Today the 71st anniversary of Independence from the British Empire is celebrated. The Church publishes messages in the media. Imran Khan will be sworn in as prime minister on 18 August. Priest: "The dream of the founder Jinnah will not be realized until religious minorities become an integral part of national politics".
Lahore, National Minorities Day: Promises and assurances are not enough
by Shafique Khokhar | PAKISTANStudents take to the streets in Lahore for Qutub Rind, killed for 'blasphemy'
by Kamran Chaudhry | PAKISTANThe application of several members of the clergy was also turned down. Participation in the event required a letter of recommendation from Card Joseph Coutts to guarantee that the applicant would not seek asylum in Europe. The Irish consulate explained that their decision was based on applicants' family circumstances, economic situation and social conditions.
At the general audience, Pope Francis continues hiscatechesis on idolatry: "Human nature, to escape from precariousness, seeks a 'do-it-yourself' religion". The golden calf "is a symbol of wealth ... success, power and money ... the temptations of all time". "Our salvation comes from the One who became poor, who accepted failure". "In Christ our fragility is no longer a curse, but a place of encounter with the Father". The memory of St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, Edith Stein, patron saint of Europe.
Qutab Rind, who was killed by college students, claiming he had blasphemed, had his legs and arms broken before he was thrown from the third floor of a building. Police appear to be covering for the killers. “Another young talented student was killed under the banner of the blasphemy law to settle personal scores. This shows how dangerous it is to live in Pakistan where anyone can kill others for personal reasons,” said one human rights activist.
At the Angelus, Pope Francis marks the 40th anniversary of the death of Montini, whom he will canonize on October 14th. Encounter with Jesus goes "beyond the immediate satisfaction of material needs". God's work does not consist in "doing" things, but in "believing" in the One He has sent. The memorial of the dedication of the basilica of Saint Mary Major, "the Virgin Mary, Salus populi romani".
By changing article 2,267, the pontiff commits the Church to the worldwide abolition of the death penalty. The previous version of article (from 1992) allowed capital punishment, albeit under strict conditions. China, Saudi Arabia, and Iran are among the countries that execute the most.
The separation between politics and religion in Islam is an urgent need. Egypt and Syria are two cases in point. The war in Iraq (and in Syria) is above all an intra-Islamic war. European countries must push Islamic countries to implement equality among all citizens, regardless of religion, and absolute equality between men and women. Here is an interview with Jesuit Fr Samir Khalil Samir, a great Islam expert.
Cross and inscription "Catholic Church" removed from church facade. The ban on holding summer youth camps for catechism. Meanwhile, the vaccine scandal breaks out, a sign of a lack of moral values in Chinese society. Vaccinating young people in the spirit, helping them discover their faith, would help Chinese society. The considerations of a priest blogger.
The disappearance of a child who was sold has "nothing to do with the Congregation of the Missionaries of Charity". The nuns are victims of "many myths [. . .] information distorted and false news” as well as “baseless innuendo". Sr Prema gives her version of events and defends her congregation. Only two weeks before, the authorities described the children’s home involved as an “excellent environment for the care of children”. Now they have been taken by social services.
