Quotes and news

During 2011, 26 pastoral workers were killed: one more than the previous year: 18 priests, four religious sisters and four lay people.

For the third consecutive year, the place with the most deaths was the American continent, with the deaths of 13 priests and two lay persons.

This information was supplied by the Fides news agency, which lists all those who met a violent death independently whether or not this was because of their faith.

Two priests, three religious sisters, and one lay person were killed in Africa. Two priests, one religious sister, and one lay person were killed in Asia. And in Europe, one priest was killed.

US archbishop to sell expensive residence

The newly installed Archbishop of Philadelphia, US, Mgr Charles Chaput plans to sell the mansion that has been home to the city’s archbishops since 1935. He plans to live in a modest home instead of the eight-acre estate he will be selling.

The report of an archdiocesan commission tasked with proposing changes is still to be finalised but it is expected to recommend closing schools and parishes.

The Pope’s busy 2012

Among the activities planned for Pope Benedict this year are a trip to Latin America, the start of the Year of Faith, the choosing of new cardinals, a synod of bishops on new evangelisation, and a number of canonisations. These events are over and above the hundreds of appointments and meetings, speeches, messages and liturgies.

Pope Benedict is also active in his theological writings, particularly the work on the finalisation of the series of books on Jesus.

Pope’s January prayer, mission intentions

The Pope’s general prayer intention for January is “that the victims of natural disasters may receive the spiritual and material comfort they need to rebuild their lives”. The Pontiff’s mission intention is focused on peace: “That the dedication of Christians to peace may bear witness to the name of Christ before all men and women of good will.”

Archbishop opposes ‘presumed consent’

Archbishop George Stack of Cardiff, Wales, is objecting to a government proposal that would assume ‘presumed consent’ for organ donation by all who die on life support, while making it clear that he did not oppose organ donation.

“I agree with my fellow Church leaders that our organs should be donated as a gift to others and not as a duty,” he said, but insisted that “our bodies are not an asset of the state”.

How probable is it that Turin Shroud is a fake?

According to a report in L’Osservatore Romano of December 29, it took the Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA) five years of research to find ways to recreate the micro-thin, yellow-sepia toned colorations that form the image of a man on the Turin Shroud.

The report asked whether it is reasonable to think anyone could have faked the shroud with the limited tools available during medieval times, as some continue to allege, if such an agency equipped with the latest technologies needed five years to achieve this task.

(Compiled by Fr Joe Borg)