the diocese of Gikongoro, who traced the history of the Bible in Rwanda, of which a complete translation in the local Kinyarwanda was started only in the 1980s at the initiative of the Rwandan Bishops' Conference. An inter-confessional translation used by Catholics, Protestants and 7th Day Adventists was published in 2004.
The experience of Bible Camps was presented by Sr Languida Kagoyire, a member of the Congregation of the Assumption. These camps were introduced in Africa by an Assumption Sister from America to help children begin to read the Bible with songs, mimes and drawings. The method, started in Rwanda in 2001, is used in 5 parishes.
Resolutions made public at the end of the Meeting included: support initiatives of Bible apostolate in dioceses and parishes; start and association of Bible scholars and Theologians; use Catholic media to increase interest in the Bible; valorise the annual Bible Week in May; publish a pocket book edition of the New Testament in Kinyarwanda.