A very widespread practice. Four days ago, Serdar, the 40-year-old son of the president of Turkmenistan, took on two important state positions. In Tajikistan, Rustam Emomali, 34, was appointed speaker in the upper house of parliament by his father. Saida Mirziyoyev's birthday, February 15, celebrated as a moment of "national interest". Dariga Nazarbaeva, 57, at her father’s behest proclaimed "second most important person" in Kazakhstan.
This year's work program for Catholics has been drawn up by bishops and the Patriotic Association. Deepen the history of the Party, the Long March, Socialism, aligning with the leadership of Xi Jinping. A Theological Forum on Sinicization is also planned. More than a "pastoral" program, it is a political program in which the "independent and autonomous Church" is exalted.
The Gospel of the first Sunday of Lent reminds us of “this cunning enemy, interested in our eternal condemnation, our failure”. Yesterday afternoon Francis visited Ms Edith Bruck, a poet who survived the Holocaust.
The Holy See’s total revenues reached € 260.4 million against € 310.1 million in expenses, with an expected deficit of € 49.7 million in 2021. Most spending (68 per cent) will go apostolic activities; 17 per cent will pay for patrimony and other assets management, and 15 per cent to administration and service activities.
The church was built in 2000, with all the permits and praise of the local authorities. There are two reasons for the destruction: the land’s commercial value and erasing the "showy" symbolism of the religious building. The policy of "sinicization" launched by Xi Jinping and implemented in Zhejiang and Xijiang. 16,000 mosques were also destroyed or damaged. The appeal to the Pope and the Vatican.
In a video message to the 65th Religious Education Congress organised by the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, Francis states that there is a need for a community that can support us, that can help us and in which we help each other to look forward, to a tomorrow in which we will have to “act in the Samaritan’s style”, that is, by “letting myself be struck by what I see.”
Global debt is equal to 355 percent of global GDP. China's debt jumped by 335 per cent of GDP. Countries are going into greater debt to support companies and workers. The trend will continue in 2021. Finding a balanced exit strategy will be the big challenge.
Note from the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments on the celebrations of Holy Week in times of Covid-19. "It is suggested to facilitate and privilege the media coverage of the celebrations presided over by the bishop, encouraging the faithful who are unable to attend their own church to follow the diocesan celebrations as a sign of unity".
On Ash Wednesday, Francis recalls “our journey then is about letting him take us by the hand. The Father who bids us come home is the same who left home to come looking for us; the Lord who heals us is the same who let himself suffer on the cross; the Spirit who enables us to change our lives is the same who breathes softly yet powerfully on our dust.”
Francis has introduced changes to the Vatican Criminal Code and Code of Criminal Procedure. The changes reflect “the changed sensitivities of the times” and go beyond “outdated inspirational criteria and functional solutions”.
Pope Francis released a video message for the 'Day of Contemporary Martyrs', organised by the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of London to commemorate the 21 Coptic Orthodox martyrs killed on 15 February 2015.
In the episode of the leper who approaches Jesus who heals him, we see that "God is not indifferent, he does not keep a 'safe distance'; indeed, he approaches with compassion and touches our life to heal it. Closeness, compassion, tenderness: these three words contain God's style ".
Commentary on the Gospel of the 6th Sunday for year B (Mark 1,40-45).
Francis writes a letter to mark the 600th anniversary of the mission of the Commissaries of the Holy Land who through their dedication enable "a network of ecclesial, spiritual and charitable relations that have as their focal point the land where Jesus lived".
