RP embassy in Rome marks hero’s death

THE Philippine Embassy to the Holy See is commemorating the 113th anniversary of the martyrdom of Jose Rizal, Philippine national hero, with a Holy Mass at the Basilica of Saint Mary Major in Rome on December 30. Ambassador Mercedes A. Tuason, Philippine Ambassador to the Holy See, is organizing the event with the participation of [...]

Former monk wants apology from cardinal

A FORMER monk said he was willing to drop the libel charges against Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal and three other church officials, on one condition. They must apologize for the “malicious” notices against him posted on the magazine Bag-ong Lungsoranon, said Venancio Cabillon, formerly of the Marian Monks of the Eucharistic Adoration. “I hope [...]

Filipino wins Qur’anic tilt in Libya

AN overseas Filipino worker has won top honors in the 1st Association of Southeast Asian Nations Qur’an Reading Competition organized by the Filipino Muslim Consultative Council in Tripoli, Libya. Philippine Labor Attache Nasser Mustafa said various Asean expatriates working or living in the Muslim country participated in the Qur’anic tilt conducted at the Dhat El-Emad [...]

Ferry death toll may be higher, say officials

THE death toll from a ferry disaster in the Philippines could be much higher than first thought, with dozens of passengers believed to have been left off the official manifest, the coast guard said Tuesday. As many as 44 people remain missing after the MV Baleno-9 sank in deep waters on Saturday, even though the [...]

Vatican reviews security after Pope knocked down at Midnight Mass

The Vatican is reassessing its security arrangements after a woman dragged Pope Benedict XVI to the ground as he processed into St Peter’s Basilica to celebrate Midnight Mass. But Fr. Federico Lombardi SJ, the Vatican spokesman, said it was impossible to guarantee the Pontiff’s safety completely and that security guards had reacted as quickly as [...]

Group names Irish priests accused of sexual abuse

They came with a list of names: All are priests. All have ties to Ireland. All are accused of sexually abusing children in the United States. A Waltham-based group that has been chronicling the US clergy sexual abuse scandal released the names of 60 to 70 accused priests it says were born in Ireland or [...]

Hundreds of Christmas gifts pour in to replace what ‘Grinch’ stole

The Grinch wore a size 11-1/2 shoe, weighed about 240 pounds and was down a few drops of blood. But the parishioners of Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Violet, Los Angeles said the person who stole 65 Christmas gifts collected for the parish’s Angel Tree program in the early morning hours of Dec. 20 [...]

Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula claims responsibility for Flight 253 attack

Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula claims responsibility for the attack on a plane about to land in the United States, confirming what the evidence has indicated so far. Note the claim that this attack was in retaliation for recent strikes in Yemen. It seems much more likely that this was in the works for quite [...]

Church groups rush to aid ferry disaster victims

CHURCH people in the northern Philippines have rallied to the aid of victims of the ferry disaster there as coast guard vessels continue to search for survivors. The ferry, MV Baleno 9, sank just before midnight on Dec. 26. Six bodies had been recovered by Dec. 28 and 66 survivors had been reunited with their [...]

Muslims more fearful of 2010 than Christians – survey

ABOUT nine of every 10 Filipinos feel hopeful rather than fearful with the coming of the new year, but the level of hopefulness declined slightly compared to the last three years, a recent survey by the Social Weather Stations showed. The decrease in hopefulness registered highest in the Visayas and Mindanao, while the level of [...]

Image of Mary breastfeeding promotes mother’s milk

THE image of the Virgin Mary breastfeeding the baby Jesus epitomizes the special bond between mother and child. The Vatican approves of breastfeeding pictures of the Virgin Mary, while advocates of breastfeeding underscore its power and importance. Breast milk is still the best food for babies as it contains the essential nutrients needed by the [...]

First Chinese Catholic Mass marks history

THE Our Lady of Perpetual Help Shrine, Redemptorist Church, held the first “historic” pure Fookien and Mandarin Chinese Eucharistic Celebration over the weekend. The event that is generally known as the Catholic Mass, aims to accommodate the “marginalized and unchurched” members of the Chinese community in Bacolod and Negros Occidental. Father Stephen Hwang of the [...]

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