(Vatican Radio) The opening ceremony of the Olympic Games kicks off Friday evening in Rio de Janeiro. And for the first time, a team of refugee athletes from around the world will compete in the Games.Listen to Devin Watkins' report: Just braving the dangers of escaping oppressive situations of conflict and persecution isn’t enough for some people. They want to show the world their resilience and untapped talent.And the United Nations refugee agency is giving them that opportunity by hosting the first ever team of refugee athletes to compete in the Olympic Games in Rio.Ten refugees were chosen from the more than 59.5 million people displaced from their homes around the world to form the Refugee Olympic Athletes team.The squad is made up of two Syrian swimmers, two judokas from the Democratic Republic of Congo, a marathon runner from Ethiopia, and five middle-distance runners from South Sudan.Former marathon world record holder Tegla Loroupe is the Mission Head for ...
(Vatican Radio) The opening ceremony of the Olympic Games kicks off Friday evening in Rio de Janeiro. And for the first time, a team of refugee athletes from around the world will compete in the Games.
Listen to Devin Watkins' report:
Just braving the dangers of escaping oppressive situations of conflict and persecution isn’t enough for some people. They want to show the world their resilience and untapped talent.
And the United Nations refugee agency is giving them that opportunity by hosting the first ever team of refugee athletes to compete in the Olympic Games in Rio.
Ten refugees were chosen from the more than 59.5 million people displaced from their homes around the world to form the Refugee Olympic Athletes team.
The squad is made up of two Syrian swimmers, two judokas from the Democratic Republic of Congo, a marathon runner from Ethiopia, and five middle-distance runners from South Sudan.
Former marathon world record holder Tegla Loroupe is the Mission Head for the Refugee Team.
“I’m seeing the champions here. I’m seeing world records among this people. We just started in October last year, and these people came from very difficult situations. To have refugee status is not easy: You are nobody. You are somebody but you are nobody in the eyes of others.”
One of the team’s swimmers, Syrian Yusra Mardini, saved her own life and those of 20 other refugees as their boat began taking on water off the Greek coast.
She and her sister jumped into the water and began pushing their boat towards the Greek coast.
Miz. Mardini said her participation in the Games represents hope for all refugees.
“I want to represent all the refugees because I want to show everyone that, after the pain, after the storm, comes calm days. I want everyone not to give up on their dreams.”
The Olympic Games run until August 21 and will see some 11,000 athletes participate from 205 countries.
null / Credit: Peter Hermes Furian via ShutterstockACI Prensa Staff, Apr 19, 2024 / 15:00 pm (CNA).The pontifical foundation Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) on April 19 condemned the kidnapping and murder of a catechist in Burkina Faso, West Africa.In a news brief, ACN informed ACI Prensa, CNA's Spanish-language news partner, that catechist Edouard Yougbare was kidnapped on Thursday night by "terrorists, and his lifeless body was found near Zigni this morning."According to other local sources, along with Yougbare, who was a member of Saatenga parish in Fada Gourma, Burkina Faso, more people were kidnapped and murdered."We are heartbroken by the loss of Yougbare. He served his community faithfully and his death is a devastating blow for the people of Saatenga," lamented Spaniard María Lozano, press and public relations director of ACN International."Catechists in Burkina Faso are on the front lines, risking their lives for the good of their people. Just two months ago, ano...
Pope Francis addresses the faithful at his Wednesday general audience on March 27, 2024. / Credit: Vatican MediaVatican City, Apr 19, 2024 / 10:07 am (CNA).In the latest move in Pope Francis' reform of the Vatican judiciary, the pope issued a new motu proprio on Friday on the retirement age and benefits for cardinal judges and magistrates in the Vatican's court system.The April 19 motu proprio states that Vatican magistrates will retire at the end of the judicial year in which they turn 75 and cardinal judges at the age of 80, unless Pope Francis asks them to remain in office beyond the age limit.Magistrates and judges who wish to resign from office before the retirement age can only do so with the approval of the pope.The pope also has the prerogative to dismiss magistrates unable to fulfill their duties at any time. Upon the termination of their duties, magistrates will retain the rights to assistance and welfare provided to Vatican citizens and employees.The motu proprio, wh...
Archbishop Marek Jedraszewski of Krakow announced on April 14, 2024, the decision to begin the process of beatification and canonization of Helena Agnieszka Kmiec, a young lay missionary murdered in Bolivia in 2017. / Credit: The Helena Kmiec FoundationACI Prensa Staff, Apr 19, 2024 / 07:00 am (CNA).Archbishop Marek Jedraszewski of Krakow, Poland, announced the decision to begin the process of beatification and canonization of Helena Agnieszka Kmiec, a young lay missionary murdered in Bolivia in 2017.The prelate said that after the preliminary phase began in December 2022, he made the decision to officially open the process for Kmiec after having consulted the Polish Bishops' Conference and receiving the go-ahead from the Vatican's Dicastery for the Causes of Saints."With this edict I call on all those who have any document, letter, or information about the Servant of God, both positive and negative, to send them to the Metropolitan Curia of Krakow before June 30," the archbish...