News
Unnecessary expenditure
The Vatican:
The Vatican has strongly protested against the huge amount of money being
spent on stocking armaments by world powers while millions are dying of
starvation. The Vatican appealed to the UNO to take steps to control the
large sums spent for defence purposes.
Except for Eastern Europe,
the amount spent by the world nations on armaments each year is 80,000
crore dollars. In developing countries, there are crores of people dying
of poverty. 130 crores experience great difficulties because of financial
stress. In spite of such conditions, these nations spend 20,000 crore dollars
on armaments. Nations should use their wealth only for peaceful purposes
instead of heaping up armaments to be used for destruction of life, said
Archbishop Rinatto R Martino. The Archbishop was speaking at a discussion
on disarmament in the General Assembly.
Catholic hospitals should adhere
to moral principles
The Vatican:
Pope John Paul II has said that Catholic hospitals should follow the principles
of the Catholic Church regarding the morality of modern means of medication
and nursing. His Holiness was speaking to a group of American health workers
who visited him on 18th October.
The Pope brought to their
attention the teaching of the Church in regard to the sanctity of life,
mercy killing, artificial insemination and cloning. Catholic Hospitals
should be an example to other hospitals through the loving care bestowed
on patients, and their determination to uphold human dignity.
Attacks on Missionaries in Rajasthan
Rajasthan:
Reports from Calcutta reveal that from the time of Mother Teresa's death,
the persecution of Catholics by the Vishwa Hindu Parishat, has become a
daily routine. Missionaries are the commonest victims of these attacks.
Capturing the property of the Catholic Church, creating obstacles to the
celebration of the Liturgy and working against the Catholic missionaries
and priests are on the increase. The CBCI has strongly protested against
these attacks. The conference has requested the government to provide protection
for these people as enjoined by the constitutions.
Faith-formation must go hand in
hand with daily life
The Vatican:
Pope John Paul II has strongly stated that faith formation should be related
to daily life deeply rooted in faith. The Pope told the faith formators
hailing from different countries that faith formation should be such as
to ensure that the light of the Gospel becomes a guiding principle in the
social, economic and political areas of life.
Liquor prohibited: Archdiocese
of Goa
Panaji: The
Archdiocese of the land of liquor has advised its Catholics against the
use of liquor. The Archdiocese Council has requested that no liquor should
be served at celebrations of Baptism, weddings, funerals and family-unit
gatherings. The Goan government is also crusading against the social evil
of alcoholism. Archbishop Rahul said in places where public programmes
conducted under the auspices of Catholic associations are held, liquor
ads will be prohibited.