News from around the Catholic world for the week ending 22 November.
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• Disfigured man embraced by Pope Francis shares his story
• Melkite Patriarch urges Christians to remain in Syria
• Tasmanian Upper House votes to decriminalize abortion while Zoe’s law passes in NSW
• Archbishop Prowse is installed in Canberra
• Anna Krohn to speak on the role of women in the Church at the next edition of the Order of Malta’s lecture series.
TRANSCRIPT
BOBBIE: Vinicio Riva, the disfigured man embraced by Pope Francis in St Peter’s Square earlier this month, has shared his experience in an interview with news magazine Panorama, saying that he “felt only love” from the Pope.
An image of the embrace between Pope Francis and Riva, who has a disfigured appearance due to a rare genetic condition, has garnered thousands of reactions on the Internet and in mainstream media since the encounter on 6 November.
“It lasted just over a minute, but to me it seemed like an eternity,” said Riva.
Mr Riva, aged 52, developed the growths at 15, and was not expected to live past 30 years of age. He usually goes on an annual pilgrimage to Lourdes, France, but was this year taken to Rome instead, where he encountered the Pope at a general audience.
“…What most astonished me is that he didn’t think twice about embracing me,” he said. “He just did it, he caressed all of my face, and while he was doing that, I felt only love.”
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Syrian Patriarch of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church Gregorius Lahham has called on fellow Christians to remain in the country despite ongoing conflict, which has killed more than 1,000 Christians.
Patriarch Gregorius said “I say to my children, stay in your country, the future will be difficult, but it will be better, God willing”.
The Patriarch, who is heading to the Vatican for meetings with Pope Francis, has called on European countries to not encourage Syrian Christians to emigrate.
“I say to the European countries that want to help, help people in difficulty, humanitarian cases, but don’t encourage people to emigrate” he said.
Over 450,000 Christians have been displaced in Syria and at least 57 Christian sites have been damaged since the conflict began in 2011.
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The Tasmanian Upper House has this week voted in favour of removing abortion from its criminal code.
The bill was passed 9 votes to 5 on Thursday afternoon, and will allow women access to on-demand abortions for up to 16 weeks. Women who are more than 16 weeks pregnant will be able to have the abortion with approval from two doctors. Doctors and counselors who oppose abortion will be required to refer their clients to another practitioner.
The Bill also establishes a 150 metre buffer zone around abortion clinics, where protests, footpath interference and “any other prescribed behaviour” will be prohibited. Infringement of the buffer zone under the legislation will carry a maximum of 12 months imprisonment.
The Bill will now return to the Lower House for amendments to be voted on.
Tasmania joins the ACT and Victoria in decriminalising abortion in their legislatures.
Meanwhile, the New South Wales Lower House passed the Crimes Amendment (Zoe’s Law) Bill 2013 63 votes to 26.
The Bill was introduced by Liberal MP Chris Spence on behalf of his constituent Brodie Donegan who lost her unborn child after being hit by a drunk driver. It seeks to give legal protection to unborn children over 20 weeks gestation or 400 grams, but exempts children who are lost through a “medical procedure” – allowing for abortions.
Among the supporters of the bill were New South Wales Premier Barry O’Farrell; Minister for Primary Industries Katrina Hodgkinson and Treasurer Mike Baird. Among those who voted against it were Health Minister Jillian Skinner; Transport Minister Gladys Berejiklian; Community Services Minister Pru Goward and Opposition Leader John Robertson.
It is expected the bill will go before the Upper House early next year.
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Archbishop of Canberra and Goulburn Christopher Prowse has been installed in a solemn Mass at St Christopher’s Cathedral on Tuesday.
The mass, which was attended by 700 people including 30 Catholic bishops, marks the moment when Archbishop Prowse took canonical possession of the Archdiocese.
In his homily the Archbishop spoke of his enthusiasm in becoming a Christ-bearer and burden-bearer, a deliberate reference to the legend of St Christopher carrying the Christ-child across a river.
“I want to be ‘Christopher’ to you” Archbishop Prowse said, “I want to carry you and your burdens to Jesus, the great burden-bearer, across the dangerous river of life.”
Archbishop Prowse also called on the people of his Diocese to be ‘Christophers’ in the world, carrying the burden of clerical abuse scandals, yet also bringing Christ to the world through the New Evangelisation.
The Archbishop reminded his new flock that it is their mission to be disciples in spite of great challenges facing the Church.
“It is at Calvary that we are truly commissioned to become ‘Christophers’ in our world, aching and searching for God,” said Archbishop Prowse.
“Here we will find our hope for salvation,” he said.
Archbishop Christopher Prowse is the seventh Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Canberra & Goulburn, located in southeastern New South Wales.
Details available via the Archdiocese of Canberra & Goulburn website
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In other news, Archdiocese of Melbourne’s Women’s Liason Officer and Anima Women’s Network Convener Anna Krohn will address the role of women in the Church at an upcoming lecture hosted by the Order of Malta.
The talk, entitled “The Hour of Woman is Approaching… ”: Is the Church Ahead or Behind that Moment? will take place in St Mary’s Cathedral Crypt at 6.30pm on the 27th of November.
Anna spoke to Cradio this week about the importance of exploring the unique contribution of women in the life of the Church.
ANNA: Pope John Paul II 25 years ago released a very important apostolic letter called Mulieris Dignitatem on the vocation and dignity of women, and in this he really wanted to speak to Christian women and say ‘look there is so much about your contribution to the Church and to the world that we [have]failed’ – and I think it’s important not to say everything was always dreamy in the Church – women have suffered enormously, even in the hand of the Church; for instance some of those poor nuns who worked endless hours without resources, women who have been at home without much support.
There were times when, I think, in the Church people were blind to the needs of women, and that’s something that’s a result of ignorance and sin – let’s face it, that happens. I think it’s important to acknowledge that, but I think it’s also to say that despite those obstacles there are so many great women that John Paul wants us to take as starting points in our exploration of possible vocation of women in the 21st Century. And that’s a little bit of what I want to look at – ‘how well are we doing?’
BOBBIE: Anna’s talk is the second installment to the Order of Malta lecture series. You can hear the first talk presented by Professor Tracey Rowland as well as the full interview with Anna Krohn on the Cradio website.
Music Credit: Waking Up Instrumental – Dexter Britain
