On the final day of the annual Italian Catholic Social Week, Pope Francis traveled to the northern Italian city of Trieste on July 7 to share his thoughts on the crisis of democracy. Speaking to over 900 delegates from dioceses and associations across Italy, the Pope appealed for a democratic process that engages personal and community involvement.
In his address, Pope Francis offered an image of the crisis of democracy as “a wounded heart,” in which corruption and social exclusion can abound and power becomes self-referential and incapable of serving its constituents.
“The very word ‘democracy’ does not simply coincide with the vote of the people but requires creating the conditions for everyone to express themselves and participate,” he said.
Democratic participation, he added, must be instilled at a young age, so that citizens embrace a critical sense “regarding ideological and populist temptations.” The Pope called on Christians to promote a fruitful dialogue between religion and society, while upholding the dignity of the person.
“The principles of solidarity and subsidiarity,” he said, help build the bonds of democracy, since they encourage participation and overcome indifference, which he said is “a cancer of democracy.”
The Pope went on to uphold the goal of democratic participation with the image of a “healed heart.” “If we look around,” he said, “we see many signs of the Holy Spirit’s action in the lives of families and communities, even in the fields of economics, technology, politics, and society.” Fraternity, added Pope Francis, “makes social relationships flourish,” and engenders a spirit of collective aspiration. “A democracy with a healed heart,” he said, “continues to cultivate dreams for the future, engages, and calls for personal and community involvement.”
Catholics, said the Pope, must look beyond quick fixes for democracy’s ills and never retreat into a “marginal or private faith.”
“This means not so much demanding to be heard,” he said, “but above all having the courage to make proposals on behalf of justice and peace in the public debate.” Christian engagement in politics must take on the aspects of “political love” or “political charity,” which allows politics to “rise to its responsibilities and move beyond polarizations”. “Let us train ourselves in this love to circulate it in a world short of civil passion,” concluded Pope Francis. “Let us learn to better walk together as God’s people, to be leaven of participation among the people to which we belong.”
The Catholic Church Will Have 14 New Saints Next October 20
On July 1, in the Hall of the Consistory of the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace, Pope Francis presided over the celebration of the Canonical Hour of Terce of the Divine Office and the Ordinary Public Consistory for the Canonization of Blesseds. Manuel Ruiz López and Seven Companions of the Order of Friars Minor, and Francis Mooti and Raphael Massabki, lay faithful, martyrs.
Joseph Allamano, priest, Founder of the Institutes of Men Missionaries of the Consolata and Women Missionaries of the Consolata. Marie Léonie Paradis (born Virginia Alodie), Foundress of the Congregation of the Little Sisters of the Holy Family. Elena Guerra, Foundress of the Congregation of the Oblates of the Holy Spirit, known as the “Sisters of Saint Zita.” Carlo Acutis, lay faithful. In the course of the Consistory, the Holy Father decreed that Blessed Manuel Ruiz López and Seven Companions, and Blesseds Francis Mooti and Raphael Massabki, Blessed Joseph Allamano, Blessed Marie Léonie Paradis and Blessed Elena Guerra be inscribed in the Catalogue of Saints on Sunday, October 20, 2024, whereas Blessed Carlo Acutis will be inscribed in the Catalogue of Saints at a date yet to be determined.
Ethiopian Cardinal: Amidst the devastation and destruction there is hope
Card. Berhaneyesus Demerew Souraphiel, Metropolitan Archbishop of Addis Ababa, has always been involved in addressing the humanitarian crises that have risen in Ethiopia as a result of past and ongoing conflicts. In a recent interview with Fides News Agency, he stated that “there are various conflicts in Ethiopia, but we must never lose hope.”
Discussing the internal conflicts in the country, Cardinal Souraphiel spoke of the suffering caused to the population. He noted that the Tigray war has ended, with the signing of a peace treaty in Pretoria, but that even so, humanitarian needs are desperate. Likewise, humanitarian needs in Oromia are severe, affecting both the displaced and those who remain amidst the war. Similar situations are unfolding in the Amhara region, where recent conflicts between the federal government and the Fano militia have exacerbated the crisis.
Cardinal Souraphiel emphasised the Church’s efforts, through Caritas Internationalis, to provide aid to as many affected individuals as possible. He stated, “The Catholic Church is a small reality in Ethiopia, but it seeks to reach the largest number of displaced persons and those living in war zones to offer them aid.”
Addressing the psychological and spiritual “wounds” caused by the wars, Cardinal Souraphiel underscored the extremely vast and varied impact on the population, especially on women, children, the elderly, and those who have been forced to fight. “Every war leaves many people affected not only in the body but also in the soul and spirit,” he noted. The Church aims to offer assistance in social, psychological, and spiritual fields, with a particular focus on trauma care. The cardinal said special attention is given to children and their mothers, many of whom cannot attend school, and to women who have been victims of rape.
Irish Bishops underscore compassion and healing in end-of-life care
The Irish Catholic Bishops’ Conference has published a pastoral statement entitled “Freedom to Live Fully, Until Death Comes” to inform people of faith and goodwill who wish to protect and support human life with dignity and compassion, especially in the last weeks of terminal illness.
The pastoral letter came out at the end of June 2024, in view of national discussions following the Irish parliament’s “Final Report of the Joint Committee on Assisted Dying” published in March, in which the government introduces legislation allowing for assisted dying in certain circumstances.
The pastoral statement consists of a text, but also a 35-minute video that explains and illustrates the Church’s teachings on end-of-life care, and especially its focus on the compassionate care needs of the whole person. Bishop Kevin Doran of Elphin Diocese and Chair of the Irish Bishops’ Council for Life spoke to Vatican News, and said the aim of the video was to better convey the human reality of these issues.
The video is entitled “Through the Valley” and features a collection of reflections and conversations with the terminally ill, family members of people who have died with terminal illness, and healthcare professionals. Bishop Doran believes, “this medium of film helps to capture…a human story which is so important in getting across the message that it is actually possible to live fully and richly, even in terminal illness and even in palliative care.”
Religious women in Africa prepare to celebrate golden jubilee of their association
Malawi’s religious women will host golden celebrations of the Association of Consecrated Women in Eastern and Central Africa (ACWECA) from 19 August to 24 August 2024 in Lilongwe, Malawi. It will also be the 19th Plenary Assembly of the Association. ACWECA is the umbrella body of Catholic consecrated religious sisters in countries of the Eastern and Central Africa. The ACWECA region comprises 10 countries: Sudan, South Sudan, Malawi, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, Eretria, and Zambia. Zimbabwe is an affiliate member.
ACWECA Secretary General, Sr. Bridgita Samba Mwawasi, says all is set for Malawi to host the long-awaited 19th Plenary Assembly at the Golden Peacock Hotel in Lilongwe. She said preparations for the two-tier celebrations are now at an advanced stage. Malawi will host at least 200 delegates during the Plenary. These include the ACWECA executive board, staff, and the council of delegates, which has voting rights.
A team of observers comprising representatives of the International Union of Superiors Generals (UISG), religious women from outside the ACWECA region, and donor partners are also expected at the Assembly.
“After a colourful official opening Mass on 19 August at Lilongwe’s CIVO Stadium, the major part of the Plenary Assembly shall be the discussions of the theme: ‘Transformative holistic formation for authentic living towards a deeper evangelization in the ACWECA region and beyond.’ Then, we will also celebrate the Golden Jubilee,” Sr. Mwawasi said.
Some of the topics to be discussed during the Plenary Assembly include revitalising consecrated life and religious identity today and holistic religious formation in view of living the congregations’ charism and gospel values. Other topics include mental health and self-care in religious congregations.
Indian bishops mourn loss of lives in hooch tragedy
Consumption of spurious liquor led to the death of 57 people, most of them daily wage laborers, and left 150 others battling for life in a hospital in a southern Indian state. The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) expressed its “profound sorrow and condolences to the families of those who tragically lost their lives after consuming methanol-mixed liquor in Tamil Nadu [state].” Many of those who died were Dalits or formerly untouchables from Kallakuruchi town and its nearby villages who worked as daily labourers. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families during this heartbreaking time,” the CBCI said in a June 21 statement. The Catholic bishops also sought action against those involved in the illicit liquor trade that led to the tragedy. The state police’s crime investigation department has arrested seven suspects so far since the tragedy on June 19. The victims, among them two women and a transgender person, consumed the spurious liquor in the evening after a hard day’s work. “Among the dead are a few Protestant Christians,” said a Catholic priest in the Arch-diocese of Pondicherry-Cuddalore which covers the Kallakuruchi town and its surrounding area. However, the exact number of Christians who died or are in serious condition could not be ascertained due to the highly tense situation, he said. “It is still ex-plosive despite heightened security,” the priest who wished to be anonymous told.
Twenty young leaders commit to become lay missionaries
As many as 20 young people from seven Indian states have committed to becoming lay missionaries through the Communio missionary training programme. The commitment ceremony took place on June 23 at St. Francis Assisi Church at Tallur, Udupi diocese, Karnataka. The second batch of the missionary training programme organized by Communio in collaboration with the Youth Commission of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India was inaugurated by Father Stephen Alathara, Deputy Secretary General, CCBI, and the Director of Communio. Earlier in March 2024, the Youth Commission trained 30 youth for their missionary journey. The Communio Missionary Training Programme that began on June 22 will conclude on June 27 when the trainees take the missionary pledge before Bishop Gerald Isaac Lobo of Udupi. The selected volunteers, chosen for their diverse linguistic, cultural, and environmental backgrounds, are being immersed in the local culture by staying with twenty families from St. Francis Assisi parish.
Churches appeal Indian president to save Manipur Christians
Christian groups in the strife-torn Manipur state in northeast India have jointly appealed to Indian President Droupadi Murmu to stop the violence against a tiny group of Christians who live among native Hindu Meitei people. An estimated 35,000 Meitei Christians face “total cleansing and obliteration” in all the valley districts of the hilly state, according to their memorandum submitted to Murmu on June 26. The All Manipur Christian Organization (AMCO), a forum of all Christian groups in the state cutting across denomi-national differences, said Meitei Christians are facing violence from people of their ethnicity.
The Meitei people make up 53 percent of Manipur’s 3.2 million population. They are mostly Hindus, but some have followed various Christian denominations for decades. How-ever, they became the target of Meitei violence after a riot broke out 14 months ago between Meitei people and predominantly Christian Kuki tribal people, the Church leader told. “Since the mayhem and violence started, more than 360 Christian churches have either been razed to the ground, demo-lished or vandalized, out of which 249 churches belong to the Meitei minority Christian com-munity,” said the memorandum. “What is extremely saddening and heart-wrenching is the fact that all the displaced Meitei Christians are still not allowed to practice Christianity as their faith,” it said.
“The Meitei Christians, who are being threatened and harassed, are not allowed to practice their faith,” the memorandum said. It stressed that freedom of religion is “a guaranteed fundamental right of each citizen of our secular nation.” The Meitei Christians should be given “the necessary protection and assurance by the government of India and state government that they would no longer be disturbed from any angle in practicing the faith they choose,” it said. The memorandum also appealed to Murmu to take immediate action to “rebuild the places of worship, fostering healing and restoring the fabric of unity among the people.” It said that the reconstruction of these churches will serve as a symbol of resilience and reaffirm our commitment to diversity and harmony.
13 Christians jailed in northern Indian state
A Protestant pastor along with his wife, and three other pastors are among 13 Christians jailed in separate incidents in a northern Indian state over allegations of religious conversion. “It is an alarming situation. Within 20 days, 13 people went to prison because of their faith in Jesus Christ,” said a Christian leader who is helping Pastor Sanjay Kumar and his wife, Sunita Devi, to secure bail. The pastor and his wife, who are parents of three children, were arrested in Azamgarh on June 21 by police in Uttar Pradesh. The state, governed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has a sweeping anti-conversion law in place. The series of arrests began on June 7 with Abhishek Masih and Anil Masih in Barabanki district. This was followed by the arrest of ` Durgesh Chauhan on June 9 in Ayodhya district.
On June 16, Pastor Paul, who was identified by a single name, and Nandlal Rajbhar were arrested in Ghazipur district followed by the arrests of Ram Chander, Anuj Kumar, Sarvesh Kumar and Hitna, identified by a single name, in Sitapur district on June 19. The latest to be arrested on June 23 were Pastor Sarju Prasad from Ayodhya district and Pastor Naresh Kumar from Hardoi district.The Christian leader said most of them were participating in house prayer meetings when the police arrived after being alerted by local villagers suspecting conversion activities. The police arrested and produced them in local courts seeking they be placed in custody for further investigations. “More than a dozen Christians are being accused of religious conversion even though there isn’t a single person whom they converted,” said a Church leader. He felt the police action may be “the fallout of the general election where Modi and his party lost seats in Uttar Pradesh,” resulting in their reduced majority in parliament.
Uttar Pradesh government is headed by Yogi Adityanath, a Hindu monk-turned-politician. The draconian anti-conversion law was enforced by his government as an ordinance in 2020. It was adopted by the state assembly the following year as the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act 2021.Since the enactment of this law, Church leaders said close to 450 Christians, including Catholic priests and pastors, have been jailed in the state. Christians make up a mere 0.18 percent of Uttar Pradesh’s more than 200 million people.
India’s 12th state plans law to criminalize conversions
Yet another Indian state has announced plans to enact a draconian anti-conversion law, which is often used to harass Christians in the country. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in the north-we-stern state of Rajasthan dis-closed its intent to curb religious conversions in an affidavit filed before the Supreme Court, the country’s top court, on June 18. The affidavit was filed in response to a public interest litigation by Delhi-based lawyer and BJP Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay seeking stringent steps by federal and state governments to control fraudulent religious conversions, which he called “a nationwide problem.”
The petition alleged the involvement of Christians in fraudulent religious conversion. Eleven Indian states, most of them ruled by the BJP, have enacted the draconian law, ironically named as freedom of religious acts. But Rajasthan “lacks a specific legislation” to curb conversions, according to the affidavit filed by the state government. After defeating the secular Congress party, the BJP formed a government in Rajas-than in December last year. “There is no doubt enactment of an anti-conversion law will make Christians vulnerable to hardline Hindu groups,” said a Catholic priest based in Rajasthan. According to Christian leaders, Hindu nationalist groups and activists may misuse the anti-conversion law to target them with impunity. “Laws are made when there is a need for them. But in this case, there is no such need,” said A.C. Michael, a Catholic leader based in Delhi. Michael, a former member of the Delhi state minority commission, said that the proposed law “will only make the life of Christians difficult.” Christians face severe atrocities in the neighboring state of Uttar Pradesh, ruled by the BJP. The draconian anti-conversion law was first enforced as an ordinance in 2020 and adopted by the state assembly the following year as the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act 2021. Since the implementation of the law, close to 400 Christians, including Catholic priests and pastors, have been jailed in the state under the sweeping law. “We cannot rule out a similar situation in our state,” said a priest attached to the Udainagar diocese in Rajasthan. India’s top court is hearing public interest petitions challenging the constitutional validity of the anti-conversion laws passed by the states.