(Vatican Radio) The city of Assisi has seen a good bit of history: from foreign invasions to civil wars to natural disasters, the small hilltop city in Umbria seems to have been in the way of everything; and its most famous native son, Francis, is credited with almost single-handedly repairing a broken – and by some accounts, dying – Church in the early 13th century, and with sparking a renascence of faith and zeal for the Gospel that, eight centuries later, continues to inform and direct the energies of the whole Church and the Catholic faithful throughout the world.Pope Francis is coming to this place, to pray and to lead the leaders of the world’s religions in supplication to the Lord of creation for the gift of peace.Thirst for Peace: religions and cultures in dialogue is the theme of this 30th anniversary edition of the World Day of Prayer for Peace, in preparation for which the Community of Sant’Egidio has organized three days of conferences taking th...
(Vatican Radio) The city of Assisi has seen a good bit of history: from foreign invasions to civil wars to natural disasters, the small hilltop city in Umbria seems to have been in the way of everything; and its most famous native son, Francis, is credited with almost single-handedly repairing a broken – and by some accounts, dying – Church in the early 13th century, and with sparking a renascence of faith and zeal for the Gospel that, eight centuries later, continues to inform and direct the energies of the whole Church and the Catholic faithful throughout the world.
Pope Francis is coming to this place, to pray and to lead the leaders of the world’s religions in supplication to the Lord of creation for the gift of peace.
Thirst for Peace: religions and cultures in dialogue is the theme of this 30th anniversary edition of the World Day of Prayer for Peace, in preparation for which the Community of Sant’Egidio has organized three days of conferences taking the measure of the progress of the work for peace begun in earnest under the visionary leadership of Pope St. John Paul II.
These panels and roundtable discussions are neither incidental, nor peripheral to the Day of Prayer.
A half-dozen of the working sessions began at 8:30 on Tuesday morning – just hours before the scheduled arrival of Pope Francis – and carry the work of the “spirit of Assisi” forward and into the afternoon of prayer – each according to the dictates of conscience – before the final session in the afternoon, during which the representatives of the world’s religions will come together to launch an appeal for peace, a call to all the world’s citizens to labour to lay the firm foundation of justice upon which to build – with God’s help - amity and concord.
Devin Watkins spoke to Chris Altieri, who is in Assisi ahead of the Pope's arrival.
null / Orhan Cam/ShutterstockWashington, D.C. Newsroom, Apr 26, 2024 / 12:30 pm (CNA).The addition of "gender identity" in the Biden administration's interpretation of anti-discrimination rules could jeopardize state laws that restrict women's sports and women's locker rooms to only women, according to legal scholars.Late last week, President Joe Biden's Department of Education redefined the prohibition on sex discrimination in education, enshrined in the 1972 Title IX provisions, to include discrimination based on a person's "gender identity." The new guidelines prohibit any policy and practice that "prevents a person from participating in an education program or activity consistent with their gender identity."Although the new guidelines do not clearly explain how the mandate would be enforced, experts at the legal advocacy group Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) and the conservative Heritage Foundation told CNA that it could force educational institutions to allow men who...
Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki of Cologne attends a German Synodal Way assembly on March 9, 2023. / Credit: Synodaler Weg/Maximilian von LachnerCNA Newsroom, Apr 26, 2024 / 13:57 pm (CNA).Four German bishops on Wednesday distanced themselves from the controversial Synodal Way's plans for a permanent body to oversee the Church in Germany, instead appealing for unity with the universal Church. The four bishops are the same who have previously blocked funding for this body: Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki of Cologne and three prelates from Bavaria: Gregor Maria Hanke, OSB, of Eichstätt; Stefan Oster, SDB, of Passau; and Rudolf Voderholzer of Regensburg.In a joint statement, the prelates confirmed on April 24 that they would not be parties to a committee charged with setting up a German "Synodal Council, as this would conflict with the sacramental constitution of the Church."The four bishops also rejected the view that the German Bishops' Conference could legally establish a "synod...
Families, donors, and others gather with Bishop Erik Pohlmeier for the dedication of the "Precious Ones Baby Mausoleum" at the San Lorenzo Cemetery in St. Augustine, Florida, on April 23, 2024. / Credit: Fran Ruchalski/courtesy of the Archdiocese of St. AugustineCNA Staff, Apr 26, 2024 / 09:51 am (CNA).Families gathered with St. Augustine Bishop Erik Pohlmeier on a sunny Tuesday this week for the dedication of the "Precious Ones Baby Mausoleum" at the city's San Lorenzo Cemetery.Six years in the making, the 44,000-pound granite mausoleum is designed for babies lost at a young age through miscarriage, sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), or stillborn births. A brick walkway marked by a charcoal cross leads up to the brilliant white mausoleum, which is full of burial spaces that are ready to honor little ones. Miscarriages are common events, and women often suffer through them quietly, one 2018 study found. About 10% to 20% of known pregnancies end in miscarriage, usually be...