(Vatican Radio) The Catholic development Agency CAFOD welcomed the peace deal between the Colombian government and the nation’s largest guerrilla group, the FARC, calling it “an historic moment.” At the same time, CAFOD warns that there are still a number of obstacles lying ahead on the road to lasting peace.The agency paid tribute to the key role of the Catholic Church in Colombia: both as a mediator between the two sides during the negotiations and in a new role of helping people understand the implications of this peace accord and promoting reconciliation. As head of the Latin America Desk for CAFOD, Clare Dixon has visited Colombia many times and closely followed the peace process. She spoke to Susy Hodges about her reaction to the peace accord.Listen to the interview of Clare Dixon of CAFOD: Describing the peace accord as an “historic moment” Dixon said the people in Colombia are now “living with great hopes” but warns tha...
(Vatican Radio) The Catholic development Agency CAFOD welcomed the peace deal between the Colombian government and the nation’s largest guerrilla group, the FARC, calling it “an historic moment.” At the same time, CAFOD warns that there are still a number of obstacles lying ahead on the road to lasting peace.
The agency paid tribute to the key role of the Catholic Church in Colombia: both as a mediator between the two sides during the negotiations and in a new role of helping people understand the implications of this peace accord and promoting reconciliation. As head of the Latin America Desk for CAFOD, Clare Dixon has visited Colombia many times and closely followed the peace process. She spoke to Susy Hodges about her reaction to the peace accord.
Listen to the interview of Clare Dixon of CAFOD:
Describing the peace accord as an “historic moment” Dixon said the people in Colombia are now “living with great hopes” but warns that “the real work (on building a lasting peace) now has to start.”
She said the first obstacle on this path towards a final peace is a planned referendum on October 2nd when the people of Colombia have to cast their vote on whether to accept the peace deal or not and noted that the nation’s political opposition has already pledged to vote against it.
Turning to the role of the local Catholic Church, Dixon said the Colombian Church not only played a key role as a mediator between the two sides during the peace negotiations but will now play an equally important role in promoting peace by helping people “to understand the implications of the peace accord” which will entail former guerrillas and former fighters being integrated into society. She warned that Colombians will need “to put the past behind them” and “this can’t be done without a process of reconciliation.”
Students participating in the CEDE workshop for St. John's College High School gather for a group photo at the basilica at Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., in November 2022. / Credit: Photo courtesy of CUACNA Staff, Apr 20, 2024 / 06:00 am (CNA).When Luke Burgis moved to Silicon Valley to start a business, he never expected he would become a seminarian and then go on to launch entrepreneurship programs for Catholic students. Burgis had attended NYU, worked on Wall Street, started several businesses in Silicon Valley, and moved to Las Vegas before deciding he wanted more meaning in his life. With the encouragement of a friend, he rekindled his Catholic faith. After five years in seminary, he ultimately discerned he would not become a priest, but he still found himself in need of deeper meaning in his work.So he founded Catholic Entrepreneurship and Design Experience (CEDE, pronounced "seed") in 2020 to help students across the country connect their w...
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...
