Apostolic Vicar of Meki, Ethiopia, Bishop Abraham Desta, sent a message to the international Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need to express his horror at the torching and looting of a church compound in the Gighessa parish.
He said the compound was destroyed by “the people for whom, and with whom, we work very closely”. They destroyed Church properties, including the rectory, diocesan pastoral centre, a small Ursuline convent and a clinic specialising in care for the handicapped. The attackers made off with a year’s supply of food, as well as livestock, including cows.
Bishop Desta concluded: “Today there is a question in our hearts and minds. Why Lord? Why like this? I hope that in due time the Lord will give us an answer.”
Church’s message to people with autism
In his message for World Autism Awareness Day, Archbishop Zygmunt Zimowski, president of the Pontifical Council for Health Pastoral Care, said: “In a time in which often we struggle to find reasons to hope, and especially when faced with problems linked to autistic spectrum disorders that are often not easily diagnosed, and also, especially in families, not easily accepted without shame or retreating into solitude, we are called to place our trust in God. Although by definition hope looks to the future, it is rooted in the today of God, who loves us and seeks us tirelessly. God is boundless goodness and benevolence; He cares for His children and never abandons those whom He has called to enter into His communion, whatever difficulties there may be.”
Italy only half-Catholic
According to a survey conducted for Italian newspaper L’Unità, only half of Italians consider themselves to be Catholics. This is the largest religious group in Italy, but the number of Catholics has been on the decrease.
Twenty per cent of respondents consider themselves atheists, and a roughly equal number professed vaguely Christian or theist beliefs. The survey found smaller groups of respondents identifying themselevs as Orthodox or Protestant (four per cent each), Buddhist (two per cent) or Jewish, Hindu, or Muslim (one per cent each).
Poland considers a total ban on abortion
Poland’s bishops are appealing for a change in the country’s abortion laws so that abortion will become illegal even in cases of rape, incest, severe fetal deformation or threat to the health of the mother. The bishops argue that the exceptions that form part of current legislation undermine the logic of the ban.
“When it comes to the life of the unborn, we can’t remain at the current compromise set out in the law,” they argue. The bishops’ statement was read at all the churches of Poland recently.
No reason to celebrate
Cardinal Gerhard Müller, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, said Catholics “have no reason to celebrate” the 500th anniversary of the Reformation on October 31, 2017. He said Catholics “can’t accept that there sufficient reasons to separate from the Church”.
Pope Francis’ April prayer intentions
The Pope’s universal intention in April is that small farmers may receive just reward for their labour. His evangelisation intention is that Christians in Africa may give witness to love and faith in Jesus Christ amid political-religious conflicts.
(Compiled by Fr Joe Borg)