News from around the Catholic world for the week ending 7 November.
LISTEN NOW (9:50 mins)
• Official English translation of the report on the Extraordinary Synod on the Family released
• Two Christians burned alive in Pakistan
• Euthanasia lobby group attacks Catholic priest over comments on Brittany Maynard’s death
• Maronite Patriarch concludes his Australian visit
• One of Australia’s newest orders inviting young women to ‘come and see’
TRANSCRIPT
BOBBIE: The Vatican has published the English translation of the final report on the Extraordinary Synod on the Family.
The final report covers the same topics as the controversial interim report, however with more references to Scripture and a greater continuity with Church teaching. Areas explored include the context and challenges for the family in the contemporary world, God’s plan for the family, and pastoral approaches to the family and difficult situations.
More controversial aspects of the interim report have been reworked. The report approaches same-sex attraction in a way that is largely consistent with the Catechism of the Catholic Church, stating that same-sex unions are not [quote]“in any way similar or even remotely analogous to God’s plan for marriage and the family”, while emphasising an avoidance of “unjust discrimination” against same-sex attracted individuals. The report also called for greater theological investigation into access to Communion for the divorced-and-remarried.
According to Catholic World Report, Cardinal Raymond Burke, who publicly aired his concerns about the earlier interim report, is satisfied with the final report.
Cardinal Burke said, “it is a significant improvement… I would say that it provides an accurate, if not complete, summary of the discussions in the Synod Hall and in the small groups.”
The Ordinary Synod of Bishops will take place in October next year.
More on that story via news.va, Catholic News Agency and Catholic World Report.
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A Christian couple who were taken hostage by a mob of over 100 people in Pakistan were executed on Tuesday.
After being kidnapped on Sunday, Shahzad Masih and his pregnant wife Shama Bibi were held hostage for two days in their workplace – a clay-baking factory. They were then beaten and burned to death in the kiln for allegedly burning pages of the Qur’an.
Shama had been cleaning her recently deceased father-in-law’s house when she burned some papers she had found that seemed useless. A Muslim man witnessed what she was doing and spread allegations in surrounding villages that she had burned pages of the Qur’an – an act considered as blasphemy.
Shazad’s cousin Emaneul Sarfraz has given a different account, suggesting that the owner of the kiln, Muhammad Yousuf Gujjar, was involved in the execution Sarfraz said the couple, along with their four children, wanted to leave the kiln as Yousuf was not paying their remuneration.
“Two days ago, after an exchange of words Yousuf locked the couple along with their children in a room,” Sarfraz said.
After two local mosques announced the alleged blasphemy, “a large number of Muslims led by area clerics reached the kiln and dragged the couple out of the room after breaking into it. They first tortured them and then threw them in the kiln,” he said.
According to another report, Yousaf Gujjar was the one who compelled the mob to form and punish the couple after one of the Muslim employees complained of their alleged blasphemy.
An unofficial police statement confirmed “a mob attacked a Christian couple after accusing them of desecration of the holy Quran and later burnt their bodies at a brick kiln where they worked.”
Fellow Christians alerted police and 35 people were taken in for questioning.
Pakistan has laws prohibiting blasphemy against religion, which may be punishable by death. People have been killed for their opposition to these laws, which have been exploited to persecute minorities and to solve personal disputes.
More on that story via news.va
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The euthanasia lobby group who assisted in Brittany Maynard’s highly publicised death have attacked a Vatican-based priest for his comments on the issue.
In a comment made to Italian news agency ANSA, which has been mistakenly reported as an official Vatican statement, Msgr Ignacio Carrasco de Paula said that while assisted suicide as an act is to be condemned, one cannot know Ms Maynard’s conscience.
Msgr de Paula also warned that an organised effort to normalise euthanasia would create a dangerous situation for the ill.
He said, “let’s reflect on the fact that if one day the project according to which all patients take their own life were to be fully realised[,] they would be totally abandoned… Society does not want to shoulder the cost of disease and this risks becoming the solution.”
Rev Dr Ignacio Castuera, a Methodist pastor and board member of Compassion and Choices – the euthanasia lobby group that supported Ms Maynard’s assisted suicide – has said that the Catholic Church cannot make judgement on Ms Maynard’s decision because she was not a Catholic.
He said, “People of faith are free to follow their own beliefs and consciences… Even many Catholics disagree with the Vatican on numerous issues, ranging from birth control – to a woman’s right to choose – to end-of-life choice.”
Brittany Maynard ended her life last Saturday through assisted suicide.
The Catholic Church teaches that direct euthanasia is morally unacceptable, and that the sick and handicapped should be helped whereever possible. Moral thinkers of the Catholic Church have also held that a person should follow what they believe to be good in their conscience, however this conscience must be formed in what is truly good.
More on that story at ANSA, Compassion and Choices and the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
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The Maronite Patriarch today concludes his two-week visit to Australia.
His Beatitude Mar Bechara [Beshara] Boutros Cardinal Rai [Rahi], Patriarch of Antioch, arrived in Australia in October and has been making pastoral visits to Maronite parishes in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.
One of the highlights of his visit included Saturday’s youth festival held at Our Lady of Lebanon in Harris Park, which was recently elevated to the status of co-cathedral with St Maroun’s in Redfern. The event attracted hundreds of young people and featured entertainment by Fr Rob Galea, fireworks and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.
In a message to parishioners Parish Priest Monsignor Shora Maree said the event had been a great reflection of the Maronite youth in Australia.
“We believe that our Patriarch has seen the heart of the youth beating with faith, community fellowship and readiness to serve following his visit to Australia and last night’s youth event,” Monsignor Maree said.
Towards the end of the evening the youth presented His Beatitude with a gift and were given the opportunity to meet him. Today the Patriarch will attend final farewell and thanksgiving celebrations before departing for Lebanon this evening.
Cardinal Rai is the 77th Maronite Patriarch of Antioch and head of the Maronite Church. He was created Cardinal by Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI in 2012.
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One of Australia’s newest orders is inviting young, single women to spend a weekend with them in Brisbane later this month.
The Sisters of the Immaculata were founded under the patronage of Archbishop Julian Porteous in 2008 with a charism for spiritual renewal in parishes through Adoration and faith formation.
For the first time since forming they will be running a vocation discernment weekend, an opportunity for young women to pray, hear talks and testimonies about discernment, and receive an insight into the life and charism of the sisters.
Cradio spoke to newest professed Sister of the Immaculata, Sr Mary Michael, about the retreat.
SR MARY MICHAEL: I think it’s such a wonderful opportunity, no strings attached, no pressure, just to come and see. And it’s just a weekend. I would really encourage any young woman out there who has perhaps been thinking about religious life… and it will be an opportunity to find a bit more about our charism and our particular mission and gifts to the Church, but it will also be an opportunity to just really pray and give yourself that freedom, that time and space to be with the Lord to ask Him what He might be leading you to in your life.
BOBBIE: The Vocation Discernment retreat is running from 21-23 November at Marian Valley in Brisbane. For more information find the event on Facebook, or email [email protected].
You can hear more from our interview with Sister Mary Michael about her faith journey and vocation on the Cradio website.
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Music Credit: Waking Up by Dexter Britain.
