The Coptic Orthodox Church has announced that the murder of the 21 Egyptian Christians killed by the so-called Islamic State in Libya will be commemorated in its Church calendar.
Pope Tawadros II announced that the names of the martyrs will be inserted into the Coptic Synaxarium, the Oriental Church’s equivalent to the Roman Martyrology. This procedure is also equivalent to canonization in the Latin Church.
Listen to Junno Arocho’s report:
According to terrasanta.net, the martyrdom of the 21 Christians will be commemorated on the 8th Amshir of the Coptic calendar, or February 15th of the Gregorian calendar. The commemoration falls on the feast day of the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple.
Militants of the Islamic State released a gruesome video entitled “A Message Signed in Blood to the Nation of the Cross” in which they released a warning saying they were “south of Rome.” They then proceeded to behead the Christian men, some of whom were seen mouthing the words “Lord Jesus Christ” moments before their death.
While the killings have stirred fears of the Islamic State’s close proximity to Europe, they have also strengthened many in their faith.
In an interview with Christian channel SAT-7 ARABIC on Wednesday, Beshir Kamel, brother of two of the Coptic martyrs, even thanked the Islamic State for including their declaration of faith in the videos before killing them.
“ISIS gave us more than we asked when they didn’t edit out the part where they declared their faith and called upon Jesus Christ. ISIS helped us strengthen our faith,” he said.
Beshir said that he was proud of his brothers Bishoy and Samuel, saying that their martyrdom was “a badge of honor to Christianity.”
Kamel’s interview with SAT 7-ARABIC went viral, receiving over 100,000 views within hours of its posting online. When asked what his reaction would be if he saw an Islamic State militant, Kamel recalled his mother’s response.
“My mother, an uneducated woman in her sixties, said she would ask [him] to enter her house and ask God to open his eyes because he was the reason her son entered the kingdom of heaven,” Beshir said.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis says that people involved in organized crime or who deliberately carry out acts of violence against others or the environment cannot call themselves Christian.
The Pope’s comments were contained in a speech delivered Saturday to pilgrims from the Diocese of Cassano all’Jonio, who had travelled to Rome on a ‘return visit’ to thank the Holy Father.
In June last year, Pope Francis made a one day visit to the diocese in the southern Italian region of Calabria which has been deeply scarred by the local organized crime group, the ‘Ndrangheta. During that visit the Pope had issued a call to conversion to all of those still involved in organized crime.
A call he renewed on Saturday, when he stated: “those who love Jesus, who hear and receive the Word and live in a sincere response to the call of the Lord cannot in any way give themselves over to works of evil”.
The Pope went on to say people who “violate the dignity of person; who program or carry out gestures of violence against others and against the environment” cannot call themselves Christian.
He added that external forms of piety without “a real conversion are not enough to be considered in communion with Christ and his Church”. Pope Francis appealed to “those who have chosen the path of evil and are affiliated to criminal organizations” to open their heart to the Lord. “The Lord is waiting for you and the Church welcomes you” he said “if your willingness to serve good is as clear and public as was your choice to serve evil”.
Below please find a Vatican Radio translation of excerpts from the Holy Father’s address:
The memory of my visit to your diocesan community is still alive in my heart: the meetings with the prisoners, the sick, with priests, religious, seminarians…how many seminarians are there now? Eight? That’s not good enough…we must pray, pray for more vocations….Ok? The Lord told us to pray so he will send priests I entrust in your prayer…. I remember the meeting with the elderly; my visit to the Cathedral and the Seminary; and then the extraordinary presence of people in the plain of Sibari, but all of Calabria was there!
I had a firsthand experience of your faith and your love. The Lord help you to always walk together, in parishes and associations, led by the Bishop and priests. May He help you to be welcoming communities, to accompany towards Christ those who are struggling to discern His presence that saves.
I would like to reaffirm a thought that I suggested during my visit: those who love Jesus, who hear and receive the Word and live in a sincere response to the call of the Lord cannot in any way give themselves over to works of evil. Or Jesus, or evil! Jesus never invited demons to lunch, no he chased them away, because they are evil, or Jesus or evil! They cannot call themselves Christians and violate the dignity of person; those who belong to the Christian community cannot program or carry out gestures of violence against others and against the environment.
External gestures of religiosity that are not accompanied by a real and public conversion are not enough to be considered in communion with Christ and His Church. External gestures of religiosity are not enough to credit as believers, those who with the malice and arrogance typical of criminals, make lawlessness their lifestyle. To those who have chosen the path of evil and are affiliated to criminal organizations I renew the pressing invitation to conversion. Open your heart to the Lord! The Lord is waiting for you and the Church welcomes you if your willingness to serve the good is as clear and public as was your choice to serve evil.
Dear brothers and sisters of Cassano, the beauty of your land is a gift from God and a heritage to preserve and pass in all its splendor onto future generations. Therefore, all must courageously commit to ensuring it is not scarred beyond repair by narrow interests, above all the competent institutions.
The Emmanuel Community is among the “beauties” of your territory. It is an example of acceptance and sharing with the weakest. Young people devastated by drugs have found in you and in your structures the “good Samaritan” who knew how to bend over their wounds and was able to anoint them with the balm of closeness and affection. How many families have found in you the help they needed to restore hope for the fate of their children! The Church is grateful to you for this service. By being present alongside young people and adults subjugated by dependencies, you have embraced the suffering Jesus and you sow hope.
Our era is in great need of hope! Young people should not be denied hope, young people need to hope; we must offer those experiencing pain and suffering concrete signs of hope. Social realities and associations, as well as individuals who work in hospitality and sharing, are generators of hope. Therefore I urge your Christian communities to be protagonists of solidarity, not to stop in front of those who, out of a narrow self-interest, sow selfishness, violence and injustice. Oppose the culture of death and be witnesses to the Gospel of Life! The light of the Word of God and the support of the Holy Spirit will help you to look with new and welcoming eyes towards the many new forms of poverty which cast many young people and families into despair.
Upon all of you present here and the entire Diocese of Cassano all’Jonio I invoke the protection of Mary, whom you venerate under the titles of Our Lady of the Chain and Our Lady of the Castle. You are accompanied by my Blessing, and, please, do not forget to pray for me.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) The continuing presence of courageous men and women religious is Iraq is an important sign of hope amid the suffering of the Christian population there. That was the key theme of a report released by two Dominican leaders who recently visited Baghdad and the northern Iraqi city of Erbil, capital of the Kurdistan region.
The mid-January visit was at the invitation of the Dominican brothers and sisters in Iraq who often feel forgotten as they struggle to support Christians threatened by the daily violence of the so-called Islamic State militants. Over a hundred thousand mainly Christian and Yazidi people fled to Erbil and the surrounding region as the militants captured the city of Mosul last June, threatening and killing those who would not convert to Islam.
Fr Timothy Radcliffe is former Master of the Dominican order – he told Philippa HItchen why the West must take responsibility and do all it can to help end the conflict that is devastating the region…
Listen:
Fr Timothy says one of the things the visit to Iraq made clear was the way that Western intervention in the country, together with suffernig and increasing inequality” has helped to fuel the conflict in the region….
At the present time he says it’s impossible to imagine any dialogue with the so-called Islamic State, but he adds there are many Muslims they met in Baghdad who long for dialogue and constructive engagement with the West. He notes that the Dominicans established the Baghdad Academy of Human Sciences to provide just such a place of dialogue and debate: of the 5.000 students enrolled in the academy, up to 80% are Muslims.
Fr Timothy warns there’s a “real danger that one of the oldest Christian communities in the world will disappear”. While it’s very understandable that people are fleeing, he says he also met “many brave, educated people who say we must stay”.
Asked about the toll that the violence is taking on the Dominican brothers and sisters in Iraq, the former head of the Order says Baghdad is such a tough and exhausting place that the religious try and get away periodically for some time of rest and renewal. Their endurance and continued presence there, he insists is “such a symbol of Christian hope”
In the camps around Erbil, Fr Timothy says, the situation is much less dangerous and the order may consider sending groups of young people to the region for a short period to “meet, work, play, learn from and teach other young people in the camps”
(from Vatican Radio)…
Vatican City, 20 February 2015 (VIS) – Archbishop Bernardito Auza, Holy See Permanent Observer at the United Nations in New York addressed the 53rd Session of the Commission for Social Development on 10 February. He highlighted the Holy See’s concerns regarding economic growth which has led to new challenges, but has not benefited everyone in society equally. Significant inequalities remain and many of the most vulnerable groups in society have been left behind. Without addressing these inequalities, especially as we transition into the post 2015 development agenda, we risk undermining the impact of economic growth on poverty and on the well-being of society as a whole. “To be sustainable and beneficial for all, social development must be ethical, moral and person-centred”, he said. “We must be attentive to those indicators that give a complete picture of the well-being of every individual in society while promoting policies that encourage a truly integral approach to the development of the human person as a whole”. He continued, “It is not enough to have gainful employment. Work must also be dignified and secure. Investments in education, access to basic health-care services, and the creation of social safety nets are primary, not secondary factors to improving a person’s quality of life, and ensuring the equitable distribution of wealth and resources in society. By placing the human person at the centre of development and encouraging investments and policies that meet real needs, the progress made towards eradicating poverty remains permanent and society more resilient in the face of potential crises”. The archbishop reiterated that the market economy does not exist to serve itself, but rather to serve the common good of all of society, and therefore particular attention must be given to the welfare of the most vulnerable. He added that “the authentic integral development of the person and the eradication of poverty are achievable only by focusing on the tremendous value of the family to society”, and by adopting a strategic approach towards the eradication of poverty, “based on true social justice in order to help reduce the suffering of millions of our brothers and sisters. … Social development policies must address not only the economic and political needs, but also the spiritual and ethical dimension of each human person”….
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis on Friday met with the Bishops of Ukraine, who are in Rome for their ad limina visit. The Bishops were led by Major-Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk of Kyiv-Halych, the head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church; and Archbishop Mieczyslaw Mokrzycki of Lviv of the Latins.
In keeping with recent custom, the Holy Father’s prepared remarks were delivered to Bishops at the beginning of the audience, giving Pope Francis the opportunity to speak personally with the assembled prelates.
In his prepared remarks, Pope Francis spoke about the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, assuring the Bishops of his continued closeness and prayers for the people of Ukraine. The Holy Father said he prayed especially for peace, and called on all parties in the conflict to “apply the agreements reached by mutual accord” and “to be respectful to the principle of international legality.”
The Pope emphasized that the Bishops are “full citizens” with the right to express their opinions on the future of the country – not, he said, in the sense of promoting a concrete political agenda, but by proposing common values and working for “harmony and the common good.” He assured the Bishops “the Holy See is at your side, even in international forums, to ensure your rights, your concerns, and the just evangelical values that animate you are understood.”
The ongoing crisis in the country, Pope Francis said, also has grave repercussions for families. But families are also affected by the “misguided sense of economic liberty” that enriches the few at the expense of the great majority of the population. This, he said, “has generated an unjust poverty in a generous and rich land.” The Pope encouraged the Bishops to renew their “pastoral zeal for the proclamation of the Gospel in Ukrainian society,” and “to support one another with effective collaboration.”
Finally, the Holy Father offered his reflections on the relationship between the members of the episcopate in the country. The presence of both the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church and the Latin Church present in Ukraine has, at times, affected relations between the Bishops. “The fact that both episcopates are Catholic and are Ukrainian is indisputable, even in the diversity of rites and traditions,” the Pope said. “It is painful for me personally to hear that there are misunderstandings and injuries. There is need of a doctor — and this is Jesus Christ, whom you both serve with generosity and with your whole hearts.” Both Greek-Catholics and Latins, he said, are sons of the Catholic Church. He encouraged the Bishops to unite their forces and support one another in their common mission.
Finally, commending them to the intercession of the martyrs and saints of Ukraine, and to the maternal protection of the Blessed Virgin, Pope Francis bestowed upon the Bishops, their communities, and upon all the people of Ukraine, a “special” Apostolic Blessing.
Belowed, please find the complete English translation of Pope Francis’ prepared remarks:
Your Beatitude,
Archbishop,
Dear Brother Bishops,
I welcome you into this house which is also your house. And you know this well, because the Successor of Peter has always welcomed with fraternal friendship the brothers from Ukraine, a land that is rightly considered the borderland between the heirs of Vladimir and Olga, and those of Adalbert and of the great Carolingian missions, as well as those that look back to the Apostles of the Slavs, Saints Cyril and Methodius. You are welcome, my very dear friends.
I have carefully learned of the many problems you face, as well as of your pastoral programs. I entrust them to God’s Mother, and ours, that she might watch over them with tender love.
1. You find yourselves, as a country, in a situation of grave conflict, which has been going on for several months and continues to claim numerous innocent victims and to cause great suffering to the entire population. In this period, as I have assured you personally and conveyed by Cardinal envoys, I am very close to you with my prayers for the dead and for all those struck by violence, with the prayer to the Lord that He might speedily grant peace, and with the appeal to all the interested parties that they might apply the agreements reached by mutual accord and might be respectful toward the principle of international legality; in particular, that the recently signed truce might be observed and all the other commitments, which are the conditions for avoiding a resumption of hostilities.
I recognize the historical events that have marked your land and are still present in the collective memory. They deal with questions that have a partially political base, and to which you are not called to give a direct response; but they are also socio-cultural realities and human tragedies that await your direct and positive contribution.
In such circumstances, what is important is that you listen attentively to the voices that come from the territories where the people entrusted to your pastoral care live. Listening to your people, you will be attentive to the values that characterize it: encounter, collaboration, the ability to resolve controversies. In a few words: the search for possible peace. It is with charity, the divine love that springs from the heart of Christ, that you have made this ethical patrimony fruitful. I am well aware that, at the local level, you have specific arrangements and practices among you, the heirs of two legitimate spiritual traditions — the Eastern and the Latin — as well as with the other Christians present among you. As well as a duty, this is an honour that must be recognised.
2. On the national level, you are full citizens of your country, and so you have the right to express, even in the common way, your thought on its destiny — not in the sense of promoting a concrete political action, but in the indication and re-affirmation of the values that constitute the coagulating element of Ukrainian society, persevering in the tireless pursuit of harmony and of the common good, even in the face of grave and complex difficulties.
The Holy See is at your side, even in international forums, to ensure that your rights, your concerns, and the just evangelical values that animate you are understood. It is seeking, too, how to meet the pastoral necessities of those ecclesiastical structures that have found themselves facing new juridical questions.
3. The ongoing crisis in your country has, understandably, had serious repercussions in the life of families. To this is united the consequences of that misguided sense of economic liberty that has allowed the formation of a small group of people that are enormously enriched at the expense of the great majority of citizens. The presence of such a phenomenon has, unfortunately, contaminated in various ways even the public institutions. This has generated an unjust poverty in a generous and rich land.
Never tire of proposing to your fellow citizens the considerations that faith and pastoral responsibility suggest to you. The sense of justice and of truth, is moral before it is political, and this task is entrusted to your responsibility as Pastors. The more you are free ministers of the Church of Christ, so much more, even in your poverty, will you make yourselves defenders of the family, of the poor, of the unemployed, of the weak, of the sick, of the elderly pensioners, of invalids, of displaced persons.
I encourage you to renew, with the grace of God, your pastoral zeal for the proclamation of the Gospel in Ukrainian society, and to support one another with effective collaboration. May you always have the gaze of Christ, who saw the abundance of the harvest and asked to pray the Lord that He might send labourers (cf Mt 9:37-38). This signifies praying and working for vocations to priesthood and consecrated life, and at the same time attentive care for the formation of clerics, and of men and women religious, in the service of a more profound and organic understanding of the faith within the people of God.
4. I would like, too, to leave you a further reflection on the relations between you brothers in the episcopate. I recognise the complex historical events that weigh on mutual relations, as well as some aspects of a personal nature.
The fact that both episcopates are Catholic and are Ukrainian is indisputable, even in the diversity of rites and traditions. It is painful for me personally to hear that there are misunderstandings and injuries. There is need of a doctor — and this is Jesus Christ, whom you both serve with generosity and with your whole hearts. You are a single body and, as was said to you in the past by Saint John Paul II, and by Benedict XVI, I in my turn urge you to find among yourselves a manner of welcoming one another and of sustaining one another generously in your apostolic labours.
The unity of the episcopate, as well as giving good witness to the People of God, renders an inestimable service to the Nation, both on the cultural and social plane and, above all, on the spiritual plane. You are united in fundamental values and you have in come the most precious treasures: the faith and the people of God. I see, therefore, of paramount importance the joint meetings of the Bishops of all the Churches sui iuris present in Ukraine. May you always be generous in speaking among yourselves as brothers!
Both as Greek-Catholics and as Latins you are sons of the Catholic Church, which in your land too was for a long time subject to martyrdom. The blood of your witnesses, who intercede for you from heaven, is a further motive that urges you to true communion of hearts. Unite your forces and support one another, making historical events a motive of sharing and unity. Rooted in the catholic communion, you will also be able to carry forward the ecumenical commitment with faith and patience, so that unity and cooperation between all Christians may grow.
5. I am certain that your decisions, in accord with the Successor of Peter, will be adequate to meet the expectations of your People. I invite you all to govern the communities entrusted to you ensuring as far as possible your presence and your closeness to the priests and to the people.
I am hopeful that you will be able to have respectful and fruitful relations with the public Authorities.
I urge you to be attentive and considerate to the poor: they are your wealth. You are Pastors of a flock entrusted to you by Christ: may you be ever more conscious [of this], even in your internal organs of self-governance. These should be understood as instruments of communion and of prophecy. In this sense, I am hopeful that your intentions and your actions might always be oriented to the general wellbeing of the Churches entrusted to you. In this let the love of your communities guide you, in the same spirit that sustained the Apostles, of whom you are the legitimate successors.
May the memory and the intercession of so many martyrs and saints, whom the Lord Jesus has raised up among you, support you in your work. May the maternal protection of the Blessed Virgin reassure you on your journey of encounter with Christ Who comes, strengthening your purposes of communion and collaboration. And, while asking you to pray for me, I affectionately impart a special Apostolic Benediction upon you, upon your Communities, and upon the dear population of Ukraine.
(from Vatican Radio)…