Page 46 - Religion Belief
Nun to Vatican abuse summit: "This storm will not pass by"
A prominent Nigerian nun has blasted the culture of silence in the Catholic Church that has long sought to hide clergy sexual abuse, telling a Vatican summit that transparency and an admission of mistakes is needed to restore trust. In a powerful speech Saturday, Sister Veronica Openibo told Pope Francis' gathering of the Catholic hierarchy that African and Asian church leaders must no longer justify their silence about sexual violence by claiming that poverty and conflict are more serious issues for the church. "This storm will not pass by," she warned them. She called for discussion on a host of controversial issues to address the scandal, including lay participation in the selection of bishops, whether seminaries for young boys are really healthy and why elderly abusers aren't dismissed from the clergy. "We proclaim the Ten Commandments and parade ourselves as being the custodians of moral standards, values and good behavior in society," she told the gathering. "Hypocrites at ...
3,168 places of worship in TN on encroached land: Govt to HC
The Tamil Nadu government Friday informed the Madras High Court that 3,168 religious structures like temples, churches and mosques have been constructed on encroached public land in the state. Among the religious structures are 3,003 temples, 131 churches, 27 mosques and seven structures of other religions, the government said. The submission was made by Deputy Secretary, Municipal Administration, S Ramanathan in an affidavit before Justice S M Subramaniam as per his recent directive seeking data on places of worship on encroached public land. Justice Subramaniam, in his order on January 4, had observed that even a deity in a temple cannot commit an act of encroachment. The matter relates to a plea by an office-bearer of rationalist outfit Thanthai Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam, seeking implementation of a government order and shifting of a Lord Vinayaka temple allegedly constructed on public land. The government order, issued years ago, had disallowed worship at government offices and a .
Promote communal amity, be wary of divisive forces: Assam Guv to youth
Assam Governor Jagdish Mukhi Friday exhorted the youth to contribute to the country's growth and promote communal harmony, even as he cautioned them to be wary of "divisive forces". In his address at a World Scouts Day function here, he also expressed hope that by 2024, the Scouts and Guides "premier youth movement". "I congratulate you for the work done so far and urge you to continue to contribute to India's growth and development," Mukhi said. "As scouts and guides, you have already contributed to various causes. You must work to promote communal harmony, but at the same time be wary of divisive forces," he said. The event celebrated the World Scouts Day, which marks the birth anniversary of Robert Baden-Powell, founder of Scouting movement. Scouts and Guides, dressed up in colourful uniform from various parts of the country, had gathered in Delhi for the event. "I wish that by 2024, our Scouts and Guides (movement) will be a globally visible, consistently growing, self-reliant ...
Will not allow rumours being spread to incite violence in Bengal: Mamata
Slamming the central government for "making false promises", West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday accused the BJP and the RSS of spreading rumours to incite violence in the state and also said her government would not allow this.
Vatican summit on sex abuse focuses calls for accountability
Cardinals attending Pope Francis' summit on preventing clergy sex abuse called Friday for a new culture of accountability in the Catholic Church to punish bishops and religious superiors when they fail to protect their flocks from predator priests. On the second day of Francis' extraordinary gathering of Catholic leaders, the focus of debate shifted to how church leaders must acknowledge that decades of their own cover-up, secrecy and fear of scandal had only worsened the crisis. "We must repent, and do so together, collegially, because along the way we have failed," said Mumbai (India) Cardinal Oswald Gracias. "We need to seek pardon." Chicago Cardinal Blase Cupich told the 190 bishops and religious superiors that new legal procedures were needed to both report and investigate superiors when they are accused of misconduct or negligence in handling abuse cases. He said lay experts must be involved at every step of the process, since rank-and-file Catholics know far better than priests
Rahul Gandhi treks Tirumala hills, prays at Lord Balaji temple
Congress President Rahul Gandhi Friday offered prayers at the famous hill shrine of Lord Venkateswara at Tirumala near here. On his arrival at the temple main entrance, Gandhi was accorded a warm welcome by the hill temple management. After quickly trekking the nearly 10 km-long steep stairway leading to the ancient hill shrine, the Congress chief paid obeisance to the presiding deity of Lord Venkateswara, a temple official told PTI. It took about two hours for Gandhi to reach the sacred hills, the official said. After his spiritual trek from the foot of the hill at Alipiri in Tirupati in the afternoon, the Congress president made a brief halt at a heavily guarded Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams guest house on the hill and later visited the shrine, the official said. After prayers, Gandhi was offered sacred silk cloth, prasadam, and a holy memento, the temple official said. He was in the temple for about 20 minutes. Tight security arrangements were put in place on the ...
French bishops agree to compensation for sex abuse victims
Still struggling to come to terms with their share of responsibility in the clerical sex abuse scandal rocking the Catholic Church, France's bishops have agreed to award financial compensation to victims whose cases fall outside of France's statute of limitations. "We have agreed in principle to make a financial gesture," Vincent Neymon, head of communications for the French bishops'conference, told The Associated Press in an interview this week. He said he hoped to have a system for paying victims in place in less than a year. France has not been immune to the scandal that has prompted a credibility crisis for the Catholic hierarchy, and that is the topic of a summit at the Vatican this week on preventing sex abuse and prosecuting pedophile priests. Two years ago, an investigation by online publication Mediapart unearthed 342 cases of abuse over 50 years that French bishops were accused of covering up in France and abroad, involving at least 34 priests. Some were convicted, most were
Piyush Goyal prays at Lord Venkateswara temple
Railway Minister Piyush Goyal Friday offered prayers at the famous hill shrine of Lord Venkateswara at Tirumala near here. The union minister was accompanied by his wife Seema and other family members. Goyal arrived here Thursday and after an overnight stay on the hills, took part in the 'abhishekam' (celestial bath) conducted by the priests for the main deity of Lord Venkateswara at the sanctum sanctorum in the shrine, a temple official told PTI. On his arrival, the Railway Minister was received by top officials of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams, which governs the ancient shrine, the official added.
Pope offers 21 proposals to fight abuse at start of summit
Pope Francis opened a landmark sex abuse prevention summit Thursday by offering senior Catholic leaders 21 proposals to punish predators and keep children safe, warning that the faithful are demanding concrete action and not just words. The tone for the high stakes, four-day summit was set at the start, with victims from five continents Europe, Africa, Asia, South America and North America telling the bishops of the trauma of their abuse and the additional pain the church's indifference caused them. "Listen to the cry of the young, who want justice," Francis told the gathering of 190 leaders of bishops conferences and religious orders. "The holy people of God are watching and expect not just simple and obvious condemnations, but efficient and concrete measures to be established." More than 30 years after the scandal first erupted in Ireland and Australia, and 20 years after it hit the US, bishops and Catholic officials in many parts of Europe, Latin America, Africa and Asia still ...
Efforts on to introduce "inhuman" religion in India: Mamata
In an apparent attack on the BJP, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Thursday alleged that efforts were on to introduce an "inhuman" religion in the country on the basis of divisive politics. Banerjee, without directly naming it, accused the saffron party of trying to impose its choice of food, clothing and religion on the people and then deciding who would stay in the country and who would be thrown out. "They are trying to create an inhuman religion based on their belief and decide who are going to stay in the country and who will leave. They are deciding in which language people will speak, what the people will eat and wear. They are trying to change the history of the country," she said at a programme on the International Mother Language Day. "If some people are trying to implement one law as per their will, we will not let them do so. We don't support this theory of divisive politics...," she said. Banerjee urged people not to pay heed to provocations meant to create ...
Seer performs symbolic 'shilanyas' of Ram temple in Kashi
Jyotish and Dwarka Sharda Peeth Shankracharya Swamy Swaroopanand Saraswati on Thursday performed a symbolic 'shilanyaas' in Varanasi of the proposed Ram temple at Ayodhya.
UP: Amit Shah likely to visit Ghazipur on Feb 26
BJP president Amit Shah is likely to visit a village in Ghazipur on February 26. He will be taking a ride on a boat which will apparently be electrified for the first time, said a source on Thursday.Shah had visited Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj on February 13 to take a dip in Sangam during the ongoing Kumbh Mela. Shah, along with other leaders took the dip while chanting religious slogans along with saints.Earlier today, he addressed a gathering in Karnataka's Rajahmundry, in which he accused Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu of having faith on Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan.
Seed-sowing festival unites ethnic Naga communities in Manipur
Among the various festivals celebrated in Manipur, Lu-ngai-ni or the seed sowing festival is one of the biggest festivals of Naga tribes of Manipur. This year, the festival was celebrated at Mini Stadium in Senapati district. The function was organised under the aegis of United Naga Council (UNC) which was hosted by Naga People's Organization, under the theme "Understanding through culture."The word "Lui - Ngai - Ni" is taken from three different Naga languages. "Lui" comes from "Luiraphanit", a Tangkhul word for seed sowing festival, "Ngai" means festival in Rongmei language and "Ni" is a Mao word for the seed sowing festival.Gracing the festival, Printing and Stationary Minister, Losii Dikho urged the people of Manipur to plant more trees and stressed on the need to create a green environment.Speaking at the event, Loshi Dikho, Minister PHED, Printing and Stationery said, "Today we have celebrated the occasion and displayed our culture. We are going to sow the seed for our people ...
World expecting 'concrete measures' against child abuse: pope
Pope Francis opened Thursday a landmark summit at the Vatican on fighting child sex abuse, saying that the world expected "concrete measures" on tackling paedophilia in the Catholic church. "The Holy people of God are watching and waiting not for simple and obvious condemnations but concrete and efficient measures," he said.
Summit on fighting child sex abuse opens at Vatican
A landmark summit hosted by Pope Francis on fighting child sex abuse opened at the Vatican on Thursday. The pontiff has set aside three and a half days to persuade Catholic bishops to tackle paedophilia in a bid to contain a scandal which has hit the Roman Catholic Church in countries across the world.
Month-long 'Festival of India' begins in Nepal
A month-long 'Festival of India' began here on Tuesday with the objective of familiarising the new generation of Nepal about the similarities between the Himalayan nation and India. The festival, organised by the Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre, Embassy of India, is being held in Kathmandu and other major cities of the country from February 19 to March 21. The festival began here with a musical drama on the life of Lord Buddha. Sanskrit conference, dance, food festival and other cultural programmes will also be held during the festival. Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Rabindra Adhikari and Indian Ambassador to Nepal Manjeev Singh Puri jointly inaugurated the event. Speaking on the occasion, Indian Ambassador Puri said Buddhism has been established as a major religion in the both the countries as Lord Buddha was born in Nepal and attained enlightenment in India.
Wahhabism in Kashmir: Tale of oil money from Saudi Arabia, Gulf
Ever since the ongoing armed violence started in the Kashmir Valley, Indian intelligence agencies have been worried about the growing influence of the strait-laced interpretation of Islam propagated through 'Wahhabism'.
Pak's Punjab university sets up Guru Nanak research chair
For the first time, a Pakistani university has created the Guru Nanak research chair to "promote the message of peace that the Sikh spiritual leader preached". "The Punjab University Lahore has created the Baba Guru Nanak research chair. This is the first ever initiative of any university in Pakistan. The students will carry out research on the teachings of Guru Nanak," Punjab University spokesperson Khurram Shahzad told PTI on Wednesday. He said an inaugural ceremony was held at the university's new campus on Tuesday by Vice Chancellor Dr Niaz Ahmad. Shahzad said it was also the demand of the Sikhs delegations who visited the Punjab University. "It was not only the demand of the Sikhs but the academia that feels the need to promote message of tolerance of Guru Nanak in the society. The Punjab University's Oriental College students under the supervision of the Professor of the chair will carry out the research work," he added. Ahmad said Guru Nanak promoted the message of tolerance ...
Ending the silence on sex abuse: Vatican holds summit
If Pope Francis needed a concrete example to justify summoning church leaders from around the globe to Rome for a tutorial on clergy sex abuse, Sister Bernardine Pemii has it. The nun, who recently completed a course on child protection policies at Rome's Jesuit university, has been advising her bishop in Ghana on an abuse case, instructing him to invite the victim to his office to hear her story before opening an investigation. If Pemii hadn't stepped in? "It would have been covered. There would have been complete silence," Pemii told The Associated Press recently. "And nothing would have happened. Nobody would have listened to the victim." Francis is convening this week's summit at the Vatican to prevent cover-ups by Catholic superiors everywhere, as many around the world continue to protect the church's reputation at all costs, denying that priests rape children and by discrediting victims even as new cases keep coming to light. History's first Latin American pope has made many of .
Thousands take part in all-women Attukal Pongala festival
Cutting across age barriers, thousands of women took part in the famous "Attukal Pongala," one of the largest religious congregations of women, here Wednesday. Preparing 'pongala' (sweet offering) is considered an auspicious all-women ritual as part of the annual festival of the Attukal Bhagavathy Temple here, which is popularly known as the "Women's Sabarimala". Braving scorching heat and humid climate, women from various parts of Kerala and outside the state converged in grounds and both sides of the highways, roads and bylines across the city and prepared 'pongala', a mix of rice, jaggery and scraped coconut in fresh earthen or metal pots to please the Goddess. With makeshift brick stoves, placed on both sides of the roads, and hymns of the goddess chanted by devotees, the state capital appeared to have turned into a 'yaga sala'. The festivities began at 10.20 am after chief priest, N Vishnu Namboothiri lit the 'pandara aduppu', the main hearth at the shrine. Following this, women