Friday, September 02, 2016

ACN News - Syrian patriarch – ‘Stop extremists from entering Europe’



By John Pontifex


A leading Syrian prelate urged Europe to take tougher action to stop fundamentalists from entering its territory.

Patriarch Ignatius Aphrem II, the Damascus-based leader of Syriac Orthodox Church, warned of the threat posed by a new generation of radicalized Muslims bent on imposing Sharia law as widely as possible.

While many Muslim refugees entering Europe are peace-loving moderates, he added, Western governments “must be better prepared” to ferret out jihadists.

In an interview with Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), the international Catholic charity, the Patriarch called for a strict screening process of migrants and refugees seeking to enter Europe.

“I do not know how this should happen but it is necessary and should be done without infringing the rights of those who are peace-loving and law-abiding,” he said.

He also called on Western governments to insist permission be granted for the construction of churches in Muslim nations, even as new mosques are built in Europe.

Patriarch Aphrem warned that Christianity is at risk of disappearing from Syria, Iraq and Lebanon. He cited the example of Turkey, whose Christian population a century ago stood at more than 3.5 million but has dwindled to only 150,000 today.

He said that 80 percent of Christians in Iraq had left the country since the overthrow of President Saddam Hussein in 2003; and that 50 percent of Syria’s Christians are either internally displaced or are living as refugees abroad.

ACN is providing food, shelter, medicine and other essential assistance to Christians, other minorities as well as Muslims throughout the region.

The Patriarch said: “The work of ACN is crucial and makes a big difference. Thousands upon thousands of Christians depend on the help they are receiving from ACN and other organizations.”


With picture of Patriarch Ignatius Aphrem II (© ACN)


Editor’s Notes:



Directly under the Holy Father, Aid to the Church in Need supports the faithful wherever they are persecuted, oppressed or in pastoral need.  ACN is a Catholic charity - helping to bring Christ to the world through prayer, information and action.

Founded in 1947 by Father Werenfried van Straaten, whom Pope John Paul II named “An Outstanding Apostle of Charity,” the organization is now at work in over 145 countries throughout the world.

The charity undertakes thousands of projects every year including providing transport for clergy and lay Church workers, construction of church buildings, funding for priests and nuns and help to train seminarians. Since the initiative’s launch in 1979, 43 million Aid to the Church in Need Child’s Bibles have been distributed worldwide.

For more information contact Michael Varenne at michael@churchinneed.org or call 718-609-0939 or fax718-609-0938. Aid to the Church in Need, 725 Leonard Street, PO Box 220384, Brooklyn, NY 11222-0384.  www.churchinneed.org


Tuesday, August 30, 2016

Annual Public Rosary



The annual public Rosary in honor of Our Lady of Fatima's last apparition will be held on Thursday, October 13, 2016.

TIME:  2:00 P.M. TO 4:00 P.M.

PLACE:  Ala Moana Beach Park, Picnic Area 1 and 2, directly across from Macy's Department Store at Ala Moana Center

PROGRAM SCHEDULED:  Public procession
Divine Mercy Chaplet
Holy Rosary

Please join us in honoring Our Lady the year before we celebrate the 100th anniversary of Fatima.

Please help spread the news.

Monday, August 29, 2016

Novena - Mother Teresa of Calcutta



Picture source

Please join the Missionaries of Charity in praying the novena to soon to be Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta.  The novena started on August 27th but if possible, join in today.

NOVENA


f I ever become a Saint—I will surely be one of
“darkness.” I will continually be absent from
Heaven—to light the light of those in darkness
on earth
Blessed Teresa of Calcutta

Dear Friends
May the Peace of Christ fill your heart as you place all your trust in Him.
I would like to invite you to pray with us the novena to Blessed Teresa of Calcutta Feast day on September 5, which starts on 27 August. Pray with us the novena to Blessed Teresa

Please know that we keep you and your intention is our prayers very especially during this novena.
Let us also implore God for the peace in the world for all famines and all those who suffer from natural disasters  and for an end to abortion and euthanasia and a respect for every human life.
God bless you always
United in prayer
Sincerely yours in Jesus
Sr. M. Elia, M.C.



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PS:
Just think that God is thirsting for you ....Blessed Teresa of Calcutta
I would like to invite you in this coming weeks  to enter more deeply into the mystery of Jesus’ thirst and to satiate that thirst according to the example of Mother Teresa. On the 10th September will be the anniversary of Mother Teresa’s mystical encounter with Jesus, later called “Inspiration day” within the religious family she founded. We invite you, to join us in preparation. So that we, with St. John, “come to know and to believe in God’s love for us,” (1 Jn. 4:16) “Faith, which sees the love of God revealed in the pierced heart of Jesus on the Cross, gives rise to love. Love is the light – and in the end, the only light – that can always illuminate a world grown dim and gives us the courage needed to keep living and working. Love is possible, and we are able to practice it because we are created in the image of God. To experience love and in this way to cause the light of God to enter into the world …” (Encyclical Letter Deus Caritas Est January 25, 2006 Pope Benedict XVI) – this is the invitation Mother Teresa extends to us. Through these following meditations we invite you to enter more deeply into the mystery of Jesus’ thirst and to satiate that thirst according to the example of Mother Teresa, thus illuminating the world with His love.
        For this please visit: http://www.motherteresa.org/11_encounter/encounter.html
                                                                           http://www.motherteresa.org/11_encounter/MT_Ithirst/IThirst.html
                                                                          http://www.motherteresa.org/11_encounter/index_1.htm
                                                                          http://www.motherteresa.org/11_encounter/1_T/index.html
                                                                          http://www.motherteresa.org/11_encounter/Therese/index.html
                                                                          http://www.motherteresa.org/11_encounter/w/index.html
                                                                          http://www.motherteresa.org/11_encounter/Be/index.htm