England: card. Newman blessed in Cofton ParkJohn Henry Newman will be beatified by the Pope on September 19 in Cofton Park, Rednal, where the formerly Anglican Cardinal, converted to Catholicism, was buried and not at the Coverntry airport as previously announced. For the fathers of the Birmingham Oratory, founded by Newman himself, which released the news, the place chosen for the celebration “is extremely meaningful” since Newman and his companions used to convene on the surrounding Lickey Hills, located in North-Western England, to rest. “Rednal has the same function today”, states a note, “since it is a gathering place of parishioners, students of the oratory and pilgrims visiting Newman’s tomb”. The fathers hope that “the Pope and the thousands of people due to attend the beatification ceremony will find at Rednal the same peace and the same experience of renewal previously enjoyed by them and by their founder”. The Pope’s journey from Rednal to Oscott, will provide the Holy Father with a wholesome picture Newman’s life. Cardinal Newman left from Oxford, the city where he studied and founded his movements, to visit bishop Wiseman in Oscott thus promoting contacts with Birmingham, which lasted until his death in 1890. France: a course to learn more about IslamThe “Service for Relations with Islam” – set up by the French Bishops’ Conference – will hold the next formation session from July 4 to 11 in Issy-les-Moulineaux; an invitation “to meet Muslims” and “overcome mutual fears”, states the presentation of the encounter. This formation session – explains Fr. Christophe Roucou, director of the “Service” – is addressed to priests, to lay people and seminarians, and it is open also to young Christian women who married Muslims and wish to deepen their knowledge of their spouses’ religious tradition”. “The purpose of the session is to discover Islam for what is truly is and not for the way in which it is presented or perceived by the media, notably television media”, he added. “Today Islam suffers from a negative depiction marked by stereotyping and by the diffusion of Muslim minority views. The question of the veil, for example, does indeed exist, but this news item has repeatedly hit the front pages over the last year …”. “In this framework – continues Fr. Roucou – Catholics ought to promote the encounter with Muslim faithful. The differences in our mutual faiths and doctrines must not prevent us from speaking and listening to one another. We must learn to know one another. But in order to do so we must overcome fear”. Ireland: a stand against the Labour-party leader”For the leader of a political party, to misunderstand what the Holy Father said on the delicate issue of human sexuality is deplorable”. The Irish Bishops’ Conference took a firm stand in response to the statement of Labour-party leader Eamon Gilmore on the Pope’s alleged comments on homosexuality. “Glimore’s declarations – continues the note – are also highly offensive of Catholics and of all those who seek the truth. The truth is that according to the teachings of the Catholic Church and of pope Benedict XVI men and women with homosexual tendencies must be welcomed with respect, compassion and sensitivity, and forms of unjust discrimination against them must be rejected”. In short, the words of the Labour-party leader “completely distort the teaching of the Church on human sexuality along with the biblical message to this regard, implying an ungrounded link between Church teaching and homophobia, which the Church not only condemns but abhors. The claim that Church teaching on Catholic marriage may contribute to foment homophobia and increase attacks on the gay population is equally unacceptable and ungrounded. Catholics and Christians who follow the Christian Scriptures on this subject deserve to be treated with respect and truth by politicians and by the media”.Spain: a video for the Madrid 2011 WYD The Organizing Committee of the Madrid 2011 WYD produced a video titled “Where is the soul of Madrid?” which invites the youth to attend the event. The city’s gastronomy, architecture, history and cultural traditions are the pretext to air the most picturesque areas of Madrid, which in the video is described as the “most open and receptive European capital”. The WYD Communications coordinator Yago de la Cierva said that the city’s attractiveness was put to advantage, “in order to attract as many young people as possible to the best international celebration in 2011”. The video will be uploaded on information websites and on social networks such as Youtube. It can be downloaded for free from the official WYD website www.madrid11.com. 2 million young people from 170 countries are expected to arrive in Madrid for the event.
