CATHOLIC WORLD NEWS: MON. MARCH 29, 2010: HEADLINES-
VATICAN: DECREES OF THE CONGREGATION CAUSES OF SAINTS/OTHER VIS NEWS-
AMERICAS: CHILE: $260 MILLION NEEDED TO RESTORE CHURCHES-
AMERICAS: CHILE: $260 MILLION NEEDED TO RESTORE CHURCHES-
EUROPE: MOSCOW: SUICIDE BOMBINGS KILL AT METRO STATION-
ASIA: CHINA: 153 TRAPPED MINERS IN DANGER OF DEATH-
AFRICA: SUDAN: NEW CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OPENS IN WAU DIOCESE-
AUSTRALIA: AMBASSADOR TAKING STEPS TOWARDS MACKILLOP CANONISATION-
VATICAN
DECREES OF THE CONGREGATION FOR THE CAUSES OF SAINTS
(VIS) - Today, during a private audience with Archbishop Angelo Amato S.D.B., prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, the Pope authorised the congregation to promulgate the following decrees: MIRACLES - Blessed Bonifacia Rodriguez Castro, Spanish foundress of the Congregation of the Missionary Sisters, Servants of St. Joseph (1837-1905). - Servant of God Juan de Palafox y Mendoza, Spanish bishop of Osma (1600-1659). - Servant of God Maria Barbara of the Blessed Trinity (nee Barbara Maix), Austrian foundress of the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (1818-1873). - Servant of God Anna Maria Adorni, Italian foundress of the Congregation of Handmaidens of Blessed Mary Immaculate and of the Institute of the Good Shepherd of Parma (1805-1893). - Servant of God Mary of the Immaculate Conception (nee Maria Isabella Salvat y Romero), Spanish superior general of the Institute of Sisters of the Company of the Cross (1926-1998). - Servant of God Stephen Nehme (ne Joseph), Lebanese professed religious of the Order of Maronites (1889-1938). MARTYRDOM - Servant of God Szilard Bogdanffy, Romanian bishop of Oradea Mare of the Latins, died in prison in Nagyenyed, Romania (1911-1953). - Servant of God Gerhard Hirschfelder, German diocesan priest, died in Dachau concentration camp (1907-1942). - Servant of God Luigi Grozde, Slovenian layman and member of Catholic Action, killed at Mirna in hatred of the faith (1923-1943). HEROIC VIRTUES - Servant of God Francesco Antonio Marcucci, Italian archbishop-bishop of Montalto (1717-1798). - Servant of God Ivan Franjo Gnidovec, Slovenian bishop of Skopje-Prizren, (1873-1939). - Servant of God Luigi Novarese, Italian diocesan priest and founder of the Silent Workers of the Cross (1914-1984). - Servant of God Henriette DeLille, American foundress of the Congregation of the Sisters of the Holy Family (1813-1862). - Servant of God Maria Theresia (nee Regina Christine Wilhelmine Bonzel), German foundress of the Institute of Poor Franciscan Sisters of the Perpetual Adoration, of the Third Order of St. Francis (1830-1905). - Servant of God Maria Frances of the Cross (nee Franziska Amalia Streitel), German foundress of the Institute of Sisters of Our Lady of Sorrows (1844-1911). - Servant of God Maria Felicia of Sacramental Jesus (nee Maria Felicia Guggiari Echevarria), Paraguayan professed sister of the Order of Discalced Carmelites. (1925-1959).CSS/DECREES/AMATO VIS 100329 (390)
FR. LOMBARDI: CHURCH COMMITMENT AGAINST CHILD ABUSE VATICAN CITY, 27 MAR 2010 (VIS) - Given below is the text of a note released by Holy See Press Office Director Fr. Federico Lombardi S.J., entitled "Vigil of Holy Week". "The question of the sexual abuse of minors by members of the Catholic clergy has continued to receive wide coverage in the communications media of many countries, especially in Europe and North America, coverage which has continued over recent days following the publication of the Pope's Letter to the Catholics of Ireland. "This is no surprise. The nature of the question is such as to attract the attention of the media, and the way in which the Church deals with it is crucial for her moral credibility. "The truth is that the cases that have come to public attention generally took place some time ago, even decades ago, although recognising them and making amends with the victims is the best way to restore justice and to achieve that 'purification of memory' which enables us to look to the future with renewed commitment, with humility and trust. "A contribution to this trust comes from the many positive signals emerging from various episcopal conferences, bishops and Catholic institutions in different countries on the various continents: directives for the correct handling and prevention of abuses, which have been reiterated, updated and renewed in Germany, Austria, Australia, Canada etc. "In particular, one piece of good news is the seventh annual report on the application of 'Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People' of the Church in the United States. Without indulging in misplaced congratulations, we cannot but recognise the extraordinary preventative efforts being undertaken, with numerous formational and training courses both for the young people and for pastoral and educational staff. And it must acknowledged that the number of accusations of abuse has dropped by more than 30 percent over the last year, and most of them concerned cases more than thirty years old. Without entering into further details, it must be recognised that the decisive measures currently being implemented are proving effective: the Church in the United States is on the right road to renewal. "This, we feel, is an important piece of news in the context of recent media attacks, which have undoubtedly proved harmful. But an impartial observer will not fail to notice that the authority of the Pope and the intense and coherent commitment of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith have not been weakened, rather they have been confirmed in their support and guidance to bishops to combat and root out the blight of abuse wherever it appears. The Pope's recent Letter to the Church in Ireland is powerful testimony of this, and contributes to preparing the future along the path of 'healing, renewal, reparation'. "With humility and trust, in a spirit of penance and hope, the Church now enters Holy Week asking the mercy and grace of the Lord, Who suffered and died for all".OP/NOTE CLERGY ABUSE/LOMBARDI VIS 100329 (510)
TO BE CHRISTIAN MEANS TO WALK WITH CHRIST VATICAN CITY, 28 MAR 2010 (VIS) - Young people from all over the world this morning participated in the Palm Sunday Eucharistic celebration presided by the Pope in St. Peter's Square. Today also marks 25th World Youth Day, celebrated this year at a diocesan level on the theme : "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" Before Mass, Benedict XVI blessed the palms and olive branches by the obelisk in the square then led the procession to the altar. In his homily the Holy Father explained that "to be Christian means to believe that the way of Jesus Christ is the right way to be human, the way that leads to the goal of a completely fulfilled and authentic humanity". Addressing himself in particular to the young he said that "to be Christian is a way, or rather it is a pilgrimage, a journey with Jesus Christ. It is to go in the direction He showed us, and continues to show us. "But", the Pope added, "what direction is that? How can we find it?". The Gospel, he said, "offers us two clues. In the first place it says that it is an ascent. ... Jesus walks before us, He climbs towards the heights. He leads us to what is great and pure, He leads us to the healthy air of the heights, to a life lived according to truth, to the courage that does not allow itself to be intimidated by the chatter of dominant opinion, to the patience that bears with and sustains others". Benedict XVI went on: "In the breadth of Jesus' ascent the dimensions of our own discipleship, the goal to which He wishes to lead us, become apparent: the heights of God, communion with God, being-with-God. This is the true goal, and communion with Him is the way. Communion with Christ is a journey, a permanent ascent towards the heights of our calling. To walk with Christ is at the same time to journey in the 'us' of those who want to follow Him". "We are then, so to say, on the same 'expedition' as Jesus Christ, we are with Him in the climb to the heights of God. He pulls us up and supports us. Part of the discipleship of Christ is allowing ourselves to join this expedition, to accept that we cannot manage alone". "Being together on expedition also involves not behaving as masters of the Word of God, not chasing after an erroneous idea of emancipation. The humility of 'being-with' is an essential part of the ascent", said Benedict XVI. "Another aspect thereof is allowing the Lord, in the Sacraments, to take us by the hand; allowing ourselves to be purified and corroborated by Him, and accepting the discipline of the ascent even if we are tired". "And part of the ascent to the heights of Jesus Christ, the ascent to the heights of God Himself, is the Cross. Just as in the things of this world we cannot achieve great results without sacrifice and hard work, just as joy for a great academic discovery or for an authentic practical skill is associated with discipline and with the effort of learning, so too the way to life itself, to fulfilling our humanity, is linked to communion with the One Who climbed to the heights of God through the Cross. In the final instance, the Cross is the expression of what love means: only he who loses himself can find himself". The Holy Father went on: "Our pilgrimage as disciples of Christ does not, then, lead to some earthly city, but towards the new City of God which arises in the midst of this world. And yet the pilgrimage to the earthly Jerusalem can also be, for us as Christians, a useful element for that greater journey". Recalling the greeting uttered by pilgrims as they enter the Holy City - "peace on earth and glory in the highest" - Benedict XVI concluded by asking the Lord "to bring us heaven: the glory of God and peace among men. We understand that greeting in the spirit of the request contained in the Lord's prayer: 'your will be done on earth as it is in heaven'. We know that heaven is heaven, a place of glory and peace because there the will of God has complete reign. And we know the earth will not be heaven until the will of God is accomplished here".HML/PALM SUNDAY/... VIS 100329 (760)
ANGELUS: 25 YEARS SINCE FOUNDATION OF WORLD YOUTH DAYS VATICAN CITY, 28 MAR 2010 (VIS) - At the end of today's solemn Eucharistic celebration for Palm Sunday, the Pope prayed the Angelus with faithful and pilgrims gathered in St. Peter's Square. Before the Marian prayer the Pope recalled how in 1985, to coincide with the International Year for Young People called by the United Nations, John Paul II had instituted the World Youth Days, which are celebrated every year on Palm Sunday with an additional international gathering of young people every three years. "Twenty-five year ago my beloved predecessor invited young people to profess their faith in Christ", said Benedict XVI. "Today I renew this appeal to the new generations to bear witness, with the mild but luminous power of truth, that the men and women of the third millennium may not lack their most authentic model: Jesus Christ". After the Angelus prayer, the Pope addressed some remarks to young people: "Do not be afraid when following Christ leads to misunderstandings and affronts. Serve Him in the weakest and most disadvantaged people, especially your own peers in difficulties. In this contest, I wish to give assurances of my special prayers for World Autism Awareness Day, promoted by the UN, which falls on 2 April". The Holy Father then turned his attention to Jerusalem, "where the Paschal Mystery was fulfilled", saying: "I am deeply pained by the recent clashes and the tension that has again arisen in that city, which is the homeland of Christians, Jews and Muslims, a prophecy and promise of the universal reconciliation God desires for the entire human family. "Peace", he added in conclusion, "is a gift that God entrusts to human responsibility, to be cultivated through dialogue, respect for the rights of all, reconciliation and forgiveness. Let us pray, then, that those responsible for the fate of Jerusalem may courageously start down the road of peace and follow it with perseverance".ANG/WYD JERUSALEM/... VIS 100329 (330)
AUDIENCES VATICAN CITY, 29 MAR 2010 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences: - Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches. - Cardinal Ivan Dias, prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples. - Cardinal Julian Herranz, president emeritus of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts. - Archbishop Salvatore Fisichella, rector of Rome's Pontifical Lateran University and president of the Pontifical Academy for Life. On Saturday 27 March he received in separate audiences: - Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, prefect of the Congregation for Bishops. - Archbishop Angelo Amato S.D.B., prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints. - Archbishop Nikola Eterovic, secretary general of the Synod of Bishops. - Marius Gabriel Lazurca, ambassador of Romania, accompanied by his wife on a farewell visit.AP/.../... VIS 100329 (140)
OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS VATICAN CITY, 29 MAR 2010 (VIS) - The Holy Father: - Accepted the resignation from the archdiocese of Aix, France, presented by Archbishop Claude Feidt, in accordance with canon 401 para. 2 of the Code of Canon Law. He is succeeded by Coadjutor Archbishop Christophe Dufour. - Appointed Bishop John 'Oke Afareha, auxiliary of Warri, Nigeria, as bishop of the same diocese (area 10,650, population 3,308,246, Catholics 217,894, priests 93, religious 72). - Appointed Fr. Jean Marie Vu Tat of the clergy of Hung Hoa, Vietnam, vice rector of the major seminary of Hanoi, Vietnam, as auxiliary of Hung Hoa (area 54,352, population 6,963,632, Catholics 222,647, priests 54, religious 191). The bishop-elect was born in Di Nau, Vietnam in 1944 and ordained a priest in 1987. On Saturday 27 March it was made public that he: - Appointed Cardinal Angelo Sodano, dean of the College of Cardinals, as pontifical legate to the tenth National Eucharistic Congress, due to be held in Toledo, Spain, from 27 to 30 May. - Appointed Archbishop Petar Rajic, apostolic nuncio to Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar, and apostolic delegate to the Arabian Peninsula, also as apostolic nuncio to Yemen. - Appointed Fr. Raymond Ahoua F.D.P., head of formation of seminarians for the Franciscans of Divine Providence, formerly a missionary in Kenya, as bishop of Grand-Bassam (area 8,354, population 1,650,250, Catholics 294,273, priests 114, religious 75), Ivory Coast. The bishop-elect was born in Bonoua, Ivory Coast in 1960 and ordained a priest in 1990. He succeeds Bishop Paul Dacoury-Tabley, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.RE:NEA:NA:NN:NER/.../... VIS 100329 (280)
AMERICAS
CHILE: $260 MILLION NEEDED TO RESTORE CHURCHES
CNA report: Eighty percent of religious sites in the Chilean regions hit by last month's earthquake are in desperate need of repair, according to a report prepared by the Office of Statistics for the bishops' conference of Chile. The prelates note that some $260 million will be needed for reconstruction efforts.
Twelve of the country’s 27 dioceses were affected by the earthquake, with 545 religious facilities reporting damage, 440 of which are churches.
The statistics indicate that nearly one million Chilean Catholics are currently unable to attend their regular parishes. For this reason, pastors and parish assistants have made extra efforts to ensure the continuity of liturgical services and pastoral ministry.
Due to the severity of the damage, the executive committee of the bishops' conference has established a Reconstruction Support Commission to collaborate with the prelates on restoration efforts across the country.
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/chile_needs_260_million_to_restore_churches_bishops_estimate/
Twelve of the country’s 27 dioceses were affected by the earthquake, with 545 religious facilities reporting damage, 440 of which are churches.
The statistics indicate that nearly one million Chilean Catholics are currently unable to attend their regular parishes. For this reason, pastors and parish assistants have made extra efforts to ensure the continuity of liturgical services and pastoral ministry.
Due to the severity of the damage, the executive committee of the bishops' conference has established a Reconstruction Support Commission to collaborate with the prelates on restoration efforts across the country.
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/chile_needs_260_million_to_restore_churches_bishops_estimate/
EUROPE
MOSCOW: SUICIDE BOMBINGS KILL AT METRO STATION
CNA report: The Orthodox Patriarch of Moscow and the Latin Catholic Archbishop of Moscow have reacted to the Moscow Metro bombings with bewilderment and pain. Catholic Mass attendees missed the attacks by “a matter of minutes.”
Several dozen people were killed and more than 100 injured in the attacks, reportedly carried out by two female suicide bombers. Chechen rebels are suspected.
The first attack struck a station near the headquarters of the F.S.B., the security agency which succeeded the Soviet-era K.G.B. According to the New York Times, officials suspect that attack was intended as a message to the security services which helped lead the crackdown on Islamic extremism in Chechnya and other parts of the Caucasus region.
Moscow’s mayor Yuri M. Luzhkov said the attacks came when there would be “the maximum number of victims.”
Archbishop Paolo Pezzi of the Archdiocese of the Mother of God in Moscow told SIR News that the bombs went off when Mass was being celebrated in two churches near the bombed areas. The archdiocese had feared the faithful were among the victims.
“Luckily though, we found everyone was there, it was a matter of minutes.”
Archbishop Pezzi said any further comments on the attack would be “uncalled for.”
He said “bewilderment” is strong because the attacks hit “innocent, simple people.”
The archbishop said the Catholic churches of Moscow and St. Petersburg will pray for the victims and for the good of the city and its residents, especially at the upcoming Chrism Mass.
Orthodox Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia issued a statement saying his heart “pains” over the terrorist acts.
“I am praying for the rest of the victims’ souls, for consolation of their near and dear, and for the soonest recovery of the wounded. I beseech the Lord to help the rescuers, medical workers, and all who are trying to alleviate the consequences. I have instructed clergymen to visit the injured persons in hospitals.”
The attack is not the first in Russia in recent months, he noted.
“We see clearly that peril is lying in wait for all of us at any minute,” Patriarch Kirill continued. “However, we should not respond to it by fear, panic, or animosity. Let our response be the unity of our people, their strong will to stop the terrorists and those who support, finance, or justify them. God’s retribution will come to them. I believe that human justice will not be a long time coming, too.”
Several dozen people were killed and more than 100 injured in the attacks, reportedly carried out by two female suicide bombers. Chechen rebels are suspected.
The first attack struck a station near the headquarters of the F.S.B., the security agency which succeeded the Soviet-era K.G.B. According to the New York Times, officials suspect that attack was intended as a message to the security services which helped lead the crackdown on Islamic extremism in Chechnya and other parts of the Caucasus region.
Moscow’s mayor Yuri M. Luzhkov said the attacks came when there would be “the maximum number of victims.”
Archbishop Paolo Pezzi of the Archdiocese of the Mother of God in Moscow told SIR News that the bombs went off when Mass was being celebrated in two churches near the bombed areas. The archdiocese had feared the faithful were among the victims.
“Luckily though, we found everyone was there, it was a matter of minutes.”
Archbishop Pezzi said any further comments on the attack would be “uncalled for.”
He said “bewilderment” is strong because the attacks hit “innocent, simple people.”
The archbishop said the Catholic churches of Moscow and St. Petersburg will pray for the victims and for the good of the city and its residents, especially at the upcoming Chrism Mass.
Orthodox Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia issued a statement saying his heart “pains” over the terrorist acts.
“I am praying for the rest of the victims’ souls, for consolation of their near and dear, and for the soonest recovery of the wounded. I beseech the Lord to help the rescuers, medical workers, and all who are trying to alleviate the consequences. I have instructed clergymen to visit the injured persons in hospitals.”
The attack is not the first in Russia in recent months, he noted.
“We see clearly that peril is lying in wait for all of us at any minute,” Patriarch Kirill continued. “However, we should not respond to it by fear, panic, or animosity. Let our response be the unity of our people, their strong will to stop the terrorists and those who support, finance, or justify them. God’s retribution will come to them. I believe that human justice will not be a long time coming, too.”
ASIA
CHINA: 153 TRAPPED MINERS IN DANGER OF DEATH
Asia News report: Rescuers try to drain flooded mineshafts to reach miners trapped for the past two days who could die from lack of oxygen or poisonous gases. The mine in question is presented as a first-class model of safety and efficiency. China leads the world in mining deaths. Beijing (AsiaNews/Agencies) – Rescuers have not yet reached 153 coal miners trapped two days ago in a flooded shaft in state-owned Wangjialing mine, Xiangning County, in Shanxi province. About a thousand rescue workers are working around the clock to pump out the water that rushed in on Sunday evening. There is no certainty that anyone is still alive and rescue operation officials believe it will take days to explore the various mineshafts, which extend for several kilometres.
The miners’ “situation until now is still unknown so that is making everyone very worried,” Liu Dezheng, a chief engineer with the Work Safety Bureau in Shanxi province, told the South China Morning Post.
The flood may have started on Sunday afternoon when workers dug into a network of old, water-filled shafts. According to the State Work Safety Administration, 261 workers were inside the mine when it flooded, and 108 were able to escape or were rescued.
State television said the workers were trapped in nine different locations in the mine, which filled up with 140,000 cubic metres of water. Unless they are taken out soon, they could die from the lack of oxygen or from hunger. Gases from abandoned shafts could have also flowed into the mine, bringing new dangers such as explosions or poisoning.
Most of those trapped in the shaft are migrant workers from Shanxi, Hebei, Hunan and Guizhou provinces. Dozens of their frustrated relatives, including women carrying small children, gathered near the mine office, demanding rescuers pick up the pace. A few amid the crowd shouted at police who were trying to keep them from rushing into the office.
“We just received one phone call from” the miners, miner Li Jianhong said, “and after that there was no more contact.”
Experts blame the mine administration for the disaster, noting that Shanxi has many old mines, extending over large areas, which are dangerous to operate.
China’s mining industry is the world's deadliest. Accidents killed “only” 2,631 coal miners last year, fewer than half the 6,995 deaths in 2002. However, many analysts doubt that the figures reflect reality, believing instead that many deaths simply go unreported.
Beijing has tried for many years to improve mine safety through awareness campaigns and by shutting down smaller mines whose owners try to impose unsafe working conditions on miners.
Despite these efforts, deadly mining accidents involving hundreds of miners are still commonplace, even in state-owned mines like the Wangjialing mine, presented as a first-class model of safety and efficiency on the company’s website. On average, it produces six million tonnes of coal a year.
Coal meets about 70 per cent of China’s energy needs and is increasingly in demand.
Earlier this month, rescue efforts for 31 miners trapped when a coalmine flooded in the Inner Mongolia region of China were halted after two weeks when no sign of life was found.
Also this month, 25 miners died in a coalmine fire in Henan province.
In November, 108 miners were killed when an explosion ripped through a coalmine belonging to another state-owned firm in the northeastern province of Heilongjiang. http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Shanxi:-153-trapped-miners-could-die-of-hunger-and-thirst-18020.html
The miners’ “situation until now is still unknown so that is making everyone very worried,” Liu Dezheng, a chief engineer with the Work Safety Bureau in Shanxi province, told the South China Morning Post.
The flood may have started on Sunday afternoon when workers dug into a network of old, water-filled shafts. According to the State Work Safety Administration, 261 workers were inside the mine when it flooded, and 108 were able to escape or were rescued.
State television said the workers were trapped in nine different locations in the mine, which filled up with 140,000 cubic metres of water. Unless they are taken out soon, they could die from the lack of oxygen or from hunger. Gases from abandoned shafts could have also flowed into the mine, bringing new dangers such as explosions or poisoning.
Most of those trapped in the shaft are migrant workers from Shanxi, Hebei, Hunan and Guizhou provinces. Dozens of their frustrated relatives, including women carrying small children, gathered near the mine office, demanding rescuers pick up the pace. A few amid the crowd shouted at police who were trying to keep them from rushing into the office.
“We just received one phone call from” the miners, miner Li Jianhong said, “and after that there was no more contact.”
Experts blame the mine administration for the disaster, noting that Shanxi has many old mines, extending over large areas, which are dangerous to operate.
China’s mining industry is the world's deadliest. Accidents killed “only” 2,631 coal miners last year, fewer than half the 6,995 deaths in 2002. However, many analysts doubt that the figures reflect reality, believing instead that many deaths simply go unreported.
Beijing has tried for many years to improve mine safety through awareness campaigns and by shutting down smaller mines whose owners try to impose unsafe working conditions on miners.
Despite these efforts, deadly mining accidents involving hundreds of miners are still commonplace, even in state-owned mines like the Wangjialing mine, presented as a first-class model of safety and efficiency on the company’s website. On average, it produces six million tonnes of coal a year.
Coal meets about 70 per cent of China’s energy needs and is increasingly in demand.
Earlier this month, rescue efforts for 31 miners trapped when a coalmine flooded in the Inner Mongolia region of China were halted after two weeks when no sign of life was found.
Also this month, 25 miners died in a coalmine fire in Henan province.
In November, 108 miners were killed when an explosion ripped through a coalmine belonging to another state-owned firm in the northeastern province of Heilongjiang. http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Shanxi:-153-trapped-miners-could-die-of-hunger-and-thirst-18020.html
AFRICA
SUDAN: NEW CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OPENS IN WAU DIOCESE
CISA report -A new Catholic University has been opened in Wau Diocese, about 150km from Rumbek. The University, headed by Fr Solomon Ewot AJ is going to offer among others, Agriculture, Research and Extension Programmes as a way to improve agricultural productivity and to develop rural communities. The new university, under the management of the Society of Jesus (SJ) opened with the agreement of the Minister of Education Science and Technology of the government of Southern Sudan in September 2008. The University has a Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences based in Juba, while in Wau is the Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and Engineering. Comboni College in Khartoum has the Faculty of Computer Sciences. Wau is a fast growing town with many investors and development projects building up. The facilities for the programme for the University sustained serious damage during the war and many buildings are without roofs and are in need of major repair. The new University has many challenges facing it including a shortage of qualified staff as well as the acquisition of equipment in addition to funding. Fr Michael Schutthe SJ is responsible for the development of the University. He is an experienced founder of Universities in Africa. He was in-charge founding of the Dar-es-Salaam University, the University of Maputo, Catholic University of Lusaka – Zambia and Accra – Ghana.http://www.cisanewsafrica.org/news.php?id=4497
AUSTRALIA
AMBASSADOR TAKING STEPS TOWARDS MACKILLOP CANONISATION
Cath News report: Australia's first papal ambassador to the Vatican City, Tim Fischer, made it to the Albury Gold Cup in NSW on Friday as part of a flying visit home. Part of his busy agenda on the job, he said, was related to Mary MacKillop's canonisation.
"It is hectic, far busier than I might have expected," he told The Border Mail.
"And of course we are expecting several thousand Australians in Rome for the canonisation of Mary Mackillop on October 17.
"She has close ties to the Border, having been barred from the Olive Street convent in 1881 at the end of a 16-hour train ride from Sydney.
"She ended up staying in a shanty pub in Wodonga before catching the train to Melbourne the next morning."
Mr Fischer, almost halfway into the three-year posting, said he was still adjusting to the Italian lifestyle.
Mr Fischer expects a busy week with Australians heading to Rome for Easter and has a warning for tourists.
"If Albury-Wodonga-ites are coming to the canonisation keep your eyes on your wallet and passport," Mr Fischer said.
"The main train from the airport to the Rome terminal is known as the pick pockets' express - so take care with your passports." http://www.cathnews.com/article.aspx?aeid=20324
"It is hectic, far busier than I might have expected," he told The Border Mail.
"And of course we are expecting several thousand Australians in Rome for the canonisation of Mary Mackillop on October 17.
"She has close ties to the Border, having been barred from the Olive Street convent in 1881 at the end of a 16-hour train ride from Sydney.
"She ended up staying in a shanty pub in Wodonga before catching the train to Melbourne the next morning."
Mr Fischer, almost halfway into the three-year posting, said he was still adjusting to the Italian lifestyle.
Mr Fischer expects a busy week with Australians heading to Rome for Easter and has a warning for tourists.
"If Albury-Wodonga-ites are coming to the canonisation keep your eyes on your wallet and passport," Mr Fischer said.
"The main train from the airport to the Rome terminal is known as the pick pockets' express - so take care with your passports." http://www.cathnews.com/article.aspx?aeid=20324
TODAY'S SAINT
Sts. Barachisius and Jonas
PERSIAN MARTYRS
Feast: March 29
Information:
Feast Day:
March 29
Died:
24 December 327
They were monks at a monastery in Perisa (modern Iran) and were arrested during the persecution conducted by Sassanid King Shapur II (r. 309-379). Barachisius and Jonas were giving spiritual support to other martyrs when they were taken into custody. Refusing to abjure the faith, Jonas was crushed to death, and his body cut to pieces. Barachisius had brimstone and boiling pitch poured down his throat. SOURCE: http://www.ewtn.com/saintsHoly/saints/B/stbarachisius_jonas.asp
TODAY'S GOSPEL
John 12: 1 - 11
1
Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Laz'arus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead.
2
There they made him a supper; Martha served, and Laz'arus was one of those at table with him.
3
Mary took a pound of costly ointment of pure nard and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the fragrance of the ointment.
4
But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was to betray him), said,
5
"Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?"
6
This he said, not that he cared for the poor but because he was a thief, and as he had the money box he used to take what was put into it.
7
Jesus said, "Let her alone, let her keep it for the day of my burial.
8
The poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me."
9
When the great crowd of the Jews learned that he was there, they came, not only on account of Jesus but also to see Laz'arus, whom he had raised from the dead.
10
So the chief priests planned to put Laz'arus also to death,
11
because on account of him many of the Jews were going away and believing in Jesus.
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