Cardinal Sfeir appeals Lebanon people to take on their responsibility for the good of the country
Beirut, Lebanon, Nov.19,2007 (CINS/AsiaNews) – The crucial week, the last chance to “rule” on the election of the new President of the Republic, given that the current post of Emile Lahoud empire on November 24th, opened with an affirmation by French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner, who says he has “little hope” that the issue will be resolved. Parliament has been convened for the day before.
Kouchner’s pessimism, cancelling his earlier optimism, finds its source in what the daily An Nahar called “crossed vetoes” which greeted Maronite Patrriach, Nasrallah Sfeir’s list of “consensus” candidates. The political parties had explicitly asked for the Cardinal ’s intervention, with an aim to ”unblock a dramatic situation”, as described by the Patriarch himself. Yesterday during mass, card. Sfeir launched a fresh appeal to all those responsible, to “take on their responsibility for the good of the country above all in this most crucial moment”.
The presidential deadline is involving International diplomacy: at the end of the UN secretary Genral Ban Ki-moon’s visit, yesterday Kouchner returned to Lebanon, today Arab League Amr Moussa is due to arrive while Italy and Spain’s’ foreign ministers Massimo D’Alema and Miguel Angel Moratinos are also on their way.
But what is filling the press and conversation in Beirut, are the vetoes. In substance the opposition led by Hezbollah is said to have excluded the names of Butros Harb, Nassib Lahoud, Robert Ghanem and Michel Khoury, while they would accept Michel Edde and central bank governor, Riad Salameh. For its part the ruling majority would ban Michel Edde. No “no” has surrounded the name of the opposition’s main candidate Michel Aoun, who in a recent interview with Hezbollah TV Al Manar said he refused the “idea of having his name included in a list which contains those of candidates without a popular following and who have had no parliamentary mandate”. Against this imposition the name of the Army Chief of Staff is being circulated, Michel Suleiman, however he is not on the list.
Those who officially received the list - Saad Hariri, Chief of the Parliamentary majority “March 14” and Nabih Berr, Parliamentary Speaker, and chief of op position Amal,– are meanwhile discussing the list with their respective factions, in search of a difficult solution.
Cardinal Saravia to beatifie Priest Antonio Rosmini, founder of Rosminians
Novara, Italy, Nov.17,2007 (CINS/Romereports) - On Sunday November the 18th, Cardinal Saravia will beatifie in Novara, Italy, priest Antonio Rosmini, founder of Institute of Charity, know as the Rosminians.
The religious order was founded in the 19th century and currently has 300 priests worldwide with most of its vocations come from developing countries.
Seminarians pray, then study and carry out small duties within their house. Twenty-four year old Ravi Yerraji from India is in charge of the library. Seven years ago he decided to be a priest. “One thing that impressed me most about the Rosminians was the varied acts of charity they perform”, he says. “They are not limited to one work of charity; charity extends to all, and that’s what I liked of them.”
Jared Okong’o, a seminarian from Kenya, is in charge of taking care of the Order’s rooms. He says that since he was a child, even before joining the Catholic Church, he wanted to become a priest. “When I asked somebody how to become a priest, a friend of mine who is very close to my parish, told me: ‘For you to become a priest you have to be baptized first’. I was not baptized, so I had to go to catechism classes, and I still continued to have that desire”.
For the rector of the College, the reasons why priests of tomorrow are coming from Africa, India, and South America are simple. “Like many of the religious orders,” he says, “our structure is changing. Europe is not producing many vocations, but in our missions fields there are far more people coming to us. When those offering their lives are younger, this fervour for the faith remains strong, and Catholic life is still very strong [in these countries]”.
These young people are preparing themselves to go back to their countries to spread the Gospel and to fight against poverty.
“I really would like to work with orphans, for instance in my own country,” says Yerraji. “When I went to Africa I also saw the plight of orphans, and I find it very important that we educate them and give them a good life”.
Future cardinal asks Iraqi president to guarantee teaching of Christian religion in schools
Rome,Italy, Nov. 16, 2007 (CINS/CNA).- The director of cultural affairs of the Patriarchate of Babylonia of the Chaldeans and the rector of Babel College, Auxiliary Bishop Jacques Ishaq, said this week Iraq’s President Talabani has promised Chaldean Patriarch Mar Emmanuel III Delly he will intervene to ensure that “Christian students will be able to take a test on the Christian religion at the end of the year,” which means that the faith will be allowed to be taught.
In an interview with the Office for Migrant Ministry of the Archdiocese of Turin, Bishop Ishaq said, “The Iraqi educational system is based on an evaluation that is obtained by the sum total of the final grades in each subject. In many schools, the only religious instruction is in the Islamic faith, and consequently, Christian students find it much more difficult to obtain grades similar to those of their Muslim counterparts.”
For this reason, Chaldean Patriarch Mar Emmanuel III Delly—who will be made a cardinal on November 24 by Pope Benedict XVI—“has asked the Iraqi president to guarantee that the Christian religion can be taught in public schools where the percentage of the Christian students is around 25 percent.”
Bishop Ishaq pointed out, however, the one of the problems is “finding teachers who teach the Christian religion. The fleeing and forced emigration of Christians has resulted in many educated persons leaving the country. In addition, there are the problems of the chaos in Baghdad and which have reached the Ministry of Instruction and those responsible for such decisions who at times can obstruct or encourage laws that favor the Christian minority.”
Despite the problems, he said, “Christians are still perceived as bearers of culture.”
According to the SIR news agency, before the nationalization of schools in Iraq in 1972, “Christian schools were considered the best in the country, such that the most influential Muslim families sent their children to these schools. Some of these students are leaders today in government and mosques.”
Cardinal O’Malley rebukes Democrats on abortion
Boston,U.S.A, Nov.16 , 2007(CINS/CNA).- The U.S. Bishops have issued their strongest condemnation yet of pro-abortion views with their “Faithful Citizenship” document issued yesterday. Cardinal Sean O’Malley of Boston also has added his disapproval of pro-abortion candidates in comments to the Boston Globe saying that the support of Catholics for these politicians “borders on scandal”.
Cardinal O'Malley voiced a sentiment that the bishops’ latest citizenship document includes, namely that, despite his differences with the Republican Party over immigration policy, capital punishment, economic issues, and the war in Iraq, he views abortion as the most important moral issue facing policymakers.
Noting that many Catholics traditionally support Democrats, O’Malley reamed the Democratic Party for being “extremely insensitive to the church's position, on the gospel of life in particular, and on other moral issues.”
When the cardinal was asked about the many voters who support Democrats who are in favor of abortion, O'Malley said, "I think that, at times, it borders on scandal as far as I'm concerned."
This near-scandal has caused Cardinal O’Malley to challenge his flock about their choices, but his admonitions have only resulted in confused reactions from them. "[W]hen I challenge people about this, they say, 'Well, bishop, we're not supporting [abortion],' " he said. "I think there's a need for people to very actively dissociate themselves from those unacceptable positions, and I think if they did that, then the party would have to change."
The vast majority of the U.S. Bishops seem to agree with Cardinal O’Malley since a full 98% of them approved the “Faithful Citizenship” document yesterday.
The statement goes beyond previous ones by explicitly declaring abortion, cloning, and embryonic research to be "intrinsically evil" and warning that support for such immoral acts could endanger a Catholic voter's salvation.
This time the bishops also took the further step of pointing out that abortion or any other act which destroys life is a more serious issue than any other, saying, “[t]he direct and intentional destruction of innocent human life is always wrong and is not just one issue among many."
In comments to Boston Globe reporter Michael Paulson, Cardinal O’Malley said, "In the past, there was always the fear that we were considering sort of the smorgasbord of issues, but without any prioritizing, or giving the impression that all issues are of equal value, and I think the emphasis on trying to help people form conscience is very, very important," he said. "The church is not trying to impose Catholic doctrine on the world, but we are trying to invite our people to take seriously their obligation to vote in a way that respects the moral law, the natural law, and takes into account the common good, care for the poor, and particularly the gospel of life, which is always the center of Catholic social teaching."
Vatican unlikely to appoint additional Cardinals in the Philippines
Manila, Philippines, Nov.14,2007 (CINS/SAR) -The Vatican is not likely to name more cardinals in the country, Philippine Ambassador to the Holy See Leonida Vera said on November 11.
In an interview aired over Church-run Radyo Veritas, Vera explained that Philippine Senate (Upper House) Resolution No. 192 filed by Senator Joker Arroyo seeking additional cardinals in the country might be futile, as there is a standing rule in the Vatican's College of Cardinal s that only three cardinals would be assigned to the Philippines.
"We are allotted only three cardinals. For as long as our three cardinals are alive, they cannot nominate a new one. I think it is important to note that the Vatican has so many considerations in appointing a new cardinal. The process, for example, would take some time," the ambassador explained.
Vera was referring to Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales, Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal and Jose Cardinal Sanchez, Prefect Emeritus of the Congregation for the Clergy in the Vatican.
Only Rosales and Vidal are in the country as Sanchez is based in the Vatican. This means that only two cardinals are actually leading the country's Catholic hierarchy.
Vera stressed that only "a very special occasion" would prompt the Vatican to approve such a request from the Philippine government.
A prelate, Basilan Bishop Camilo Gregorio, also expressed opposition to the request of Arroyo that would be sent to the Vatican through new Papal Nuncio to the Philippines Archbishop Edward Joseph Adams.
"Thanks for the good intention of Sen. Joker Arroyo. But I am sorry because it is really none of his business to raise such an appeal. Creating cardinals is the sole prerogative of the Pope," Gregorio said.
Last week, Arroyo filed a resolution with the Senate seeking an official request to the Vatican for deployment of additional cardinals in the country. He argued that the current three Filipino cardinals are "disproportionate" to the 73 million Catholics in the country.
The senator practically questioned the decision of the Vatican to deploy more cardinals in other countries like the United States, France and Spain where there is a smaller Catholic population.
Arroyo claimed that there are even more cardinals in other Asian countries than in the Philippines.
"In fact, India only has 16 million Catholics but they have five more cardinals than the Philippines. Japan with only 505,000 Catholics has two cardinals. Taiwan with 305,000 Catholics has one Cardinal , so with Thailand with 273,000 Catholics," he said.
The Philippines has the third biggest Catholic population in the world. Latin American countries Brazil and Mexico occupy the top two spots.
The country has so far produced six cardinals from the time of Pope John XXII.
The three other cardinals were the late Rufino Cardinal Santos, Julio Cardinal Rosales and Jaime Cardinal Sin.
The College of Cardinal s plays a crucial role in the Vatican. It helps the Pope in governing the Catholic Church and is also in charge of various congregations of the Roman Curia.
But the most important function of cardinals, according to Church officials, is to elect a successor of the Pope in case he dies. The new Pope comes from the College of Cardinal s.