Bp. Ricardo B Lingan appointed new bishop of Alaminos (Philippines)
The Holy Father on Saturday appointed His Excellency Bp. Ricardo Baccay Lingan, until now titular Bishop of Gabala and Auxiliary of Tuguegarao, the new bishop of Alaminos (Philippines). Bp. Ricardo was born on April 3, 1961 in Tuguegarao and was ordained a priest on April 10, 1987 and received Episcopal Ordination on April 10 2007.
Pakistani police ordered to probe kidnap of Christian woman
Pakistani police were given a court order on Feb. 18 to investigate the kidnapping and forced conversion of a young Christian woman, the victim's lawyer said. "After four months of inquiry, the court has accepted our plea," Sardar Mushtaq Gill, a Christian lawyer and rights activist told UCANEWS. The hearing was held at a lower court in the town of Pattoki, Punjab province. Gill filed a writ petition on behalf of 22-year-old Nabila Bibi's family last October after police refused to lodge a complaint against her kidnappers. Four armed men abducted Bibi when she was in the company of her mother and sister in Pattoki last September. The men later told police that Bibi had converted to Islam and married one of the kidnappers on her own will. Bibi's father Bashir Masih said that his daughter was threatened with death and forcibly converted. The threat of death continues, he said. "My daughter has been told that if she renounces Islam and reconverts to Christianity, she will be declared a murtad (apostat
India's church leaders criticize order to fly flag at universities
Indian church leaders have criticized the federal government's decision to require India's flag be displayed at universities to instill a sense of nationalism among students, saying the government misunderstands the issue. The federal ministry of human resource and development Feb. 18 asked the vice chancellors of 39 central universities to "prominently and proudly" display the flag at their respective campuses. The decision has come amid the backdrop of alleged anti-India slogans raised by students at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in New Delhi, forcing the government to press sedition charges against those accused.
Sri Lankan bishops insist on Holy Thursday washing of women’s feet
Sri Lankan bishops have instructed priests to follow Pope Francis' decree of including women in the washing of the feet during Mass on Holy Thursday. "Pastors may select for the washing of the feet, a small group of the faithful to represent in variety and unity each part of the people of God," said Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith of Colombo, president of the Sri Lankan bishops' conference, in a statement Feb. 19. "Such small groups can be made up of men and women, and it is appropriate that they consist of people young and old, healthy and sick, clerics, consecrated men and women and laity," said the cardinal, archbishop of Colombo.
Vatican Weekend for February 21, 2016
(Vatican Radio) Vatican Weekend for February 21st, 2016, the Second Sunday of Lent, features our regular reflections in ‘There’s more in the Sunday Gospel than meets the eye”, plus a look back at some of the highlights of Pope Francis’ pastoral visit to Mexico with EWTN’s Rome Bureau chief, Joan Lewis
Vatican Weekend for February 20, 2016
(Vatican Weekend) Vatican Weekend for February 20th, 2016 features an in-depth look at Pope Francis’ pastoral visit to Mexico that took place from February 12th to 17th. Veronica Scarisbrick was in Mexico City throughout the journey, reporting on the Pope’s message to the people of Mexico and you can also hear analysis from the director of the Holy See press office, Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi
