Belgian Catholic abuse victims to be compensated

Belgium's Roman Catholic bishops agreed on Monday to compensate victims of sexual abuse by priests in cases where the country's statute of limitations denies them the right to seek redress in court.

A Belgian parliamentary panel launched after the sexual abuse crisis shook the Church last year recommended in March that the bishops set up an arbitration commission to compensate victims, even if the cases were decades old.

The Catholic Church in Belgium as well as the branches in Ireland, the Netherlands and Germany have been shaken by revelations of clerical sexual abuse of minors going back for decades. Pope Benedict has apologized for the scandals.

Brussels Archbishop Andre-Joseph Leonard caused an uproar last year when he said the Church had no legal duty to compensate those molested by priests but might contribute to their cause as it does to help victims of natural disasters.

That and other seemingly callous statements by Leonard have strained relations between the Church and Brussels politicians, some of whom suggested slashing subsidies the Church enjoys. Several bishops have openly criticized Leonard for his views.

"The bishops are aware of their moral responsibility and society's expectations toward them," the bishops' conference said in a contrite statement.

"That's why they commit themselves to recognizing the victims and make redress for their suffering. They are determined to reestablish the victims' dignity and provide them with financial indemnities according to their needs."

More than 500 cases of alleged sexual abuse have been filed with Church and judicial authorities in Belgium since the former Bishop of Bruges, Roger Vangheluwe, quit in disgrace in April 2010 after admitting he had molested a nephew.

The Vatican ordered him to undergo "spiritual and psychological treatment" at a monastery in France, but he had to switch to an undisclosed location after the media attention drove the monastery administration to ask him to leave.

Fukushima Nuclear Accident: Hysteria, Irrational and Rational Reactions

Subsequent to publications of this articles Fukushima Nuclear Accident: Tsunami Induced Man-Made Disaster  and Fukushima Nuclear Accident: Stunning New Revelations Regarding Unit #1 Meltdown, the purpose of this third one in the Fukushima series is to address worldwide reactions grouped into: hysteria, political irrationalities and rational responses. Media and stock market hysteria belonged in the first group. Responses of the German government, the Swiss cabinet and the Italian Council of Ministers represent the second group. The third group with rational responses is represented by political leaders in key nuclear countries: France, China, Russia, India and Japan; the nuclear regulators in the U.S., the EU, UK, Finland, etc; and leaders of some thirty plus countries which announced that they will continue with their nuclear programs.

Media Created Hysteria

The Tohoku 9.0 earthquake, fifth largest ever recorded, created a tsunami with large waves up to 40 meters, with walls of water swallowing coastal towns, has been one of the worst natural disasters in recent history with the death toll reaching ultimately some 30,000 people, estimated damage $310 billion. The scale of the calamity is truly epic. Hence, the Fukushima nuclear accident should have been only a side show.

Not so, it immediately became the principal show. Coverage in the U.S. media replicated hysteria, sensationalism, scaremongering and disinformation that characterized coverage of the Three Mile Island (TMI) accident in 1979. It appears that coverage in Europe wasn’t much better. Initially the mainstream media paraded a stream of anti-nuclear activists who excelled in predicting an equivalent of Armageddon with cataclysmic consequences. China syndrome movie fantasies were used as an indicator what would happen if a core meltdown were to occur. It was pointed out that we were approximately the same distance from Fukushima as from Chernobyl and therefore in danger. 350,000 residents were evacuated from Chernobyl, 10 times more potentially at Fukushima.

The fact that the TMI accident resulted in a partial core-melt but with no fatalities or even radiation injuries was completely ignored. Not only that no member of the public was irradiated but the same was true for the TMI plant workers. The Fukushima accident while probably the worst accident in the history of commercial nuclear power, even worse than Chernobyl although not from the standpoint of released radioactivity to the environment, which amounted to 10% of that released in Chernobyl into the environment. The Fukushima accident amounted to the triple core meltdown plus serious damage to unit #4. All four units are now plant write-offs with huge bills for decommissioning of probably over $10 billion over the coming decade. Nonetheless it has also resulted in no fatalities or even radiation injuries including the plant personnel. 21 of them were exposed to > 100 milliSieverts and 2 to 200-250, levels harmless to human life. Integrity of the international media needs to be challenged.

The Modern Tokyo Times reported the statements made by the UK Government’s Chief Scientific Adviser, Sir John Beddington, who as early as March 15 gave a carefully measured appraisal and advised that there is nothing to fear outside of the Fukushima exclusion zone. In addition, he vindicated the Japanese government decision to implement the evacuation of residents within the 20 km radius of the plant and the advice to residents between 20 and 30 kms to stay indoors. This writer also supported the Japanese government decision as opposed to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) advice to evacuate within the radius of 50 kms.

This writer has advised many of his callers not to worry as whatever happens would be confined to Japan. One caller inquired if travelling to Hawaii was safe despite the fact that President Obama offered assurances the day earlier. I was asked on my native Serbian TV if they were safe thousands of miles away. The reporter told me how in neighboring Croatia radiation detectors were sold out. Asked what she should do, I told her to drive safely. It became obvious that the media scared people even in Europe.

Another drastic example is in the state of California where I live. In Mooresville, North Carolina, there is a company that supplies potassium iodide pills intended to block released iodine-131 in the thyroid and known as nuke pills. This company received thousands of orders, not from Japan but from California which faced no danger. The company representative said: “People calling, panicking, crying, and sending e-mails pleading.” Incidentally, the nuke pills will protect the thyroid but not other organs and will not protect against cesium.

Stock Market Hysteria

The stock markets round the globe reacted as if the nuclear option will disappear soon with a return to carbon based energy alternatives. The price of uranium slumped: Cameco shares, the largest uranium supplier lost 29%, the uranium ETF 32%, junior suppliers 30-50%. On the other hand fossil fuel polluters were up: CO2 emissions 10.8%, natural gas 13.4 %, and coal 10.8%.

A question needs to be asked if the investment managers knew that that the uranium supplies are projected to fall short of demand already in 2012 and definitely in 2013. Megatons to Megawatts agreement, signed in 1993 between the government of the Russian Federation and the Unites States expires in 2013. Under the agreement Russian Techsnabexport (Tenex) has been downblending 500 tons of highly enriched uranium (HEU) from the Soviets nuclear warheads arsenal into low enriched uranium (LEU), fuel for nuclear power plants in the U.S. and abroad. Deliveries to the USEC, Inc, acting for the U.S. government, annually provide about half the requirements for fuel in American nuclear power plants or 10% of all electricity generated in the country, more than hydro, wind and solar put together. On March 23, the USEC and Tenex inked a deal about the continued supply of LEU to USEC, which will start in 2013 and ramp up until it reaches a level in 2015 that is only about one-half the amount currently supplied under the Megatons to Megawatts program. The LEU will be supplied from Russia’s commercial enrichment facilities rather than from downblending.

In addition to 104 nuclear power plants operating in the U.S. there are another 340 plants operating worldwide with 147 expected to come on line over the next decade. In order to meet the demand mines will have to double the uranium output. This is not going to happen, except at much higher prices.

Billion-Euro Nuclear Shutdown in Germany

Geologically stable Germany has reacted as if the Fukushima accident happened in the heart of Germany. Four days after the accident Chancellor Merkel declared a three-month moratorium on nuclear power, in which eight nuclear power plants had to be shutdown immediately. An indiscriminate rationale was used: those that began operation in 1980 or earlier irrespective if they were BWRs, like Fukushima reactors, or PWRs. 8336 MW of generating capacity was removed overnight from the German power grid amounting to 41% of total German nuclear generation and 6.4% of country’s power plants. The market power of lost power generation is between 1-2.6 B Euros according to the International Energy Agency.

Replacement Cost $280 Billion

In 2001 a Social Democrat/Green government coalition limited nuclear power plant lives to an average of about 34 years. This phase-out policy was revised last year by the existing Christian Democrat/Free Democrat coalition with the effect of giving some reactors an extra eight years of operation and others extra 12. In return, the nuclear utilities were to pay a tax of 145 Euros per gram of nuclear fuel used, a total of about 2.3 B Euros per year. Subsequently, chancellor Merkel made a U-turn by announcing a moratorium to extend the plant life of Germany’s 17 reactors by an average of 12 yrs. She said: “Japan, like Germany, is a developed nation with strict safety rules, but nevertheless there was a chain of events that wasn’t expected. While Germany isn’t prone to quakes and tsunamis, it could fall victim to events we didn’t previously view as likely or possible. Now Merkel says that 2022 is a good time to completely phase out nuclear power in Germany. In June her cabinet is scheduled to meet to confirm the 2022 phase-out. Investments of more than $280 billion will be needed over the next decade to build wind turbines, coal and gas plants. Many U.S. utilities consider renewables as electrically and economically inefficient. The offshore wind farms require high voltage transmission and thus heavy expenditures.

Swiss Cabinet vs. Rational Regulator

On May 25, the Swiss cabinet decided to disallow replacement of existing aging nuclear power plants. Swiss utilities have been planning for several years to build replacements for Beznau and Muhleberg plants, after 50 years of operation, as well as a new plant built at Niederampt. If the cabinet decision gets through the parliament, the last nuclear power plant would be closed in 2034. This decision was made despite a February Referendum that supported replacement of existing plants. In addition, the Swiss regulator found no immediate danger for Swiss plants in light of the Fukushima accident. For Switzerland, a landlocked country, a tsunami was replaced with the failure of hydroelectric dams.

Italian Nuclear Moratorium

Italy’s Council of Ministers has approved a moratorium of at least one year on construction of nuclear plants. Italy was seriously considering restarting its nuclear program abandoned after the Chernobyl 1986 accident. Italy operated four nuclear plants, including Caorso and Trino, with decommissioning work under way. Italy lost about $50 billion during this nuclear shutdown and became a major importer of electricity generated by French nuclear plants. The cost of electricity has been 21 cents/kwhr compared to 13 in France. In 2008 there was a change in the government policy which led to the agreement between ENEL and EDF to build four plants.  

Rational Responses: Re-Review of Nuclear Safety

The nuclear renaissance leaders (China, Russia, and India) as well as France have announced no change in their policies. The French president Sarkozy said: “We have chosen to use nuclear power, that will not change.” At the G8 annual meeting in Deauville, France, Sarkozy said: “Many among the G8 think that there is no alternative to nuclear power, even if we are convinced of the need to develop alternative energy, renewable energy. But we all want to give ourselves a very high level of regulation on nuclear safety that applies to all countries wishing to use civilian nuclear power to make the safety levels the highest ever known.

Russian PM Putin said: “No change in nuclear development plans.” China, the nuclear renaissance leader with 29 plants under construction, has only announced a freeze on new nuclear projects until 2012. Indian PM Singh said: “When cool-headed discussions take place nuclear will be one of the essential options to deal with problems like climate change and energy security.”

Japanese PM Kan has emphasized the country’s commitment to establish the “world’s highest level of nuclear safety, while thoroughly investigating the causes of the accident.” With regard to the energy policy Kan stated:” Japan would proceed with the establishment of a four-pillar policy that adds renewable energy and energy conservation measures to the measures already in place for nuclear energy and fossil fuels.” In mid-May only 17 out of Japan’s 50 remaining plants were in operation. 20 units were not operating as they had been shutdown for inspections. These plants must be returned to service in order to avoid summer power shortages.

Most countries have initiated a re-review of nuclear safety in light of the Fukushima lessons that have been learnt, which this writer considers as prudent and rational. A great deal has been learned and needs to be applied but there is no reason for panic and these reviews should be conducted in a timely fashion.

EU Stress Tests

The EU has announced stress tests for all 143 plants in its member states. After two months of arguments national safety regulators have prevailed to not explicitly include terrorism but to focus on the aspects of nuclear safety highlighted by the Fukushima accident. The push to include a criminal attack was advanced by anti-nuclear countries, Germany and Austria. Years ago Austria abandoned a plant which was built but never operated because of anti-nuclear hysteria. They even attempted to influence Slovenia and the Czech Republic to shutdown their plants.

Two initiating events are covered in the scope: earthquake and flooding. Loss of electrical supplies and station blackout, loss of ultimate heat sink and the combination of both will be analyzed with the conclusions to be applicable to other emergency situations. Plant operators should send a progress report to their regulators by August 15 and a final version by October 31. Regulators are to report progress to the European Commission (EC) on September 15 and in full by year end.

U.S. Regulator and Nuclear Industry

In the aftermath of March 11, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) ordered its resident inspectors at 104 operating plants (65 sites) to conduct an examination in light of the Fukushima accident. On May 20, the NRC issued a summary of those inspections, which have reaffirmed that every plant has the capability, including the use of so-called “B5b” strategies developed in response to the NRC order after 9/11 to maintain reactor safety following large explosions or fires to cool down reactor cores and spent fuel pools. Out of 65 sites, 12 had issues during these inspections; many dealing with training. Three out of 12 have already been resolved, while the remaining ones are being worked on. In addition, the NRC has formed a task force that is examining what lessons can be learned from Fukushima.

The U.S. nuclear industry has initiated an assessment of Fukushima events and is taking a number of actions such as: verify capability to manage severe accidents including aircraft impacts, fires and explosions, capability to manage a total loss of offsite power, capability to mitigate flooding. William Lewis, President and COO of PSEG Power, testified in the Senate and confirmed the industry commitment to learn and implement lessons learned from Fukushima. Several nuclear utilities confirmed plans are on track for new built such as the Southern Nuclear Operating Co, South Carolina Electric & Gas, Duke Power Co (with expected merger with Progress), Florida Power and Light and Luminant Power. However, the NRG, the largest owner, has pulled out from the South Texas project and written off $400 million plus investment.

South Korea Bolsters Reactor Safety

Safety inspections at all 21 operating South Korean nuclear power plants (27 items checked) have concluded that they are safe against the largest earthquakes and tsunamis that have struck the country so far. However, a massive investment program has been announced aimed at reinforcing their defenses. The inspections identified a total of 50 short and long term measures that could be taken to enhance safety. South Korea generates 40% of its electricity from nuclear power plants plus five units under construction.

Three European Regulators

Safety authorities of three European countries asserted that there was no reason to shutdown nuclear plants in the aftermath of Fukushima, despite widely different political views on the technology side: UK, Finland and Germany (yes, Germany).

The UK regulator has stated: “Analysis of Fukushima has not revealed any gaps in the scope of depth of the Safety Assessment Principles,” on which the UK regulation is based. However, the regulator has committed to undertake a formal review of the principles.

The Finnish Radiation and Nuclear Safety Agency (STUK) found “no new threat factors or deficiencies that would require immediate safety improvements.” Nevertheless, the Finnish plant operators will have to satisfy the regulator with regard to the flooding scenarios and sustained emergency power provisions.

The German regulator covered similar ground but included aircraft impact for which the nuclear plants should be prepared.

Why St. Anthony Holds the Child Jesus? and his Miracles & Traditions

The child Jesus is a good symbol of what we are celebrating this year—the 2,000th anniversary of the Incarnation and birth of Jesus. It’s the perfect year to explore why the image is so closely associated with St. Anthony of Padua.

Next to Mary of Nazareth, the saint most often seen in artwork holding the child Jesus in his arms is St. Anthony of Padua. If there is anything I’ve learned from visiting churches and Catholic missions throughout the world, it is that the image of Anthony and the child Jesus is a favorite around the globe. It can be found wherever Catholic missionaries have carried the Good News, even in the most remote regions of the world.

Since I grew up in a Franciscan parish (in southern Indiana) and was then educated in the Franciscan seminary system, I was very familiar with that image. How could I avoid it? And yet for most of my life, I seldom asked others or myself: “Why is St. Anthony presented that way?”

I have consistently found the image of Anthony with the child Jesus quite friendly and likable. Even as I encountered artists who smiled at the image in patronizing ways and dismissed it as too sweet and sentimental, this did not keep me from finding the image appealing.

For a good part of my life, I did not look for a deeper meaning in this familiar image. Nor did I ask why the image caught the popular fancy of almost every culture around the world.

Looking for the Deeper Meanings

In recent years, however, I’ve taken a whole different tack. I’ve concluded that this popular image has developed in the Franciscan tradition and in the Catholic consciousness for some profound reason. For me, it conveys something vitally important in the Franciscan and Catholic spirit.

Exploring this image is something like exploring a vivid dream we’ve had during the night. We wake up the next morning and wonder, “Now what was that all about?” We assume that this dream, emerging from our inner depths, may hold an important meaning for our lives. So, too, the images that rise from the inner life of the Church may well hold profound meanings for us.

It is interesting to note that, although Anthony has been frequently portrayed in art since his death in 1231, images of him with the Christ child did not become popular until the 17th century.

Before exploring the image of Anthony and the Christ child, however, we should look at one of the popular stories explaining the origin of the custom. A good number of Franciscan historians, I believe, would advise us to approach the story as legend rather than as solid historical fact.

According to one version of the legend—and there are many—there was a Count Tiso who had a castle about 11 miles from Padua, Italy. On the grounds of the castle the count had provided a chapel and a hermitage for the friars.

Anthony often went there toward the end of his life and spent time praying in one of the hermit cells. One night, his little cell suddenly filled up with light. Jesus appeared to Anthony in the form of a tiny child. Passing by the hermitage, the count saw the light shining from the room and St. Anthony holding and communicating with the infant.

The count fell to his knees upon seeing this wondrous sight. And when the vision ended, Anthony saw the count kneeling at the open door. Anthony begged Count Tiso not to reveal what he had seen until after his death.

Whether this story be legend or fact, the image of Anthony with the child Jesus has important truths to teach us.

Anthony's Franciscan Ties

First of all, we notice that Anthony is wearing a Franciscan habit. Seeing him as a true son of St. Francis and a part of the Franciscan tradition is very important.

It is a historical fact that Anthony joined the Order of Friars Minor while Francis was still alive. We know that Anthony attended the Franciscan chapter of Pentecost, 1221, at which Francis was also present. Although more than 2,000 friars came to that famous gathering near Assisi, it’s hard to believe that Anthony—famous for finding lost objects for everyone else!—would not have been resourceful enough to find a way to see and hear the much-loved and illustrious founder of the Franciscan brotherhood, or perhaps even meet him. Less than three years later, Anthony received a personal letter from Francis graciously granting him permission to teach theology to the friars.

What I’m getting at is that Anthony, being a committed member of Francis’ Order, would have known well the spirit, teachings, values and dramatic actions of Francis. Like the other friars, he would have surely heard about Francis’ famous celebration of Christmas near Greccio, Italy, in 1223.

On that occasion, St. Francis had people come to Midnight Mass in a cave where there was an ox and an ass and a manger filled with straw. And the story went around that the Christ child appeared in the straw and Francis held the child in his arms. How interesting! The story of the baby Jesus appearing to Anthony is a kind of “copycat” story amazingly similar to that of St. Francis.

Even more important is the attitude or theology behind the story. Francis, we know, was tremendously impressed by the “poverty” and littleness of God—a God who left behind his divinity and chose to become a vulnerable child. In God’s entering the human race as a little baby on Christmas Day, Francis saw a God of unbelievable generosity, a God who held nothing back from human beings, a God of total self-giving, humility and poverty.

The poverty of God made a strong impression on St. Francis, according to evidence in his Rule. In the sixth chapter, he instructs his followers that they should “serve the Lord in Poverty...because the Lord made himself poor for us in this world.”

Anthony would have read this rule often. More than this, he would have taken to heart the larger spiritual vision of St. Francis, which extended beyond his fascination with the feast of Christmas. St. Francis also saw God’s poverty and vulnerability and self-giving love in Jesus’ suffering and death, so much so that he often broke into tears at the sight of a cross. He saw God’s poverty in the Eucharist, as well, where under the common forms of bread and wine Jesus humbly hands his whole self over to those he loves.

To see St. Anthony holding the infant Jesus in his arms, therefore, is to see a true follower of St. Francis. For did not Francis also embrace that same image of God’s vulnerability and humble love?

An Eloquent Preacher Holding Up the Word

Another meaningful way to interpret the presence of the Christ child in the arms of St. Anthony is to realize that Anthony was a great preacher of the gospel—a brilliant communicator of the Incarnate Word. In his sermons, Anthony emphasized the mystery of the Incarnation.

In 1946, Pope Pius XII officially declared Anthony a Doctor of the Universal Church, with the designation “Doctor of the Gospel.” Clearly, Anthony had taught Scripture with great power and effectiveness.

This leads us to view the images of Anthony holding the infant in a whole new light: Through his Scripture-based preaching, the real, historical Anthony was holding and communicating to the world the Incarnate Word of God. Very often the infant in Anthony’s arms is portrayed as standing on the holy Bible. Can there be a more obvious symbol and clue that the Christ child in Anthony’s arms represents the very embodiment of the Word of God? Often, the child stands on the Bible’s open pages as if rising out of the printed word itself.

In San Antonio, Texas, there is a large and lovely statue of St. Anthony of Padua, the patron saint of the city. The statue was a gift of Portugal (Anthony’s birthplace) to San Antonio. It stands in a public park along the San Antonio River in the heart of the city. The Christ child in Anthony’s arms stands on the Bible and his arms are extended in the shape of the cross as if embracing the whole world—as if Anthony is saying: “I hold up to all, as Savior of the world, this humble God of self-emptying love!”

We, Too, Can Carry Christ

The image of Anthony holding the divine infant is a symbol and model for each of us. The image inspires us to go through life clinging to the wonderful mystery of the humble, self-emptying Christ, who accompanies us as a servant of our humanity and of the world’s healing.

This is the image of Christ that St. Paul sketches for us in his Letter to the Philippians. Paul urges that we take on the attitude of “Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death—even death on a cross” (2:6-8).

This passage from Philippians is a key building block of Franciscan spirituality. And if the infant in Anthony’s arms were to speak, Philippians 2:6-8 would be his first message and self-description.

Just as Jesus’ death on a cross reveals God’s total self-giving love for us, so also does his Incarnation (symbolized in the Christ child). The eminent Scripture scholar, the late Father Raymond Brown, has affirmed that “the divine self-giving” revealed in Jesus’ Incarnation is comparable to “God’s supreme act of love...embodied in Jesus’ self-giving on the cross.” Brown adds, “Indeed some theologians have so appreciated the intensity of love in the Incarnation that they have wondered whether that alone might not have saved the world even if Jesus was never crucified.”

This is the kind of love that radiates from the Christ child so often pictured in St. Anthony’s arms. Would it not be a good idea for all of us to go through life carrying an imaginary God-child in our arms—and holding him up to the world? The child, however, is not really imaginary or fictitious. Two thousand years ago, thanks to the Virgin Mary’s “Yes,” the Son of God left behind his divine condition and came to dwell among us as a human child. Our faith tells us that he does accompany us each day like a humble servant—like a vulnerable child.

Like St. Anthony, we do well lovingly to carry this image with us on our life journey.

St. Anthony and the Lily Besides holding the Christ child, St. Anthony is often shown with a lily. Obviously, the lily is a symbol. The real Anthony would probably not have wanted to walk through life with a lily in his hand—especially if he was preaching to a group of construction workers! But the lily symbolizes purity, innocence, integrity. This symbol has been especially associated with the Virgin Mary and other virgin saints. In Annunciation scenes, for example, the Archangel Gabriel is often portrayed as arriving with a lily to symbolize Mary’s purity. St. Joseph, too, is frequently shown with the same flower. Images of St. Cecilia, St. Clare, St. Francis of Assisi and St. Dominic often include lilies. With great frequency, St. Anthony is shown holding both a lily and the Christ child. A special significance can be drawn from this. Placing a vulnerable child under the care of another human being shows a tremendous amount of trust toward that person. The risks are apparent: Any child can be easily harmed, neglected, misguided or even abused by a human parent or mentor. In light of this, God gave Mary an immense honor in choosing her as Jesus’ mother. St. Joseph, too, received a similar honor. And when Catholic tradition—through its many painters and artisans—placed the child Jesus in Anthony’s arms, they were granting the saint a similar gesture of honor and trust. By adding the lily symbol, these artists were planting a big clue as to why Anthony, too, deserves such honor and trust. In today’s world, when children are so often victims of neglect and abuse, the combined symbolism—of Anthony, child and lily—gives us rich food for prayer and meditation. Our children, our Church, Christ himself are sacred gifts entrusted to the People of God. In many places, lilies are blessed on the feast of St. Anthony and given to those who want them. The prayer of blessing, approved by Pope Leo XIII, asks for the gift of chastity, peace and protection against evil.

Revelations of God’s Goodness, an inspirational book from St. Anthony Messenger Press exploring the spirit of St. Francis in the context of the author’s life journey.

Miracles and Traditions of St. Anthony

Nearly everywhere St. Anthony is asked to intercede with God for the return of things lost or stolen. Those who feel very familiar with him may pray, “Tony, Tony, turn around. Something’s lost and must be found.”

The reason for invoking St. Anthony’s help in finding lost or stolen things is traced back to an incident in his own life. As the story goes, Anthony had a book of psalms that was very important to him. Besides the value of any book before the invention of printing, the psalter had the notes and comments he had made to use in teaching students in his Franciscan Order.

A novice who had already grown tired of living religious life decided to depart the community. Besides going AWOL he also took Anthony’s psalter! Upon realizing his psalter was missing, Anthony prayed it would be found or returned to him. And after his prayer the thieving novice was moved to return the psalter to Anthony and to return to the Order, which accepted him back. Legend has embroidered this story a bit. It has the novice stopped in his flight by a horrible devil, brandishing an ax and threatening to trample him underfoot if he did not immediately return the book. Obviously a devil would hardly command anyone to do something good. But the core of the story would seem to be true. And the stolen book is said to be preserved in the Franciscan friary in Bologna.

In any event, shortly after his death people began praying through Anthony to find or recover lost and stolen articles. And the Responsory of St. Anthony composed by his contemporary, Julian of Spires, O.F.M., proclaims, “The sea obeys and fetters break/And lifeless limbs thou dost restore/While treasures lost are found again/When young or old thine aid implore.”

  Patron of Sailors, Travelers and Fishermen

In Portugal, Italy, France and Spain, St. Anthony is the patron saint of sailors and fishermen. According to some biographers his statue is sometimes placed in a shrine on the ship’s mast. And the sailors sometimes scold him if he doesn’t respond quickly enough to their prayers.

Not only those who travel the seas but also other travelers and vacationers pray that they may be kept safe because of Anthony’s intercession. Several stories and legends may account for associating the saint with travelers and sailors.

First, there is the very real fact of Anthony’s own travels in preaching the gospel, particularly his journey and mission to preach the gospel in Morocco, a mission cut short by severe illness. But after his recovery and return to Europe, he was a man always on the go, heralding the Good News.

There is also a story of two Franciscan sisters who wished to make a pilgrimage to a shrine of our Lady but did not know the way. A young man is supposed to have volunteered to guide them. Upon their return from the pilgrimage one of the sisters announced that it was her patron saint, Anthony, who had guided them.

Still another story says that in 1647 Father Erastius Villani of Padua was returning by ship to Italy from Amsterdam. The ship with its crew and passengers was caught in a violent storm. All seemed doomed. Father Erastius encouraged everyone to pray to St. Anthony. Then he threw some pieces of cloth that had touched a relic of St. Anthony into the heaving seas. At once, the storm ended, the winds stopped and the sea became calm.

  Teacher, Preacher, Doctor of the Scriptures

Among the Franciscans themselves and in the liturgy of his feast, St. Anthony is celebrated as a teacher and preacher extraordinaire. He was the first teacher in the Franciscan Order, given the special approval and blessing of St. Francis to instruct his brother Franciscans. His effectiveness as a preacher calling people back to the faith resulted in the title “Hammer of Heretics.” Just as important were his peacemaking and calls for justice.

In canonizing Anthony in 1232, Pope Gregory IX spoke of him as the “Ark of the Testament” and the “Repository of Holy Scripture.” That explains why St. Anthony is frequently pictured with a burning light or a book of the Scriptures in his hands. In 1946 Pope Pius XII officially declared Anthony a Doctor of the Universal Church. It is in Anthony“s love of the word of God and his prayerful efforts to understand and apply it to the situations of everyday life that the Church especially wants us to imitate St. Anthony. While noting in the prayer of his feast Anthony’s effectiveness as an intercessor, the Church wants us to learn from Anthony, the teacher, the meaning of true wisdom and what it means to become like Jesus, who humbled and emptied himself for our sakes and went about doing good.

 

Christian Woman in Darfur, Sudan Arrested for Evangelizing

Sudanese National Security Intelligence and Security Service agents have arrested a Christian woman in a Darfur camp for displaced people, accusing her of converting Muslims to Christianity, said sources who fear she is being tortured.

At the same time, in Khartoum a Christian mother of a 2-month-old baby is wounded and destitute because she and her husband left Islam for Christianity.

In Darfur Region in northwestern Sudan, Hawa Abdalla Muhammad Saleh was arrested on May 9 in the Abu Shouk camp for Internally Displaced Persons in Al-Fashir, capital of North Darfur state, sources said.

Abdalla has yet to be officially charged, but authorities have accused her of possessing and distributing Bibles to others in the camp, including children. Sources said she could also be tried for apostasy, which carries the death sentence in Sudan.

Abdalla has been transferred to an unknown location in Khartoum, sources said, adding that they fear she could be tortured as she was detained and tortured for six days in 2009. Intelligence agents, they said, have been monitoring her movements for some time.

“There is no guarantee of her safety,” said one source in Darfur.

The U.S. Department of State’s International Religious Freedom Report 2010 notes that while Sudan’s Interim National Constitution provides for freedom of religion throughout the country, it establishes sharia (Islamic law) as a source of legislation in the north.

The arrest comes as northern Christians become more vulnerable to official and societal pressure with South Sudan set to split from the predominantly Muslim north on July 9. Adding to tensions was the north’s weekend military attack on Abyei Town, located in a disputed, oil-rich region to which both South Sudan and the north lay claim.

Knife Attacks
In Khartoum, the Christian couple with the newborn said they have come under attack for converting from Islam to Christianity.

Omar Hassan and Amouna Ahamdi, both 27, said they fled Nyala, 120 kilometers (75 miles) southwest of El-Fashir, for Khartoum in June 2010, but knife-wielding, masked assailants on May 4 attacked the couple after relatives learned that they had converted from Islam to Christianity. Hassan told Compass that he and his wife were renting a house from her uncle in Khartoum, but he ordered them to leave after learning they had left Islam.

His wife was injured trying to protect him during the May 4 attack, he told Compass.

“I have been in Khartoum for six months, with no job to support my sick wife,” Hassan said. “Muslims invaded our house and, in an attempt to kill me, they knifed my wife in the hand.”

The knife pierced the palm of Ahamdi, who said her brother had stabbed her three times in the stomach nine months ago, seriously injuring her spleen, after she told him she had become a Christian.

“I feel pain, but my husband is alive, and we are praying that we get money for treatment for both my hand and the spleen,” she said.

In the violent outburst, her brother also broke her left leg. She was rushed to a local hospital, where personnel were reluctant to treat her because of her conversion, sources told Compass. Ultimately she was hospitalized in Nyala Teaching Hospital for three weeks – where she met Hassan, a recent convert who had also suffered for his faith who visited her after hearing how her family hurt her.

He said he found no one caring for her even though she was in agony. He called an Episcopal Church of Sudan (ECS) pastor to help her, and she was discharged after partial recovery – to the hostile home where she had been attacked.

“You don’t deserve to be a member of my family,” her angry father shouted at her, she said.

Her family locked her in a room, shackled to a wooden chair, and severely beat her for a month.

“I was badly mistreated – they shaved all my hair and my father whipped my head,” Ahamdi said. “But neighbors used to sneak in secretly and provided me food and water.”

After freeing her from the chair, they restricted her movement to the property, she said.

“I found a chance to escape to the ECS church, where I got married to Hassan,” she said. “My health continued deteriorating, and the doctors recommended that I be transferred to Khartoum for specialized treatment for my ailing spleen. With a small amount of money, we managed to reach Khartoum by train, where my uncle hosted us not knowing that we were Christians.”

In Khartoum, they were unable to afford the medicine prescribed for her spleen.

“There is only one pharmaceutical shop in Khartoum that deals with spleen-related problems,” Ahamdi said. “The shop has to order the drug from Cairo after making a deposit amounting to US$300 before the drug is ordered. But we are not able to raise the needed amount since we are jobless.”

Hassan and Ahamdi depend on friends to provide them occasional food, she said. They sometimes go without eating for two days, she said.

“We cannot deny Christ – this is a big challenge to us, because we do not have a place to go,” she said, through tears. “We have no food, and we are jobless. I am still in pain, besides having a 2-month-old baby boy to care for.”

Path of Faith
Born in Shendi, north of Khartoum, Hassan was raised in Nyala, son of an imam belonging to the Ansar Al-Sunna, a sect of Sunni Muslims. He said he started questioning the Quran while accompanying his father on a preaching mission in Omdarfu, an area bordering Darfur and the Central African Republic.

A high-profile Muslim from Europe happened to be in the area, and young Hassan asked him questions about Muhammad and Jesus, he said. He found no immediate answers.

The following day, the European Muslim told his father that Hassan should be warned that soon he could become an infidel or kafir. Hassan denied it when his father summoned him, but the family grew uneasy with him and took his job away. He said he felt he was wasting his time in spreading Islam, and people began suspecting that he had converted to Christianity even though he had not yet done so.

He said he decided to be without faith, and his father denied him all basic needs. After obtaining work as a security guard with a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), he began comparing Christianity and Islam with his workmate. His friend invited him to visit a church, and Hassan also began attending a Bible study.

Hassan said he began having dreams and visions and heard a voice saying, “This is the way.” He told this to church pastor, who told him it referred to Jesus saying it of Himself in John 14:6.

“A desire for attending church grew in me, and thereafter I got baptized,” Hassan said. “The pastor encouraged me to keep on praying. One morning, when I was on my knees praying, my father entered into the room and found me.”

Furious, his father called out to him, but Hassan did not reply.

“He then hit me with a big stick on the back of my neck,” he said. “He closed the door, invited seven relatives plus my elder brother, who started beating me with sticks and broke my shoulder. I almost lost my sight. My elder brother helped me escape to the pastor’s house, where I was hospitalized for 13 days.”

After recovering, he returned to the pastor’s house, where he continued working with the NGO on a temporary basis. Early in 2007, he said, he met his uncle in the market, who tricked him into returning home, where his father beat him. His mother helped him escape, and a Christian from South Sudan took him to a hospital.

His pastor sent him to Khartoum, but he ended up working for another NGO in Juba, where he joined the ECS church. With his faith strengthened, he returned to Nyala when the contract ended in 2007. When he reached home, his father realized that he remained a Christian and ordered him to leave and never return.

He returned to the ESC congregation in Nyala, and in 2008 the church sent him to Shokaya Bible Institute for six months. Upon completion he returned to the church and married Ahamdi in June 2010.

They soon fled persecution to Khartoum, where their trials have continued.

“We have been given notice to vacate the house,” Hassan said. “Life is becoming unbearable for us here in Khartoum.”

Two Christian girls kidnapped and converted to Islam in Pakistan

The violence on Christian girls in central Punjab has caused two other victims

- which deals with the protection of Christians in Pakistan - two Christian girls were kidnapped by a group of Muslims and forced to convert to Islam and get married. Rebbecca Masih and Saima Masih were kidnapped in Jhung the district of Faisalabad.

As explained by the two sisters` father, Rehmat Masih, a few days ago a wealthy local businessman, Muhammad Waseem, had previously warned that he wanted to marry the two girls, then threatened to kidnap them and convert them by force. Rehmat went to the police to file a complaint, but they did not take action. On Tuesday, May 24 the two girls were stopped while returning from the market, and some men kidnapped and threw them in a car owned by Waseem.

Rehmat rushed back to the police. The officers, after completing the investigation, said that "there are false accusations against Waseem," and that Rehmat, often gets drunk and starts assaulting his daughters, so they might have ran away unable to bear the torture. Other witnesses and neighbors instead swear that Rehmat is a respectable man and has never harmed his daughters.

On May 25, Muhammad Waseem forcefully married Saima Masih, in the presence of the leader Muhammad Zubair Qasim, an active member of the banned extremist group "Sip-e-Sahaba", often known for organizing kidnappings and forced conversions of Christian girls and Hindus. During the final interview, the police said to Rehmat to "forget his daughters."

Haroon Barkat Masih, Director of the Masihi Foundation, who is dealing with the case of Asia Bibi, condemns the incident and says to Fides: "Kidnapping Christian girls, conversion and forced marriages have become common practice in Punjab. The police have been bought, instead of serving the Punjab government they are servants of extremist groups. Punjab is becoming heaven for these groups: Muslim leaders openly call for violence in their sermons, without shame. Hundreds of cases like that of the Masih sisters do not come into existence. We have repeatedly appealed to the Punjab government, without receiving an answer: the government supports these groups. "

A Catholic nun in Faisalabad - who asked to remain anonymous for security reasons - is responsible to regain and hide the Christian girls who manage to flee the violence. The nun explains to Fides: "There are countless similar cases every year, that the Church of Pakistan has denounced many times, asking for respect for basic rights. The Masih sisters is a common fate of many girls and young Christian women in a society that tolerates discrimination on religious minorities, especially on women. " In her pastoral work, the nun "seeks to promote the social status of girls who, for reasons of caste or religion, are living in conditions of subordination and poverty, especially through education and professional training."

Islamists Target Egypt’s Christians

Egypt’s Arab Spring has become a nightmare for the nation’s 2,000-year-old Coptic Christian community, now the terror target of choice for Islamist radicals. Christians’ “personal security has gotten much worse” since the February ouster of President Hosni Mubarak, says Nina Shea of the Hudson Institute, who monitors the situation of religious minorities in the Muslim world.

Christian homes, businesses and churches have come under increasing attack from militant Islamists, with many of the assaults coming shortly after angry sermons given at Friday prayers. The sermons inciting the violence often come from Salafist imams subsidized by the Egyptian government.

Since February, violent Islamists have exploited an atmosphere of “lawlessness” to assert that they are in control, said Coptic American activist Michael Meunier. Meunier, who is currently visiting Egypt, told the Investigative Project on Terrorism that the government’s refusal to challenge anti-Christian violence has “provided a way out to criminals and encouraged violent attacks.”

Prominent examples of violence directed against Egyptian Christians include:

• On May 7, a Salafi Muslim mob, angered by a false rumor that Christians had abducted a Muslim woman, attacked Christian churches and homes in Cairo’s Imbaba district. At least 12 people were killed and hundreds more wounded in the attack and ensuing street battles between the Salafis and Copts.

The Copts requested help from the Egyptian Army, but soldiers didn’t arrive until four and a half hours later. Watch video here.

• On May 14, Islamist mobs attacked Christian demonstrators holding a sit-in in downtown Cairo to protest the May 7 attacks in Imbaba. Attackers threw rocks, tossed gasoline bombs, burned cars and charged at the demonstrators. Christians said more than 100 people were injured in the attack and ensuing street brawls that erupted. Riot police initially stood by while the violence took place.
• A church in Soul, Egypt was destroyed by hammer-wielding Islamists in March. The attackers were angry about a relationship between a Muslim woman and a Christian man.
• That same month, witnesses said 500 Christians in Cairo were surrounded by several thousand Muslims. Young men set nearby apartment buildings and a factory on fire. Christians who witnessed the incident said soldiers stood by for hours while the violence occurred.
• In the southern Egyptian city of Qena, a Christian accused of having a relationship with a Muslim woman had his ear cut off. The victim, Ayman Mitry, blamed Salafis. He said they called him a “kafir” (infidel) and tried to spit on a cross tattooed on his wrist. The military tried to mediate reconciliation between the perpetrators and the victim.
• The Egyptian Army has reportedly attacked Christians and their churches. Christian activists say that in February, soldiers assaulted a Coptic Orthodox monastery in al-Natroun, 68 miles north of Cairo, with small arms, heavy machine guns and armored personnel carriers in order to bulldoze a wall. A monk and six church workers were shot and wounded in the attack. The Army said the monastery had failed to obtain the proper permits.
• Also in February, the Army attacked another monastery in Al Fayoum, 80 miles southwest of Cairo, to destroy a security wall built to keep out criminals. The military claimed the wall had been built on land set aside for a nature preserve.

Since Mubarak’s fall, the Egyptian government has repeatedly failed to take action against Muslim militants involved in anti-Christian violence including the destruction of churches, Muenier said. Instead of sending the Egyptian Army in to protect Christians, the government forces Christians to negotiate rebuilding issues with “fanatical” Muslim clerics who are not acting in good faith.

Shea sees the violence as part of a larger pattern of marginalization of Egyptian Christians that has gone hand-in-hand with the growing power of the Muslim Brotherhood and more militant Salafist groups. If current patterns continue, “I expect Egypt to become more and more like Iran,” she said.

The result is going to be “an Islamic awakening” in which the state “uses its coercive powers” to induce conformity with Shariah law, Shea told the IPT. The major victims will be Christians and non-Islamist Muslims who don’t want to conform to the rigid religious ideology of the Brotherhood and the Salafists.

Islamists have taken some steps to soften their public image. These include the announcement that the Freedom and Justice Party, formed by the Brotherhood, had chosen a Christian to be vice-president. Meunier termed the move “window-dressing” and expressed skepticism that the Brotherhood would permit non-Muslims to gain a position of genuine influence in the party.

Coptic Christians and their supporters say the government’s response to violence and coercion has worsened their plight. In Egypt, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) found “serious, widespread and long-standing human rights violations against religious minorities,” said Shea, a USCIRF commissioner.

For years, Egypt’s response to the violence has been to conduct “reconciliation” sessions between Muslims and Christians. In its 2009 human rights report, the State Department found that those sessions “prevented the prosecution of perpetrators of crimes against Copts and precluded their recourse to the judicial system for restitution.” This situation “contributed to a climate of impunity that encouraged further assaults.”

The Egyptian government “goes through the motions of taking action,” Shea said. The policy consists of getting “the Christians to shake hands with the people who attack them.”

But the reconciliation panels remain a part of the Egypt’s response to Muslim-on-Christian violence. For example, after the axe-wielding mob destroyed the church in Soul to avenge a relationship between a Christian man and a Muslim woman, Coptic and Muslim families held a reconciliation meeting. They decided that the Christian (whose house had been torched by the mob) would have to leave town.

The problems are further exacerbated by discriminatory Egyptian laws that make it very difficult for Christians to rebuild churches and bar teaching the Coptic language in Egyptian schools.

Shea warned it is a mistake to think that the effects of continued marginalization of Coptic Christians will be confined to Egypt. An Egyptian society unwilling to tolerate the Copts likely will be hostile to a Jewish state in the region, and that could have troubling consequences for Egypt’s peace treaty with Israel. With that in mind, Shea urged that Washington speak out more forcefully on behalf of embattled minorities like the Copts.

Muslim Brotherhood, Salafis Join Forces

More ominous still is the news that the Muslim Brotherhood has formed a political alliance with radical Salafis.

Brotherhood representatives joined representatives of Gama’a al-Islamiya in announcing they would form a coalition in September’s parliamentary elections in order to combat secular forces in Egypt. “God’s words must rule and Islam must be in the hearts of the citizens,” said Osama Hafez, a spokesman for the group.

Gama’a representatives have called have called for the establishment of a medieval-style virtue police “to arrest those who commit immoral acts.”

Gama’a al-Islamiya says it has renounced violence, but the organization’s long history of jihad makes many skeptical.

Members of the group were involved in the 1981 assassination of Egyptian President Anwar Sadat. In the 1990s, its leader, Ayman al-Zawahiri, merged his faction of Gama’a with al-Qaida. Its spiritual leader is Sheikh Omar Abdel Rahman, currently serving a life sentence in the United States for his involvement in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing and a plot to blow up other New York-area landmarks including the United Nations building and the Lincoln and Holland tunnels; the George Washington Bridge; and the New York office of the FBI.

Between January 1996 and November 1997, Gama’a carried out multiple terrorist attacks targeting Christians and foreign tourists in Egypt, killing more than 100 people. The most deadly of these occurred on November 18, 1997, when it massacred at least 58 people, most of them tourists, in Luxor.

Following the Luxor massacre, President Hosni Mubarak’s government launched a harsh crackdown against the group, killing or jailing many of its members. That forced the group to split into factions, one of which was Zawahiri’s armed wing that joined al-Qaida. Another faction consisted of ex-terrorists who renounced violence.

But the “moderate” faction of Gama’a apparently regards bin Laden as a victim of American perfidy. At a conference earlier this month, Gama’a representative, Abbud al-Zumar, suggested that Christians and Muslims were both to blame for the Imbaba violence and said bin Laden is a victim of his U.S. enemies. Zumar warned Arabs about U.S. arrogance in dealing with Arab Islamic nations.

Meunier expressed skepticism about recent efforts by Islamists to cast themselves as supporters of nonviolence and moderation. Salafist “leaders and clerics” can be found “all over YouTube with videos encouraging their followers to attack churches and Christians,” he said. Although the videos have been turned over to the Egyptian military, “there seems to be no will at this stage to arrest” the individuals behind the attacks, Meunier said.

The military’s unwillingness to act against Islamists does not come as a total surprise given its connections with organizations like the Muslim Brotherhood. Writing in Middle East Quarterly, Egyptian activist Cynthia Farahat points to numerous actions the Egyptian Supreme Council of the Armed Forces since Mubarak’s ouster that have been favorable to Islamists and discriminatory against minority Christians.

According to Farahat, the council has made decisions to arrest a secular liberal blogger and sentence him to three years in prison; at the same time, it freed Col. Aboud al-Zomor, described as the “mastermind” of Sadat’s assassination. It issued a declaration making sharia “the principal source of legislation” and has failed to prosecute “Muslims responsible for hate crimes against Christians.”

This pattern isn’t accidental. Farahat marshals arguments to show that for close to 60 years, the Muslim Brotherhood has exercised a surprising degree of power by working with the Egyptian military. She argues that in the short run, the real question “is not whether the Muslim Brotherhood will seize power, but whether it will continue to hold it, either directly or by proxy.”

Islamist organizations like the Muslim Brotherhood “don’t want to take responsibility for the results of the ideology of hatred” that they are advocating, Shea said. If the Egyptian government and military are unwilling to confront this reality, Islamism will continue gaining in strength, with dark consequences for Egypt.

News collected from : global-security-news.com

Suicide bomber kills 8 tribesmen in Pakistan

A suicide bomber targeted pro-government tribal elders in Pakistan's northwestern frontier Saturday, killing eight men, officials said, a day after U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton during a visit here implored Pakistanis to take decisive steps to fight terrorism.

Ten people were also were wounded when a bomb ripped through a restaurant at a market in the troubled Bajur tribal region, near the Afghan border, officials said.

A government administrator, Shad Khan, said a man on foot carried out the suicide attack. The Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility.

The attack came a day after Clinton and Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, made a seven-hour trip to Pakistan in a bid to repair ties damaged by the U.S. raid that killed Osama bin Laden, which Pakistanis say was an attack on its sovereignty.

On Saturday, Pakistan's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Tahmina Janjua said Clinton's visit had helped clear up misunderstandings and that the two sides would cooperate on raids against terror suspects.

Clinton referred Friday to joint operations coming soon, and U.S. officials said the U.S. and Pakistan agreed to take some specific measures together.

In one sign of a slight warming trend, CIA and Pakistani intelligence officials completed a joint search of the bin Laden compound in Abbottabad Friday, a Pakistani official said.

Saturday's attack, in the village of Salarzai, underscored the militants' ability to strike at the tribesmen, who have often sided with government troops in efforts to rout insurgents.

Pakistani Taliban spokesman, Ahsanullah Ahsan, claimed responsibility, saying the elders were targeted because they were helping the security forces.

Bajur is considered a militant stronghold and violence has persisted there since last year, when the military claimed that it had defeated Taliban and al-Qaida militants after more than a year of fighting.

On Thursday, a Pakistani Taliban suicide bomber detonated a pickup truck loaded with explosives near several government offices in northwest Pakistan, killing at least 32 people.

Thursday's blast was the latest in a series of attacks to hit the country since the bin Laden raid, including an 18-hour siege of a naval base in Pakistan's south.

News collected from USATODAY.COM

Egypt reopens border with Gaza

In a highly symbolic break with previous policy, Egypt reopened its border crossing into Gaza on Saturday, opening the door for Palestinians to the outside world and raising fears among some Israelis that militant attacks will increase.

"Procedures were excellent," said Younes Ahmed, who described his travel into Egypt as the first such visit in his life. "I hope there will be peace between our people and I want to thank the Egyptian people and the Egyptian government ... we always hope for easier ways for Palestinians because our people suffered enough."

Crossing officials said more than 600 Palestinians passed Saturday through the Rafah border, which had been subject to frequent closures by Egypt after Hamas, an Islamic militant group, took control of Gaza in June 2007.

The closure of the border had been part of an embargo policy by Egypt and Israel aimed at cutting off Hamas, though it simultaneously created an economic hardship in Gaza by limiting shipments of goods in and out of the country.

Egypt opted to reopen the border to offer relief to the people of Gaza, said Ambassador Menha Bakhoum of the country's foreign ministry.

"Today, we are facing a new stage, a new stage were this blockade is defeated," said a Hamas representative at the crossing. "This step is to support the resistance of the Palestinian people to face the Zionist blockade."

"This is a Palestinian-Egyptian frontier and it's not the business of the invaders," said Salam Baraka, general director of border police. "This border does not submit but to the Egyptian-Palestinian rule."

Palestinian Authority adviser and negotiator Nabil Shaath heralded the move by the government in Cairo, calling it a "brave and bold decision" that demonstrated "the new Egypt stands by the Palestinian people." It was seen as a victory by many in the Hamas government of Gaza, which staged a celebration rally Saturday near the crossing.

Some in Israel's security establishment have privately expressed concerns that the increased traffic at Rafah could serve to allow more militants and weapons to cross in and out of Gaza and that it could ultimately serve to bolster the position of Hamas, which Israel and the United States consider a terrorist organization, but the Israeli government has said little publicly.

Neither the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu nor the foreign ministry would publicly comment due to the sensitive nature of relations with Egypt.

Sari Bashi, who serves as director of Gisha, an Israeli organization that advocates for Palestinian freedom of movement, welcomed the changes at the crossing and said Israel need not be overly concerned.

"It continues to prevent goods from traveling via Rafah and it also continues to limit travel to those listed in the Israeli-approved Palestinian population registry," Bashi said of the new Egyptian policy. "Egypt is allowing an incremental and welcome change, but it is still expressing its willingness to engage Israel and engage Israeli security concerns."

The Rafah crossing was open sporadically between June and January, when Egypt ordered it opened to those in need of medical care, students, and foreign passport and residency card holders. Among those people allowed to cross were those wounded during an Israeli assault aboard a flotilla of ships headed to Gaza last year.

Rafah is one of two crossings through which Palestinians can exit Gaza; the other is controlled by Israel and bars passage by most Palestinians save for those with emergency medical conditions.

Since the flotilla raid, Israel has allowed a greater amount of goods to enter Gaza, but it still maintains a complete blockade of the airspace and territorial waters and has limited most exports.

After Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak was forced from office, the interim government promised to reopen the border.

Catholic Church only true church, Vatican says

The Vatican issued a document Tuesday restating its belief that the Catholic Church is the only true church of Jesus Christ.

The 16-page document was prepared by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, a doctrinal watchdog that Pope Benedict used to head.

Pope Benedict XVI was elected Pope in April 2005.

(Plinio Lepri/Associated Press)

Formulated as five questions and answers, the document is titled "Responses to Some Questions Regarding Certain Aspects of the Doctrine on the Church."

It says although Orthodox churches are true churches, they are defective because they do not recognize the primacy of the Pope.

"It follows that these separated churches and communities, though we believe they suffer from defects, are deprived neither of significance nor importance in the mystery of salvation," it said.

The document adds that Protestant denominations — called Christian Communities born out of the Reformation — are not true churches, but ecclesial communities.

"These ecclesial communities which, specifically because of the absence of the sacramental priesthood … cannot, according to Catholic doctrine, be called 'churches' in the proper sense," it said.

The document is similar to one written in 2000 by the Pope — who was Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger at the time — that sparked an angry reaction from Protestant groups.

"I suspect there will be some reactions that are rather passionate," said Raphaela Schmid, director of the Becket Institute, a group that advocates religious freedom. "I hope they will not be angry because we all try to understand about each other."

The document is issued by Benedict's successor in doctrinal matters, Cardinal William Levada, and endorsed by the Pope, said Reuters.

The decree comes days after liberal Catholic and Jewish groups spoke out against the Pope's move to authorize the wider use of a traditional Latin mass.

The Tridentine mass includes a prayer for the conversion of Jews. Its use was restricted following the Second Vatican Council from 1962 to 1965.

Pope Benedict issued a decree last week authorizing its broader use in an effort to reconcile with followers of an ultratraditional excommunicated bishop.

The Jewish Anti-Defamation League in New York called it a "body blow to Catholic-Jewish relations."



Source : CBCnews

What Divides Catholics and Protestants?

As Pope Benedict XVI continues with his highly publicized visit to the United States, some may wonder what the major differences are between Catholicism and Protestantism – the two main Christian bodies in the world.

(Photo: AP Images / Gerald Herbert)

President Bush and Pope Benedict XVI walk down the Colonnade of the White House in Washington, Wednesday, April 16, 2008, following an arrival ceremony on the South Lawn.

Perhaps the biggest difference is their views on the sufficiency and authority of Scripture. Traditionally, Protestants believe that the Bible alone is sufficient in teaching man all that is necessary for salvation from sin, and contains the standard in which Christians should measure their behavior.

Catholics, however, do not believe that the Bible alone is enough, and instead hold that the Bible and sacred Roman Catholic traditions are equal in authority, as noted by Got Questions Ministries, which provides biblically-based answers on spiritually-related questions in its Web site, GotQuestions.org.

Roman Catholic doctrines, such as purgatory, praying to the saints, veneration of Mary, have little or no basis in the Scripture, but are based on Roman Catholic traditions.

Another major difference is the office and authority of the pope. There is no equivalent position to the pope in Protestantism because of the belief that no human being is infallible and that Christ alone is the head of the church. Protestants believe that the spiritual authority of the church is based on the Word rather than apostolic succession, and that all believers through the Holy Spirit can understand the Word.

For Roman Catholics, on the other hand, the pope is the “Vicar of Christ,” and stands in the place of Jesus as the visible head of the Church. Therefore, his teachings are considered infallible and effective over all Christians.

Pentecost or Holy Spirit

Pentecost (Ancient Greek: Πεντηκοστή [ἡμέρα], Pentēkostē [hēmera], "the Fiftieth [day]") is one of the prominent feasts in the Christian liturgical year commemorating the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples of Christ after the Resurrection.^[1] The feast is also called Whitsunday especially in the United Kingdom. Pentecost is celebrated seven weeks (50 days) after Easter Sunday, hence its name.^[2] Pentecost falls on the tenth day after Ascension Thursday.

Pentecost is historically and symbolically related to the Jewish harvest festival of Shavuot, which commemorates God giving the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai fifty days after the Exodus. Among Christians, Pentecost commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and other followers of Jesus as described in the New Testament Acts of the Apostles 2:1-31.^[3] For this reason, Pentecost is sometimes described as the "Birthday of the Church".