CNA Daily News - Americas

Canada's politicians targeted for 'failure' to protect children

Fri, 24 May 2013 04:04:00 -0600

Calgary, Canada, May 24, 2013 / 04:04 am (CNA/EWTN News).- A pro-life group in Canada is renewing its efforts to ignite discussion and conversion in their country by calling out major politicians who support abortion.

“We very much want to change public opinion so that we can change public policy,” Stephanie Gray of the Canadian Centre for Bioethical Reform told CNA May 21.

The campaign called “Face the Children” consists of postcards featuring images of some of Canada’s most powerful politicians alongside graphic pictures of aborted children.

“Our experience has been that when people see the pictures it does change their minds,” Gray explained.

With a team made up of volunteers, summer interns and staffers, the organization has been scouring neighborhoods with the postcards and distributing them door-to-door.

“We’ve seen a range of reactions,” Gray said. While some recipients have called their office with words of encouragement and suggesting that they target more pro-choice politicians, others have been angry and upset.

“The point we make is that the images are disturbing,” Gray said, “but what’s more disturbing is that the picture of the politician next to the image has failed the children.”

“If we just had leaders who would implement laws to protect the pre-born, then these images wouldn’t have to be circulated,” she added.

So far, the group has revealed two of the five politicians they will be highlighting throughout the summer.

In the first round of postcards, a smiling picture of the Prime Minister is shown next to a baby girl aborted at six months with text that reads “Stephen Harper won’t ban this.”

The second postcard the group began distributing just this week features Michelle Rempel, Member of Parliament of Calgary Centre North, alongside a baby aborted at six months with the words “One of
Canada’s most powerful women failed Canada’s most powerless children.”

Each round of the campaign, which will run for five weeks, distributes 50,000 postcards in each politicians riding – or constituency – amounting to a total of 250,000 postcards circulating throughout Canada.

“So, if you think just that on average, say two people see a postcard, that’s basically half a million people that will be targeted with the pro-life message in four months,” Gray said.

Just as the murder trial of Kermitt Gosnell – the late-term abortionist who was convicted of first-degree murder for three babies who survived botched abortions and third-degree murder of one mother – has brought the images of abortion to the public eye in the United State, so too will this campaign in Canada.

“We need to bring what’s in darkness into light because if it remains in the dark, it will carry on,” she said, “but if it comes into the light those with functioning consciences will respond accordingly.”

This is not the first campaign featuring graphic images that the Canadian Centre for Bioethical Reform has conducted.

The group frequently gathers outside of high schools with poster board-sized images of aborted babies and engages in conversation about what abortion actually is.

Venezuelan Church to start year-long campaign against abortion

Mon, 20 May 2013 12:09:00 -0600

Caracas, Venezuela, May 20, 2013 / 12:09 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- A Venezuelan bishop said his country's 13th annual pro-life campaign will extend for the whole year, aiming to defend life and reject abortion “as the killing of a weak and defenseless human being.”

In a statement sent to CNA, Bishop Rafael Conde Alfonzo recalled that for several years the Week for Life has begun on March 25.

However, this year it was postponed because the date fell on Monday of Holy Week and because of political controversy following former president Hugo Chavez's recent death.

Bishop Conde Alfonzo, who serves as president of the Venezuelan bishops' committee on Family and Childhood, said an international campaign exists to impose abortion locally under the pretext that it is a woman’s right.

These organizations do not like the Church’s position in support of the unborn and would prefer the Church adapt herself “to the different trends they are seeking to impose and thus contravene basic principles that are not only religious, but in many cases simply humane,” he said.

However, the “Church’s defense of life is based on the teachings of the Lord, who said that he had come that we might have life and have it in abundance,” Bishop Conde Alfonzo emphasized.

“This statement of Jesus shows us that life is a gift from God...For this reason, it is a contradiction to consider the extinguishing of a life that has just begun as a right. God is the only author of life and He alone has power over it.”

In his statement, Bishop Conde Alonzo called on Christians to fulfill their duty to “be defenders and promoters of the gift of life.”

“Let us ask God that all human beings, especially believers, will learn to be thankful for the gift of life that God has given us and that those who govern the destinies of the nations will establish laws that respect and defend that gift.”

“Jesus, who died and rose, is the Lord of life and wants us to have it in abundance,” the bishop said.

Peruvian bishop recalls 25th anniversary of John Paul II's visit

Fri, 17 May 2013 16:00:00 -0600

Lima, Peru, May 17, 2013 / 04:00 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Archbishop Jose Antonio Eguren of Piura recounted the Eucharistic love and call to holiness of Blessed Pope John Paul II on his second visit to Peru, 25 years ago.

John Paul II visited Peru for the second time May 14-16, 1988, three years after his first visit to the country.

Archbishop Eguren was named master of ceremonies for the 1988 liturgical events. A 32 year-old priest at the time, he recalled that the visit by the Polish Pope “was a huge event.”

“It is an event that all Peruvians should treasure in our hearts and thank God for, because a saint visited us and left us a message that is still very relevant and a task that is still pending for all Peruvians, which can be summarized in the words he spoke to us: Build a more just and reconciled Peru,” Archbishop Eguren told CNA on May 16.

“I witnessed his profound filial devotion, his profound love for the Most Holy Virgin, when he placed a gold rosary in the hands of Our Lady of the Evangelization, the patroness of the Archdiocese of Lima,” he recalled.

He also noted the Pontiff’s “love for the Eucharist.”

“I remember his profound sense of recollection during the celebration of the Mass, and I remember with great emotion the long time he spent kneeling down in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament in the private chapel we prepared for him.”

Archbishop Eguren noted that Pope John Paul II invited Peruvians to strive for holiness and perfection in the Christian life, which are essential for the New Evangelization.

“Something I remember about that visit was the Pope’s longing to bring Christ to everyone, that passion he had to proclaim Christ, to make Christ present, the lead others to Christ,” he said.

The archbishop added that he was profoundly impacted by the ability to be close to such a saintly man.

Venezuelan food shortage threatens supply of wine for Mass

Thu, 16 May 2013 12:16:00 -0600

Caracas, Venezuela, May 16, 2013 / 12:16 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Reporter Macky Arenas of the Catholic Lay Report said the serious food shortage in Venezuela could lead to a lack of wine and hosts for the celebration of Mass.

Arenas explained that the shortage in the country is due to “the lack of raw materials.”

“This is not a country known for the production of wine, and the only national company has told the bishops it will not be able to meet demand,” she said in statements to CNA.

Officials in Venezuela are warning that the situation will not improve in the short term, she added.

The liturgy committee of the Venezuelan Bishops’ Conference issued a statement warning that Vino Ecclesia, the company that supplies wine for Eucharistic celebrations, has said it cannot guarantee continuous production and regular distribution because of the lack of supplies needed to make its product.

The committee also said importers are having trouble obtaining foreign currency to bring in liturgical wine made in other countries.

“If it is impossible to obtain wine for Mass certified by other bishops’ conferences, the purest and most natural wine possible should be used instead,” the committee instructed.

The food shortage has become so great that President Nicolas Maduro spoke about it during a visit to Uruguay last week.

Arenas noted that in their statement, the bishops “are not even questioning anyone; they are just simply pointing out a problem and getting in front of the consequences by proposing alternatives.”

She predicted that there will also be “a shortage of wheat for hosts” in the future.

The problem, she contended, is largely due to “the corruption that reigns in the government administration.”

“This is setting the stage for an explosive situation in Venezuela,” she warned.

Canada's pro-life march shows growing movement

Sat, 11 May 2013 16:02:00 -0600

Ottawa, Canada, May 11, 2013 / 04:02 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- The 16th National March for Life drew to Ottawa thousands of pro-life Canadians who advocated legal protections for all unborn people, with a special focus this year on sex-selective abortion.

“The culture of life is alive, it’s loud, and it’s growing,” Matt Wojciechowski, spokesman for the Campaign Life Coalition, told CNA.

“The march was an amazing, amazing event,” he added. “It was very inspiring to see the never-ending crowds.”

Between 20,000 and 25,000 pro-life advocates gathered on Parliament Hill in the Canadian capital on May 9.

The youth contingent was “definitely a large presence,” Wojciechowski said, estimating that about 90 percent of attendees were under 35. About 1,000 students attended a pro-life conference in Ottawa on Friday.

About 20 Canadian Ministers of Parliament and a Senator attended the event, as did Cardinal Thomas Collins of Toronto, Archbishop Terrence Prendergast of Ottawa and Archbishop Gérald Cyprien Lacroix of Quebec City. Representatives from other Christian churches were also in attendance.

This year’s event focused on the targeting of unborn girls for abortion, a practice common in India and China. Pro-lifers deem the practice “gendercide.”

“Sex-selective abortions are happening in Canada. That has become quite an issue,” Wojciechowski said.

He charged that Canada’s ruling government had “completely rejected” attempts to discuss the issue.

“We’re standing up for the pre-born, both male and female, no matter how small or how old,” he said. “There’s an added emphasis on saving baby girls from sex-selective abortions because they are targeted.”

The Catholic Organization for Life and Family, in an April 22 statement released ahead of the March for Life, characterized sex-selective abortion as “a war on girls” fueled by “deeply held cultural biases” in favor of male heirs. It said that in some Canadian communities there are 120 boys for every 100 girls because of targeted abortion.

“The overwhelming majority of Canadians are offended by the thought that a female could be targeted for abortion just because she is, in fact, female,” the organization said. “Let us march in the name of equality, in the name of female equality and of human equality.”

Wojciechowski said media coverage of the March for Life had improved since last year. However, he lamented the lack of political attention to abortion law in general.

“Politically, the government is refusing to discuss this issue. They’re refusing to acknowledge the human being in the womb,” he said. “They think it’s a losing issue. They don’t want to stand up for life.”

Wojciechowski emphasized that the pro-life movement in Canada is growing. “People are getting involved. Not just at marches once a year. They’re getting involved at the grassroots level.”

He encouraged others to become active in their families and talk about pro-life issues over the dinner table with their children, siblings and friends. He said a family focus will then encourage a natural progress in society.

“Family is the solid nucleus of our society. If the family doesn’t discuss this issue, we can’t expect any changes,” Wojciechowski said.

Women in White invite Pope Francis to visit Cuba

Fri, 10 May 2013 12:39:00 -0600

Rome, Italy, May 10, 2013 / 12:39 pm (CNA).- The leader of the Cuban protest group Women in White said she hopes Pope Francis will visit Cuba after she had the opportunity to meet the Holy Father at a general audience in Rome.

“I hope he comes, because he is a Latino Pope who is very familiar with the suffering of the people, and perhaps he can come. For my part, the doors are open,” Berta Soler told CNA after attending the Holy Father’s general audience on May 8.

“We were able to send two letters from the Women in White through an Argentinean priest, Father Alejandro Dario, who is a close friend of His Holiness, thanking Benedict XVI for inviting us to a general audience,” Soler said.

“But we also sent a letter to Pope Francis to tell him about the Women in White and that we are here to participate in the general audience,” she continued.

Originally organized to protest their imprisoned husbands and relatives in Cuba, the Women in White continue to demonstrate on behalf of political prisoners throughout the country.

The dissident leader recalled that they were invited to attend the general audience by Benedict XVI in a letter this January.

“Thanks be to God and Our Lady of Charity, patroness of Cuba, I was able to sit in the front row in the general audience,” she said.

Regarding her brief encounter with Pope Francis, Soler said, “The mere fact that he listened to me and held my hand was enough for me.”

The blessings the Pope gave her “were not for Berta Soler, but for the people of Cuba who are in great need,” she added.

Video of 3-year-old 'celebrating' Mass becomes online hit

Thu, 09 May 2013 12:00:00 -0600

Bogotá, Colombia, May 9, 2013 / 12:00 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- A three-year-old Colombian boy has garnered attention across the internet for a video in which he dons priestly garments and “celebrates” Mass, reciting the liturgy from memory.

Samuel Jaramillo, who is an orphan, lives with his grandmother and an aunt in the city of Medellin. When family members posted a video of the boy pretending to celebrate Mass on YouTube, it gained rapid popularity, attracting nearly 300,000 views in just over a week.

His relatives told reporters that last Christmas, Jaramillo did not ask for toys like most kids his age. Instead, he wanted “priest’s clothes” and the objects necessary to “celebrate” Mass.

He has learned to recite the Mass from memory with the corresponding pauses, intonations and gestures of an experienced priest.

In a reflection published by El Colombiano, Father Daniel Monsalve noted Jaramillo’s “passion for what he says and the tenderness that inspires him” in the videos.

“Amid a changing world that is at times indifferent to religious matters, this child appears as a testimony of love for God and fascination for sacred celebrations, most certainly fostered by those who care for him and by the priest of his parish,” Fr. Monsalve wrote.

Cases like that of Jaramillo “should not only awaken religious fervor but also serve as an example for the promotion of priestly and religious vocations, supported always by the encouragement of parishes, seminaries and houses of formation,” he added.

Jaramillo’s aunt, Elizabeth Rojas Arango, said, “This isn’t something we taught him, and we don’t even attend church,” but Jaramillo goes to Mass every Sunday and on Tuesdays with his grandmother, Rosa Eva Arango.

Rojas Arango said the decision to post the videos of Samuel online was not “to try to make him popular, but because they are moving.”

Jaramillo knows the Creed by heart and even preaches his own homilies.

In an interview with RCN television, Jaramillo said he wants to be a priest when he grows up.

Fr. Monsalve said that when people see Jaramillo, “They will be amazed and will be unable to resist clicking on ‘Like’ or ‘Share.’ However, it will be God who continues speaking to humanity through the nobility and humility of his littlest children, the favorites of the Kingdom of Heaven.”

He also underscored the role of parents and relatives in the education of children.

“Parents and all those involved in the care of children must continue to fulfill that essential role of giving testimony and encouragement,” he said.

Colombian community grieves local priest's murder

Wed, 08 May 2013 16:03:00 -0600

Bogotá, Colombia, May 8, 2013 / 04:03 pm (CNA).- The Bishops’ Conference of Colombia lamented the “atrocious” murder of Father Jose Antonio Valle Bayona, whose body was found in a ditch in rural area of Barranquilla.

In a statement issued today, the bishops recalled that 48 year-old Father Valle was pastor of Christ the King Parish in the Archdiocese of Barranquilla.

Police have offered an $11,000 reward for anyone providing information about the identity and location of those responsible for the May 6 killing. The priest had been stabbed 17 times, mostly in the face and neck.

The Archdiocese of Barranquilla, led by Archbishop Jairo Jaramillo Monsalve, said in its message that the entire community and all of its members “repudiate this atrocious act that took the life of Father Valle Bayona, causing profound sorrow in the heart of the Church and in the communities where he worked as an ordained minister of the Lord.”

This crime “shows once again the difficult situation our society is facing” and the widespread violence that is causing “an alarming number of victims in the country.”

However, the archdiocese said, the March for Life scheduled to take place on May 19 in Barranquilla will take on even greater meaning and importance in light of the killing.

The fundamental goal of the demonstration “is the rejection of every kind of violence that threatens human life,” it said.

“We thank the police and all authorities for their support and we invite the perpetrators to sincere repentance in faith that will bring them to the merciful forgiveness of God,” the archdiocese said.

Archbishop Jaramillo Monsalve presided at the funeral for Father Valle at the Cathedral of Mary Queen of Heaven in Barranquilla.

Conscience objections urged in face of Colombian gay unions

Tue, 07 May 2013 16:02:00 -0600

Bogotá, Colombia, May 7, 2013 / 04:02 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Officials from the Bishops’ Conference of Colombia have urged Catholics to adhere to Church teaching in the face of potential same-sex unions and a movement towards a secular nation.

Father Pedro Mercado, adjunct secretary of the conference, warned that Catholic notaries will not be able to witness same-sex unions, as required by a Colombian Constitutional Court ruling, without committing “a grave act against God.” He demanded that the State recognize a right to conscientious objection.

In the absence of congressional legislation enacted by late June, the Colombian Constitutional Court has ruled that gay couples will be able to go before a public notary in order to “constitute a family.”

In statements to the Colombian daily El Tiempo, Father Mercado warned that witnessing same-sex unions “would be considered a grave act against God and against society” by public notaries.

“Catholic notaries cannot formalize same-sex unions as proposed. Such a consideration is absolutely irreconcilable with an upright Christian conscience,” he said.

He also insisted that the Colombian government recognize the right to conscientious objection in this case, saying that failing to do so “would gravely violate the rights of notaries, not only those who are Catholic but those of other religions as well, by forcing them to carry out an act that for them could be considered morally illicit.”

If the State were not to recognize this right for notaries, Father Mercado warned, “they would have no other option but to ignore the Court’s instructions.”

For his part, Bishop Jose Daniel Falla Robles, general secretary of the Colombian Bishops’ Conference, said in a May 2 article that Christians “should always stand up for our right to conscientious objection whenever necessary in order to show that we obey God before men.”

“In this way we will show with our own lives that when it comes to the Word of God, there is no middle ground,” Bishop Falla Robles said.

“Either we refuse to follow our empty and superficial thoughts, as well as our lower passions, so that the presence and greatness of God may shine in us,” he remarked, “or we refuse to follow God and his Word, and thus remain at the mercy of our way of seeing life, our disordered passions, and thus see ourselves deprived of the blessings that only He can give us.”

If the actions of Christians “do not reflect the will of our God, we cannot say that we love Him. We are liars,” he added.

The bishop also said it is unfortunate that some lawmakers and members of minority groups want to create a secularized State “that takes no account of God, much less of his Word.”

They want a kind of permissiveness that rejects the values and principles that give society stability, granting legal protection to every whim, tendency and special interest, “thus making room for moral relativism and, through it, undermining the foundations of society,” he said.

Bishop Falla Robles explained that those who believe and love God “should remember that today more than ever, unfortunately not everything that is legal (that is, what is protected by law) is at the same time moral (in other words, in accord with God’s will.”

Costa Rica campaign highlights dignity of babies with birth defects

Tue, 07 May 2013 12:07:00 -0600

San José, Costa Rica, May 7, 2013 / 12:07 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- A pro-life association in Costa Rica has launched a campaign to raise awareness about the plight of babies with anencephaly, who are often used to justify calls for the legalization of abortion in Latin America.

Babies born with the condition are missing all or part of their brain and usually die within a few hours, although some babies live longer. One baby with the condition born in Brazil lived for 16 months.

In a statement sent to CNA, the pro-life group Por la Vida underscored the importance of defending the right to life of babies with anencephaly, one year after Brazil legalized abortion for babies with the condition. A baby with the same condition is currently making headlines in El Salvador, as a similar debate rages in the country.

The awareness campaign in Costa Rica includes testimonies from families who have had babies with anencephaly.

“Antonella, Gabriel, Liam, Isabella are only a few of the names of these babies who lived for a short time outside their mothers’ wombs but who live on in the hearts of the parents,” the campaign explained.

It added that these parents “wish to tell their stories to show that preserving the life of their child was worth it and that the best decision a mother in this situation can make is to allow her child to live and to die in the arms of his or her loved ones.”

The testimonies posted on social networks such as Facebook and Twitter, “have moved the hearts of those who have followed this campaign, which has already received more than 10,000 visits on its first day,” the association said.

One woman explained that she did not see her baby as deformed. Rather, she explained, “(t)o me he is and always will be my baby, the fruit of my womb, my gift from God, my first and only love.”

Por la Vida noted that in Costa Rica, abortion proponents have used the case of a woman called “Aurora” to argue for the legalization of abortion, alleging that her unborn child “suffered from deformations incompatible with life.”

“Aurora’s” case is currently being studied by the Constitutional Court of Costa Rica.

Venezuelan cardinal calls for end to violence

Fri, 03 May 2013 12:01:00 -0600

Caracas, Venezuela, May 3, 2013 / 12:01 pm (CNA).- Cardinal Jorge Urosa Savino of Caracas exhorted Venezuelans to listen to the call of Pope Francis to end the violence that has swept the country after the April 14 elections.

Stressing the “need for dialogue and respect” to overcome violence, including verbal attacks and threats launched between the administration of Nicolas Maduro, who was recently elected president, and opposition candidate Henrique Capriles.

“I am concerned that we Venezuelans are facing a political crisis,” Cardinal Urosa said. He recalled that the bishops issued a statement on April 17 insisting on “the need for mutual recognition by both parties, so that there can be a solution, an agreement, a peaceful and democratic outcome to the current crisis.”

In an April 28 interview with journalist Carlos Croes of Televen, Cardinal Urosa also said any sentiments of anger and annoyance should be set aside and the rhetoric should be toned down, “because that is only way to have a conversation.”

The cardinal said he had not spoken with Maduro and that the bishops are waiting to hear from him and would like to help facilitate a meeting between the government and the opposition.

During the interview, he said that while the bishops recognize Maduro as constitutionally elected, the opposition has “the right as well to demand that any doubts be cleared up” regarding the results of the election.

“I think that the opposition’s request for a recount needs to be addressed, in accord with the terms that were reached on April 18,” the cardinal said. “I think the uncertainties need to be cleared up.”

Rather than continue in a spirit of confrontation, he added, “we need to come together as brothers.”

Cardinal Urosa also referenced the growing sense of insecurity on the streets, which according to journalist Carlos Croes, “affects 80 percent of Venezuelans,” as well as the Church.

Pointing to a priest who was killed almost two months ago, he warned of a “terrible increase in crime, and this must also be put down, this should be totally controlled and eliminated.”

He concluded by reiterating the bishops’ willingness to facilitate a dialogue between the government and the opposition.

“We are willing to seek out the necessary elements for a just and peaceful solution. We are willing to do what is necessary in order to achieve peace,” the cardinal said.

Survival of hot air balloon crash attributed to God's help

Wed, 01 May 2013 16:10:00 -0600

Lima, Peru, May 1, 2013 / 04:10 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Family members and rescue workers are crediting God for what they described as the miraculous rescue of five women who survived a recent hot air balloon crash in Peru.

“Training and God’s help made us victorious,” said Julissa Laguna, the pilot of the military helicopter that found five women who lived through an April 28 hot air balloon crash in the ocean south of Lima.

Rescuers were able to rescue five survivors on April 29. The body of the pilot was found washed up on a beach, while a seventh passenger remains missing.

Laguna said it was a “miracle” that the rescue team found the women, who survived nine hours at sea despite hypothermia and exhaustion.

She explained that they spotted the survivors with their own eyes and without the aid of any kind of radar or electronic equipment.

“The sky was overcast and we feared they were already dead,” Laguna recounted. “Suddenly, the co-pilot saw movement in the sea and after a scary maneuver we found the women. It was the most exciting moment of my life.”

Norka Quezada, whose 17-year-old daughter Francesca Maldonado was among the rescued survivors, told reporters that she has “never experienced such anguish” as she felt during the hours that the teenager was missing.

“My daughter is alive and that’s what matters,” she said.

Aurora Toledo, the mother of two other survivors, explained that during their moments of anguish, “we never lost faith and hope in God.”

Turning to Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta and the rosary, she said, “we never stopped praying to God for my daughters.”

Toledo thanked the rescuers, especially the members of the Peruvian navy, as well as all those who offered their aid and support during the difficult time.

She also voiced gratitude to “so many friends in Peru and abroad for their prayers.”

Murdered Guatemalan bishop remembered for peace efforts

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 13:12:00 -0600

Guatemala City, Guatemala, Apr 30, 2013 / 01:12 pm (CNA).- During a Mass to commemorate the 15th anniversary of Bishop Juan Jose Gerardi’s death, Archbishop Oscar Julio Vian of Guatemala City recalled the late bishop as a “martyr of peace.”

The Mass was celebrated upon conclusion of a document about the violence caused by the Guatemalan civil war from 1960-1996. Numerous bishops and priests from the country concelebrated.

“He fought to build a more just and decent society” and “sought peace through truth and justice,” Archbishop Vian said during the Mass at the Cathedral of Guatemala City.

He urged Guatemalans to leave behind fear, pessimism and frustration and to keep alive the memory of Bishop Gerardi in their hearts.

Bishop Gerardi was murdered in the garage of his residence at St. Sebastian’s Parish, located just 200 yards from the government headquarters, on April 26, 1998. His death came two days after he presented a report on human rights violations during the country’s civil war. Most of the atrocities were attributed to the Guatemalan army.

Two soldiers and a priest, Father Mario Orantes, were convicted in his murder and sentenced to 20 years in prison. In 2012, all three were released after completing half of their sentences.

Last Tuesday, Bishop Gerardi’s remains were exhumed from the Cathedral crypt and will be interred again at a small chapel at St. Sebastian’s for pastoral reasons, as the crypt is too small to host the large number of pilgrims who come to pay homage to the late bishop.

Dates, theme revealed for 2016 Eucharistic Congress

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 16:03:00 -0600

Cebu, Philippines, Apr 26, 2013 / 04:03 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- The Archdiocese of Cebu in the Philippines has announced that the next International Eucharistic Congress will be held in Cebu City on May 23-29, 2016.

Archbishop Jose Palma of Cebu publicized the dates on April 26, according to the Catholics Bishops Conference of the Philippines.

The assembly is expected to draw thousands of participants – including laity and Church leaders – from countries around the world.

Held every four years, the International Eucharistic Congress seeks to witness to the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist and to promote a better understanding of the liturgy and Eucharist in the life of the Church.

The last gathering was held in Dublin, Ireland in 2012. The Philippines has previously hosted the Congress in Manila in 1937.

Archbishop Palma said theologians in the country have been discussing topics that will be covered at the Congress.

At a recent meeting with the planning committee in Rome, the archbishop said that Pope Francis has been invited to attend the 2016 event.

The archdiocese also announced that the theme for the upcoming Congress will be “Christ in You: Our Hope of Glory.”

Letter from Pope to Jesuit brother highlights gratitude

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 12:09:00 -0600

Buenos Aires, Argentina, Apr 26, 2013 / 12:09 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Mario Rafael Rausch, a Jesuit brother from Argentina who lives at the San Miguel School in Buenos Aires, said that Pope Francis taught him an important lesson on gratitude back in 1979.

In an interview with CNA, Brother Rausch, who joined the Jesuits in 1977, explained that he wrote a letter thanking the Pope – who was then known as Father Jorge Bergoglio – for his service as provincial of Argentina for over six years.

Four days letter, in December 1979, he received a reply from then-Fr. Bergoglio.

“Your letter of December 8 is one of gratitude, and being thankful is a virtue that St. Ignatius wanted for his Jesuits,” the future Pope told him.

“To know how to thank one’s superiors and brothers is a sign that one’s heart is grateful to God our Lord, and a grateful heart is always a source of grace for the entire body of the Society and the Church.”

The provincial encouraged Brother Rausch to “thank the Lord for so many graces he has given you – your family, your vocation, the novitiate, your piety, your virtues.” He also encouraged gratitude for the witness of the saints and the members of his community.

“And finally, offer many prayers of thanksgiving, that the Lord will help you to always be good.”

Brother Rausch said he still has the letter, now more than 30 years old, and takes good care of it.

He explained that then-Father Bergoglio not only answered his letter, but would also call him on his birthday. This year was no exception, as he received a phone call from Pope Francis on March 23.

“The Pope called me to say hello just as he has on that day for many years. He did these kind things because he was very close with many people,” the Jesuit brother said.

His secretary, Raquel Beterette, became very emotional when she picked up the phone and recognized the Pope’s voice.

“She transferred the call to me right when I was working in my bookbinding workshop, and she told me very surprisingly, ‘The Pope is calling you!’” Brother Rausch said.

“‘Happy Birthday,’ he said to me. And I said, ‘How are you Jorge? Well, now Francis.’ He likes people to call him Jorge, as always.”

“He sounded happy and in the mood for jokes,” the Jesuit brother recalled. “We didn’t talk for long because it was a long distance call and I tried to be brief, because while he is very thoughtful, he is also very austere, so the conversation was short.”

Brother Rausch said he was not surprised that Cardinal Bergoglio was elected Pope. The news of his election brought great joy, he said, as Pope Francis is “good teacher, father, brother and now friend.”