Violence must never be carried out in God’s name Pope Benedict insisted as he marked the 10th anniversary of the September 11 attacks. “The tragedy of that day is compounded by the perpetrators’ claim to be acting in God’s name,” he said. In a letter sent a letter to Archbishop Timothy Dolan of New York, Read more
Church people and activists in Orissa are pleased with the Indian Supreme Court directive ordering a report by the Indian National Commission for Human Rights into the Orissa government’s response to the wave of anti-Christian persecution. Fides details the significant level of anti-Christian violence in Orissa 230 damaged or demolished churches and chapels 100 deaths Read more
US Cables reveal the violence of the Fijian regime. The military is unsparing in its use of violence and intimidation – but there are signs of dissenting voices, writes Philip Dorling.
Some quiet acts of defiance against Fiji’s military regime occurred this week. A large number of spray-painted anti-government slogans appeared overnight on walls around the capital, Suva.
Read the article...As Libya’s conflict rages on between rebel forces and troops loyal to Moammar Gadhafi, Catholics in the capital city of Tripoli are seeking protection.
“Currently there are three Franciscan friars barricaded in the convent in Tripoli,” a source told the Vatican-based Fides news on Aug. 23. “No one dares to walk in the street because people are shot on sight, even if it is not clear who shoots who.”
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Pilgrims will not be likely to forget the 2011 Madrid World Youth Day in a hurry. Any event that gathers 1.5 – 2 million young people together to celebrate their faith is a huge success, and whether it be the intense heat, untimely rain and wind or the growth in faith, the atmosphere of the Read more
Police, security guards, an alcohol ban and a morning game of rugby were all used to prevent two Catholic secondary schools from engaging in another brawl at their annual fixture in Sydney on Saturday. The match was between Marist Brothers, St Joseph’s College in Hunter’s Hill (Joeys) and the Jesuit St Ignatius’ college (Riverview). The measures Read more
Many faith communities are working together on the front line after the riots in London and other cities and towns in the UK. Haringey Citizens, is an alliance of civil-society institutions including St Ignatius Church and St Ignatius College. They are are part of Citizens UK, a national broad-based alliance of schools, colleges, universities, churches, mosques, synagogues, Read more
Women have taken to the streets of the Papeete, to raise awareness about violence against women. The demonstration coincided with an appeal lodged by Christian Thony who has been sentenced to 22 years in prison for the murder of his girlfriend, Soraya Paari. Soraya was killed on October 25, 2007. She had taken refuge in her nephew’s home Read more
Catholic students have called on local police and military to investigate a shooting in Papua. One man died and two others were injured. “We urge local police and military to immediately put their members (involved in the case) on trial, because they violated the existing law and human rights. Anyone who violates the human rights Read more
In a repeated call to end the the fighting in Cote d’Ivoire and Libya, Pope Benedict said “Violence and hatred are always a failure.” Appealing for an immediate end to the fighting he said all sides should launch peace efforts “to stop further bloodshed.” Benedict says he is continuing to follow both these dramatic events Read more