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April 2019

Take risks, make a ruckus pope tells young people in apostolic exhortation
 (Saturday, 13 April 2019 )

VATICAN (CNS): The life of a young person and the vocation to which God calls each one is holy ground that pastors and parents must respect, nurture and encourage, Pope Francis writes in Christus Vivit (Christ Lives), his new apostolic exhortation, released on April 2.
 
The pope’s reflections on the 2018 Synod of Bishops on young people, the faith and vocational discernment, is a combination letter to young people about their place in the Church and a plea to...

Mass Readings for Passion Sunday and Holy Week
 (Saturday, 13 April 2019 )

APRIL 14 – PALM SUNDAY OF THE PASSION.
Mass of the Sunday, Creed, preface of Palm Sunday (red). 
Readings: Isaiah 50:4-7; Philippians 2:6-11; Luke 22:14—23:56.
 
APRIL 15 – MONDAY OF HOLY WEEK. 
Mass of the day, preface for Passion II (violet). 
Readings: Isaiah 42:1-7; John 12:1-11.
 
APRIL 16 – TUESDAY OF HOLY WEEK.
Mass of the day,...

Passion Sunday - Being compassionate among suffering
 (Saturday, 13 April 2019 )

The passion narrative of Luke emphasises the goodness and mercy of Jesus. He intervenes and severely rebukes Peter who countered the soldiers with his sword. Then he takes care of the wounded and healed him (Luke 22:51). 
 
The message that the evangelist wants to give is clear: the disciple not only cannot attack anyone but is always ready to remedy the troubles caused by others. He also takes care of those who did and still continues to want to hurt...

Passion Sunday - Tinitiis sa ngalan ng pagmamahal!
 (Saturday, 13 April 2019 )

Ang pagpapakasakit ni Hesus ay ang pinakadakilang pagpapahayag ng Pangi-noon ng pagmamahal sa atin. Sa pamamagitan ng pagpapakasakit ni Hesus sa krus tayo ay nagkamit ng kaligtasan. Pinaalalahanan tayo sa liturhiyang ito, na ang daan para sa kaligtasan ay ang pagsunod sa kalooban ng Diyos, pagpapakasakit para sa Diyos at malasakit para sa kapwa. Hindi natin makamtan ang kaligtasan kung hindi tayo tumahak sa daan ng pagpapakasakit, pagtitiis sa ngalan ng katotohanan tulad ni...

Monsignor Jozic in stable, but critical condition following crash
 (Saturday, 13 April 2019 )

Hong Kong (SE): Monsignor Ante Jozic, the former representative of the Holy See in Hong Kong, was seriously injured in an accident in Split, Croatia on April 7 and was receiving urgent medical attention.
 
Monsignor Jozic’s vehicle was involved in a collision with another car inside a tunnel in Split around 6.00pm Croatian time on April 7. 
 
The two drivers were taken to hospital immediately but the 24-year-old driver of the other car later died...

Schedule of English Holy Week Services 2019
 (Saturday, 13 April 2019 )

Click here for PDF file
Auxiliary bishop of Mindong pressured to toe party line
 (Saturday, 13 April 2019 )

HONG KONG (UCAN): Bishop Vincent Guo Xijin, now auxiliary bishop of Mindong, has indicated that there is uncertainty as to whether he will concelebrate Chrism Mass on Holy Thursday unless he agrees to state policy on the Catholic Church in China
 
The former bishop of Mindong, was asked to step aside by the Vatican in favour of the government-recognised Bishop Vincent Zhan Silu—one of seven formerly excommunicated bishops—following the Sino-Vatican provisional...

Chinese official decries foreign religious meddling
 (Saturday, 13 April 2019 )

HONG KONG (UCAN): Wang Zuo’an, deputy minister of the Chinese government’s United Front Work Department, published a signed commentary dealing with so-called Sinicisation of the Catholic Church and other religious groups on March 26.
 
Writing in the state-run Zhongguo Minzu Bao newspaper, he insisted there must be Communist Party leadership in relation to religious practice taking into account “geopolitical” factors.
 
Wang...

Fear division not differences pope says
(Saturday, 13 April 2019 )

VATICAN (CNS): As is customary, Pope Francis reviewed his March 30 to 31 trip to Morocco, at his general audience on April 3. 
 
“People might ask themselves, ‘Why is it the pope visits Muslims and not just Catholics?’” the pope said.
 
He reminded people that Catholics and Muslims are both “descendants of the same father, Abraham,” and the trip was another step on a journey of “dialogue and encounter with (our...

A tale of two trials
(Saturday, 13 April 2019 )

Passion Sunday and Holy Week recall the trial, passion, death and resurrection of Jesus. The readings and reflections on the passion narratives during Holy Week are a constant reminder of the unjust and illegal trial of the Lord.
 
The trial of Jesus is all about power struggle. The Sanhedrin, composed of 71 members (the high priest, a vice chief justice and 69 general members), decided to do away with Jesus because they realised that this new teacher...