intercultural dialogue

A symposium began today at the University of Zurich, gathering international scholars to build bridges between Europe and Asia, natural sciences and the humanities, and different ways of thinking. his was the objective laid out for the two-day symposium on the theme, “Europe in China — China in Europe: Science and Technology as a Vehicle to Intercultural Dialogue.”

The event is being held in honor of the 400th anniversary of the death of Matteo Ricci (1552-1610), a Jesuit missionary from Italy who worked in Asia and is called “the protagonist of interaction with China through science” by the conference organizers… Read more »

World-cup-2010-logo

A 65-year-old Jesuit soccer fan has warned people against getting caught up in betting on the World Cup, which began June 11 in South Africa.

“Gambling is no good in itself,” said Father Robert Ng Chi-fun, who teaches moral theology at Holy Spirit Seminary College. Gambling on soccer matches could also lead to cheating, he said. The Asian church news agency UCA News also reported staff at a Caritas counseling center is worried about betting during the tournament… Read more »

St Peter's

Pope Benedict XVI has strongly defended the Catholic Church’s rule of celibacy for priests, speaking to 10,000 priests in St Peter’s Square in Rome.  He called it a sign of faith in an increasingly secular world. But the Pope made no reference to the paedophile priests scandal that has rocked the Church in recent months.

The rally of priests from more than 90 nations was one of the largest gatherings of clergy ever seen at the Vatican… Read more »

Click on the links below to watch in five parts the programme ‘Qalb in-Nies’ broadcast on TVM on Sunday, 6th June, 2010.

L-Uffiċċju Komunikazzjoni fil-Kurja tal-Arċisqof qed joffri kopja tal-programm ‘Qalb in-Nies’ li xxandar  il-Ħadd 6 ta’ Ġunji, 2010, u li tratta s-Sagramenti taż-Żwieġ u l-Ewkaristija, biex jintuża għall-skopijiet pastorali, bħal laqgħat ta’ diskussjoni fi gruppi parrokkjali… Read more »

To mark the end of the Year for Priests, which will be celebrated on Friday 11th June, 2010, Archbishop Paul Cremona O.P. is presently in Rome to attend a Congress which is being organized by the Congregation for the Clergy.  He is accompanied by another twenty priests from Malta and Gozo. Around 11,000 priests from 110 other countries are attending this Congress.

The Congress, which started on the 9th June, aimed to offer a variety of meetings and liturgical celebrations… Read more »

Middle East – Special Synod October 2010

A translation of the unofficial synthesis of the “instrumentum laboris” (working document) of the Special Assembly for the Middle East of the Synod of Bishops, which will take place in October in Rome, is available on ZENIT’s Web page.

The unofficial summary was published Saturday by the Vatican press office.

Benedict XVI delivered the “instrumentum laboris” to the seven patriarchs and two archbishops of the Middle East on Sunday, the last day of his apostolic journey to Cyprus… Read more »

Kull erba snin id-dilettanti tal-futbol jistennew b’ħerqa kbira it-Tazza tad-Dinja, imsejħa l-akbar spettaklu tat-televizjoni.  Il-futbol pero’, aktar milli jkun biss spettaklu għandu missjoni x’jaqdi, għaliex permezz tiegħu ż-żgħażagħ li jħobbuh u jippratikawh jistgħu isiru persuni aħjar jekk jgħixu l-valuri li joffri.

Għal dan il-għan, is-Segretarjat għall-Katekezi tal-Knisja f’ Malta, b’kollaborazzjoni mal-Youth Football Association, qed jorganizzaw seminar bit-tema: TAZZA TAD-DINJA 2010 – IL-VALURI  Fl-ISPORTS… Read more »

Year for Priests banner

Priests from around the world are gathering in Rome this week for the official closing of their year.

The Year for Priests, called by Benedict XVI, draws to a close with a Wednesday through Friday program of events. All the priests of the world have been invited to the celebration, which is being promoted by the Congregation for the Clergy and has as its theme: “Faithfulness of Christ, Faithfulness of Priests.”

The program’s first day, Wednesday, took priests to the Basilica of St… Read more »

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 »