ROME REPORTS: A look inside the Vatican's Diplomatic Power

Source:  Rome Reports

From U.S president Barack Obama to Queen Elizabeth...From controversial leaders to Hollywood stars. Pope Francis has met them all. The Vatican may be the smallest country in the world, but it has real diplomatic influence.

NIGEL BAKER

UK Ambassador to the Holy See

"Possibly the world’s most extensive network today, functioning on all sorts of levels from the political to the religious to the NGO, to the street, to the media.”

Nigel Baker is the UK's ambassador before the Holy See. He says a lot more than just religion is addressed. There's also immigration, war, nuclear disarmament and inter-religious dialogue.

NIGEL BAKER

UK Ambassador to the Holy See

"These are top of the agenda issues and the Holy See not only has something to say, but it’s having influence on the debate.”

With more than 170 countries accredited before the Holy See, it has an extensive international network, other nations want to tap into. It's not just the small diplomatic team in the Vatican, but the Universal Church it has access to.

NIGEL BAKER

UK Ambassador to the Holy See

"We don’t have at the moment an embassy in Damascus. But, we may be able to talk to Syrians, Syrian Christians or Syrian refugee workers who are working closely inside Syria and have information on what’s happening.”

Since being elected, Pope Francis has been top news. Getting an audience with the Pope is a way to deal with concrete issues, but there's also a popularity element, world leaders may not always admit to.

NIGEL BAKER

UK Ambassador to the Holy See

"Even world leaders I think can be susceptible to a little bit of the star dust and see whether that may rub off on them and I think it’s difficult to find a world leader that has the star dust that Pope Francis has.”

So it's not just countries with a majority of Catholics that expect to have diplomatic ties with the Holy See. Even more, it's about being connected to an international network that has real influence out on the ground.

Evading dialogue with Catholic Church is wrong – Patriarch Kirill

Source: Pravmir.com through InterFax

Cooperation with “the largest Christian Church,” the Catholic one, could help protect Christians and prompt the revival of Christianity “on global scale,” the church leader said.

Moscow, December 14, Interfax - Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia sees dialogue with the Catholic Church as an opportunity to reduce persecutions of Christians across the world.

“Evading dialogue with the Catholic Church now would be wrong: we defend the same values both in public and in private life. We need to establish such cooperation in the face of the non-Christian world as would enable us to multiply our own forces. Including what, I think, deserves positive treatment – our shared position on the situation in the Middle East,” the Russian Orthodox Church leader said at a meeting with representatives of the Youth Public Chamber and the Chamber of Young Legislators.

The ousting of Christians from the region where their “whole villages are being either slaughtered or chased out” will lead to imminent radicalization of the Muslim population.

“The presence of Christians in Islamic states forced their leaders to try to strike balances and provide rights for minorities; but if there are no Christians, there will no such concern either,” Patriarch Kirill said.

Christians are becoming a minority in the world: as a result of serious conflicts in Pakistan, in Asia and Africa, with one Christian dying in this world every hour for his convictions, while in the West “church and religion are being ousted from public life” under the influence of “ruling liberal doctrines,” Patriarch Kirill said.

Cooperation with “the largest Christian Church,” the Catholic one, could help protect Christians and prompt the revival of Christianity “on global scale,” the church leader said.

Nevertheless, cooperation cannot abolish the theological differences between the two churches, he said. Even assuming that such differences suddenly disappear and “theologians will sign everything,” even that is unlikely to change anything, because such agreements will have to be accepted by everyone who considers themselves an Orthodox Christian, and that is highly unlikely, Patriarch Kirill said.

Local ng Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC) sa Roma, BINABATI nga ba ng lahat ng mga iglesia ni Cristo?

Ayon sa PAG-AANGKIN ng mga tagapagtanggol ng Iglesia Ni Cristo® (INC ni Manalo), ang pangalan daw ng kanilang samahan ay mababasa sa sulat ni Apostol Pabol sa mga taga-ROMA 16:16 PATUNAY na sila raw ang TOTOO.  Samantalang ang IGLESIA KATOLIKA APOSTOLIKA ROMANA (IKAR daw) ay WALA, PATUNAY na PEKE raw tayo.

"Mangagbatian kayo ng banal na halik. Binabati kayo ng lahat ng mga iglesia ni Cristo." -Roma 16:16

Pero hindi naman ito ang SINASANG-AYUNAN ng kanilang OPISYAL na MAGASING PASUGO!


Pasugo April 1966, p. 6

"...The Catholic Church which from the beginning was the Church of Christ (“Ang Iglesia Katolika na sa pasimula ay siyang Iglesia ni Cristo.")."

Pasugo July August 1988 pp. 6.

“Even secular history shows a direct time link between the Catholic Church and the Apostles, leading to the conclusion that the true Church of Christ [Iglesia ni Cristo] is the Catholic Church.”

Kung sa KATUNOG lang ang batayan, tama nga namang may mga katagang "iglesia ni Cristo" ngunit plain and simple hindi ito ang "Iglesia Ni Cristo" na tatag ni Felix Manalo noong 1914.

Ang nakasulat sa Biblia ay "mga iglesia ni Cristo" at HINDI "Iglesia Ni Cristo" (INC)!

Ngunit, for the sake of argument ika nga, ipagpalagay na lamang natin na sila (ang Iglesia Ni Cristo®) ang tinutukoy sa Roma 16:16.

Kailan ba kasi nagkaroo ng lokal ang Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC ni Manalo) sa Roma?

Sabi ng kanilang website, nagkaroon lamang daw ng Local ang INC ni Manalo sa Roma around 22 years ago (1992 A.D.)

At kailan ba naisulat ni Apostol San Pablo ang kanyang SULAT SA MGA TAGA-ROMA kung saan binanggit niya ang mga katagang "mga iglesia ni Cristo"?

Ayon sa mga Bible Scholars (sa ngayon walang Ministro ng INC ni Manalo ang naturingang Bible Scholar) ang Sulat ni Apostol San Pablo sa mga Kristiano sa Roma naisulat sa pagitan ng 56-57 A.D. at marahil ay ipinadala ito sa Roma noong si San Pablo ay nasa Corinto sa pagitan ng taong 57-58 A.D-- mahigit 1,957 years ago (as of 2014 AD).

Lalong lumalakas ang pruweba na ang tinutukoy ni Apostol Pablo na IGLESIA sa Roma 16:16 ay ang IGLESIA KATOLIKA at hindi ang Iglesia Ni Cristo® (INC ni Manalo).

Kaya may IGLESIA NI CRISTO na pala mula pa noong 57 A.D. At ito ay sa ROMA (modern day ITALY).

At heto pa ang pambungad ni Apostol Pablo sa mga taga-ROMA (1:8)

"First of all, I give thanks to my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because YOUR FAITH IS SPOKEN OF ALL OVER THE WORLD."

Kitam! Ang PANANAMPALATAYA raw ng mga KRISTIANO sa ROMA ay BANTOG sa BUONG MUNDO!

Sa KATUNAYAN, hanggang ngayon ang PANANAMPALATAYANG KATOLIKO pa rin ang PINAKA-BANTOG na pananampalataya sa BUONG MUNDO! At sa kasalukuyan, ang BILANG ng mga KATOLIKO sa buong mundo ay umaabot na sa 1.2 billion, 1/6 ng buong populasyon-- ibig sabihin sa bawat anim na katao, isa doon ay Katoliko!

Kaya pala sinabi ni Apostol San Pablo sa mga taga-ROMA na ang "LAHAT" daw ng mga iglesia ni Cristo ay 'BUMABATI SA INYO (Roma)".

Heto ang patunay mula sa WIKIPEDIA.

Pansinin ang mga bansang kulay Luntian (Green), ito ang mga bansang MAY PAGBATI sa Iglesia sa Roma.

Ang kulay Abo (Gray) naman ay HINDI BUMABATI at KUMIKILALA sa Iglesia sa Roma. Ito ang mga bansang China (komunista), Myanmar (komunista), Macau (parte ng China), North Korea (Komunista), Afghanistan (Muslim), Saudi Arabia (Muslim), Oman (Muslim), Somalia (Muslim), Mauritania kasama ang Sahara Desert (mga Islamic Republic).

 Lumalabas na sa IGLESIA KATOLIKA pala ang NAKATUPAD sa mga nakasulat sa ROMA 16:16 at hindi ang Iglesia Ni Cristo® (INC) na noon lamang sumulpot sa Pilipinas noong 1914 sa pamamagitan ng pekeng sugo na si Felix Manalo.

[Basahin ang Alin nga ba ang Iglesiang BINABATI ng LAHAT ng mga iglesia ni Cristo?]

IPAGPALAGAY NATIN

Narito ang mga kuhang-larawan ng INC Local ng Roma (mula sa Facebook), kung saan makikita niyo na ang kanilang local sa Roma ay puro mga OFW (Overseas Filipino Workers)!

Ipaglagay natin na sila (Iglesia Ni Cristo Lokal ng Roma) ang tinutukoy sa Roma 16:16.  BINABATI ba ng lahat ng mga Iglesia Ni Cristo ang  local na INC sa Roma?

At kung "the true Church of Christ is back in the region" [Iglesia Ni  Cristo Today] eh bakit hanggang ngayon eh Pilipinas pa rin ang kanilang Central? Akala ko ba  eh LOKAL lamang ang ITINATAG ni Felix Manalo sa Pilipinas? Eh bakit wala sa Roma o Jerusalem ang kanilang Central?

Konting pagbubulay-bulay lamang mga kababayan ko. Gamitin ang sentido-kumon upang makawala kayo sa kapahamakan ng impierno.

ANG MANLILINLANG AT ANTI-CRISTO NA SI FELIX MANALO

Si Felix Manalo ay nangangaral na si Cristo ay TAO LAMANG at hindi siya kailanman naging DIOS.  Ang kanyang mga aral ay SALUNGAT sa Biblia.  Ayon sa 2 John 1:7, ang mga taong DI TANGGAP ang (DIOS) NA NAGKATAWANG TAO ay mga MANLILINLANG at ANTI-CRISTO.  Ito ang PAGLILINAW ng BIBLIA tungkol kay FELIX MANALO at ng mga ARAL ng Iglesia Ni Cristo® -1914

Narito ang ilan sa mga Bible Versions na mahilig nilang gamitin:

New International Version

I say this because many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist.

New Living Translation

I say this because many deceivers have gone out into the world. They deny that Jesus Christ came in a real body. Such a person is a deceiver and an antichrist.

English Standard Version

For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist.

New American Standard Bible

For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist.

King James Bible

For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.

Holman Christian Standard Bible

Many deceivers have gone out into the world; they do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist.

International Standard Version

For many deceivers have gone out into the world. They refuse to acknowledge Jesus the Messiah as having become human. Any such person is a deceiver and an antichrist.

New American Bible

Many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh; such is the deceitful one and the antichrist.

The Jerusalem Bible

Many false teachers have appeared in the world, who will not acknowledge that Jesus Christ has come in human flesh; here is the deceiver you were warned against, here is Antichrist.

Douay-Rheims Bible

For many seducers are gone out into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh: this is a seducer and an antichrist.

Kaming mga kaanib ng TUNAY na IGLESIA ni CRISTO ay nagbibigay sa inyo ng babala na kailangan niyo nang lisanin ang INC ni Manalo sapagkat ito't ikapapahamak ng inyong mga kaluluwa! At hindi kami magsasawang sabihan at paalalahanan kayong lisanin na ang pekeng kulto ni Manalo alang-alang sa inyong kaligtasan.

Pagpalain nawa kayo ng Dios sa inyong paglalakbay pabalik sa tunay na Iglesia-- ang Iglesia Katolika!

Vatican responds to Islamic State threat

IrishTimes - The Vatican has played down renewed reports of a death threat against Pope Francis by Islamic State (IS) militants.

On the eve of the pope’s one-day trip to Albania next Sunday, the Iraqi ambassador to the Holy See, Habeeb Al Sadr, on Saturday told the online version of Rome daily Il Messaggero: “Our intelligence and our analysts suggest this [attack on the pope] could happen.

“We all know how these terrorists think. Their targets are known. I would not rule out them managing to attack him (Pope Francis) . . . I have warned senior people in the Holy See and they know the dangers represented by these terrorist groups.

“After all, the Vatican supports the Iraqi state in its efforts to stop IS.”

However, papal spokesman Father Federico Lombardi told The Irish Times yesterday that the Holy See was unworried by these reported threats, adding: “There is nothing special, nothing extraordinary in this report, nothing new.

“For that reason,” he said, “we will carry on as per normal, we are not worried”

Three weeks ago, Rome daily Il Tempo, citing unnamed Israeli and Italian secret service sources, claimed that Pope Francis hadbecome a target of the Islamic State, within the context of its war on the west.

That speculation was probably sparked by comments made by the Pope on his flight on the way back from a pastoral visit toSouth Korea last month.

Asked if he “approved” of US bombardment of IS forces in Iraq, he replied: “In cases like this, where there is an unjustaggression, then it is licit to halt the aggressor. But I stress ‘halt’. I don’t say bomb, or make war, but rather stop him.”

Read: Islamic State: Pope is 'being targeted by Isis', Iraqi ambassador to the Holy See warns

UK Ambassador to the Holy See says that the Vatican is a "global hub" for all people in the world!

Let anti-Catholics enumerate again what they hated most about the CHURCH, The Vatican State and the Pope but the TRUTH always remains: Whether you like it or  not, she will always be with YOU and ME and she will always have IMPACT in every aspect of our society and even in your personal lives! In particular, the Iglesia ni Cristo^® founded by Felix Manalo in the Philippines should PAY CLOSE ATTENTION to this fact!  That the TRUE CHURCH OF CHRIST-- the ONE, HOLY, CATHOLIC and APOSTOLIC CHURCH is STILL WITH US!

The official magazine of the INC^® AFFIRMS that FACT published in PASUGO, Abril 1966, p. 46: “Ang totoo hanggang sa kasalukuyan ay patuloy na ginagawa ni Satanas ang pagpapasok ng mga maling aral sa Iglesia Katolika na sa pasimula'y siyang Iglesia ni Cristo..." [Read more at Ang Katotohanan Tungkol sa INK-1914]

Yes! To this PRESENT DAY (sa kasalukuyan), the real CHURCH of CHRIST is still with us, no matter how Satan wants to inject its poison in her but the PROMISE of Christ will TRIUMPH: "The gates of hell shall not prevail" (Mt. 16:16-18)!

Here is the NEWS that proves that fact!

The Vatican: A global hub
Source: UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office

It has been a busy few days at the Vatican. Easter week, with its public ceremonies and celebrations, is just behind us. This coming weekend will see the canonisation of two Popes, John XXIII and John Paul II. Pope Francis will preside, and the Pope Emeritus, Benedict XVI, could also be present. Along with many hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions, of others.

Even more than usual, the sense of the Vatican operating as a hub for world religion, global leaders and ordinary people of all creeds, colours and classes is palpable. The Pope’s traditional “Urbi et Orbi” (“to the City and the World”) message on Easter Sunday was, as always, covered extensively by the international media. The range of issues he addressed was striking, in a way difficult to imagine from any other world leader. He touched on the need to tackle hunger, conflict, and wastefulness. On the need to protect the vulnerable and comfort migrants far from home. And he spoke in specific terms about Ebola sufferers in Guinea Conakry, Sierra Leone and Liberia; about those kidnapped in different parts of the world by terrorists; about the conflict in Syria; about violence in Iraq; peace negotiations between Israel and Palestine; conflict in Central African Republic, Nigeria and South Sudan; the need for reconciliation in Venezuela; and the importance of peace initiatives in Ukraine.

So it is no coincidence, if something of a surprise even to the Holy See, that delegations from around the world will attend the canonisation ceremony in St Peter’s Square this weekend. Although primarily a religious, and specifically Catholic, event, there will be at least 19 heads of state and 24 heads of government, as well as many other delegations from every corner of the globe. They are here because they wish to pay homage to two great world leaders – John XXIII and John Paul II – who bestrode the second half of the 20th century, and because they recognise the ongoing global role and impact of the Papacy in its new guise under Pope Francis. The Queen – Her Majesty herself, of course, met the Pope earlier this month – will be represented by The Duke of Gloucester, who was also here for the beatification of John Paul II in 2011 and the inauguration of Pope Francis’ pontificate last year.

Yet again, the eyes of much of the world will be focused on St Peter’s Square. The Pope is apparently the most “searched for” personality on Google, and the most re-tweeted of world leaders. Virtually and physically, the Vatican remains one of the world’s great meeting points.

Queen Elizabeth II visited Pope Francis at the Vatican

Seen by some as a visit by a state leader, but Catholics in the blogsphere is seeing this event as a sign of unity in the Christian world-- Anglicans and Catholics together again.  As one of the commentary by a certain Karen Wilkinson, she says "The Pope has already opened the door for the Anglicans in union with Rome. there are quite a few Churches that have already made the move. Welcome Home."

The Queen's visit is very significant for Christians because she has met met 6 Popes during her reign namely Pius XII, John XXIII, Paul VI, John Paul I, John Paul II and Benedict XVI. And the latest is Pope Francis making it seven Popes.

Here is the story from Catholic News Agency:

Pope, Queen enjoy casual tea during first meeting

Vatican City- Although short, the April 3 encounter between Pope Francis and Queen Elizabeth in the Vatican has been described as cordial and informal, during which the two exchanged gifts and casual conversation.

Taking place in the papal office of the Vatican’s Paul VI Hall, the official tea between the Bishop of Rome and the British Monarch came after the Queen’s lunch with Italian President Giorgio Napolitano, and lasted only 17 minutes.

During the visit, Queen Elizabeth was accompanied by her husband Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. The two were in Rome only for the day, following an initial invitation extended to Her Majesty by President Napolitano last year, which she was not able to accept due to poor health.

MAJOR RELIGIONS originated from the MIDDLE EAST...

FAKE Religions (churches) came outside the Middle East!
In response to ReadMeINC's assertions against the Catholic Church!

Photo taken from Wikipedia - Vatican Relations

Here's a classical example of how members of the so-called Iglesia ni Cristo® like  ReadMeINC.blogspot brag about their church founded by Felix Manalo in 1914:

Itinatag ng ating Panginoong HesuKristo ang kaniyang Iglesia sa Jerusalem na nasa ASYA. Ang Iglesia noong unang siglo ay kalaunay natalikod.
(Jesus Christ established his Church in Jerusalem which is in ASIA. That Church from the first century eventually apostatized.)

Sa loob ng CHRISTIANITY, alin ang totoong Iglesiang itinayo ni Kristo?
(In CHRISTIANITY, which is the true Church Christ founded?)

Ang Roman Catholic Church ba na nagmula sa EUROPA?
(Is it the Roman Catholic Church which originated from EUROPE?)

Ang Protestantism kaya na nagmula kay Martin Luther na nagmula sa EUROPA DIN?
(Or Protestantism which came (sic) from Martin Luther which came also from EUROPE?)

Ang Iglesia ni Cristo kaya sa Pilipinas na naitayo sa pamamagitan ni Ka Felix Manalo base sa propesiya ng banal na kasulatan, na nagmula ASYA?
(Or the Iglesia ni Cristo which emerged fromt he Philippines through Ka Felix Manalo according the the prophesis in the holy scriptures, which came from ASIA?)

Kung ang Major Religions of the World, lalo na ang Christianity o ang Iglesiang itinayo ni Kristo sa Jerusalem ay nasa ASYA, saan kaya naroon ang TUNAY na Iglesiang itinayo ni Kristo? Sa Amerika, Sa Europa o sa ASYA?
(If Major Religions of the World, especially Christianity or the Church founded by Christ in Jerusalem which is in ASIA, where can we find the TRUE Church which Christ established? In America, in Europe or in ASIA?)

ANONG SA TINGIN NIYO?
(WHAT DO YOU THINK?)

Good that this member of the so-called Iglesia ni Cristo® helped us find very easily  the "ORIGINAL" Church of Christ amidst a throng of various claims by different founders and their churches opposing one another in the Protestant world - "40,000 competing different versions of Christianity" claiming ONLY THE BIBLE is their Sole Authority yet the same "Bible" divided them continuously!

Vatican Comments on Moammar Gadhafi's Death

VATICAN CITY, NCR—“The news of the death of Col. Moammar Gadhafi ends the too-long and tragic phase of the bloody struggle to overthrow a harsh and oppressive regime,” the Vatican said in a statement released this afternoon.

“This dramatic event,” the communiqué continued, “forces us to reflect once again on the price of immense human suffering that accompanies the assertion and collapse of any system that is not based on respect and dignity of the person, but on the principal assertion of power.”

There were conflicting accounts regarding the circumstances of the dictator’s death.

According to Reuters, one source said Gadhafi was captured alive and, in resisting his captors, was beaten to death. Libya’s ruling National Transitional Council told Reuters Gaddafi was killed following his capture when a gunfight broke out between his supporters and government fighters. He died from a bullet wound to the head.

Moscow Patriarchate’s “non-interference” to a possible Serbian Orthodox invitation for the pope

by Nina Achmatova 

Metropolitan Hilarion reiterates Moscow’s position but, for months, rumours say the Russian Orthodox Church is opposed to Benedict XVI’s presence in Niš in 2013 to mark the anniversary of Constantine’s edict because it could provide an opportunity for a meeting between the Russian patriarch and the pontiff.

Moscow (AsiaNews) – The Moscow Patriarchate is trying to stop the Serbian Orthodox Church from inviting Pope Benedict XVI to celebrations in 2013 marking the 1,700 years since Constantine’s edict, this according to international commentators, following an interview by the Serbian daily Politika with Metropolitan Hilarion, head of the Patriarchate’s Department of External Church Relations.

Malaysia establishes diplomatic relations with the Vatican

Vatican sends Official delegates to Independence Celebration of Majority Catholic South Sudan

Photo Source: Wikipedia

VATICAN CITY, NEWS.va - Holy See press office director Fr. Federico Lombardi issued the following statement Friday: Tomorrow 9 July, the new Republic of South Sudan will be proclaimed in the city of Juba. For this solemn occasion, the Holy Father has sent an official delegation headed by Cardinal John Njue, archbishop of Nairobi and president of the Kenya Episcopal Conference. The delegation, which will also include Archbishop Leo Boccardi, apostolic nuncio to Sudan, and Msgr. Javier Herrera Corona, secretary of the apostolic nunciature to Kenya, will bring the authorities of the new State, and all its citizens many of whom are Catholic, best wishes for peace and prosperity.

As Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, secretary for Relations with States, said yesterday when receiving a Sudanese parliamentary delegation led by Ahmed Ibrahim Elthair, president of the Sudanese National Assembly, peace, reconciliation and respect for universal rights (especially religious liberty) are the fundamental pillars upon which to construct the new socio-political circumstances of the region, and vital conditions in order to be able to look to a future of hope.

The Holy See, which has had stable diplomatic relations with the authorities of Khartoum since 1972 and will give due consideration to any request from the government of Southern Sudan, invites the international community to support Sudan and the new independent State so that, through frank, peaceful and constructive dialogue, they may find just and equitable solutions to outstanding questions; at the same time she expresses the hope that those peoples will enjoy a journey of peace, freedom and development.

Holy See and Azerbaijan ratify agreement

Source: News.va, Vatican City - On Wednesday morning, Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, Secretary for Relations with States of the Secretariat of State, and Mr. Elmar Mammadyarov, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan, exchanged the instruments of ratification of the Agreement between the Holy See and the Republic of Azerbaijan.

Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, Christianity has been present in Azerbaijan since the 1st century AD, when the Apostle Bartholomew arrived from India to preach the Gospel. Down through the centuries, missions led by Dominicans, Jesuits, Capuchins, Augustinians, served the Catholic minority present mainly in the capital Baku, until the advent of Russian rule in the early 20th century, when the community’s only priest was killed and its church demolished.

The revival of the community in Baku began in 1992, when a few believers wrote a letter to the Vatican, making a request for a priest to be sent out to celebrate Mass. On October 11, 2000 the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples appointed Don Bosco`s Salesians responsible for the mission in Azerbaijan. Only two years later Pope John Paul II visited the country, despite his increasingly fragile health. Shortly after this visit Azerbaijan’s President Aliev gave the Catholic Church a plot of land to build a church. The Church of the Immaculate Conception was inaugurated by Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Bertone on the 7th March 2008.

Christian leaders reach agreement on guidelines for evangelizing

Photo Source: News That Matters

CNA STAFF, Jul 1, 2011 / 05:35 am (CNA).- Leaders representing 90 percent of all Christians worldwide issued guidelines on acceptable missionary conduct based on the witness of Christ and the early Church.

“The example and teaching of Jesus Christ and of the early church must be the guides for Christian mission,” church leaders wrote.

“Christian witness is always a sharing in his witness, which takes the form of proclamation of the kingdom, service to neighbor and the total gift of self even if that act of giving leads to the cross.”

The document “Christian Witness in a Multi-Religious World” was issued jointly on June 28 by the Vatican’s Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, the World Council of Churches and the World Evangelical Alliance.

Muslims should learn to reciprocate

Archbishop Hashem discussed the
Saudi talks whilst visiting Qatar
(Source: BBC News)

BBC, -The Vatican is holding talks with Saudi Arabia on building the first church in the kingdom, where some 1.5m Christians are not allowed to worship publicly.

Archbishop Paul-Mounged el-Hachem, one of Pope Benedict XVI's most senior Middle East representatives, said the discussions had begun a few weeks ago.

But the archbishop cautioned that the Vatican could not predict the outcome.

The discussions come in the wake of King Abdullah's historic meeting with the Pope at the Vatican last November.

Church' Two Lungs Breathing Together

Patriarch Bartholomew I and Pope Benedict XVI (Source: Taylor Marshall's Blog)

ROME, JUNE 23, 2011 (Zenit.org).- Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople will send a delegation to Rome on June 29, feast of Sts. Peter and Paul.

The visit takes place as part of what has become a traditional exchange of delegations between the Orthodox Church and the Vatican for the respective feasts of their holy patrons.

The Holy See always sends a delegation to Istanbul on Nov. 30, feast of St. Andrew.

The Orthodox delegation will be made up by Metropolitan Emmanuel of France and director of the Orthodox Church's office in the European Union; Bishop Athenagoras of Sinope, auxiliary bishop of the Ecumenical Patriarchate serving in Belgium; and Archimandrite Maximos Pothos, the vicar-general in Switzerland.

On June 28, Benedict XVI will receive the delegation in audience, and on June 29, it will attend the Eucharistic celebration presided over by the Pope in St. Peter's.

The delegation will also meet with the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity.

The exchange of delegations between Rome and Constantinople began in 1969, with Cardinal Johannes Willebrands' visit to Constantinople for the feast of St. Andrew. At the time, the cardinal was president of the Secretariat for Christian Unity.

Pope greets different world leaders at beatification

Pope tells world leaders at beatification to respect rights of every person

The CATHOLIC CHURCH of Christ is the ONLY Christian Authority that Bridges Different Faiths and Cultures Accross Nations for Understanding and Tolerance

Vatican official at UN decries 'attacks' on Catholic beliefs

Republic of Italy President Giorgio
Napolitano greets Archbishop Silvano Tomasi.

Geneva, Switzerland, Mar 22, 2011 / 04:58 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- A Vatican representative to the United Nations spoke out today against “attacks” on freedom of conscience and religion, directed against Catholics and others who hold traditional beliefs about sexual morality and human nature.

Archbishop Silvano M. Tomasi spoke out in a March 22 meeting of the U.N. Human Rights Council, calling attention to what he described as a “disturbing trend” in debates over social life and human rights.

“People are being attacked for taking positions that do not support sexual behavior between people of the same sex,” Archbishop Tomasi told the council.

Listen to Chinese bishops

Some Catholics outside China are quicker than Rome to condemn the Chinese bishops
Source: UCANews

Jeroom Heyndrickx, Belgium

China

April 1, 2011

Photo Source: 30Giorni

Father Jeroom Heyndrickx has written an article commenting on the post-Chengde situation of the Church in China where an illicit bishop was ordained last November. The article was published in the March issue of the Ferdinand Verbiest Update.

The following is his article in full:

The illegal bishops ordination at Chengde (Hebei)

should not block the 40-year-old dialogue policy of Rome

Pope Paul VI and Cardinal Agostino Casaroli started the dialogue with China in 1970

In 1964 Pope Paul VI wrote the encyclical “Ecclesiam Suam” (”His Church”) promulgating one central message of Vatican II namely: the Catholic Church wishes to dialogue with all religions and all different ideologies in the world. This was a 180 degree U-turn from the encyclical “Divini Redemptoris” (Divine Savior”) in which Pope Pius XI – in 1937, during the reign of Stalin – attacked Communism in very aggressive language calling it ‘diabolic’.

In 1970 Pope Paul VI took the first concrete steps towards dialogue with China, strongly supported in this by Cardinal Agostino Casaroli, his Secretary of State and promoter of dialogue between Rome and the Communist governments in Eastern Europe. In Rome Pope Paul VI visited the World Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO). In his speech he observed that one of the biggest countries in the world was not yet a member of FAO. It was a historical and generous gesture towards China that the Pope publicly pleaded in favor of China’s membership in a UN organization at a time when the Cultural Revolution was still going on in China and well before President Nixon visited China. In 1971, when China entered the UN, the Vatican transferred the Nuncio of Taiwan to Bangladesh, leaving in Taiwan only a Chargé d’Affaires (until today).