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(Vatican Radio) On Christmas Eve Pope Francis appointed Paul Desfarges, Archbishop of Algiers.The 72-year-old Jesuit French-Algerian was at the head of the Catholic Diocese of Constantine and Hippo in Algeria since 2009.Archbishop Desfarges spent nearly 30 years in Constantine, where he taught psychology at the University there. He was given Algerian nationality in 1982. He also acted as Jesuit Superior in Algiers until his nomination as Bishop by Pope Benedict XVI in 2008.Speaking to Vatican Radio’s Sara Bakaloglou, Desfarges talks about the life of the Christian minority in the Muslim nation and about his joy for his new, important, nomination:“It is a challenge but at the same time a grace. In everyday life here in Algiers we enjoy a good [interreligious] relationship: a relationship of closeness, collaboration and even friendship” he says.Archbishop Desfarges says his community is a witness of good cohabitation, possibly because it unfolds day by day in big a...
IMAGE: CNS photo/ParamountBy Mark PattisonWASHINGTON (CNS) -- In a real-lifesituation akin to the "High School Musical" movie franchise, Russell Hornsbywas a jock who got the acting bug via the high school musical.Hornsby, a native of Oakland,California, was a sophomore at the all-boys St. Mary's College High School inBerkeley, where he played football. But teammates dared him to try out for theschool musical, "The Wiz.""And when it's a dare, you've got todo it," said Hornsby, who portrays Lyons in the new movie "Fences," which hitsmultiplexes nationwide on Christmas Day.So, for his audition, Hornsbyprepared Bert Lahr's soliloquy on courage as the Cowardly Lion from "The Wizardof Oz," the 1939 movie musical upon which "The Wiz" was based.And, to the delight of, and an ovationfrom, his fellow actors from "Fences," Hornsby -- who might have refined hisapproach in the ensuring years -- took it from the top, playing the part notonly of the Cowardly Lion but all his companions on the Ye...
By Carol GlatzVATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Despite increased persecution andattacks against Christians, the faithful must strengthen their courage andjoyful desire to follow Christ no matter the cost, Pope Francis said.By choosing God's path of truth, "light andlife" over all else, Christians continue to give witness and persevere in"living according to the logic of the Gospel and refusing the logic of therulers of this world," he said at a noon blessing Dec. 26 at the Vaticanto those gathered in St. Peter's Square.The pope spoke on the feast of St. Stephen, the firstmartyr, saying that by choosing truth, St. Stephen also "became victim ofthe mystery of wickedness present in the world. But in Christ, Stephenwon."Jesus forewarned his disciples that they would be hatedand suffer in his name, the pope said, adding that such persecution continues today with so many men and women experiencing oppression,violence, hatred and even martyrdom because of their faith."Why does the world persecute Ch...
MOBILE, Ala. (AP) -- A naval program that has become a target for critics is preparing to commission the USS Gabrielle Giffords, named for the U.S. politician who survived an assassination attempt in 2011....
JERUSALEM (AP) -- Doubling down on its public break with the Obama administration, a furious Israeli government on Tuesday said it had received "ironclad" information from Arab sources that Washington actively helped craft last week's U.N. resolution declaring Israeli settlements illegal....
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) -- Donald Trump cannot move ahead with his plan to dismantle his charitable foundation because state prosecutors are probing whether the president-elect personally benefited from its spending, the New York attorney general's office said Tuesday....
Indian priest Father Tom Uzhunnalil, who was abducted from Yemen, was seen begging for life in a video uploaded on social media, a day after Christmas. The priest appears very weak and at times was gasping for breath in the 5.06 minutes video. In the video, he is seen appealing to Pope Francis, the Indian government as well as other governments to secure his release from his captors.Father Uzhunnalil, who hails from Ramapuram in Kerala's Kottayam District, was abducted in March by terror group Islamic State which attacked an old-age home run by Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity in southern Yemeni city of Aden.The veracity of the video uploaded on YouTube and Facebook , or the period when it was shot could not be independently verified. However, relatives of the priest confirmed that it was indeed the priest who appears in the video. "Father is clearly shown in the video. He appears to be very weak and is gasping for breath while talking. He needs immediate medic...
The President-elect of Gambia, Adama Barrow has broadcast a goodwill message to Christians in Gambia and prayed for peace and peaceful transition in Gambia. The message was published on Youtube.“Today is Christmas Day. It is a day of thanksgiving and prayers for Christians all over the world and a day of solidarity from Muslims, in particular, and all peace loving people. I would like to take this opportunity to wish all peace loving people a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year in advance.In his Christmas message, Barrow has urged Gambians to pray for a peaceful transition in the troubled nation where the incumbent President, Yahya Jammeh has refused to hand over executive power when his tenure officially ends in January 2017.“I am now the President-elect. I should assume office when the term of office of the incumbent expires on 19 January 2017. I do not want to preside over a country that is not at peace with itself. Hence, I am calling on all peace loving Gambians ...
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis has sent a message to young people from the ecumenical community of Taize, who are participating in a European Meeting of Young Adults taking place in Riga, Latvia, from 28 December to 1 January. It is the first time a European Meeting is taking place in a Baltic State.The Holy Father’s letter to the young people said dwelt especially on the virtue of hope. “The Pope is particularly close to you,” it said, “because he has often called you to not let anyone rob you of your hope.”Pope Francis thanked them for leaving there “comfortable homes” to take part in the meeting in Riga. Their participation, he said, shows that they desire to be “protagonists of history,” and their desire to not let others determine their future. He encouraged them “to stand firm in hope by letting the Lord live in your hearts and your daily lives,” saying, “with Jesus, the faithful friend who never disappoin...
