Vida Nueva honored for excellence at Hispanic Publications awards event
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (CNS) --- Victor Aleman, editor and photographer for Vida Nueva, the Spanish-language monthly of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, received two silver awards National Association of Hispanic Publications awards 25th anniversary celebration held April 14. Aleman won his awards in the up to 30,000 circulation category --- outstanding news photo for "Somos America," and outstanding cultural/ community photo for "Pueblos indigenas." El Pregonero, the Spanish-language newspaper of the Archdiocese of Washington, was named the outstanding weekly newspaper with a circulation up to 30,000. More than 700 entries in six categories were received from more than 50 publications, the association said.
L.A. residents support 'path to citizenship' immigration policy, says LMU study
LOS ANGELES --- Initial results a recent survey of LA residents show that a majority of Angelinos, or 60 percent, support a path to citizenship policy as the approach to U.S. immigration reform," said Fernando Guerra, Ph.D., director of the Loyola Marymount University's Thomas and Dorothy Leavey Center for the Study of Los Angeles. The center last week announced initial results from its 2007 Los Angeles Riots 15th Year Follow-Up Resident Survey that provides clear support for "path to citizenship" as the immigration policy of choice, regardless of citizenship status or ethnic background. Only 20 percent of Angelinos favor a guest worker program that would give temporary visas to non-citizens who want to legally work in the United States, while only 16 percent support a "fencing the border" reform policy. "What's most affirming is that overall, Angelinos strongly support the path to citizenship immigration reform policy, as opposed to guest worker program or fencing in the border policies, regardless of citizenship status or ethnicity, and despite some variations among different ethnic groups," said Guerra. (More details of the study will be in the May 4 issue of The Tidings.)
After journey of sorrow, look to Resurrection, Virginia bishop urges
BLACKSBURG, Va. (CNS) --- Bishop Francis X. DiLorenzo of Richmond told an overflow gathering of students, faculty and families April 22 at Virginia Tech that rushing to experience the joy of the Resurrection while they are actually feeling pain and confusion "would be terribly unrealistic." In his homily during Mass on the university campus in Blacksburg, the bishop said, "We as a community have not quite caught up to the joy of the Resurrection yet, because of the tragedy we are living. People's emotions are anything but joyful." He reminded the faithful assembled at Memorial Chapel that the message of Christ's resurrection would be there to answer their questions when the community emerges from its grief over the April 16 tragedy that left 33 people dead. "We need to start the journey of Jesus' passion over," Bishop DiLorenzo explained, noting "the fog of emotion" that surrounds the community in facing "the senseless act of violence where so many have passed away." The bishop also celebrated an evening Mass April 21 at St. Mary Church in Blacksburg.
Nuncio says by living simply Catholics can help protect the earth
COLUMBUS, Ohio (CNS) --- Every Catholic can do something about climate change by adopting a life of voluntary simplicity, the Vatican's U.N. nuncio believes. It comes down to "working less, wanting less, spending less," thus reducing the impact each person has on the environment, Archbishop Celestino Migliore told participants gathered in Columbus for the second in a series of regional Catholic conversations on climate change April 14. Citing Genesis' call to humanity to oversee creation while protecting it and the church's social doctrine, the Vatican diplomat outlined the Holy See's position on the need for Catholics to heed the environmental dangers the planet faces. "The denigration of the environment has become an inescapable reality," the archbishop said. "There is no doubt that the latest assessment has established a strong connection between human activity and climate change," he said, referring to a February statement by the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
Mexican bishops express concern over Catholics' 'life-faith divorce'
CUAUTITLAN IZCALLI, Mexico (CNS) --- Mexican bishops expressed concern over a growing disconnect between Catholics' beliefs and daily life --- an issue they pledged to raise at the fifth general assembly of Latin American and Caribbean bishops. "Our culture leads us to say we're Catholic, but our social environment leads us to live our lives as if we weren't believers," said Bishop Carlos Aguiar Retes of Texcoco, president of the Mexican bishops' conference, at an April 20 press conference. "This is what we call the life-faith divorce." In a weeklong meeting at a walled compound on Mexico City's northern outskirts, the Mexican bishops discussed the shrinking role of religion in modern society, growing individualism and the deterioration of traditional communities. The bishops concluded that they face a critical task in re-energizing Catholicism and Catholic virtues in Mexico and Latin America. The bishops listed a number of Mexico's ongoing social woes, such as drug-related violence and rampant corruption, as the most extreme evidence of the disconnect from Catholic virtues.
Audrey Santo dies; she could not speak or move but inspired thousands
WORCESTER, Mass. (CNS) --- In silence, Audrey Santo witnessed to the world, preachers and participants said at an April 17 wake for her at St. Paul Cathedral in Worcester and at her funeral Mass there the following day. Santo, 23, who died April 14 at home, was in a comalike state, unable to move or speak, because of an accident when she was 3 years old, but people had flocked to her bedside at her family's home, where she was cared for. Unexplained phenomena that seemed to happen in her presence drew thousands of visitors over the years. Many felt she could heal others. More than 100 people attended her wake and about 300 were at her funeral. People came from several states, including California, said John Clote, spokesman for the family. Media included ABC's "20/20" and the local television news. Santo fell into her family's pool Aug. 9, 1987, at age 3. She was overmedicated at the hospital, lapsed into a coma that lasted three weeks and was left in a state called "akinetic mutism," according to information from the Apostolate of a Silent Soul, which since 1996 had coordinated activities involving her.
Pope says religious vocation means giving life to God, church
VATICAN CITY (CNS) --- A vocation to the priesthood or religious life consists of giving one's life not only to God, but also to the church so that it leads people into communion with God, said Pope Benedict XVI. "God has always chosen some individuals to work with him in a more direct way in order to accomplish his plan of salvation," the pope said. Jesus taught the apostles about God and his love for them, which led them into a relationship with God, the pope said. Jesus then entrusted the apostles with leading others into a relationship with God, he said. The church has been given the same task, the pope said in a message released April 24 for the World Day of Prayer for Vocations 2007, celebrated April 29 in most dioceses. |