After talks, Venezuelan bishops reiterate stance against new constitution
CARACAS, Venezuela (CNS) — The Venezuelan bishops’ conference reiterated its rejection of a government proposal to draft a new constitution, after a rare meeting between the conference president and top government representatives. “The Church’s position was reaffirmed, which is that realizing a constituent assembly is unnecessary,” Father Pedro Pablo Aguilar, communications director for the bishops’ conference, told Catholic News Service May 21. Two days earlier, at the request of the government, Archbishop Diego Padron Sanchez, president of the bishops’ conference, met with Elias Jaua, who heads Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s commission to establish an assembly to rewrite the country’s constitution. Father Aguilar told CNS the bishops believed “that right now we should be discussing more important things.” The country remains deadlocked in a political impasse following the opposition’s overwhelming victory in 2015 congressional elections. The Supreme Court subsequently annulled nearly all of the new congress’ laws, and an attempt by the court in late March to officially strip the congress of its powers sparked massive protests that continue. “One thing that Archbishop Padron has consistently said is that these protests are peaceful and, therefore, are valid,” said Father Aguilar.
Iowa Medicaid reimbursements will no longer go to abortion providers
DAVENPORT, Iowa (CNS) — Planned Parenthood of the Heartland, based in Des Moines, has announced plans to close four of its 12 clinics in Iowa — three in the Diocese of Davenport and one in the Diocese of Sioux City. The clinics in Burlington, Keokuk and Sioux City will close effective June 30. The fourth clinic, in Bettendorf, will close later, according to news sources. In April, the Iowa Legislature changed the current Medicaid family planning waiver program to prevent reimbursement of abortion providers, which includes Planned Parenthood. The new rule takes effect July 1. The state will provide funds to continue a $3.3 million family planning program at no cost to Iowans making less than 300 percent of the federal poverty level. No funding will be provided for health services received at facilities where abortion services are offered. “We oppose sending public money to abortion providers. Catholics have always made the needs of the vulnerable a priority through services such as Catholic Charities, hospitals, and advocacy for public policy that protects the marginalized,” said Tom Chapman, executive director of the Iowa Catholic Conference, the public policy arm of the state’s Catholic bishops.
Arab Christians voice hope, concern over Trump’s speech to Muslim leaders
DEAD SEA, Jordan (CNS) — Arab Christians voiced hope and concern over U.S. President Donald Trump’s first foreign visit and his speech in Saudi Arabia to the Muslim world, in which he urged a peace-focused Islam as a counter movement to extremism. “I hope that President Trump will remind us that we have to think about youth and the future of the Middle East and its countries,” Chaldean Catholic Archbishop Yousif Mirkis of Kirkuk, Iraq, told Catholic News Service. He spoke on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum meeting on the Jordanian shores of the Dead Sea May 19-21 as Trump traveled to neighboring Saudi Arabia. Youth make up the majority of most Middle Eastern countries, and they face a bleak socio-economic future, with youth unemployment hovering around 30 percent. Archbishop Mirkis cited it as one of the drivers laying the groundwork for extremist violence — frustration over little socio-economic prospects. “Differences are a part of our culture. We cannot resolve the problem of differences, but dealing with these differences in a meaningful way can make our lives more peaceful, like here in Jordan,” he said, also pointing to the region’s rich mosaic of ethnic and religious diversity.
Trump arrives in Holy Land, visits Holy Sepulcher, Western Wall
JERUSALEM (CNS) — Following his official welcome to Jerusalem by Israeli President Reuven Rivlin, U.S. President Donald Trump began his two-day visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories with a private visit to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher and Western Wall. Details of the visits to the holy sites had been a carefully guarded secret until the last moment, but from early May 22 the alleyways of the Old City were closed to both residents and tourists, and the main thoroughfares leading to the Old City were closed off to all traffic. Under tight security and led by the traditional kawas honor guard announcing the way with the thumping of their ornamental staffs, the president made his way by foot through the Old City’s alleyways to the church of the Holy Sepulcher. He and first lady Melania Trump were welcomed at the entrance of the church courtyard by Greek Orthodox Patriarch Archbishop Theophilos III; Franciscan Father Francesco Patton, custos of the Holy Land; and Armenian Patriarch Nourhan Manougian. The president spoke briefly to the religious leaders and stopped at the entrance of the church for a group photograph after also speaking to a few other religious. Trump, who also was accompanied into the church by his daughter, Ivanka Trump, and son-in-law, Jared Kushner, spent about 30 minutes in the church, which encompasses the area where, according to Christian tradition, Jesus was crucified, buried and later rose from the dead. At the entrance of the church is the stone of unction, where tradition holds that Jesus’ body was laid out and washed after his crucifixion. Inside the central rotunda is the newly renovated Edicule, where Jesus was buried.
U.S. extends Temporary Protected Status for Haitians for six months
WASHINGTON (CNS) — Tens of thousands of Haitians enrolled under the Temporary Protected Status program can stay in the United States until at least January. Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly renewed the designation May 22. The decision affects more than 58,000 Haitians in the U.S. The designation, also known as TPS, was implemented by the U.S. government for Haiti days after a powerful earthquake in January 2010 leveled much of the country surrounding the capital of Port-au-Prince. It allowed Haitian nationals to stay in the U.S. because of adverse conditions in their homeland. Kelly’s order extends Temporary Protected Status until Jan. 22, 2018, six months beyond the original expiration date of July 22. Previous extensions had been granted for 18 months. Kelly did not adopt the recommendation of the acting director of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services that called for ending the designation for Haitians altogether in July. In an April 10 memo to Kelly, James W. McCament said “conditions in Haiti no longer support its designation for TPS,” but suggested delaying the effective date of the termination for six months to allow “for a period of orderly transition” for Haitian nationals.
Pope offers prayers for Central African Republic, Catholics in China
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Francis prayed for an end to armed conflicts between predominantly Christian and predominantly Muslim militias in the Central African Republic that have led to the deaths of innocent civilians and forced thousands to flee. “I am close to the population as well as the bishops and all those who work for the good of the people and for peaceful coexistence,” the Pope said after reciting the “Regina Coeli” prayer at noon May 21 with visitors gathered in St. Peter’s Square. Clashes between the mostly Muslim Seleka rebels and the mostly Christian anti-Balaka militia took a turn for the worse in the eastern town of Bria May 20. According to the Reuters news agency, 22 people, including 17 civilians, were killed and 10,000 were people forced to flee their homes. U.N. peacekeeping forces have reinforced the town as well as Bangassou and Alindao, two cities recently struck by violent skirmishes. The Pope urged both sides to end the violent clashes that “threaten the peace process.”
Tackle jobs gap caused by today’s tech revolution, Pope tells experts
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The growing gap between those who can find a place in today’s rapidly changing tech-based job market and those who cannot is very serious and worrying, Pope Francis said. The problem must be tackled “out of a sense of justice between generations and responsibility for the future,” he said. The Pope spoke May 20 at the Vatican to participants in an international conference sponsored by the Centesimus Annus Pro Pontifice Foundation, which seeks to promote the teaching of St. John Paul II’s 1991 encyclical on social and economic justice. The conference May 18-20 discussed “constructive alternatives in an era of global turmoil” as well as looked at incentives for “job creation and human integrity in the digital space. How could we not be worried about the serious problem of the unemployment of young people and adults who do not have at their disposal the means to ‘promote’ themselves? And this has reached a very serious level” of “tragic proportions,” both in developed and developing nations, the Pope said.