1. Priest demands justice for his brother
Vietnamese government officials have said that the man who brutally murdered Father Joseph Tran Ngoc Thanh on January 29 was “mentally unstable.” But Fr. Anthony Dang Huu Nam, of Vinh Diocese, does not believe it was the true motive of Nguyen Van Kien, the murderer. He demands justice for Father Joseph Tran. As most of Vietnamese Catholics, he fears that the killing may have been intended as a warning, to deter Catholic missionaries from working in the country’s Central Highlands region.
Fr. Anthony Dang is widely known for his public speaking out against exploitation of environment and human rights abuse in Vietnam. In 2016, when he was pastor of Tan Yen parish, Fr. Anthony Dang helped residents whose lives and livelihood were directly affected by toxic waste dumping allegedly cause by Taiwanese company Formosa Plastics Group in Central Vietnam to file 506 claims against the company. The claims were dismissed by local court, and the plaintiffs suffered continual harassment, threats, and physical attacks. Fr. Anthony Dang was also subject to stalking and assaults by government's thugs.
His parishioners had come to his rescue many times, and his superior, then bishop Paul Nguyen Thai Hop refused to restrict Fr. Anthony Dang activities as per request of Nghe An provincial government, allowing Fr. Anthony to keep fighting for justice for the victims of chemical spill and later, the tragic death of 39 victims, many from his diocese on Oct 23, 2019 in England while being smuggled into England by human trafficking groups.
2. Unknown gunmen killed our priest: Lagos Catholic Bishops lament senseless killings
The Catholic Bishops of Lagos Ecclesiastical Province have expressed worries over the spate of violent crimes and “senseless killings” across the country.
The Province, comprising of the Archdiocese of Lagos and the Dioceses of Ijebu Ode and Abeokuta respectively, also condemned the killing of a Catholic priest in Abeokuta by unknown gunmen.
A statement issued at the end of its first meeting of the year, held at St. Agnes Catholic Church, Maryland, Lagos, and signed by the Chairman of Forum, Most Rev. Francis Obafemi Adesina, and Secretary, Most Rev. Alfred Adewale Martins, called on government to put an end to killings and violence across the country.
The meeting was attended by the leadership and representatives of the Clergy, the Consecrated persons and the various associations of the Lay Faithful who gave reports of their activities for the previous year under review.
The statement: “After careful deliberation on issues affecting the church in the Province and the state of affairs in our country, Nigeria, we hereby regret to note that despite the wide outcry of condemnation that has greeted the continuous senseless killings of innocent lives and other waves of violence across the country, it is far from being abated.
“For instance, in the wake of the 2022 New Year, a priest of the Diocese of Abeokuta, Rev. Fr. Luke Adeleke, was killed by unknown gunmen while carrying out his priestly activities. Very recently, it was reported that in Taraba State, a Catholic Church was razed to the ground for no reason.
“These and numerous other cases of violence have been the hallmark of our nation. How long would these be allowed to continue? We will continue to call on the government to utilize all the state resources at their disposal to put an end to these dastardly acts of killing and violence across the country before it consumes everyone.”
Source:Vanguard
3. Priest helps police discover human organ trafficking in Ogun
Men of Ogun State Police Command in the early hours of yesterday arrested 43-year-old Kehinde Oladimeji and his wife, Adejumoke Raji, for allegedly being in possession of fresh human parts.
The couple, according to a statement by the command’s Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi, are residents of No.72 MKO Abiola Way, Leme, Abeokuta.
Oyeyemi said, “The couple were arrested following a report lodged at Kemta Divisional Headquarters by Chief Moshood Ogunwolu, the Baale of Leme community, that Fr. Adisa Olarewaju who is a co-tenant with the suspects informed him of offensive odour coming out from the room of the suspects”.
He added that upon the complaint, the DPO Kemta Division, CSP Adeniyi Adekunle, led his detectives to the scene where a search was conducted.
“On searching the room, a plastic bowl containing different parts of a human being was discovered and the couple were promptly arrested”, Oyeyemi said.
“On interrogation, the suspects confessed that they were herbalists and that the human parts comprising of hands, breasts and other parts were given to them by one Michael who they claimed, resides in Adatan area of Abeokuta.
“All efforts to locate the said Michael proved abortive as the suspects could not locate his house.
“It will be recalled that a dismembered body of an unknown person was found in a swamp area at Leme area of Abeokuta about a week ago, it is not yet clear whether the parts are that of the found body or not”.
Meanwhile, the state Commissioner of Police, Lanre Bankole, has ordered the immediate transfer of the suspects to Homicide Section of the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department for investigation.
The CP vowed that anyone who may be directly or indirectly involved in the crime would be brought to book.
Fr. Adisa Olarewaju said that after several attacks on Catholics last year, he was instructed by his bishop to be vigilant to be vigilant to any suspicious activities.
Source:Vanguard
4. Call for Peace in Ukraine - Address by His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew after the Divine Liturgy on the Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee
Last Sunday, 13 of February, while Catholics around the world celebrate the sixth Sunday of Ordinary Time, our Orthodox brothers and sisters observe the Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee, that is the beginning of Great Lent.
His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew celebrated Holy Liturgy at the St.George's Patriarchal Cathedral of Constantinople. Nedilsky Roman Bogdanovich, the Consul General of Ukraine in Istanbul, Turkey attended the event.
In his homily Patriarch Bartholomew called for peace in Ukraine. He said:
Honorable Consuls General,
Beloved children in the Lord,
On this Sunday, dedicated to the parable of the Publican and the Pharisee, marking the entrance to a period of penitence, fasting and ascetical struggles as preparation for the Holy and Great Pascha, we are called to fervent prayer with all our hearts for the preservation of peace in Ukraine. Indeed, the possibility of a new war in Europe, resulting from the escalation of violent rhetoric and militarization of the borders between Russia and Ukraine, should be unequivocally opposed. We call for enduring peace, stability and justice in the region. Peace is a matter of choice and must be shared by all the forces engaged in this extremely complex and sensitive geopolitical context. The duty of us all is to pray for and actively contribute to a peaceful resolution of conflict situations and to the unconditional respect and protection of human rights and dignity. Human conflict may very well be inevitable in this fallen and broken world; but war and violence are certainly to be opposed with every fiber of our being.
The ancient Greeks spoke about “peace” (“εἰρήνη”) as a condition “exceedingly rich and immensely fruitful” (“βαθύπλουτος καὶ βαθύκαρπος”). They adored peace as a goddess, depicted with her son Plutos (“Wealth”) in her bosom. Closer to our times, Benjamin Franklin reminded us that “there never was a good war or a bad peace.” War can appear sweet only to those who have not experienced it (“γλυκὺ δὲ πόλεμος ἀπείροισιν”). Indeed, if we allow our hearts and minds to freely express themselves, without any fear or passion, they will certainly not speak in favor of war, but they will unequivocally praise peace.
We firmly believe that there is no solution possible to preserve and guarantee peace outside the path of dialogue, which abolishes the conditions that lead to violence and war. Peace comes from mutual respect and cooperation. Within an environment of growing uncertainty with regard to human affairs, the word of the Church has to be a clear message of reconciliation and peace, of love and justice, of brotherhood and solidarity.
We call upon all parties involved to pursue this path of dialogue and respect for international law, in order to bring an end to the conflict and allow all Ukrainians to live in harmony. Arms are not the solution. On the contrary, they can only promise war and violence, sorrow and death. As our beloved brother Francis, the Pope of Rome, recently said: “Let us not forget war is madness.” All Church ministers, all representatives of religious traditions, all those in position of authority, all people of good will, each one of us, should call for a peaceful resolution of this dangerous escalation of words and means that weight heavily and ominously upon the head of the Ukrainian people. Silence and indifference are not an option. There is no peace without constant vigilance. Therefore, we are all “sentenced” to peace, which means, destined to the permanent struggle for its establishment and defense.
May the God of love and peace bless you all!
Source:ilsismografo