"Dreams are a privileged place to look for the truth because in them we do not defend ourselves from the truth. They come, and ... and God also speaks in dreams; not always, because it is usually our unconscious that comes, but God so often chooses to speak in dreams.”
Sixty years of China’s “independent” Church celebrated with 48 bishops (photos-videos)
by Peter Zhao | CHINA – VATICANFrancis received the International Commission against the death penalty. "The acceptance of this form of punishment was a consequence of a mentality of the time, more legalistic than Christian, that sacralized the value of laws lacking in humanity and mercy." Legitimate defense is legitimate, but must always be proportionate.
During the Angelus Pope Francis commented on the liturgical readings of Gaudete Sunday. “In a remote village in the Galilee, in the heart of a young woman unknown to the world, God ignited the spark of happiness for the whole world. And today the same proclamation is addressed to the Church,” he said. “No concern, no fear shall ever take away the serenity that comes from knowing that God lovingly guides our lives, always.” The pontiff urged the international community to implement the directives of the Marrakech conference on migration. He also mentioned the blessing of the Little Children (Bambinelli) brought by the children of Rome.
Fr Mario Marazzi, 90, has lived his mission in Hong Kong and mainland China. He remembers his work with mentally disabled children in the mainland and expresses hope that the agreement between China and the Holy See will bring positive results. “I thank God for the gift of life” and all those who supported his mission.
The pastor at the Early Rain Covenant Church drafted the letter over time, asking that it be made public two days after his arrest. In it, he expresses his “disgust” for Communist persecution of Christians, but says he is not interested in changing the country’s social system. His goal is to bear witness through non-violence and slam violations of religious freedom. God will bring down the communist regime. The Church has existed for thousands of years, but no political power has lasted thousands of years.
Receiving the artists who will perform at the Christmas concert at the Vatican, Francis said that "networking with education means allowing people to get up on their feet, to get back on their feet with full dignity" and it is also "a valid solution to open the gates of the refugee camps, allowing young migrants to enter new societies".
In a message to a conference promoted by FAO, Francis notes that in many places "water is contaminated, garbage accumulates, deforestation progresses, the air is stale and the soil acidified. All this generates a harmful accumulation of evils and miseries."
Francis will travel to Bulgaria and visit the Macedonian capital of Skopje.
"The lessons" learned from the two great world can "continue to convince the world’s people and their leaders of the futility of armed conflict and the need to resolve conflicts through patient dialogue and negotiation. ". No effective humanitarian solution to the mass migration crisis "can ignore our moral responsibility" to "welcome, protect, promote and integrate".
China-based Michael Spavor deals with tourism to North Korea. Former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig went missing shortly before him. Both cases appear to be Chinese retaliation for the arrest of Sabrina Meng Wanzhou, IT giant Huawei’s second most important official.
