By Michael Kelly
Catholic News Service
DUBLIN (CNS) -- Declassified British documents reveal the extent to
which Pope John Paul II tried unsuccessfully to intervene to end a 1981
hunger strike by Catholic prisoners in a British jail in Northern
Ireland.
The documents claim that, after the pope sent a special envoy, the
leader of the Provisional Irish Republican Army prisoners, Bobby Sands,
was willing to suspend the fast just days before he died.
The offer was conveyed to the British authorities by the pope's
secretary, Irish Msgr. John Magee, whom Pope John Paul dispatched to
persuade the prisoners to call off the hunger strike.
The state papers, declassified under the 30-year-rule, claim that Sands
told Msgr. Magee, who later became the bishop of Cloyne, that he would
suspend his strike in return for discussions with a British government
official, two priests and three other prisoners as witnesses.
However, the British rejected the offer, claiming it was an attempt to
open negotiations. The prisoners, incarcerated for paramilitary activity
against British rule in Northern Ireland, had begun their hunger strike
in a bid to be reclassified as political prisoners, a move Britain
vehemently rejected.
Sands died May 5, 1981, after 66 days on hunger strike; he was buried
with a crucifix that Msgr. Magee had given him as a gift from Pope John
Paul. Ten prisoners starved themselves to death before a compromise was
reached that October.
The hunger strike significantly polarized tensions between the
majority-Protestant and minority-Catholic communities in Northern
Ireland. More than 100,000 Catholics attended Sands' funeral, and Sinn
Fein, the political wing of the Irish Republican Army, began contesting
elections for the first time.
Most Northern Irish Catholics want Britain to cede the region to the
Irish Republic to form a single independent Ireland, while most
Protestants support the region's continuation in the United Kingdom. A
1998 peace accord committed all sides to pursue their goals by purely
peaceful means. As a result, Northern Ireland remains part of the United
Kingdom but is governed by a cross-community power-sharing government
based in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
The declassified papers also reveal that Irish Prime Minister Garret
FitzGerald appealed to Cardinal Tomas O Fiaich in 1981 for a change in
the Catholic Church's approach to interchurch marriages.
At the time, children of interchurch marriages were required to be raised Catholic.
But FitzGerald said he believed a change would aid peace and
reconciliation in Northern Ireland. He wrote the cardinal that the
government wanted to "indicate concern" and "raise the possibility" that
the Vatican "might not perhaps be disposed to take special account of
the Irish situation if invited to do so."
"I trust that Your Eminence will appreciate and understand the motives
that have led me to write to you at this time in these terms, in full
recognition of the separation of church and state," he added.
Soon after, the Irish bishops decided to postpone publication of a
revised directory on mixed marriages. After a meeting with British Prime
Minister Margaret Thatcher in November 1981, FitzGerald described the
bishops' postponement as "significant."
The new directory issued in November 1983 retained the promise by the
Catholic partner to raise the children Catholic, but stressed that
parents had joint responsibility for the religious upbringing of their
children.
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Christian West Bank landowners can't get to their land
By Judith Sudilovsky
Catholic News Service
BETHLEHEM, West Bank (CNS) -- Jamal Salman stood on one side of the double chain-link fence, on land belonging to his family. On the other side of the Israeli-erected fences, only a few hundred yards away but beyond his reach, was more family land with a grove of olive trees.
In November, Salman and more than 180 Bethlehem landowners were informed that Israel had placed their olive groves -- more than 1,700 acres of land located beyond the barrier -- under the Guardian of Absentee Property, deeming the owners of these lands as "absentees." This is the last step before formal confiscation.
"I stand here ... and I can look onto my land over the fence as an absentee (property owner)," Salman said, pointing across the fences to the trees. The last time he was permitted through the barrier to work his olive grove was 2009.
The 73-year-old is leading a campaign of mostly Christian landowners in an attempt to prevent yet more of their land from being confiscated. They are considering challenging the absentee decision in the Israeli Supreme Court, he said.
The expropriation of land is not a new story here, said Salman, a Catholic and the former town manager of Bethlehem.
After Israel built the separation barrier in 2002, farmers were not allowed to cross through the fence to the valley to reach their olive groves. Salman was left with only 360 square yards of land, while the other 1,560 square yards of his property was confiscated and now lies on the other side of the barrier, he said.
"These lands used to earn us and our families a lot of money," from the olive oil produced from the olives, he said. "We also got our own olives and olive oil from there. We lost everything."
After the farmers' case was taken to the Supreme Court by Israeli human rights lawyer Danny Seidmann, the court ruled that gates be built into the series of double fences and special permits be issued to the farmers during harvest time so they could to have access to their property.
In addition, said Seidmann, in 2004 he was given a written understanding from government officials that the landowners would be given access to their land. A year later the attorney general's office also ruled it illegal to use the Law of Absentee Property against West Bank residents whose land was located on the Israeli side of the barrier.
But the reality was different. The gates were opened only at specific times, and the farmers were issued permits to access their lands only three times since 2005, said the landowners.
The permits were given only to the person to whom the land is registered, all of whom are now in their 60s, 70s and 80s. No other members of the families were allowed to enter to help with the harvest, said Jallal Hanouna, 61.
Salman said that, since Israel took control of the West Bank from Jordan in 1967, Palestinians have been prevented from transferring ownership of property even to their children, so they were unable to transfer land deeds to younger members of the family.
"It is impossible for us to cultivate the land ourselves," said Salman. "They don't allow any other relatives or members of our family to help us. They didn't give us authority to go to our lands, and now they are saying they consider us absentee from our lands, which we can see with our own eyes. I am not absentee. I am right here."
One year, when the farmers were permitted onto their land, they arrived on their property to discover that all the olives had already been harvested by someone else, said Hanouna.
Seidmann said it was unclear whether the decision to claim the land under the Law of Absentee Property was simply an attempt by the government to try something illegal during a U.S. election year when the attention in the United States is directed elsewhere, or if has become a government policy.
The Israeli Civil Administration responsible for issuing the permits did not respond to requests for comment.
Hanouna said the land not only represents their future in terms of income from the olive harvest, but it also symbolizes their ability to provide a future for their children in Bethlehem. Other property parcels threatened are the last remaining land where the city, and specifically Christian residents, can expand, since Bethlehem is surrounded on all other sides by Israeli settlements, he said.
"We feel abandoned by the whole world. We are all Christians. This is 99 percent Christian land," said Hanouna. "This land was the hope for the Christian people, for our sons to expand. That is all we own."
If there is no room for their children to build their own homes, the exodus of young people from the city will continue and increase as they seek to make lives for themselves somewhere where they do not feel imprisoned, he said.
Catholic News Service
BETHLEHEM, West Bank (CNS) -- Jamal Salman stood on one side of the double chain-link fence, on land belonging to his family. On the other side of the Israeli-erected fences, only a few hundred yards away but beyond his reach, was more family land with a grove of olive trees.
In November, Salman and more than 180 Bethlehem landowners were informed that Israel had placed their olive groves -- more than 1,700 acres of land located beyond the barrier -- under the Guardian of Absentee Property, deeming the owners of these lands as "absentees." This is the last step before formal confiscation.
"I stand here ... and I can look onto my land over the fence as an absentee (property owner)," Salman said, pointing across the fences to the trees. The last time he was permitted through the barrier to work his olive grove was 2009.
The 73-year-old is leading a campaign of mostly Christian landowners in an attempt to prevent yet more of their land from being confiscated. They are considering challenging the absentee decision in the Israeli Supreme Court, he said.
The expropriation of land is not a new story here, said Salman, a Catholic and the former town manager of Bethlehem.
After Israel built the separation barrier in 2002, farmers were not allowed to cross through the fence to the valley to reach their olive groves. Salman was left with only 360 square yards of land, while the other 1,560 square yards of his property was confiscated and now lies on the other side of the barrier, he said.
"These lands used to earn us and our families a lot of money," from the olive oil produced from the olives, he said. "We also got our own olives and olive oil from there. We lost everything."
After the farmers' case was taken to the Supreme Court by Israeli human rights lawyer Danny Seidmann, the court ruled that gates be built into the series of double fences and special permits be issued to the farmers during harvest time so they could to have access to their property.
In addition, said Seidmann, in 2004 he was given a written understanding from government officials that the landowners would be given access to their land. A year later the attorney general's office also ruled it illegal to use the Law of Absentee Property against West Bank residents whose land was located on the Israeli side of the barrier.
But the reality was different. The gates were opened only at specific times, and the farmers were issued permits to access their lands only three times since 2005, said the landowners.
The permits were given only to the person to whom the land is registered, all of whom are now in their 60s, 70s and 80s. No other members of the families were allowed to enter to help with the harvest, said Jallal Hanouna, 61.
Salman said that, since Israel took control of the West Bank from Jordan in 1967, Palestinians have been prevented from transferring ownership of property even to their children, so they were unable to transfer land deeds to younger members of the family.
"It is impossible for us to cultivate the land ourselves," said Salman. "They don't allow any other relatives or members of our family to help us. They didn't give us authority to go to our lands, and now they are saying they consider us absentee from our lands, which we can see with our own eyes. I am not absentee. I am right here."
One year, when the farmers were permitted onto their land, they arrived on their property to discover that all the olives had already been harvested by someone else, said Hanouna.
Seidmann said it was unclear whether the decision to claim the land under the Law of Absentee Property was simply an attempt by the government to try something illegal during a U.S. election year when the attention in the United States is directed elsewhere, or if has become a government policy.
The Israeli Civil Administration responsible for issuing the permits did not respond to requests for comment.
Hanouna said the land not only represents their future in terms of income from the olive harvest, but it also symbolizes their ability to provide a future for their children in Bethlehem. Other property parcels threatened are the last remaining land where the city, and specifically Christian residents, can expand, since Bethlehem is surrounded on all other sides by Israeli settlements, he said.
"We feel abandoned by the whole world. We are all Christians. This is 99 percent Christian land," said Hanouna. "This land was the hope for the Christian people, for our sons to expand. That is all we own."
If there is no room for their children to build their own homes, the exodus of young people from the city will continue and increase as they seek to make lives for themselves somewhere where they do not feel imprisoned, he said.
Monday, December 26, 2011
Full text of Pope Benedict's Urbi et Orbi Christmas Message
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Rome and throughout the world! Christ is
born for us! Glory to God in the highest and peace on earth to the men
and women whom he loves. May all people hear an echo of the message of
Bethlehem which the Catholic Church repeats in every continent, beyond
the confines of every nation, language and culture. The Son of the
Virgin Mary is born for everyone; he is the Saviour of all.
This is how Christ is invoked in an ancient liturgical antiphon: “O Emmanuel, our king and lawgiver, hope and salvation of the peoples: come to save us, O Lord our God”. Veni ad salvandum nos! Come to save us! This is the cry raised by men and women in every age, who sense that by themselves they cannot prevail over difficulties and dangers. They need to put their hands in a greater and stronger hand, a hand which reaches out to them from on high. Dear brothers and sisters, this hand is Christ, born in Bethlehem of the Virgin Mary. He is the hand that God extends to humanity, to draw us out of the mire of sin and to set us firmly on rock, the secure rock of his Truth and his Love (cf. Ps 40:2).
This is the meaning of the Child’s name, the name which, by God’s will, Mary and Joseph gave him: he is named Jesus, which means “Saviour” (cf. Mt 1:21; Lk 1:31). He was sent by God the Father to save us above all from the evil deeply rooted in man and in history: the evil of separation from God, the prideful presumption of being self-sufficient, of trying to compete with God and to take his place, to decide what is good and evil, to be the master of life and death (cf. Gen 3:1-7). This is the great evil, the great sin, from which we human beings cannot save ourselves unless we rely on God’s help, unless we cry out to him: “Veni ad salvandum nos! – Come to save us!”
The very fact that we cry to heaven in this way already sets us aright; it makes us true to ourselves: we are in fact those who cried out to God and were saved (cf. Esth [LXX] 10:3ff.). God is the Saviour; we are those who are in peril. He is the physician; we are the infirm. To realize this is the first step towards salvation, towards emerging from the maze in which we have been locked by our pride. To lift our eyes to heaven, to stretch out our hands and call for help is our means of escape, provided that there is Someone who hears us and can come to our assistance.
Jesus Christ is the proof that God has heard our cry. And not only this! God’s love for us is so strong that he cannot remain aloof; he comes out of himself to enter into our midst and to share fully in our human condition (cf. Ex 3:7-12). The answer to our cry which God gave in Jesus infinitely transcends our expectations, achieving a solidarity which cannot be human alone, but divine. Only the God who is love, and the love which is God, could choose to save us in this way, which is certainly the lengthiest way, yet the way which respects the truth about him and about us: the way of reconciliation, dialogue and cooperation.
Dear brothers and sisters in Rome and throughout the world, on this Christmas 2011, let us then turn to the Child of Bethlehem, to the Son of the Virgin Mary, and say: “Come to save us!” Let us repeat these words in spiritual union with the many people who experience particularly difficult situations; let us speak out for those who have no voice.
Together let us ask God’s help for the peoples of the Horn of Africa, who suffer from hunger and food shortages, aggravated at times by a persistent state of insecurity. May the international community not fail to offer assistance to the many displaced persons coming from that region and whose dignity has been sorely tried.
May the Lord grant comfort to the peoples of South-East Asia, particularly Thailand and the Philippines, who are still enduring grave hardships as a result of the recent floods.
May the Lord come to the aid of our world torn by so many conflicts which even today stain the earth with blood. May the Prince of Peace grant peace and stability to that Land where he chose to come into the world, and encourage the resumption of dialogue between Israelis and Palestinians. May he bring an end to the violence in Syria, where so much blood has already been shed. May he foster full reconciliation and stability in Iraq and Afghanistan. May he grant renewed vigour to all elements of society in the countries of North Africa and the Middle East as they strive to advance the common good.
May the birth of the Saviour support the prospects of dialogue and cooperation in Myanmar, in the pursuit of shared solutions. May the Nativity of the Redeemer ensure political stability to the countries of the Great Lakes Region of Africa, and assist the people of South Sudan in their commitment to safeguarding the rights of all citizens.
Dear Brothers and Sisters, let us turn our gaze anew to the grotto of Bethlehem. The Child whom we contemplate is our salvation! He has brought to the world a universal message of reconciliation and peace. Let us open our hearts to him; let us receive him into our lives. Once more let us say to him, with joy and confidence: “Veni ad salvandum nos!”
This is how Christ is invoked in an ancient liturgical antiphon: “O Emmanuel, our king and lawgiver, hope and salvation of the peoples: come to save us, O Lord our God”. Veni ad salvandum nos! Come to save us! This is the cry raised by men and women in every age, who sense that by themselves they cannot prevail over difficulties and dangers. They need to put their hands in a greater and stronger hand, a hand which reaches out to them from on high. Dear brothers and sisters, this hand is Christ, born in Bethlehem of the Virgin Mary. He is the hand that God extends to humanity, to draw us out of the mire of sin and to set us firmly on rock, the secure rock of his Truth and his Love (cf. Ps 40:2).
This is the meaning of the Child’s name, the name which, by God’s will, Mary and Joseph gave him: he is named Jesus, which means “Saviour” (cf. Mt 1:21; Lk 1:31). He was sent by God the Father to save us above all from the evil deeply rooted in man and in history: the evil of separation from God, the prideful presumption of being self-sufficient, of trying to compete with God and to take his place, to decide what is good and evil, to be the master of life and death (cf. Gen 3:1-7). This is the great evil, the great sin, from which we human beings cannot save ourselves unless we rely on God’s help, unless we cry out to him: “Veni ad salvandum nos! – Come to save us!”
The very fact that we cry to heaven in this way already sets us aright; it makes us true to ourselves: we are in fact those who cried out to God and were saved (cf. Esth [LXX] 10:3ff.). God is the Saviour; we are those who are in peril. He is the physician; we are the infirm. To realize this is the first step towards salvation, towards emerging from the maze in which we have been locked by our pride. To lift our eyes to heaven, to stretch out our hands and call for help is our means of escape, provided that there is Someone who hears us and can come to our assistance.
Jesus Christ is the proof that God has heard our cry. And not only this! God’s love for us is so strong that he cannot remain aloof; he comes out of himself to enter into our midst and to share fully in our human condition (cf. Ex 3:7-12). The answer to our cry which God gave in Jesus infinitely transcends our expectations, achieving a solidarity which cannot be human alone, but divine. Only the God who is love, and the love which is God, could choose to save us in this way, which is certainly the lengthiest way, yet the way which respects the truth about him and about us: the way of reconciliation, dialogue and cooperation.
Dear brothers and sisters in Rome and throughout the world, on this Christmas 2011, let us then turn to the Child of Bethlehem, to the Son of the Virgin Mary, and say: “Come to save us!” Let us repeat these words in spiritual union with the many people who experience particularly difficult situations; let us speak out for those who have no voice.
Together let us ask God’s help for the peoples of the Horn of Africa, who suffer from hunger and food shortages, aggravated at times by a persistent state of insecurity. May the international community not fail to offer assistance to the many displaced persons coming from that region and whose dignity has been sorely tried.
May the Lord grant comfort to the peoples of South-East Asia, particularly Thailand and the Philippines, who are still enduring grave hardships as a result of the recent floods.
May the Lord come to the aid of our world torn by so many conflicts which even today stain the earth with blood. May the Prince of Peace grant peace and stability to that Land where he chose to come into the world, and encourage the resumption of dialogue between Israelis and Palestinians. May he bring an end to the violence in Syria, where so much blood has already been shed. May he foster full reconciliation and stability in Iraq and Afghanistan. May he grant renewed vigour to all elements of society in the countries of North Africa and the Middle East as they strive to advance the common good.
May the birth of the Saviour support the prospects of dialogue and cooperation in Myanmar, in the pursuit of shared solutions. May the Nativity of the Redeemer ensure political stability to the countries of the Great Lakes Region of Africa, and assist the people of South Sudan in their commitment to safeguarding the rights of all citizens.
Dear Brothers and Sisters, let us turn our gaze anew to the grotto of Bethlehem. The Child whom we contemplate is our salvation! He has brought to the world a universal message of reconciliation and peace. Let us open our hearts to him; let us receive him into our lives. Once more let us say to him, with joy and confidence: “Veni ad salvandum nos!”
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
India: 50,000 Girls Become Victims of Abortion Monthly
From http://www.lifenews.com/2011/12/20/india-50000-girls-become-victims-of-abortion-monthly/
The ABC 20/20 news story is riveting — a revealing look at why there are so many fewer women than men in India. Reporter Elizabeth Vargas traveled to India to bring this story of what is called “Gendercide” home to a stunned American audience.
Here are the numbers: An astonishing 50,000 girl babies are aborted each month. One millions girl babies die every year. Over 40 million girls have been killed through sex selection abortions, neglect or outright murder in the past decades.
The main reason for male preference is money. Indian culture demands that a woman entering a marriage provide a dowry. In order to avoid impoverishing the family, girls are simply eliminated. Sex selective abortions are not used just by poor families, however, as middle and upper class families also seek ultrasound to guarantee the birth of a son.
Vargas explains that India has laws against ultrasounds to determine the sex of the baby, and sex selection abortion itself is illegal. These laws are so poorly enforced that Vargas walked down street after street and saw signs everywhere offering ultrasound services. “There are even technicians who pack portable ultrasounds and travel to villages offering their services.”
Vargas traveled to a village to view the long-term impact firsthand. “Everywhere we looked, we saw boys, young men, old men, but very, very few women. It was unsettling, especially because we knew this was not some freak of nature, but a results of the deliberate extermination of girls.”
Some girls who are “lucky” are born and abandoned, taken in the middle of the night to a “drop box.” Vargas says one drop box “is at a place called the Unique Orphanage in Punjab. We went from the village with no women, to the orphanage with no boys. There are only girls here…60 of them…all cared for by a wonderful woman who will raise each and every one…No one knows their real birth date, so once a year they have one giant birthday party for everyone. As we left the orphanage, I thought back to a temple I visited days earlier where newlyweds make a pilgrimage, to kneel and pray. Not for wealth, or long lives, or success. They pray for a baby boy, and not for a girl. Some of them are willing to kill to make that wish come true.”
A chilling story with enormous moral and demographic consequences that breaks one’s heart.
You can view the ABC News story here.
The ABC 20/20 news story is riveting — a revealing look at why there are so many fewer women than men in India. Reporter Elizabeth Vargas traveled to India to bring this story of what is called “Gendercide” home to a stunned American audience.
Here are the numbers: An astonishing 50,000 girl babies are aborted each month. One millions girl babies die every year. Over 40 million girls have been killed through sex selection abortions, neglect or outright murder in the past decades.
The main reason for male preference is money. Indian culture demands that a woman entering a marriage provide a dowry. In order to avoid impoverishing the family, girls are simply eliminated. Sex selective abortions are not used just by poor families, however, as middle and upper class families also seek ultrasound to guarantee the birth of a son.
Vargas explains that India has laws against ultrasounds to determine the sex of the baby, and sex selection abortion itself is illegal. These laws are so poorly enforced that Vargas walked down street after street and saw signs everywhere offering ultrasound services. “There are even technicians who pack portable ultrasounds and travel to villages offering their services.”
Vargas traveled to a village to view the long-term impact firsthand. “Everywhere we looked, we saw boys, young men, old men, but very, very few women. It was unsettling, especially because we knew this was not some freak of nature, but a results of the deliberate extermination of girls.”
Some girls who are “lucky” are born and abandoned, taken in the middle of the night to a “drop box.” Vargas says one drop box “is at a place called the Unique Orphanage in Punjab. We went from the village with no women, to the orphanage with no boys. There are only girls here…60 of them…all cared for by a wonderful woman who will raise each and every one…No one knows their real birth date, so once a year they have one giant birthday party for everyone. As we left the orphanage, I thought back to a temple I visited days earlier where newlyweds make a pilgrimage, to kneel and pray. Not for wealth, or long lives, or success. They pray for a baby boy, and not for a girl. Some of them are willing to kill to make that wish come true.”
A chilling story with enormous moral and demographic consequences that breaks one’s heart.
You can view the ABC News story here.
Our Lady of China
From http://www.indefenseofthecross.com/Lady_of_China.htm
Our Lady of China is the name given to an apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Donglu, China, first appearing in 1900.
Our Lady of China appeared near Peiping. It stands in a village named Tong Lu. A Poor Mission was started there by the Vincentian Fathers. It was a poor place, perhaps the poorest in the whole region, formerly called "the place of beggars." In 1900, there were some seven hundred Christians gathered about the little hamlet. Suddenly, the famous Boxer rebellion swept China and grew to such proportions, that even small places like Tong Lu could not escape its fury. In April 1900, a force of ten thousand rioters attacked Tong Lu. The soldiers, in senseless rage, started to shoot into the sky. Then suddenly they fled, frightened, and never came back again. According to the legend, a woman in white appeared above the settlement, and the rioters' bullets were aimed at her. When the apparition did not fade, attackers had not even time to reorganize because a strange horseman put them to flight. Soon after they had disappeared beyond the horizon. Father Wu, a Chinese priest, confessed to his flock that he invoked the help of Mary. A new church was built on the site and Father Wu placed a picture of Our Lady on the main altar. He asked the painter to dress Our Lady in the royal robes of the dowager Empress Tzi-Hsi. The image of the Blessed Virgin in the royal robes of the pagan Empress, with the Christ Child on her knees, is vivid expression of Chinese tradition. It is a shrine of the Mother and her Son. Though her robes be pagan, she belongs to every age, to all people and to every race. As was told and promised in the Old Testament: "I am the mother of fair love, and of fear, and of knowledge and of holy hope."
The Tong Lu church was completely destroyed recently by the Chinese Communists, but the picture of Our Lady of China remains intact because only a copy of the picture was used in the church. The original was hidden in the wall behind the copy, and this was recovered and found intact. It is now in possession of Chinese priests who carry out their activities in disguise. Continued Persecution of the Underground Church in China
Bishop JIA Zhiguo, the underground Roman Catholic bishop of Zhengding, Hebei, was arrested on March 20, 2002. Bishop JIA is 67 years old and was ordained a bishop in 1980. He was previously in jail for approximately 20 years. He was released shortly after our press release and has been under strict surveillance for many years….. Father PANG Yongxing, 30 years of age, was arrested in his home in December 2001. On Easter Sunday, March 31, 2002, Father MA Shunbao, 50 years of age, was arrested while he was offering Holy Mass. Father WANG Limao, 32 years of age, was arrested on Palm Sunday, March 24, 2002, also while offering Holy Mass. All three priests belong to the underground Roman Catholic Church in Baoding, Hebei. On July 7, 2002, they were sentenced to three years of labor camp for “disturbing the peace of society” under the “cult” law….. Six Roman Catholics from Wenzhou, Zhejiang went to DongLu in Baoding, Hebei for a pilgrimage in May 2002 and were arrested by the authorities. They were fined a total of JMP 30,800 (US $ 3,850) for “illegal pilgrimage.” They were released soon after the fine was paid. …..On July 18, 2002, in Dong-An village, Fujian province, 31 underground Roman Catholics, 26 of whom were students under 18 years of age, were arrested during a summer vacation catechism class in a private home. Among the 31 arrested were a Catholic nun, Sister Chen Mei, 27 years of age, and four chaperons. The children and chaperons were released after one day. The situation of Sister Chen Mei is unknown…..Bishop WEI Jingyi, 44 years of age, the underground Roman Catholic Bishop of Qiqihar, Heilongjiang, was arrested Sept 9, 2002. He was too released shortly after our press release.
Annual “Coast to Coast” Masses for the Underground Church in China
The Cardinal Kung Foundation is promoting the celebration of an annual Mass for the persecuted underground Roman Catholic Church in China. The Foundation has chosen, as the annual date for this Mass, the Sunday before October 1, which is the National Day of the founding the People's Republic of China and also the anniversary of Pope John Paul II’s canonization of the 120 blessed martyr saints of China
The mother of Christ
appeared in China showing herself as the protector and
defender for helpless and the righteous. The significance of this
apparition is just being realized now... as China begins to
take center stage in the Global World and Economy.
Mary
hopes for a China that could become a shiny beacon of light, a
nation where the family is valued, where all Life is
protected and the Chinese people have the right to freely
worship the great God Almighty. China could become the
hope of the world.
On the other hand, If China
went down a different path - one of darkness and persecution
- then God himself would send his army to protect his
beloved children.
An officially-sanctioned image of Our Lady of China was blessed, granted and
promulgated by Pope Pius XI in 1928, in response to the requests made by the
1924 Shanghai Synod of Bishops in China, the first national conference of
bishops in the country. Following the event, Archbishop Celso Costantini,
Apostolic Delegate in China, along with all the bishops of China, declared
the Chinese people dedicated to Our Lady of China, using the official image.
In 1941, Pope Pius XII designated the feast day as an official feast of the
Catholic liturgical calendar. In 1973, following the Second Vatican Council,
the Chinese Bishops conference, upon approval from the Holy See, placed the
feast day on the vigil (day preceding) of Mothers Day (the second Sunday of
May).
Christian devotion to Our Lady of China has been popular in Donglu.
Several churches, chapels, and pastoral centers around the world, predominantly those focused on ministry to Chinese-speaking Catholics, have adopted the name, including a mission in Washington, DC. There is a Chapel of Our Lady of China in the National Shrine of the United States in Washington, DC, established and dedicated in 2002 under the Most Rev. Michael J. Bransfield. There has been some controversy because the image used in the Chapel is not the officially approved image of Our Lady of China, but instead a different Chinese image of the Virgin Mary.
The Virgin of Sheshan is another, similar apparition which has attained like acclamation and fame among Chinese Christians.
Christian devotion to Our Lady of China has been popular in Donglu.
Several churches, chapels, and pastoral centers around the world, predominantly those focused on ministry to Chinese-speaking Catholics, have adopted the name, including a mission in Washington, DC. There is a Chapel of Our Lady of China in the National Shrine of the United States in Washington, DC, established and dedicated in 2002 under the Most Rev. Michael J. Bransfield. There has been some controversy because the image used in the Chapel is not the officially approved image of Our Lady of China, but instead a different Chinese image of the Virgin Mary.
The Virgin of Sheshan is another, similar apparition which has attained like acclamation and fame among Chinese Christians.
Our Lady of China appeared near Peiping. It stands in a village named Tong Lu. A Poor Mission was started there by the Vincentian Fathers. It was a poor place, perhaps the poorest in the whole region, formerly called "the place of beggars." In 1900, there were some seven hundred Christians gathered about the little hamlet. Suddenly, the famous Boxer rebellion swept China and grew to such proportions, that even small places like Tong Lu could not escape its fury. In April 1900, a force of ten thousand rioters attacked Tong Lu. The soldiers, in senseless rage, started to shoot into the sky. Then suddenly they fled, frightened, and never came back again. According to the legend, a woman in white appeared above the settlement, and the rioters' bullets were aimed at her. When the apparition did not fade, attackers had not even time to reorganize because a strange horseman put them to flight. Soon after they had disappeared beyond the horizon. Father Wu, a Chinese priest, confessed to his flock that he invoked the help of Mary. A new church was built on the site and Father Wu placed a picture of Our Lady on the main altar. He asked the painter to dress Our Lady in the royal robes of the dowager Empress Tzi-Hsi. The image of the Blessed Virgin in the royal robes of the pagan Empress, with the Christ Child on her knees, is vivid expression of Chinese tradition. It is a shrine of the Mother and her Son. Though her robes be pagan, she belongs to every age, to all people and to every race. As was told and promised in the Old Testament: "I am the mother of fair love, and of fear, and of knowledge and of holy hope."
The Tong Lu church was completely destroyed recently by the Chinese Communists, but the picture of Our Lady of China remains intact because only a copy of the picture was used in the church. The original was hidden in the wall behind the copy, and this was recovered and found intact. It is now in possession of Chinese priests who carry out their activities in disguise. Continued Persecution of the Underground Church in China
Bishop JIA Zhiguo, the underground Roman Catholic bishop of Zhengding, Hebei, was arrested on March 20, 2002. Bishop JIA is 67 years old and was ordained a bishop in 1980. He was previously in jail for approximately 20 years. He was released shortly after our press release and has been under strict surveillance for many years….. Father PANG Yongxing, 30 years of age, was arrested in his home in December 2001. On Easter Sunday, March 31, 2002, Father MA Shunbao, 50 years of age, was arrested while he was offering Holy Mass. Father WANG Limao, 32 years of age, was arrested on Palm Sunday, March 24, 2002, also while offering Holy Mass. All three priests belong to the underground Roman Catholic Church in Baoding, Hebei. On July 7, 2002, they were sentenced to three years of labor camp for “disturbing the peace of society” under the “cult” law….. Six Roman Catholics from Wenzhou, Zhejiang went to DongLu in Baoding, Hebei for a pilgrimage in May 2002 and were arrested by the authorities. They were fined a total of JMP 30,800 (US $ 3,850) for “illegal pilgrimage.” They were released soon after the fine was paid. …..On July 18, 2002, in Dong-An village, Fujian province, 31 underground Roman Catholics, 26 of whom were students under 18 years of age, were arrested during a summer vacation catechism class in a private home. Among the 31 arrested were a Catholic nun, Sister Chen Mei, 27 years of age, and four chaperons. The children and chaperons were released after one day. The situation of Sister Chen Mei is unknown…..Bishop WEI Jingyi, 44 years of age, the underground Roman Catholic Bishop of Qiqihar, Heilongjiang, was arrested Sept 9, 2002. He was too released shortly after our press release.
Annual “Coast to Coast” Masses for the Underground Church in China
The Cardinal Kung Foundation is promoting the celebration of an annual Mass for the persecuted underground Roman Catholic Church in China. The Foundation has chosen, as the annual date for this Mass, the Sunday before October 1, which is the National Day of the founding the People's Republic of China and also the anniversary of Pope John Paul II’s canonization of the 120 blessed martyr saints of China
Monday, December 19, 2011
Padre Pio's Christmas Meditation
From http://www.sanpadrepio.com/PadrePioChristmas.htm
Appearing in volume four of the Italian-language edition of Padre Pio's letters, this essay was taken from Padre Pio's hand-written notebooks. To the best of my knowledge, it is presented here for the first time in English.
Appearing in volume four of the Italian-language edition of Padre Pio's letters, this essay was taken from Padre Pio's hand-written notebooks. To the best of my knowledge, it is presented here for the first time in English.
Translated by Frank M. Rega, December
2005.
"Padre Pio da Pietrelcina:
Epistolario IV," Edizioni Padre Pio, San Giovanni Rotondo, 2002, pages 1007-1009.
Far into the night, at the coldest time of the year, in a chilly
grotto, more suitable for a flock of beasts than for humans, the promised Messiah –
Jesus – the savior of mankind, comes into the world in the fullness of time.
There
are none who clamor around him: only an ox and an ass lending their warmth to the newborn
infant; with a humble woman, and a poor and tired man, in adoration beside him. Nothing can be heard except the sobs and whimpers of the infant God. And by means of his crying and weeping he offers to the Divine justice the first ransom for our redemption. He had been expected for forty centuries; with longing sighs the ancient Fathers had implored his arrival. The sacred scriptures clearly prophesy the time and the place of his birth, and yet the world is silent and no one seems aware of the great event. Only some shepherds, who had been busy watching over their sheep in the meadows, come to visit him. Heavenly visitors had alerted them to the wondrous event, inviting them to approach his cave. Glittering were the palaces of the proud Hebrews. Yet, the light of the world did not appear in one of them. Ostentatious with worldly grandeur, swimming in gold and in delights, were the great ones of the Hebrew nation; filled with vain knowledge and pride were the priests of the sanctuary. In opposition to the true meaning of Divine revelation, they awaited an officious savoir, who would come into the world with human renown and power. But God, always ready to confound the wisdom of the world, shatters their plans. Contrary to the expectations of those lacking in Divine wisdom, he appears among us in the greatest abjection, renouncing even birth in St. Joseph’s humble home, denying himself a modest abode among relatives and friends in a city of Palestine. Refused lodging among men, he seeks refuge and comfort among mere animals, choosing their habitation as the place of his birth, allowing their breath to give warmth to his tender body. He permits simple and rustic shepherds to be the first to pay their respects to him, after he himself informed them, by means of his angels, of the wonderful mystery. Oh wisdom and power of God, we are constrained to exclaim – enraptured along with your Apostle – how incomprehensible are your judgments and unsearchable your ways! Poverty, humility, abjection, contempt, all surround the Word made flesh. But we, out of the darkness that envelops the incarnate Word, understand one thing, hear one voice, perceive one sublime truth: you have done everything out of love, you invite us to nothing else but love, speak of nothing except love, give us naught except proofs of love. This celestial child, all meekness and sweetness, wishes to impress in our hearts by his example these sublime virtues, so that from a world that is torn and devastated an era of peace and love may spring forth. Even from the moment of his birth he reveals to us our mission, which is to scorn that which the world loves and seeks. Oh let us prostrate ourselves before the manger, and along with the great St. Jerome, who was enflamed with the love of the infant Jesus, let us offer him all our hearts without reserve. Let us promise to follow the precepts which come to us from the grotto of Bethlehem, which teach us that everything here below is vanity of vanities, nothing but vanity. |
Biblical proof that Mary (and Joseph) made a vow of virginity
From http://newtheologicalmovement.blogspot.com/2011/12/biblical-proof-that-mary-and-joseph.html
4th
Sunday of Advent, Luke 1:26-38
But
Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?”
The Gospel text recounting the
Annunciation of the angel Gabriel to the Blessed Virgin Mary contains the
biblical evidence and proof that she had made a vow of virginity prior to her
conception of the Christ Child. Further, as we consider the historical
circumstances of her betrothal to Joseph, it will become quite clear that he
also had vowed perpetual continence as the spouse of our Lady.
Rather than discussing the universal
and emphatic teachings of the Fathers of the Church – all of whom assert that
Mary had made a vow of virginity – because such texts will often be ignored by
Protestants (to their eternal ruin), we will look simply at the Gospel text itself
and shall assert only those things which are affirmed also by the Evangelist.
The
account of the Annunciation, the words of Mary
After the archangel Gabriel
tells our Lady that she is to be the Mother of the Messiah, she responds with a
simple question: How can this be? We
must not think that Mary doubted the words of the angel or the plan of God –
far be it from us to impute sin to our Mother! Rather, it is clear (also from
the context, since the angel does not rebuke Mary as he had rebuked Zechariah
for his doubt) that the Virgin believes that God’s word will be fulfilled, but
simply does not understand how this will take place – hence, she asks How can this be?
And what is it that confuses
Mary? She says How can this be? Since I
have no relations with a man. Mary does not doubt that she will indeed conceive
and bear a son, but what she does not understand is the mode of conception. We
will consider why she was confused in a moment – first, let us look at the
words of the Gospel.
The New American Bible offers a
loose translation of this verse (Luke 1:34) – Since I have no relations with a man. The more literal translation
is: Since I do not know man. The
original Greek: ἐπεὶ ἄνδρα οὐ γινώσκω;
Of course, the phrase “do not
know man” refers to sexual relations, as is common throughout the Bible. What I
want to point out is that Mary does not say, “Since I have not yet known a man”
or “Since I have never known man” – i.e. she does not speak in the past tense.
Rather, our Lady uses the present indicative: Since I do not know man. She does not merely affirm that she has
been a virgin, but implies that in the moment she intends to remain a virgin.
This is what confused our Lady:
That she was a virgin, and yet the angel said she would conceive and give birth
to a son.
Proof
of the vow of virginity
Now, our Lady was already
betrothed to St. Joseph (cf. Luke 1:27) – she had not yet come into his home, but
she was soon to do so (cf. Matthew 1:18,24). If the Blessed Virgin Mary had
intended to have sexual relations with Joseph – according to the ordinary mode
of married life – how can we think that she would have been confused by the
words of the angel?
Mary did not say simply: “How
can I bear a son? Since I have not yet known a man but intend to soon enter
into relations with Joseph.” This would not even make any sense! For she would have
presumed then that the child would be the son of Joseph.
The only way we can account for
Mary’s confusion, and also for her use of the present (rather than past) tense
verb I do not know man, is if we
admit that she had no intention of entering into sexual relations with Joseph
or with any other man.
Mary could only ask this
question of the angel, if she had some good reason for thinking that the child
would not be the son of Joseph. And the only good reason she could have to
think that Jesus would not be the biological son of Joseph is if she had no
intention of ever giving up her virginity to Joseph. Hence, it is clear, that
Mary must have made a vow of virginity to God.
Joseph’s
betrothal to our Lady
Now, given that we must
conclude that our Lady had no intention of entering into sexual relations with
Joseph to whom she was betrothed and whom she would soon marry, how can we fail
to believe that Joseph must have made the vow of continence together with Mary?
Could we possibly presume that
our Lady would enter into a marriage with St. Joseph without telling him that
she intended to remain a virgin?! Why, even on a natural level, we know that
this would never happen! Of all the things which would have to be discussed
before marriage, certainly a vow of perpetual virginity would have to be at the
top of the list!
But, if Mary had told Joseph of
her vow of virginity (as surely she must have), then we are led to conclude
that, since Joseph agreed to marry her, he too must have made a vow of
perpetual continence (i.e. to refrain from all sexual relations even within
marriage).
We
do not say necessarily that
Joseph was a virgin – for it is possible that he had been married before
and
had been widowed – but we are sure of this much at least: After his
betrothal
to the Virgin Mary, he had forsook all sexual relations. Joseph had no
intention
of engaging in relations with the Mother of God. Further, we know that
this vow must have taken place even before the Annunciation, since our
Lady
would have had to discuss the matter with Joseph BEFORE the betrothal –
it would
be quite a surprise to spring it on him only after they were committed
to
marriage!
Thus, from the text of
Scripture itself, it is clear that both Mary and Joseph had made a perpetual vow
to abstain from all sexual relations – there can be no doubt that the Mother of
God remained a virgin throughout her entire life.
Replies
to objections
Here we will briefly consider
only the most popular objections to Mary’s perpetual vow of virginity. The
objections will be written in italics,
followed by the answers in normal font.
But
Jesus had “brothers and sisters”. This objection is very easy
to answer, since it was common to call cousins “brothers and sisters” – indeed,
there was no word specific to “cousin” in ancient Aramaic, hence the New
Testament writers felt no need to differentiate between cousins and closer
relatives. This same use of the term “brothers and sisters” referring rather to
“cousins” is found in Genesis 13:8, 14:14-16; Leviticus 10:4; 1 Chronicles
15:5-10, 23:21-22. If Jesus really had brothers and sisters who were sons and
daughters of Mary, why did he entrust his Mother to John the Beloved at his
death? Would she not have been cared for by the other children? [further, it is
possible that these “brothers and sisters” where children of Joseph by a
previous marriage of which he was widowed]
But
Matthew 1:18 says, “BEFORE Joseph and Mary came together, she was found with
child of the Holy Spirit.” And it would not say BEFORE, if they did not have
relations after. The response is simple: We often say things
like, “I left the city BEFORE I was able to visit my friend” and we by no means
imply that we visited our friend AFTER we left.
But
Jesus is called the “first-born son”, which implies that there were others.
Rather, the words “first-born” are a title which is applied even if there are
no other children. It was of great significance in Jewish culture to be the first-born
son, and this title was given even before any other children were born and was
retained even if no other children were born.
But
Matthew 1:24-25 says, “And [Joseph] took unto him his wife [Mary]; and he knew
her not TILL she brought forth her first-born Son.” And Matthew would not have
said TILL or UNTIL, if Joseph had not had relations with Mary after the birth
of the Christ. This is certainly the most complicated
objection and it requires wisdom to see the truth. St. Jerome explains that, in
the Scriptures, the word “until” is sometimes used to designate a fixed time,
but also can designate and indefinite time. Hence, Psalm 122:2 states, “Our
eyes are unto the Lord our God, UNTIL he have mercy on us” – but from this we
are not to suppose that we turn our eyes away from the Lord after he is
merciful! Rather, our eyes are fixed on the Lord until he shows us his mercy
and, after he is merciful to us, our eyes remain fixed upon him all the more!
And St. Jerome concluded, “Thus the evangelist says that the Mother of God was
not known by her husband until she gave birth, that we may be given to
understand that still less did he know her afterwards.” (Adversus Helvid. v)
And this interpretation is required by the other texts of Scripture (namely, her
reply at the Annunciation) which indicate that Mary was indeed always a virgin.
Friday, December 16, 2011
Saturday, December 10, 2011
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