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News The Church Around the World
Benedict XVI announces Year of FaithPope XVI Benedict says the Church's "Year of Faith," starting 11 October 2012, comes in response to a "profound crisis of faith that has affected many people" and left them searching for answers. The Year of Faith will begin on the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council. That same date is the 20th anniversary of Blessed John Paul II's publication of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, a text Pope Benedict said was meant to show "the power and beauty of the faith." It will conclude on 24 November 2013, the Solemnity of Christ the King. October 2012 will also be the occasion of the Church's next General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, on the theme of "The New Evangelisation for the Transmission of the Christian Faith." This event, the Pope noted, "will be a good opportunity to usher the whole Church into a time of particular reflection and rediscovery of the faith." Benedict explained that the Year of Faith would give an opportunity to show how Vatican II's documents support the historic traditions of the Church, when properly understood. He encouraged believers to study the Catechism of the Catholic Church during the upcoming year, saying the text was "one of the most important fruits of the Second Vatican Council." EWTN News Dutch nun's online vocation successSister Elvira Maria de Witt, DCJ, is an opera singer turned nun who has found a new way to win vocations to the religious life - by going online. "The Netherlands had a lot of missionaries. I didn't come into this congregation, give up my whole career as a singer - and I was really good - to let it die. Come on Jesus!" the feisty young Dutch religious sister told EWTN News while visiting Rome. "But I asked myself, where should I find new people?" So, after considering going to bars and soccer games to find young people, but concluding "I don't think I can go there," she came up with her bold broadband plan. From a slow start in 2001, she now receives up to 300 emails a week, and they are mostly from the young. Sister Elvira is the novice mistress at the Carmelite Sisters of the Divine Heart of Jesus convent in the southern Dutch city of Maastricht. She believes that her online presence - now extended to Facebook and a blog - is giving answers that are not readily available elsewhere in her country. "The Netherlands is a good example of how things shouldn't work: there is no catechism in the Catholic schools, there are no Catholic schools - only in name - but inside you see nothing," she said. Despite those obstacles, the religious vocations keep coming - just not from Catholic households. In fact, the convent's two latest recruits are not even baptised. "So, there is the whole process of catechism, of telling them about the Catholic faith, asking if it's what they want, being baptised and confirmed," Sister Elvira explained. EWTN News Vatican avoids syncretism at Assisi eventWith a procession to St Francis Square on 27 October, 176 religious leaders and representatives of non-believers showed that anyone and everyone can and should be a pilgrim seeking truth. The event focused on reflection, dialogue and prayer for peace and justice in the world and commemorated the gathering Pope John Paul II held in Assisi 25 years ago. The theme this year was "Pilgrims of Truth, Pilgrims of Peace." This time, however, the Vatican has been careful to avoid any suggestion of syncretism, which was a criticism after the 1986 gathering. The president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, Cardinal Peter Turkson, explained that each representative of world religions would pray according to his own beliefs. While in Germany in September, Benedict XVI spoke of the objectives for the Assisi meeting. "Through this gathering," he told a group of Muslims in Berlin, "we wish to express, with simplicity, that we believers have a special contribution to make towards building a better world, while acknowledging that if our actions are to be effective, we need to grow in dialogue and mutual esteem." Cardinal Turkson explained: "The search for truth is a premise for knowing one another better, to overcome all forms of prejudice, but also to overcome syncretism, which clouds identity. For all of us to participate on a common path in search of truth means to recognise [our] own specificity ...". Zenit News Agency UK aid policy and the persecution of ChristiansFormer British politician Ann Widdecombe has criticised Prime Minister David Cameron for axing foreign aid to countries that persecute homosexuals while overlooking widespread threats to Christians. "David Cameron's government have threatened to cut the overseas aid budget for countries which persecute homosexuals," Widdecombe said in London on 22 October at a conference for the international charity Aid to the Church in Need. "Fair enough. But what about Christians? When do we qualify for such protection; or don't we?" Widdecombe, a Catholic convert who represented the Conservative Party as a Member of Parliament from 1987 to 2007, contrasted the government's pro-gay overseas aid policy with its stance on some countries' state-sponsored violence against Christians. During her speech, she noted that in Pakistan, where UK aid will double to £350 million ($500 million) per year, Christian Asia Bibi has been sentenced to death for blasphemy - a case that has drawn international condemnation. Meanwhile, UK International Development Secretary Andrew Mitchell has cut the country's aid to Malawi after two homosexual men were sentenced to 14 years of hard labour. "In the last 10 years, how many debates have there been on persecution of Christians, how many government statements on the subject?" Widdecombe asked. "You stand a better chance of earnest representation if you are a hedgehog - and I speak as a patron of the Hedgehog Protection Society." Aid to the Church in Need reported that in 2011, 75 percent of all religious persecution worldwide was directed against Christians and noted that around 105,000 Christians are killed every year for faith-related reasons. The British Prime Minister has subsequently responded positively to Ann Widdecombe's concerns. Catholic News Agency Pope accepts Brisbane Archbishop's resignationPope Benedict XVI has accepted the resignation of Archbishop John Bathersby of Brisbane, who turned 75 this year. He has been replaced by Bishop Geoffrey Jarrett of Lismore as the Apostolic Administrator "ad nutum sanctae sedis" ("at the disposition of the Holy See"). The appointment was effective immediately, ending Archbishop Bathersby's 20-year leadership of the Brisbane Archdiocese. Bishop Jarrett, who will administer the archdiocese until the Pope appoints a permanent replacement, served as an Anglican priest before moving to the Catholic Church in 1965. According to Canon Law, bishops have to offer their resignation to the Pope when they reach 75, which Archbishop Bathersby did in July. He said he was pleased the Pope had accepted his resignation: "After 25 years as Bishop and 20 as Archbishop I am not as active as I used to be." Born in Kyneton, Victoria, Bishop Jarrett spent several years working in London for the Film Unit of BBC Television before studying for the Anglican ministry in Nottinghamshire. Returning to Australia, he worked as an Anglican priest in Queensland until he was received into the Catholic Church in 1965. He spent 30 years in Tasmania where he held roles including chaplain within the University of Tasmania and the Catholic Women's League. He was appointed Bishop of Lismore in December 2000. Three of Queensland's five dioceses are now vacant, with a new Bishop for Toowoomba yet to be appointed to replace Bishop Bill Morris while Rome has accepted the resignation of Bishop Brian Heenan of Rockhampton. NY Archbishop's decree on same-sex "marriage"Clergy and church employees may not participate in the solemnisation of a civil same-sex marriage, nor may the property and facilities of the Catholic Church in the Archdiocese of New York be used for such events, Archbishop Timothy Dolan said in a decree dated 18 October. "Jesus Christ affirmed the privileged place of marriage in human and Christian society by raising this union to the dignity of a Sacrament when entered into by two baptised persons. Consequently, the Church has the authority and the serious obligation to affirm the authentic teaching on marriage and to preserve and foster the supremely sacred value of the married state." A New York state law recognising same-sex "marriages" took effect on 24 July. The Archbishop stated that no member of the clergy, incardinated or assisting in his archdiocese, or any person acting as an employee of the Church, may participate in "the civil solemnisation or celebration of a same-sex marriage." Under the decree, no Catholic facility or property, such as parishes, missions, chapels, meeting halls, or any place dedicated, consecrated or used for Catholic worship may be used for the solemnisation or consecration of same-sex marriages. No Catholic educational, health or charitable institutions or benevolent orders may be used for such purposes. The decree also bars items dedicated, consecrated or used for the celebration of Catholic liturgy from being used in such ceremonies, e.g., sacred vessels, vestments, and liturgical books. EWTN News AIDS researcher defends Pope over condomsEdward Green, the former director of the AIDS Prevention Research Project at the Harvard School of Health, has again defended Pope Benedict's 2009 remarks on AIDS and condoms. While travelling to Africa, the Pope told journalists that AIDS "cannot be overcome by the distribution of prophylactics. On the contrary, they increase it." In a recent interview, Green said that his new book, Broken Promises: How the AIDS Establishment Has Betrayed the Developing World, is "an extended vindication of Pope Benedict, at least as far as the so-called generalised HIV epidemics of Africa are concerned." "We have seen HIV decline in Africa when the number of multiple and concurrent sexual partnerships has declined and when more people have been faithful," added Green. "The role of condoms in HIV success stories such as Uganda and Zimbabwe has been debated, but we have certainly never seen more condom use alone bring about declines in HIV." Catholic World News Catholics Come Home evangelisation initiativeCatholics Come Home has announced a major prime time evangelisation initiative set to air on American TV networks beginning in mid-Advent and ending after Christmas. The initiative's advertising campaign aims to reach 250 million television viewers in over 10,000 US cities and in every US diocese. The ad is scheduled to air over 400 times from 16 December to 8 January. The ad used in the campaign notes the beauty and history of the Catholic Church. It mentions Catholics' traditions of prayer, help for the poor, and work in education. "Guided by the Holy Spirit, we compiled the Bible," it says, stating that the Church was "started by Jesus." "If you've been away, come home to your parish, and visit CatholicsComeHome.org today," the ad says. The ad, available in English and in Spanish, will air on CBS, NBC, Univision, TBS, USA, TNT, CNN, Fox News and other networks. Targeted shows include 60 Minutes, NCIS, NBC Nightly News, The Today Show, Late Night with Jay Leno, The O'Reilly Factor, major sports events and highly rated sitcoms. The organisation hopes to inspire as many as one million Catholics to return to local parishes. Since it began its media campaigns in 2008, Catholics Come Home has increased Mass attendance an average of 10 percent in the markets where the ads have been shown and brought 300,000 people back to the Church. Catholic News Agency
Reprinted from AD2000 Vol 24 No 11 (December 2011 - January 2012), p. 4 |
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