Human rights activist: Myanmar’s Christians are suffering amid crackdown

Benedict Rogers, a human rights campaigner, explained that Burma’s Christian minority is suffering amid the military’s continuing crackdown on protesters opposed to its February coup. Speaking last Tuesday, Mr Rogers told a webinar at the European Parliament in Brussels, Belgium, on September 28 that earlier this month the military killed a Christian pastor, Cung Biak Hum.…

Vatican Roundup

Modern ‘throwaway Culture’ leads to neglect of society’s vulnerable, says Pope Pope Francis condemned abortion and euthanasia in a speech in which he said that today’s “throwaway culture” leads to the killing of children and discarding of the elderly. “There is the discarding of children that we do not want to welcome with the law…

Excessive wealth has devastating effects

Dear Editor, As I listened to what it says in the papers after the news this morning – Saturday, September 25 – I heard it said that so many of our politicians are millionaires. Then later I heard on playback two good ordinary citizens share their sad stories of being asked to vacate their apartments…

In brief

Scottish Catholics urge opposition to assisted suicide legalisation Scotland’s Catholic bishops are urging opposition to a measure that would legalise assisted suicide, warning that the government “prevent suicide, not assist it”. A consultation on the Proposed Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill was launched on September 22, and will run through December 22.…

Family News

Danish artist takes the money and runs A Danish museum loaned an artist 534,000 kroner (over €71,800) in cash to recreate old artworks of his using the banknotes, but he ended up pocketing the money and sending blank canvasses with a new title: “Take the Money and Run”. Jens Haaning, a Danish artist, was commissioned…

Gold-medallist celebrates his success with thanksgiving Mass

Fiji’s rugby-sevens star Waisea Nacuqu attended a Mass of thanksgiving in his hometown, to thank God for his Olympic gold medal. The Mass was celebrated by Irish Columban Fr Pat Colgan, who said Mr Nacuqu’s successful use of his talents will “inspire others to use their gifts more courageously and consistently”. Fr Colgan also referenced…

Just four men enter seminary

Just four men started studying for the priesthood for Ireland’s 26 dioceses this autumn, with a further two Neocatechumenal Way students entering that movement’s seminary in Dundalk for the Archdiocese of Armagh. When ordained, Neocatechumenal students traditionally serve for a period in the diocese before being reassigned overseas. A further ten men began a pre-seminary…