Catholic Fire

August 18, 2013. (Romereports.com) During Sunday's Angelus at St. Peter's Square, Pope Francis renewed his calls for peace in Egypt, where violent clashes between the army and supporters of deposed president Mohammed Morsi continue to drive up the death toll among its citizens. POPE FRANCIS “We continue to pray for peace in Egypt together, Mary Queen of Peace pray for us.” During his Angelus remarks, Pope Francis spoke on the Gospel reading for the day, which, coincidentally, dealt with peace, and how violence is incompatible with faith. He said the Gospel's message explained that Jesus set the criteria for which to live by peacefully: live for God or live for oneself, to serve or be served. But he added that living in peace, does not mean being neutral. POPE FRANCIS “Jesus does not portray neutrality. This peace is not a compromise at all costs. To follow Jesus, means to renounce all evil and egoism, to do good, and choose truth and justice.” However, the Po...

August 18, 2013. (Romereports.com) Christians have come under fire from Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood since violent clashes between supporters of deposed president Mohammed Morsi and the army broke out. Islamists largely accuse the Christian population in Egypt of backing the coup that removed Morsi as president.   MARTA PETROSILLO Spokesperson, Help to the Church that Suffers “They believe that Christians and the Christian Churches supported the army in removing President Morse. There are even some who have spoken about a Christian crusade against Morsi. This is not true, because the Church has not taken positions. It allowed its members to act freely.” About 10 percent of the population in Egypt is Christian. They have increasingly become a minority under attack from an on-going struggle. Those attacks have centered on churches, monasteries, schools and even Christian-owned businesses across Egypt. This video shows how flames engulfed a church in Minya, south of Cairo. MA...

For the first time in recent memory, leaders of the U.S. Catholic Conference of Bishops have invited the two presidential candidates to meet with them before the election. Neither Republican John McCain nor Democrat Barack Obama have replied to the invitations offered last month, said Sister Mary Ann Walsh, spokeswoman for the conference. A spokeswoman for the McCain campaign said the senator wants to accept, but does not yet know if such a meeting will fit into his schedule. A spokesman for the Obama campaign could not be reached for comment. Five bishops who lead policy committees -- delving into matters including abortion, education, migration, international affairs and communications -- want to discuss the candidates' views on social issues, said Bishop William Murphy of the Rockville Centre diocese in New York state. He is chairman of the bishops' domestic policy committee. The meetings, if they occur, will be private and off the record, he said. "This isn't born ...