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(Vatican Radio) An ecumenical delegation from Finland met with Pope Francis on Thursday, marking the feast day of their country’s patron saint, the 12th century Saint Henrik.While around three quarters of the population belongs to the Lutheran Church, Catholics in Finland make up a tiny minority of about 15.000 faithful, led by their first native bishop of Helsinki since the Reformation, Teemu Sippo. The delegation visiting the Vatican this week includes Bishop Sippo, together with the Lutheran bishop of Turku Kaarlo Kalliala and the Finnish Orthodox Metropolitan Elia of Oulu.In his words to the group, the Pope noted that Christians in Finland are celebrating the centenary of the Finnish Ecumenical Council, as well as marking the centenary of their nation as an independent state. May this anniversary, he said, “encourage all the Christians of your country to profess faith in the Lord Jesus Christ – as did Saint Henrik so zealously – offering a witness of fa...
Card Gracias of Mumbai, issued an appeal on the occasion of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, which began on Wednesday saying “Let us pray together to accomplish Jesus’s prayer that ‘all may be one’.”Card Oswald archbishop of Mumbai and president of the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences (FABC), notes that the celebration takes place every year, from 18 to 25 January, but "this year it takes on an even greater significance because of the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation, an event that triggered a profound division in the Christian world between the Catholic Church and the Reformed Churches."At the same time, the cardinal underlines the efforts made in favour of dialogue last year by Pope Francis, who in October signed a Joint Declaration with Bishop Munib Younan, President of the World Lutheran Federation.Thus, "by embracing and signing the declaration, they put an end to 500 years of separatio...
The Church in Kenya has reiterated Pope Francis’ message calling for the protection of child migrants and refugees.Governments and political leaders in countries where refugees are fleeing conflict have been encouraged to ensure peace in their countries and create conditions that are favourable for their own people. If this is done, many children and young people would be spared much of the suffering that comes from the trauma of being refugees and migrants.In reference to Pope Francis’ message on the 103rd World Day of Migrants and Refugees marked last Sunday, the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (KCCB) Chairman of the Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Seafarers, Bishop Joseph Alessandro said many refugee children are suffering at the hands of malicious and unscrupulous people.“In the present world and in many places, people are trafficking children and introducing them to prostitution, pornography, drugs, child labour and (as) soldiers. The...
Rome, Italy, Jan 19, 2017 / 09:56 am (CNA/EWTN News).- After the death of Opus Dei Prelate Bishop Javier Echevarría Rodríguez in December, members of the prelature are gathering in Rome in preparation for the election of their new leader, which will take place in the coming days.Set to begin Jan. 21 with a special session for women, the election process has no definite end date, since after the new prelate’s election, discussion about future governance is expected to last several days.The former prelate, Bishop Echevarría, died Dec. 12 at the age of 84 in Rome due to respiratory failure several days after being hospitalized with pneumonia. The bishop served as St. Josemaria's secretary from 1953 to 1975, and was ordained a priest of the prelature in 1955, at the age of 23. He was later named secretary general of Opus Dei, and was elected prelate in 1994. He was consecrated a bishop the following year.Since Echevarría’s death the prelature&...
By Junno Arocho EstevesVATICANCITY (CNS) -- Although great strides have been made through 50 years of ecumenical dialogue,Catholics and Lutherans must continue to work toward becoming a full andvisible sign of unity for the world, Pope Francis said. A continued"communion of harmony" will allow Catholics and Lutherans to"find further convergence on points of doctrine and the moral teaching ofthe church," the pope told members of a pilgrimage from the EvangelicalLutheran Church of Finland Jan. 19. "Ipray to the Lord that he may bestow his blessing on the Lutheran-CatholicDialogue Commission in Finland, which is working diligently toward a common sacramentalunderstanding of the church, the Eucharist and ecclesial ministry," hesaid. The pope metthe Finnish delegation during the annual Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.The theme chosen for the 2017 observance was: "Reconciliation: The love ofChrist compels us."The week ofprayer, Pope Francis said, urges Catholics and Lutherans to recon...
IMAGE: CNS photo/Marcin Mazur, Bishops' Conference of England and WalesBy JERUSALEM (CNS) -- Christians have a responsibility tooppose the construction of Israeli settlements in Palestinian territories, saidbishops from the U.S., Canada and Europe."This de facto annexation of land not only underminesthe rights of Palestinians in areas such as Hebron and East Jerusalem but, asthe U.N. recently recognized, also imperils the chance of peace," saidbishops who participated in the Holy Land Coordination Jan. 14-19."So many people in the Holy Land have spent theirentire lives under occupation, with its polarizing social segregation, yetstill profess hope and strive for reconciliation. Now, more than ever, they deserveour solidarity," said the statement, issued Jan. 19, at the end of thevisit.Bishop Oscar Cantu of Las Cruces, New Mexico, chairman ofthe U.S. bishops' Committee on International Justice and Peace, was among the12 bishops who signed the statement. Bishop Lionel Gendron of Saint...
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) -- It started badly for Novak Djokovic, who needed 24 serves, six break-point saves and 15 minutes just to hold his first game in the second round....
EYNON, Pa. (AP) -- Police say a Pennsylvania man tried to strangle his wife after he woke up from a dream in which she was cheating on him....
CHICAGO (AP) -- The first national estimate suggests that nearly half of U.S. men have genital infections caused by a sexually transmitted virus and that 1 in 4 has strains linked with several cancers....
NEW YORK (AP) -- Twitter says it has suspended 360,000 user accounts in the past 18 months for threatening or promoting acts of terrorism....
