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Pope uses Wednesday's Papal Audience to lament more deaths in Congo, deplores violence as deaths mount

     His Holiness John Paul II returned to the Vatican on Wednesday for his weekly Papal Audience in Paul VI Hall with a heavy heart because of the massacres in the Congo that at first were reported at 37 deaths including a priest and three nuns but since has been revised to number 100 killings. The Holy Father called for an end to this senseless violence even as the rebels dug in deeper even though the President of the Congo has expelled them. For more, click on Papal Audience

      VATICAN CITY (CWNews.com) - Pope John Paul II condemned the increase in violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo on Wednesday as new fighting erupted in the Central African nation's capital overnight.

      The Holy Father told his weekly general audience that he deplored the killing of civilians, including a priest and nuns. "I firmly deplore this criminal act," he said. "We pray to the Lord that these be the last victims of a war which has returned in a cruel way to beset the Congolese population." The MISNA religious news agency reported on Tuesday that 37 people, including a priest, a seminarians, and three nuns, were killed in a massacre by Rwandan rebels. On Wednesday the news agency raised the death toll in the attack to more than 100.

      Meanwhile, new fighting broke out in Congo's capital, Kinshasa, as the rebels launched an attack on President Laurent Kabila. Congo has been embroiled in violence since August 2 when President Kabila ordered Rwandan soldiers who helped him come to power last year to leave the country. On Sunday, the Holy Father called on all participants in the conflict to respect life and return to negotiations.

Catholic and Muslim leaders meet to ease tension and break down the walls of misunderstanding in Kenya

     Ecclesial leaders from the Roman Catholic diocese of Kenya, headed by the Archbishop, and the regional Moslem sects leader and his entourage met in Nairobi in an effort to begin breaking down the walls of misunderstanding between them in an effort to unite against the violence that has ravaged their country. In a spirit of ecumenism, they agreed to preach tolerance for other faiths and discourage any kind of retaliation which have arisen because of misunderstanding. For more, click on Kenya accord

      NAIROBI, Kenya (CWNews.com) - Kenyan Catholic and Muslim leaders met in Nairobi on Tuesday in an effort to defuse tensions between their religious followers in recent weeks.

      Catholic Archbishop Ndingi a'Nzeki of Nairobi and Pro. Abdul-Ghafur Al-Busaidy of the Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims released a statement following the meeting calling for increased understanding between Christians and Muslims and then traced the evolution of the problem. Several weeks ago, an American missionary in Nakuru made insulting remarks against the Prophet Mohammed. Angered Muslims then burned a church in Wajir and attacked a nun. Finally, Muslims felt Christians blamed then for the bomb attack against the US embassy by anti-American, radical Muslims.

      The two leaders said religions and communities should not be held responsible for acts of violence committed by certain groups. They also reminded Christians and Muslims that all Kenyans are working to better their country for themselves and their children. The religious leaders also agreed to preach tolerance and understanding to their people and condemn acts of violence against followers of other faiths.

Cuban Cardinal Calls for Vocations to manifest fruits of Holy Father's visit

     From one will come many. That was the gist of Cardinal Jaime Ortega's hopes and prayers for his beloved Cuba after he ordained one priest last Saturday in Havana. He is prayerful the visit of the Holy Father in January has generated a rebirth of the faith and interest in the priesthood by the plethora of young Cuban men who before the papal visit may not have given it a thought. He issued the plea for more priests to serve the ever-growing Catholic population of Cuba and fulfill the Pope's request for evangelization to this tiny island entrenched in communism for so many years under dictator Fidel Castro. For more, click on Cuba.

      HAVANA (CWNews.com) - Cardinal Jaime Ortega y Alamino of Havana, president of the Cuban Bishops' Conference, said on Wednesday that Cuba is in urgent need of more priests to minister to the increasing Catholic population and help in the new evangelization the Church is undertaking.

      The Archdiocese of Havana released the cardinal's short homily given during a Mass last Saturday. At the Mass, Cardinal Ortega ordained one priest and one deacon. "I hope this Mass may touch the heart of many of you, young men here, so you can follow Christ more closely and respond to a priestly vocation if that is God's call," he said.

      The cardinal congratulated the new priest and said that the local Church "is expecting many more to come, because all examples of generosity and fidelity to God's plan bring new acts of generosity." The cardinal added, "The needs of our Church are great, so we have to pray to the Lord so He may send more workers to his fields." According to official figures, Cuba has 288 priests and 496 religious women and men to attend about 4.8 million Catholics in 253 parishes. 86 seminarians are studying for priesthood.

UN looking the other way in respect to Sudan Persecutions Christian Solidarity asserts

     What good does it do to condemn human rights in a country such as the Sudan when it is not enforced? That was the question the Christian Solidarity International organization out of Switzerland posed strongly to the United Nations in criticizing the world-wide assembly for allowing persecutions in the Sudan perpetrated by rebels and Islamic interests at the expense of Christians. Without any teeth to their enforcement, the UN is useless according to the head of CSI. For more, click on Catholic Schools.

      GENEVA (CWNews.com) - A Swiss-based Christian aid group on Thursday criticized the United Nations for failing to condemn Sudan's human rights record in a report on persecution around the world.

      "It is very disappointing that the international community has yet again failed hundreds of thousands of people in Sudan who face starvation from man-made famine," John Eibner of the Swiss-based Christian Solidarity International (CSI) said. His comments followed a meeting of the UN Sub-Committee on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities which condemned abuses in Kosovo and Iraq.

      Eibner said hundreds of people are dying every day in Sudan in government- and rebel-held areas because aid flights are being prevented from reaching the areas. He added that the Islamic government is using the situation against rebels in the mainly Christian and nativist south. "The UN itself has confirmed the magnitude of the humanitarian crisis in Sudan, but the sub-commission refuses to act," he said.

For more headlines and articles, we suggest you go to the Catholic World News site. CWN is not affiliated with the Daily CATHOLIC but provides this service via e-mail to the Daily CATHOLIC Monday through Friday.

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PROVERB OF THE DAY

"Senseless is the man who gives his hand in pledge, who becomes surety for his neighbor."

Proverbs 17: 18

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August 28-30, 1998 volume 9, no. 169   DAILY CATHOLIC