Church in Mexico hails election of Archbishop Gomez as USCCB

Cuautitlan Izcalli, Mexico, Nov 14, 2019 / 07:01 pm (CNA).- Bishop Alfonso Gerardo Miranda Guardiola, auxiliary bishop of Monterrey, has welcomed the election of Archbishop Jose Gomez of Los Angeles as president of the US bishops’ conference, calling it an sign that is“eloquent for migrants.

Archbishop Gomez was elected president of the USCCB Nov. 12 during the US bishops’ plenary assembly.

Bishop Miranda, the secretary general of the bishops that are mexican conference, told ACI Prensa that on communicating Gomez’ election to the Mexican bishops, “the reaction was one of applause, joy and emotion on receiving the news about Archbishop Jose Gomez as president of the American bishops’ conference. Afterwards bishops even came up to me and told me they were very happy with this news.”

The Mexican bishops are holding their plenary assembly Nov. 11-14 in Cuautitlan Izcalli.

Bishop Miranda said that “the entire conference rejoiced with this distinction given to a compatriot, a brother, and in my case, someone from my hometown.”

The prelate that is mexican that the relationship between the Mexican bishops’ conference and Archbishop Gomez “has been extremely close.”

He also noted that Archbishop Gomez has helped the Church in Mexico with the organization of the First National Meeting on the Protection of Minors, to be held in March 2020.

Bishop Miranda said the bishops that are mexican very grateful for that,” and emphasized that the election of Archbishop Gomez “is a gesture, is a sign, in multiple ways, toward immigrants, toward Mexicans.”

“It’s a distinction, a gesture … of the importance they are giving to the community that is hispanic” he said.

Gomez, 67, is the Latino that is first to the US bishops’ conference. He is also the immigrant that is first the conference helm.

He was ordained a priest of Opus Dei in 1978, and in 2001 was appointed Bishop that is auxiliary of. He was appointed Archbishop of San Antonio in 2004, and Coadjutor Archbishop of Los Angeles in 2010, succeeding as ordinary the year that is following.

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Priest relocated over threats from drug lords in Argentina

Buenos Aires, Argentina, Mar 16, 2017 / 08:01 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- A diocese in Argentina has decided to transfer a priest after a series of threats he’s received for protesting the death of a man who had been killed by a drug cartel.

The Diocese of Merlo-Moreno in Argentina relocated Father Eduardo Farrell, who has been serving for nine years as pastor of Sacred Heart Church in the Cuartel Quinto municipality in Buenos Aires in order to “protect his physical integrity in face of repeated threats and intimidation.”

The events trace back to Dec. 15, 2016, when the People’s Dignity Movement activist, Cesar Mendez, from the Cuartel Quinto neighborhood, was shot dead by “transas,” persons connected to the drug world, who had taken over a house.

A week later, the neighbors organized a march that is peaceful the Buenos Aires area locality to call for justice for the death of Mendez. Fr. Farrell was the only speaker on that occasion, and from then on the intimidation began.

The statement from the Diocese of Merlo-Moreno released March 13, said that “in recent times persons that are numerous believers or not, Church activists or not, have received clear signals that their actions and preaching entailed a nuisance to sectors which operate outside the law.”

“With great concern and pain that is deep observe how violence, in its most varied manifestations, is being normalized in our communities. Every day we learn of violent incidents, some extremely serious, such as the loss of human lives,” the statement read.

The message, signed by the Bishop of Merlo-Moreno, Fernando Carlos Maletti; Auxiliary Bishop, Oscar Eduardo Minarro; and Vicar General, Fr. Fabian Saenz, warned of the rise in “in the drug that is illegal along with the “dangerous deterioration of the health of our youth,” and the “brutal confrontations for the control of territory.”

The message noted that work in the prevention of “drug addiction” often “collide with the petty and evil interests of those who only seek territorial income and power at any cost.”

The National Justice and Peace Commission expressed solidarity with the people being threatened “because of their opposition that is brave to and joined with “those who honestly and disinterestedly seek to overcome the evils in our society.”

In this regard, “the voice of the Diocese of Merlo-Moreno is brave and prophetic because neither indifference nor fear closes their eyes or silences their words in the face of injustice.”

The drug trafficking problem in Argentina already claimed a victim from the clergy of this country in October 2016.

Fr. Juan Heraldo Viroche, pastor of Our Lady of the Valley in Tucuman, was found hanged to death in the rectory after he started publicly denouncing in his homilies the drug gangs in his locality.

The incident led the priests who work in the shantytowns of Buenos Aires to state that “Father Viroche was killed by the mafia he denounced and who threatened him.”

Legal challenges to Canada Summer Jobs focus on freedom of speech

Ottawa, Canada, Jul 10, 2018 / 03:01 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Legal opposition continues to gather against a new rule for a long-standing Canadian summer jobs program, which requires grant applicants to affirm abortion access as a human right.

Don’t ‘photoshop’ your heart – be who you are, Pope tells young Peruvians

Lima, Peru, Jan 21, 2018 / 11:56 am (CNA/EWTN News).- On Sunday Pope Francis told Peruvian youth that Jesus doesn’t want disciples who have been “photoshopped” to perfection, but like the great saints of the past, God calls people to follow him with trust and enthusiasm, despite their weaknesses.

“When Jesus looks he does not think about how perfect we are, but about all the love we have in our hearts to give in serving others,” the Pope said Jan. 21 at us.

With technology it’s easy to digitally enhance photos to make them look the real way we want, but this only works for pictures, he said. “We cannot ‘photoshop’ others, the world, or ourselves. Color filtering and high definition only function well in video; we can never apply them to our friends.”

These pictures might turn out nice, but they are “completely fake,” the Pope said, and assured the youth that their hearts “can’t be ‘photoshopped,’ because that’s where love that is authentic genuine happiness have to be found.”

“Jesus does not want you to have a heart that is cosmetic” he said. “He loves you he has a dream for every one of you as you are, and. Do not forget, he does not get discouraged with us.”

“Moses, he was not articulate; Abraham, an man that is old Jeremiah, very young; Zacchaeus, small of stature; the disciples, who fell asleep when Jesus told them they should pray; Paul, a persecutor of Christians; Peter, who denied him,” and the list could go on, he said. “So what excuse can we offer?”

Jesus, Francis explained, wants youth who are “on the move. He wants to see you achieve your ideals and to be enthusiastic in following his instructions.”

This is a difficult path that can’t be walked alone, but must be one “as a team, where each member offers the best of his or her self,” he said, adding that “Jesus is counting on you” just as he counted on the many Peruvian saints who influenced society, including St. Rose of Lima, St. Turibius, St. Juan Macias and St. Francisco Solano, among others.

“Today (Jesus) asks if, you are ready to follow him,” the Pope said, asking the youths “are you willing to follow him like them? To be guided by his Spirit in making present his Kingdom of justice and love?”

Pope Francis spoke to great post to read youth in Lima’s Plaza de Armas before reciting the Angelus on the day that is last of Jan. 15-21 visit to Chile and Peru. Earlier in the day he prayed Terce, also called the prayer of the Hour” that is“Third in Church’s Liturgy of the Hours, with contemplative sisters.

He also met with the national country’s bishops, and after lunch will celebrate Mass at Lima’s “Las Palmas” airbase before returning to Rome.

In his speech to youth, Francis directed them to the example of one of his favorite Peruvian saints, Martin de Porres, who was a the son of a Spanish nobleman and a slave woman that is black. The saint had wanted to enter the Dominican order, but was initially prevented from becoming a brother due to a law at the time that prevented people of mixed race from joining orders that are religious.

“Nothing prevented that young man from achieving his dreams, nothing prevented him from spending his life for others, nothing prevented him from loving, and he did so because he had realized that the Lord loved him first,” the Pope said.

He knew how to do one thing that was the secret to his ultimate happiness: “he knew how to trust. because he was a “mulato,” meaning a person of mixed race, St. Martin had to endure many hardships, but”

“He trusted in the Lord who loved him. Do you know why? Because the Lord had trusted him first; just as he trusts each of you and will never tire of trusting you,” the Pope said.

When we face similar difficulties in our lives, and are tempted to become discouraged or negative, “remember that Jesus is by your side,” Francis said. “Do not give up! Do not lose hope!”

The Pope told the young people to look to the saints for encouragement, but he also urged them ask for help from people they know can give them advice that is good and to let these people accompany and guide them as they go forward in life.

“The Lord looks with us, but it is we who get discouraged with ourselves on you with hope,” he said, explaining that God is never discouraged.

Pope Francis closed his speech youth that is telling turn to Mary, who will encourage and support them “lest you grow discouraged. And if you get discouraged by anything, do not worry, for she will tell Jesus. Just don’t stop praying, don’t stop asking, don’t stop trusting in her maternal protection.”