VATICAN-CHRISTMAS
Pope laments suffering of children around the world
VATICAN CITY (AP) β Pope Francis is recognizing that this isn’t a joyous holiday season for people in many parts of the world.
In his Christmas Day speech, delivered to a crowd of tens of thousands in St. Peter’s Square, he spoke of children who are “made objects of trade and trafficking” or who are forced to become soldiers.
The pontiff voiced anguish for children who suffer maltreatment or violence — including the recent terrorist attack on a Pakistani military school.
And he decried the persecution of ancient Christian communities in Iraq and Syria, along with those from other ethnic and religious groups.
While much of his message concerned poor countries, Francis had harsh words for some in affluent nations. He prayed for an end to the hardened hearts “of so many men and women immersed in worldliness and indifference.”
Sound:
114-r-20-(Pope Francis, speaking in Italian, in the Vatican’s traditional “Urbi et Orbi” Christmas message “to the city and the world” from the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica)–This is sound of Pope Francis telling the faithful who gathered on St. Peter’s square, “May Jesus, Savior of the world, protect all who suffer in Ukraine, and grant that their beloved land may overcome tensions, conquer hatred and violence, and set out on a new journey of fraternity and reconciliation.” (25 Dec 2014)
< 115-r-18-(Pope Francis, speaking in Italian, in the Vatican’s traditional “Urbi et Orbi” Christmas message “to the city and the world” from the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica)–This is sound of Pope Francis telling the faithful who gathered on St. Peter’s square, “May Christ the Savior give peace to Nigeria, where more blood is being shed and too many people are unjustly deprived of their possessions, held as hostages or killed.” (25 Dec 2014) < 113-r-22-(Pope Francis, speaking in Italian, in the Vatican’s traditional “Urbi et Orbi” Christmas message “to the city and the world” from the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica)–This is sound of Pope Francis telling the faithful who gathered on St. Peter’s square, “May the Lord open hearts to trust, and may he bestow his peace upon the whole Middle East, beginning with the land blessed by his birth, thereby sustaining the efforts of those committed effectively to dialogue between Israelis and Palestinians.” (25 Dec 2014) < 116-r-20-(Pope Francis, speaking in Italian, in the Vatican’s traditional “Urbi et Orbi” Christmas message “to the city and the world” from the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica)–This is sound of Pope Francis telling the faithful who gathered on St. Peter’s square, “May he give comfort to the families of the children killed in Pakistan last week. May he be close to all who suffer from illness, especially the victims of the Ebola epidemic, above all in Liberia, in Sierra Leone and in Guinea.” (25 Dec 2014) < 090-a-17-(Sound of Romans and tourists in St. Peter’s Square, followed by Pope Francis in the Vatican’s traditional “Urbi et Orbi” Christmas message from the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica)–This is sound of Romans and tourists in St. Peter’s Square, followed by Pope Francis in the Vatican’s traditional “Urbi et Orbi” Christmas message — “to the city and the world” — from the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica. (25 Dec 2014) < 088-r-21-(Pope Francis, speaking in Italian, delivering the Catholic Church’s traditional “Urbi et Orbi” Christmas message from the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica)–This is sound of Pope Francis, in Italian, delivering Vatican’s traditional “Urbi et Orbi” Christmas message “to the city and the world” from the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica. (25 Dec 2014) < 089-r-10-(Pope Francis, speaking in Italian, delivering the Catholic church’s traditional “Urbi et Orbi” Christmas message from the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica)–Pope Francis, delivering the Vatican’s traditional “Urbi et Orbi” Christmas message — “to the city and the world” — from the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica. (25 Dec 2014) < HOLY LAND-CHRISTMAS Pilgrims flock to Bethlehem for Christmas BETHLEHEM, West Bank (AP) β Christians from all over the world have celebrated Christmas in Bethlehem, the traditional birthplace of Jesus Christ. The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Fouad Twal, the top Roman Catholic official in the Holy Land, led Mass on Thursday as worshippers prayed in the Church of the Nativity. Outside, pilgrims and tourists took pictures and walked around Manger Square. Secile Jivola, a tourist from Fiji, said she had traveled halfway around the world to celebrate Christmas this year in Bethlehem. Larenda Gronkjaer of Melbourne, Florida, said she was happy to see the city she had heard so much about in the past. She said it helped her “understand more of the meaning of Bethlehem and Israel and Jerusalem.” Sound: 110-a-09-(Secile Jivola, tourist from Fiji, in AP interview)-“to enjoy Christmas”-Secile Jivola says he traveled from Fiji to spend Christmas Day in the biblical town of Bethlehem. (25 Dec 2014) < 111-a-14-(Larenda Gronkjaer, tourist from Florida, in AP interview)-“Israel and Jerusalem”-Larenda Gronkjaer, who traveled from Florida to celebrate Christmas in the Holy Land, says being in Bethlehem on Christmas Day is a spiritual lift. (25 Dec 2014) < BRITAIN-ROYAL CHRISTMAS UK queen calls for harmony in Christmas message SANDRINGHAM, England (AP) β Britain’s Queen Elizabeth has used her traditional Christmas broadcast Thursday to call for reconciliation throughout the United Kingdom and to praise medical workers fighting Ebola in Africa. She said that for her, Jesus Christ is “a role model of reconciliation and forgiveness.” The queen said it will take time to heal divisions in Scotland, where a referendum was held this year on whether to remain part of Britain, and praised progress resolving the conflict in Northern Ireland. Elizabeth cited the “Christmas truce” a century ago in 1914 as an example to be remembered. She said German forces sang “Silent Night” so that it could be heard on the British side of the front line. The queen and her close family attended a church service Christmas morning. Sound: 125-a-08-(Rita Foley, AP correspondent, with Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II)-“no-man’s land”-Queen Elizabeth describes how the Christmas truce of 1914 began. ((cut used in wrap)) (25 Dec 2014) < 123-w-33-(Rita Foley, AP correspondent, with Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II)–In her traditional Christmas Day message to the British people, Queen Elizabeth focused on the theme of reconciliation. AP correspondent Rita Foley reports. (25 Dec 2014) < 124-a-06-(Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II, AP correspondent, with Queen Elizabeth)-“a Christmas truce”-Queen Elizabeth says British and German soldiers stopped fighting momentarily on Christmas Day, 1914, near the start of World War I. ((cut used in wrap)) (25 Dec 2014) < 118-a-08-(Queen Elizabeth II, in her annual pre-recorded Christmas message)-“faith, or none”-In her annual pre-recorded Christmas message, Britain’s Queen Elizabeth says the life of Jesus Christ is both an inspiration and an anchor in her life. (25 Dec 2014) < 117-a-15-(Queen Elizabeth II, in her annual pre-recorded Christmas message)-“great personal risk”-In her annual pre-recorded Christmas message, Britain’s Queen Elizabeth says she appreciates the sacrifice of those who are putting others before themselves across the world. (25 Dec 2014) < 119-r-19-(Queen Elizabeth II, in her annual pre-recorded Christmas message, with music)-“to you all (followed by 17 seconds of sound)”-Britain’s Queen Elizabeth ended her annual pre-recorded Christmas message with a holiday wish and a bit of music. ((closes with music)) (25 Dec 2014) < WOMAN KILLED AFTER CHURCH Woman run over by car after Christmas Eve Mass HAMMONTON, N.J. (AP) β Authorities say a woman leaving Christmas Eve Mass in New Jersey was struck and killed by a minivan while crossing the street. Hammonton police the 77-year-old woman was struck by a vehicle after leaving St. Anthony of Padua Roman Catholic church in Hammonton on Wednesday evening. Hammonton police say the crash occurred at around 5:30 p.m. on Route 206 while the woman was trying to get to her car. She was taken to the hospital by an ambulance and was pronounced dead a short time later. The 50-year-old driver stopped at the scene. Police say no immediate charges were filed. The investigation is ongoing. MEGACHURCH MELTDOWN Rick Warren to give final sermon at Mars Hill SEATTLE (AP) β The Rev. Rick Warren will give the final sermon at Mars Hill Church before the Seattle megachurch dissolves on Jan. 1. The Seattle Post-Intelligencer reports that the pastor from California’s Saddleback Church, who spoke at President Barack Obama’s first inauguration in 2009, will speak this Sunday at all Mars Hill congregations. Church leaders decided to dissolve the organization weeks after founding pastor Mark Driscoll resigned amid questions about his leadership. The church says its branches across four states will decide their own fate as self-governed entities. POLICE CHIEF-PRAYER VIGIL DC-based group helps Ocala in prayer vigil suit OCALA, Fla. (AP) β A Washington DC-based legal group is representing the north Florida town of Ocala in a federal lawsuit filed by atheists who objected to the city’s sponsoring of a prayer vigil. The American Center for Law and Justice says it will defend the city in the federal lawsuit, which claims Ocala’s mayor, police chief and others violated separation of church and state by promoting the Sept. 25 vigil. The Ocala Star-Banner reports that the vigil was promoted by city officials after drive-by shootings in which young children were injured. Frances Jean Porgal, one of the suit’s plaintiffs, says the government’s use of tax dollars on a religious event violated the constitution. David French, an attorney with the ACLJ, says the officials were working to restore peace in a lawful manner. PSALM SIGN-COUNTY PARK Sign bearing Psalm 19:1 removed from public park GEORGETOWN TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) β Some residents in western Michigan’s Ottawa County want a sign bearing the Bible’s Psalm 19:1 returned to a public park where it had been posted for decades. MLive.com reports that County Parks and Recreation Director John Scholtz said he had staff take down the sign from Hager Park after a Georgetown Township resident complained that it promoted a particular religious view using public resources. The sign, displaying the verse that says “The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament shows his handiwork,” had been in Hager Park since the late 1960s or early 1970s. It was placed there by the county road commission. Scholtz says if Ottawa County allowed it to be returned, other religious expressions might have to be allowed. Harvest Baptist Church senior pastor Ryan Kooienga has demanded the return of the sign to the park. Another man said he has collected about 800 signatures on a petition supporting the sign’s return. CUBA-CHURCH Cuba relations with Catholic Church at high point HAVANA (AP) β A quiet reconciliation between the Catholic Church and the Cuban government has brought relations to a historic high point this Christmas. Authorities have repaired damaged churches and given permission for the construction of the first two new churches in more than five decades. After years of bridge-building behind closed doors, the Cuba-Vatican rapprochement burst into the headlines last week when the U.S. government credited Pope Francis with helping facilitate the secret reconciliation talks between the U.S. and Cuba. Francis wrote the leaders of both countries to invite them to resolve their differences. Cuban Cardinal Jaime Ortega, in his Christmas Eve homily at Havana’s colonial cathedral, said “We ask the Lord to continue moving forward this process of reconciliation and peace that Pope Francis has favored and supported.” Despite the gradual opening, experts say the percentage of Cubans who are practicing Catholics remains well below that of most of the rest of Latin America. CHINA-CHURCH CROSSES China tightens church control ahead of Christmas BEIJING (AP) β Many Chinese Christians in the eastern province of Zhejiang have worshipped this Christmas under a roof without a cross. Provincial authorities have toppled crosses from more than 400 churches, and even razed some worship halls in a province-wide crackdown on building code violations. Many Christians say their faith has been singled out because authorities, wary of its rapid growth, are seeking to curb its spread in a campaign that has targeted China’s most thriving Christian communities. Estimates for the number of Christians in China range from the conservative official figure of 23 million to as many as 100 million by independent scholars, raising the possibility that Christians may rival in size the 85 million members of the ruling Communist Party. In August, Beijing rounded up Christian pastors and religious scholars in a national seminar with the edict that the Christian faith must be free of foreign influence but “adapt to China,” a euphemism for obeying the Communist Party’s rule. IRAN-POPE-GUNMAN Iran dismisses Khomeini link to pope shooting BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) β Iran has rejected claims by Mehmet Ali Agca (AH’-jah) that the late Iranian leader Ayatollah Khomeini ordered him to assassinate Pope John Paul II. The Turkish gunman earlier this week reiterated in a Serbian TV interview the claims he made in his book “They Promised Me Paradise.” Agca says he told John Paul of the Iranian connection when the pope visited him in prison. The Iranian Embassy in Belgrade on Thursday strongly denied the claims, saying “Imam Khomeini during his rich spiritual life maintained very good relations with different religions, including the pope.” The Vatican had also dismissed the claims Agca made in the book which he has changed many times. Agca shot and wounded John Paul in May 1981 in St. Peter’s Square. He was released from prison in 2010.
