Quotes and news

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has denounced a television programme that mocked Jesus and the Virgin Mary, in response to formal protests from the Vatican and the Catholic bishops of the Holy Land.

Comedian Lior Shlein, who produced the offensive satire for a private television station, has said that he did so to retaliate for the Vatican's decision to lift the excommunicate of Bishop Richard Williamson despite the prelate's anti-Semitic statements. A Vatican statement said that the apostolic nuncio had received government "assurances that they would intervene to interrupt such transmissions and obtain a public apology from the station".

Referendum to stop euthanasia

Pro-life activists in Luxembourg have launched a drive for a nationwide referendum that could forestall the legalisation of doctor-assisted suicide.

After the recent parliamentary approval of a bill allowing the practice - despite the active opposition of Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker and his Christian Social Party - the pro-life movement is seeking to collect 25,000 signatures out of the country's population of under 500,000 to bring about a referendum on the issue.

Otherwise, the new law will take effect this month.

No to blind party loyalty

Archbishop Buti Tlhagale of Johannesburg, president of the Southern African Catholic Bishops' Conference, reminded South Africans that the intimidation of those who hold different political views is a threat to democracy in South Africa.

With parliamentary elections scheduled for April 22, South Africa faces threats, including "blind loyalty to a party" and "corruption that delays service delivery and disillusions many people," said the archbishop. He cautioned against "intolerance and intimidation of those who hold different political views" and "doing nothing", which allows "those in authority to do as they please without challenge".

Rediscover the value of confession

"The sins we commit distance us from God, and, if they are not humbly confessed, trusting in the divine mercy, they will finally bring about the death of the soul. This miracle thus has powerful symbolic value.

"In the sacrament of penance, Christ crucified and risen, through his ministers, purifies us with his infinite mercy, restores us to communion with the heavenly Father and our brothers, and makes a gift of his love, joy and peace to us. "Let us invoke the Virgin Mary to help us avoid sin and to have frequent recourse to the sacrament of confession, whose value and importance for our Christian life needs to be rediscovered today."

Pope Benedict, February 15.

Pope to canonise 10

Blessed Damien de Veuster, a missionary priest who served patients with Hansen's disease in Hawaii, will be canonised by Pope Benedict XVI on October 11 at the Vatican, it has been announced.

Blessed Damien spent the last 16 years of his life caring for patients with Hansen's disease, or leprosy, on the island of Molokai. He died in 1889 and was beatified in 1995.

On the same day the Pope will canonise Blessed Jeanne Jugan, who founded the Little Sisters of the Poor, and eight other people.

(Compiled by Fr Joe Borg)