Quotes and news

In a press release the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Community (Comece) is urging the EU to defend the rights of persecuted Christians, noting that “75 per cent of the death(s) linked to hate crimes of (a) religious nature concern people of Christian faith”.

“Each year 170,000 Christians suffer because of their beliefs. The total number of faithful who are discriminated amounts already 100 million. This makes Christians the most persecuted religious group.”

“Persecution may also include obstacles to the proclamation of faith, confiscation and destruction of places of worship or prohibition of religious training and education,” the statement added. “Europe cannot remain passive. The EU must take co-responsibility for the protection of religious freedom in the world.”

Vatican paper not amused by PM’s jokes

An editorial in the Vatican newspaper L’Osservatore Romano strongly condemned what it described as deplorable sexist and racist jokes as well as blasphemous phrases used by the Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.

It seems that these jokes and remarks, which were made in private, were recorded by means of cell phones and posted on the internet. The newspaper was particularly critical of tasteless jokes about the Holocaust that “offend indiscriminately the feelings of the faithful and the sacred memory of the six million victims”.

‘Make faith more visible in daily life’

Archbishop of Westminster Vincent Nichols wrote in a pastoral letter read at Masses that Catholics should make their faith more visible in daily life. Mgr Nichols was commenting on the aftermath of Pope Benedict XVI’s state visit to Britain.

Catholics should offer to pray for people, bless themselves openly with the sign of the cross or make such remarks to people as “God bless you,” wrote the Archbishop. “Making faith visible is so much a part of the invitation the Pope has extended to us all,” he said.

Harvard professor defends Pope

Alan Dershowitz, the famous Harvard Law School professor and civil liberties lawyer said “Pope Benedict has probably done more to protect young children since becoming Pope than any previous pope.” He was speaking during an interview with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

“The Pope blamed the scandal on the Church itself, on bishops, on priests; he’s sought forgiveness, he’s taken steps to change everything. And I think today, being a young Catholic altar boy is a very safe place to be – not in the 1970s and 80s, but today the Church has taken real responsibility and is looking forward.”

Middle East Church synod convened

The synod of bishops of the Middle East, which is to meet at the Vatican from today to October 24, aims at turning a spotlight on the Christian communities of the region. The Pope decided a synod was needed when he visited the Holy Land last year and after Middle East Church leaders requested the special assembly.

The problems of these churches, which constitute a small minority of the total populations, include the massive emigration of Christians, conflicts, economic difficulties and discrimination in predominantly Muslim countries.