Chicago: The new Archbishop of Chicago, Franz George, addressing a Priests' conference, reminded the participants that domestic quarrels among priests are preventing the work of evangelisation. Priests are those who maintain a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. It is this personal relationship that gives them strength and enthusiasm to evangelize. But the differences they have with one another are obstructing this work. How can those involved in endless, unnecessary arguments over subjects like devotions, liturgy, love of neighbour and justice, give themselves fully to this work of evangelisation, asked the Bishop.

The Church's mandate is to transform the whole of mankind into a community of love. It is for this purpose that members of the Catholic Church should work, said the Archbishop.
 

Italy: Pope John Paul II has stated that the greatest challenge facing the Church in the third millennium is to regain the spirit of the Gospels. The Pope was addressing a conference of the Italian Bishops. Though Christians are familiar with the Bible, the inspired word of God has not entered deep into their hearts. They are not able to enliven their faith with the richness of the word. We need to train our young people to penetrate into the essence of the Biblical message and thus discover new meaning in life. The Pope said that St Jerome's statement, made long ago, that ignoring the Holy Bible was tantamount to ignoring Jesus Christ himself, is relevant even today.
 

Denver: We are going to celebrate the two thousandth anniversary of the most important event in the history of the world. The Incarnation of Jesus, the Son of God, is the central event of the history of mankind, reminded Archbishop John Fowly when he was speaking to a group of newspaper reporters.

Even though we do not recall this fact that divided time into BC and AD every time we note the date or write a letter, is it not this event that shines before our eyes, asked the Archbishop. He added that we cannot celebrate the end of the second and the beginning of the third millennium, forgetting the birth and life of Jesus Christ. Can there be any event greater than that of God becoming man?
 

Rio de Janerio: An international conference on the eroding values of family life is due in October 1997. Rio de Janerio, which played host to the international conference on protection of the natural environment in 1992, will be the venue for this conference too. It will be held under the auspices of the Pontifical Commission for the family .

Monsignor Francis Fehoi, Under Secretary of the Pontifical Commission said : "The Church has in mind the renewal and sanctification of family life in calling this assembly. The Church cannot remain a silent spectator of the current erosion of the religious values that once made the family and family relationships stable and secure. Something has to be done immediately. This is the purpose of this second International Conference."
 

[ Contents ]