religious intolerance in Indonesia

Christians in Indonesia are expressing concerns regarding numerous attacks on churches and other signs of religious intolerance.

Theophilus Bela, president of the Jakarta Christian Communication Forum, and secretary general of the Indonesian Committee of Religions for Peace, met with Maria Otero, U.S. Under Secretary of State for Democracy and Global Affairs to discuss these issues.

Bela, a Catholic representative from the committee of religions for peace, told L’Osservatore Romano that he submitted a detailed report for the U.S… Read more »

receiving Eucharist

Benedict XVI is underlining the importance of the Eucharist, noting that the faithful who feed on the Body and Blood of Christ are gathered into one people of God. The Pope stated this today at a Mass at the Eleftheria Sports Centre in Nicosia, in which he presented the “instrumentum laboris” (working document) for the Special Assembly for the Middle East of the Synod of Bishops, which will take place in Rome next October 10-24… Read more »

Is-saċerdot u l-lajk: il-kollaborazzjoni u l-korresponsabbilta’ kien is-suġġett  magħżul għal seminar organizzat mis-Segretarjat tal-Lajċi,  li sar il-Ħamis, 3 u l-Ġimgħa, 4 ta’ Ġunju, 2010 f’Gattard House, Blata l-Bajda.

Wara t-talb tal-bidu mmexxi mill-Youth Fellowship,  is-Seminar beda b’introduzzjoni qasira  mis-Sur Joe Farrugia, id-Delegat tal-Arċisqof għal-lajċi.  Fid-diskussjoni li saret wara, ħadu sehem Dr. Stephen Zammit, Ms Vincienne  Debono, l-Imħallef  J. R… Read more »

Matul din il-ġimgħa l-anzjani fir-Residenza San Vinċenz De Paul iċċelebraw għeluq il-mitt sena mill-bini tal-Knisja ddedikata lill-Qalb ta’ Ġesu`. Għal din l-okkażjoni speċjali, tħejja programm ta’ ċelebrazzjonijiet li kienu mqassma matul il-ġimgħa. Il-programm tal-festa inkluda kemm attivitajiet fil-kappella kif ukoll festi esterni.

Fost oħrjan l-anzjani jattendew għal diversi attivitajiet reliġjużi u għall-marċ tradizzjonali tal-festa li akkumpanja l-vara tal-Qalb ta’ Ġesu` fis-swali kollha fir-Residenza… Read more »

new media

New media have the “extraordinary potential” to bring the message of Christ to more and more people, says Benedict XVI.

The Pope said this today at the general audience in St. Peter’s Square in which he offered a long-distance greeting to those who are participating in the Catholic Media Convention, under way through Friday in New Orleans.

The theme of the convention, sponsored by the Catholic Press Association of the United States and Canada, has as its theme “Spreading the Good News — Byte by Byte.”

The Pope said the theme “highlights the extraordinary potential of the new media to bring the message of Christ and the teaching of his Church to the attention of a wider public.”

He continued: “If your mission is to be truly effective — if the words you proclaim are to touch hearts, engage people’s freedom and change their lives — you must draw them into an encounter with persons and communities who witness to the grace of Christ by their faith and their lives… Read more »

A crucifix in the classroom

The “crucifix trial” in the European Court of Human Rights has given rise to an unprecedented intervention of 10 member States as third parties. The European Centre for Law and Justice, which was also authorized to become a third party in the court hearing regarding the legitimacy of displaying crucifixes in Italian schools, reported today that ten other States will have this amicus curiae status in the “Lautsi vs… Read more »

family together on Sunday

Germany’s highest court has ruled that Sunday should be kept as a day of rest and has overturned a Berlin law easing restrictions on Sunday shopping. Most German newspapers on Wednesday greet the ruling, some for reasons of religion and tradition, others out of a concern for workers’ rights.

Many visitors to Germany can find themselves standing outside a closed department store, perplexed to find that they cannot do a bit of shopping during their weekend trip… Read more »

Santa Maria Maggiore

Last Sunday the Basilica of St. Mary Major was the site of the first beatification ever held within its walls — that of a woman religious from Milan, Pierina de Micheli. Archbishop Angelo Amato, prefect of the Congregation for Saints’ Causes, celebrated the ceremony, in representation of Benedict XVI.

“It is the first time that a beatification takes place in this basilica,” said an emotional Sister Nora Antonelli, superior general of the Daughters of the Immaculate Conception of Buenos Aires, the community to which Pierina belonged… Read more »

On Saturday 29th May, 2010, the Secretariat for Parish Life and Activities together with Archbishop Paul Cremona OP, organised a Formation Seminar for the moderators of the Parish Pastoral Council hailing from seventy parishes in Malta.  The seminar was held at the Archbishop’s residence in Attard.

During this seminar, the Secretariat concentrated mainly upon the important work which is being done by the Parish Pastoral Council and its relevance with respect to the pastoral work undertaken in parishes… Read more »