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CNA Staff, Sep 9, 2024 / 18:15 pm (CNA).

James Earl Jones, a distinguished actor of stage and screen who was a convert to the Catholic faith, died Monday at age 93. 

Known for lending his booming voice to such characters as Darth Vader in the "Star Wars" saga and Mufasa in "The Lion King," Jones' career spanned nearly seven decades. 

He was one of the few entertainers, male or female, to have earned the coveted "EGOT" slate of acting awards: an Emmy (for TV), Grammy (for music), Oscar (for movies), and Tony (for the stage).

Born in poverty in Mississippi, Jones overcame a stutter early in life in part by discovering a gift for poetry. He joined the military after graduating from college, moving to New York after serving to pursue acting full time. 

A prolific stage actor who became well known as a Shakespearean, Jones also entertained generations of moviegoers with dozens of roles. These included perhaps his most famous voice performances — the unimpeachable lion monarch Mufasa and the inimitable Sith menace Darth Vader — as well as memorable live-action appearances in "The Sandlot" and "Field of Dreams."

Jones did not talk much about his Catholic faith but said in a 1987 interview that he converted to the faith during his time serving in the military. He said that while discerning whether to stay in the military or pursue his true passion — acting — the only things that he had in his life that were "not geared toward the art of killing" were his Catholic faith "and the complete works of Shakespeare.''

In 1985, he voiced Pharaoh in the first episode of Hanna-Barbera's "The Greatest Adventure: Stories from the Bible." He also recorded an audio edition of the King James version of the New Testament.

Jones died Monday morning at his home in Dutchess County, New York, according to his agent.

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Rome Newsroom, Sep 9, 2024 / 10:14 am (CNA).

Pope Francis was joined by more than 10,000 people for a youth festival held at Sir John Guise Stadium in Port Moresby on the final day of his apostolic visit to Papua New Guinea (PNG), reminding people of the need to speak the "common language of the heart" that unites people amid diversity.

Acknowledging the beauty and diversity of the peoples of Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands, the pope on Monday emphasized that "the language of love, the language of closeness, the language of service" is what can unite people in a region in which more than 800 dialects are spoken. 

"Scripture tells us that after the flood, Noah's descendants dispersed to different islands, each with their own language, by their families, without removing their differences," the pope said. "And who could tell me what is this language that unites us? What is this language that we need? Who can tell us that?" 

"Love!" cried out the crowds present at the meeting in the open-air stadium, many of whom were waving miniature Vatican flags and displaying banners representing Catholic associations to which they belong. 

During the meeting, Pope Francis said indifference — a "fruit of hatred" — is even uglier than hatred itself and urged his listeners to take care of others and to form friendships amongst themselves. 

"You know that indifference is a very bad thing, because you leave others on the street, you are not interested in helping others. Indifference has the roots of selfishness," he said. 

Through a musical dance performance based on the PNG papal visit's motto and theme "Teach Us How to Pray" (cf. Luke 11:1), youth representatives — from groups including the Legion of Mary and the Catholic Professionals Society of PNG — shared with the Holy Father their concerns about family life, the environment, education, and their tradition as well as their fears about the future.

Bernadette, a youth member of the Legion of Mary, told Pope Francis that many young people encounter several difficulties in trying to live their faith and feel helpless when confronted with the realities of poverty, crime, and violence.

"Some of our struggles are caused by young people, but we do not know how to face them and their consequences," she shared with the pope and the crowds. 

"Poverty is one reason why young people are not completing their studies or pursuing their dreams and desires. It causes them to turn to illegal things, to find ways to earn money by selling drugs and stealing."  

Moved by testimonies shared by youth representatives, the pope reiterated the need for young people to not lose hope and build a future together by helping one another to rise again after theirs and others' falls or mistakes.

"In life we ??can all fall, all of us!" the pope said. "But what is more important? Not staying fallen." 

"And if you see a friend, a classmate, a girlfriend, a classmate your age who has fallen, what should you do? Laugh at him? You have to look at him and help him get up," the pope urged. 

Throughout the 90-minute meeting, the pope repeated the gesture of lifting up a person from the ground and asking everyone to imitate him in living out the "challenge" of helping others to get up again after a fall.

Pope Francis concluded the youth meeting by blessing the people of Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands and praying the Our Father with them in English.

"Don't forget to pray for me, because this job is not easy," he said. "Thank you very much for your presence. Thank you very much for your hope!"

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Dili, East Timor, Sep 9, 2024 / 11:06 am (CNA).

Upon his arrival in the Catholic island of East Timor on Monday, Pope Francis entrusted the new country to the Blessed Virgin Mary,

"I entrust East Timor and all its people to the protection of the Immaculate Conception, heavenly patroness invoked under the title of 'Virgem de Aitara,'" Pope Francis said at the welcome ceremony at the Presidential Palace in the capital city of Dili on Sept. 9.

"May she accompany you and help you always in your mission to build a free, democratic, and united country where no one feels excluded and everyone can live in peace and dignity."

Pope Francis is the first pope to visit East Timor since it gained its independence from Indonesia in 2002, becoming the first new sovereign state of the 21st century. Francis follows in the footsteps of John Paul II, who made an apostolic visit to East Timor in 1989 when it was still an Indonesian province.

The country is overwhelmingly Catholic, with Catholics making up 98% of East Timor's 1.3 million people.

East Timor's President José Manuel Ramos-Horta, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate and a prominent figure in East Timor's struggle for independence, describes his country as "the second most Catholic country after Vatican City."

Pope Francis' visit to East Timor marks the 25th anniversary of its independence in which the Catholic Church played an important role in advocating for human rights.

Huge crowds lined the streets of Dili for miles for the pope's arrival, waving Vatican flags and standing under special yellow-and-white Vatican-themed umbrellas for relief from the midday sun.

At the official welcome ceremony at the presidential palace, Pope Francis received a 21-gun salute and an honor guard before 29 children in traditional clothes offered the pope flowers and placed a traditional Timorese Tais cloth on his shoulders. Many women at the papal welcome wore Catholic chapel veils with some wiping away tears at the sight of the pope as the young country's national anthem played.

The pope encouraged the new country, which has struggled since gaining independence, to follow Catholic social teaching and invest in education as it continues to develop.

"You are a young people. I am not referring to your culture and history, which are rather ancient, but to the fact that about 65% of East Timor's population is under the age of 30," Francis commented.

"This statistic tells us that the first area for you to invest in is education, in the family, and in schools," he added.

In the years after East Timor gained its independence, the country had one of the highest fertility rates in the world with nearly seven births per mother.

Pope Francis' visit to Timor East comes at a time when the young country is reckoning with a sexual abuse scandal. Timorese Bishop Carlos Ximenes Belo, a national hero and Nobel Peace Prize winner, was sanctioned by the Vatican in response to allegations that the prelate had abused boys for decades. The Vatican placed disciplinary restrictions on Belo in 2020, limiting his movement and banning him from contact with minors.

Speaking to East Timorese officials and dignitaries Pope Francis in his address inside the presidential palace alluded to the scandal by underlining the importance of safeguarding young people to protect them.

"Let us also not forget that these children and adolescents have their dignity violated — the phenomenon is emerging all over the world. In response, we are all called to do everything possible to prevent every kind of abuse and guarantee a healthy and peaceful childhood for all young people," Francis said.

The pope also expressed his concern over the "scourge" of gang violence, describing how fights between rival martial arts clubs have led to deaths and injuries. A national ban on martial arts training in East Timor was among the government's tightened security protocols implemented for the papal visit.

"These gang members are trained in martial arts, but instead of using this knowledge in the service of the defenseless, they use it as an opportunity to showcase the fleeting and harmful power of violence," the pope said.

East Timor is one of the least-visited countries in the world. The two official languages are Tetum and Portuguese, a legacy of Portugal's centuries of colonial rule of the island.

The small country, which is roughly the same size as Connecticut, uses the U.S. dollar as its currency. It is one of the poorest countries in Southeast Asia with more than 40% of the population living below the national poverty line.

East Timor is the third stop on the pope's Sept. 2–13 trip to four countries in Southeast Asia and Oceania. While in East Timor, the pope will meet with youth, address the island's clergy in one of the largest cathedrals in Southeast Asia, and preside over a massive outdoor Mass, which hundreds of thousands are expected to attend.

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Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, Sep 8, 2024 / 00:01 am (CNA).

During Pope Francis' apostolic journey to Papua New Guinea, the pope reflected on the profound sacrifices made by early Catholic missionaries and martyrs in the region who ventured deep into the unexplored rainforests to bring the Gospel to "the ends of the Earth."

Speaking to Catholics from across the island gathered at the Shrine of Mary Help of Christians in Port Moresby, the pope honored the enduring legacy of those who brought Christianity to the Pacific island. 

"Missionaries arrived in this country at the middle of the 19th century, and the first steps of their ministry were not easy. Indeed some attempts failed. However, they did not give up," Francis said.

"With great faith, apostolic zeal and many sacrifices, they continued to preach the Gospel and serve their brothers and sisters, starting again many times whenever they failed," he said, highlighting how missionaries, through their "starts" and "restarts," courageously laid the foundation for the Catholic Church in Papua New Guinea.

Christianity was introduced to Papua New Guinea by Marish missionaries who arrived on Woodlark Island in 1847, only to be forced to withdraw the following year. They were followed five years later by missionaries from the Pontifical Institute of Foreign Missions, but they, too, were forced to leave after three years of work on the island. The first Mass would be offered in Papua New Guinea more than 30 years later on July 4, 1885, by French missionaries on Yule Island. 

The legacy of these missionaries includes both those who made the ultimate sacrifice for their faith and those whose lives of heroic virtue are being recognized through the Church's beatification process. 

During World War II, 197 Roman Catholics were executed during the Japanese invasion of Papua New Guinea in 1942 and 1943, according to researchers at the University of Papua New Guinea. 

The brutal occupation saw many lives lost, including those of missionaries who steadfastly upheld their faith in the face of oppression. The leading candidate for Papua New Guinea's first native saint was among those martyred during the Japanese occupation. 

Here is a closer look at three remarkable individuals who shaped the Catholic mission in Papua New Guinea:

Blessed Giovanni Battista Mazzucconi (Italy)

Father Giovanni Battista Mazzucconi, an Italian missionary, was one of the early martyrs of the Catholic Church in Papua New Guinea.

Born on March 1, 1826, in Italy, Mazzucconi was ordained in May 1850 and joined the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions.

He arrived in Australia in March 1852, before embarking on his mission to Woodlark Island in Milne Bay Province. Despite his efforts to immerse himself in the local culture and his initial struggles with illness, Mazzucconi remained dedicated to his mission. Tragically, on Sept. 7, 1855, he was ambushed and killed by locals while attempting to continue his work. He was beatified in 1984 for being killed "in odium fidei" (in hatred of the faith), and his canonization awaits the confirmation of a miracle.

Pope Francis encouraged devotion to Mazzucconi when speaking to the roughly 35,000 Catholics gathered for his stadium Mass in Port Moresby. 

"May Blessed John Mazzucconi accompany you on this journey, for amid much difficulty and hostility he brought Christ into your midst, so that no one would remain deaf before the joyful message of salvation, and that all might loosen their tongues to sing of God's love. May this indeed be so for you today," the pope said.

Blessed Peter To Rot (Papua New Guinea)

Blessed Peter To Rot, a native of New Britain province in Papua New Guinea, is celebrated for his steadfast faith and bravery in standing up for the truths of Church teaching.

Born in 1912, To Rot served as a catechist in his village, taking on the responsibility of catechizing after the local priest was taken by the Japanese army. During the Japanese occupation, which imposed strict laws against religious practice, To Rot was a fierce defender of Christian values, including the sanctity of marriage. His refusal to comply with Japanese rules restricting religious practice led to his arrest and imprisonment in a manual labor camp. 

In 1945, he was executed by lethal injection. Beatified in 1995 by Pope John Paul II, To Rot's legacy is a testament to his purity of faith and his commitment to his community under dire circumstances.

In Pope Francis' meeting with Catholics in the remote Diocese of Vanimo on Papua New Guinea's northern coast, the pope recalled To Rot's "witness to love."

"Blessed Peter To Rot, spouse, father, catechist, and martyr of this land gave witness to love by word and example. He gave his life precisely to defend the unity of the family in the face of those who wanted to undermine its foundations," the pope said.

Venerable Bishop Alain de Boismenu (France)

Bishop Alain Marie Guynot de Boismenu, born on Dec. 27, 1870, in France, is remembered as a pivotal figure in the Catholic Church's mission in Papua New Guinea.

Ordained a priest and a member of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart, Boismenu arrived in Papua New Guinea in 1897. He was appointed Apostolic Vicar of Papua in 1908, a role he held until his retirement in 1945.

During his tenure, he significantly expanded the Church's reach, establishing new missions, schools, and training centers for catechists. He also founded the Handmaids of the Lord, a religious congregation for women.

Although he is not a martyr, the beatification process for Boismenu based on his heroic virtues was initiated in 1984, and he was declared Venerable by Pope Francis in 2014. His dedication to pastoral care and education left an indelible mark on the region.

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Rome Newsroom, Sep 8, 2024 / 12:05 pm (CNA).

The gift of the Eucharist helps us to become the body of Christ for others, Pope Francis said in a video message sent to the 2024 International Eucharistic Congress in Quito, Ecuador, on Sunday.

The Eucharist teaches us how to have, the pope said in his message recorded at the Vatican, "a profound brotherhood, born of union with God, born of allowing ourselves to be ground, like wheat, so that we can become bread, the body of Christ, thus participating fully in the Eucharist and in the assembly of the saints."

The 53rd International Eucharistic Congress is taking place in Quito, Ecuador, Sept. 8–15, in commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the country's consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Over 20,000 people will attend the congress from at least 40 countries around the world. More than 1,500 children will make their first Communion during the opening Mass on Sept. 8. The theme of the 2024 international congress is "Fraternity to Heal the World."

Pope Francis' message arrived in Quito, where the first National Eucharistic Congress was held in 1886, while he is in the midst of an 11-day journey to Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, East Timor, and Singapore.

In the video, he referenced the Church Fathers St. Augustine of Hippo and St. Ignatius of Antioch.

The Church Fathers told us, he said, "that the sign of bread kindles in the People of God the desire for fraternity, for just as bread cannot be kneaded from a single grain, so too must we walk together, for 'though we are many, we are one body, one bread.'"

The pope also pointed to the example of Venerable Sr. Angela Maria of the Heart of Jesus (born Maria Cecilia Autsch) — a German Trinitarian Sister of Valencia who was imprisoned and died in the Auschwitz and Birkenau concentration camps during World War II — for her "proactive" fraternity.

"Even before she was arrested, when the evil that was looming over the world was already evident, she invited her little nieces and nephews who were approaching Holy Communion for the first time, invited her relatives who had drifted away a bit, and invited even those who had remained devout, to rebel against that evil with simple and, in certain areas, dangerous gestures," he said, "to get as close as possible to the Sacrament of the altar, to rebel by taking Communion."

Venerable Angela found in the Eucharist "a bond that strengthens the vigor of the Church itself, a bond that strengthens this vigor among its members and with God, and for her it was 'organizing' the plot of a resistance that the enemy cannot rout, because it does not respond to a human design," Francis continued.

"It is these simple gestures that make us more aware of the fact that if one member suffers, the whole body suffers with him," he said.

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Rome Newsroom, Sep 8, 2024 / 09:10 am (CNA).

Pope Francis on Sunday encouraged Catholics in a remote town in Papua New Guinea to continue to be missionaries where they live, working together to replace superstition and fear with love.

After celebrating Mass in Port Moresby on Sept. 8, the pope traveled 620 miles by air to Vanimo, a coastal town on a peninsula in northwest Papua New Guinea close to the border with Papua, a province of Indonesia.

The pontiff reached the popular surfing destination, known for its white sand beaches, after a two-hour flight aboard an Australian C-130 military plane.

Aboard the plane, Francis brought medicine, clothing, toys, and other necessities to help people living in the remote area, the Vatican confirmed.

Sitting outside of the Pro-Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Vanimo, the pope told an estimated 20,000 local Catholics to be missionaries where they live: "at home, at school, in the workplace, so that everywhere — in the forests, villages and cities — the beauty of the landscape is matched by the beauty of a community where people love one another."

"In this way, we will increasingly form a great orchestra," Francis added, "able with its notes to 'recompose' rivalries, to overcome divisions — personal, family and tribal, — to drive out fear, superstition and magic from people's hearts, to put an end to destructive behaviors such as violence, infidelity, exploitation, alcohol and drug abuse, evils which imprison and take away the happiness of so many of our brothers and sisters, even in this country."

The Catholic diocese of Vanimo has around 41,000 Catholics, about 30% of the area's population, according to the Vatican.

After a history of missionary bishops, since 2018 the diocese has been led by Bishop Francis Meli, who was born in the Archdiocese of Rabaul in Papua New Guinea.

The diocese, a missionary area, was first formed as an apostolic prefecture in 1963.

Towards the end of the pontiff's meeting with Catholics, Bishop Meli consecrated the Diocese of Vanimo to the Virgin Mary.

"After visiting your country, many tourists return home saying they have seen 'paradise,'" Pope Francis said. "They usually refer to the natural beauty they enjoyed. We know, however, that this is not the greatest treasure. There is a more beautiful and fascinating treasure that is found in your hearts and that manifests itself in the charity with which you love each other."

"The most precious gift you can share with everyone is to make Papua New Guinea famous not only for its variety of plant and animal life, its enchanting beaches and clear sea, but famous above all for the good people you meet here," he said.

While in Vanimo, Pope Francis also visited Holy Trinity Humanistic School, a Catholic school founded in 1964 by Passionist missionaries.

The school, located in the village of Baro, just outside Vanimo, has 400 elementary students and another 100 students in the newly-established middle school.

The pope's day concluded with a private meeting with missionaries, also featuring a short concert by the Queen of Paradise Children's Orchestra, before he flew back to Port Moresby for the night.

Francis' three-day visit to Papua New Guinea, where there are 2.5 million Catholics, was the second leg of an 11-day trip to Southeast Asia and Oceania.

His meeting with missionaries and Catholics in Vanimo took place in the afternoon after celebrating Mass for approximately 35,000 Catholics from across Papua New Guinea and Oceania in Sir John Guise Stadium in Port Moresby.

Pope Francis will return to the Sir John Guise Stadium on Monday to speak to young people before departing for East Timor, continuing his 11-day apostolic journey to Southeast Asia and Oceania.

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ACI MENA, Sep 8, 2024 / 06:00 am (CNA).

The exodus of Iraqi Christians from their ancestral homeland is once again making headlines. Many families are fleeing the country, seeking refuge in neighboring nations as a temporary stopover before heading to distant destinations such as Australia.

Some believe this new wave of emigration began in late 2023 following a tragic fire in Bakhdida in northern Iraq. In its aftermath, despair and frustration permeated the Christian community. However, the exodus has now become alarming, affecting even Christians residing in the relatively secure Kurdistan Region.

The reasons behind this mass departure extend beyond the pursuit of secure job opportunities abroad that guarantee a decent living. Within Iraq, Christians grapple with numerous crises, including delayed salaries, power outages, water scarcity, and other challenges. Some are seeking citizenship elsewhere to secure a better future for their children, while others aim to reunite with extended family members abroad rather than remain isolated in their homeland.

In an interview with ACI Mena, CNA's Arabic-language news partner, civil activist Basma Azuz explained the rationale behind this tragic decision. 

"Emigration reflects a deep conflict between one's identity and homeland versus the search for security and rights. It's not always a negative phenomenon or an escape; it may be the only way to secure a better future. This phenomenon is a consecrated human right," she said.

Azuz attributed the ongoing emigration from Iraq to complex social, economic, security, and political factors, "in addition to fear of persecution targeting the Church."

She continued: "Pope Francis' visit provided a temporary ray of hope for Christians. However, the worsening situation and the government's failure to fulfill its promises have renewed Christians' desire to emigrate, especially among young people. They seek a better future away from the challenges of their homeland."

"Christians see their future as uncertain. They view their aspirations for security, dignity, and basic rights as natural human entitlements," Azuz concluded.

Civil activist Dilan Adamat, founder of the "Return" nongovernmental organization, highlighted the challenges of emigration in his conversation with ACI Mena. 

"As people who have experienced emigration and return, we understand the suffering of immigrants in their new environment," Adamat said.

"Although the current reasons for emigration are understandable — such as securing education, health, rights, and services — Iraqi Christians will face major challenges in their new destinations," he explained. "They will encounter difficulties adapting to new cultures, social environments, and concepts of child-rearing."

The wave of Christian emigration has not spared any city in Iraq, including those in the Kurdistan Region, dissolving Christian presence to near extinction. Unofficial statistics from the Shlama Foundation, which focuses on Christian affairs, confirm that Iraq has lost nearly 90% of its Christians over the past two decades, reflecting a profound loss of confidence in a better future.

This article was first published by ACI Mena, CNA's Arabic-language news partner, and has been translated and adapted by CNA.

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Detroit, Mich., Sep 8, 2024 / 07:00 am (CNA).

For three years, members of Detroit Catholic Campus Ministry have kicked off the academic year at local colleges and universities by offering new students a small, simple bottle of holy water and a prayer.

The gesture attracts students to its table at local college campus involvement fairs, serving as an invitation for new students not only to join in fellowship with Catholics on campus but also to take a blessing with them wherever they live during their first year at college.

Detroit Catholic Campus Ministry serves students at Wayne State University, the University of Michigan-Dearborn, and surrounding campuses, including Henry Ford College and the College for Creative Studies.

Fall outreach for clubs and groups on campus is an important time for campus ministries, chaplain Father Matthew Hood explained, and holy water has served as a unique draw. 

"People are so interested in the bottles that a lot of people come up to the table and say, 'What are those? Can I have one?' It is a great conversation starter to tell people what holy water is and how it is used," Hood told Detroit Catholic. "Students are always very interested in it, and they usually go fairly quickly once we get to campus."

Most of the students who approach "have no idea what holy water is," Hood continued. "We communicate that it is a way to take a blessing with you, to bless the space that you are in, and bless yourself with the holy water."

Students don't have to be Catholic to take a bottle and are encouraged to use holy water to bless their dorms or apartments or, if they are commuters, their cars and homes.

The bottles themselves have a blessed history, Hood said. Each year, members of Detroit Catholic Campus Ministry organize drives to collect them from parishes, who receive them on Holy Thursday during the chrism Mass with Detroit Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron. The bottles originally contained holy oils blessed by the archbishop and used throughout the year in parishes across the Archdiocese of Detroit.

"Every year, there are old holy oil bottles that nobody needs anymore and that have to be properly disposed of; you aren't supposed to just throw them out, you are supposed to make sure that the oil is burned properly and that they are purified and cleaned properly as well," Hood said. "What happens in a lot of parishes is they end up farther and farther in the back of the shelf in the sacristy because they haven't had a chance to do that."

Hood said Detroit Catholic Campus Ministry has been able to collect and repurpose the bottles, some of which are very old, that would otherwise be collecting dust.

Campus ministers then invite student members to participate in the proper cleaning and purification of the bottles, which includes making sure all the holy oil is burned, outreach coordinator Anna Picasso told Detroit Catholic. 

"It's an awesome opportunity to teach students about sacramentals as our students help us through the whole purification process," Picasso said. "We teach them about the reality of these tangible signs."

Picasso added the entire process presents a dual opportunity to engage students already involved in campus ministries and to invite new members.

"Holy water is actually something that students are often fascinated by, and that's in many ways thanks to a lot of cultural horror movies," Picasso said. "But this gives us an opportunity to actually teach them what holy water is and also a means to reach them and open up a conversation to convey the reality of the care that we desire for them as they bless their spaces, their cars, and their homes while they are on campus."

Picasso said upperclassmen involved in Catholic campus ministries have told her and Hood that they still have their bottles from freshman year. 

"I still have my bottle to this day. That is how I was interested in [Detroit Catholic Campus Ministry's] table, because I saw they had shirts that said 'God loves Detroit,' and I saw holy water on their table," Wayne State University junior Idalia Shadhaya told Detroit Catholic. "I thought that was really neat, so I grabbed one and sparked a conversation."

Shadhaya, 20, has been an active participant ever since, serving as a liturgical minister during student Masses. Shadhaya is currently preparing to start her own Bible study small group. 

"[The ministry] has made a huge difference in my college experience," Shadhaya said. "It really promotes fellowship and growing alongside one another and really getting to know people on a deeper spiritual and friendship level." 

Shadhaya said she keeps the bottle of holy water from her freshman year on the windowsill in her off-campus apartment and uses it to bless all the doorways in her home in addition to blessing herself.

"It is cool to see it every day and be reminded of my faith and of Jesus and how sacred the Catholic Church is," Shadhaya said. "It is a daily representation of my role in Detroit Catholic Campus Ministry."

Picasso said she is grateful such a small gesture has stuck with students like Shadhaya. 

"The holy water is a great opportunity to encounter students and invite them into a relationship with Jesus. That's the whole purpose behind it," Picasso added. 

This article was first published by Detroit Catholic on Aug. 30, 2024, and has been reprinted here with permission.

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Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, Sep 7, 2024 / 21:43 pm (CNA).

Pope Francis presided over Mass at Sir John Guise Stadium in Port Moresby on Sunday, delivering a powerful message to Papua New Guineans that despite the far distance that separates them from Rome, they are in the center of Christ's heart. 

Approximately 35,000 Catholics from across Papua New Guinea and Oceania came together at the venue, united in their faith and buoyed by the uplifting chants of the Port Moresby Catholic choir's 100 singers honoring the Lord under the tropical sun.

Pope Francis surprised the crowd by arriving one hour earlier than scheduled to preside over the Mass in the stadium to the great relief and joy of those who had been waiting in the stands since before sunrise for his arrival.

"Brothers and sisters, you who live on this large island in the Pacific Ocean may sometimes have thought of yourselves as a far away and distant land, situated at the edge of the world," Francis said in his homily.

"Perhaps, for other reasons, you may also at times have felt distant from God and the Gospel, unable to communicate with him or with each other.  Yet … today the Lord wants to draw near to you, to break down distances, to let you know that you are at the center of his heart and that each one of you is important."

The opening procession began with the beating of drums as dancers from the two largest tribes in Papua New Guinea led the many con-celebrating bishops vested in green.

There are 2.5 million Catholics in Papua New Guinea, making up roughly 30% of the population, according to the latest Vatican statistics. Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister James Marape attended the Mass, underscoring the significance of the pope's visit for the island country.

Pope Francis read the opening prayers for the Mass in English, a rare occurrence and something only seen on the Argentine pope's international trips.

The prayers of the faithful were read in three of Papua New Guinea's more than 800 languages: Motu, Tok Pisin, and English.

In his homily, the pope drew on the day's Gospel reading about Jesus healing a deaf man, to emphasize the importance of overcoming distance from God and others, prompting the faithful to reflect on their own relationships.

Pope Francis told Catholics, "whenever we feel distant, or we choose to keep ourselves at a distance from God, from our brothers and sisters or from those who are different from us, we close ourselves off, barricading ourselves from the outside." 

Pope Francis called on the Pacific island nation's faithful to take heart: "Courage, people of Papua New Guinea, do not be afraid! Open yourselves! Open yourselves to the joy of the Gospel; open yourselves to encounter God; open yourselves to the love of your brothers and sisters."

The pope invoked Blessed John Mazzucconi, a 19th-century Italian missionary to Papua New Guinea, praying that "no one of us remain deaf and mute before this invitation."

'Bringing blessings, peace and encouragement'

Cardinal John Ribat, the archbishop of Port Moresby, thanked the pope after Mass, noting that his apostolic visit "brings us blessings, peace and encouragement, and deepens our faith." 

Ribat, who is the first cardinal from his country, highlighted the 142-year history of the Catholic Church in Papua New Guinea, acknowledging its growth and the country's challenges.

In his Angelus address, Francis entrusted the Church in Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands to the Virgin Mary. He prayed for peace "for this great region of the world between Asia, Oceania and the Pacific Ocean," adding: "No to rearmament and exploitation of our common home! Yes to the encounter between peoples and cultures, yes to the harmony of men and women with creatures!"

The pope will travel to Vanimo on Sunday afternoon to meet local faithful and missionaries. On Monday, he will return to Sir John Guise Stadium again to speak to young people in Port Moresby before departing for East Timor, continuing his 11-day apostolic journey to Southeast Asia and Oceania.

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Jerusalem, Sep 7, 2024 / 06:00 am (CNA).

On Aug. 3, Sabeen Rahil and Elias Johny Al Arja, two young Christians from Bethlehem, were officially engaged. According to ancient tradition there, engagements are a public act and already bind the future spouses together with a priest's blessing and the exchange of rings. 

The couple will marry next year and have decided to begin their life together and raise their children in Bethlehem, despite the prolonged war in Gaza, the severe impact of the war on the local economy, and the escalation of violence in the region.

The couple told CNA that their decision is deeply rooted in their Christian faith and their desire to encourage other Christians to do the same in order to build a new society where Christians feel fully at home in the city where Jesus was born.

"Hopefully, by getting married, starting a family, and having children, we can inspire other Christians, perhaps [even] our [own] brothers and sisters, to do the same," Rahil said. "We hope to start a new generation of people who will fight to stay in Bethlehem."

Rahil, 24, was born in Bethlehem, holds a bachelor's degree in audiology and speech therapy, and works with her father. Al Arja, also 24, was born and raised in Beit Jala (close to Bethlehem), has a bachelor's degree in business, and is now managing his family's hotel.

The couple is building an apartment above Al Arja parents' home — tradition dictates that the man provides the home for the new family.

"We decided to get engaged because no matter what's going on around us or what will happen, we want to be happy, we want to be together," Al Arja told CNA during an interview at Cascada restaurant, which is owned by the Rahil family, the place of their first date.

"It was a difficult decision because of the ongoing war. We considered postponing the engagement, but in the end, we saw no reason to. We have faith that this country will find peace someday," he explained. 

The couple met in 2020 through the "Leo Club," the youth branch of the Lions Club founded in Bethlehem that very year. The organization promotes events and fundraising activities to support charitable works and people in need. Both were members of the board. 

"We worked together; we started to get to know each other more and became interested in each other," Rahil recounted.

After a couple of years of dating, the couple decided to make their relationship official. On Sept. 3, 2023, following local tradition, the two families met and Al Arja formally asked Rahil's father for permission to date her with the intention of getting engaged and married.

The date was chosen carefully and also with some trepidation, as just a few days later, Rahil left for Belgium, where she lived for a year to pursue her master's degree in management.

She shared her feelings about the decision with CNA: "I was going to leave, but I still decided to make our relationship official. I felt that I wouldn't find anyone else with his qualities, and that's what I wanted. That's why I was ready to take this step." 

Living in a long-distance relationship, she added, "wasn't easy, but it was worth it: It made our relationship stronger and our love more powerful."

When Rahil left, the sky was clear, but just a month later, the clouds of war darkened both the sky and their thoughts.

"After the war started, we talked about living abroad," Rahil said. "These thoughts came to our minds often."

"We began to wonder: What if it takes a long time to end the war?" Al Arja added. "What if the war spreads to Bethlehem? What should we do? We also think about our future children." 

Together, they made the decision to get officially engaged but also to remain in their homeland.

"After Oct. 7, many Christians left the country because they were afraid of what might happen and concerned about their children's future," Al Arja said. "We told each other that there's no better place to live than where Jesus was born."

He continued: "I'm going to build a house… If the war comes to Bethlehem, we would have to leave everything behind, but for now, we can still manage to live here. Our families are here, and I want my children to be born here, to live here, to know their grandparents, and to experience my childhood."

The engagement ceremony was held on Aug. 3, when tensions spiked again after Israel's killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh.

In accordance with tradition, Al Arja brought a gold necklace, earrings, and a bracelet for Rahid in addition to the rings. The engaged couple, along with their parents and close relatives, appeared before a Greek-Orthodox priest, as Al Arja is a member of that church and the tradition is to follow the man's religious affiliation.

The priest blessed them, then took the rings and prayed over them. 

"He took my ring, prayed over it, and let Rahil kiss it. Then she placed it on my finger. I did the same with her ring. After that, the priest said something like 'You're bound together.'" Then the party began.

The couple deeply feel their Christian identity and the responsibility of being Christians in the Holy Land. This identity is reflected in their decision to get married and remain in Bethlehem.

"Jesus was born here; it needs to remain a Christian place," Rahil said. "We hope to support the community by raising a new generation of people who will stay here and believe that this city is for us, for Christians — not exclusively, but it is a city for Christians."

The exodus of Christians deeply grieves Rahil: "It's very sad; it shouldn't be this way."

She recounted the moment she realized how special Bethlehem is: "I've been living here for 23 years, but I didn't really appreciate it as much as I should have. When I was in Brussels, and people learned that I was a Christian from Bethlehem, they began telling me about their relatives who came here just to visit the Church of the Nativity. Seeing how others view my city truly enlightened me about how special it is."

Al Arja, who works in the tourism sector, is reinventing his job to cope with the economic crisis, which has also affected the West Bank due to the war.

"I'm putting everything in God's hands," he said. "I'm working a little and managed to save some money before the war. It's not easy. Bethlehem depends on tourism for 90%. Most of the hotels and souvenir shops are owned by Christians, and many of them haven't had any income for 11 months."

"Anyway, it's very difficult for me to understand why Christian people are fleeing Bethlehem," Al Arja continued. "Maybe they find a better life outside this country, but we are in a blessed city. God sent his only Son to be born here." 

In the end, Rahil concluded, "this is the city where Jesus was born. It's the city of peace and love, and there's no better place to live."

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