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OROVILLE, Calif. (AP) -- Officials scrambled Wednesday to drain more water from a lake behind battered Oroville Dam before new storms hit Northern California and test the quick repairs made after water cascaded down an unpaved spillway and prompted a massive evacuation....
JERUSALEM (AP) -- The Trump administration appears to be easing away from longstanding U.S. support for Palestinian statehood as the preferred outcome of Middle East peace efforts, which may please some allies of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel. But the alternatives are few, and each comes with daunting and combustible complications, including for Israel itself....
WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Donald Trump blamed intelligence officials and the media Wednesday for what he called the "very, very unfair" treatment of his ousted national security adviser and for "illegally leaked" information about reported contacts between his campaign advisers and Russian officials....
WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Donald Trump on Wednesday asked Israel's prime minister to "hold off" on building Jewish settlements in land the Palestinians claim for their future state, yet held back from explicitly endorsing support for a future independent Palestine....
(Vatican Radio) US and Mexican border Bishops have vowed to continue to follow the good example of Pope Francis and seek to construct bridges rather than the walls of exclusion and exploitation.A joint statement released by Bishops of the border between Texas and Northern Mexico, calls on governments to adopt policies that respect the human rights of migrants and undocumented residents.Please find below the full Statement entitled “The cry of Christ and voice of the migrant moves us”:Statement of the bishops of the border between Texas and northern MexicoThe cry of Christ and voice of the migrant moves us1. We greet great you joyfully from the basilica of Our Lady of San Juan de Valle, in the diocese of Brownsville, Texas. We speak on behalf of the bishops, priests, religious and committed lay persons who are participating in the bi-annual meeting of Tex/Mex border bishops. For this meeting we have invited representatives from all the border dioceses b...
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis on Wednesday spoke of “the need to maintain the unity of faith, tradition, Christian culture, and to live the Gospel every day.”He was speaking to pilgrims at his General Audience from Poland, noting Tuesday’s celebration of the liturgical feast of “these two brothers from Thessaloniki brought the Gospel to the Slavic peoples,” Saints Cyril and Methodius, patrons of Europe.“These two brothers from Thessaloniki brought the Gospel to the Slavic peoples,” Pope Francis said.At the end of the Audience, he again invoked the two saints when he gave his final blessing.“Yesterday we celebrated the feast of Saints Cyril and Methodius, evangelizers of the Slavs, and co-patrons of Europe,” Pope Francis said. “May their example help you, dear young people, to become missionary disciples in every environment; may their tenacity encourage you, dear sick people, to offer your sufferings for the conversio...
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis on Wednesday praised a children’s choir singing at his General Audience for persevering in song, even as they were constantly interrupted by applause while performing for the Holy Father.The young singers from the choir ‘Note Ascendenti’ – of the community of Sant'Eufemia Lamezia in the Italian region of Calabria – began singing when the Pope welcomed them during his greetings to Italian pilgrims.Twice, thinking the children had finished, the Paul VI Audience Hall burst into applause, only for the young singers to start up once again. When the choir finally concluded, the crowd roared its approval.The scene made Pope Francis chuckle, and, speaking off the cuff, he said “When you want to do something, you do it!”“It is like this with prayer,” – the Pope continued – “When we ask something of the Lord: Insist, insist, insist ... is a good example, a good example of prayer! T...
(Vatican Radio) The Vatican on Wednesday praised the role of military chaplains during a meeting on the subject organized by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).“War always leaves a permanent mark upon a human being, it disfigures not only bonds among brothers and nations, but it also disfigures soldiers who have witnessed the atrocities that war causes,” said Monsignor Janusz Urbanczyk, the Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the OSCE.“Thus, the Church sends military chaplains to accompany military personnel in every situation and context, to support them as well as being with them in their daily work and to serve in every moment their spiritual needs, while also assisting their understanding of the centrality of human beings and the common good of the country where they serve,” he continued.The Vatican diplomat also pointed out the importance of religious freedom, both in peacetime and in war.“As a fundamental human rig...
The importance of peace in Myanmar was the takeaway message that provided food for thought for catechists and young people when they attended an animation program on Feb. 7-9.Some 29 catechists, young people and priests attended the three-day program at Holy Rosary Shrine in Chanthagone, near Mandalay, organized by Karuna (Caritas) Myanmar. Participants prepared placards that read "Stop War" and lobbied for peace.Father Christopher Raj, the resource person of the program, said that he was impressed by the attendees' creativity."I stress the importance of peace as the Catholic Church designates 2017 as the year of peace and it is very important as the country is still grappling with civil wars," Father Raj, from Lashio Diocese, former chaplain of Karuna Myanmar, told ucanews.com.Catechists and young people will share the importance of peace and the pope's message on Lent with their respective areas and church ministries.Myanmar’s Cardinal, Cha...
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis is set to visit a Rome parish which aims to encourage young thespians and is committed to serving the poor.The Holy Father will celebrate Mass on Sunday at the parish of Santa Maria Josefa del Cuore di Gesù at Ponte di Nona, a district in the east of Rome.Before Mass, the pope will speak to young people in a newly-launched parish theatre and will also meet Caritas volunteers who distribute food parcels to more than 200 families in the area.The parish, which suffers from high unemployment, consists mainly of young couples with small children and numbers about 20,000 people.Describing the moment he announced the visit to parishioners, pastor Fr Francesco Rondinelli said: “For a few seconds they looked at me dumbfounded - then there was an explosion of joy.“The aspect that most moved me is that everyone, even those who have a small physical ailment, have offered their help to prepare the perfect welcome.“Every parish priest dreams...
