World news in brief

Pope marks sixtieth anniversary of Vatican II

POPE FRANCIS has described “progressivism” and “traditionalism” within the Church as “types of Pelagian selfishness that places our personal tastes and plans above the love of God”, Vatican Information stories. The Pope was preaching a homily throughout a mass to mark the sixtieth anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council. As a substitute, he stated, “allow us to rediscover the Council with a view to restore primacy to God, to what’s important: to a Church head over heels in love with its Lord and with all of the women and men whom He loves.” He concluded with a prayer that God would possibly “free us from the presumption of self-sufficiency and from the spirit of worldly criticism . . . to steer us forth from the shadows of self-absorption . . . [and] save us from the types of polarisation which can be the satan’s handiwork”.

Funerals held for Creeslough useless

THE folks of Creeslough, Co. Donegal, are “dwelling by means of a nightmare of shock and horror”, the RC Bishop of Raphoe, the Rt Revd Alan McGuckian, stated in a homily on Sunday. Ten residents died in final Friday’s petrol-station explosion within the village. “There’s something deeply stunning and upsetting about what life can throw up. We ask: why did it need to occur to this particular person or that particular person? Why did they need to be there at that terrible second?” Bishop McGuckian stated. “It’s essentially a horrible realisation that we aren’t masters of our personal future; we’re very fragile and weak,” he stated, however “at this second, when life can appear to be ‘random’ and unreliable and threatening, we’re invited to belief within the presence of Jesus coming in direction of us.” The blast destroyed a petroleum station and a store, and broken surrounding buildings within the village, which is within the north-west of the Republic of Eire. Funerals for 2 of the victims, Jessica Galgher and Martin McGill, had been held on Tuesday. The Irish President, Michael D. Higgins, was anticipated to attend an extra two funeral lots in Creeslough, on Wednesday.

Sorrow after pre-school bloodbath in Thailand

THE RC Bishop of Nakhon Ratchasima, in Thailand, the Rt Revd Joseph Chusak Sirisut, has expressed sorrow on the bloodbath of 36 folks, together with 22 youngsters, at a nursery within the city of Uthai, Sawan, on Thursday of final week. A former police officer opened fireplace as youngsters had been sleeping, most of whom had been then stabbed to demise. The 34-year-old attacker, Panya Khamrab, who had been dismissed from the drive final 12 months for methamphetamine possession, had appeared in courtroom earlier on Thursday on a medication cost. He later shot his spouse and little one, earlier than turning the gun on himself. “We really feel sorry for this tragic incident, particularly with babies who don’t have any probability to defend themselves, and no approach to combat,” the Bishop stated.

Texan parish hosts Excessive Holy Days companies

ST MATTHEW’s, an Episcopal church in Austin, Texas, hosted Excessive Holy Days companies for the Congregation Beth Israel final month, as a result of the synagogue was broken in an arson assault a 12 months in the past and restore work continues, ENS stories. An 18-year-old Texas State Guard member who set fireplace to the constructing is going through federal arson and hate-crime expenses. Congregation Beth Israel had beforehand used one other church, however that church didn’t share its values of LGBTQ+ inclusivity; and St Matthew’s was following the scripture passage inscribed on the constructing: “A home of prayer for all folks,” , the Rector, the Revd Katie Wright, stated.

Episcopal Church welcomes marijuana pardon

THE pardon issued by the White Home for all earlier federal offences of straightforward possession of marijuana has been welcomed by the Episcopal Church in the USA. The pardons are anticipated to have an effect on about 6500 people. “We additionally welcome the request for state governors to take comparable actions, as nearly all of the jail inhabitants is housed on the state stage,” a church assertion stated. In 1973, the Normal Conference advisable treating possession or private use of marijuana as a misdemeanour offence. “Since that point, we’ve continued to advocate for an finish to mass incarceration, an finish to racial disparities in sentencing, and options to incarceration for these combating habit or psychological sickness.”

St Philip’s, Uvalde, to open grief counselling centre

THE Episcopal church in Uvalde, Texas, the city the place 19 youngsters and two adults died in a taking pictures at Robb Elementary Faculty, on 24 Could, is providing a part of its property to grow to be a grief counselling centre for kids, ENS stories. A constructing on the campus of St Philip’s Episcopal Church and Faculty will grow to be a everlasting department of the Youngsters’s Bereavement Middle of South Texas, a charity that has been working from a room within the church briefly for the reason that taking pictures.

AlamyAlamyStage left: Dame Angela Lansbury died at house in Los Angeles on Tuesday, 5 days earlier than her 97th birthday. Dame Angela, who was born in London, however emigrated to the USA firstly of the Blitz, moved shortly to Hollywood, changing into a prolific actress in movie and tv roles, apart from sustaining a profitable stage profession. A granddaughter of George Lansbury, Dame Angela was raised within the Church of England, and extra not too long ago attended St David’s Anglican Church, North Hollywood. She often made appearances at fund-raising occasions at different church buildings within the US. In 2014, she was appointed DBE for companies to performing and for philanthropy