POPE MOURNS VICTIMS OF VIOLENT ATTACK IN SYDNEY – HOLY SEE SENDS NOTE TO FRENCH EMBASSY DECRYING CONDEMNATION OF CARDINAL OUELLET

POPE MOURNS VICTIMS OF VIOLENT ATTACK IN SYDNEY

Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin today sent the following telegram in Pope Francis’ name to Archbishop Anthony Fisher of Sydney on the occasion of those killed in an attack in a popular shopping mall:

His Holiness Pope Francis was deeply saddened to learn of the violent attack in Sydney, and he sends the assurance of his spiritual closeness to all affected by this senseless tragedy, especially those who are now mourning the loss of a loved one. He likewise offers his prayers for the dead, the injured, as well as the first responders, and invokes upon the nation the divine blessings of consolation and strength. (ANSA photo)

Vatican news reported that local police told Australian media that the victims at the Westfield Shopping Centre in Bondi Junction were a man and five women, including the mother of a nine-month-old baby who was injured and taken in serious condition to hospital where he later underwent surgery. The perpetrator of the attack was a 40-year-old man known to police who is awaiting formal identification. Law enforcement officials believe that the act was not motivated by an ideological motive or terrorism, although investigations are continuing.

HOLY SEE SENDS NOTE TO FRENCH EMBASSY DECRYING CONDEMNATION OF CARDINAL OUELLET

From the Holy See Press Office:

Answering questions from some journalists, Holy See Press Office Director Matteo Bruni confirmed that the Secretariat of State has sent a Verbal Note to the French Embassy to the Holy See, highlighting the following:

– The Holy See learned only from the press of the alleged decision of the Court of Lorient, in France, regarding a civil dispute concerning the resignation from a religious institute of Mrs. Sabine de la Valette (formerly Sister Marie Ferréol);

– His Eminence Cardinal Marc Ouellet has never received any summons from the Court of Lorient;

– Cardinal Marc Ouellet actually conducted an apostolic visit to the Institute of the Dominicans of the Holy Spirit (Dominicaines du Saint Esprit), in compliance with a pontifical mandate; at the conclusion of this visit, a series of canonical measures were adopted against Mrs. Sabine de la Valette, including her dismissal from the religious institute;

– A possible ruling by the Court of Lorient could raise not only relevant questions regarding immunity, but if it had ruled on internal discipline and membership of a religious institute, it could have given rise to a serious violation of rights fundamental to religious freedom and freedom of association of the Catholic faithful.

(JFL NOTE: News media have reported that Cardinal Marc Ouellet, prefect emeritus of the Dicastery for Bishops, was ordered on April 3 by the Lorient judicial court to pay more than 100,000 euros in damages to a nun who had been dismissed from her congregation.)

 

 

 

TWELVE DAYS IN TAIWAN – POPE ASSURES VICTIMS OF TAIWAN QUAKE OF SOLIDARITY AND CLOSENESS

TWELVE DAYS IN TAIWAN

I spent 12 wonderful days in Taiwan in 2001 on a trip arranged by then Taiwanese Ambassador to the Holy See, Raymond Tai. My visit included Holy Week. I spent time in Taipei, Hualien City and County and Kaohsiung where I interviewed the late Cardinal Paul Shan. Those were 12 joyful days of exciting, learning experiences, and meeting so many memorable people – pastors of churches, men and women religious, educational leaders, people involved in Catholic communications, members of the Focolare movement, etc. I’d need a few more hours right now to even touch the tip of the iceberg that was my Taiwan trip.

Two outstanding memories, however, will never dim, and they are related.

Having been to Beijing in 1995 as a member of the Holy See delegation to the September UN conference on women, it was fascinating to be in Taiwan and contrast the life style, goverments, etc. of a democratic society (Taiwan, ROC, Republic of China) and communist mainland China (PRC, People’s Republic of China). The PRC considers Taiwan basically as a renegade province, and always has “reunion” at the top of its political agenda.

The Taiwan government organized a lunch one day in my honor. Held in a Taiwan hotel, the 20 wonderful guests were predominantly men and women religious, members of orders whose superiors had sent them to Taiwan to learn Chinese and to study Chinese culture in all its forms (including cuisine!). Why these studies?  They were all hopefully looking to the day when China would have its own Berlin Wall moment and these men and women religious, now fluent in the language and culture, could freely travel to the mainland to open and run schools, nurseries, hospitals, clinics, homes for the aged, etc.

The only sad part of that day was that I did not have at least a separate half-hour with each Religious present at that lunch. The brief conversations I had were illuminating and uplifting, and I left the luncheon imbued with the same optimism and hope as my new friends.

You have no idea how often I have prayed for them and the men and women Religious who have followed them.

POPE ASSURES VICTIMS OF TAIWAN QUAKE OF SOLIDARITY AND CLOSENESS

Following the 7.4-magnitude quake that hit Hualien City, Taiwan, on Wednesday, Pope Francis sends a telegram of condolences to the president of the Chinese Regional Bishops’ Conference of Taiwan.

By Christopher Wells (Vatican news)

Pope Francis “was deeply saddened to learn of the loss of life and damage caused by the earthquake in Taiwan.”

The Pope sent his condolences to the nation on Thursday, in a telegram signed by Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin and sent to Bishop John Baptist Lee Keh-Mean, the president of the Chinese Regional Bishops’ Conference of Taiwan.

At least nine people died when the 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck on Wednesday, and more than 1,000 people were injured. According to the BBC, rescuers are working to reach more than 600 stranded people, while dozens of people are still reported missing.

Local residents in front of buildings damaged by the earthquake  (AFP or licensors)

The Pope’s telegram assured those “affected by this disaster” of his “heartfelt solidarity and spiritual closeness.”

Pope Francis also prayed “for the dead, the injured, and all those displaced, as well as for the emergency personnel engaged in recovery efforts.”

The telegram concludes by noting the Holy Father’s invocation “upon all [of] the divine blessings of consolation and strength.”

 

VATICAN INSIDER: FR. BILL PETRIE, 25 YEARS WITH ST. TERESA OF CALCUTTA – A PAPAL TELEGRAM AND A BOOK FOR SYNOD PARTICIPANTS

VATICAN INSIDER: FR. BILL PETRIE, 25 YEARS WITH ST. TERESA OF CALCUTTA

This week on Vatican Insider, the interview segment is a repeat but it features a compelling storyteller and fascinating guest, Fr. Bill Petrie. At the time of our conversation, Fr. Bill, a priest of the Order of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary (SSCC), was pastor of St. Damien parish on the Hawaiian island of Molokai’i. We’ve been friends for a number of years and usually met at Kalaupapa on Molokai’i to talk about Sts. Damien, SSCC, and Marianne Cope and their work there with victims of leprosy.  This is Part II of our conversation. Part I aired last weekend.

From Fr. Bill’s FB page for St. Damien parish –

A Generations photo: Fr. Bill on Kalaupapa at grave site of St. Damien and also layman Joseph Dutton whose cause for canonization is underway in the diocese of Honolulu.

For this interview, we met at the home of some mutual friends in Honolulu on the island of Oahu to talk about his 25 years of work with St. Mother Teresa! 25 years! Tons of insight and remarkable stories about this holy woman, whose feast day we celebrated recently. I cannot find my photo of our Honolulu encounter but there was a rainbow over Fr. Bill’s head as we finished our talk!Fr. Bill now lives on Oahu.

I have been focussing on St. Teresa recently, as you know from my recent interview segment when my guests were the producer and stars of the film, “Mother Teresa and Me.” The film was released by Fathom Events in select U.S. theaters for one night only on Oct. 5.

IN THE UNITED STATES, you can listen to Vatican Insider (VI) on a Catholic radio station near you (stations listed at www.ewtn.com) or on channel 130 Sirius-XM satellite radio, or on http://www.ewtn.com. OUTSIDE THE U.S., you can listen to EWTN radio on our website home page by clicking on the right side where you see “LISTEN TO EWTN.” VI airs at 5am and 9pm ET on Saturdays and 6am ET on Sundays. On the GB-IE feed (which is on SKY in the UK and Ireland), VI airs at 5:30am, 12 noon and 10pm CET on Sundays. Both of these feeds are also available on the EWTN app and on www.ewtnradio.net ALWAYS CHECK YOUR OWN TIME ZONE! For VI archives: https://www.ewtn.com/radio/audio-archive –  write the name of the guest for whom you are searching in the SEARCH box. Below that, will appear “Vatican Insider” – click on that and the link to that particular episode will appear.

A PAPAL TELEGRAM AND A BOOK FOR SYNOD PARTICIPANTS

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 6 – In a telegram, the Holy Father expressed his condolences to the families of the 21 victims  who died in Mestre, near Venice when their bus went through a guardrail, crashing to the street below..

ALSO FRIDAY: Pope Francis attended both the morning and afternoon sessions of the synod. Participants were given a book written by the Holy Father titled “Holy, Not Worldly – God’s Grace Saves us from Interior Corruption.”

Available today in Rome bookstores for 5 euro, it was delivered in Italian (in paper format), and in Spanish and English (in digital format).

PAPAL VIDEO CALL TO GRANDMOTHER OF VATICAN OFFICIAL – IN BRIEF

PAPAL VIDEO CALL TO GRANDMOTHER OF VATICAN OFFICIAL

Pope Francis calls 95-year-old Sosamma Antony, the grandmother of Monsignor George Koovakad, the Vatican official who organizes his apostolic journeys.

By Francesca Merlo (Vatican news)

Pope Francis had been concerned about Mrs Sosamma Antony’s well-being, especially after her battle with Covid-19 the previous year. She is the 95-year-old grandmother of Monsignor George Jacob Koovakad, who has been involved in organising papal journeys since 2021. On 2 September, the Pope decided to reach out to her personally via a video call. The call was conducted in both English and Malayalam, the predominant language in Kerala, India. During their brief conversation, the Pope and Mrs Sosamma exchanged jokes, greetings, and blessings.

A recording of this heartfelt exchange recently surfaced on various local websites, including the Times of India. In the video, Father Thomas Kallukalam, the prior of a Syro-Malabar Church community, answered the call on behalf of Mrs. Sosamma. The Pope affectionately referred to her as “Mama” and requested to speak with her. Monsignor Koovakad served as the translator between the Pope and his grandmother during this virtual encounter. He had initially shared Mrs Sosamma’s health concerns with the Pope during their July 2022 trip to Canada, explaining that he planned to visit her in India after the journey. Given her age and recent battle with Covid-19, her health was a matter of grave concern.

Pope Francis, known for his deep empathy for the elderly and respect for grandparents, continued to inquire about Mrs Sosamma’s well-being through Monsignor Koovakad. Finally, during his trip to Mongolia, he expressed his desire to speak with her directly. On 2 September, while the Pope was in Ulaanbaatar, a video call was made to Father Kallukalam’s computer in the Changanassery Kottayam district of Kerala. Mrs Sosamma’s family had gathered at her home, and when they answered the call, they were greeted by the Pope’s face. He waved and said, “Greetings… Thank you!” He inquired about her health and praised her grandson’s upbringing.

With a gentle smile and a whispered assurance of prayers through her son, Mrs Sosamma reciprocated the warm sentiments. The Pope emphasized the importance of her prayers, acknowledging the profound value of her faith.

IN BRIEF

PAPAL TELEGRAM FOR VICTIMS OF BENIN FIRE -Pope Francis says he is deeply saddened to learn of a tragic fire in southeastern Benin which killed at least 35 people, including one child.  In the message addressed to Bishop Aristide Gonsallo of Porto-Novo whose diocese includes  the city of Sèmè Krakè where the tragedy happened on 23 September, the Pope says he  “prays for the repose of the deceased, entrusting them to God’s mercy, and for the recovery of the injured.” The Holy Father also expresses his support for those accompanying the victims of the fire. He prays to Our Lady “to bring strength and consolation to all those affected by the tragedy,” and invokes divine blessings on each person and on the entire nation as a sign of comfort. https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2023-09/pope-telegram-benin-fire.html

EXHORTATION ON CLIMATE TO BE CALLED “LAUDATE DEUM” – The title of Pope Francis’ next Apostolic Exhortation will be “Laudate Deum,” the Pope himself revealed, while addressing participants in a meeting of Latin American university rectors in the Vatican, when he vehemently warned against a throwaway culture. During the occasion, the Pope reflected on various issues raised by the educators, including climate change, migration, and the culture of waste. https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2023-09/laudate-deum-to-be-title-of-pope-s-exhortation-on-climate.html

VACATION TIME: WHERE WILL I BE SUNDAY? – FRANCIS PRAYS FOR VICTIMS OF WILDFIRES IN HAWAII

VACATION TIME: WHERE WILL I BE SUNDAY?

Tomorrow I fly to beautiful Budapest and Sunday will embark on a Danube River cruise with my sister, Gail, from California. It should be a great week with ports in Hungary, Austria, Slovakia, Germany and the Czech Republic!  I will surely try and share photos and videos as we cruise along. This is a trip we had to postpone from 2017 so both of us are really looking forward to quality time together. Gail’s oldest daughter, Beth (my godchild) and her husband will join us).

Vatican Insider will air on weekends and will be “the best of.”

Re: the music: If you do not know Andre Rieu and have never seen his videos, he and his amazing orchestra are the treat of a musical lifetime! POPhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dt88b1TOFxUE

FRANCIS PRAYS FOR VICTIMS OF WILDFIRES IN HAWAII

In a telegram addressed to the Apostolic Nuncio to the United States, Cardinal Pietro Parolin conveys the Holy Father’s deep sadness at “the loss of life and the destruction caused by the wildfires” in Hawaii, and assures those affected by the fires of the Pope’s prayers.

“His Holiness Pope Francis was deeply saddened to learn of the loss of life and the destruction caused by the wildfires on the Hawaiian island of Maui,” reads a telegram sent by Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin to the Apostolic Nuncio in the United States, Archbishop Christophe Pierre.

The telegram notes the Holy Father’s “solidarity with all those suffering from this tragedy, especially those whose loved ones have died or are missing.”

FOR MORE: https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2023-08/pope-francis-prays-for-victims-of-wildfires-in-hawaii.html

PAPAL HEALTH UPDATE FROM HOLY SEE PRESS OFFICE – POPE OFFERS CONDOLENCES, PRAYERS FOR SILVIO BERLUSCONI

I received this very positive thought today from a friend. I wholeheartedly agree with St. Thomas!

“Times are never so bad that a good man cannot live in them”

~ St. Thomas Aquinas

PAPAL HEALTH UPDATE FROM HOLY SEE PRESS OFFICE

A communique this morning said: “The (Gemelli) medical staff says the post-operative course of the Holy Father continues to be regular, observing all medical indications.   Pope Francis continues to eat normally. This morning he received the Holy Eucharist and subsequently dedicated himself to work activities.”

A separate report on Vatican News noted, “As a standard precaution, the Pope is expected to stay in the hospital this week, so he can return ‘stronger even than before’.”

POPE OFFERS CONDOLENCES, PRAYERS FOR SILVIO BERLUSCONI

Pope Francis joins in the mourning of former Italian Prime Minister, Silvio Berlusconi, who died today at age 86 after battling illness, calling the three-time Italian PM and businessman “a protagonist in Italian political life” who “held public responsibilities with energetic temperament.”

By Deborah Castellano Lubov

Pope Francis has offered his condolences and prayers for Silvio Berlusconi, Italy’s longest-serving premier, who passed away on Monday at age 86.

In a telegram sent on the Pope’s behalf by Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, to the former Italian Prime Minister’s daughter, Maria Elvira Berlusconi, in Milan, the Pope mourned the late Italian politician.

According to the Associated Press, Berlusconi was admitted to San Raffaele Hospital in Milan on Friday, his second recent hospitalization for treatment of chronic leukemia. He also suffered over the years from heart ailments, prostate cancer and was hospitalized for COVID-19 in 2020.

A state funeral will be held Wednesday in Milan’s Duomo cathedral, according to the archdiocese of Milan.

Pope’s mourning and prayers
“Pope Francis, having been informed of the death of your beloved father, Senator Silvio Berlusconi,” the telegram began, “wishes to extend his closeness to you and your family, assuring you of his heartfelt participation in the mourning for the loss of a protagonist of Italian political life, who held public responsibilities with energetic temperament.”

“His Holiness,” it continued, “invokes from the Lord, eternal peace for him, and consolation of heart for those who mourn his passing.”

Pope Francis joined in the condolences “with fervent remembrance” in prayer.

 

POPE EXPRESSES ‘HEARTFELT SYMPATHY’ AFTER DEADLY ITALIAN FLOODS

May 18, 1920 – Karol Wojtyla was born in Wadowice, Poland. Today would be the 103^rd birthday of the man who became Pope John Paul II. I have a veritable album of photos with John Paul taken during the years I worked at the Vatican. I miss him every day and pray often to him. And frequently I ask Mary, whom he so loved, for the same favor! This is the first time we met – at Mass in his private chapel in December 1995:

WYD in Denver, Colorado 1993:

The last time we met: December 2004 when he welcomed the entire staff of the Holy See Press Office to his library to mark the 20^th anniversary of Joaquin Navarro-Valls as director of that office. I had memorized how to say Merry Christmas and Happy New Year in Polish:

POPE EXPRESSES ‘HEARTFELT SYMPATHY’ AFTER DEADLY ITALIAN FLOODS

Pope Francis expresses his heartfelt sympathy for the people killed, and thousands forced to evacuate their homes, as exceptional, torrential rains battered northern Italy, causing massive damage, as the climate crisis continues to provoke always more violent storms and severe consequences across the globe.

By Deborah Castellano Lubov (Vaticannews)
Nine people are dead and thousands were evacuated from their homes following exceptional, torrential rains which battered northern Italy’s Emilia-Romagna region, and eastern provinces, triggering floods and landslides. (photos of various media)

Death toll mounts in Italy’s worst flooding for 100 years | Italy | The Guardian  (Video)

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According to Civil Protection Minister, Nello Musumeci, some areas had received half their average annual rainfall in just 36 hours. Rivers burst their banks and water washed through towns, and submerged thousands of acres of farmland, reported Reuters.

This catastrophe marks the latest episode of extreme weather and always-more-violent storms to strike the globe as the climate crisis intensifies.

Pope’s heartfelt sympathy, prayers

Pope Francis expressed his “heartfelt sympathy” to the suffering and affected by the extreme weather in Emilia Romagna, especially the eastern provinces, in a telegram of condolences. It was sent Thursday on his behalf by Archbishop Edgar Peña Parra, the Vatican’s Substitute for General Affairs of the Secretariat of State, to the Archbishop of Bologna and President of the Italian Episcopal Conference, Cardinal Matteo Maria Zuppi.

The Holy Father asked the Cardinal to convey his sentiments of heartfelt sympathy to the relatives and friends of the victims for the disaster which struck the territory.

Comfort following ‘grave calamity’

While assuring fervent prayers of suffrage for the deceased and expressing condolences to their families, the Pope invoked comfort from God for the wounded, and consolation for those who are suffering the consequences “of the grave calamity.”

Pope Francis expressed his gratitude to all those, amid great difficulty, are working to bring relief and alleviate all suffering, and to diocesan communities “for their manifestation of communion and fraternal closeness to the most-tried populations.”

The Holy Father concluded by offering his Apostolic Blessing to all, as a sign of special spiritual closeness. He also relayed the prayers of Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin.

 

Climate Crisis provoking global tragedy

As the deadly Italian rains wreaked havoc, across the globe, various climate catastrophes are killing many people and causing dramatic damage.

 

Earlier this week, powerful Cyclone Mocha slammed between Myanmar’s port city of Sittwe and Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh, home to nearly one million mostly Rohingya refugees, killing at least six people, causing hundreds of injuries and provoking a vast communications blackout that has left relief workers struggling to assess the extent of the damage.

 

Meanwhile, the death toll in Malawi from tropical Cyclone Freddy has surpassed 1000, confirmed Malawi’s President Lazarus Chakwer in April.

 

POPE MOURNS AND PRAYS FOR LATE L.A. BISHOP DAVID O’CONNELL – MARCH PAPAL PRAYER INTENTION: FOR VICTIMS OF ABUSE

POPE MOURNS AND PRAYS FOR LATE L.A. BISHOP DAVID O’CONNELL

Pope Francis sends condolences for the death of the late Bishop David O’Connell of Los Angeles, sending prayers and praising his witness as a priest close to the people.

By Deborah Castellano Lubov                                              Pope Francis has expressed his sorrow for the death of Los Angeles Bishop David O’Connell.

In a telegram sent on the Pope’s behalf by Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, to Archbishop José H. Gómez of Los Angeles, the Holy Father mourned the much-loved bishop known for being close to the people, and praised his witness as a priest.

“Deeply saddened to learn of the untimely and tragic death of Auxiliary Bishop David O’Connell, His Holiness Pope Francis sends heartfelt condolences and the assurance of his spiritual closeness to you, the clergy, religious, and lay faithful of the Archdiocese.”

Gratitude for Bishop O’Connell’s ministry

The Pope said he joined in giving thanks for the Bishop’s years of devoted priestly and episcopal ministry to the Church in Los Angeles, “marked especially by his profound concern for the poor, immigrants and those in need, his efforts to uphold the sanctity and dignity of God’s gift of life and his zeal for fostering solidarity, cooperation and peace within the local community.”

“In commending the late Bishop’s soul to the love and mercy of Christ the Good Shepherd, His Holiness prays that all who honor his memory will be confirmed in the resolve to reject the ways of violence and overcome evil with good.”

The Holy Father concluded by imparting his Apostolic Blessing as a pledge of peace and consolation in the Lord.

The Bishop’s funeral Mass will take place tomorrow, 3 March.

Murder of a loved Bishop

Carlos Medina, the husband of Bishop David O’Connell’s housekeeper, was charged with the murder of the late Irish-born Auxiliary Bishop.

Bishop O’Connell, 69, was found dead on Saturday, 18 Feb., with a gunshot wound to the chest in the bedroom of his home in Hacienda Heights, about 30 kilometers east of downtown Los Angeles.

The late Bishop O’Connell was a native of County Cork, Ireland, and ordained to serve in the Los Angeles Archdiocese in 1979, where for many years he focused on gang intervention, according to Angelus News, a local diocesan news platform.

He later sought to broker peace between residents and law enforcement following the violent 1992 uprising after a jury acquitted four white LA police officers in the brutal beating of Rodney King.

In recent years, he also spearheaded Catholic efforts in the region to work with immigrant children and families from Central America.

Always close to the people

Pope Francis appointed him Auxiliary Bishop of Los Angeles on 21 June 2015.

His violent death has caused shock and sadness in the Catholic community of Los Angeles, but also in his native Cork.

Los Angeles Archbishop Jose H. Gomez on Monday described him as “a good priest and a good bishop and a man of peace” who showed “compassion to the poor, to the homeless, immigrants, and to all those living on society’s margins.”

“We’re very sad to lose him,” he added, expressing his gratitude to the investigative team “for their hard work in bringing the suspect into custody.”

Bishop Fintan Gavin, of Cork and Ross in Ireland, said in a statement that the late bishop “had always maintained his connection with family and friends in Cork” through frequent visits back to Ireland.

MARCH PAPAL PRAYER INTENTION: FOR VICTIMS OF ABUSE

In his monthly video with a prayer intention, we hear the Pope intercede this month for Victims of Abuse.

He says: “Ask for forgiveness. Asking for forgiveness is necessary, but it is not enough. Asking for forgiveness is good for the victims, but they are the ones who have to be ‘at the center’ of everything. Their pain and their psychological wounds can begin to heal if they find answers —if there are concrete actions to repair the horrors they have suffered and to prevent them from happening again.

“The Church cannot try to hide the tragedy of abuse of any kind,” says the Holy Father. “Nor when the abuse takes place in families, in clubs, or in other types of institutions. The Church must serve as a model to help solve the issue and bring it to light in society and in families. The Church must offer safe spaces for victims to be heard, supported psychologically, and protected. Let us pray for those who have suffered because of the wrongs done to them from members of the Church; may they find within the Church herself a concrete response to their pain and suffering.”

To see video: Pope’s March prayer intention: For victims of abuse – Vatican News

POPE SENDS TELEGRAMS TO EARTHQUAKE-RAVAGED TURKEY AND SYRIA – POPE ON PLANE: “ENTIRE WORLD IS AT WAR AND IN SELF-DESTRUCTION”

On my first trip to Iraq, I visited all 6 dioceses in the northern region of Kurdistan. I spent an afternoon at a parish and the Mar Aoraha Chaldean shrine in the diocese and region of Zakho, the northwestern-most part of Kurdistan. In this photo, the pastor is indicating the shrine and telling me that, beyond the sign we are looking at, is the precise geographical point where Iraq, Turkey and Syria meet. Turkey and Syria, of course, are the two countries most affected by today’s earthquake.

Syria on the far left, Turkey on the right

Some photos of the shrine and adjacent area –

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POPE SENDS TELEGRAMS TO EARTHQUAKE-RAVAGED TURKEY AND SYRIA

Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin sent two separate telegrams today in Pope Francis’ name to Abp. Marek Solczyński, apostolic nuncio in Turkey and to Cardinal Mario Zenari apostolic nuncio in Syria, for the devastating earthquakes that have caused great loss of life and untold damage to structures.

The telegram to Abp. Solczyński said the Pope “was deeply saddened to learn of the huge loss of life caused by the earthquake in the area of south-eastern Türkiye, and he sends the assurance of his spiritual closeness to all those affected. Entrusting those who have died to the loving mercy of the Almighty, he sends heartfelt condolences to those who mourn their loss. His Holiness likewise prays that the emergency personnel will be sustained in their care of the injured and in the ongoing relief efforts by the divine gifts of fortitude and perseverance.”

In the separate telegram to Cardinal Zenari in Syria, the Holy Father expressed his sadness at “the significant loss of life caused by the earthquake in the area of north-western Syria,” and offered “heartfelt prayers for the souls of the deceased and for all who mourn them. Entrusting those affected by this disaster to the providence of the Almighty,” he offered prayers “in particular for the emergency personnel involved in the ongoing relief efforts” and he invoked “upon the long-suffering Syrian people the divine blessings of strength and peace.”

POPE ON PLANE: “ENTIRE WORLD IS AT WAR AND IN SELF-DESTRUCTION”

Sunday afternoon, February 5, on the flight from South Sudan back to Rome, Pope Francis was joined by Archbishop Justin Welby of Canterbury and Rev. Iain Greenshields, Moderator of the Church of Scotland for the traditional in-flight press conference with the 70 plus journalists on the papal plane.

The Pope answered questions on the criminalization of homosexual people, the late Pope emeritus Benedict XVI, an agreement signed in 2016 between the Holy See and the DRC on education and health, the United Nations and models of intervention (is a new one needed?), the war in Ukraine (would the Pope meet with Putin?), papal health, his energy, future trips in an era of “globalization of indifference.”

Vatican News carried a lengthy summary of the press conference: Pope: ‘Entire world is at war and in self-destruction’ – Vatican News

 

POPE DECRIES ATTACK ON CHURCH IN DCR

Yesterday was Martin Luther King Day in the U.S. and was a holiday for EWTN staff so I had a day off and it was wonderful, as days off should be! The entire Rome EWTN bureau celebrated the exceptional work undertaken in the week of Benedict XVI’s death and funeral and the Epiphany with a wonderful buffet lunch in one of the larger meetings rooms available for such events.

It is always great to spend time with the extremely talented people of the Rome bureau, to catch up on family news, children and new babies, impending weddings, interviews and documentaries planned, and so on. So many of these people are always behind the cameras. They are the people you don’t see but the ones who bring all the great images and stories that you do see on EWTN.

Before I move on, I want to share something with you that is considered an important part of Pope Benedict’s legacy:

POPE DECRIES ATTACK ON CHURCH IN DCR

Pope Francis is scheduled to leave for Africa on January 31^st, visiting the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DCR) and South Sudan. In South Sudan, it will be an ecumenical pilgrimage as he will be joined by the archbishop of Canterbury and by the moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. The trip, originally scheduled for July 2022, had to be postponed on advice of the papal doctors.

Monday, in a telegram, the Pope decried an attack on a Pentecostal church in the DRC that killed at least 14 people and wounded over 40 others. Vatican news reported that the so-called Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack, and the Congolese army blamed the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), which is allied to ISIS. The telegram, sent by Cardinal secretary of State Pietro Parolin in the Pope’s name, was addressed to Rev. André Bokundoa-Bo-Likabe, President of the Church of Christ in Congo.

In an interview with Vatican News following the bombing, the Apostolic Nuncio to the Democratic Republic of Congo, Archbishop Ettore Balestrero, said the attack sent a worrying signal, “even more so because it confirms the involution of the situation on the ground.” People of DR Congo await ‘healing’ from Pope’s upcoming visit – Vatican News

(Vatican news also reported that Pope Francis has expressed his condolences for the deaths of at least 70 people who were killed on Sunday in a plane crash in the South Asian nation of Nepal)