Wednesday, July 31, 2013
Sunday, July 28, 2013
Abortion Rights Activists Vandalize Cathedral in Chile
CNA July 26, 2013:
Abortion activists interrupted Mass at the Cathedral of the Chilean capital Santiago the evening of July 25, destroying confessionals and defaming several side altars with blasphemous graffiti.
“We were celebrating the feast of St. James the Apostle, with the mayor in attendance, and offering thanks to so many Catholics who serve the public, in an atmosphere of peace and recollection when protestors suddenly came in,” said Bishop Pedro Ossandón Buljevic, an auxiliary bishop of the Santiago de Chile archdiocese.
“The truth is that we are always for dialogue, for civilized debate. We believe in the God-given gift of reason.”
“Therefore we invite everyone to protest in whichever way they wish, but that they do so with respect for the law, for democracy, and the for the dignity of others.”
Archbishop Ricardo Ezzati Andrello was saying Mass on the eve of the feast of St. James, the city's patron and namesake, when the activists unexpectedly stormed the cathedral at the conclusion of a pro-abortion march.
Abortion is illegal in Chile, even in cases of rape. Of the country's population, around 85 percent is Christian.
The current government opposes liberalization of abortion access. Last year, Chile's senate rejected three bills easing the absolute ban, the Associated Press reports.
The faithful present at the Mass, including Santiago’s mayor, Carolina Toha, prevented the activists from reaching the main altar.
With help from the faithful, police who in riot gear were able to remove the protestors from the cathedral, dispersing the crowd outside as well, and making several arrests. The protestors had barricaded themselves in with pews.
Isabel Carcamo of the Right to Choose organization told CNN Chile that although she was present during the incident and understood “the people’s anger” against the Church because abortion is not legal in the country, she did not agree with the violent attack.
The protests came ahead of a presidential election, to be held in November.
Bishop Ossandón commented, “at this time when Chile is getting ready to choose candidates for the presidency and for congress, let us all please respect the rule of law.”
Chilean president Sebastian Pinera said the vandalism was "not respecting that rights of others" and that "they're not tolerant and are contradicting their own views."
The protestors destroyed a confessional and spray-painted blasphemies on side altars and statues, such as “Mary wanted to abort” and “abortion is the best.”
Police said charges would be filed against several protestors for destroying a national monument. Church officials said they would also file a lawsuit against those responsible for the vandalism.
Pope Francis is Most Influential, Second Most-Followed World Leader on Twitter
CNS July 25, 2013:
Pope Francis is the most influential world leader on Twitter, with the highest number of retweets worldwide.
He also is the second most-followed leader of the world, running behind -- albeit by a long stretch -- U.S. President Barack Obama.
The rankings were released July 24 in a recent study titled "Twiplomacy," which refers to the use of Twitter by world leaders.
The study compiled a wide range of data from the Twitter accounts of 505 heads of state, foreign ministers and governments from 153 countries during the month of July. It was conducted by the communications firm Burson-Marsteller and published on twiplomacy.com.
More than three-quarters of all world leaders have a presence on Twitter, the report said.
President @BarackObama is the most followed head of state, with more than 33.5 million followers, and has the fourth-most popular account overall, right behind Lady Gaga, it said.
But the second most-followed world leader is Pope Francis, with 7.2 million followers spread across his nine different language-based @Pontifex accounts.
Not far behind in third place is @WhiteHouse and @LaCasaBlanca with 4 million followers combined.
But despite Obama's strong following on Twitter, Pope Francis is the most influential world leader with the highest number of retweets, the report said.
While Obama's Twitpic of him hugging his wife Michelle marking his re-election win was the most popular tweet of all time with 806,066 retweets, a typical @BarackObama tweet gets on average about 2,300 retweets.
Pope Francis, on the other hand, gets more than 11,100 retweets for every Spanish tweet and 8,200 retweets for each English tweet.
While @Pontifex follows no one but its other @Pontifex language accounts, the pope is followed by 40 of the world's leaders, including the Israeli government, prime minister and minister of foreign affairs and the president of Lebanon.
According to the report, many of the pope's followers are leaders or top foreign ministers from former Soviet states, including Kazakhstan, but not the Russian federation. Leaders from Africa and Latin America also follow him.
The pope is also followed by Czech Prince Karel Schwarzenberg, who is one of very few VIP European papal followers.
The most popular @Pontifex tweet was Pope Francis' first tweet four days after his March 13 election. It said: "Dear friends, I thank you from my heart and I ask you to continue to pray for me. Pope Francis." It was retweeted more than 37,100 times and favorited by more than 22,500 accounts.
General audience days on Wednesdays and the Angelus prayer on Sundays are the most active days of the week for the @Pontifex accounts, though they are now sending out on average .71 tweets a day. The vast majority of tweets are sent at noon and 1 p.m. Rome time.
A word cloud shows the words used most often in the pope's tweets are "God," "Jesus," "lives," love," and "let."
Wednesday, July 24, 2013
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
Lourdes: 69th official miracle announced
From http://www.indcatholicnews.com/news.php?viewStory=22985
The Sanctuary of Lourdes has announced the 69th official miracle of Lourdes - the curing of an Italian woman, Danila Castelli, following her visit to the Baths at the Shrine in 1989.
Danila Castelli, born on 16 January 1946, a wife and mother, lived a more or less normal life until the age of 34 when she started having spontaneous and severe blood pressure hypertensive crisis. She also suffered a number of other serious health problems and underwent a hysterectomy an annexectomy and a partial pancreatectomy. As her condition deteriorated, her husband who is a doctor planned to take her to the Mayo Clinic in America, but at the last moment Danila said she wanted to go to Lourdes. The couple went in May 1989. When Danila came out of the Baths she said she experienced an extraordinary feeling of wellbeing. Shortly afterwards she reported to the Lourdes Office of Medical Observations her instantaneous alleged cure. After five meetings (1989, 1992, 1994, 1997 and 2010) the Bureau certified the cure with an unanimous vote. They agreed that Mrs Castelli had been cured, in a complete and lasting way, from the date of her pilgrimage to Lourdes 21 years ago, of the syndrome she had suffered and with no relation with the treatments and the surgeries she received.
Danila Castelli has since gone back to an absolute normal life. The CMIL (Lourdes International Medical Committee) in it's annual meeting of 19 November 2011 in Paris has certified that the cure "remains unexplained according to current scientific knowledge". On 20 June 2013 Monsignor Giovanni Giudici, Bishop of Pavia, the diocese where Danila Castelli lives, declared the 'prodigious-miraculous' character of this cure.
In this video, Dr Allessandro De Franciscus, Director of the Medical Bureau at Lourdes, explains the rigorous process by which the cure was accepted. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7ixlLiHnBI
The Sanctuary of Lourdes has announced the 69th official miracle of Lourdes - the curing of an Italian woman, Danila Castelli, following her visit to the Baths at the Shrine in 1989.
Danila Castelli, born on 16 January 1946, a wife and mother, lived a more or less normal life until the age of 34 when she started having spontaneous and severe blood pressure hypertensive crisis. She also suffered a number of other serious health problems and underwent a hysterectomy an annexectomy and a partial pancreatectomy. As her condition deteriorated, her husband who is a doctor planned to take her to the Mayo Clinic in America, but at the last moment Danila said she wanted to go to Lourdes. The couple went in May 1989. When Danila came out of the Baths she said she experienced an extraordinary feeling of wellbeing. Shortly afterwards she reported to the Lourdes Office of Medical Observations her instantaneous alleged cure. After five meetings (1989, 1992, 1994, 1997 and 2010) the Bureau certified the cure with an unanimous vote. They agreed that Mrs Castelli had been cured, in a complete and lasting way, from the date of her pilgrimage to Lourdes 21 years ago, of the syndrome she had suffered and with no relation with the treatments and the surgeries she received.
Danila Castelli has since gone back to an absolute normal life. The CMIL (Lourdes International Medical Committee) in it's annual meeting of 19 November 2011 in Paris has certified that the cure "remains unexplained according to current scientific knowledge". On 20 June 2013 Monsignor Giovanni Giudici, Bishop of Pavia, the diocese where Danila Castelli lives, declared the 'prodigious-miraculous' character of this cure.
In this video, Dr Allessandro De Franciscus, Director of the Medical Bureau at Lourdes, explains the rigorous process by which the cure was accepted. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7ixlLiHnBI
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
Seanad passes abortion legislation second stage
From http://www.rte.ie/news/2013/0716/462785-seanad-abortion/
The Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill has passed the second stage in the Seanad by 42 votes to 14.
It will go to committee stage tomorrow.
Fine Gael Senators Fidelma Healy Eames and Paul Bradford voted against the bill.
Earlier, Ms Eames said it was with "a heavy heart" that she could not support the bill.
Ms Healy Eames said she did not want to lose the Fine Gael party whip, however she said she wanted to exercise her human right to make a conscientious decision.
Speaking during the debate on the bill in the Seanad, she said she had been a committed member of Fine Gael for many years.
She added that it was the party that made "a solemn promise to voters not to legislate for abortion".
It saddened her greatly that Fine Gael had broken the promise, she said. Fine
Gael Senator Paul Bradford said most in Fine Gael did not think they
would come to the stage in their political lives that the party would be
"bringing abortion legislation" before the Oireachtas.
He said it went against the very fabric of the party and goes against what was said before and during Fine Gael's general election campaign.
Senator Bradford said it was "disturbing" to hear ministers saying it was a commitment in the Programme for Government.
He said political scholars in the near future will examine the make-up of the expert group, the terms of reference and the fact its hands were tied and see that the legislation was a "done political deal".
Meanwhile, Fianna Fáil Senator Terry Leydon said the title of the bill was inaccurate and said it should be titled "Abortion Bill 2013".
He said he would vote no to the "blatant abortion bill", which he said would legalise abortion without regard to the viability of the unborn.
Senator Jillian Van Turnhout raised a number of concerns about the bill.
She said the legislation is silent about the access of medical treatment for girls in State care and requested distinct legislation clarifying consent where a patient is under 16.
Despite reservations, Ms Van Turnhout confirmed she would support the bill.
Fianna Fáil Senator Averil Power said "it's ridiculous" that former minister Lucinda Creighton had to resign from her position over the bill.
Senator Power said no member should be forced to vote against their conscience on such an issue.
Fine Gael Senator Catherine Noone said the anti-abortion cause has been undermined by the actions of some.
She said while public discourse is welcome, some tactics had resulted in some members becoming more resolute in their decision to vote for the legislation.
Fianna Fáil Senator Peter O'Brien recalled campaigns in the 1980s, saying they were "nasty" and he welcomed how the "country has moved on".
Labour Senator Jimmy Harte congratulated the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste for introducing the legislation, claiming that Fianna Fáil was always "looking down the road" at the reaction of the church.
Mr Harte said women had not been respected by the Catholic Church for thousands of years.
He said the 50% of the country who are male should not be talking about this issue, saying it was a matter for women.
Fianna Fáil Senator Paschal Mooney took issue with that comment.
He questioned why men should be "completely ignored", given that they help create the unborn.
Fianna Fáil Senator Denis O'Donovan confirmed that he would not be supporting the bill.
He said his decision came following a meeting with the Master of the Rotunda Hospital, Dr Sam Coulter Smith.
It will go to committee stage tomorrow.
Fine Gael Senators Fidelma Healy Eames and Paul Bradford voted against the bill.
Earlier, Ms Eames said it was with "a heavy heart" that she could not support the bill.
Ms Healy Eames said she did not want to lose the Fine Gael party whip, however she said she wanted to exercise her human right to make a conscientious decision.
Speaking during the debate on the bill in the Seanad, she said she had been a committed member of Fine Gael for many years.
She added that it was the party that made "a solemn promise to voters not to legislate for abortion".
It saddened her greatly that Fine Gael had broken the promise, she said.
He said it went against the very fabric of the party and goes against what was said before and during Fine Gael's general election campaign.
Senator Bradford said it was "disturbing" to hear ministers saying it was a commitment in the Programme for Government.
He said political scholars in the near future will examine the make-up of the expert group, the terms of reference and the fact its hands were tied and see that the legislation was a "done political deal".
Meanwhile, Fianna Fáil Senator Terry Leydon said the title of the bill was inaccurate and said it should be titled "Abortion Bill 2013".
He said he would vote no to the "blatant abortion bill", which he said would legalise abortion without regard to the viability of the unborn.
Senator Jillian Van Turnhout raised a number of concerns about the bill.
She said the legislation is silent about the access of medical treatment for girls in State care and requested distinct legislation clarifying consent where a patient is under 16.
Despite reservations, Ms Van Turnhout confirmed she would support the bill.
Fianna Fáil Senator Averil Power said "it's ridiculous" that former minister Lucinda Creighton had to resign from her position over the bill.
Senator Power said no member should be forced to vote against their conscience on such an issue.
Fine Gael Senator Catherine Noone said the anti-abortion cause has been undermined by the actions of some.
She said while public discourse is welcome, some tactics had resulted in some members becoming more resolute in their decision to vote for the legislation.
Fianna Fáil Senator Peter O'Brien recalled campaigns in the 1980s, saying they were "nasty" and he welcomed how the "country has moved on".
Labour Senator Jimmy Harte congratulated the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste for introducing the legislation, claiming that Fianna Fáil was always "looking down the road" at the reaction of the church.
Mr Harte said women had not been respected by the Catholic Church for thousands of years.
He said the 50% of the country who are male should not be talking about this issue, saying it was a matter for women.
Fianna Fáil Senator Paschal Mooney took issue with that comment.
He questioned why men should be "completely ignored", given that they help create the unborn.
Fianna Fáil Senator Denis O'Donovan confirmed that he would not be supporting the bill.
He said his decision came following a meeting with the Master of the Rotunda Hospital, Dr Sam Coulter Smith.
Friday, July 12, 2013
Ireland legalizes abortion
CWN - July 12, 2013
In the early hours of July 12, following a marathon debate, the
Irish parliament voted 127-31 in favor of the Protection of Life During
Pregnancy Bill, which legalizes abortion in some circumstances,
including when the mother says she is suicidal. Only five members of
the majority Fine Gael party broke ranks with Prime Minister Enda
Kelly, who did not permit a conscience vote on the issue. In doing so,
the five were automatically expelled from the party. One of the
five, Lucinda Creighton, 33, resigned from her post as Ireland’s
European affairs minister. “I think compromise is essential to any
coalition,” she said. “I feel we've compromised on economic issues,
social policy, and so on. But when it comes to something that is a
matter of life and death, at least as far as I'm concerned it is, I
think it's not really possible to compromise.” In addition, Sinn
Féin, Ireland’s fourth-largest party, suspended a lawmaker who voted
against the bill.
Cardinal Raymond Burke Warns Irish Mass Goers of the Culture of Death
The Irish Times
July 8, 2013:
A senior Vatican prelate, Irish-American Cardinal Raymond Burke, advised Mass-goers in Cork yesterday not to be discouraged from living “faithful Christian lives in a society marked by the culture of death”.
The prefect of the Vatican’s Apostolic Signatura, effectively its Supreme Court, said “more and more, we witness the violation of the most fundamental norms of divine natural law, written upon every human heart by God, in the policies and laws of nations, and in the judgments given by their courts”.
‘Evil fruits’
In a sermon marking the sixth Fota international liturgical conference at a High Mass in the church of Saints Peter and Paul, he said: “We see before our eyes the evil fruits of a society which pretends to take the place of God in making its laws and in giving its judgments, of a society in which those in power decide what is right and just, according to their desires and convenience, even at the cost of perpetrating mortal harm upon their innocent and defenceless neighbours.”
It was, he said, “a society which has abandoned its Judeo-Christian foundations, and above all, the fundamental obedience to God’s law which safeguards the good of all. It is a society which embraces a totalitarianism masking itself as the ‘hope,’ the ‘future’, of a nation”.
Meanwhile, Bishop of Down and Connor Noel Treanor has said the Taoiseach and Government have “dealt a fatal blow to the legitimacy of the political and legislative process” and “disenfranchised massive numbers of citizens of the Republic” through their handling of debate on abortion legislation.
Papal nuncio to Ireland Archbishop Charles Brown pointed out yesterday that “the teaching of the Catholic Church is very clear; a person “has the right to act in conscience and in freedom so as personally to make moral decisions. ‘He must not be forced to act contrary to his conscience’ . . .” He noted too that Ireland’s Constitution “explicitly states that freedom of conscience is guaranteed to every citizen”.
Speaking yesterday at a ceremony in Co Down, Bishop Treanor hailed “the courage of those TDs, men and women, in Dáil Éireann who refuse to bend to weavers of party political mantras, who recognise that the Taoiseach and the Government have failed to engage with key and substantive issues raised in reasoned comment on both grounds of pure reason as well as on grounds linking human reason and Christian faith”.
He added, “this failure has seriously impoverished the quality of the public and political debate. It has dealt a fatal blow to the legitimacy of the political and legislative process. It has, I believe, disenfranchised massive numbers of citizens of the Republic.”
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